Gatecrash

Gatecrash is the second set in the Return to Ravnica block. It is the sixtieth Magic expansion and was released on February 1, 2013.
==Set details==
Gatecrash contains 249 cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares), including randomly inserted premium versions of all cards in the set. Like Return to Ravnica, the preceding expansion set, Gatecrash focused on the guild system and multicolor cards. The five guilds returning in Gatecrash were the Boros Legion, House Dimir, Gruul Clans, Orzhov Syndicate, and Simic Combine. Despite being a large expansion, Gatecrash did not contain any basic lands (Return to Ravnica had some extra). The set featured two planeswalkers; one, <c>Gideon, Champion of Justice</c>, was an established planeswalker, whilst the other, <c>Domri Rade</c> was new. The expansion symbol is a pointed arch of a gate.
===Flavor and storyline===
Jace begins to piece together the greater mystery of the Implicit Maze. It's now a race to see who will unlock its secrets.
====Storyline sources====
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Gatecrash: The Secretist, Part Two	Doug Beyer	February 2013 	Ravnica 	Jace Beleren, Emmara Tandris, Exava, Varolz, Mirko Vosk, Lazav, Lavinia, Ral Zarek, Trostani, Niv-Mizzet
====Magic Story====
Title 	Author 	Release Date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
 	Adam Lee 	2013-01-02 	Ravnica 	Kal, Durri, Nikya, Janik, Massacre Girl
The Fathom Edict 	Brady Dommermuth	2013-01-09 	Ravnica 	Zegana, Yaszen, Bogumil Bem
 	Adam Lee 	2013-01-16 	Ravnica 	Gorev Hadszak, Pel Javya
 	Adam Lee 	2013-01-23 	Ravnica 	Sarusin, Mirko Vosk
The Burying, Part 1 	Adam Lee 	2013-01-30 	Ravnica 	Domri Rade, Lakkie, Whip, Sabast
The Greater Good 	Adam Lee 	2013-02-06 	Ravnica 	Gideon Jura, Aurelia
The Guild of Deals 	Adam Lee 	2013-02-12 	Ravnica 	Bosco, Jozica, Drovo
 	Kelly Digges 	2013-02-18 	Ravnica 	Liana, Florin Ozbolt
Fblthp 	Matt Tabak 	2013-12-25 	Ravnica 	Fblthp, Parisha, Vadax Gor
The Burying, Part 2 	Adam Lee 	2013-03-06 	Ravnica, Alara 	Domri Rade, Sabast, Maklo, Elishta, Hasal, Murgul, Nasri
Bilagru Will Come for You	Ari Levitch 	2013-03-13 	Ravnica 	Symond Halm, Ilona, Lord Kazmyr, Bilagru, Zandra
The Hard Sell 	Kelly Digges 	2013-03-19 	Ravnica 	Bartek, Zifka, Imrich, Nico, Andra
 	Adam Lee 	2013-03-27 	Ravnica 	<c>Deathpact Angel</c>
===Marketing===
Gatecrash was sold in 16-card boosters, 6-card boosters, five intro packs, two event decks and a fat pack. Like its predecessor the set also featured Booster Battle Packs, which contained two Gatecrash booster packs and two semi-randomized, guild-associated 22-card decks. An early preview picture of the set shows Aurelia, the leader of the Boros Legion, adjacent to planeswalker Gideon Jura, mirroring the preview picture of the preceding Return to Ravnca, which featured Izzet League leader Niv-Mizzet and planeswalker Jace Beleren.
The 16-card boosters featured artwork from <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c>, <c>Prime Speaker Zegana</c>, <c>Skarrg Guildmage</c>, <c>Vizkopa Guildmage</c>, and <c>Sunhome Guildmage</c>. The small booster featured artwork from <c>Domri Rade</c>.
