Ravnica: City of Guilds
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- 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[1][2] |
Ravnica: City of Guilds (pronounced /RAV-ni-kah/, /rav-NEETS-uh/, or /RAV-nih-kuh/)[3] is the first set in the Ravnica block. It is the 36th 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.[4]
Set details
"Ravnica" (ravnìca; равнѝца) is a Serbo-Croatian word for "plain".[5][6] The influence of Eastern Europe is not only reflected in this etymology of the expansion name but throughout the flavor of the set.[7]
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 | |||
| Boros Legion | Template:Manarw |  |
Razia, Boros Archangel Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran |
Radiance | |
| House Dimir | Template:Manaub |  |
Szadek, Lord of Secrets Circu, Dimir Lobotomist |
Transmute | |
| Golgari Swarm | Template:Manabg |  |
Sisters of Stone Death Savra, Queen of the Golgari |
Dredge | needed}}--> |
| Selesnya Conclave | Template:Managw |  |
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: Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
- 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
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
Preconstructed decks
Theme decks
The preconstructed theme decks are: Template:Theme decks
Notes
References
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedRavnica Revealed - ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 12, 2002). "Codename of the Game". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brady Dommermuth (September 15, 2005). "Ask Wizards — September 15, 2005". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Allan Sugarbaker. (July 1, 2006.) "2005 Origins Award winners announced", OgreCave.com.
- ↑ "ravnica" — Wiktionary
- ↑ "ravnica" — EUdict
- ↑ John Dale Beety. (August 8, 2012.) "Return to Ravnica (for Those Who've Nver Been)", StarCityGames.com.
External links
- Ravnica: City of Guilds product information page — Wizards of the Coast
- Ravnica Orb of Insight — Wizards of the Coast