Oath of the Gatewatch

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Oath of the Gatewatch
Set Information
Set symbol
Themes and mechanics Colorless matters, teaming up, planeswalker matters.
Keywords/​ability words Cohort, Devoid, Landfall, Support, Surge
Set size 184 + 2
70 commons, 60 uncommons, 42 rares, 12 mythics + 2 regular art Wastes
Expansion code OGW[3]
Development codename Sweat

Oath of the Gatewatch is the 69th Magic expansion, and the second and last in the Battle for Zendikar block. It was released in January 22, 2016.[4][5] Oath of the Gatewatch is a small expansion. [6]

Set details

Oath of the Gatewatch contains 184 cards, but there are only 183 functionally different cards. However, because of the full-art and regular versions of the Wastes (twice), collectors view this as a 186 card set. Small sets are now enlarged to facilitate the new draft structure (2 boosters of the second set / 1 of the first set).[7][8][9] The set includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. The expansion symbol of the set seems to be a stylized representation of Kozilek's brood, but it also has similarities with hedrons, usual for Zendikar sets. The set features two Planeswalker cards Chandra, Flamecaller and Nissa, Voice of Zendikar.[10]

Oath of the Gatewatch is all about teamwork. It's designed to support Two-Headed Giant better than most any set in Magic history.[11] The name Fall of the Eldrazi was considered for Oath of the Gatewatch.[12]

Storyline

Four planeswalkers (Gideon Jura, Jace Beleren, Chandra Nalaar and Nissa Revane) join forces in their battle against the Eldrazi titans Ulamog and Kozilek and the demonic planeswalker Ob Nixilis. They become the Gatewatch, a team with a lasting commitment to protect the people of the Multiverse from threats that no one else can handle. The six cards that represent the pivotal moments in the storyline are: Kozilek's Return, Remorseless Punishment, Call the Gatewatch, Bonds of Mortality, Fall of the Titans and Zendikar Resurgent. [13][14]

Marketing

File:Colorless-symbol.png
The colorless mana symbol

Oath of the Gatewatch is sold in 16-card boosters (the 16th card being a marketing card), five intro packs and a fat pack.[15] The series of clash packs is discontinued. This is the first small set to feature four different pieces of art on the boosters. These depict the four members of the Gatewatch as featured on the partial Oath-cycle: Gideon, Jace, Chandra and Nissa.[16]

The set features the full-art lands from Battle for Zendikar (complete with the original expansion symbol).[17] The Oath of the Gatewatch fat packs also have full art basic lands. Like the other non-full-art basics, non-full-art Wastes are featured in the intro packs.[18]

Zendikar Expeditions

Zendikar Expeditions are all premium foil cards with a special Zendikari frame and a separate expansion symbol. Thus, they are not part of the set.[19] Zendikar Expeditions include all new art set on Zendikar and appear slightly more often than premium mythic rares. These cards are playable in limited and formats where they're already legal. 25 Expedition cards appeared with Battle for Zendikar (the 5 new battle lands, 10 shock lands and 10 fetch lands[20]) and 20 more cards in Oath of the Gatewatch (10 filter lands and 10 assorted lands with resonant flavor for Zendikar[21]).

Prerelease

OGW Prerelease pack

Two-Headed Giant was central to the prerelease experience.[22] Prerelease events took place on January 16–17, 2016. The Prerelease format was be Sealed (4 Oath of the Gatewatch/2 Battle for Zendikar). Each pair of players received two prerelease packs that they could use after the event as a take-home deck box. Inside each Prerelease box, there are four Oath of the Gatewatch booster packs and two Battle for Zendikar booster packs, a spindown life counter, and a randomized, date-stamped premium promo card, drawn from any rare or mythic rare in the set.

Promotional cards

Tokens

  1. {C} 1/1 Eldrazi Scion for Abstruse Interference, Birthing Hulk, Scion Summoner, Sifter of Skulls, Vile Redeemer, and Warping Wail[24]
  2. {C} 1/1 Eldrazi Scion
  3. {C} 1/1 Eldrazi Scion
  4. {C} 1/1 Eldrazi Scion reprint from Battle for Zendikar with {C}
  5. {C} 1/1 Eldrazi Scion reprint from Battle for Zendikar with {C}
  6. {C} 1/1 Eldrazi Scion reprint from Battle for Zendikar with {C}
  7. {W} 3/3 Angel with Flying for Linvala, the Preserver
  8. {B} 2/2 Zombie for Drana's Chosen, Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet and Null Caller
  9. {R} 3/1 Elemental with Haste for Chandra, Flamecaller (The token card has no Haste keyword however.)
  10. {G} X/X Elemental for Seed Guardian
  11. {G} 0/1 Plant for Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

The following named tokens were released with Battle for Zendikar:

  1. {W} 2/2 Knight Ally for Allied Reinforcements
  2. {W} 1/1 Kor Ally for Captain's Claws and Oath of Gideon
  3. {U} 8/8 Octopus for Crush of Tentacles

Themes and mechanics

Wastes (left produced by Kozilek, right by Ulamog)

The set introduces the colorless mana symbol {C}. It is used for cards that depict Kozilek's brood lineage of Eldrazi.[25][26] With Wastes, the set also introduces the first typeless basic lands.[27] Wastes are twice as common as a normal common in boosters.[28] The colorless mana symbol is found, together with generic mana symbols, in the mana cost of some spells, such as Eldrazi Mimic (unlike generic mana costs, it cannot be paid with colored mana), and also replaces numbered colorless mana symbols such as {1} in abilities that produce mana in Oracle text for all cards (for example, Ashnod's Altar now produces {C}{C} rather than {2}).

There are three new named mechanics:[29]

To express the theme of "Planeswalkers forming a team" with game mechanics, R&D also created cards that encourage the player to use multiple planeswalker cards.[30]

Landfall is reused, but in a very minor capacity. It only appears on Embodiment of Fury and Embodiment of Insight, originally envisioned as a cycle. Likewise, white and blue each have an uncommon creature (Wall of Resurgence, Cyclone Sire) that essentially has the awaken mechanic. Technically the mechanic only works on instants and sorceries, so it had to be spelled out in the rules text. [31]

Cycles

Oath of the Gatewatch has three complete cycles and two partial cycles:

Four-card cycle

Mega cycle

Mirrored pairs

Reprinted cards

Common to Uncommon

Functional reprints

The allied color taplands are functional reprints of the taplands which appeared in Invasion and were reprinted in 8th Edition. The reason behind this was that the original cycle mentions locations in Dominaria, and the more generic name meant that these cards could be reprinted in any set.[38]

Using different subtypes

Card comparisons

Preconstructed decks

Oath of the Gatewatch has five intro packs.[15][39] There are no clash packs or event decks.

Intro pack name Colors Included Foil rare
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Desperate Stand W B Munda's Vanguard
Twisted Reality U Deepfathom Skulker
Vicious Cycle B G Dread Defiler
Surge of Resistance U R Tyrant of Valakut
Concerted Effort W G Gladehart Cavalry

Notable cards

References

  1. Printed on the card frame.
  2. http://magic.wizards.com/en/content/oath-gatewatch-info
  3. [1][2]
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  27. Take a look at the other Wastes you'll find in #MTGOGW!
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