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'''Ravnica: City of Guilds''' is the thirty-seventh [[Magic]] expansion and was released in October 2005 as the first set in the [[Ravnica Block]].
{{SubTabs
|sub1 = Theme decks
}}
{{Infobox set
  |image= RAV logo.jpg
  |symbol_description = A tower
  |design = [[Mark Rosewater]] (lead),<br/>[[Mike Elliott]],<br/>[[Aaron Forsythe]],<br/>[[Tyler Bielman]],<br/>[[Richard Garfield]]
  |development = [[Brian Schneider]] (lead),<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/strike-chord-2005-09-09|Strike a Chord|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|September 09, 2005}}</ref><br/>[[Randy Buehler]],<br/>[[Henry Stern]],<br/>[[Matt Place]],<br/>[[Mark Gottlieb]],<br/>Aaron Forsythe
  |art = [[Jeremy Cranford]]
  |release = October 7, 2005
  |plane = [[Ravnica]]
  |mechanics = Guild System, Enchantments, [[Hybrid mana]]
  |keywords = [[Convoke]], [[Dredge]], ''[[Radiance]]'', [[Transmute]]
  |size = 306 cards<br/>{{curmb|110|88|88||20}}
  |code_expansion = RAV
  |code_expansion_ref= {{DailyRef|news/cube-drafts-and-ravnica-drafts-return-2013-09-09|Cube Drafts and Ravnica Drafts Return!|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 8, 2013}} 
  |code_development = Control<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/codename-game-2002-08-12-0|Codename of the Game|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 12, 2002}}</ref>
  |series = [[Ravnica block]]
  |first = Ravnica: City of Guilds
  |second = Guildpact
  |third = Dissension
  |previous = Salvat 2005
  |next = Guildpact
}}
{{AboutSet|plane=yes|plane_title=Ravnica|disambig=yes|disambig_title=Ravnica (disambiguation)}}
'''''Ravnica: City of Guilds''''', shortened as '''''Ravnica''''' (pronounced /'''''RAV'''-nih-kuh''/ IPA: /ˈɹæv.nɪ.kə/),<ref>{{DailyRef|ask-wizards-september-2005-2005-09-01|Ask Wizards|[[Brady Dommermuth]]|September 15, 2005}}</ref> is the first set in the [[Ravnica block]]. It is the 36th ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' [[expansion]] and was released on October 7, 2005. The [[prerelease]] was September 24–25, 2005.<ref name="Ravnica Revealed">{{DailyRef|arcana/ravnica-revealed-2004-12-16|''Ravnica'' Revealed|Wizards of the Coast|December 16, 2004}}</ref>
==Set details==
''Ravnica: City of Guilds'' contained 306 black-bordered cards (88 rare, 88 uncommon, 110 common, and 20 basic lands<ref>{{DailyRef|essence-basic-land-2005-09-12|The Essence of Basic Land|[[Jeremy Cranford]]|September 12, 2005}}</ref>). "Ravnica" is a [[multicolor]] oriented set.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/city-planning-part-i-2005-09-05|City Planning, Part I|[[Mark Rosewater]]| September 05, 2005}}</ref> The design is based around four two-color pairs, including cards in which those pairs of colors work in concert.<ref>{{DailyRef|getting-your-philosophy-2005-10-03|Getting Your Philosophy|[[Mark Rosewater]]|October 03, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/city-planning-part-iii-2005-09-19|City Planning, Part III|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 12, 2005}}</ref> All the multicolor cards in the set Ravnica block are associated with one of the four guilds. As a consequence of multicolor cards and an unbalanced color distribution, there are fewer red and blue cards. The appearance of a guild symbol in the background of a card's text box identifies that card's guild affiliation.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/framing-ravnica-2005-10-14|Framing ''Ravnica''|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|October 14, 2005}}</ref> The guild symbols have no effect on game play. ''Ravnica: City of Guilds'' also introduced the [[Mana#Colors of mana|hybrid]] mana system used throughout the Ravnica block. The [[expansion symbol]] of the set is a tower, which stands for the overdeveloped cityscape of the [[Ravnica|plane of Ravnica]].<ref>{{DailyRef|ask-wizards-october-2006-2006-10-02|Ask Wizards|[[Brady Dommermuth]]|October 31, 2006}}</ref>


