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#redirect [[Onslaught (set)]]
{{SubTabs
|sub1 = Theme decks
}}
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox set
  |image = ONS logo.png
  |symbol_description = A four-legged (in-game face-down) morphed creature
  |design = [[Mike Elliott]] (lead),<br/>[[Mike Donais]]
  |development = [[Randy Buehler]] (lead),<br/>[[Elaine Chase]],<br/>Mike Donais,<br/>[[Brian Schneider]],<br/>[[Henry Stern]],<br/>[[Worth Wollpert]]
  |art = [[Jeremy Cranford]] & [[Dana Knutson]]|
  |release = October 7, 2002
  |plane = [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]] ([[Otaria]])
  |mechanics = "[[Cost matters]]", "[[Creature type]] matters", [[Cycling]] triggers, Gustcloak, Mistform
  |keywords = [[Cycling]], [[Fear]], [[Morph]]
  |size = 350 cards<br/>{{curmb|110|110|110||20}}
  |code_expansion = ONS
  |code_expansion_ref= {{DailyRef|ask-wizards-august-2004-2004-08-02|Ask Wizards - August, 2004|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 02, 2004}}
  |code_development = Manny<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/codename-game-2002-08-12-0|Codename of the Game|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 12, 2002}}</ref>
  |series = [[Onslaught block]]
  |first = Onslaught
  |second = Legions
  |third = Scourge
  |previous = Judgment
  |next = Legions
}}
'''''Onslaught''''' is the first set (and the only [[large expansion]]) in the [[Onslaught block]]. It is the 27th ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' [[:Category:Magic expansions and sets|expansion]] and was released on October 7, 2002. The prerelease was September 28–29, 2002.
 
==Set details==
''Onslaught'', like its following expansions in the Onslaught block, ''[[Legions]]'' and ''[[Scourge]]'', featured a theme that focused heavily on "[[Tribal (theme)|tribal]]" cards, or cards that are concerned with [[creature type]]s.<ref name="Tribal's in Your Court">{{DailyRef|making-magic/tribals-your-court-2002-09-23|Tribal's in Your Court|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 23, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/onslaught-machine-2007-08-20|''Onslaught'' Machine|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 20, 2007}}</ref> In the initial design for the set, the Typal theme was only a very small subset of cards. However, as time went on, the team ramped up the theme until it became the main selling point of the set.<ref name="SayMorph">{{DailyRef|making-magic/need-i-say-morph-2019-08-05|Need I Say Morph|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 5, 2019}}</ref>
 
The set contains 350 black-bordered cards (110 rare, 110 uncommon, 110 common, and 20 basic lands). ''Onslaught's'' [[expansion symbol]] is a stylized [[morph]]ed creature.<ref>{{DailyRef|ask-wizards-october-2006-2006-10-02|Ask Wizards|[[Brady Dommermuth]]|October 31, 2006}}</ref>
 
===Marketing===
''Onslaught'' was sold in 75-card [[tournament deck]]s, 15-card [[boosters]], four [[preconstructed theme deck]]s and a [[fat pack]].<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/onslaught-product-images-2002-09-09|''Onslaught'' product images|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 09, 2002}}</ref> The packs featured artwork from <c>Jareth, Leonine Titan</c>, <c>Arcanis the Omnipotent</c>,  <c>Grinning Demon</c>, <c>Blistering Firecat</c> and <c>Kamahl, Fist of Krosa</c>. The [[prerelease]] card was a [[foil]] <c>Silent Specter</c>. The set was accompanied by the novel [[Onslaught (novel)|of the same name]].
 
===Flavor and storyline===
{{Main|Onslaught (novel)}}
A continuation of the storyline developed in the Odyssey Cycle, ''Onslaught'' and the Onslaught Cycle are set on the continent of [[Otaria]] on the devastated plane of [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]], approximately a century after the events of ''[[Apocalypse]]'' of the [[Invasion block]].<ref name="Odyssey">[[Vance Moore]]. (2001.) ''[[Odyssey (novel)|Odyssey Cycle, Book I: Odyssey]]'', [[Wizards of the Coast]]. ISBN-13 978-0786919000.</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/preparing-2002-09-23|Preparing for the ''Onslaught''|[[Rei Nakazawa]]|September 23, 2002}}</ref> [[Kamahl]] has relocated to the [[Krosan Forest]] with the [[Mirari]] and becomes a [[druid]] of Krosa. The power of the [[Mirari]] begins to work on the forest, mutating its residents and growing some of them to gigantic proportions. Meanwhile, Kamahl's sister [[Jeska]] is transformed by foul [[Cabal]] healing magic, into [[Phage]], a pit fighter whose touch brings death. The illusionist [[Ixidor]] discovers his new powers of reality sculpting. Ixidor uses his new power to create the [[angel]] [[Akroma]].
 
