Magic’s Most Expensive Banned Card Is Officially Coming Back, but There’s a Catch
Magic: The Gathering’s forthcoming Reality Fracture set will include a card that creates a “Lotus” artifact token with the iconic Black Lotus mana ability, rather than reprinting Black Lotus itself. The reference is significant because Black Lotus is one of the game’s most powerful, valuable and restricted cards, but the unknown method of creating the token will determine whether it is a major gameplay tool or simply a nostalgic callback.
The tease came from principal designer Mark Rosewater’s preview hints, which also point to planeswalker-focused mechanics, alternate-reality character versions and new land and token designs. Black Lotus originally cost no mana and could be sacrificed for three mana of one colour; it is banned in Commander and Legacy, restricted in Vintage, and a mint Alpha copy sold for $3 million in 2024.
- Reality Fracture will create a Black Lotus-like token.
- Its power depends on the unrevealed card creating it.
- Black Lotus remains banned or restricted in major formats.