Onslaught

Onslaught is the first set (and the only large expansion) in the Onslaught block. It is the 27th Magic: The Gathering expansion and was released on October 7, 2002. The prerelease was September 28–29, 2002.
==Set details==
Onslaught, like its following expansions in the Onslaught block, Legions and Scourge, featured a theme that focused heavily on "Typal" cards, or cards that are concerned with creature types. 
The set contains 350 black-bordered cards (110 rare, 110 uncommon, 110 common, and 20 basic lands). Onslaught's expansion symbol is a stylized morphed creature.
===Design and Development===
Onslaught was initially designed similarly to older sets like Mirage and Tempest, having two unconnected mechanics and no overarching mechanical theme. Magic lead designer Bill Rose felt that it needed more of an identity, so he asked designer Mark Rosewater to take a look and offer feedback. Rosewater noticed a group of creatures that could change their creature types in the file and suggested making typal synergies the theme of the set.Rosewater, Mark. “Drive to Work: The History of Magic Design, Part 3”. https://youtu.be/x6Xc3AP15ok?si=uy7eVAuB7XAl7SWT Rosewater and designers Mike Elliott and Mike Donais then reworked the set to amplify the typal theme.
Rosewater also pushed to add the morph mechanic to the set. Morph had been created by Magic’s Rules Team, inspired by a fix they had made to the Alpha cards <c>Illusionary Mask</c> and <c>Camouflage</c>. Both cards allowed their controller to play creatures face down but did not define the properties of a face-down card, which caused rules issues. The fix was to define the mana cost, color, power, and toughness.Rosewater, Mark. “Drive to Work #163 - Onslaught”. https://youtu.be/MK8xylDK2jE?si=JX4Kb0Bv7I1CD_QI
After adding morph, the team decided the set still needed one more mechanic and started looking for something similar to cycling. They tested several different mechanics until a team member eventually asked: “Why not just cycling?” There was initially some skepticism about bringing an old mechanic back. However, several new test cards, particularly an early version of <c>Lightning Rift</c>, proved new design space for cycling still existed.Rosewater, Mark. “Drive to Work #163 - Onslaught”. https://youtu.be/MK8xylDK2jE?si=JX4Kb0Bv7I1CD_QI
===Marketing===
Onslaught was sold in 75-card tournament decks, 15-card boosters, four preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. The packs featured artwork from <c>Jareth, Leonine Titan</c>, <c>Arcanis the Omnipotent</c>, <c>Grinning Demon</c>, <c>Blistering Firecat</c> and <c>Kamahl, Fist of Krosa</c>. The prerelease card was a foil <c>Silent Specter</c>. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name.
===Flavor and storyline===
A continuation of the storyline developed in the Odyssey Cycle, Onslaught and the Onslaught Cycle are set on the continent of Otaria on the devastated plane of Dominaria, approximately a century after the events of Apocalypse of the Invasion block.Vance Moore. (2001.) Odyssey Cycle, Book I: Odyssey, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786919000. Kamahl has relocated to the Krosan Forest with the Mirari and becomes a druid of Krosa. The power of the Mirari begins to work on the forest, mutating its residents and growing some of them to gigantic proportions. Meanwhile, Kamahl's sister Jeska is transformed by foul Cabal healing magic, into Phage, a pit fighter whose touch brings death. The illusionist Ixidor discovers his new powers of reality sculpting. Ixidor uses his new power to create the angel Akroma.
====Storyline sources====
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Onslaught	J. Robert King	September 2002 	Dominaria 	Kamahl, Seton, Jeska, Braids, Ixidor, Nivea, Phage, Zagorka, Sash and Waistcoat, Akroma, Stonebrow
===Tokens===
Several tokens for Onslaught cards were offered as Magic Player Rewards. 
*5/5 Dragon with Flying for <c>Dragon Roost</c>
*1/1 Soldier for <c>Mobilization</c>
*1/1 Insect for <c>Symbiotic Beast</c> et al.
*2/2 Bear for <c>Words of Wilding</c>
Because Magic Online needs to represent all the tokens in the game, art needs to be created for even the most insignificant tokens. For those, Magic Online is the only place it appears.