{{Set-stub}}[[Category:Sets and Expansions]]
"Ravnica" (''ravnìca''; равнѝца) is a Serbo-Croatian word for "plain".<ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ravnica "ravnica"] {{Em}} Wiktionary</ref><ref>[http://www.eudict.com/?lang=croeng&word=ravnica "ravnica"] {{Em}} EUdict</ref> The influence of Eastern Europe is not only reflected in this etymology of the expansion name but throughout the flavor of the set.<ref>John Dale Beety. (August 8, 2012.) [http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/24645-Return-To-Ravnica-For-Those-Whove-Never-Been.html "Return to Ravnica (for Those Who've Never Been)"], StarCityGames.com.</ref>
 
The expansion set was well-received, particularly because of its innovative "guild model",<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/city-planning-part-ii-2005-09-12|City Planning, Part II|[[Mark Rosewater]]| September 12, 2005}}</ref> and won the 2005 Origin Awards for Best Collectible Card Game or Expansion.<ref>Allan Sugarbaker. (July 1, 2006.) [http://ogrecave.com/2006/07/01/2005-origins-award-winners-announced/ "2005 Origins Award winners announced"], OgreCave.com.</ref>
===Marketing===
''Ravnica: City of Guilds'' was sold in 75-card [[tournament deck]]s, 15-card [[boosters]], four [[preconstructed theme deck]]s and a [[fat pack]].<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/ravnica-fat-pack-2005-09-19|Ravnica Fat Pack|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 19, 2005}}</ref> All products except the boosters contained a random [[Pro Tour Player Cards|Pro Tour Players Card]]. The booster packs featured artwork from <c>Savra, Queen of the Golgari</c>, <c>Moroii</c>, <c>Loxodon Hierarch</c>, <c>Helldozer</c> and <c>Circu, Dimir Lobotomist</c> The [[prerelease]] was held on September 24–25, 2005;<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/choose-your-own-ravnica-adventure-2005-09-19-0|Choose Your Own Ravnica Adventure|[[Brian David-Marshall]]|September 19, 2005}}</ref> the [[prerelease card]] was a [[foil]] [[alternate art]] <c>Gleancrawler</c>. The [[release card]] a <c>Dimir Guildmage</c>.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/ravnica-release-event-promo-card-2005-10-06|''Ravnica'' Release Event Promo Card|[[Magic Arcana]]|October 06, 2005}}</ref> The name of the set was changed from ''Ravnica'' to ''Ravnica: City of Guilds'' at a late stage to convey that the guilds were central to the design.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/modern-tales-part-1-2013-06-17|Modern Tales, Part 1|[[Mark Rosewater]]|June 17, 2013}}</ref> It was accompanied by the [[Ravnica (novel)|novel of the same name]] by [[Cory J. Herndon]].
 
===Flavor and storyline===
{{Main|Ravnica (novel)}}
Following in the tradition of recent previous ''[[Magic]]'' blocks, ''Ravnica'' takes place in a plane of the [[multiverse]] that was previously unexplored in the game's backstory. The world of Ravnica is an ecumenopolis, a vast city that covers the entire surface of its planet,<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/basics-setting-2005-08-29|The Basics of the Setting|[[Magic Arcana]]|August 29, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/basics-setting-part-ii-2005-08-31|The Basics of the Setting, Part II|[[Magic Arcana]]|August 31, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/wallpaper-week-ravnica-forest-2005-09-02|Wallpaper of the Week: ''Ravnica'' Forest|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 02, 2005}}</ref> and is home to a diverse assortment of sentient races.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/life-big-city-2005-09-05|Life in the Big City|[[Rei Nakazawa]]|September 05, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/urban-flavor-2005-10-10|Urban Flavor|[[Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar]]|October 10, 2005}}</ref> For ten thousand years, there has been a power struggle between the ten [[Ravnican guild]]s, political factions that each represent a combination of two of Magic's five colors.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/guild-symbols-art-2005-10-03|Guild Symbols in Art|[[Magic Arcana]]|October 03, 2005}}</ref> Ten millennia ago, the [[Guildpact (spell)|Guildpact]] was signed by the [[parun]]s, ending active warfare between them and ushering in an era of peace. But now, on the eve of the celebrations of the accord's ten thousandth anniversary, a sinister force threatens the survival of that peace.
 