===Tokens===
Several [[token]]s for ''Onslaught'' cards were offered as [[Magic Player Reward]]s.
*5/5 [[Dragon]] with Flying for <c>Dragon Roost</c>
*1/1 Soldier for <c>Mobilization</c><ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/soldier-tokens-2003-05-27|Soldier Tokens|[[Magic Arcana]]|May 27, 2003}}</ref>
*1/1 [[Insect]] for <c>Symbiotic Beast</c> et al.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/new-token-cards-2003-01-30|New token cards|[[Magic Arcana]]|January 30, 2003}}</ref>
*2/2 [[Bear]] for <c>Words of Wilding</c><ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/new-player-rewards-tokens-2003-06-11|New Player Rewards tokens|[[Magic Arcana]]|June 11, 2003}}</ref>
 
Because [[Magic Online]] needs to represent all the tokens in the game, art needs to be created for even the most insignificant tokens. For those, Magic Online is the only place it appears.<ref>{{DailyRef|onslaught-green-tokens-2002-11-06|''Onslaught'' green tokens|[[Magic Arcana]]|November 06, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|more-onslaught-tokens-2002-11-13|More ''Onslaught'' tokens|[[Magic Arcana]]|November 13, 2002}}</ref>
 
==Themes and mechanics==
[[File:Onslaught advertisement.jpg|right|thumb|Advertisement teasing the morph mechanic]]
 
===Themes===
Tribal and creature types were a prominent theme in the Onslaught block.<ref name="Tribal's in Your Court"/><ref>{{DailyRef|ballpark-otaria-2007-08-23|The Ballpark at Otaria|[[Matt Cavotta]]|August 23, 2007
}}</ref> Some creature types bled into colors other than their normal colors (e.g., <c>Festering Goblin</c>, a black, non-red Goblin), for more design space and variety.<ref>{{DailyRef|old-uncle-fester-2002-12-13|Old Uncle Fester|[[Randy Buehler]]|December 13, 2002}}</ref>
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Creature subtype
! Tribe name
! Primary colors
! Secondary colors
|-
|colspan="2" | Beast
| {{R}}{{G}}
| {{U}}{{B}}
|-
| Birds
| Aven <small>(in white and blue only)</small><br/>Birds
| {{W}}{{U}}
| {{B}}{{R}}
|-
|colspan="2" | Clerics
| {{W}}{{B}}
|
|-
|colspan="2" | Dragons
| {{R}}
| {{U}}
|-
|colspan="2" | Elves
| {{G}}
|
|-
|colspan="2" | Goblins
| {{R}}
| {{B}}
|-
| Illusions
| Mistform (or Mimics)<ref group="note">Mistform creatures all have the ability to change their creature type.</ref><ref name="Creature Feature">{{DailyRef|making-magic/creature-feature-2002-10-14|Creature Feature|[[Mark Rosewater]]|October 14, 2002}}</ref>
| {{U}}
|
|-
|colspan="2" | Soldiers
|{{W}}
| {{U}}{{G}}
|-
|colspan="2" | Wizards
|{{U}}
| {{W}}{{B}}{{R}}{{G}}
|-
|colspan="2" | Zombies
|{{B}}
|
|}
Numerous cards with [[creature class]]es, as opposed to species or race ones, such as the Cleric, Soldier, and Wizards creature types, were retroactively given additional (species or race) creature types during the [[Grand Creature Type Update]] to be more consistent with the "race-class model".<ref>{{DailyRef|debating-humanity-2002-11-22|Debating Humanity|[[Randy Buehler]]|November 22, 2002}}</ref> In most of these cases, the additional creature type was Human. This, by and large, did not cause significant changes to this expansion or block.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/grand-creature-type-update-2007-09-26|The Grand Creature Type Update|[[Mark Gottlieb]]|September 26, 2007}}</ref> In 2002, a poll conducted on MTG.com showed that a majority of respondents were opposed to the idea of Human as a creature type.<ref>{{DailyRef|human-nature-2002-11-29|Human Nature|[[Randy Buehler]]|November 29, 2002}}</ref>
 
[[Dragon]]s have a small presence in ''Onslaught'', with the only Dragon creature cards being <c>Quicksilver Dragon</c> and <c>Rorix Bladewing</c> (and an additional one enchantment dragon-creature-token-creating card in <c>Dragon Roost</c>). Dragons would go on to form a theme in ''Scourge'', the third Onslaught block expansion.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/dragon-racing-2003-04-28-0|Dragon Racing|[[Mark Rosewater]]|April 28, 2003}}</ref>
 
In addition to the tribal theme, ''Onslaught'' features a number of cards, such as <c>Erratic Explosion</c>, that foreshadow the "[[cost matters]]" theme that is more fully explored in ''Scourge''.
 
