Magic 2011

Magic: The Gathering 2011 Core Set (a.k.a Magic 2011 and M11) is the Core Set that was released on July 16, 2010. The worldwide Prerelease took place July 10–11, and Launch Parties took place July 16–18.
==Set details==
Magic 2011 contained 249 cards (101 Common, 60 Uncommon, 53 Rare, 15 Mythic, 20 Basic Lands). Like its predecessor Magic 2010, nearly half of the cards in Magic 2011 were new.
===Storyline===
The Raven's Eye is a webcomic about Liliana Vess. It was published in three parts in June and July 2010.
Title 	Author 	Release Date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
The Raven's Eye, Part 1	Jenna Helland	2010-06-17 	Dominaria 	Liliana, Arine, Ana, Josu Vess, Raven Man
The Raven's Eye, Part 2	Jenna Helland	2010-06-24 	Shandalar 	Biborat, Dalto, Harcu, Brantilz, Liliana
The Raven's Eye, Part 3	Jenna Helland	2010-07-01 	Shandalar 	Liliana, Raven Man
===Marketing===
Magic 2011 was is sold in 16-card and 6-card booster packs, 5 Intro packs, a fat pack and a Land Station. The regular boosters featured art from <c>Sun Titan</c> (with white background), <c>Maritime Guard</c> (with blue background), <c>Phylactery Lich</c> (with black background), <c>Hoarding Dragon</c> (with red background) and <c>Obstinate Baloth</c> (with green background). The 6-card booster featured <c>War Priest of Thune</c>.
A promotional version of the new card <c>Sun Titan</c> was given out to players at the Prerelease event. The promotional card for the launch party was the new card <c>Ancient Hellkite</c>. The Buy-a-Box promo was <c>Birds of Paradise</c>. The Magic 2011 Game Day was held on August 14–15, 2010. At this event the DCI-Promo-Card was <c>Liliana's Specter</c> and the Top 8 Finish reward was a full-art foil <c>Mitotic Slime</c>.
Regular boosters of Magic 2011 come with a bonus sixteenth card that is either a "tips & tricks card" or a creature token from Magic 2011. One face of the Magic 2011 bonus card has one of nine different rules tips or is one of six different creature tokens. The other face has one of 13 advertisements for organized play programs, Scars of Mirrodin, Duels of the Planeswalkers for Xbox Live, Magic Online, fat packs, the Planewalker Novel - Test of Metal, the movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Ultra Pro products for Magic. The advertised movie had a Magic tie-in.
====Tips & Tricks====
The tips & tricks cards are:
#Planeswalker Cards
#Parts of the Turn
#Deathtouch
#Tokens & Counters
#Building a Deck
#Limited Play
#The Stack
#Gatherer Card Database
#Leylines
====Tokens====
The Magic 2011 tokens are:
# */* Avatar produced by <c>Ajani Goldmane</c>
# 3/3 Bird with flying produced by <c>Roc Egg</c>
# 2/2 Zombie produced by <c>Grave Titan</c>
# 3/3 Beast produced by <c>Garruk Wildspeaker</c>
# 2/2 Ooze produced by <c>Mitotic Slime</c>
# 1/1 Ooze produced by <c>Mitotic Slime</c>
===Sample decks===
Like Tenth Edition, Magic 2011 came with free sample decks made from 30 commons and uncommons.
===Rule change===
*Deathtouch was changed so that it followed the normal damage assignment rules, instead of ignoring them. Instead, any non-zero amount of damage dealt by a source with deathtouch would now be considered lethal damage. This is a more elegant solution that still allows a creature with deathtouch to kill multiple blockers.
==Mechanics and themes==
Magic 2011 uses all the evergreen mechanics except for double strike and intimidate. The mechanics flash, regeneration and shroud each appear on only one card, either an uncommon or rare. Magic 2011 is the first core set to use a non-evergreen mechanic, scry, which would not appear in the next core set Magic 2012.
Magic 2011 attempts to give planeswalkers more of a presence, by printing two cycles of "signature spells". Because planeswalkers have to be mythic rare, many players do not see the planeswalker characters very often. The names and artwork of these common and uncommon spells each feature one of the five planeswalkers originally printed in Lorwyn, meaning that players will now see the planeswalker characters a lot more often.