==Themes and mechanics==
''Ravnica'' introduced [[hybrid]] cards with entirely new [[mana symbol]]s ("Guild mana").<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/ravnica-review-and-preview-2005-09-23|''Ravnica'': Review and Preview|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|September 23, 2005}}</ref> Each symbol is a circle halved diagonally, in which the top left half is one color and the bottom right half another. A smaller version of the color's icon (sun for white, skull for black, etc.) appears in the corresponding half. These mana symbols mean that mana of either color may be used to pay it. The cards with these mana symbols have a colored [[border]] that fades from left to right, out of one color and into the other.
 
''Ravnica'' also introduced a heavy "auras matter" theme, being the second block (after ''[[Urza's Saga]]'') to place any sort of mechanical focus on the enchantment subtype. Although there are no mechanics directly related to auras, cards like <c>Gatherer of Graces</c>, <c>Bramble Elemental</c>, and the Magemark cycle encouraged the use of the local enchantments.
 
''Ravnica: City of Guilds'' introduced four of the ten ''Ravnica'' block bicolored [[Ravnican guild|guilds]], each of which with its own [[keyword]] or [[ability word]].
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Guild
! Colors
! Guild symbol
! Legendary guild members
! Keyword or ability word
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[House Dimir]]
| {{U/B}}
|[[Image:RAV Dimir.jpg|left|75px|Ravnica block House Dimir crest|link=]]
|<c>Szadek, Lord of Secrets</c><br/><c>Circu, Dimir Lobotomist</c>
|[[Transmute]]
|-
|colspan="4"|A player may pay a certain amount of mana and discard a card with Transmute that's in their hand. Doing this allows the player to find a card with the same [[converted mana cost]] from their [[library]] and put it into their hand.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/perplexing-choices-2005-09-16|Perplexing Choices|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|September 16, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/secrets-secret-guild-2005-11-11|Secrets of the Secret Guild|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|November 11, 2005}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Selesnya Conclave]]
| {{G/W}}
|[[Image:RAV Selesnya.jpg|left|75px|Ravnica block Selesnya Conclave crest|link=]]
|<c>Chorus of the Conclave</c><br/><c>Tolsimir Wolfblood</c>
|[[Convoke]]
|-
|colspan="4"|A player playing a spell with Convoke can [[tap]] their creatures to pay part or all of its mana cost. Each creature tapped reduces the cost by one mana of that creature's color, or by one colorless mana.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/completing-conclave-2005-10-07|Completing the Conclave|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|October 07, 2005}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Golgari Swarm]]
| {{B/G}}
|[[Image:RAV Golgari.jpg|left|75px|Ravnica block Golgari Swarm crest|link=]]
|<c>Sisters of Stone Death</c><br/><c>Savra, Queen of the Golgari</c>
|[[Dredge]]
|-
|colspan="4"|Cards with dredge may be returned from a [[graveyard]] to their owner's hand, provided that they opt to skip drawing a card and instead put several cards from the top of their library into their graveyard.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/golgari-query-2005-10-28|Golgari Query|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|October 28, 2005}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Boros Legion]]
| {{R/W}}
|[[Image:RAV Boros.jpg|left|75px|Ravnica block Boros Legion crest|link=]]
|<c>Razia, Boros Archangel</c><br/><c>Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran</c>
|''[[Radiance]]''
|-
|colspan="4"|Radiance is an [[ability word]] that appears on spells and abilities that affect every creature that shares a color with a [[target]]ed [[creature]]. When that creature is more than one color, the effect spreads to all that card's colors.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/legion-beatdown-2005-12-09|The Legion of Beatdown|[[Aaron Forsythe]]|December 09, 2005}}</ref>
|}
 