===Mechanics===
''Onslaught'' reintroduced the static keyword ability [[cycling]] and featured a number of mechanics, some of which were novel, including:<ref name="New Features">[http://archive.li/aOjJz Wizards of the Coast *september, 2002)"New Features in ''Onslaught''" magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast.]</ref>
*'''[[Fear]]''': a keyword static ability of an established ability, fear, named after <c>Fear</c>, the ''[[Limited Edition]]'' aura card, and first card, that conferred or featured this ability, means "This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.".
*'''Gustcloak''': a non-keyword triggered ability that allows the controller of a blocked creature with the ability to remove the creature from combat, thereby preventing all combat damage that would be dealt to and by it, similar to the effect of <c>Maze of Ith</c>.
*'''[[Lord]]s''': any card with an activated ability whose cost includes the tapping of a creature that shares a creature type with the lord (i.e., <c>Ancestor's Prophet</c>, <c>Aphetto Grifter</c>, <c>Birchlore Rangers</c>, <c>Catapult Master</c>, <c>Catapult Squad</c>, <c>Crookclaw Elder</c>, <c>Gravespawn Sovereign</c>, <c>Shieldmage Elder</c>, <c>Skirk Fire Marshal</c>, <c>Spurred Wolverine</c>, <c>Supreme Inquisitor</c>, <c>Voice of the Woods</c>, and ''Legions''<nowiki>'</nowiki> <c>Keeper of the Nine Gales</c>). Cards somewhat similar to lords are <c>Cryptic Gateway</c> and <c>Gangrenous Goliath</c>, which, although they forward the tribal theme, do not tap creatures that share a creature subtype with the card itself.
*'''[[Morph]]''': a static ability that allows the controller of a card with the morph ability to cast the card face-down as a 2/2 creature with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. The ability was pitched by the rules team and inspired by a rules fix they had made to a pair of cards from Alpha: <c>Illusionary Mask</c> and <c>Camouflage</c>.<ref name="SayMorph"/><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/onslaught-frequently-asked-questions-2002-09-25|''Onslaught'' Frequently Asked Questions|[[Wizards of the Coast]]}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/morph-’s-new-ability-2002-09-06|Morph: ''Onslaught''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s New Ability|[[Paul Barclay]]|September 6, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/wait-theres-morph-2002-09-09-0|Wait, There's Morph|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 09, 2002}}</ref>
*'''[[Saboteur]]s''': any creature card with a "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player" triggered ability.
*'''Self-recruiters''': any card with an enters-the-battlefield triggered ability that allows its controller to search for a similarly named card, reveal it, and put it into their hand.
*'''[[Cycling]]''': originally conceived during ''[[Tempest]]'' design as "sliding" and first featured in ''[[Urza's Saga]]'',<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/cycling-built-two-2004-03-22|A Cycling Built for Two|[[Mark Rosewater]]|March 22, 2004}}</ref>  was brought back from abeyance for reasons including "nostalgia", "exposing new[er] players [to older mechanics]", "[exploring] new twists [to the old mechanic]", "interaction with other mechanics", and "conservation of design space".<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/cycling-cycling-2002-09-16|Cycling Cycling|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 16, 2002}}</ref> To expand on cycling, a number of cards with cycling triggers, such as <c>Astral Slide</c> and <c>Lightning Rift</c>, and a number of cards with cycling and abilities that trigger when they are cycled, such as <c>Death Pulse</c> and <c>Krosan Tusker</c>, were featured in ''Onslaught''.
 
===Creature types===
The creature types [[Pangolin]] (retroactively) and [[Mutant]] were introduced in ''Onslaught''. The creature type Lord was used in this expansion at the time of printing but was later removed.
 
