Born of the Gods

Born of the Gods

 

Event deck

 

Intro packs

 

Born of the Gods
[[File:{{#setmainimage:BNGLogo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	Horns of Xenagos
Design	Ken Nagle (lead) Ethan Fleischer Billy Moreno Mark Rosewater Ryan Spain
Development	Tom LaPille (lead) Chris Dupuis Mark Gottlieb David Humpherys Billy Moreno with contributions from Matt Tabak
Art direction	Jeremy Jarvis
Release date	February 7, 2014
Plane	Theros
Themes and mechanics	Gods. Heroes, Monsters, Enchantment creatures
Keywords/​ability words	Inspired, Tribute, Bestow, Devotion, Heroic and Scry
Set size	165 cards (60 commons, 60 uncommons, 35 rares, 10 mythic rares)
Expansion code	BNG
Development codename	Romans
Theros block
Theros Born of the Gods Journey into Nyx
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Commander 2013 Born of the Gods Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska

Born of the Gods is the second set in the Theros block. It is the 63rd Magic expansion and was released on February 7, 2014. It is a small expansion.

Set details

“

Awaken the Myth

”

Like its predecessor, Born of the Gods has an ancient Greek-themed top-down design, making use of many mythological tropes. The set contains 165 cards (60 Common, 60 Uncommon, 35 Rare, 10 Mythic) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. The set contained the planeswalker card for Kiora, anticipated since her introduction in Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012.

Flavor and storyline

No longer content to walk the planes of the Multiverse seeking pleasure, the planeswalker Xenagos returns to Theros to become the god of revels. The boundaries that separate everyday existence from Nyx are growing dangerously thin. Strange creatures of enchantment, called Nyxborn or Born of the Gods, are pouring into the mortal world as Xenagos threatens to disrupt the very nature of the plane. Mogis, the god of slaughter sends hordes of mortal and Nyxborn minotaurs against the human cities Akros, Meletis, and Setessa. Elspeth Tirel leads an army of heroes to break the minotaur siege at Akros. The humans were victorious, but the victory celebration after the battle became the ultimate ritual to launch Xenagos into Nyx as a god. Elspeth is blamed for his ascension and driven away in disgrace.

Magic Story

Title	Author	Release Date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
The Nature of Identity	Adam Lee	2014-01-15	Theros	Perisophia, Kyrios, Samia, Rhytho, Melia, Phelos, Salis, Matatios, Ephara
Cowardice of the Hero	Matt Knicl	2014-01-22	Theros	Vinack, Athreos, Heliod, Pharika, Zerili, Mogis
Emonberry Red	Clayton Kroh	2014-02-05	Theros	Adrasteia, Pavios and Thanasis, Purphoros, Erebos
Kiora's Followers	Kelly Digges	2014-02-12	Shandalar, Theros	Kiora, Kalemnos, Thassa, Kruphix
Dance of the Flitterstep	Jennifer Clarke Wilkes	2014-02-19	Theros	Perisophia, Anthousa, Kruphix
The Walls of Akros	Kelly Digges	2014-02-26	Theros	Leandros, Kyrillos, Bardas, Borias, Haemon, Nikasios, Xanthos, Mnesos, Diocles, Pallas, Eumalos, Athreos, Iroas, Mogis
The Hero of Iroas	Matt Knicl	2014-03-05	Theros	Aesrias, Iroas, Pilun, Anax, Xenagos
The Oracle of Ephara	Jeremiah Isgur	2014-03-19	Theros	Iris, Alexio, Perisophia, Ephara, Purphoros
Seasons in Setessa	Ken Troop	2014-03-26	Theros	Cilissa, Karametra, Thora, Niketa, Kelios, Natasa, Delia

Marketing

Born of the Gods was sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), five intro packs, one event deck and a fat pack. The boosters feature artwork from Mogis, God of Slaughter, Ephara, God of the Polis and Phenax, God of Deception. The set features the continuation of the Hero's Path.

Prerelease

Quest 4 on the Hero's Path takes place at the Born of the Gods Prerelease events, February 1 and 2, 2014. As with Theros, players will choose their destiny based on a favorite mana color and receive a Seeded Prerelease Pack based on that color (Destined to Lead , Outwit , Dominate , Conquer or Thrive ). The Prerelease Pack contains a Spindown™ Life Counter, one of five Hero cards (respectively The General, The Savant, The Tyrant, The Warmonger and The Provider), one of five quiz activity cards, two Born of the God boosters, three Theros boosters, and a seeded booster featuring cards appropriate for that player's chosen path—including one of the five Prerelease promo cards.