To note: the Guilds are presented in the official {{W}}{{U}}{{B}}{{R}}{{G}} order, but they were originally displayed alphabetically by Wizard: '''B'''oros Legion, House '''D'''imir, '''G'''olgari Swarm, '''S'''elesnya Conclave.
 
===Creature types===
The creature types [[Archon]] and [[Lammasu]] were introduced in ''Ravnica: City of Guilds''.
 
==Cycles==
{{For|cycles that are part of the guild mega cycles|Ravnica block#Mega cycles}}
''Ravnica'' has two [[cycle]]s:
{| class="wikitable"
! Cycle name
! {{W}}
! {{U}}
! {{B}}
! {{R}}
! {{G}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Come into play Auras'''
|{{card|Faith's Fetters||RAV}}
|{{card|Flight of Fancy||RAV}}
|{{card|Strands of Undeath||RAV}}
|{{card|Galvanic Arc||RAV}}
|{{card|Fists of Ironwood||RAV}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these Enchant Creature - [[Aura]]s has an enter the battlefield effect.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Hunted creatures'''
|{{card|Hunted Lammasu||RAV}}
|{{card|Hunted Phantasm||RAV}}
|{{card|Hunted Horror||RAV}}
|{{card|Hunted Dragon||RAV}}
|{{card|Hunted Troll||RAV}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these rare creatures' casting costs included two mana of the appropriate color. Each had greater-than-average [[power]], [[toughness]], and abilities for its cost, but caused one or more [[token]] creatures to enter the battlefield under an opponent's control to balance the cost.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/ravnica-hunted-tokens-1-2005-09-26|''Ravnica'' Hunted Tokens 1|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 26, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/ravnica-hunted-tokens-2-2005-12-01|''Ravnica'' Hunted Tokens 2|[[Magic Arcana]]|December 01, 2005}}</ref>
|}
 
==Reprinted cards==
*<c>Birds of Paradise</c>, first printed in ''[[Alpha]]'', last seen in ''[[Eighth Edition]]''
*<c>Dark Heart of the Wood</c>, first printed in ''[[The Dark]]''
*<c>Elves of Deep Shadow</c>, first printed in ''The Dark''
*<c>Goblin Spelunkers</c>, first printed in ''[[Urza's Saga]]'', last seen in ''[[Seventh Edition]]''
*<c>Smash</c>, first printed in ''[[Apocalypse]]''
*<c>Snapping Drake</c>, first printed in ''[[Portal]]'', last seen in ''[[Starter 1999]]''
===Functional reprint===
*<c>Benevolent Ancestor</c>, functional reprint of <c>Alabaster Wall</c> (''[[Mercadian Masques]]'') save for creature type
===Colorshifted===
*<c>Char</c>, red colorshifted version of <c>Psionic Blast</c> (''Alpha'')
*<c>Rain of Embers</c>, red colorshifted version of <c>Dry Spell</c> (''[[Homelands]]'')
===Strictly better===
*<c>Clinging Darkness</c>, upgrade from <c>Torment</c> (''[[Stronghold]]'')
*<c>Convolute</c>, upgrade from <c>Flaccify</c> (''[[Unhinged]]'')
*<c>Courier Hawk</c>, upgrade from <c>Armored Pegasus</c> (''Portal'')
*<c>Elvish Skysweeper</c>, upgrade from <c>Willow Elf</c> (''Starter 1999'')
*<c>Frenzied Goblin</c> and <c>War-Torch Goblin</c>, upgrades from <c>Dwarven Trader</c> (''[[Homelands]]'') and <c>Mons's Goblin Raiders</c> (''Alpha'')
*<c>Grayscaled Gharial</c>, upgrade from <c>Fugitive Wizard</c> (''[[Legions]]''), <c>Merfolk of the Pearl Trident</c> (''Alpha''), and <c>Wandering Ones</c> (''[[Champions of Kamigawa]]'')
*<c>Roofstalker Wight</c>, upgrade from <c>Dakmor Scorpion</c> (''[[Portal Second Age]]''), <c>Krovikan Scoundrel</c> (''[[Coldsnap]]''), <c>Skeletal Snake</c> (''Portal''), and <c>Wei Infantry</c> (''[[Portal Three Kingdoms]]'')
*<c>Shred Memory</c>, upgrade from <c>Decompose</c> (''[[Odyssey]]'')
*<c>Surge of Zeal</c>, conditional upgrade from <c>Unnatural Speed</c> (''Champions of Kamigawa'')
*<c>Thoughtpicker Witch</c>, upgrade from <c>Muck Rats</c> (''Portal'')
*<c>Transluminant</c>, upgrade from <c>Balduvian Bears</c> (''[[Ice Age]]''), <c>Barbary Apes</c> (''[[Legends]]''), <c>Bear Cub</c> (''Portal Second Age''), <c>Forest Bear</c> (''Portal Three Kingdoms''), and <c>Grizzly Bears</c> (''Alpha'')
*<c>Veteran Armorer</c>, upgrade from <c>Fresh Volunteers</c> (''Mercadian Masques''), <c>Glory Seeker</c> (''[[Onslaught]]''), and <c>Knight Errant</c> (''Portal'')
*<c>Votary of the Conclave</c>, upgrade from <c>Eager Cadet</c> (''Starter 1999'')
 
