Thieving Magpie

Thieving Magpie was originally introduced in the Urza's Destiny set in 1999 and became a staple for blue decks due to its efficiency in providing both an evasive threat and consistent card advantage. By the time it was included in the Ninth Edition core set, the card had solidified its reputation as a classic control element that rewarded players for successfully landing attacks against an opponent.

The Ninth Edition illustration was provided by Una Fricker, whose artistic contribution captures the avian creature in a dynamic, predatory pose. The design goal for this iteration was to maintain the card's iconic identity while fitting the aesthetic standards of the core set, and it was generally well-received by the player base for its clean, readable visual representation of the creature's mechanical ability to steal extra cards.