Art is often swapped between cards during a set's development. But sometimes art ends up being dropped from a set completely, and it is put to rest in a "Crypt" file. Every so often, the creative guys go through the Crypt to see if any of the old art can be given a new home. Below are four such examples. Shown are the original pieces of art set in the frame of the cards they were originally comissioned for.
Details are hazy, but to the best of everyone's memory, these stories are accurate.
| SHATTERED CRYPT | SAILMONGER |
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| For some reason, this art was rejected for Shattered Crypt from the Weatherlight expansion. It didn't sit on the sidelines for long, however, finding a home in the very next set, Tempest, on the land Ancient Tomb. | Ever wonder what the flavor text on Sailmonger was supposed to mean? It means that if you tick off a Sailmonger, you might get a jhovall dropped on your head. A late art swap left the original piece out of Mercadian Masques and out in the cold until Onslaught rolled around, where it ended up on Riptide Entrancer. |
| ABDUCTION | RADIANT, ARCHANGEL |
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| When it was decided that the Weatherlight set was going to be the springboard for the multi-block story arc involving Gerrard and his pals, some of the art needed to be reworked to include the main characters. When a new painting featuring Captain Sisay came in for Weatherlight's Abduction, this original piece was shelved until Onslaught. Dusted off, it inspired a race of "bird beasts" called Primocs, and this art was put on Thoughtbound Primoc. | Yes, everyone's favorite Angel from Onslaught was supposed to be everyone's favorite Angel from Urza's Legacy. Slight artistic problems, such as the wrong hair color, caused this piece to be rejected for Radiant, and it wound up on Exalted Angel several years later. |