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Ravnica Allegiance
RNA Logo
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description The Guilds of Ravnica symbol upside down, suggesting the horns of Nicol Bolas in negative space.[1]
Design Mark Rosewater (lead)
Jules Robins
Jackie Lee
Ari Levitch
Sam Stoddard
Bryan Hawley
Development Sam Stoddard (lead)
Erik Lauer
Adam Prosak
Dave Humpherys
Michael Majors
Paul Cheon
Peter Lee [2]
Art direction Cynthia Sheppard
Release date January 25, 2019
Plane Ravnica
Keywords/​ability words Adapt, Addendum, Afterlife, Riot, Spectacle
Set size 259 cards
(111 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares)
+5 Basic lands
+8 Planeswalker deck exclusives
+1 Buy-a-Box promo
Expansion code RNA[3]
Development codename Meatballs
Core Set 2020 Standard
Guilds of Ravnica Ravnica Allegiance War of the Spark
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Ravnica Allegiance
Mythic Edition
Ravnica Allegiance Ravnica Allegiance
Guild Kits

Ravnica Allegiance is the eightieth Magic expansion. It was released on January 25, 2019.[4][5] Officially, it is not part of a block. However, it is part of a series of three that is set on the same world, unofficially called the Guilds of Ravnica block.[6]

Set details[ | ]

RNA booster

Ravnica Allegiance booster

Ravnica Allegiance contains 259 cards (111 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, and 15 mythic rares), but there are only 254 functionally different cards since all gates have 2 common slots. Boosters may include randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. This set features five of the bi-colored Ravnican guilds: Azorius ({W}{U}), Rakdos ({B}{R}), Gruul ({R}{G}), Simic ({G}{U}), and Orzhov ({W}{B}). Watermarks are used to better identify the guilds.[7]

The 5 basic lands of this set are not included within the 259 cards, meaning that they won't appear in booster packs but only in the planeswalker decks and the Bundle, and are numbered from #260/259 to #264/259. Neither contained in boosters are the 8 additional planeswalker deck exclusive cards - numbered #265/259 to #272/259 - and the Buy-a-Box promo, which has the number #273/259. Like in the previous set, each Guildgate is featured in two common slots, each with different art.

Storyline[ | ]

“  Defend Your Guild  ”

This is the penultimate moment of the Gatewatch's fight against Nicol Bolas. Darkness is coming to Ravnica. A conflict that could tear apart the world itself looms large, and the fragile peace between the guilds is strained to its breaking point. Now, with everything on the line, it's time to step up, prove your loyalty, and fight for your guild.

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Ravnica Allegiance are: Rampage of the Clans ({G}), Kaya's Wrath ({W}{B}), Ethereal Absolution ({W}{B}), and Emergency Powers ({W}{U}).

Magic Story[ | ]

Main article: Magic Story
Title Author Release Date Setting Featuring
The Illusions of Child's Play Nicky Drayden 2019-01-23 Ravnica Cult of Rakdos
Rage of the Unsung Nicky Drayden 2019-01-30 Ravnica Gruul Clans
The Principles of Unnatural Selection Nicky Drayden 2019-02-06 Ravnica Simic Combine
The Ledger of Hidden Fortunes Nicky Drayden 2019-02-20 Ravnica Orzhov Syndicate
The Ascension of Reza Nicky Drayden 2019-02-27 Ravnica Azorius Senate

Marketing[ | ]

RNA Theme boosters

Ravnica Allegiance Theme Boosters

Ravnica Allegiance is sold in regular 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), two planeswalker decks, the Ravnica Allegiance bundle and a Deck Builder's Toolkit.[8] As in the previous set, 35-card bi-colored Theme Boosters are connected to the appropriate guilds, containing one or two rares/mythic rares. The set is further accompanied by five guild kits, preconstructed theme decks that combine cards from every Ravnica set released so far.

The boosters feature artwork of Lavinia, Kaya, a Rakdos jester, Domri Rade, and Vannifar.[9][10]

The Planeswalker Decks of the set contain a code that redeems for that Planeswalker Deck in MTG Arena. In addition, a (non-unique) code was offered to everyone who redeemed for three in-game Ravnica Allegiance packs.[11]

Collector Boosters[ | ]

RNA Collector booster

Ravnica Allegiance Collector Booster

For Ravnica Allegiance, Wizards of the Coast also sold "Collector Boosters" that contain 15 cards for $12.99:[12] They contained:

  • 2 foils of any rarity
  • 3 rares/mythic rares
  • 10 uncommons.

This was a very limited experimental test run. Collector Boosters were only available in Japan and North America, and even then, they weren't widely available.

