- For other uses, see Guildpact (disambiguation).
Guildpact | |
---|---|
Set Information | |
Set symbol | |
Themes and mechanics |
Guild System, Hybrid mana, Multicolored cards |
Keywords/ability words |
Bloodthirst, Haunt, Replicate |
Set size |
165 (55 commons, 55 uncommons, 55 rares) |
Expansion code | GPT |
Development codename | Alt |
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. [1]
Set details
Guildpact contains 165 black-bordered cards (55 rare, 55 uncommon, and 55 commons). Its expansion symbol is wrought-iron design with three “branches” meant to evoke the three-guild nature of the set as well as the urban theme. [2] 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). [3] [4] The set also included the first and (so far) only creatures with exactly four colors, the Nephilim. [5]
Marketing
Guildpact was sold in 15-card boosters, three preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. 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. The release card was Gruul Guildmage. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name by Cory Herndon.
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. [6] The Gruul ravages the streets. Teysa leads the Orzhov Syndicate to "cleanse" them. And Agrus Kos doesn't give a damn. [7]
Misprints
- Hypervolt Grasp has been printed with a Gruul symbol as watermark, although it is 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 new two-color guilds, each with their own keyword. The introduced guilds are as follows:
Guild | Colors | Guild symbol | |||
Izzet League | Template:Manaur | Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind | Replicate | Replicate works by putting copies of a given instant or sorcery onto the stack for each time you pay the Replicate cost. [8] | |
Gruul Clans | Template:Manarg | Borborygmos | Bloodthirst | Bloodthirst works by putting a number of +1/+1 +1/+1 counters on a permanent as it enters the battlefield, if an opponent has been dealt damage that turn. [9] | |
Orzhov Syndicate | Template:Manawb | Ghost Council of Orzhova | Haunt | Haunt allows a card to be removed from a graveyard "haunting" another permanent, and when that permanent is put into a graveyard a triggered ability of the haunting card is put on the stack and allows a second usage of the card. [10] [11] |
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 [12], 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.[13]
Guildpact has four cycles:
- Leylines: Leyline of the Meek, Leyline of Singularity, Leyline of the Void, Leyline of Lightning, and Leyline of Lifeforce — Each of these rare enchantments costs plus 2 mana of the appropriate color. Each can start the game in play at the beginning if it is in a player's opening hand. [14]
- Magemarks: Guardian's Magemark, Infiltrator's Magemark, Necromancer's Magemark, Fencer's Magemark, and Beastmaster's Magemark — Each of these common auras, costing plus one mana of the appropriate color, has "Enchant creature" and "Creatures you control that are enchanted get +1/+1." All but Guardian's Magemark grant an additional boon to other enchanted creatures: For instance, Fencer's Magemark grants first strike to all other creatures under the control of the same player as the enchanted creature.
- Nephilim: Yore-Tiller Nephilim, Glint-Eye Nephilim, Dune-Brood Nephilim, Ink-Treader Nephilim, and Witch-Maw Nephilim — Each of these rare creatures costs 4 mana of separate colors; the excluded color is the enemy color of the middle two colors. For example, Ink-Treader Nephilim costs , excluding black. Each nephilim has a powerful and unique ability.
- Rusalkas: Martyred Rusalka, Drowned Rusalka, Plagued Rusalka, Scorched Rusalka, and 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 Template:Cite web is a female ghost, often associated with water, from Slavic mythology.
Reprinted cards
The following cards have been reprinted from previous sets and included in Guildpact.
- Cremate — was last seen in Invasion and was a uncommon, now common.
- Savage Twister — was last seen in Mirage and fits with the savage nature of the Gruul Guild.
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 merely 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: Template:Theme decks
References
- ↑ Brian David-Marshall (January 16, 2006). "Izzet Time Yet?". 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.
- ↑ 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 (March 03, 2006). "Yes It Iz". 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 (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.
External links
Template:Guilds of Ravnica