==Cycles==
''Onslaught'' features 13 cycles.
{| class="wikitable"
! Cycle name
! {{W}}
! {{U}}
! {{B}}
! {{R}}
! {{G}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Avatars'''
|{{card|Doubtless One||ONS}} <br/> (Clerics)
|{{card|Nameless One||ONS}} <br/> (Wizards)
|{{card|Soulless One||ONS}} <br/> (Zombies)
|{{card|Reckless One||ONS}} <br/> (Goblins)
|{{card|Heedless One||ONS}} <br/> (Elves)
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has an power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of {{card|Soulless One||ONS}}, the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards).<ref name="New Features"/>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Chain spells'''
|{{card|Chain of Silence||ONS}}
|{{card|Chain of Vapor||ONS}}
|{{card|Chain of Smog||ONS}}
|{{card|Chain of Plasma||ONS}}
|{{card|Chain of Acid||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by <c>Chain Lightning</c> and <c>Chain Stasis</c>, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell.<ref name="New Features"/>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Charms'''
|{{card|Piety Charm||ONS}} <br/> (Soldiers)
|{{card|Trickery Charm||ONS}}
|{{card|Misery Charm||ONS}} <br/> (Clerics)
|{{card|Fever Charm||ONS}} <br/> (Wizards)
|{{card|Vitality Charm||ONS}} <br/> (Beasts)
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/investment-part-3-2012-09-17|Return on Investment, Part 3|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 17, 2012}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Crowns'''
|{{card|Crown of Awe||ONS}}
|{{card|Crown of Ascension||ONS}}
|{{card|Crown of Suspicion||ONS}}
|{{card|Crown of Fury||ONS}}
|{{card|Crown of Vigor||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Couriers'''
|{{card|Pearlspear Courier||ONS}} <br/> (Soldiers)
|{{card|Ghosthelm Courier||ONS}} <br/> (Wizards)
|{{card|Frightshroud Courier||ONS}} <br/> (Zombies)
|{{card|Flamestick Courier||ONS}} <br/> (Goblins)
|{{card|Everglove Courier||ONS}} <br/> (Elves)
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Cycling lands'''
|{{card|Secluded Steppe||ONS}}
|{{card|Lonely Sandbar||ONS}}
|{{card|Barren Moor||ONS}}
|{{card|Forgotten Cave||ONS}}
|{{card|Tranquil Thicket||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/sketches-onslaught-cycling-lands-2004-03-25|Sketches: ''Onslaught'' cycling lands|[[Magic Arcana]]|March 25, 2004}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Cycling spells'''
|{{card|Sunfire Balm||ONS}}
|{{card|Complicate||ONS}}
|{{card|Death Pulse||ONS}}
|{{card|Slice and Dice||ONS}}
|{{card|Primal Boost||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Cycling trigger permanents'''
|{{card|Astral Slide||ONS}}
|{{card|Fleeting Aven||ONS}}
|{{card|Withering Hex||ONS}}
|{{card|Lightning Rift||ONS}}
|{{card|Invigorating Boon||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a [[triggered ability]] that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, {{card|Astral Slide||ONS}} and {{card|Lightning Rift||ONS}}, were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck.<ref>{{DailyRef|astral-slide-new-standard-2004-03-22|Astral Slide in the New Standard|Gabe Walls|March 22, 2004}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Legendary pit-fighter champions'''
|{{card|Jareth, Leonine Titan||ONS}}
|{{card|Arcanis the Omnipotent||ONS}}
|{{card|Visara the Dreadful||ONS}}
|{{card|Rorix Bladewing||ONS}}
|{{card|Silvos, Rogue Elemental||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs {{3}}MMM.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/introducing-pit-fighter-legends-2002-09-13|Introducing the Pit Fighter Legends|Josh Bennett|September 13, 2002}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Lords'''
|{{card|Ancestor's Prophet||ONS}} <br/> (Clerics) <hr/> {{card|Catapult Master||ONS}} <br/> (Soldiers)
|{{card|Supreme Inquisitor||ONS}} <br/> (Wizards)
|{{card|Gravespawn Sovereign||ONS}} <br/> (Zombies)
|{{card|Skirk Fire Marshal||ONS}} <br/> (Goblins)
|{{card|Voice of the Woods||ONS}} <br/> (Elves)
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect.<ref name="New Features"/>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Tribal lands'''
|{{card|Daru Encampment||ONS}} <br/> (Soldiers)
|{{card|Riptide Laboratory||ONS}} <br/> (Wizards)
|{{card|Unholy Grotto||ONS}} <br/> (Zombies)
|{{card|Goblin Burrows||ONS}} <br/> (Goblins)
|{{card|Wirewood Lodge||ONS}} <br/> (Elves)
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these lands may be tapped for {{C}} or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, <c>Contested Cliffs</c> for Beasts, <c>Seaside Haven</c> for Birds, and <c>Starlit Sanctum</c> for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/tribal-lands-2002-10-02|Tribal lands|[[Magic Arcana]]|October 02, 2002}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Words'''
|{{card|Words of Worship||ONS}}
|{{card|Words of Wind||ONS}}
|{{card|Words of Waste||ONS}}
|{{card|Words of War||ONS}}
|{{card|Words of Wilding||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for {{1}} to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy.
|-
! Cycle name
! {{W}}{{U}}
! {{U}}{{B}}
! {{B}}{{R}}
! {{R}}{{G}}
! {{G}}{{W}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''[[Allied color|Allied-colored]] [[fetch land]]s'''
|{{card|Flooded Strand||ONS}}
|{{card|Polluted Delta||ONS}}
|{{card|Bloodstained Mire||ONS}}
|{{card|Wooded Foothills||ONS}}
|{{card|Windswept Heath||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair.<ref>{{DailyRef|lands-almost-werent-2003-04-04|The Lands That Almost Weren't|[[Randy Buehler]]|April 4, 2003}}</ref>
|}
 