Launch Weekend

Born of the Gods launched February 7, 2014 and the month's first Friday Night Magic started off the festivities. Players on the Hero's Path came to their stores to "Venture into the Wilds" and solved a puzzle hidden within the poster included in the Born of the Gods Launch Weekend kit. Players who solved the puzzle received a copy of the Quest 5 Hero card (The Provider).

Game Day

On March 1 and 2 Born of the Gods Game Day players can use their Standard decks for the sixth quest on the Hero's Path: Battle the Horde, a special Challenge Deck provided to the retailer. By winning against the Challenge deck, players win a sixth Hero card (The Vanquisher).

Promotional Cards

• Prerelease, one of five according to the chosen destiny: Silent Sentinel, Arbiter of the Ideal, Eater of Hope, Forgestoker Dragon, Nessian Wilds Ravager.
• Launch promo: Tromokratis
• Game Day: full-art Kiora's Follower
• Game Day (Top 8): full-art foil Pain Seer
• Buy-a-Box: Fated Conflagration

Tokens / Emblem

A sixteenth card in the boosters can be a token creature card or an emblem, with advertisements on the back side:

1. 1/1 Bird creature, created by Ornitharch
2. 1/1 Cat Soldier creature, created by Brimaz, King of Oreskos and Vanguard of Brimaz
3. 1/1 Soldier enchantment creature, created by God-Favored General
4. 2/2 Bird enchantment creature, created by Aerie Worshippers
5. 9/9 Kraken creature, created by Kiora, the Crashing Wave
6. 2/2 Zombie enchantment creature, created by Forlorn Pseudamma
7. 3/1 Elemental enchantment creature, created by Satyr Nyx-Smith
8. 3/3 Centaur enchantment creature, created by Fated Intervention and Pheres-Band Raiders
9. 2/2 Wolf creature, created by Raised by Wolves
10. Gold artifact, created by Gild (this is the first ever non-creature token)
11. Emblem for Kiora, the Crashing Wave

Themes and mechanics

See also: Theros block/Trivia.

• Enchantment creatures, bestow, devotion, heroic and scry return from the previous set.
• Inspired (ability word) — Whenever ~ becomes untapped, do something. Creatures with inspired abilities represent the divine inspiration that comes from the world of dreams. A creature's inspired ability triggers every time the creature becomes untapped.
• Tribute (static ability) — A creature with a tribute ability offers an opponent a choice: either it becomes even larger, or it does something nasty to your opponent when it enters the battlefield. E.g. Tribute 6 (As this creature enters the battlefield, an opponent of your choice may put 6 +1/+1 counters on it.) When ~ enters the battlefield, if its tribute wasn't paid, you may have ~ fight another target creature. It is said that Tribute replaced Monstrosity in this set, but wasn't said if Monstrosity will make a return in the 3rd set of the block.

Cycles

Born of the Gods has nine cycles. Some cards are part of a Theros block mega cycle.

