Ravnica Allegiance

Ravnica Allegiance

 

Card comparisons

 

Deck Builder's Toolkit

 

Guild Kits

 

Mythic Edition

 

Planeswalker decks

 

Ravnica Allegiance
[[File:{{#setmainimage:RNA Logo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	The Guilds of Ravnica symbol upside down, suggesting the horns of Nicol Bolas in negative space.
Design	Mark Rosewater (lead) Jules Robins Jackie Lee Ari Levitch Sam Stoddard Bryan Hawley
Development	Sam Stoddard (lead) Erik Lauer Adam Prosak Dave Humpherys Michael Majors Paul Cheon Peter Lee
Art direction	Cynthia Sheppard
Release date	January 25, 2019
Plane	Ravnica
Keywords/​ability words	Adapt, Addendum, Afterlife, Riot, Spectacle
Set size	259 cards (111 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares) +5 Basic lands +8 Planeswalker deck exclusives +1 Buy-a-Box promo
Expansion code	RNA
Development codename	Meatballs
Core Set 2020 Standard
Guilds of Ravnica Ravnica Allegiance War of the Spark
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Ravnica Allegiance Mythic Edition Ravnica Allegiance Ravnica Allegiance Guild Kits

Ravnica Allegiance is the eightieth Magic expansion. It was released on January 25, 2019. Officially, it is not part of a block. However, it is part of a series of three that is set on the same world, unofficially called the Guilds of Ravnica block.

Set details

Ravnica Allegiance booster

Ravnica Allegiance contains 259 cards (111 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, and 15 mythic rares), but there are only 254 functionally different cards since all gates have 2 common slots. Boosters may include randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. This set features five of the bi-colored Ravnican guilds: Azorius (), Rakdos (), Gruul (), Simic (), and Orzhov (). Watermarks are used to better identify the guilds.

The 5 basic lands of this set are not included within the 259 cards, meaning that they won't appear in booster packs but only in the planeswalker decks and the Bundle, and are numbered from #260/259 to #264/259. Neither contained in boosters are the 8 additional planeswalker deck exclusive cards - numbered #265/259 to #272/259 - and the Buy-a-Box promo, which has the number #273/259. Like in the previous set, each Guildgate is featured in two common slots, each with different art.

Storyline

“

Defend Your Guild

”

This is the penultimate moment of the Gatewatch's fight against Nicol Bolas. Darkness is coming to Ravnica. A conflict that could tear apart the world itself looms large, and the fragile peace between the guilds is strained to its breaking point. Now, with everything on the line, it's time to step up, prove your loyalty, and fight for your guild.

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Ravnica Allegiance are: Rampage of the Clans (), Kaya's Wrath (), Ethereal Absolution (), and Emergency Powers ().

Magic Story

Title	Author	Release Date	Setting	Featuring
The Illusions of Child's Play	Nicky Drayden	2019-01-23	Ravnica	Kodolaag, Olrich, Zita, Lucinka, Jitka Wothis, Grimbly Wothis (mentioned), Dovin (mentioned)
Rage of the Unsung	Nicky Drayden	2019-01-30	Ravnica	Arrus, Dryzek, Ruric Thar, Jiri, Baas, Daeska Solvar
The Principles of Unnatural Selection	Nicky Drayden	2019-02-06	Ravnica	Medge, Miko, Chessa, Kaszira, Ptero Zallik, Andrik, Dimas, Laszlo, Saganderis, Fania, Zyanek, Zegana
The Ledger of Hidden Fortunes	Nicky Drayden	2019-02-20	Ravnica	Miri, Jarek, Danika, Caz, Vasil
The Ascension of Reza	Nicky Drayden	2019-02-27	Ravnica	Rezajaelis Agnaus, Tagan, Hendrik Azmerak, Janin
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Eleven	Django Wexler	2019-08-21	Ravnica, Unknown plane	Ral, Ghazz, Hekara, Brevia, Harith, Niv-Mizzet, Aurelia, Ferzhin, Dovin, Vell, Kaya
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Twelve	Django Wexler	2019-08-28	Ravnica	Kaya, Teysa Karlov, Olgaia, Svet, Ral, Ferzhin, Domri
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Thirteen	Django Wexler	2019-09-04	Ravnica	Vraska, Xeddick, Hekara, Kaya, Tomik Vrona, Teysa Karlov, Ral, Aurelia, Dovin
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Fourteen	Django Wexler	2019-09-11	Ravnica	Vraska, Mazirek, Xeddick, Ral, Kaya, Aurelia
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Fifteen	Django Wexler	2019-09-18	Ravnica	Ral, Frexus, Tomik Vrona, Kaya, Nicol Bolas, Teysa Karlov, Benitov Gracca, Orsov Gracca, Brimini, Harta, Forgio
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Sixteen	Django Wexler	2019-09-25	Ravnica, Unknown plane	Ral, Tomik Vrona, Nicol Bolas, Vraska, Mazirek, Storrev
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Seventeen	Django Wexler	2019-10-02	Ravnica	Ral, Lavinia, Gullifen, Noz, Fredon, Niv-Mizzet, Tezzeret, Tox
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Eighteen	Django Wexler	2019-10-09	Ravnica	Ral, Niv-Mizzet, Vraska, Storrev, Nicol Bolas
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Nineteen	Django Wexler	2019-10-16	Ravnica	Ral, Kaya, Hekara, Panjandrum, Lavinia, Vraska
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Twenty	Django Wexler	2019-10-23	Ravnica	Ral, Kaya, Hekara, Lavinia, Vraska, Nicol Bolas, Mazirek, Storrev, Brutus, Tezzeret, Niv-Mizzet