===Vertical cycles===
{| class="wikitable"
! Cycle name
! {{keyrune|ONS}}
! {{keyrune|ONS|rarity=u}}
! {{keyrune|ONS|rarity=r}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Symbiotic creatures'''
|{{card|Symbiotic Elf||ONS}}
|{{card|Symbiotic Beast||ONS}}
|{{card|Symbiotic Wurm||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put a number of green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''"Cost matters" cards'''
|{{card|Erratic Explosion||ONS}}
|{{card|Goblin Machinist||ONS}}
|{{card|Kaboom!||ONS}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.
|}
 
===Pairs===
''Onslaught'' has one [[mirrored pair]].
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2"|Mirrored  Pairs
!Description
|-
|{{card|Disciple of Grace||ONS}} <br/> {{nowrap|({{W}})}}
|{{card|Disciple of Malice||ONS}} <br/> {{nowrap|({{B}})}}
|Common [[Cleric]]s with a mana cost of {{1}}M, power/toughness of 1/2, [[cycling]] and protection from the other's color.
|}
 
==Reprinted cards==
* <c>Clone</c>, First printed in ''[[Alpha]]'', last seen in ''[[Revised Edition]]''. Reprinted as a classic creature.<ref name="That Old Familiar Spell">{{DailyRef|feature/old-familiar-spell-2002-10-02|That Old Familiar Spell|[[Ben Bleiweiss]]|October 2, 2002}}</ref>
* <c>Disciple of Grace</c>, first printed in ''[[Urza's Saga]]''
* <c>Elven Riders</c>, first printed in ''[[Legends]]'', last seen in ''[[6th Edition]]''
* <c>Lay Waste</c>, first printed in ''Urza's Saga''
* <c>Meddle</c>, first printed in ''[[Mirage]]''
* <c>Pacifism</c>, first pinted in ''Mirage'', last seen in ''[[7th Edition]]''
* <c>Shock</c>, first printed in ''[[Stronghold]]'', last seen in ''7th Edition''
* <c>Swat</c>, first printed in ''[[Urza's Legacy]]''
* <c>Syphon Soul</c>, first printed in ''[[Legends]]'', last seen in ''6th Edition''
* <c>Taunting Elf</c>, first printed in ''[[Urza's Destiny]]''
 
===Functional reprints===
* <c>Elvish Scrapper</c>, functional reprint of {{card|Scavenger Folk|The Dark}} except for creature-type
* <c>Glory Seeker</c>, functional reprint of {{card|Fresh Volunteers|Mercadian Masques}} and {{card|Knight Errant|Portal}} except for creature-type
* <c>Goblin Sky Raider</c>, functional reprint of {{card|Bird Maiden|Arabian Nights}} except for creature-type
* <c>Goblin Sledder</c>, functional reprint of {{card|Mogg Raider|Tempest}}
* <c>Nantuko Husk</c>, functional reprint of {{card|Phyrexian Ghoul|Urza's Saga}} except for creature-type
 
===Color shifted===
* <c>Crafty Pathmage</c>, blue color shifted version of {{card|Dwarven Nomad|Mirage}} and {{card|Dwarven Warriors|Alpha}}
* <c>Sandskin</c>, white color shifted version of {{card|Gaseous Form|Legends}}
* <c>Naturalize</c>, green color shifted version of {{card|Disenchant|Alpha}}
* <c>Sea's Claim</c>, blue color shifted version of {{card|Evil Presence|Alpha}}
 
===Strictly better===
* <c>Barkhide Mauler</c>, upgrade from {{card|Durkwood Boars|Legends}}
* <c>Disruptive Pitmage</c>, upgrade from {{card|Disruptive Student|Urza's Saga}} and {{card|Vodalian Mage|Fallen Empires}}
* <c>Foothill Guide</c> and <c>Gustcloak Runner</c>, upgrade from {{card|Eager Cadet|Starter 1999}}
*<c>Naturalize</c>, upgrade from {{card|Verdigris|Tempest}}
* <c>Riptide Biologist</c>, upgrade from {{card|Vodalian Soldiers|Fallen Empires}}
* <c>Trickery Charm</c>, upgrade from {{card|Jump|Alpha}}
 
