Ravnica: City of Guilds

For other uses, see Ravnica (disambiguation).

Ravnica: City of Guilds
Set Information
Set symbol
Themes and mechanics	Enchantments, Guilds, Hybrid mana
Keywords/​ability words	Convoke, Dredge, Radiance, Transmute
Set size	306 (20 basic lands, 110 commons, 88 uncommons, 88 rares)
Expansion code	RAV
Development codename	Control

Ravnica: City of Guilds (pronounced /RAV-ni-kah/, /rav-NEETS-uh/, or /RAV-nih-kuh/) is the first set in the Ravnica block. It is the 36^th Magic: The Gathering expansion and was released on October 7, 2005.

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

Set details

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

Ravnica: City of Guilds introduced the hybrid mana system used throughout the Ravnica block.

Flavor and storyline

Following in the tradition of recent Magic blocks, Ravnica takes place in a plane of the Dominia 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, and is home to a diverse assortment of sentient races. For ten thousand years, there has been a power struggle between the ten guilds, political factions that each represent a combination of two of Magic's five colors. 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 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 definitely 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	Notes
Boros Legion	Template:Manarw	Ravnica block Boros Legion crest	Razia, Boros Archangel Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran	Radiance
House Dimir	Template:Manaub	Ravnica block House Dimir crest	Szadek, Lord of Secrets Circu, Dimir Lobotomist	Transmute
Golgari Swarm	Template:Manabg	Ravnica block Golgari Swarm crest	Sisters of Stone Death Savra, Queen of the Golgari	Dredge
Selesnya Conclave	Template:Managw	Ravnica block Selesnya Conclave crest	Chorus of the Conclave Tolsimir Wolfblood	Convoke

Creature types

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

The following creature types that are not new to Magic are used in this expansion:

• Angel
• Archer
• Avatar
• Barbarian
• Beast
• Berserker
• Bird
• Boar (retroactively)
• Camel (retroactively)
• Cat
• Centaur
• Cleric
• Crocodile
• Demon
• Druid
• Dragon
• Drake
• Druid
• Dryad
• Elemental
• Elephant
• Elf
• Faerie
• Gargoyle
• Giant
• Goblin
• Golem
• Gorgon
• Griffin
• Horror
• Hound
• Human (retroactively)
• Hydra (retroactively)
• Imp
• Insect
• Knight
• Leviathan
• Lizard
• Mercenary
• Minion (retroactively)
• Minotaur
• Ogre
• Ooze
• Plant
• Rogue
• Shade
• Shaman
• Shapeshifter
• Skeleton
• Soldier
• Sphinx
• Spider
• Spirit
• Troll
• Vampire
• Vedalken
• Viashino
• Warrior
• Wizard
• Wolf
• Wurm
• Zombie

Cycles

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

Ravnica has two cycles:

• Come into play Auras: Each of these Enchant Creature - Auras do something when they enter the battlefield (e.g. when Strands of Undeath is resolved, target player discards two cards) — Faith's Fetters, Fists of Ironwood, Flight of Fancy, Galvanic Arc and Strands of Undeath.
• Hunted creatures: 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 — Hunted Lammasu, Hunted Phantasm, Hunted Horror, Hunted Dragon, and Hunted Troll.

Reprinted cards

• Birds of Paradise, first printed in Alpha, last seen in 8th Edition
• Dark Heart of the Wood, first printed in The Dark
• Elves of Deep Shadow, first printed in The Dark
• Goblin Spelunkers, first printed in Urza's Saga, last seen in 7th Edition
• Smash, first printed in Apocalypse
• Snapping Drake, first printed in Portal, last seen in Starter 1999

Functional reprint

• Benevolent Ancestor, functional reprint of Alabaster Wall (Mercadian Masques) save for creature type

Colorshifted

• Char, red colorshifted version of Psionic Blast (Alpha)
• Rain of Embers, red colorshifted version of Dry Spell (Homelands)

Strictly better

• Clinging Darkness, upgrade from Torment (Stronghold) and Twisted Experiment (Urza's Destiny)
• Convolute, upgrade from Flaccify (Unhinged)
• Courier Hawk, upgrade from Armored Pegasus (Portal)
• Elvish Skysweeper, upgrade from Willow Elf (Starter 1999)
• Frenzied Goblin and War-Torch Goblin, upgrades from Dwarven Trader (Homelands) and Mons's Goblin Raiders (Alpha)
• Grayscaled Gharial, upgrade from Fugitive Wizard (Legions), Merfolk of the Pearl Trident (Alpha), and Wondering Ones (Champions of Kamigawa)
• Roofstalker Wight, upgrade from Dakmor Scorpion (Portal Second Age), Krovikan Scoundrel (Coldsnap), Skeletal Snake (Portal), and Wei Infantry (Portal Three Kingdoms)
• Shred Memory, upgrade from Decompose (Odyssey)
• Surge of Zeal, conditional upgrade from Unnatural Speed (Champions of Kamigawa)
• Thoughtpicker Witch, upgrade from Muck Rats (Portal)
• Transluminant, upgrade from Balduvian Bears (Ice Age), Barbary Apes (Legends), Bear Cub (Portal Second Age), Forest Bear (Portal Three Kingdoms), and Grizzly Bears (Alpha)
• Veteran Armorer, upgrade from Fresh Volunteers (Mercadian Masques), Glory Seeker (Onslaught), and Knight Errant (Portal)
• Votary of the Conclave, upgrade from Eager Cadet (Starter 1999)

Notable cards

• Ravnica Dual lands which would be the beginning of the Ravnica dual lands mega cycle: Overgrown Tomb, Sacred Foundry, Temple Garden and Watery Grave.
• Blazing Archon - A target for Reanimator decks.
• Dark Confidant - Draw engine in Extended, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage, as well as an aggressive creature. Bob Mahlers's invitational card.
• Flame-Kin Zealot, Golgari Grave-Troll, Stinkweed Imp, Golgari Thug - The core of Dredge-based decks, including Legacy and Vintage Ichorid.
• Life from the Loam - A very powerful card drawing engine, particularly in combination with Fetchlands and Cycling lands.
• Lightning Helix - A very powerful removal spell, making it hard for aggressive decks to race.
• Flame Fusillade - Interaction with Time Vault was abused in Vintage.
• Loxodon Hierarch - An aggro-control staple providing a large creature for a decent price, offsetting lifeloss from aggressive decks and with a good, though seldom used, ability.
• Watchwolf - once common in Zoo decks of many formats, now somewhat obsoleted by more efficent cards like Wild Nacatl and Tarmogoyf

Preconstructed decks

The preconstructed theme decks are: Template:Theme decks

Notes

References

External links

• Ravnica: City of Guilds product information page — Wizards of the Coast
• Ravnica Orb of Insight — Wizards of the Coast