Card Finishes
Card finishes let you add a visual surface effect to your cards. Whether you want a shiny holographic look, a textured leather feel, or a subtle silk sheen, finishes give your cards a distinctive appearance that shows up both in the creation studio preview and when viewing cards in your library.
What finishes are
Section titled “What finishes are”A finish is a visual overlay applied to the surface of a card. It affects how the card looks when displayed — some finishes react to your mouse cursor, creating dynamic light and reflection effects, while others add a static texture to the card surface.
Finishes are purely cosmetic. They do not change the card’s content, fields, effects, or gameplay behavior.
Choosing a finish
Section titled “Choosing a finish”When creating a card in the Card Creation Studio, the finish selector appears in the left panel alongside other card metadata like title, tags, and visibility.
Each finish is shown as a small visual chip. Click on one to select it — the active finish gets a highlighted border. You can see the effect immediately on the front and back card previews in the center of the studio.
If the template you are using has a default finish set, your card will start with that finish pre-selected. You can change it to any other finish before creating the card.
Available finishes
Section titled “Available finishes”Light-based finishes
Section titled “Light-based finishes”These finishes simulate how light interacts with different reflective surfaces. When viewing cards in the enlarged view, they respond to your mouse cursor — move your mouse over the card to see the effect shift and change.
| Finish | Description |
|---|---|
| Normal | No overlay effect. The card displays as-is. |
| Foil | A metallic foil pattern with subtle rainbow refraction and diagonal lines. Gives cards a premium collector’s feel. |
| Rainbow Foil | A bolder, more saturated version of foil with vivid full-spectrum rainbow bands over metallic texture. |
| Holographic | An iridescent rainbow that shifts across the card as you move your cursor. Includes prismatic lines and a soft glare highlight. |
| Prismatic | Sharp rainbow light bands that sweep across the card surface. More defined and angular than holographic. |
| Glossy | A high-shine reflective surface with a soft, spread-out glare spot that follows the cursor. |
| Silk | A smooth fabric sheen with crossing diagonal highlights that shift gently with cursor movement. |
| Brushed Metal | Directional metallic grain with a sliding vertical highlight, like polished brushed steel. |
Textured finishes
Section titled “Textured finishes”These finishes add a physical surface texture to the card. They are static and do not respond to mouse movement.
| Finish | Description |
|---|---|
| Matte | A subtle noise texture with reduced reflectivity and a soft vignette, like premium matte card stock. |
| Linen | A woven fabric texture with a fine crosshatch pattern, similar to linen card stock. |
| Leather | A bumpy, grainy surface with natural-looking texture and warm tones, like a leather-bound card. |
| Parchment | Aged, weathered paper with subtle stain blotches, fine crease lines, and darkened edges. Great for fantasy-themed cards. |
Where finishes are visible
Section titled “Where finishes are visible”Finishes appear in these contexts:
- Card Creation Studio — the front and back previews show a static hint of the selected finish
- Enlarged card view — when you click to enlarge a card, the finish is fully interactive with mouse-tracking effects (for light-based finishes)
- Card details dialog — the enlarged card in the details panel shows the finish
In grid and thumbnail views, light-based finishes show a subtle static version of the effect to keep performance smooth when many cards are visible at once.
Template default finishes
Section titled “Template default finishes”Template creators can set a default finish for their template. When someone creates a card from that template, it will start with the default finish pre-selected. The card creator can always change the finish before saving.
Setting a default finish on a template
Section titled “Setting a default finish on a template”- Open your template in the Card Design Studio
- In the left panel, switch to the Settings tab
- Scroll to the bottom of the settings panel and expand the Default Card Finish section by clicking on it
- Select the finish you want as the default for this template
- Save the template
The default finish is saved with the template. Any cards created from this template will automatically start with that finish selected in the Card Creation Studio.