Liliana, Heretical Healer // Liliana, Defiant Necromancer

Released in July 2015 as part of the Magic Origins set, this double-faced card represents the origin story of the necromancer Liliana Vess. The card depicts her transformation from a human healer into a powerful planeswalker, a mechanical reflection of the game's narrative focus on the backstories of its most iconic characters. This specific version was issued as a promotional card, distinguished by its unique artwork and the 's' suffix in its collector number, which was distributed through Magic: The Gathering store events.

The card was illustrated by Karla Ortiz, a prominent digital artist known for her distinctive painterly style. Ortiz aimed to capture the duality of the character, balancing Liliana’s vulnerability in her initial state with the dark, authoritative power she assumes upon her transformation. The design was well-received by the player community, particularly for its thematic resonance with the character's established lore and the technical achievement of integrating a transformational mechanic into a single card frame.