Marketing

Ravnica Allegiance Theme Boosters

Ravnica Allegiance is sold in regular 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), two planeswalker decks, the Ravnica Allegiance bundle and a Deck Builder's Toolkit. As in the previous set, 35-card bi-colored Theme Boosters are connected to the appropriate guilds, containing one or two rares/mythic rares. The set is further accompanied by five guild kits, preconstructed theme decks that combine cards from every Ravnica set released so far.

The boosters feature artwork of Lavinia, Kaya, a Rakdos jester, Domri Rade, and Vannifar.

The Planeswalker Decks of the set contain a code that redeems for that Planeswalker Deck in MTG Arena. In addition, a (non-unique) code was offered to everyone who redeemed for three in-game Ravnica Allegiance packs.

Collector Boosters

Ravnica Allegiance Collector Booster

For Ravnica Allegiance, Wizards of the Coast also sold "Collector Boosters" that contain 15 cards for $12.99: They contained:

• 2 foils of any rarity
• 3 rares/mythic rares
• 10 uncommons.

This was a very limited experimental test run. Collector Boosters were only available in Japan and North America, and even then, they weren't widely available.

Events

• Prerelease takes place on January 19, 2019.
• Local stores will be hosting Ravnica Weekend on February 16–17, 2019. Players can come in and play Standard, Draft, or Sealed (decided by the LGS), casual Guild Kit battles, and adventures from the D&D Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica.

Promotional cards

• Magic Open House: full-art Rakdos Firewheeler
• Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare belonging to the chosen guild.
• Draft Weekend Launch promo: Simic Ascendancy
• Magic League: Gate Colossus
• Buy-a-Box: The Haunt of Hightower
• FNM promos: Growth Spiral, Mortify, and Light Up the Stage
• Ravnica Weekend: full-art Lavinia, Azorius Renegade and one of ten special guild-affiliated premium foil promo basic lands. These are numbered B01/10 to B10/10.
  • Non-foil versions of these basic lands appear in the Guild Kits, where they are numbered as part of the deck.

Tokens / Emblem

The sixteenth card in the boosters is a token card or an emblem, with advertisements on the backside. There are twelve tokens and one emblem in the set:

1. 1/1 Human creature for Hero of Precinct One and Watchful Giant
2. 0/2 Illusion creature with "Whenever this creature blocks a creature, that creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step." for Mesmerizing Benthid
3. 2/2 Zombie creature for Awaken the Erstwhile and Captive Audience
4. 1/1 Goblin creature for Goblin Gathering
5. 3/3 Centaur creature for Rampage of the Clans
6. 3/3 Frog Lizard creature for Incongruity
7. 2/2 Ooze creature for Biogenic Ooze
8. 4/4 Beast creature with trample for Domri, Chaos Bringer and Threat
9. 4/4 Sphinx creature with flying and vigilance for Warden
10. 1/1 Spirit creature with flying for Ethereal Absolution, Knight of the Last Breath and all creatures with afterlife
11. 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying for Dovin, Grand Arbiter and Deploy
12. Treasure artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color." for Smothering Tithe
13. Emblem for Domri, Chaos Bringer

Mythic Edition

Ravnica Allegiance Mythic Edition is a special draft-sized booster box. It contains eight masterpieces.