Wizards of the Coast created a "Choose Your Guild" interactive quiz and Planeswalker Points Web page for the expansion, allowing Magic players to choose their guild. At the expansion's prerelease events on January 26–27, 2013, players chose their guild; a choice that affected gameplay, as, in addition to receiving five Gatecrash boosters, players received a guild-specific sticker, an acceptance letter from their guild leader, a spindown life counter, a promotional prerelease card, an achievement/challenge card, and an additional guild-specific booster.Devon Rule. (July 16, 2012.) "SDCC Panel: Return to Ravnica and More!", gatheringmagic.com. The launch party was on February 1–4, 2013, and the Game Day on February 23–24, 2013.
====Promotional cards====
As was the case with Return to Ravnica, there were five promotional prerelease cards, with the card received dependent on the guild chosen. Another novel feature of the Gatecrash prerelease was the fact that the card could be played in decks at the prerelease itself, unlike previous promotional prerelease cards, were:
*Boros: <c>Foundry Champion</c>
*Dimir: <c>Consuming Aberration</c>
*Gruul: <c>Rubblehulk</c>
*Orzhov: <c>Treasury Thrull</c>
*Simic: <c>Fathom Mage</c>
These cards were also available in the intro packs as foils, albeit without the alternate art and prerelease date.
Other alternate-art promotional cards were:
*Game Day: Full-art <c>Zameck Guildmage</c>
*Game Day (Top 8): Full-art <c>Firemane Avenger</c>
*Release-day Friday Night Magic: <c>Skarrg Goliath</c>
*Gatecrash League: Soldier creature token
*Buy-a-Box: <c>Nightveil Specter</c>
====Tokens and emblem====
The sixteenth card in the boosters is a token or emblem card. Although there are advertising cards, there are no Tips & Tricks cards associated with Gatecrash
# 4/4 Angel creature token with flying produced by <c>Urbis Protector</c>
# 1/1 Rat creature token produced by <c>Ogre Slumlord</c>
# 3/3 Frog Lizard creature token produced by <c>Rapid Hybridization</c>
# 1/1 Cleric creature token produced by <c>Deathpact Angel</c>
# 1/1 Spirit creature token with flying produced by <c>Beckon Apparition</c>
# 1/1 Horror creature token with flying produced by <c>Call of the Nightwing</c>
# 1/1 Soldier creature token produced by <c>Assemble the Legion</c> and <c>Sunhome Guildmage</c>
#*The creature tokens produced by Assemble the Legion and Sunhome Guildmage have haste. The absence of "haste" on the printed token is attributed to additional flexibility, considerations as to the art aspect ratio, and the necessity of a one-turn relevant keyword, especially in light of its benefits.
#
The following named tokens were released with Return to Ravnica:
# 2/2 Knight for <c>Knight Watch</c>
# 1/1 Soldier for <c>Murder Investigation</c>
# */* Ooze for <c>Miming Slime</c>, <c>Mystic Genesis</c>, and <c>Ooze Flux</c>
==Themes and mechanics==
Like the preceding set, Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash revisits five of the ten bicolored guilds of Ravnica. Each guild has its own keyword or ability word. The guilds returning in this expansion are:
Guild 	Colors 	Crest 	Legendary guild members 	Keyword or ability word 	
House Dimir 	 	 	Lazav,Mirko Vosk 	Cipher 	
House Dimir 	"Grind" ("Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal n land cards, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard.") and, more broadly, "Milling" subthemes"Graveyard matters" subtheme (viz., <c>Consuming Aberration</c>, <c>Diluvian Primordial</c>, <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c>, <c>Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</c>, <c>Sepulchral Primordial</c>)Saboteur subtheme	"Grind" ("Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal n land cards, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard.") and, more broadly, "Milling" subthemes"Graveyard matters" subtheme (viz., <c>Consuming Aberration</c>, <c>Diluvian Primordial</c>, <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c>, <c>Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</c>, <c>Sepulchral