Ill-Gotten Gains

Ill-Gotten Gains was first released in 1997 as part of the Urza's Saga expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Designed by Richard Garfield and his team at Wizards of the Coast, the card was intended to explore the high-risk, high-reward mechanics associated with black mana, forcing players to discard their hands and recycle cards from their graveyard in a symmetrical effect that could easily backfire if misplayed.

The card was later reprinted in the 2014 Conspiracy set, which was designed specifically for multiplayer draft formats. In this context, the illustration by Pete Venters—which captures the chaotic and deceptive nature of a bargain with dark forces—received renewed attention as players sought ways to leverage the card's ability to manipulate graveyard resources and hand sizes in a social, four-player environment.