Turtle
| Turtle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Creature Type | |
| (Subtype for creature/kindred cards) | |
| Introduced | Legends |
| Last used | Avatar: The Last Airbender |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Turtle is a blue/green creature type used for any reptile, either aquatic or terrestrial, with the trunk enclosed in a shell consisting of a dorsal carapace and a ventral plastron. A terrestrial turtle is also known as a tortoise. They appear on many planes, with designs emphasizing their shell's toughness.
History
The first creature card to bear the subtype Turtle was Giant Turtle in Legends. However, Giant Tortoise from Arabian Nights was later issued errata in the Grand Creature Type Update to become a Turtle as well retroactively.
Commander Legends introduced the first turtlefolk with Archelos, Lagoon Mystic.[1]
Dominaria
Madara
Dominaria is home to a race of turtlefolk called Chelonians. They are fierce protectors of their homeland of Kusho, part of the Edemi Islands on Madara. They sustained heavy casualties in the Madara-Edemi War, but a population of them remained on Kusho after the war's end.[2][3][4]
Tamingazin
On the subcontinent of Tamingazin live giant tortoises named attalo. They live in the River Nish and in the Great Marsh north of Suderbod, and even in the sewers of Berimish, and are voracious and dangerous creatures with a sharp beak and hungry bellies. Swimming in the River Nish is a type of execution method in Berimish for this reason.[5]
Kamigawa
Kappa (KAHP-pah)[6] are mysterious, turtlefolk that live in rivers. Known for their maliciousness, they live on Kamigawa. They were thought to have gone extinct, and the Shell of the Last Kappa was a relic of considerable magical power and was kept at a shrine somewhere.
The rumors of their extinction proved to be false, as centuries later, the kappa were seen during the Neon Dynasty.[7][8]
Notable Turtles
- Unknown plane
Trivia
- Chimeric Idol can become a 3/3 artifact Turtle.
- Turtleshell Changeling is not a Turtle according to its subtype field, despite its card name and artwork; but, as it possesses the Changeling ability, it is a Turtle.
- Wormfang Turtle is the only Nightmare Turtle Beast.
- Kappa are inspired by the yokai of the same name of Japanese mythology. Their most distinctive characteristic, aside from their shell, is their water-filled recess in their head which, if depleted, will paralyze the creature. It can be seen on Kappa Tech-Wrecker.
- Yidaro, Wandering Monster is inspired by Gamera, a rival kaiju franchise to Godzilla.
- Adventures in the Forgotten Realms and Baldur's Gate both feature a Dragon Turtle (Sailor's Bane).
- Turtles were considered for the blue-green typal archetype of Bloomburrow.[9]
Gallery
-
The attalo of Tamingazin are giant tortoises. -
The Shell of the Last Kappa. Art by David Martin. -
A Turtle-folk from Arcavios.
References
- ↑ Ari Zirulnik and Ethan Fleischer (October 30, 2020). "Archelos, Lagoon Mystic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Scott McGough (2002) - Assassin's Blade, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Scott McGough (2003) - Emperor's Fist, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Scott McGough (2003) - Champion's Trial, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Sumner (1995) - The Prodigal Sorcerer, HarperPrism.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (September 14, 2004). "A Kamigawa Glossary, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18.
- ↑ Kappa Cannoneer
- ↑ Kappa Tech-Wrecker
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 13, 2024). "Can you list some more animals that you guys considered for the set but got cut?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
