Portal Three Kingdoms

Infobox mtgset
Background = Teal
Expansion Name = "Portal Three Kingdoms"
Expansion
Expansion Symbol =
Symbol Description = Chinese character for the number 3
Release Date = July 6, 1999
Mechanics = "Zodiac" cycle
Keywords = Horsemanship
Size = 180 cards
Expansion Code = PTK
Development Code = None
Block Name = Portal Block
First Set =
Second Set =
Third Set = Portal Three Kingdoms
Previous Set = "Urza's Destiny"
This Set = "Portal Three Kingdoms"
Next Set = ""

Portal Three Kingdoms is the third expansion of the Portal block, and the third starter level set. Like the other expansions in the Portal block, "Portal: Three Kingdoms" is designed for beginners to Magic. The setting is heavily based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Each card, including each basic land, was illustrated by a Chinese artist.

et History

"Portal Three Kingdoms" was released mainly in Asia-Pacific markets. These cards were printed in Japanese, S-Chinese, and T-Chinese. A very short English printing run was done, but these versions of the cards were released primarily in Australia and New Zealand and are relatively difficult to find.

As of October 20, 2005, all cards in the Portal block are legal in Vintage and Legacy tournaments.

Allowing this set to be played in Vintage had the effect of making Imperial Seal an extremely valuable card. Its value now often exceeds 150USD.

Horsemanship

Portal Three Kingdoms is the only starter level set to introduce a new keyword ability into the game. Horsemanship has become an obscure ability due to the limited production and geographical release of the set.

Horsemanship is an evasion ability that works like flying in that creatures with horsemanship can be blocked only by creatures with horsemanship. Creatures with horsemanship can block creatures without horsemanship as well, but not be blocked by creatures with flying, likewise Horsemanship creatures can not block flying creatures. As such, these creatures are effectively 'unblockable' by almost all other creatures. However, like all other Portal sets, Three Kingdoms can only be used in Vintage and Legacy formats where many decks function with limited or no creature base.

A past controversy existed over horsemanship, when the set became tournament legal, there were some who thought that cards with the horsemanship ability should be errata to have flying instead. Wizards initially considered making this change but decided against it, stating that the creatures with horsemanship are rare and not aggressive enough to make an impact on vintage formats. Wizards has also stated that it will be unlikely that horsemanship will return on new cards in the future.

With the release of Time Spiral, Wizards recently returned a vast number of older pre-8th Edition keyword abilities and mechanics; horsemanship was not among the mechanics that returned.

External links

* [http://www.wizards.com/magic/p3k/p3k_edition.asp Wizards' official page on Portal Three Kingdoms]