Primordial</c>)Saboteur subtheme	"Grind" ("Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal n land cards, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard.") and, more broadly, "Milling" subthemes"Graveyard matters" subtheme (viz., <c>Consuming Aberration</c>, <c>Diluvian Primordial</c>, <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c>, <c>Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</c>, <c>Sepulchral Primordial</c>)Saboteur subtheme	"Grind" ("Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal n land cards, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard.") and, more broadly, "Milling" subthemes"Graveyard matters" subtheme (viz., <c>Consuming Aberration</c>, <c>Diluvian Primordial</c>, <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c>, <c>Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</c>, <c>Sepulchral Primordial</c>)Saboteur subtheme	"Grind" ("Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal n land cards, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard.") and, more broadly, "Milling" subthemes"Graveyard matters" subtheme (viz., <c>Consuming Aberration</c>, <c>Diluvian Primordial</c>, <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c>, <c>Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</c>, <c>Sepulchral Primordial</c>)Saboteur subtheme
Gruul Clans 	 	 	Borborygmos,Ruric Thar 	Bloodrush 	
Gruul Clans 	"Number of lands you control" subtheme 	"Number of lands you control" subtheme 	"Number of lands you control" subtheme 	"Number of lands you control" subtheme 	"Number of lands you control" subtheme
Orzhov Syndicate	 	 	Obzedat,Teysa Karlov 	Extort 	
Orzhov Syndicate	"Bleeding", or life gain and life loss, subtheme 	"Bleeding", or life gain and life loss, subtheme 	"Bleeding", or life gain and life loss, subtheme 	"Bleeding", or life gain and life loss, subtheme 	"Bleeding", or life gain and life loss, subtheme
Boros Legion 	 	 	Aurelia,Tajic 	Battalion 	
Boros Legion 	Weenie token subtheme 	Weenie token subtheme 	Weenie token subtheme 	Weenie token subtheme 	Weenie token subtheme
Simic Combine 	 	 	Zegana,Vorel 	Evolve 	
Simic Combine 	"+1/+1 counters matters" subtheme 	"+1/+1 counters matters" subtheme 	"+1/+1 counters matters" subtheme 	"+1/+1 counters matters" subtheme 	"+1/+1 counters matters" subtheme
To note: the Guilds are presented in the official order, but they were originally displayed alphabetically by Wizard: Boros Legion, House Dimir, Gruul Clans, Orzhov Syndicate, Simic Combine.
The Simic mechanic evolve was inspired by a similarly named mechanic submitted by Ethan Fleisher for the Great Designer Search 2, and the Boros mechanic battalion was Shawn Main's "assault" mechanic, which was submitted for the same competition. Main also designed the Orzhov extort mechanic; he is noted as being a contributor to the Gatecrash development team.
Other themes and mechanics include:
*Hybrid mana
*Defender
*Enchantments
**Land auras
*Gates
===Creature types===
No novel creature types were introduced in this expansion.
==Cycles==
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Primordials	 	 	 	 	
Primordials	Each of these rare Avatar creatures costs MM, has a combat-related ability, and has an "enters the battlefield" triggered ability, the effect of which scales up with the number of opponents.	Each of these rare Avatar creatures costs MM, has a combat-related ability, and has an "enters the battlefield" triggered ability, the effect of which scales up with the number of opponents.	Each of these rare Avatar creatures costs MM, has a combat-related ability, and has an "enters the battlefield" triggered ability, the effect of which scales up with the number of opponents.	Each of these rare Avatar creatures costs MM, has a combat-related ability, and has an "enters the battlefield" triggered ability, the effect of which scales up with the number of opponents.	Each of these rare Avatar creatures costs MM, has a combat-related ability, and has an "enters the battlefield" triggered ability, the effect of which scales up with the number of opponents.