Magic 2011 continues to push vampires as a major black tribe. It contains more vampires than Magic 2010, and is the first core set to contain more vampires than zombies.
==Cycles==
Magic 2011 has 9 horizontal cycles and a four-card cycle.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Lucky charms 	 	 	 	 	
Lucky charms 	Each artifact costing and hosting an ability that allows its controller to gain life whenever a spell of the appropriate color is played. (Reprinted from Darksteel) 	Each artifact costing and hosting an ability that allows its controller to gain life whenever a spell of the appropriate color is played. (Reprinted from Darksteel) 	Each artifact costing and hosting an ability that allows its controller to gain life whenever a spell of the appropriate color is played. (Reprinted from Darksteel) 	Each artifact costing and hosting an ability that allows its controller to gain life whenever a spell of the appropriate color is played. (Reprinted from Darksteel) 	Each artifact costing and hosting an ability that allows its controller to gain life whenever a spell of the appropriate color is played. (Reprinted from Darksteel)
Enemy-color hosers 	 	 	 	 	
Enemy-color hosers 	Each of these uncommon spells hampers both of their enemy colors at a low mana cost. (The first three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these uncommon spells hampers both of their enemy colors at a low mana cost. (The first three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these uncommon spells hampers both of their enemy colors at a low mana cost. (The first three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these uncommon spells hampers both of their enemy colors at a low mana cost. (The first three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these uncommon spells hampers both of their enemy colors at a low mana cost. (The first three are reprints from Magic 2010.)
Planeswalkers 	 	 	 	 	
Planeswalkers 	A cycle of mythic rare planeswalkers. (Reprinted from Magic 2010 and Lorwyn.) 	A cycle of mythic rare planeswalkers. (Reprinted from Magic 2010 and Lorwyn.) 	A cycle of mythic rare planeswalkers. (Reprinted from Magic 2010 and Lorwyn.) 	A cycle of mythic rare planeswalkers. (Reprinted from Magic 2010 and Lorwyn.) 	A cycle of mythic rare planeswalkers. (Reprinted from Magic 2010 and Lorwyn.)
Uncommon Signature Spells	 	 	 	 	
Uncommon Signature Spells	Each of these uncommon spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these uncommon spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these uncommon spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these uncommon spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these uncommon spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities.
Common Signature Spells 	 	 	 	 	
Common Signature Spells 	Each of these common spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these common spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these common spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these common spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities. 	Each of these common spells contains the name of one of the five original planeswalkers from Lorwyn, and is meant to replicate and/or benefit from that planeswalker's abilities.
Tribal Lords 	(Knights) 	(Merfolk) 	(Vampires) 	(Goblins) 	(Elves)
Tribal Lords 	Each of these rare creatures gives other creatures of their type +1/+1 and has an additional ability related to them. (The last three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare creatures gives other creatures of their type +1/+1 and has an additional ability related to them. (The last three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare creatures gives other creatures of their type +1/+1 and has an additional ability related to them. (The last three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare creatures gives other creatures of their type +1/+1 and has an additional ability related to them. (The last three are reprints from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare creatures gives other creatures of their type +1/+1 and has an additional ability related to them. (The last three are reprints from Magic 2010.)
