Zendikar expeditions

The new set for Magic: the Gathering has a special surprise hidden in a very few booster packs. As a setting, Zendikar has always been concerned with lands. The originals set gave us full art basic lands and the landfall mechanic. Both of these return for the new set, Battle for Zendikar. However, there is something else too: the Zendikar expeditions.

These are full frame art lands that only appear as foil mythics. Popular cycles of lands have been taken from past sets as well as a cycle of lands that debuted in Battle for Zendikar.

Each set of five lands was illustrated by a different artist.

The allied fetchlands cycle (last printed in Khans of Tarkir) was illustrated by Veronique Meignaud. Here’s Flooded Strand:

The enemy fetchlands (last seen in Zendikar) were illustrated by Ryan Yee. Here’s Misty Rainforest:

The allied shocklands (last seen in Return to Ravnica block) were all illustrated by Min Yum. Here’s the new version of Temple Garden:

The enemy shocklands, also last printed in the Return to Ravnica block, here illustrated by Noah Bradley. Here’s Steam Vents:

Finally there is a new set of allied lands that debuted in Battle for Zendikar and these have also received the full art treatment, this time from Titus Lunter. These lands haven’t been around long enough yet to earn a nickname!

See all of the expedition along with an interview with Mark Rosewater, Magic’s head designer, at this DailyDot article.