Steady Progress

Steady Progress was originally printed in the Scars of Mirrodin expansion in 2010, designed to highlight the proliferate mechanic central to the set's themes of evolution and mechanical infection. The card was specifically crafted to provide blue mana decks with a flexible tool for advancing counter-based strategies, whether dealing with charge counters on artifacts or poison counters on opponents. Its return in the Modern Masters 2015 set was part of a broader effort by Wizards of the Coast to curate a draft environment that balanced the complexity of previous sets with a refreshed card pool.

The artwork for Steady Progress was illustrated by Izzy, a long-time contributor to the Magic: The Gathering aesthetic. His approach often emphasizes dramatic lighting and motion to capture the essence of a spell. In this piece, he aimed to visualize the concept of magical momentum, utilizing a stylized, clean-lined depiction of energy manipulation that aligned with the high-tech, metallic aesthetic of the Mirrodin plane. Upon its release, the card was well-received by players focusing on synergy-heavy decks, as it offered a cost-effective way to generate card advantage while simultaneously advancing board states.