==Themes and mechanics==
===Themes===
Tribal and creature types were a prominent theme in the Onslaught block. Some creature types bled into colors other than their normal colors (e.g., <c>Festering Goblin</c>, a black, non-red Goblin), for more design space and variety.
Creature subtype	Tribe name 	Primary colors	Secondary colors
Beast 	Beast 	 	
Birds 	Aven (in white and blue only)Birds 	 	
Clerics 	Clerics 	 	
Dragons 	Dragons 	 	
Elves 	Elves 	 	
Goblins 	Goblins 	 	
Illusions 	Mistform (or Mimics)Mistform creatures all can change their creature type.	 	
Soldiers 	Soldiers 	 	
Wizards 	Wizards 	 	
Zombies 	Zombies 	 	
Numerous cards with creature classes, as opposed to species or race ones, such as the Cleric, Soldier, and Wizards creature types, were retroactively given additional (species or race) creature types during the Grand Creature Type Update to be more consistent with the "race-class model". In most of these cases, the additional creature type was Human. This, by and large, did not cause significant changes to this expansion or block. In 2002, a poll conducted on MTG.com showed that a majority of respondents were opposed to the idea of Human as a creature type.
Dragons have a small presence in Onslaught, with the only Dragon creature cards being <c>Quicksilver Dragon</c> and <c>Rorix Bladewing</c> (and an additional one enchantment dragon-creature-token-creating card in <c>Dragon Roost</c>). Dragons would go on to form a theme in Scourge, the third Onslaught block expansion.
In addition to the tribal theme, Onslaught features several cards, such as <c>Erratic Explosion</c>, that foreshadow the "cost matters" theme that is more fully explored in Scourge.
===Mechanics===
Onslaught reintroduced the static keyword ability cycling and featured several mechanics, some of which were novel, including:Wizards of the Coast September 2002)"New Features in Onslaught" magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast.
*Fear: a keyword static ability of an established ability, fear, named after <c>Fear</c>, the Limited Edition aura card, and first card, that conferred or featured this ability, means "This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.".
*Gustcloak: a non-keyword triggered ability that allows the controller of a blocked creature with the ability to remove the creature from combat, thereby preventing all combat damage that would be dealt to and by it, similar to the effect of <c>Maze of Ith</c>.
*Lords: any card with an activated ability whose cost includes the tapping of a creature that shares a creature type with the lord (i.e., <c>Ancestor's Prophet</c>, <c>Aphetto Grifter</c>, <c>Birchlore Rangers</c>, <c>Catapult Master</c>, <c>Catapult Squad</c>, <c>Crookclaw Elder</c>, <c>Gravespawn Sovereign</c>, <c>Shieldmage Elder</c>, <c>Skirk Fire Marshal</c>, <c>Spurred Wolverine</c>, <c>Supreme Inquisitor</c>, <c>Voice of the Woods</c>, and Legions' <c>Keeper of the Nine Gales</c>). Cards somewhat similar to lords are <c>Cryptic Gateway</c> and <c>Gangrenous Goliath</c>, which, although they forward the tribal theme, do not tap creatures that share a creature subtype with the card itself.
*Morph: a static ability that allows the controller of a card with the morph ability to cast the card face-down as a 2/2 creature with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. The ability was pitched by the rules team and inspired by rules fix they had made to a pair of cards from Alpha: <c>Illusionary Mask</c> and <c>Camouflage</c>.
*Saboteurs: any creature card with a "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player" triggered ability.
*Self-recruiters: any card with an enters-the-battlefield triggered ability that allows its controller to search for a similarly named card, reveal it, and put it into their hand.
*Cycling: originally conceived during Tempest design as "sliding" and first featured in Urza's Saga, was brought back from abeyance for reasons including "nostalgia", "exposing new[er] players [to older mechanics]", "[exploring] new twists [to the old mechanic]", "interaction with other mechanics", and "conservation of design space". To expand on cycling, several cards with cycling triggers, such as <c>Astral Slide</c> and <c>Lightning Rift</c>, and several cards with cycling and abilities that trigger when they are cycled, such as <c>Death Pulse</c> and <c>Krosan Tusker</c>, were featured in Onslaught.
