Guildpact | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Set Information | |||||
Set symbol | |||||
Design |
Mike Elliott (lead) Aaron Forsythe Devin Low Brian Schneider | ||||
Development |
Henry Stern (lead) Aaron Forsythe Cormac Russell Brian Schneider Mike Turian | ||||
Art direction | Jeremy Cranford | ||||
Release date | February 3, 2006 | ||||
Plane | Ravnica | ||||
Themes and mechanics | Guild System, Hybrid mana, Multicolored cards | ||||
Keywords/ability words | Bloodthirst, Haunt, Replicate | ||||
Set size |
165 cards (55 commons, 55 uncommons, 55 rares) | ||||
Expansion code | GPT[1] | ||||
Development codename | Alt | ||||
Ravnica block | |||||
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Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
|
- For other uses, see Guildpact (disambiguation).
Guildpact is the thirty-seventh Magic expansion and was released February 5, 2006, as the second set in the Ravnica block. The prerelease was on January 21, 2006.[2][3]
Set details[ | ]
Guildpact contains 165 black-bordered cards (55 rare, 55 uncommon, and 55 commons). Its expansion symbol is a wrought-iron design with three “branches” meant to evoke the three-guild nature of the set as well as the urban theme.[4] Guildpact expanded on the Ravnica block themes of multicolor and hybrid, adding three new guilds to the environment: the Orzhov Syndicate (white/black), the Izzet League (blue/red) and the Gruul Clans (red/green).[5][6] The set also included the first creatures with exactly four colors, the Nephilim.[7]
Marketing[ | ]
Guildpact was sold in 15-card boosters, three preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack.[8] The decks and the fat pack contained a Pro Tour Players Card. The booster packs featured artwork from Djinn Illuminatus, Rumbling Slum, and Graven Dominator. The prerelease card was a foil alternate art Djinn Illuminatus.[9] The release card was Gruul Guildmage. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name by Cory Herndon. Additional art for several tokens was created for Magic Online.[10]
Storyline[ | ]
The Guildpact has kept Ravnica stable for thousands of years. But with ten guilds vying to become the dominant force on the planet, there's always a chance that things will break down. Guildpact continues the story of this massive city, and introduces players to three more guilds.[11] The Gruul ravages the streets. Teysa leads the Orzhov Syndicate to "cleanse" them. And Agrus Kos doesn't give a damn.[12]
Storyline sources[ | ]
Title | Author | Publishing date | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
---|---|---|---|---|
Guildpact | Cory J. Herndon | January 2006 | Ravnica | Kaluzax, Uncle, Teysa Karlov, Melisk, Crix, Zomaj Hauc, Aun Yom, Vor Golozar, Pivlic, Agrus Kos, Trijiro, Aradoz, Nebun, the Obzedat, Feather, Grugg Brothers, Niv-Mizzet |
Savor the Flavor[ | ]
Title | Author | Release Date | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wake Up Call | Matt Cavotta | February 22, 2006 | Ravnica | Bougrat, Obzedat, Chorus of the Conclave, Niv-Mizzet, Razia, Rakdos, the Nephilim |
Precious Gold | Matt Cavotta | March 29, 2006 | Ravnica | Emilya, Obzedat, Yore-Tiller Nephilim |
Misprints[ | ]
- Hypervolt Grasp was printed with a Gruul symbol as a watermark, despite being an Izzet card.
- A small number of the foil Thunderheads were printed with the letters 'y' and 'w' missing from their italics text (flavor and reminder text).
Mechanics and themes[ | ]
Guildpact continued the guild model and introduced the next three two-color guilds, each with their own keyword. The introduced guilds are as follows:
Guild | Colors | Guild symbol | Legendary guild members | Keyword or ability word |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gruul Clans | ![]() |
Borborygmos, Ulasht the Hate Seed | Bloodthirst | |
Bloodthirst works by putting +1/+1 counters on a permanent as it enters the battlefield equal to the Bloodthirst, if an opponent has been dealt damage that turn.[13] | ||||
Orzhov Syndicate | ![]() |
Ghost Council of Orzhova, Teysa, Orzhov Scion | Haunt | |
Haunt returns a card from a graveyard "haunting" another permanent. When that permanent is put into a graveyard, a triggered ability of the haunting card is put on the stack.[14][15] | ||||
Izzet League | ![]() |
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind, Tibor and Lumia | Replicate | |
Replicate works by putting copies of a given instant or sorcery onto the stack for each time you pay the Replicate cost.[16] |
To note: the Guilds are presented in the official order, but they were originally displayed in a different order by Wizard: Izzet League, Gruul Clans, Orzhov Syndicate.