Events[ | ]

Promotional cards[ | ]

Tokens / Emblem[ | ]

The sixteenth card in the boosters is a token card or an emblem, with advertisements on the backside.[15][16] There are twelve tokens and one emblem in the set:

  1. {W} 1/1 Human creature for Hero of Precinct One and Watchful Giant
  2. {U} 0/2 Illusion creature with "Whenever this creature blocks a creature, that creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step." for Mesmerizing Benthid
  3. {B} 2/2 Zombie creature for Awaken the Erstwhile and Captive Audience
  4. {R} 1/1 Goblin creature for Goblin Gathering
  5. {G} 3/3 Centaur creature for Rampage of the Clans
  6. {G} 3/3 Frog Lizard creature for Incongruity
  7. {G} 2/2 Ooze creature for Biogenic Ooze
  8. {R/G} 4/4 Beast creature with trample for Domri, Chaos Bringer and Threat
  9. {W/U} 4/4 Sphinx creature with flying and vigilance for Warden
  10. {W/B} 1/1 Spirit creature with flying for Ethereal Absolution, Knight of the Last Breath and all creatures with afterlife
  11. {C} 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying for Dovin, Grand Arbiter and Deploy
  12. {C} Treasure artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color." for Smothering Tithe
  13. Emblem for Domri, Chaos Bringer

Mythic Edition[ | ]

Ravnica Allegiance Mythic Edition is a special draft-sized booster box. It contains eight masterpieces.

Themes and mechanics[ | ]

Each guild features a unique mechanic.[17][18]

Crest Guild Colors Keyword or ability word
{Azorius Logo} Azorius Senate {W/U} Addendum
If you cast a spell during your main phase,... it has an additional or alternative effect.
{Rakdos Logo} Cult of Rakdos {B/R} Spectacle
You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.
{Gruul Logo} Gruul Clans {R/G} Riot
This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste.
{Orzhov Logo} Orzhov Syndicate {W/B} Afterlife N
When this creature dies, create N 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token(s) with flying.
{Simic Logo} Simic Combine {G/U} Adapt N
If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put N +1/+1 counter(s) on it.

Ravnica Allegiance continues the two cycles of split cards started in Guilds of Ravnica. These guild-based split cards include a hybrid multicolored half and a traditional multicolored half.

Cycles[ | ]

Ravnica Allegiance has thirteen cycles, two of which are reprints.

Cycle Name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Mythic rares Angel of Grace Mesmerizing Benthid Spawn of Mayhem Skarrgan Hellkite Biogenic Ooze
Five mythic rare creatures.
Cycle name Azorius
{W/U} {Azorius Logo}
Rakdos
{B/R} {Rakdos Logo}
Gruul
{R/G} {Gruul Logo}
Orzhov
{W/B} {Orzhov Logo}
Simic
{G/U} {Simic Logo}
Guild leaders Dovin, Grand Arbiter Rakdos, the Showstopper Domri, Chaos Bringer Kaya, Orzhov Usurper Prime Speaker Vannifar
Five mythic rare legendary multicolor creatures or planeswalkers, each of whom are aligned with a guild and is their leader. Guilds aligned with Nicol Bolas have planeswalkers as their leaders: guilds aligned against, creatures.
Guild champions Lavinia, Azorius Renegade Judith, the Scourge Diva Nikya of the Old Ways Teysa Karlov Zegana, Utopian Speaker
Five rare legendary multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and are a significant figure in the guild.
Mythic rare guild spells Emergency Powers Captive Audience Ravager Wurm Seraph of the Scales Hydroid Krasis
Five mythic rare guild spells.
Guildmages Senate Guildmage Cult Guildmage Clan Guildmage Syndicate Guildmage Combine Guildmage
Five uncommon multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and have two activated abilities, each ability costing at least one mana of that guild's colors and tapping to activate. They are named after the full title of their respective guilds.
MMNN creatures Sphinx of New Prahv Rakdos Firewheeler Sunder Shaman Basilica Bell-Haunt Frilled Mystic
Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors.
Mechanical commons Sphinx's Insight Rafter Demon Frenzied Arynx Imperious Oligarch Aeromunculus
Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic.
Activated creatures Senate Courier Rakdos Trumpeter Gravel-Hide Goblin Twilight Panther Steeple Creeper
Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color.
Hybrid creatures Senate Griffin Footlight Fiend Rubble Slinger Vizkopa Vampire Scuttlegator
Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost.
Uncommon split cards Depose // Deploy Carnival // Carnage Collision // Colossus Consecrate // Consume Incubation // Incongruity
Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor.
Rare split cards Warrant // Warden Bedeck // Bedazzle Thrash // Threat Revival // Revenge Repudiate // Replicate
Five rare split cards, following the same formula as above. The hybrid side depicts the guild champion, and the multicolored side depicts its leader.
Lockets Azorius Locket Rakdos Locket Gruul Locket Orzhov Locket Simic Locket
Five common mana stones for {3}. Each of which tap for either color mana of its corresponding guild, and can be sacrificed by tapping and paying four hybrid mana of the same colors to draw two cards.
Guildgates Azorius Guildgate Rakdos Guildgate Gruul Guildgate Orzhov Guildgate Simic Guildgate
Five common dual lands in guild colors, originally printed in the Return to Ravnica block. Each has the Gate subtype and enters the battlefield tapped. Each is printed twice in the set, with two different sets of art and flavor text. The first shows the guild's "main gate" and has flavor referencing to its leader, whereas the second shows a "back door" and has flavor referencing to its lieutenant.
Shock lands Hallowed Fountain Blood Crypt Stomping Ground Godless Shrine Breeding Pool
Five rare dual lands in guild colors, originally printed in the Ravnica: City of Guilds block. Each has the respective basic land types and enters the battlefield tapped unless its controller pays 2 life.