Leylines 	 	 	 	 	
Leylines 	Each of these rare enchantments costs plus 2 mana of the appropriate color. Each can start the game in play if it is in a player's opening hand. (Leyline of the Void reprinted from Guildpact) 	Each of these rare enchantments costs plus 2 mana of the appropriate color. Each can start the game in play if it is in a player's opening hand. (Leyline of the Void reprinted from Guildpact) 	Each of these rare enchantments costs plus 2 mana of the appropriate color. Each can start the game in play if it is in a player's opening hand. (Leyline of the Void reprinted from Guildpact) 	Each of these rare enchantments costs plus 2 mana of the appropriate color. Each can start the game in play if it is in a player's opening hand. (Leyline of the Void reprinted from Guildpact) 	Each of these rare enchantments costs plus 2 mana of the appropriate color. Each can start the game in play if it is in a player's opening hand. (Leyline of the Void reprinted from Guildpact)
Mythic Titans 	 	 	 	 	
Mythic Titans 	Each of these mythic rare giants are 6/6, cost 4MM, have a color-themed ability (Vigilance, firebreathing, etc.), and have a powerful ability that is triggered by them entering the battlefield or attacking.	Each of these mythic rare giants are 6/6, cost 4MM, have a color-themed ability (Vigilance, firebreathing, etc.), and have a powerful ability that is triggered by them entering the battlefield or attacking.	Each of these mythic rare giants are 6/6, cost 4MM, have a color-themed ability (Vigilance, firebreathing, etc.), and have a powerful ability that is triggered by them entering the battlefield or attacking.	Each of these mythic rare giants are 6/6, cost 4MM, have a color-themed ability (Vigilance, firebreathing, etc.), and have a powerful ability that is triggered by them entering the battlefield or attacking.	Each of these mythic rare giants are 6/6, cost 4MM, have a color-themed ability (Vigilance, firebreathing, etc.), and have a powerful ability that is triggered by them entering the battlefield or attacking.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Allied color check lands 	 	 	 	 	
Allied color check lands 	Each of these rare dual lands come into play tapped unless you control land with one of the appropriate types. (Reprinted from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare dual lands come into play tapped unless you control land with one of the appropriate types. (Reprinted from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare dual lands come into play tapped unless you control land with one of the appropriate types. (Reprinted from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare dual lands come into play tapped unless you control land with one of the appropriate types. (Reprinted from Magic 2010.) 	Each of these rare dual lands come into play tapped unless you control land with one of the appropriate types. (Reprinted from Magic 2010.)
===Four-card cycles===
Cycle name 	 	 	 	
Elemental Servants	 	 	 	
Elemental Servants	These four uncommon Elemental creatures are instead based on the traditional four Elements. These four are added to the core set as <c>Air Elemental</c> was removed, the last Elemental of four Elementals that were in Alpha.	These four uncommon Elemental creatures are instead based on the traditional four Elements. These four are added to the core set as <c>Air Elemental</c> was removed, the last Elemental of four Elementals that were in Alpha.	These four uncommon Elemental creatures are instead based on the traditional four Elements. These four are added to the core set as <c>Air Elemental</c> was removed, the last Elemental of four Elementals that were in Alpha.	These four uncommon Elemental creatures are instead based on the traditional four Elements. These four are added to the core set as <c>Air Elemental</c> was removed, the last Elemental of four Elementals that were in Alpha.
===Pairs===
Magic 2011 has two mirrored pairs.
Mirrored Pairs	Mirrored Pairs	Description
 	 	Common Auras with enchant creature that give a mirrored bonus to the enchanted creature's power/toughness.
 	 	Uncommon Knights with a mana cost of MM, power/toughness of 2/2, first strike and protection from the other's color.
==Hosers==
Magic 2011 reprinted the white, blue, and black members of the hoser cycle from Magic 2010, as they were widely used as sideboard cards. Red and green get new, more powerful hoser cards to deal with their enemy colors. Green also gets <c>Plummet</c>, one of the most efficient anti-flying hosers ever printed.
Plummet, along with red's hoser <c>Combust</c>, appear to be directed specifically at combating the powerful <c>Baneslayer Angel</c> - though they do serve other functions as well.
==Notable cards==
*The Titan cycle of cards (such as <c>Inferno Titan</c>) have all seen substantial amounts of play in Standard and Modern, providing large amounts of value for a single card even considering the mana investment. They particularly dominated in Standard, where they were at the top end of nearly every midrange and control deck while they were legal.
*<c>Serra Ascendant</c> is a potentially extremely efficient creature, but is notable due to automatically gaining its bonus in formats such as Commander where players start with more than 30 life, causing it to be one of the strongest creatures in that format.
*<c>Viscera Seer</c> is a strong, free sacrifice outlet that has powered numerous "aristocrats" decks like Vampires in Standard and creature toolbox and <c>Collected Company</c> decks in Modern, where it can be part of numerous infinite loops while also providing value against targeted removal.
