Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Tracking Print Runs Through Expansions: The Case of Tiana, Angelic Mechanic
If you’ve ever chased the lifecycle of a single card across sets and formats, you know the thrill isn’t just about power on the battlefield. It’s about the journey—the print runs, the reworks, and the way a card’s presence shifts with every new product drop. For a card like Tiana, Angelic Mechanic, a legendary creature from the digitally native Alchemy: Dominaria line, the story is especially telling. With a mana cost of {1}{R}{W} and a wings-and-wires vibe, Tiana embodies both the elegance of angels and the gritty spark of machines 🧙♂️🔥💎. Her existence in a digital-only context highlights how Wizards of the Coast has evolved its approach to rarity, availability, and how players measure a card’s print frequency across expansions 🎲.
Card snapshot: what the data tells us
- Name: Tiana, Angelic Mechanic
- Set: Alchemy: Dominaria (ydmu)
- Released: 2022-10-05
- Mana cost: {1}{R}{W} (three mana, two colors)
- Type: Legendary Creature — Angel Artificer
- Power/Toughness: 3/2
- Rarity: Rare
- Colors: Red and White (color identity RW)
- Ability: Flying. When Tiana, Angelic Mechanic or another legendary creature you control crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle perpetually gets +1/+0.
- Foil / Nonfoil: Nonfoil
- Digital status: Digital card (Alchemy set, Arena gameplay)
In the editorial sense, this card sits at the intersection of two MTG traditions: the classic color pie interplay of RW artifacts and the modern, digital-first approach to card design. The ability interacts with all legendary creatures you control, which makes it a natural navigator for Vehicle-heavy strategies. Vehicles love to be crewed—something Tiana accelerates by adding a persistent power boost whenever a Vehicle is piloted by your legendary crew. It’s a design that rewards building around a theme rather than simply stockpiling vanilla beaters 🧙♂️⚔️.
What “print frequency” means when the card lives in digital space
Traditionally, “print frequency” refers to how often a card appears across paper sets, reprints, and specialty products. For Tiana, Angelic Mechanic, the canonical data tells us she lives in a digital-alchemy ecosystem rather than a standard paper cycle. That distinction matters for several reasons:
- Single digital printing window: In Alchemy: Dominaria, Tiana exists as part of a digital reimagining of the Dominaria theme. There isn’t a separate foil or nonfoil print run in paper; rather, her presence is tied to the digital product line and Arena-compatible card data.
- Rarity and accessibility: Labeled rare in the Alchemy set, she’s positioned as a coveted pickup for digital players who chase powerful archetypes—especially those that want to optimize a legendary-creature-heavy crew mechanic with Vehicles.
- Rebalanced by design: Alchemy cards are known for live balancing and digital-first tweaks. This means the “print run” can be less about paper reissues and more about shifting values or tuning numbers in future digital updates. The net effect: the card’s presence can feel both ephemeral and persistent depending on how the format evolves in Arena 🔧🎛️.
- Tracking across expansions: For digital cards, players rely on sources like Scryfall to map set codes, release dates, and print cues. The absence of a foil path or separate reprints makes the frequency easier to track in digital terms, but less transparent in traditional print-run sense. That’s where the craft of data tracking shines: you read the set, confirm the card’s status, and map its appearances as the game’s formats shift.
As researchers and value-seekers pore over these data points, they often discover that print frequency in digital lines is less about volume and more about the cadence of design experimentation. The Alchemy line gives Wizards the freedom to refresh mechanics and art without the logistical chaos of reprinting in paper. For players, that means that a card like Tiana can feel fresh in one month and still be a stable, enduring presence in your Arena collection the next 🧙♂️🎨.
“In magic, the hardware matters less than the crew—especially when the angels bring big punches to the vehicles.”
Deck-building implications: synergy, tempo, and staying power
Tiana’s automatic synergy with any legendary creature you control creates a natural ecosystem around your Vehicle crew builds. Vehicles such as iconic airships and armored chassis rely on efficient crewing to unleash power and reach. The +1/+0 boost granted to a crewed Vehicle is permanent, nudging midrange boards into threatening territory and enabling uninterrupted pressure through blockers and evasion. In practice, you can pair Tiana with other legendary targets to maximize buff moments, while your Vehicles press with machine-like precision 🔥⚙️.
For Arena players, the Alchemy: Dominaria environment offers a sandbox where you can test different combinations quickly. Because the card is digital, you’ll see the impact of the buff in real time, and you can fine-tune your legendary roster to ensure you always meet the “crewing” condition when you want it most. In my testing, a lean curve of a few legendary permanents can flip a board state in a single swing, especially when vehicles threaten to outrun your opponent's defenses 💎🎲.
Art, lore, and the designer’s touch
The artwork by Joseph Weston captures the bold fusion of celestial grace and mechanical ingenuity that defines Tiana. The angelic motif—gleaming wings, radiant light—meets the grit of machinery and gears in a way that mirrors the card’s gameplay: elegance with an edge. The Alchemy frame and legendary treatment emphasize flavor while staying readable at common play angles, an example of thoughtful card design that respects both collector and casual players alike. It’s not just a card; it’s a vignette of a broader microcosm where angels tinker, and steel answers with speed 🎨⚙️.
Cross-promotion and practical notes
As you plan your desk setup for long sessions or friendly tournaments, consider pairing your MTG cockpit with a sturdy accessory that keeps pace with your zeal. The Neon Vibrant Non-Slip Gaming Mouse Pad from the linked product line blends well with the metallic and fiery energy of Tiana’s color identity. It’s a small touch, but those tiny comforts add up when you’re deep in game lore and deck optimization. And yes, it’s always nice to have a surface that stays faithful during those intense crewing moments 🧙♂️🎲.