==Notable cards==
*Ravnica Dual lands (henceforth termed [[shock land]]s) which would be the beginning of the [[Ravnica block#Mega Cycles|Ravnica dual lands mega cycle]]: <c>Overgrown Tomb</c>, <c>Sacred Foundry</c>, <c>Temple Garden</c> and <c>Watery Grave</c>.
*Another cycle of dual lands from the block, the [[bounce land]]s, have seen a great deal of play in Pauper as one of the best cycles of common dual lands, but also form the backbone of the Amulet Titan deck in [[Modern]] where they can be combined to great effect with <c>Amulet of Vigor</c>.
**<c>Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion</c> is used as a finisher in Amulet Titan decks, which can fetch the land with the eponymous <c>Primeval Titan</c> and use it to easily deal lethal damage.
*<c>Dark Confidant</c>, Bob Mahers's [[Magic Invitational|invitational]] card, became a powerful draw engine in Extended, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage. The flavor text is also considered the iconic black philosophy.
*[[Dredge]] as a whole, with the standouts being <c>Life from the Loam</c>, <c>Golgari Grave-Troll</c>, <c>Stinkweed Imp</c>, <c>Golgari Thug</c> became the core of [[Dredge]]-based decks, including Legacy and Vintage <c>Ichorid</c>.
**<c>Life from the Loam</c> was a very powerful card drawing engine, particularly in combination with [[fetch land]]s and [[cycling]] lands. It was one of the only Dredge spells that was cast rather than abused for Dredge.
**<c>Golgari Grave-Troll</c> has the dubious honor of being the only card that was [[Banned and restricted cards|banned]] twice in a sanctioned format. It was unbanned in Modern from [[Banned and restricted cards/Timeline#January 6|January 2015]] to [[Banned and restricted cards/Timeline#January 8|January 2017]], before being banned again.
*<c>Lightning Helix</c> remains a very powerful removal spell, making it hard for aggressive decks to race.
*<c>Chord of Calling</c> is a popular creature [[tutor]] used in [[Modern]] after the ban of <c>Birthing Pod</c> and remains useful.
*<c>Flame Fusillade</c> once had an interaction with <c>Time Vault</c> that was abused in Vintage before the undone errata restored Time Vault's functionality.
*<c>Loxodon Hierarch</c> was a former aggro-control staple providing a large creature for a decent price, offsetting life loss from aggressive decks, and with a good, though seldom used, ability.
*<c>Watchwolf</c> was once common in Zoo decks of many formats, now somewhat obsoleted by more efficient cards like <c>Wild Nacatl</c> and <c>Tarmogoyf</c>.
*<c>Blazing Archon</c> was once a premium target for [[Reanimator]] decks, now obsoleted by more impactful cards like <c>Iona, Shield of Emeria</c> and <c>Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite</c>.
*{{card|Helldozer||RAV}} had its flavor text, written by [[Mark Rosewater]], as the top rated from the set.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|jofyGSFDq8M|How Trivial with Mark Rosewater|channel=Magic: The Gathering|creator=[[Mark Rosewater]]|date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
*<c>Remand</c> has seen heavy play in Modern, most notably in Storm decks, where it functions both as a way to stop disruption without using up a card in hand and as a way to return Storm cards to hand to cast them again.
 