==Notable cards==
*In then legal [[Standard]], top cards included: <c>Astral Slide</c>, <c>Blistering Firecat</c>, <c>Exalted Angel</c>, <c>Goblin Piledriver</c>, <c>Goblin Sharpshooter</c>, <c>Patriarch's Bidding</c>, <c>Ravenous Baloth</c>, <c>Rorix Bladewing</c>, <c>Visara the Dreadful</c>, and <c>Wellwisher</c> were particularly noteworthy. The fetch lands (lands that could be sacrificed for the cost of tapping them and the loss of one life, in order to search their controller's library for a land of the specified basic land type) and cycling lands also saw high levels of play.
*The cycle of allied fetch lands continue to see significant play in all formats in which they are legal.
*<c>Erratic Explosion</c> saw some play alongside high [[mana cost]] cards, such as <c>Draco</c> and <c>Dragon Tyrant</c>.
*<c>Nantuko Husk</c> was the cornerstone of [[Standard BW Ghost Husk deck]]s after being reprinted in ''[[9th Edition]]'', thanks to its strong interaction with ''[[Saviors of Kamigawa]]'' card <c>Promise of Bunrei</c>.
*<c>Starlit Sanctum</c> saw play in [[Extended]], alongside <c>Daru Spiritualist</c> and cards able to repeatedly target the Cleric (Daru Spiritualist) for free, such as <c>Lightning Greaves</c>, <c>Shuko</c>, and <c>Nomads en-Kor</c>; not dissimilar to the Cephalid Breakfast deck.<ref>{{DailyRef|birth-prodigy-2002-10-18|Birth of a Prodigy|[[Randy Buehler]]|October 18, 2002}}</ref>
*<c>Voidmage Prodigy</c>, [[Kai Budde]]'s [[Magic Invitational|invitational]] card.
 
== Preconstructed decks ==
{{Main|Onslaught/Theme decks}}
 
''Onslaught'' has four bicolored theme decks.
 
{{Decks|theme
  |Celestial Assault|WU
  |Bait & Switch|UB
  |Devastation|RG
  |Ivory Doom|WB
}}
 
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
==External links==
*{{Prodpage|onslaught|Onslaught}}
*{{DailyRef|onslaught-top-10-lists-2002-10-07|''Onslaught'' Top 10 Lists|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|October 7, 2002}}
 
{{Sets|state=collapsed}}
{{Dominaria|name=Onslaught|block}}

Latest revision as of 06:47, 17 May 2024

Onslaught
 
Theme decks
 
For other uses, see Onslaught (disambiguation).
Onslaught
[[File:{{#setmainimage:ONS logo.png}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description A four-legged (in-game face-down) morphed creature
Design Mike Elliott (lead),
Mike Donais
Development Randy Buehler (lead),
Elaine Chase,
Mike Donais,
Brian Schneider,
Henry Stern,
Worth Wollpert
Art direction Jeremy Cranford & Dana Knutson
Release date October 7, 2002
Plane Dominaria (Otaria)
Themes and mechanics "Cost matters", "Creature type matters", Cycling triggers, Gustcloak, Mistform
Keywords/​ability words Cycling, Fear, Morph
Set size 350 cards
(110 commons, 110 uncommons, 110 rares, 20 basic lands)
Expansion code ONS[1]
Development codename Manny[2]
Onslaught block
Onslaught Legions Scourge
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Judgment Onslaught Legions

Onslaught is the first set (and the only large expansion) in the Onslaught block. It is the 27th Magic: The Gathering expansion and was released on October 7, 2002. The prerelease was September 28–29, 2002.

Set details

Onslaught, like its following expansions in the Onslaught block, Legions and Scourge, featured a theme that focused heavily on "tribal" cards, or cards that are concerned with creature types.[3][4] In the initial design for the set, the Typal theme was only a very small subset of cards. However, as time went on, the team ramped up the theme until it became the main selling point of the set.[5]

The set contains 350 black-bordered cards (110 rare, 110 uncommon, 110 common, and 20 basic lands). Onslaught's expansion symbol is a stylized morphed creature.[6]

Marketing

Onslaught was sold in 75-card tournament decks, 15-card boosters, four preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack.[7] The packs featured artwork from Jareth, Leonine Titan, Arcanis the Omnipotent, Grinning Demon, Blistering Firecat and Kamahl, Fist of Krosa. The prerelease card was a foil Silent Specter. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name.

Flavor and storyline

Main article: Onslaught (novel)

A continuation of the storyline developed in the Odyssey Cycle, Onslaught and the Onslaught Cycle are set on the continent of Otaria on the devastated plane of Dominaria, approximately a century after the events of Apocalypse of the Invasion block.[8][9] Kamahl has relocated to the Krosan Forest with the Mirari and becomes a druid of Krosa. The power of the Mirari begins to work on the forest, mutating its residents and growing some of them to gigantic proportions. Meanwhile, Kamahl's sister Jeska is transformed by foul Cabal healing magic, into Phage, a pit fighter whose touch brings death. The illusionist Ixidor discovers his new powers of reality sculpting. Ixidor uses his new power to create the angel Akroma.

Tokens

Several tokens for Onslaught cards were offered as Magic Player Rewards.