Themes and mechanics

Each guild features a unique mechanic.

Crest	Guild	Colors	Keyword or ability word
	Azorius Senate		Addendum
	If you cast a spell during your main phase,... it has an additional or alternative effect.
	Cult of Rakdos		Spectacle
	You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.
	Gruul Clans		Riot
	This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste.
	Orzhov Syndicate		Afterlife N
	When this creature dies, create N 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token(s) with flying.
	Simic Combine		Adapt N
	If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put N +1/+1 counter(s) on it.

Ravnica Allegiance continues the two cycles of split cards started in Guilds of Ravnica. These guild-based split cards include a hybrid multicolored half and a traditional multicolored half.

Cycles

Ravnica Allegiance has thirteen cycles, two of which are reprints.

Cycle Name
Mythic rares	Angel of Grace	Mesmerizing Benthid	Spawn of Mayhem	Skarrgan Hellkite	Biogenic Ooze
	Five mythic rare creatures.
Cycle name	Azorius	Rakdos	Gruul	Orzhov	Simic
Guild leaders	Dovin, Grand Arbiter	Rakdos, the Showstopper	Domri, Chaos Bringer	Kaya, Orzhov Usurper	Prime Speaker Vannifar
	Five mythic rare legendary multicolor creatures or planeswalkers, each of whom are aligned with a guild and is their leader. Guilds aligned with Nicol Bolas have planeswalkers as their leaders: guilds aligned against, creatures.
Guild champions	Lavinia, Azorius Renegade	Judith, the Scourge Diva	Nikya of the Old Ways	Teysa Karlov	Zegana, Utopian Speaker
	Five rare legendary multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and are a significant figure in the guild.
Mythic rare guild spells	Emergency Powers	Captive Audience	Ravager Wurm	Seraph of the Scales	Hydroid Krasis
	Five mythic rare guild spells.
Guildmages	Senate Guildmage	Cult Guildmage	Clan Guildmage	Syndicate Guildmage	Combine Guildmage
	Five uncommon multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and have two activated abilities, each ability costing at least one mana of that guild's colors and tapping to activate. They are named after the full title of their respective guilds.
MMNN creatures	Sphinx of New Prahv	Rakdos Firewheeler	Sunder Shaman	Basilica Bell-Haunt	Frilled Mystic
	Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors.
Mechanical commons	Sphinx's Insight	Rafter Demon	Frenzied Arynx	Imperious Oligarch	Aeromunculus
	Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic.
Activated creatures	Senate Courier	Rakdos Trumpeter	Gravel-Hide Goblin	Twilight Panther	Steeple Creeper
	Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color.
Hybrid creatures	Senate Griffin	Footlight Fiend	Rubble Slinger	Vizkopa Vampire	Scuttlegator
	Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost.
Uncommon split cards	Depose // Deploy	Carnival // Carnage	Collision // Colossus	Consecrate // Consume	Incubation // Incongruity
	Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor.
Rare split cards	Warrant // Warden	Bedeck // Bedazzle	Thrash // Threat	Revival // Revenge	Repudiate // Replicate
	Five rare split cards, following the same formula as above. The hybrid side depicts the guild champion, and the multicolored side depicts its leader.
Lockets	Azorius Locket	Rakdos Locket	Gruul Locket	Orzhov Locket	Simic Locket
	Five common mana stones for . Each of which tap for either color mana of its corresponding guild, and can be sacrificed by tapping and paying four hybrid mana of the same colors to draw two cards.
Guildgates	Azorius Guildgate	Rakdos Guildgate	Gruul Guildgate	Orzhov Guildgate	Simic Guildgate
	Five common dual lands in guild colors, originally printed in the Return to Ravnica block. Each has the Gate subtype and enters the battlefield tapped. Each is printed twice in the set, with two different sets of art and flavor text. The first shows the guild's "main gate" and has flavor referencing to its leader, whereas the second shows a "back door" and has flavor referencing to its lieutenant.
Shock lands	Hallowed Fountain	Blood Crypt	Stomping Ground	Godless Shrine	Breeding Pool
	Five rare dual lands in guild colors, originally printed in the Ravnica: City of Guilds block. Each has the respective basic land types and enters the battlefield tapped unless its controller pays 2 life.