== Preconstructed decks ==
{{Main|Ravnica: City of Guilds/Theme decks}}
 
The preconstructed [[Theme deck (preconstructed)|theme decks]] are:
 
{{Decks|theme
  |Dimir Intrigues|UB
  |Selesnya United|GW
  |Golgari Deathcreep|BG
  |Charge of the Boros|RW
}}
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
==External links==
*{{DailyRef|ravnica-preview-trailer-2005-09-01|''Ravnica'' Preview Trailer|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 01, 2005}}
*{{DailyRef|making-magic/ravnica-design-handoff-document-2022-08-08|Ravnica Design Handoff Document|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 8, 2022}}
*{{DailyRef|making-magic/lessons-learned-part-2|Lesson Learned, Part 2|[[Mark Rosewater]]|March 21, 2023}}
{{Sets|state=collapsed}}
{{Ravnica|block}}

Latest revision as of 05:32, 25 December 2023

Ravnica: City of Guilds
 
Theme decks
 
Ravnica: City of Guilds
[[File:{{#setmainimage:RAV logo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description A tower
Design Mark Rosewater (lead),
Mike Elliott,
Aaron Forsythe,
Tyler Bielman,
Richard Garfield
Development Brian Schneider (lead),[1]
Randy Buehler,
Henry Stern,
Matt Place,
Mark Gottlieb,
Aaron Forsythe
Art direction Jeremy Cranford
Release date October 7, 2005
Plane Ravnica
Themes and mechanics Guild System, Enchantments, Hybrid mana
Keywords/​ability words Convoke, Dredge, Radiance, Transmute
Set size 306 cards
(110 commons, 88 uncommons, 88 rares, 20 basic lands)
Expansion code RAV[2]
Development codename Control[3]
Ravnica block
Ravnica: City of Guilds Guildpact Dissension
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Salvat 2005 Ravnica: City of Guilds Guildpact
This page is about the set. For the plane, see Ravnica. For other uses, see Ravnica (disambiguation).

Ravnica: City of Guilds, shortened as Ravnica (pronounced /RAV-nih-kuh/ IPA: /ˈɹæv.nɪ.kə/),[4] is the first set in the Ravnica block. It is the 36th Magic: The Gathering expansion and was released on October 7, 2005. The prerelease was September 24–25, 2005.[5]

Set details

Ravnica: City of Guilds contained 306 black-bordered cards (88 rare, 88 uncommon, 110 common, and 20 basic lands[6]). "Ravnica" is a multicolor oriented set.[7] The design is based around four two-color pairs, including cards in which those pairs of colors work in concert.[8][9] All the multicolor cards in the set Ravnica block are associated with one of the four guilds. As a consequence of multicolor cards and an unbalanced color distribution, there are fewer red and blue cards. The appearance of a guild symbol in the background of a card's text box identifies that card's guild affiliation.[10] The guild symbols have no effect on game play. Ravnica: City of Guilds also introduced the hybrid mana system used throughout the Ravnica block. The expansion symbol of the set is a tower, which stands for the overdeveloped cityscape of the plane of Ravnica.[11]