Denizens 	 	 	 	 	
Denizens 	Each of these common creatures has a triggered ability, which triggers whenever a creature of color enters the battlefield under your control. 	Each of these common creatures has a triggered ability, which triggers whenever a creature of color enters the battlefield under your control. 	Each of these common creatures has a triggered ability, which triggers whenever a creature of color enters the battlefield under your control. 	Each of these common creatures has a triggered ability, which triggers whenever a creature of color enters the battlefield under your control. 	Each of these common creatures has a triggered ability, which triggers whenever a creature of color enters the battlefield under your control.
Land Auras 	 	 	 	 	
Land Auras 	Each of these Auras enchants a land and grants that land an activated ability with a in its cost or a triggered ability, which triggers when that land is tapped. 	Each of these Auras enchants a land and grants that land an activated ability with a in its cost or a triggered ability, which triggers when that land is tapped. 	Each of these Auras enchants a land and grants that land an activated ability with a in its cost or a triggered ability, which triggers when that land is tapped. 	Each of these Auras enchants a land and grants that land an activated ability with a in its cost or a triggered ability, which triggers when that land is tapped. 	Each of these Auras enchants a land and grants that land an activated ability with a in its cost or a triggered ability, which triggers when that land is tapped.
===Guild cycles===
Guild cycles in Gatecrash each comprise five members, one for each guild featured in the expansion. Along with many of the Return to Ravnica guild cycles, many of the Gatecrash guild cycles form Return to Ravnica block mega cycles
Cycle name 	Dimir 	Gruul 	Orzhov 	Boros 	Simic
Multicolored spells	 	 	 	 	
Multicolored spells	Each of these rare multicolored spell cards has a cost including . Notably, <c>Aurelia's Fury</c> is a mythic rare; <c>Immortal Servitude</c> has a hybrid mana cost; and <c>Nimbus Swimmer</c> is not merely any spell but a creature card.	Each of these rare multicolored spell cards has a cost including . Notably, <c>Aurelia's Fury</c> is a mythic rare; <c>Immortal Servitude</c> has a hybrid mana cost; and <c>Nimbus Swimmer</c> is not merely any spell but a creature card.	Each of these rare multicolored spell cards has a cost including . Notably, <c>Aurelia's Fury</c> is a mythic rare; <c>Immortal Servitude</c> has a hybrid mana cost; and <c>Nimbus Swimmer</c> is not merely any spell but a creature card.	Each of these rare multicolored spell cards has a cost including . Notably, <c>Aurelia's Fury</c> is a mythic rare; <c>Immortal Servitude</c> has a hybrid mana cost; and <c>Nimbus Swimmer</c> is not merely any spell but a creature card.	Each of these rare multicolored spell cards has a cost including . Notably, <c>Aurelia's Fury</c> is a mythic rare; <c>Immortal Servitude</c> has a hybrid mana cost; and <c>Nimbus Swimmer</c> is not merely any spell but a creature card.
==Reprinted cards==
The following cards have been reprinted from previous sets and included in Gatecrash:
*<c>Act of Treason</c>, first printed in Magic 2010 was last seen in Magic 2012 and for the first time in an expert-level expansion.
*<c>Assault Griffin</c>, first printed in Magic 2011 was last seen in Magic 2012 and for the first time in an expert-level expansion.
*<c>Cinder Elemental</c>, first printed in Mercadian Masques was last seen in Planechase.
*<c>Beckon Apparition</c> was last seen in Eventide.
*<c>Contaminated Ground</c> was last seen in Rise of the Eldrazi.
*<c>Ember Beast</c> was last seen in Odyssey.
*<c>Frenzied Tilling</c> was last seen in Invasion.
*<c>Naturalize</c>, first printed in Onslaught was last seen in Magic 2013.
*<c>Prophetic Prism</c>, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi was last seen in Commander.
*<c>Righteous Charge</c>, first printed in Portal Second Age was last seen in Starter 1999 and for the first time in an expert-level expansion.
*Shock lands were last seen in the Ravnica block.
