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 (/rav-NEETS-uh; /RAV-nih-kuh/; /RAV-ni-kah/) 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.

TO CLEAN

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	needed}}-->
Selesnya Conclave	Template:Managw	Ravnica block Selesnya Conclave crest	Chorus of the Conclave Tolsimir Wolfblood	Convoke

Creature types

The following creature types are introduced in this expansion: Archon, Lammasu.

The following creature types are used in this expansion but also appear in previous sets: Angel, Archer, Avatar, Barbarian, Beast, Berserker, Bird, Cat, Centaur, Cleric, Crocodile, Demon, Druid, Dragon, Drake, Druid, Dryad, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Faerie, Gargoyle, Giant, Goblin, Golem, Gorgon, Griffin, Horror, Hound, Imp, Insect, Knight, Leviathan, Lizard, Mercenary, Minotaur, Ogre, Ooze, Plant, Rogue, Shade, Shaman, Shapeshifter, Skeleton, Soldier, Spider, Sphinx, Spirit, Troll, Vampire, Vedalken, Viashino, Warrior, Wizard, Wolf, Wurm, Zombie.

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.

Some cards are part of the ten Ravnica block mega cycles.

Reprinted cards

The following cards have been reprinted from previous sets and included in Ravnica: City of Guilds.

• Birds of Paradise — was last seen in 8th Edition fits well in the multi-colored Ravnica block. It skipped a core set and was reprinted in 10th Edition.
• Dark Heart of the Wood — was last seen in The Dark fits well with the Golgari Guild. It changed rarity from a common (C3) to an uncommon.
• Elves of Deep Shadow — was last seen in The Dark and also fits in with the Golgari Guild. It changed rarity from a rare (U2) to a common.
• Goblin Spelunkers — was last seen in 7th Edition.
• Smash — was last seen in Apocalypse.
• Snapping Drake — was last seen in the Beatdown Box Set.

Functional reprints

Ravnica: City of Guilds has one functional reprint:

• Benevolent Ancestor is a functional reprint of Alabaster Wall from Mercadian Masques, save for creature type.

Colorshifted

• Char is a colorshifted functional reprint of Psionic Blast from Alpha.

Preconstructed decks

Theme decks

The preconstructed theme decks are: Template:Theme decks

External links

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

&Brady Dommermuth (September 15, 2005). "Ask Wizards — September 15, 2005". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.