Ape

Ape is a creature type used for cards depicting great apes (orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees, but not humans). These powerful primates are found throughout the multiverse, and are mainly constrained to a forest habitat.

History

The first (and most famous) to bear the type was Kird Ape in Arabian Nights. After Ninth Edition the subtype Ape was also used for monkeys, but monkey was reintroduced in Kaladesh for Wily Bandar. Apes are usually larger and heavier than monkeys, have a more upright body posture and don't have tails.

Yavimaya Gorillas

The gorillas of Yavimaya, at some point during or before the Flood Ages, became a sentient, tribal culture, led by Gorilla Chieftains. They fought against the vines and plant-life that attacked them.

A Gorilla Chieftain had Laina and Kaysa brought to him by his magic-wielding gorilla shamans and warriors; he allied his people with the elves, and aided in the attack against the Heart of Yavimaya, which cleansed the forest. The Yavimayan Gorillas were later seen fighting during the Phyrexian Invasion in the battles for Yavimaya and Urborg.

In the service of the Sultai on Tarkir

The Sultai Brood use the mandrills that live in the canopies of Gurmag Swamp for their dark agendas. This is depicted in Hooting Mandrills,Grave Strength,and Sidisi's Pet

Notable Apes

• Kird Ape. Cheap creature which becomes stronger if you control a forest.
• Uktabi Orangutan, also known as "Sex Monkey". Popular because of its ability to destroy an opponent's artifacts. The background art on the card depicts monkeys in a position that resembles the sexual act, hence the appellation. The flavor text of the card reinforces this interpretation, as it refers to monkeys in gold coats marrying. In Unhinged, there was a parody of the card, called Uktabi Kong, with a larger version of the original Orangutan in the foreground, and an expectant pair of monkeys in the background. The effects of that card are relevant to the act, too, allowing you to tap two Apes to generate another one.
• Apes of Rath, a wordplay on John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath.

Ape tokens

Token Name	Color	Type Line	P/T	Text Box	Source	Printings
Ape	Green	Creature — Ape	1/1		Uktabi Kong
	Green	Creature — Ape	3/3		Pongify Side to Side

Silver border

Token Name	Color	Type Line	P/T	Text Box	Source	Printings
Ape	Green	Creature — Ape	1/1		Uktabi Kong
	Green	Creature — Ape	3/3		Side to Side

An 3/3 Ape token was printed in Commander 2014.

Creature Update

Creature types changed into Ape include:

• Gorilla (Gorilla Berserkers, Gargantuan Gorilla)
• Gorilla-Pack (Gorilla Pack)

Trivia

• Sol Grail is an anagram of "Gorillas." It got this name because at one point during playtesting, every single card in Alliances had the word "Gorilla" in its title. That happened because the design team was annoyed that the continuity team was planning to throw out their carefully planned story in favor of one about intelligent gorillas on a rampage.
• Treetop Village (located in Gorrilla-riddled Yavimaya) can become a 3/3 Ape Creature.