Pairs[ | ]

Ravnica Allegiance has one mirrored pair.

Mirrored Pairs Description
Spirit of the Spires
({W})
Windstorm Drake
({U})
Common flying creatures that boost the power or toughness of other flying creatures. When both are on the battlefield, both become 3/4.

Reprinted cards[ | ]

Functional reprints[ | ]

Card comparisons[ | ]

Preconstructed decks[ | ]

Ravnica Allegiance features two planeswalker decks:

Planeswalker
deck name
Colors Included Planeswalker
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Dovin W U Dovin, Architect of Law
Domri R G Domri, City Smasher

Ravnica Allegiance features five Guild Kits:

Guild Kit name Colors Included
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Azorius W U
Rakdos B R
Gruul R G
Simic U G
Orzhov W B

Notable cards[ | ]

Banned and Restricted cards[ | ]

  • Wilderness Reclamation was designed as a new version of Awakening, but adjusted to not scale quite so powerfully with more players. In Standard, however, it had a potent combo with Nexus of Fate before rotation and Expansion//Explosion afterward. It was in the last set of bannings in a highly unbalanced Standard season with the release of Throne of Eldraine, being the fifth-most broken engine card of five broken decks in the 2019-2020 season. The ban was largely symbolic, as the banning on August 3rd was six weeks before rotation, though the Historic suspension was more impactful. Pioneer also banned it in February 2021.
  • Growth Spiral was a fairly innocuous common with a high upside, being a new Explore variant, with the blue cost for instant speed more of a liability than a benefit. This mana requirement failed to deter any decks, as the confluence of {U}{G} Ramp cards simply resulted in only one viable base of the ramp deck. It was banned in the same set as the above, as Ramp strategies still had the best cards in the format - most notably Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath, which similarly wanted cheap cantrips.

References[ | ]

  1. The Ravnica Allegiance set symbol has Bolas's horns in the whitespace. (Reddit)
  2. Ravnica Allegiance credits
  3. Information below the text box
  4. Wizards of the Coast (May 18, 2018). "2018 Spring Announcement Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. Wizards of the Coast (January 16, 2019). "Ravnica Allegiance Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. Mark Rosewater (May 18, 2018). "Are blocks back soon or do you just not have a word yet?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  7. Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2018). "Will there be Guild watermarks in upcoming Ravnica sets?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  8. Wizards Play Network
  9. Mark Rosewater (January 06, 2019). "Who is the jester on the cover of the Rakdos Banner for the LGS's?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  10. a b c Blake Rasmussen (December 17, 2018). "Ravnica Allegiance Promos and Packaging". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Wizards of the Coast (January 10, 2019). "Ravnica Allegiance Prerelease Codes in MTG Arena". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Hipster of the Coast on Twitter
  13. Gavin Verhey (January 15, 2019). "Ravnica Allegiance Prerelease Primer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. Wizards of the Coast (October 29, 2018). "Introducing Magic Weekend". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. Blake Rasmussen (January 9, 2019). "The Tokens of Ravnica Allegiance". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. Token Rarity in RNA (Reddit)
  17. Matt Tabak (December 17, 2018). "Ravnica Allegiace Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. Sam Stoddard (January 3, 2019). "Precognitive Perception". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. Mark Rosewater (January 21, 2019). "More City Talk". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

External links[ | ]

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