Cycle name
Nyxborn	Nyxborn Shieldmate	Nyxborn Triton	Nyxborn Eidolon	Nyxborn Rollicker	Nyxborn Wolf
	Five common creatures with the bestow mechanic and no additional abilities.
Inspired creatures	God-Favored General	Aerie Worshippers	Forlorn Pseudamma	Satyr Nyx-Smith	Pheres-Band Raiders
	Five uncommon creatures with the inspired mechanic, creating creature enchantment tokens for M when untapping.
Archetypes	Archetype of Courage	Archetype of Imagination	Archetype of Finality	Archetype of Aggression	Archetype of Endurance
	Five uncommon enchantment creatures, one of each color. Each Archetype has two abilities: one that grants a keyword ability to all of your creatures, including itself, and one that makes your opponents' creatures lose that same keyword.
Uncommon Tribute	Ornitharch	Siren of the Fanged Coast	Shrike Harpy	Thunder Brute	Nessian Demolok
	Five uncommon creatures with the tribute mechanic.
Enemy-colored activatd ability uncommons	Akroan Phalanx		Odunos River Trawler	Stormcaller of Keranos	Graverobber Spider
	An incomplete cycle of uncommon cards that have an ability that requires an enemy color. The cycle goes in the opposite direction from the similar cycle of commons from Theros. The cycle misses its member with a activated ability (a spot taken instead by Kiora's Follower, the sixth gold uncommon card).
Tapping Auras	Ephara's Radiance	Evanescent Intellect	Claim of Erebos	Epiphany Storm	Karametra's Favor
	Five common auras that grant ability with in its cost.
Devotion X Spells	Acolyte's Reward	Thassa's Rebuff	Sanguimancy	Thunderous Might	Skyreaping
	Five uncommon cards that scale according to your devotion to that color.
Fated spells	Fated Retribution	Fated Infatuation	Fated Return	Fated Conflagration	Fated Intervention
	Five rare instant spells with a cost that includes MMM. These spells let you scry 2 when you play them in your turn.
Cycle name
Gold uncommons	Ephara's Enlightenment	Siren of the Silent Song	Ragemonger	Fanatic of Xenagos	Reap what is Sown
	A cycle of five uncommon allied-colored gold cards with colors matching the gods of the set.
Gods	Ephara, God of the Polis	Phenax, God of Deception	Mogis, God of Slaughter	Xenagos, God of Revels	Karametra, God of Harvests
	Five multicolored mythic rare legendary enchantment creatures that each embody one of the gods of Theros. Each card has a low casting cost but is not a creature until your Devotion to their two colors is 7 or more. They are all indestructible and have one static ability.

Reprinted cards

• Divination from Magic 2010 and last seen in Magic 2014.
• Eternity Snare was last seen in Time Spiral.
• Necrobite was last seen in Avacyn Restored.
• Revoke Existence from Scars of Mirrodin and last seen in Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth.
• Springleaf Drum was last seen in Lorwyn.

Functional reprints

• Charging Badger is a functional reprint of Defiant Elf from Legions, save for creature type.
• Great Hart is a functional reprint of Pillarfield Ox from Zendikar and Foot Soldiers from Portal, save for creature type.
• Reckless Reveler is a functional reprint of Torch Fiend from Dark Ascension, save for creature type.
• Oreskos Swiftclaw is a functional reprint of Blade of the Sixth Pride from Future Sight, save for creature type.
• Retraction Helix is a functional reprint of Banishing Knack from Eventide.
• Rise to the Challenge is a functional reprint of Thunder Strike from Magic 2011 and Magic 2014.
• Unravel the Æther is a functional reprint of Deglamer from Morningtide.

Strictly better

• Astral Cornucopia is strictly better than Manalith.
• Chorus of the Tides is strictly better than Snapping Drake.
• Drown in Sorrow is strictly better than Infest.
• Fall of the Hammer is strictly better than Crush Underfoot.
• Temple of Enlightenment is strictly better than New Benalia.
• Temple of Plenty is strictly better than New Benalia.

Strictly worse

• Culling Mark is strictly worse than Hunt Down.
• Felhide Brawler is strictly worse than Gutter Skulk (but strictly better than Spineless Thug).
• Gorgon's Head is strictly worse than Basilisk Collar.

Notable cards

• Courser of Kruphix is a card advantage engine that was a staple in Standard and continued to be played in Modern and Pioneer long after.
• Gild is the first card to create a non-creature artifact token.
• Satyr Wayfinder sees frequent play in Pioneer and Modern decks seeking to fill their graveyard
• Brimaz, King of Oreskos was a powerhouse in aggro Standard decks and has continued to see success in other formats
• Retraction Helix has a unique and powerful effect and is the core of the eponymous Pioneer deck

Preconstructed decks

Intro packs

Born of the Gods has five bicolored intro packs:

Intro pack name	Colors Included					Foil rare
Gifts of the Gods	W	U				Silent Sentinel
Inspiration-Struck		U	B			Arbiter of the Ideal
Insatiable Hunger				R	G	Nessian Wilds Ravager
Death's Beginning			B		G	Eater of Hope
Forged in Battle	W			R		Forgestoker Dragon

Event deck

Born of the Gods has one event deck.

Event deck name	Colors Included
Underworld Herald			B

External links

• Born of the Gods product information page — Wizards of the Coast
• Trick Jarrett (January 13, 2014). "Born of the Gods Trailer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• John Dale Beety (February 3, 2014). "Born Of The Gods Flavor Review & Remembrance". StarCityGames.