Ravnica: City of Guilds
- For other uses, see Ravnica (disambiguation).
Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV-ni-kah) is the thirty-seventh Magic expansion and was released October 2005 as the first set in the Ravnica block.
Set details
Ravnica: City of Guilds introduced the hybrid mana system used throughout the Ravnica block.
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.
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.
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.
Themes
Ravnica: City of Guilds introduced four of the ten Ravnica block two-color guilds, each with its own keyword (or ability word). The introduced guilds are as follows:
Boros Legion
Template:Manarw — The Boros Legion is the one guild that did not receive a "proper" keyword. Instead, the guild is associated with the ability word Radiance.
Selesnya Conclave
Template:Managw — Was given the keyword Convoke
which is the way in which the guild symbolizes unity in the game.
House Dimir
Template:Manaub — Received the keyword Transmute
which shows how the Dimir will use a spell to learn another spell just as often as they would actually use the spell.
Golgari Swarm
Template:Manabg — The associated keyword for the Golgari is Dredge, which symbolizes the way the Golgari revive their dead followers and recover their ancient forgotten knowledge by feeding their magic into the dead.
Theme decks
The preconstructed theme decks are: Template:Theme decks
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.
Notable cards
Still played in competitive decks
- 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
- Dark Confidant - Draw engine in Extended, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage, as well as an aggressive creature.
- Flame-Kin Zealot, Golgari Grave-Troll, Stinkweed Imp, Golgari Thug, Shambling Shell - Dredge-based decks, including Legacy and Vintage Ichorid.
- Life from the Loam
- Lightning Helix
Obsolete or partly obsoleted in competitive decks
- Flame Fusillade - Interaction with Time Vault was abused in Legacy.
- Loxodon Hierarch
- Watchwolf - once common in Zoo decks of many formats, now somewhat obsoleted by more efficent cards like Wild Nacatl and Tarmogoyf
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.