Plague Rats

The Plague Rats card from the 1994 Summer Magic set, also known as the Edgar set, holds a unique place in trading card history as an intended reprint of the Alpha and Beta editions. It was produced by Wizards of the Coast to correct errors found in the earlier Revised Edition and to provide a cleaner print run, though a series of manufacturing mishaps led to the entire print run being recalled and largely destroyed, making the surviving cards some of the most sought-after rarities in the hobby.

The artwork for Plague Rats was originally created by artist Anson Maddocks, whose illustrative style helped define the macabre, dark fantasy aesthetic of early Magic: The Gathering. The card’s design focused on a cumulative power mechanic that rewarded players for fielding multiple copies, a thematic representation of a growing infestation. While initially conceived as a standard common for the game’s core experience, the specific Summer Magic version remains a historical curiosity due to its corrected coloring and its status as a failed commercial release.