Lhurgoyf
| Lhurgoyf | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Creature Type | |
| (Subtype for creature/kindred cards) | |
| Beeble Scale | 7[1] |
| Statistics |
16 cards
 6.3%  6.3%  25%  18.8%  37.5%  6.3% 2 Lhurgoyf creation cards
as of Modern Horizons 3 Commander decks 50% 50% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| type:"Lhurgoyf" | |
Lhurgoyf is an all-color creature type used for cards that depict large, reptilian creatures, with distinctive elongated limbs and large, toothed mouths. Lhurgoyf are primarily scavengers. They come in a wide variety of shapes depending on their scavenged sustenance of choice.[2]
History
The first card to bear the creature type was the classical Lhurgoyf in Ice Age. Lhurgoyf's power is equal to the number of creature cards in all graveyards and its toughness is equal to that number plus 1.
Odyssey followed up with a cycle of Lhurgoyfs: these rare creatures' power and toughness were equal the number of cards of a given related card type to its colour in all graveyards, and each had an ability common to its color. — Cantivore (white, empowered by enchantments, has vigilance), Cognivore (blue, instants, flying), Mortivore (black, creatures, regeneration), Magnivore (red, sorceries, haste) and Terravore (green, lands, trample). Magnivore and Mortivore were reprinted in 9th Edition.
More Lhurgoyfs were printed in Planar Chaos (Detritivore) and Future Sight (Tarmogoyf).[3] While Magnivore had seen tournament play, Tarmogoyf's efficiency became a benchmark for creature power in non-rotating formats for more than a decade, and its legacy eclipsed that of the original Llurgoyfs, as most references to "Goyfs" now associate the name and type with multiple card types. It had a reputation for being the strongest creature ever, and test card Chimney Goyf paid it homage by merging it with one of the weakest creatures ever (Chimney Imp).
Lhurgoyfs returned in Modern Horizons 2, which saw the printing of Altar of the Goyf as the first card to mechanically care about the Lhurgoyf creature type and the first Kindred Lhurgoyf (named Tribal at the time), a card type first referenced on Tarmogoyf. A new goyf was also included in Necrogoyf.
Dominaria United featured Urborg Lhurgoyf, the first goyf in more than one color, and the first to only care about your own graveyard. The MH3 Commander deck Graveyard Overdrive featured a minor Lhurgoyf theme and the first cards to create Lhurgoyf tokens: Disa the Restless and Tarmogoyf Nest. It also included three new monocolored lhurgoyfs which all scale using the same ability as Tarmogoyf (Barrowgoyf, Pyrogoyf, and Polygoyf). Modern Horizons 3 also had Nethergoyf, a lhurgoyf more aggressively costed than Tarmogoyf and with built-in recursion, but at the cost of considering only its controller's graveyard when setting its power and toughness.
Modern Horizons 3 introduced the first Lhurgoyf kindred Aura in Tarmogoyf Nest.
Storyline
| “ | Ach! Hans, run! It's the Lhurgoyf! | ” |
—Saffi Eriksdotter, last words | ||
Lhurgoyfs spread across Dominaria during the Ice Age, when they adapted to dwindling food resources by developing a carrion-based diet.[4][5] After the weather warmed, they migrated north and are now found in the plane's arctic Northland.
Cantivores derive power from magical energy, while Magnivores derive theirs from emotions.[6] Tarmogoyfs are omnivorous lhurgoyfs capable of metabolizing a variety of creatures and magics.[7] The scourge of any food chain they encounters, tarmogoyfs' musculatures thrive on a diverse diet.
By the time of the New Phyrexian invasion, at least one lhurgoyf was to be found in Urborg.
Trivia
- The original Lhurgoyf inspired several designs: Ach! Hans, Run! (Unhinged), Revenant (Stronghold), Saffi Eriksdotter (Time Spiral) and Hans Eriksson (Commander Legends).[8][9]
- Due to the remarkable speed at which Tarmogoyf could grow and its performance in top-tier decks,[10] it became a much sought-after card.[11]
- Decks featuring Tarmogoyf are known as Goyf-decks.
- The "Lhurgoyf" ability (This creature's power and toughness are equal to the number of cards in your/all graveyards) nowadays is primary in green, secondary in black and tertiary in white, blue, and red.[12]
- The name "Lhurgoyf" doesn't mean anything. It was made up by the Ice Age team because it "sounded Scandinavian."[13]
Tokens
| Token Name | Color | Type Line | P/T | Text Box | Source | Printings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarmogoyf | Green | Creature — Lhurgoyf | */1+* | Tarmogoyf’s power is equal to the number of card types among cards in all graveyards and its toughness is equal to that number plus 1. (This token's mana cost is  .)
|
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2019-10-31). "Whhere are Lhurgoyfs on the Beeble scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (December 24, 2008). "How to Design a Hellion and More!". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (September 18, 2007). "Putting the Tarmo in your Goyf". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Pete Venters (July 1998). "Dominian FAQ" The Duelist #27, p.34.
- ↑ Mike McArtor (May 27, 2013). "Sketchogoyf". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (January 15, 2002). "The Lexicon Archive". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017.
- ↑ Lexicon of the Future. Wizards of the Coast (2008). Archived from the original on August 8, 2009.
- ↑ Brady Dommermuth (November 13, 2006). "The Legends of Time Spiral". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 9, 2020). "Quite Some Characters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Pro Tour–Valencia Qualifying Season: Top 8 Decklists
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (March 2, 2017). "The Card That Changed the World". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (October 21, 2002). "Card of the Day - October, 2002". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
