Trained Jackal

Trained Jackal was released in 1999 as part of the Portal Three Kingdoms expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. The set was specifically designed to introduce players in the Asian market to the game's mechanics, utilizing a streamlined ruleset that differentiated it from the standard core sets of the time. The cards were inspired by the 14th-century Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, blending traditional fantasy art styles with characters and creatures from the era.

The art for this card was rendered by artist Edward P. Beard Jr., who contributed extensively to the visual identity of Magic: The Gathering during the late 1990s. His work on this set focused on conveying the feral, domesticated nature of the creature within the context of ancient military campaigns. While the card is often cited by collectors for its niche mechanical utility and its relative scarcity compared to core set cards, it was received at the time as a functional, low-cost creature meant to round out the set's aggressive deck archetypes.