"Ravnica" (ravnìca; равнѝца) is a Serbo-Croatian word for "plain".[12][13] The influence of Eastern Europe is not only reflected in this etymology of the expansion name but throughout the flavor of the set.[14]

The expansion set was well-received, particularly because of its innovative "guild model",[15] and won the 2005 Origin Awards for Best Collectible Card Game or Expansion.[16]

Marketing

Ravnica: City of Guilds was sold in 75-card tournament decks, 15-card boosters, four preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack.[17] All products except the boosters contained a random Pro Tour Players Card. The booster packs featured artwork from Savra, Queen of the Golgari, Moroii, Loxodon Hierarch, Helldozer and Circu, Dimir Lobotomist The prerelease was held on September 24–25, 2005;[18] the prerelease card was a foil alternate art Gleancrawler. The release card a Dimir Guildmage.[19] The name of the set was changed from Ravnica to Ravnica: City of Guilds at a late stage to convey that the guilds were central to the design.[20] It was accompanied by the novel of the same name by Cory J. Herndon.

Flavor and storyline

Main article: Ravnica (novel)

Following in the tradition of recent previous Magic blocks, Ravnica takes place in a plane of the multiverse that was previously unexplored in the game's backstory. The world of Ravnica is an ecumenopolis, a vast city that covers the entire surface of its planet,[21][22][23] and is home to a diverse assortment of sentient races.[24][25] For ten thousand years, there has been a power struggle between the ten Ravnican guilds, political factions that each represent a combination of two of Magic's five colors.[26] Ten millennia ago, the Guildpact was signed by the paruns, ending active warfare between them and ushering in an era of peace. But now, on the eve of the celebrations of the accord's ten thousandth anniversary, a sinister force threatens the survival of that peace.

Themes and mechanics

Ravnica introduced hybrid cards with entirely new mana symbols ("Guild mana").[27] Each symbol is a circle halved diagonally, in which the top left half is one color and the bottom right half another. A smaller version of the color's icon (sun for white, skull for black, etc.) appears in the corresponding half. These mana symbols mean that mana of either color may be used to pay it. The cards with these mana symbols have a colored border that fades from left to right, out of one color and into the other.

Ravnica also introduced a heavy "auras matter" theme, being the second block (after Urza's Saga) to place any sort of mechanical focus on the enchantment subtype. Although there are no mechanics directly related to auras, cards like Gatherer of Graces, Bramble Elemental, and the Magemark cycle encouraged the use of the local enchantments.

Ravnica: City of Guilds introduced four of the ten Ravnica block bicolored guilds, each of which with its own keyword or ability word.

Guild Colors Guild symbol Legendary guild members Keyword or ability word
House Dimir {U/B}
Ravnica block House Dimir crest
Ravnica block House Dimir crest
 Szadek, Lord of Secrets
Circu, Dimir Lobotomist 		Transmute
A player may pay a certain amount of mana and discard a card with Transmute that's in their hand. Doing this allows the player to find a card with the same converted mana cost from their library and put it into their hand.[28][29]
Selesnya Conclave {G/W}
Ravnica block Selesnya Conclave crest
Ravnica block Selesnya Conclave crest
 Chorus of the Conclave
Tolsimir Wolfblood 		Convoke
A player playing a spell with Convoke can tap their creatures to pay part or all of its mana cost. Each creature tapped reduces the cost by one mana of that creature's color, or by one colorless mana.[30]
Golgari Swarm {B/G}
Ravnica block Golgari Swarm crest
Ravnica block Golgari Swarm crest
 Sisters of Stone Death
Savra, Queen of the Golgari 		Dredge
Cards with dredge may be returned from a graveyard to their owner's hand, provided that they opt to skip drawing a card and instead put several cards from the top of their library into their graveyard.[31]
Boros Legion {R/W}
Ravnica block Boros Legion crest
Ravnica block Boros Legion crest
 Razia, Boros Archangel
Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran 		Radiance
Radiance is an ability word that appears on spells and abilities that affect every creature that shares a color with a targeted creature. When that creature is more than one color, the effect spreads to all that card's colors.[32]

To note: the Guilds are presented in the official {W}{U}{B}{R}{G} order, but they were originally displayed alphabetically by Wizard: Boros Legion, House Dimir, Golgari Swarm, Selesnya Conclave.

