Tormod's Cryptkeeper

Tormod's Cryptkeeper was introduced in the 2021 set Modern Horizons 2, a product specifically designed to introduce powerful and nostalgic cards into the Modern format of Magic: The Gathering. The card serves as a thematic continuation of the legacy established by Tormod's Crypt, a iconic artifact card originally printed in the 1997 set Legends that is renowned for its ability to exile graveyards. By personifying this effect as a creature, the design team created a versatile tool that bridges the gap between graveyard disruption and board presence, fitting into the set's goal of supporting complex interactions.

The artwork, illustrated by Svetlin Velinov, depicts the Cryptkeeper as a skeletal, robed guardian tending to the resting places of the dead. Velinov's aesthetic choice leans into the grim, high-fantasy tone synonymous with the game's necromantic themes. Upon its release, the card was received as a functional utility piece, appreciated by players for its efficiency in sideboards and its ability to act as a reactive threat against strategies that rely on manipulating the discard pile.