Willow Dryad

Willow Dryad first appeared in the Portal: Second Age set, released by Wizards of the Coast in 1998. Designed as an introductory-level set, Portal: Second Age was created to ease new players into the mechanics of Magic: The Gathering by simplifying card interactions and focusing on thematic, top-down designs. The artwork for the card was created by Randy Asplund, who emphasized the mystical and nature-focused aesthetic typical of green-aligned creatures in the game's lore.

The card was later included in The List, a curated selection of reprints that Wizards of the Coast inserts into Set Boosters. By featuring cards from across the game's history, The List provides collectors and players the opportunity to acquire older, out-of-print cards in a modern format. The inclusion of Willow Dryad in this rotation serves as a nod to its role as a foundational green creature from the late 1990s era of the game.