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Born of the Gods
BNGLogo
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
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[2]
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.[3] It is a small expansion.

Set details

“  Awaken the Myth  ”

Like its predecessor, Born of the Gods has a ancient Greek themed top-down design, making use of many mythological tropes.[4][5] 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, anticpated since her introduction in Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012.[6][7]

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.[8] 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 becomes the ultimate ritual to launch Xenagos into Nyx as a god. Elspeth is blamed for his ascension and driven away in disgrace.

Magic Story

Main article: Magic Story
Title Author Release Date Setting (plane) Featuring
The Nature of Identity Adam Lee 2014-01-15 Theros Perisophia
Cowardice of the Hero Matt Knicl 2014-01-22 Theros Oracle of Bones
Emonberry Red Clayton Kroh 2014-02-05 Theros Erebos, Fate Unraveler
Kiora's Followers Kelly Digges 2014-02-12 Shandalar, Theros Kiora
Dance of the Flitterstep Jennifer Clarke Wilkes 2014-02-19 Theros Perisophia
The Walls of Akros Kelly Digges 2014-02-26 Theros Akroan Phalanx, Minotaurs
The Hero of Iroas Matt Knicl 2014-03-05 Theros Hero of Iroas
The Oracle of Ephara Jeremiah Isgur 2014-03-19 Theros Perisophia
Seasons in Setessa Ken Troop 2014-03-26 Theros Karametra

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[9]. 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.[10] 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 {W}, Outwit {U}, Dominate {B}, Conquer {R} or Thrive {G}). 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.[11]

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 1st and 2nd 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.[12] By winning against the Challenge deck, players win a sixth Hero card (The Vanquisher).

Promotional Cards

Tokens / Emblem

A sixteenth card in the boosters can be a token creature card or an emblem, with advertisements on the back side:[15]

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

Themes and mechanics

  • Enchantment creatures, bestow, devotion, heroic and scry return from the previous set.[16][17][18]
  • 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.[19]
  • 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.[20] 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 Description and notes {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Nyxborn Five common creatures with the bestow mechanic and no additional abilities. Nyxborn Shieldmate Nyxborn Triton Nyxborn Eidolon Nyxborn Rollicker Nyxborn Wolf
Inspired creatures Five uncommon creatures with the inspired mechanic, creating creature enchantment tokens for {2}M when untapping. God-Favored General Aerie Worshippers Forlorn Pseudamma Satyr Nyx-Smith Pheres-Band Raiders
Archetypes 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. Archetype of Courage Archetype of Imagination Archetype of Finality Archetype of Aggression Archetype of Endurance
Uncommon Tribute Five uncommon creatures with the tribute mechanic. Ornitharch Siren of the Fanged Coast Shrike Harpy Thunder Brute Nessian Demolok
Enemy-colored activatd ability uncommons 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 {U} member with a {G} activated ability (a spot taken instead by Kiora's Follower, the sixth gold uncommon card). Akroan Phalanx Odunos River Trawler Stormcaller of Keranos Graverobber Spider
Tapping Auras Five common auras that grant ability with {T} in its cost. Ephara's Radiance Evanescent Intellect Claim of Erebos Epiphany Storm Karametra's Favor
Devotion X Spells Five uncommon cards that scales according to your devotion to that color. Acolyte's Reward Thassa's Rebuff Sanguimancy Thunderous Might Skyreaping
Fated spells Five rare instant spells with a cost that includes MMM. These spells let you scry 2 when you play them in your own turn.[21][22] Fated Retribution Fated Infatuation Fated Return Fated Conflagration Fated Intervention
Cycle name Description and notes {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W}
Gold uncommons A cycle of five uncommon allied-colored gold cards with colors matching the gods of the set. Ephara's Enlightenment Siren of the Silent Song Ragemonger Fanatic of Xenagos Reap what is Sown
Gods 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.[23] Ephara, God of the Polis Phenax, God of Deception Mogis, God of Slaughter Xenagos, God of Revels Karametra, God of Harvests

Reprinted cards

Functional reprints

Strictly better

Strictly worse

Notable cards

  • Gild is the first card to create a non-creature artifact token.

Preconstructed decks

Intro packs

Born of the Gods has five bicolored intro packs:[25]

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

Event deck

Born of the Gods has one event deck.[26]

Event
deck name
Colors Included
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Underworld Herald B

References

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External links

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