Creature types

The creature types Archon and Lammasu were introduced in Ravnica: City of Guilds.

Cycles

For cycles that are part of the guild mega cycles, see Ravnica block#Mega cycles.

Ravnica has two cycles:

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Come into play Auras Faith's Fetters Flight of Fancy Strands of Undeath Galvanic Arc Fists of Ironwood
Each of these Enchant Creature - Auras has an enter the battlefield effect.
Hunted creatures Hunted Lammasu Hunted Phantasm Hunted Horror Hunted Dragon Hunted Troll
Each of these rare creatures' casting costs included two mana of the appropriate color. Each had greater-than-average power, toughness, and abilities for its cost, but caused one or more token creatures to enter the battlefield under an opponent's control to balance the cost.[33][34]

Reprinted cards

Functional reprint

Colorshifted

Strictly better

Notable cards

Preconstructed decks

Main article: Ravnica: City of Guilds/Theme decks

The preconstructed theme decks are:

Theme
deck name 		Colors Included
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Dimir Intrigues U B
Selesnya United W G
Golgari Deathcreep B G
Charge of the Boros W R

References

  1. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (September 09, 2005). "Strike a Chord". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (December 8, 2013). "Cube Drafts and Ravnica Drafts Return!". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 12, 2002). "Codename of the Game". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Brady Dommermuth (September 15, 2005). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (December 16, 2004). "Ravnica Revealed". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Jeremy Cranford (September 12, 2005). "The Essence of Basic Land". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 05, 2005). "City Planning, Part I". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 03, 2005). "Getting Your Philosophy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 12, 2005). "City Planning, Part III". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (October 14, 2005). "Framing Ravnica". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ Brady Dommermuth (October 31, 2006). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. ↑ "ravnica" — Wiktionary
  13. ↑ "ravnica" — EUdict
  14. ↑ John Dale Beety. (August 8, 2012.) "Return to Ravnica (for Those Who've Never Been)", StarCityGames.com.
  15. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 12, 2005). "City Planning, Part II". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. ↑ Allan Sugarbaker. (July 1, 2006.) "2005 Origins Award winners announced", OgreCave.com.
  17. ↑ Magic Arcana (September 19, 2005). "Ravnica Fat Pack". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. ↑ Brian David-Marshall (September 19, 2005). "Choose Your Own Ravnica Adventure". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. ↑ Magic Arcana (October 06, 2005). "Ravnica Release Event Promo Card". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 17, 2013). "Modern Tales, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. ↑ Magic Arcana (August 29, 2005). "The Basics of the Setting". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. ↑ Magic Arcana (August 31, 2005). "The Basics of the Setting, Part II". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  23. ↑ Magic Arcana (September 02, 2005). "Wallpaper of the Week: Ravnica Forest". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (September 05, 2005). "Life in the Big City". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  25. ↑ Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar (October 10, 2005). "Urban Flavor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. ↑ Magic Arcana (October 03, 2005). "Guild Symbols in Art". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (September 23, 2005). "Ravnica: Review and Preview". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  28. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (September 16, 2005). "Perplexing Choices". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  29. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (November 11, 2005). "Secrets of the Secret Guild". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  30. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (October 07, 2005). "Completing the Conclave". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  31. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (October 28, 2005). "Golgari Query". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (December 09, 2005). "The Legion of Beatdown". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. ↑ Magic Arcana (September 26, 2005). "Ravnica Hunted Tokens 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  34. ↑ Magic Arcana (December 01, 2005). "Ravnica Hunted Tokens 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  35. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 4, 2023). "How Trivial with Mark Rosewater (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.

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