Because Magic Online needs to represent all the tokens in the game, art needs to be created for even the most insignificant tokens. For those, Magic Online is the only place it appears.[13][14]

Themes and mechanics

Advertisement teasing the morph mechanic

Themes

Tribal and creature types were a prominent theme in the Onslaught block.[3][15] Some creature types bled into colors other than their normal colors (e.g., Festering Goblin, a black, non-red Goblin), for more design space and variety.[16]

Creature subtype Tribe name Primary colors Secondary colors
Beast {R}{G} {U}{B}
Birds Aven (in white and blue only)
Birds 		{W}{U} {B}{R}
Clerics {W}{B}
Dragons {R} {U}
Elves {G}
Goblins {R} {B}
Illusions Mistform (or Mimics)[note 1][17] {U}
Soldiers {W} {U}{G}
Wizards {U} {W}{B}{R}{G}
Zombies {B}

Numerous cards with creature classes, as opposed to species or race ones, such as the Cleric, Soldier, and Wizards creature types, were retroactively given additional (species or race) creature types during the Grand Creature Type Update to be more consistent with the "race-class model".[18] In most of these cases, the additional creature type was Human. This, by and large, did not cause significant changes to this expansion or block.[19] In 2002, a poll conducted on MTG.com showed that a majority of respondents were opposed to the idea of Human as a creature type.[20]

Dragons have a small presence in Onslaught, with the only Dragon creature cards being Quicksilver Dragon and Rorix Bladewing (and an additional one enchantment dragon-creature-token-creating card in Dragon Roost). Dragons would go on to form a theme in Scourge, the third Onslaught block expansion.[21]

In addition to the tribal theme, Onslaught features a number of cards, such as Erratic Explosion, that foreshadow the "cost matters" theme that is more fully explored in Scourge.

Mechanics

Onslaught reintroduced the static keyword ability cycling and featured a number of mechanics, some of which were novel, including:[22]

  • Fear: a keyword static ability of an established ability, fear, named after Fear, the Limited Edition aura card, and first card, that conferred or featured this ability, means "This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.".
  • Gustcloak: a non-keyword triggered ability that allows the controller of a blocked creature with the ability to remove the creature from combat, thereby preventing all combat damage that would be dealt to and by it, similar to the effect of Maze of Ith.
  • Lords: any card with an activated ability whose cost includes the tapping of a creature that shares a creature type with the lord (i.e., Ancestor's Prophet, Aphetto Grifter, Birchlore Rangers, Catapult Master, Catapult Squad, Crookclaw Elder, Gravespawn Sovereign, Shieldmage Elder, Skirk Fire Marshal, Spurred Wolverine, Supreme Inquisitor, Voice of the Woods, and Legions' Keeper of the Nine Gales). Cards somewhat similar to lords are Cryptic Gateway and Gangrenous Goliath, which, although they forward the tribal theme, do not tap creatures that share a creature subtype with the card itself.
  • Morph: a static ability that allows the controller of a card with the morph ability to cast the card face-down as a 2/2 creature with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. The ability was pitched by the rules team and inspired by a rules fix they had made to a pair of cards from Alpha: Illusionary Mask and Camouflage.[5][23][24][25]
  • Saboteurs: any creature card with a "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player" triggered ability.
  • Self-recruiters: any card with an enters-the-battlefield triggered ability that allows its controller to search for a similarly named card, reveal it, and put it into their hand.
  • Cycling: originally conceived during Tempest design as "sliding" and first featured in Urza's Saga,[26] was brought back from abeyance for reasons including "nostalgia", "exposing new[er] players [to older mechanics]", "[exploring] new twists [to the old mechanic]", "interaction with other mechanics", and "conservation of design space".[27] To expand on cycling, a number of cards with cycling triggers, such as Astral Slide and Lightning Rift, and a number of cards with cycling and abilities that trigger when they are cycled, such as Death Pulse and Krosan Tusker, were featured in Onslaught.

Creature types

The creature types Pangolin (retroactively) and Mutant were introduced in Onslaught. The creature type Lord was used in this expansion at the time of printing but was later removed.

Cycles

Onslaught features 13 cycles.