*<c>Skyknight Legionnaire</c> was last seen in Ravnica: City of Guilds.
*<c>Smite</c>, first printed in Stronghold was last seen in Rise of the Eldrazi.
===Functional reprints===
*<c>Angelic Edict</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Iona's Judgment</c> from Worldwake.
*<c>Gutter Skulk</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Walking Corpse</c> from Innistrad.
*<c>Rapid Hybridization</c> is a quasi-functional reprint of <c>Pongify</c> from Planar Chaos; creature subtype is different
*<c>Shielded Passage</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Indestructible Aura</c> from Legends.
===Strictly better===
*<c>Burst of Strength</c> is strictly better than <c>Battlegrowth</c>.
*<c>Crowned Ceratok</c> is strictly better than <c>Argothian Swine</c>, <c>Golden Bear</c>, <c>Nettle Swine</c>, <c>Order of the Sacred Bell</c>, <c>Spiked Baloth</c>, <c>Vintara Elephant</c>, <c>War Mammoth</c> and <c>Wild Elephant</c>.
*<c>Gateway Shade</c> is strictly better than <c>Frozen Shade</c>.
*<c>Slate Street Ruffian</c> is strictly better than <c>Alley Grifters</c>.
*<c>Legion Loyalist</c> is strictly better than <c>Raging Goblin</c>.
===Strictly worse===
*<c>Millennial Gargoyle</c> is strictly worse than <c>Primal Clay</c> and <c>Tin-Wing Chimera</c>.
*<c>Totally Lost</c> is strictly worse than <c>Vanishment</c>.
==Notable cards==
*<c>Enter the Infinite</c> is a powerful combo enabler, including with <c>Omniscience</c> from only a few sets prior.
*<c>Thespian's Stage</c> is notorious for its' combo with <c>Dark Depths</c> to instantly create the legendary Marit Lage, forming the backbone of a Legacy Lands-based combo deck and ensuring that Dark Depths remains banned in Modern.
*<c>Rapid Hybridization</c> saw play in Devotion to Blue decks in Standard which could not play stronger removal in other colors, and sees play in the Commander format for similar reasons
*<c>Boros Charm</c> is a strong spell for typical aggro decks but also Boros Burn decks in Modern, which focus on its direct damage mode.
*<c>Biovisionary</c> and <c>Hellkite Tyrant</c> are alternate-win cards.
*<c>Blind Obedience</c> and <c>Crypt Ghast</c> are two cards with Extort that see heavy play in the casual Commander format, and which also have resulted in numerous rules questions caused by the color symbols in their reminder text not being considered for the Commander format color identity rules.
*<c>Legion Loyalist</c> was a strong card for Standard and Pioneer versions of Red Deck Wins, making it impossible to block your board of creatures and adding to the battlefield immediately
*<c>Boros Reckoner</c> saw substantial play in Standard, where it was difficult to block and could resist damage-based removal, while <c>Nightveil Specter</c> from the same cycle saw play in Standard control decks and devotion decks, where its unique mana cost contributed to both blue and black devotion.
===Banned and restricted cards===
*<c>Balustrade Spy</c> and <c>Undercity Informer</c> both use the grind mechanic, which was largely irrelevant in the history of Magic until the printing of the double-faced card lands in Zendikar Rising, which do not register as lands for the ability, allowing their controller to mill their entire library and easily win through a variety of combos. These two cards were banned from Pioneer in 2021 to prevent additional degenerate combos, but still see play in Pauper, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage variations of the deck
*<c>Burning-Tree Emissary</c> is a <c>Grizzly Bear</c> that pays for itself and has seen play in aggressive Gruul decks in Standard, Modern, and Pioneer. It is so strong that it was suspended in the Historic format, which was overrun with red-green aggro decks that could dump almost their entire hand on turn 2 thanks to the Emissary.
