Tidings

Tidings was first introduced to the Magic: The Gathering card game in the Urza's Destiny expansion in 1999 and was subsequently included in the Ninth Edition core set as card number 106. Designed as a blue sorcery, the card mechanically represents the concept of strategic card advantage, allowing a player to draw four cards at the cost of four mana. This efficiency made it a functional tool in blue-aligned control decks of its era, providing a reliable way to refresh a hand after the initial stages of a match.

The artwork for this printing was provided by Pete Venters, a prolific illustrator who contributed hundreds of pieces to the game throughout its formative decades. Venters employed a classic fantasy style for Tidings, focusing on imagery that conveys the acquisition of arcane knowledge. While Ninth Edition served as a bridge between older design philosophies and the modern era of the game, the card's inclusion helped maintain the core identity of blue as the color of information and tactical foresight.