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Avatars Doubtless One
(Clerics) 		Nameless One
(Wizards) 		Soulless One
(Zombies) 		Reckless One
(Goblins) 		Heedless One
(Elves)
Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has an power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of Soulless One, the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards).[22]
Chain spells Chain of Silence Chain of Vapor Chain of Smog Chain of Plasma Chain of Acid
Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by Chain Lightning and Chain Stasis, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell.[22]
Charms Piety Charm
(Soldiers) 		Trickery Charm Misery Charm
(Clerics) 		Fever Charm
(Wizards) 		Vitality Charm
(Beasts)
Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion.[28]
Crowns Crown of Awe Crown of Ascension Crown of Suspicion Crown of Fury Crown of Vigor
Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn.
Couriers Pearlspear Courier
(Soldiers) 		Ghosthelm Courier
(Wizards) 		Frightshroud Courier
(Zombies) 		Flamestick Courier
(Goblins) 		Everglove Courier
(Elves)
Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped.
Cycling lands Secluded Steppe Lonely Sandbar Barren Moor Forgotten Cave Tranquil Thicket
Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M.[29]
Cycling spells Sunfire Balm Complicate Death Pulse Slice and Dice Primal Boost
Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size.
Cycling trigger permanents Astral Slide Fleeting Aven Withering Hex Lightning Rift Invigorating Boon
Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a triggered ability that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, Astral Slide and Lightning Rift, were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck.[30]
Legendary pit-fighter champions Jareth, Leonine Titan Arcanis the Omnipotent Visara the Dreadful Rorix Bladewing Silvos, Rogue Elemental
Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs {3}MMM.[31]
Lords Ancestor's Prophet
(Clerics)
Catapult Master
(Soldiers) 		Supreme Inquisitor
(Wizards) 		Gravespawn Sovereign
(Zombies) 		Skirk Fire Marshal
(Goblins) 		Voice of the Woods
(Elves)
Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect.[22]
Tribal lands Daru Encampment
(Soldiers) 		Riptide Laboratory
(Wizards) 		Unholy Grotto
(Zombies) 		Goblin Burrows
(Goblins) 		Wirewood Lodge
(Elves)
Each of these lands may be tapped for {C} or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, Contested Cliffs for Beasts, Seaside Haven for Birds, and Starlit Sanctum for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.[32]
Words Words of Worship Words of Wind Words of Waste Words of War Words of Wilding
Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for {1} to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy.
Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W}
Allied-colored fetch lands Flooded Strand Polluted Delta Bloodstained Mire Wooded Foothills Windswept Heath
Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair.[33]

Vertical cycles

Cycle name
Symbiotic creatures Symbiotic Elf Symbiotic Beast Symbiotic Wurm
Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put a number of green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature.
"Cost matters" cards Erratic Explosion Goblin Machinist Kaboom!
Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.

Pairs

Onslaught has one mirrored pair.

Mirrored Pairs Description
Disciple of Grace
({W}) 		Disciple of Malice
({B}) 		Common Clerics with a mana cost of {1}M, power/toughness of 1/2, cycling and protection from the other's color.

Reprinted cards

Functional reprints

Color shifted

Strictly better

Notable cards

Preconstructed decks

Main article: Onslaught/Theme decks

Onslaught has four bicolored theme decks.

Theme
deck name 		Colors Included
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Celestial Assault W U
Bait & Switch U B
Devastation R G
Ivory Doom W B

Notes

  1. ↑ Mistform creatures all have the ability to change their creature type.

References

  1. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (August 02, 2004). "Ask Wizards - August, 2004". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 12, 2002). "Codename of the Game". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (September 23, 2002). "Tribal's in Your Court". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 20, 2007). "Onslaught Machine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (August 5, 2019). "Need I Say Morph". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Brady Dommermuth (October 31, 2006). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Magic Arcana (September 09, 2002). "Onslaught product images". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Vance Moore. (2001.) Odyssey Cycle, Book I: Odyssey, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786919000.
  9. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (September 23, 2002). "Preparing for the Onslaught". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ Magic Arcana (May 27, 2003). "Soldier Tokens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ Magic Arcana (January 30, 2003). "New token cards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. ↑ Magic Arcana (June 11, 2003). "New Player Rewards tokens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. ↑ Magic Arcana (November 06, 2002). "Onslaught green tokens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. ↑ Magic Arcana (November 13, 2002). "More Onslaught tokens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ Matt Cavotta (August 23, 2007). "The Ballpark at Otaria". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. ↑ Randy Buehler (December 13, 2002). "Old Uncle Fester". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 14, 2002). "Creature Feature". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. ↑ Randy Buehler (November 22, 2002). "Debating Humanity". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. ↑ Mark Gottlieb (September 26, 2007). "The Grand Creature Type Update". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ Randy Buehler (November 29, 2002). "Human Nature". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 28, 2003). "Dragon Racing". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. ↑ a b c d Wizards of the Coast *september, 2002)"New Features in Onslaught" magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast.
  23. ↑ Wizards of the Coast. "Onslaught Frequently Asked Questions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ Paul Barclay (September 6, 2002). "Morph: Onslaughts New Ability". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  25. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 09, 2002). "Wait, There's Morph". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 22, 2004). "A Cycling Built for Two". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 16, 2002). "Cycling Cycling". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  28. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 17, 2012). "Return on Investment, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  29. ↑ Magic Arcana (March 25, 2004). "Sketches: Onslaught cycling lands". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  30. ↑ Gabe Walls (March 22, 2004). "Astral Slide in the New Standard". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  31. ↑ Josh Bennett (September 13, 2002). "Introducing the Pit Fighter Legends". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ↑ Magic Arcana (October 02, 2002). "Tribal lands". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. ↑ Randy Buehler (April 4, 2003). "The Lands That Almost Weren't". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  34. ↑ Ben Bleiweiss (October 2, 2002). "That Old Familiar Spell". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  35. ↑ Randy Buehler (October 18, 2002). "Birth of a Prodigy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

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