Pairs

Ravnica Allegiance has one mirrored pair.

Mirrored Pairs		Description
Spirit of the Spires ()	Windstorm Drake ()	Common flying creatures that boost the power or toughness of other flying creatures. When both are on the battlefield, both become 3/4.

Reprinted cards

• Absorb, first printed in Invasion (first time Modern legal)
• Act of Treason, first printed in Magic 2010, last seen in Core Set 2019
• Concordia Pegasus, first printed in Return to Ravnica
• Gateway Plaza, first printed in Guilds of Ravnica
• Gift of Strength, first printed in Hour of Devastation
• Mammoth Spider, first printed in Dominaria
• Junktroller, first printed in Ravnica: City of Guilds
• Mortify, first printed in Guildpact, last seen in Commander 2018
• Root Snare, first printed in Core Set 2019
• Scrabbling Claws, first printed in Mirrodin, last seen in Commander 2018
• Tower Defense, first printed in Gatecrash
• The guildgates, first seen in Return to Ravnica block
• The shock lands first seen in Ravnica block.

Functional reprints

• Axebane Beast is a functional reprint of Rowan Treefolk and Southern Elephant, save for creature types.
• Civic Stalwart is a functional reprint of Inspiring Captain, save for creature types.
• Haazda Officer is a functional reprint of Herald Of The Fair, save for creature types.
• Feral Maaka is a functional reprint of Defiant Khenra and Falkenrath Reaver, save for creature types.
• Grotesque Demise is a functional reprint of Reaver Ambush.
• Prowling Caracal is a functional reprint of Blade of the Sixth Pride and Oreskos Swiftclaw, save for creature types.

Preconstructed decks

Ravnica Allegiance features two planeswalker decks:

Planeswalker deck name	Colors Included					Planeswalker
Dovin	W	U				Dovin, Architect of Law
Domri				R	G	Domri, City Smasher

Ravnica Allegiance features five Guild Kits:

Guild Kit name	Colors Included
Azorius	W	U
Rakdos			B	R
Gruul				R	G
Simic		U			G
Orzhov	W		B

Notable cards

• Simic Ascendancy is an alternate-win card.
• Gruul Guildgate (#250) breaks the pattern of displaying a quote from the set's lieutenant. Instead Nikya's flavor text appears on Stomping Ground.
• Angel of Grace is a throwback to Angel's Grace
• Collision // Colossus has half the card being Colossal Might, even with the same word root.
• Electrodominance sees some Modern play in decks trying to abuse 0 CMC suspend spells such as Restore Balance.
• Bring to Trial is a finishing scene to those seen in Collar the Culprit and Citywide Bust from Guilds of Ravnica. All cards are illustrated by Victor Adame Minguez.

Banned and Restricted cards

• Wilderness Reclamation was designed as a new version of Awakening, but adjusted to not scale quite so powerfully with more players. In Standard, however, it had a potent combo with Nexus of Fate before rotation and Expansion//Explosion afterward. It was in the last set of bannings in a highly unbalanced Standard season with the release of Throne of Eldraine, being the fifth-most broken engine card of five broken decks in the 2019-2020 season. The ban was largely symbolic, as the banning on August 3rd was six weeks before rotation, though the Historic suspension was more impactful. Pioneer also banned it in February 2021.
• Growth Spiral was a fairly innocuous common with a high upside, being a new Explore variant, with the blue cost for instant speed more of a liability than a benefit. This mana requirement failed to deter any decks, as the confluence of Ramp cards simply resulted in only one viable base of the ramp deck. It was banned in the same set as the above, as Ramp strategies still had the best cards in the format - most notably Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath, which similarly wanted cheap cantrips.

External links

• Ravnica Allegiance Trailer
• Ravnica Allegiance Full Spoiler
• Mark Rosewater (January 2, 2019). "Building Allegiances, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (January 7, 2019). "Building Allegiances, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (January 28, 2019). "Odds & Ends: Ravnica Allegiance". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (February 4, 2019). "More Odds & Ends: Ravnica Allegiance". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Chris Gleeson (February 15, 2019). "Ravnica Allegiance Art Descriptions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.