Egg
- For the counter, see Egg counter.
| Egg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Creature Type | |
| (Subtype for creature/kindred cards) | |
| Statistics |
11 cards
 9.1%  9.1%  18.2%  36.4%  18.2%  9.1% 4 Egg creation cards
as of The Lost Caverns of Ixalan 25%  25%  25% 25% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| type:"Egg" | |
Egg is a creature type used for cards that depict the developing embryo stage of a bird, reptile, fish or invertebrate as an oval or round object with a chalky shell or leathery membrane. When used on creature cards they regularly turn into another creature when a certain condition is met. When eggs are depicted on artifact cards this is not always the case.
History
The first card to use the subtype was Rukh Egg from Arabian Nights,[1] followed by Chicken Egg from Unglued. Meanwhile artifact cards like Dingus Egg (Alpha), Triassic Egg (Legends) or Chimeric Egg (Darksteel) always lacked subtypes, the latter becoming a Construct when activated.
When Roc Egg was printed in Magic 2011, the creature type "Egg" was decommissioned and Rukh Egg was changed accordingly. As explained by Mark Gottlieb, Rukh Egg and Roc Egg were, essentially, very (very) young Birds, so they both received that creature type. Summoner's Egg was granted the creature type Egg during the Grand Creature Type Update, but it was never printed with it. With the Magic 2011 update it became a Construct.[2] The Unglued Chicken Egg was never changed, because un-types are not mentioned in the comprehensive rules.
Similar to Roc Egg, Dragon Egg was printed as a Dragon when it first appeared in Magic 2014. However, the Egg subtype was reinstated when that card was reprinted in Core Set 2019, now with the subtypes Dragon Egg.[3] In this way, Egg now can be defined more as a creature class than as a race. With the Core Set 2019 rules update the type was also (re)added to Rukh Egg, Roc Egg, Summoner's Egg and Ludevic's Test Subject.[4]
Trivia
- As an April Fool's joke in 2002, Rei Nakazawa announced the creation of the "Vitellines" for Onslaught. These were supposed to be rotten, greedy, and vicious egg-like creatures which would invade Otaria and overthrow the Cabal. Formed from red and green magic, they were said to have developed their unique egg-like shape from the massive heat and pressure that existed in the volcanic heart of the Shivan mountains.[5]
- Commander 2019 introduced an Egg Tribal Commander with Atla Palani, Nest Tender.[6]
- The Odyssey cycle of artifact Eggs gave rise to the slang term "eggs" as artifacts that can be sacrificed to draw a card, popularized when Second Sunrise combo loops became capable of winning. The association of "sunrise" with breakfast and the cooking of fried unwhisked eggs made for an enduring term.
- Dingus Egg is the only egg by name that does not follow either of these concepts, and in fact does not seem to have any basis outside of Magic.
Tokens
Tokens marked with 
are created by Acorn cards.
| Token Name | Color | Type Line | P/T | Text Box | Source | Printings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg | Green | Creature — Egg | 0/1 | Defender | ||
| Colorless | Artifact Creature — Egg | 0/1 | ||||
| Dinosaur Egg | Green | Creature — Dinosaur Egg | 0/1 | |||
| Dragon Egg | Red | Creature — Dragon Egg | 0/2 | Defender When this creature dies, create a 2/2 red Dragon creature token with flying and " : This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
|
References
- ↑ Magic Arcana (April 01, 2002). "Which came first?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Gottlieb (July 14, 2010). "July 2010 Update Bulletin". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 01, 2018). "Can you give us any insight as to why the creature type "egg" is returning?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Eli Shiffrin (July 6, 2018). "Core Set 2019 Oracle Changes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Rei Nakazawa (April 1, 2002) "The Vitellines Strike!" Magicthegatering.com
- ↑ Maria Bartholdi (August 7, 2019). "Tending the Nest". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