*<c>Fauna Shaman</c> is like a creature version of <c>Survival of the Fittest</c> that has been used in numerous creature toolbox decks in Standard and Modern to find creatures with niche abilities for the current situation
*<c>Steel Overseer</c> is a powerful artifact creature playoff and a crucial part of MUD aggro decks in Legacy and Vintage, Affinity and <c>Hardened Scales</c> based decks in Modern, and <c>Tempered Steel</c> based artifact creature aggro decks in Standard.
*<c>Pyretic Ritual</c> is one of the few red rituals legal in Modern, leading to its use in several combo decks like Landless Belcher, Storm, and Mono-Red Prison.
*<c>Ajani's Pridemate</c> is one of the most iconic life gain payoffs and has seen many reprints in future sets
*<c>Leyline of Sanctity</c> is a powerful sideboard card that has been played in every format from Modern to Vintage to prevent against targeted spells, primarily discard spells like <c>Thoughtseize</c> and direct damage burn spells.
*<c>Squadron Hawk</c> was part of the notoriously powerful Caw-blade deck that used the hawk in numerous ways. The flying creatures were great at using the powerful Equipment fetched by <c>Stoneforge Mystic</c>, and its ability paired particularly well with <c>Jace the Mind Sculptor</c>'s ability to <c>Brainstorm</c>, as the additional copies of the hawk could be put back into the deck and then fetched again afterward to generate significant card advantage. It now sees minor play in Modern decks like Death and Taxes and Martyr Proc, as well as white-based aggro decks in Pauper.
===Banned and restricted cards===
*<c>Preordain</c> is one of the strong cantrip cards in the game, offering an impressive card selection for a minimal cost. It has seen heavy play in Standard, Modern, Legacy, and Pauper, and was so strong in Modern that it was banned between 2011 and 2023 to reduce the consistency of blue decks.
*<c>Primeval Titan</c> is easily the strongest of the already strong Titan cycle, providing both substantial ramp and the ability to search for any land, including nonbasics. This ability has led to entire decks based around casting it as early as possible and abusing its ability, such as the Amulet Titan ramp deck that has existed in Modern for nearly as long as the format has existed. It is so strong as to be banned in the casual format Commander.
==Core set changes and reprints==
As a Core Set, Magic 2011 has a higher ratio of reprints than usual. 93 out of 229 cards found in Magic 2011 appeared in Magic 2010, either as original printings or reprints from earlier sets.
;Notable changes
*With the removal of <c>Mesa Enchantress</c>, Magic 2011 is the first core set to not have an Enchantress. <c>Mesa Enchantress</c> replaced <c>Verduran Enchantress</c> in Magic 2010. Both have been used in Enchantress decks. Magic 2011 is also the first core set to contain no Auras that enchant lands.
==Intro packs==
As of Magic 2011, intro packs would again be sixty card decks, rather than the 41 card decks they had been since Shards of Alara. They still came with a 16-card booster enclosed.
The intro packs are:
==Trivia==
The card <c>Ancient Hellkite</c> was the promotional card given out at release events; it is also available as a foil in the theme deck Breath of Fire.
Apart from the two cycles of planeswalker's spells, Magic 2011 contains several new cards that pay homage to Magic's past:
*<c>Barony Vampire</c> appears to be from the Dark Barony on Ulgrotha.
*<c>Dryad's Favor</c> depicts a <c>Borderland Ranger</c> in its artwork.
*<c>Elixir of Immortality</c> has flavor text attributed to Baron Sengir of the Dark Barony.
*<c>Roc Egg</c> is a reference to the card <c>Rukh Egg</c> from Arabian Nights.
*<c>Hornet Sting</c> is a reference to the card <c>Bee Sting</c> from Portal and Portal Second Age.
*<c>Serra Ascendant</c> refers to the pre-mending planeswalker Serra and her plane.
*<c>Sword of Vengeance</c> looks like the sword of the archangel Akroma and grants some of her abilities to the creature it equips.
==References==
==External links==
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Category:Magic core sets