Legions

Legions is the second (and a small expansion) set in the Onslaught block. It is the 28th, and first creature-only, Magic: The Gathering expansion and was released on February 3, 2003.

Set details
Legions contains 145 black-bordered cards (45 rare, 45 uncommon, and 55 commons; 1 rare and 1 uncommon extra compared to earlier small sets). Its expansion symbol is a shield with two crossed spears, a sort of heraldic crest meant to evoke the themes of Legions. Like its preceding expansion, Onslaught, and following expansion, Scourge, the featured a theme that focused heavily on "tribal" cards, or cards that are concerned with creature types. Legions was notable for being the first creature-only set in Magic history and also marked the return of Slivers.

In addition to this, Legions featured a creature with all creature types, Mistform Ultimus. This ability was the inspiration for the Lorwyn block Changeling ability.

Marketing
Marketed as the "Creature Set", the cards were sold in 15-card boosters which for the first time featured three different artworks (Riptide Mangler, Scion of Darkness and Phage the Untouchable) in four preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. At the Legions prerelease, January 25–26, 2003, a foil Feral Throwback was handed out. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name.

Flavor and storyline
Kamahl and the Cabal, in an uneasy alliance, set out to defeat Akroma. Ixidor has been killed but Akroma nevertheless remains intent on destroying Phage. In the meantime, the slivers, last seen in the Weatherlight Saga, have been reintroduced as clones of the original slivers as part of the Riptide Project. In the conclusion of the novel and in a final battle between Phage and Akroma, the two beings and Zagorka merge to form Karona.

Tokens
A Sliver token for Brood Sliver and a Goblin token for Warbreak Trumpeter were featured as a Magic Player Reward.

Themes
Tribal and creature types were a prominent theme in the Onslaught block.

Numerous cards with class creature types, as opposed to species or race ones, such as the Cleric, Soldier, and Wizards creature types, were retroactively given additional (species or race) creature types during the Grand Creature Type Update to be more consistent with the "race-class model". In most of these cases, the additional creature type was Human. This, by and large, did not cause significant changes to this expansion or block; one notable exception to this, however, was Daru Stinger, a creature with amplify, from this expansion.

Mechanics
Legions featured a number of mechanics, some of which were novel, including:
 * Amplify: a keyword ability triggered when a creature with the ability enters the battlefield, it allows the controller of a creature with the ability to reveal creature cards from their hand that share a creature type with it in order to add a number of +1/+1 proportional to the number of creature cards revealed this way.
 * Double strike: a keyword static ability inspired by a suggestion during a "You Make the Card" promotion, double strike allows a creature to deal both first-strike and regular combat damage.
 * Morph triggers: any triggered ability featured on a number of creature cards with morph. These abilities triggered when the face-down morphed creature was turned face-up and was designed, in part, so as to fill the void by the absence of non-creature spells in the expansion.
 * Provoke: a keyword static ability inspired by Provoke</c> from the Stronghold expansion, provoke allowed a creature with the ability, when attacking, to untap a creature that the defending player controls and force that creature to block it.
 * Saboteurs: any creature card with a "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player" triggered ability.

Creature types
No new creature types were introduced in Legions.

Cycles
Legions features six cycles.

Reprinted cards

 * White Knight</c>, first printed in Alpha, last seen in 5th Edition

Functional reprints

 * Fugitive Wizard</c>, functional reprint of except for creature type
 * Keeneye Aven</c>, functional reprint of except for creature type
 * Merchant of Secrets</c>, functional reprint of except for creature type

Strictly better
Gempalm Strider</c> and Stonewood Invoker</c>, upgrades from, , , , and

Notable cards and tournament impact

 * Akroma, Angel of Wrath</c> A 6/6 legendary Angel with seven keyword abilities, the most abilities of any creature in Magic, Akroma saw a fair amount of tournament play for her imperviousness against most red and black spells and her all-round durability, granted by her protection abilities and first strike. It has been reprinted as a timeshifted card in Time Spiral.


 * Caller of the Claw</c> A 2/2 elf with flash, when Caller of the Claw comes into play, its controller puts a green 2/2 Bear creature token for every non-token creature put into its owner's graveyard that turn; used as an alternate-win card for Worldgorger decks, and a sideboard card against Wrath of God</c>.


 * Goblin Goon</c> An overused yet essential addition to the Goblin deck. His drawback is negated by his 6/6 frame and the fact that red is about quickly casting creature swarms, as well as slinging "burn" spells.


 * White Knight</c> A creature first appearing in Alpha, White Knight made a triumphant return in "White Weenie" decks.

Other notable cards

 * Krosan Cloudscraper</c> At 13/13, the Krosan Cloudscraper was considered the largest tournament legal non-token creature in Magic until Rise of the Eldrazi and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</c>. Autochthon Wurm</c>, printed in Ravnica once held the title of largest-toughness creature, while Krosan Cloudscraper had the largest power, and largest sum of power and toughness. Marit Lage</c>, a token creature generated by the land <c>Dark Depths</c> of Coldsnap, is still the most powerful creature in the game, with 20 power and toughness.


 * <c>Mistform Ultimus</c> An enigmatic Mistform creature. It is of every creature type (even when it isn't in play). This characteristic leads to many devastating combos. In an average deck, it is just a legendary Giant Squid. WoTC often updates its creature types and has jokingly commented that the Ultimus is a mutant ninja turtle. According to the Card of the Day feature on Magic's online site, if all the creature types were listed on Mistform Ultimus, the text would be .40 point. It is one of the cards which got reprinted in Time Spiral, and is now a legendary creature (due to Legend being a creature type before Kamigawa legend rules change). This card was also the basis of the Changeling mechanic from Lorwyn.


 * <c>Phage the Untouchable</c> Jeska (Kamahl's sister) healed and corrupted with Cabal magic. She has developed a power almost similar to the First's: a touch so strong it can rapidly rot flesh of those living and those which lived (even planeswalker flesh, as is reflected with her ability). Oddly enough, in the context of a game of Magic, Phage can't kill indestructible creatures like <c>Darksteel Colossus</c> and the Myojin (if they have a divinity counter on them); however, from a flavor perspective, it makes sense that Phage can't destroy creatures made of Darksteel, because her rotting touch only affects organic material, with the exception of silk. Due to Phage's cost and drawback, she doesn't see much tournament play (though, she does make for devastating casual games), and has gained the nickname "Phage the Unplayable."


 * <c>Timberwatch Elf</c> A common elf creature that, when tapped for its ability, gives a creature a power/toughness boost equal to the number of elves in play. It is a staple of both competitive and casual elves decks, and its ability reflects the strong "linear" theme of the Onslaught block.

Preconstructed decks
Legions has two monocolored and two multicolored theme decks.