Creature types[ | ]
The following creature types are introduced in this expansion: Nephilim, Weird.
The following creature types are used in this expansion but also appear in previous sets: Advisor, Angel, Archer, Assassin, Avatar, Bat, Beast, Berserker, Centaur, Cleric, Cyclops, Djinn, Dragon, Drake, Druid, Dryad, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Faerie, Giant, Griffin, Gargoyle, Goblin, Horror, Hydra, Illusion, Imp, Insect, Knight, Leviathan, Ogre, Phoenix, Ooze, Rogue, Sand,[17] Shaman, Skeleton, Soldier, Spirit, Thrull, Vampire, Viashino, Vedalken, Warrior, Wizard, Wurm.
Cycles[ | ]
- For cycles that are part of the guild mega cycles, see Ravnica block#Mega cycles.[18]
Guildpact has four cycles:
Cycle name | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leylines | Leyline of the Meek | Leyline of Singularity | Leyline of the Void | Leyline of Lightning | Leyline of Lifeforce |
Each of these rare enchantments costs | |||||
Magemarks | Guardian's Magemark | Infiltrator's Magemark | Necromancer's Magemark | Fencer's Magemark | Beastmaster's Magemark |
Each of these common auras, costing | |||||
Rusalkas | Martyred Rusalka | Drowned Rusalka | Plagued Rusalka | Scorched Rusalka | Starved Rusalka |
Each of these 1/1 uncommon spirit creatures, costing one colored mana, has an activated ability with the cost of one mana of her color and the sacrifice of a creature. A rusalka is a female ghost from Slavic mythology, often associated with water. | |||||
Cycle name | |||||
Nephilim | Witch-Maw Nephilim | Yore-Tiller Nephilim | Glint-Eye Nephilim | Dune-Brood Nephilim | Ink-Treader Nephilim |
Each of these rare creatures costs 4 mana of separate colors. For example, Ink-Treader Nephilim costs |
Reprinted cards[ | ]
The following cards have been reprinted from previous sets:
- Cremate — was last seen in Invasion and was an uncommon, now common.
- Savage Twister — was last seen in Mirage and fits with the savage nature of the Gruul Guild.[22]
Notable cards[ | ]
- Angel of Despair - Utility card in Legacy and Vintage Ichorid decks.
- Burning-Tree Shaman - Used in some legacy zoo variants.
- Leyline of the Void - Anti-graveyard card in Legacy and Vintage sideboards.
- Tin Street Hooligan - Legacy anti-artifact sideboards
Preconstructed decks[ | ]

In Guildpact, as there are three guilds, there are only three decks, rather than the standard four theme decks; the three decks are oriented around the guilds introduced in Guildpact. The preconstructed theme decks are:
Theme deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gruul Wilding | R | G | |||
Code of the Orzhov | W | B | |||
Izzet Gizmometry | U | R |
References[ | ]
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (December 8, 2013). "Cube Drafts and Ravnica Drafts Return!". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brian David-Marshall (January 16, 2006). "Izzet Time Yet?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (March 23, 2005). "Guildpact Fact Sheet". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brady Dommermuth (October 31, 2006). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 09, 2006). "If You Guild It, They Will Come". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Devin Low (February 06, 2006). "Designing Guildpact". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 23, 2006). "Now I Know My ABC’s". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (December 05, 2005). "Guildpact Product Shots". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (January 10, 2006). "Guildpact Prerelease Card". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (March 21, 2006). "Guildpact Token Art 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Rei Nakazawa (January 09, 2006). "Signing Onto the Guildpact". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (February 13, 2006). "The Italicized World of Guildpact". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (February 03, 2006). "Gruuling Workout". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (January 13, 2006). "Haunting Your Dreams". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (March 31, 2006). "Losing My Religion". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (March 03, 2006). "Yes It Iz". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (January 27, 2006). "Guildpact: Twenty Questions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 16, 2006). "Just The Ten of Us". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (January 20, 2006). "Something Borrowed, Something Blue". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (January 24, 2006). "Guildpact's Leyline Cycle". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (February 07, 2006). "Magemark Art Quiz". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (March 20, 2006). "Populating the Twister". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.