Unholy Strength

Unholy Strength first appeared in the Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering in 1993, designed as a simple enchantment to grant a creature a power and toughness boost for a single black mana. The International Collectors' Edition (CE) version, released in 1993, was a non-tournament-legal boxed set created to showcase the game to international markets and potential retailers. These cards are easily distinguished from standard issues by their gold-bordered backs and square corners, reflecting their intent as a promotional showcase rather than a playable tournament product.

The art for this specific card, featuring a haunting, demonic figure, was illustrated by Dan Frazier. Frazier was one of the game's original core artists, tasked with defining the dark and visceral aesthetic of early black-aligned cards. His work on this piece successfully established the theme of dark empowerment that came to define the color black within the game's color pie, and his contributions remain central to the nostalgic visual identity of the early sets.