*<c>Sylvan Primordial</c> has had a minor impact on Pioneer but most notably has been banned in casual multiplayer formats like Commander and Oathbreaker, where its ability to destroy numerous permanent types from each player and be recurred easily with flicker effects made it too strong
== Preconstructed decks ==
=== Intro packs ===
Gatecrash has five bicolored guild-centric intro packs.
===Event decks===
Gatecrash has two event decks.
==Gallery==
File:GTC Prerelease Boros.jpg|Boros Legion guild acceptance letter
File:GTC Prerelease Dimir.jpg|House Dimir guild acceptance letter
File:GTC Prerelease Gruul.jpg|Gruul Clans guild acceptance letter
File:GTC Prerelease Orzhov.jpg|Orzhov Syndicate guild acceptance letter
File:GTC Prerelease Simic.jpg|Simic Combine guild acceptance letter
File:GTC Booster 1.jpg|A Gatecrash booster pack depicting <c>Duskmantle Guildmage</c> 
File:GTC Booster 2.jpg|A Gatecrash booster pack depicting <c>Skarrg Guildmage</c>
File:GTC Booster 3.jpg|A Gatecrash booster pack depicting <c>Prime Speaker Zegana</c>
File:GTC Booster 4.jpg|A Gatecrash booster pack depicting <c>Vizkopa Guildmage</c>
File:GTC Booster 5.jpg|A Gatecrash booster pack depicting <c>Sunhome Guildmage</c>
File:GTC Domri Rade.jpg|<c>Domri Rade</c>, a preview card, one of the two planeswalkers featured in Gatecrash, and the first incarnation of Domri
File:GTC Promo Firemane Avenger.jpg|GTC Game Day (Top 8) promotional card <c>Firemane Avenger</c>
File:GTC Promo Nightveil Specter.jpg|GTC Buy-a-Box promotional card <c>Nightveil Specter</c>
File:GTC Promo Skarrg Goliath.jpg|GTC release-day Friday Night Magic promotional card <c>Skarrg Goliath</c>
File:GTC Promo Soldier Token.jpg|GTC League promotional Soldier creature token card
File:GTC Promo Zameck Guildmage.jpg|GTC Game Day promotional card <c>Zameck Guildmage</c>
File:GTC Promo Foundry Champion.jpg|GTC Boros prerelease promotional card <c>Foundry Champion</c>
File:GTC Promo Consuming Aberration.jpg|GTC Dimir prerelease promotional card <c>Consuming Aberration</c>
File:GTC Promo Rubblehulk.jpg|GTC Gruul prerelease promotional card <c>Rubblehulk</c>
File:GTC Promo Treasury Thrull.jpg|GTC Orzhov prerelease promotional card <c>Treasury Thrull</c>
File:GTC Promo Fathom Mage.jpg|GTC Simic prerelease promotional card <c>Fathom Mage</c>
File:GTC Firemane Avenger.jpg|<c>Firemane Avenger</c>, the Orzhov "Holiday Preview" card showcasing Battalion
File:GTC Whispering Madness.jpg|<c>Whispering Madness</c>, the Orzhov "Holiday Preview" card showcasing Cipher
File:GTC Rubblehulk.jpg|<c>Rubblehulk</c>, the Gruul "Holiday Preview" card showcasing Bloodrush
File:GTC Treasury Thrull.jpg|<c>Treasury Thrull</c>, the Orzhov "Holiday Preview" card showcasing Extort
File:GTC Fathom Mage.jpg|<c>Fathom Mage</c>, the Simic "Holiday Preview" card showcasing Evolve
File:GTC Orzhov Guildgate.jpg|<c>Orzhov Guildgate</c>, a Gate
File:GTC Gateway Shade.jpg|<c>Gateway Shade</c>, a Gate-associated card
File:GTC Tin Street Market.jpg|<c>Tin Street Market</c>, a land aura
==Notes==
==References==
==External links==
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