Creature type

A creature subtype, or creature type, is any subtype used for the further classification of creature and tribal cards as well as creature tokens.

History

Originally, in Alpha, creature types were largely for flavor-related reasons. This was continued until Fallen Empires, when creatures types had in-game mechanical implications. The first block in which creature types mattered was Tempest, particularly via the Licids and Slivers, both of which creature types shared a mechanical identity among its creature cards. Masques block revisited this, albeit with Spellshapers; Odyssey block, with its pre-tribal tribal cards; Onslaught block, with its tribal cards ; Time Spiral block and Lorwyn–Shadowmoor block, with their Tribal supertype cards.

Following Lorwyn–Shadowmoor block, only Rise of the Eldrazi would feature the Tribal supertype. It is no longer supported. However, expansions and non-expansion sets continue to feature creature types for purposes other than flavor.

Grand Creature Type Update

The "Grand Creature Type Update" was a mass update of creature types, as part of the regular Oracle update for Lorwyn in October 2007. The update was refined with Morningtide.

Race/class model

The race/class model is the concept that each Magic card depicting a sapient being should have a class as well as a race subtype.

It was concurrent with Mirrodin's design that the creative team managed to convince R&D that the race/class system needed to be adopted. Before that time, creatures had one creature type. Sometimes, it was merely a race; other times, it was merely a class. The race/class system was designed to help align Magic with many other fantasy-based games. Along with the race/class model, the Human subtype was introduced. At that time, it was an open question whether creature types on existing cards should be changed. In the end the decision was made in favor of having consistent creature types in the core set (Ninth Edition). The final step was made with the Grand Creature Type Update, as part of the regular Oracle update for Lorwyn.

Notably, Nameless Race has neither race nor class, and some creature cards, such as Arcanis the Omnipotent, Nameless One and Adarkar Sentinel, lack one or the other. Certain Phyrexian cards from the expansion Mirrodin Besieged do not have a race either (e.g., Priests of Norn and Tormentor Exarch); the rationale for which being these creatures are so far modified and removed from any species to be identifiable. In retrospect, Mark Rosewater has stated that it would have been profitable to have introduced the Phyrexian creature type, which would encompass many creatures that are now Horrors, Zombies, Carriers.

There are three cards that cause creatures to lose all their creature types: Nameless Inversion, Ego Erasure and Amoeboid Changeling.

List of creature types

As of the release of Ixalan, the following is a complete list of creature (and tribal) subtypes, which Mistform Ultimus and all Changelings have, totaling to 238.

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Comprehensive Rules

From the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

• 205.3m Creatures and tribals share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. The creature types are Advisor, Aetherborn, Alien, Ally, Angel, Antelope, Ape, Archer, Archon, Armadillo, Army, Artificer, Assassin, Assembly-Worker, Astartes, Atog, Aurochs, Avatar, Azra, Badger, Balloon, Barbarian, Bard, Basilisk, Bat, Bear, Beast, Beaver, Beeble, Beholder, Berserker, Bird, Blinkmoth, Boar, Bringer, Brushwagg, Camarid, Camel, Capybara, Caribou, Carrier, Cat, Centaur, Cephalid, Child, Chimera, Citizen, Cleric, Clown, Cockatrice, Construct, Coward, Coyote, Crab, Crocodile, C’tan, Custodes, Cyberman, Cyclops, Dalek, Dauthi, Demigod, Demon, Deserter, Detective, Devil, Dinosaur, Djinn, Doctor, Dog, Dragon, Drake, Dreadnought, Drone, Druid, Dryad, Dwarf, Efreet, Egg, Elder, Eldrazi, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Elk, Employee, Eye, Faerie, Ferret, Fish, Flagbearer, Fox, Fractal, Frog, Fungus, Gamer, Gargoyle, Germ, Giant, Gith, Gnoll, Gnome, Goat, Goblin, God, Golem, Gorgon, Graveborn, Gremlin, Griffin, Guest, Hag, Halfling, Hamster, Harpy, Hellion, Hippo, Hippogriff, Homarid, Homunculus, Horror, Horse, Human, Hydra, Hyena, Illusion, Imp, Incarnation, Inkling, Inquisitor, Insect, Jackal, Jellyfish, Juggernaut, Kavu, Kirin, Kithkin, Knight, Kobold, Kor, Kraken, Llama, Lamia, Lammasu, Leech, Leviathan, Lhurgoyf, Licid, Lizard, Manticore, Masticore, Mercenary, Merfolk, Metathran, Minion, Minotaur, Mite, Mole, Monger, Mongoose, Monk, Monkey, Moonfolk, Mount, Mouse, Mutant, Myr, Mystic, Naga, Nautilus, Necron, Nephilim, Nightmare, Nightstalker, Ninja, Noble, Noggle, Nomad, Nymph, Octopus, Ogre, Ooze, Orb, Orc, Orgg, Otter, Ouphe, Ox, Oyster, Pangolin, Peasant, Pegasus, Pentavite, Performer, Pest, Phelddagrif, Phoenix, Phyrexian, Pilot, Pincher, Pirate, Plant, Porcupine, Possum, Praetor, Primarch, Prism, Processor, Rabbit, Raccoon, Ranger, Rat, Rebel, Reflection, Rhino, Rigger, Robot, Rogue, Sable, Salamander, Samurai, Sand, Saproling, Satyr, Scarecrow, Scientist, Scion, Scorpion, Scout, Sculpture, Serf, Serpent, Servo, Shade, Shaman, Shapeshifter, Shark, Sheep, Siren, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Sloth, Slug, Snail, Snake, Soldier, Soltari, Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, Surrakar, Survivor, Synth, Tentacle, Tetravite, Thalakos, Thopter, Thrull, Tiefling, Time Lord, Treefolk, Trilobite, Triskelavite, Troll, Turtle, Tyranid, Unicorn, Vampire, Varmint, Vedalken, Viashino, Volver, Wall, Walrus, Warlock, Warrior, Weird, Werewolf, Whale, Wizard, Wolf, Wolverine, Wombat, Worm, Wraith, Wurm, Yeti, Zombie, and Zubera.

Challenge deck types

Challenge decks feature some creature types that aren't legal in regular Magic: Head, Hero and Reveler

See also

• Class
• Grand Creature Type Update
• Race
• Tribal