Creature class

File:BOK Ink-Eyes.jpg

Ink-Eyes has two creature types; Ninja is a class and Rat is a race.

Class is an aspect of the identity and nature of a creature or character, more often than not a humanoid one, in the game of Magic: The Gathering, as a subset of creature types (cf. race), or the Magic storyline. This fundamental element can define the capabilities, characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of a creature or character. Class can represent that creature or character's career, job, occupation, function, or purpose.

In the game of Magic: The Gathering, class, like race, can be significant, and it was featured as the theme underlying the Morningtide expansion. Some abilities or mechanics are associated with many or all members of a class; for example, all Samurai and Ninja have Bushido and Ninjutsu, respectively, while some Rebels and Mercenaries have a "recruiter" ability.

List of classes

Classes in Magic: The Gathering

Magic Users	Fighters	Rogues	Hybrids and Others
Clerics Druids Mystics Shamans Spellshapers Wizards	Archers Barbarians Berserkers Knights Rebels Samurai Scouts Soldiers Warriors	Assassins Mercenaries Minions Ninja Pirates Rogues	Advisors Artificers Lords (obsolete) Monks Nomads

Obsolete classes

In the Grand Creature Type Update (GCTU), numerous classes were obsoleted, either merged into other classes or removed entirely.

Alchemists

Alchemist is an obsolete class that was used for a being or group of beings that practise alchemy, a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy which is concerned with discovering methods for transmuting base metals into more precious metals and with finding a universal solvent and an elixir of immortality.

In the game of Magic, Alchemist was introduced in Homelands on, and solely featured on, Samite Alchemist.

Cards with "Alchemist" in their names such as Aphetto Alchemist, Battletide Alchemist, Cho-Arrim Alchemist, and Sedraxis Alchemist have been printed as Clerics, Spellshapers, and Clerics. Interestingly, no card with "Alchemist" in its name, including Samite Alchemist, which was the only Alchemist</c>, has a top-down design that reflects the transmuting competencies of an alchemist.

Bodyguards

Bodyguard is an obsolete class that was used for a being or group of beings employed to guard an individual, often an important figure, from bodily harm.

In the game of Magic, Bodyguard was introduced in Limited Edition on Veteran Bodyguard and was featured on Martyrs of Korlis (Antiquities) and Anaba Bodyguard (Homelands). Following the GCTU, cards with "Bodyguard" in their names such as Rhox Bodyguard (Conflux) are Soldiers or Clerics.

In the Magic storyline, Burke was a bodyguard for Ambassador Laquatus, and the Cabal Patriarch asked Chainer to be his bodyguard.

Guardians

Guardian is an obsolete class that was used for a being or group of beings that guard, protect, or preserve something or someone.

In the game of Magic, Guardian was introduced in Antiquities on Guardian Beast and was featured on Ivory Guardians (Legends), Harbor Guardian (Mirage), and Fountain Watch (Mercadian Masques). Following the GCTU, Ivory Guardians's ability was changed from "All Guardians get +1/+1 as long as an opponent controls a nontoken red permanent." to "Creatures named Ivory Guardians get +1/+1 as long as an opponent controls a nontoken red permanent.", and the creature was changed from a Guardian to a Giant Cleric.

Heroes

Hero is an obsolete class that was used for a being or group of beings that exhibit heroic qualities, attributes, behaviour, or conduct, including exemplar fortitude and bravery, particularly in dire straits.

In the game of Magic, Hero was introduced in Limited Edition on Benalish Hero, was featured on Kjeldoran Warrior (Ice Age) and Beast Walkers (Homelands), and is featured on Fraction Jackson (Unhinged). Following the GCTU, the power/toughness-defining ability of Aysen Crusader, whose power/toughness were dependent on the number of Heroes its controller controlled, was changed to "Aysen Crusader's power and toughness are each equal to 2 plus the number of Soldiers and Warriors you control.".

In the Magic storyline, particularly from the Weatherlight Saga, there are several notable heroes who fought for the Coalition, including Gerrard Capashen, Tahngarth, and Lin Sivvi.

A number of cards such as, but by no means limited to, Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile, Devoted Hero, Crovax, Ascendant Hero, Stonebrow, Krosan Hero, Zhang Liao, Hero of Hefei feature the word "hero" in their names or epithets.

Townsfolk

File:EXO and 9ED Anarchist.jpg

Two printings of Anarchist featuring two sets of creature types. The left printing from Exodus shows the original Townsfolk subtype, whereas the right printing from 9th Edition shows the post-Grand Creature Type Update subtypes of Human (a race) and Wizard (a class).

Townsfolk is an obsolete type for Humans with no other specific class.

In the game of Magic, Townsfolk was introduced in Fallen Empires on Farrel's Zealot and Icatian Moneychanger and was featured on Folk of An-Havva (Homelands) (following errata); Anarchist, Cartographer, Scrivener, Thalakos Drifters, and Treasure Hunter (Exodus); Soul Sculptor (Urza's Saga); Devout Harpist and Tragic Poet (Urza's Legacy); Keldon Vandals (Urza's Destiny); and Port Inspector (Mercadian Masques).

Following the GCTU and the removal of the Townsfolk subtype, many former Townsfolk have gained more fitting classes or are merely Humans, as is the case of Treasure Hunter. The classes Citizen and Serf, which exclusively appear on creature tokens and thematically similar to Townsfolk, as nondescript or unspecific classes, remain, however.