Imperial Recruiter

Imperial Recruiter was released in 1999 as part of the Portal Three Kingdoms set for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. The set was designed to introduce the game to the Asian market by adapting the events and figures of the 14th-century Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms into the game's existing mechanics. It was intended to be a standalone, beginner-friendly experience, though the resulting cards eventually became significant staples in competitive formats.

The artwork was created by popular Magic: The Gathering illustrator Qi Baoshan, who contributed a distinct aesthetic consistent with the set's historical theme. The card's design features a functional ability to search for creatures with low power, a mechanic that proved immensely powerful in later formats. While the set had limited distribution outside of specific regions at the time of its release, the mechanical utility of the card led to its sustained demand among collectors and competitive players.