===Creature types===
The creature types Pangolin (retroactively) and Mutant were introduced in Onslaught. The creature type Lord was used in this expansion at the time of printing but was later removed.
==Cycles==
Onslaught features 13 cycles.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Avatars 	(Clerics) 	(Wizards) 	(Zombies) 	(Goblins) 	(Elves)
Avatars 	Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has a power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of , the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards). 	Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has a power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of , the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards). 	Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has a power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of , the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards). 	Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has a power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of , the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards). 	Each of these */* uncommon Avatar creature cards has a power/toughness-defining ability, which is dependent on the number of creatures that share a type with the Avatar in play (and, in the case of , the number of creature cards that share a type with it in all graveyards).
Chain spells 	 	 	 	 	
Chain spells 	Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by <c>Chain Lightning</c> and <c>Chain Stasis</c>, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell. 	Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by <c>Chain Lightning</c> and <c>Chain Stasis</c>, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell. 	Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by <c>Chain Lightning</c> and <c>Chain Stasis</c>, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell. 	Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by <c>Chain Lightning</c> and <c>Chain Stasis</c>, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell. 	Each of these uncommon spells, inspired by <c>Chain Lightning</c> and <c>Chain Stasis</c>, may be copied by the player affected by the spell or the controller of the permanent affected by the spell.
Charms 	(Soldiers) 	 	(Clerics) 	(Wizards) 	(Beasts)
Charms 	Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. 	Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. 	Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. 	Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. 	Each of these common instant spells with mana cost M has three modes, at least one of which was related to one of the main tribes of the expansion.
Crowns 	 	 	 	 	
Crowns 	Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn. 	Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn. 	Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn. 	Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn. 	Each of these common auras costing 1M confers an ability and may be sacrificed to grant that ability to all creatures that share a type with the (formerly) enchanted creature until end of turn.
Couriers 	(Soldiers) 	(Wizards) 	(Zombies) 	(Goblins) 	(Elves)
Couriers 	Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped. 	Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped. 	Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped. 	Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped. 	Each of these uncommon 2/1 creature cards costing 2M has a static ability allowing their controllers to not untap them during their controllers' untap step and an activated ability that may provide a creature that shares a creature type with the Courier with +2/+2 and an ability common to the Courier's color as long as the Courier remains tapped.
Cycling lands 	 	 	 	 	
Cycling lands 	Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M. 	Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M. 	Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M. 	Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M. 	Each of these common nonbasic lands enters the battlefield tapped and may be tapped for M or may be cycled for M.
Cycling spells 	 	 	 	 	
Cycling spells 	Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size. 	Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size. 	Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size. 	Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size. 	Each of these uncommon spells may be cycled for an effect that is similar to their original effect, albeit at a smaller size.
Cycling trigger permanents 	 	 	 	 	
Cycling trigger permanents 	Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a triggered ability that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, and , were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck. 	Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a triggered ability that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, and , were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck. 	Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a triggered ability that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, and , were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck. 	Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a triggered ability that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, and , were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck. 	Each of these uncommon permanent cards has a triggered ability that triggers whenever a player cycles a card. Two of these, and , were centerpieces of the Astral Slide deck.
Legendary pit-fighter champions	 	 	 	 	
Legendary pit-fighter champions	Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs MMM. 	Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs MMM. 	Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs MMM. 	Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs MMM. 	Each of these powerful rare legendary creature cards costs MMM.
Lords 	(Clerics) (Soldiers) 	(Wizards) 	(Zombies) 	(Goblins) 	(Elves)
Lords 	Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect. 	Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect. 	Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect. 	Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect. 	Each of these rare (formerly Lord) creature cards has an activated ability to tap five creatures (and/or, later, other permanents) of a given creature (or tribal) subtype for a potent effect.
Tribal lands 	(Soldiers) 	(Wizards) 	(Zombies) 	(Goblins) 	(Elves)
Tribal lands 	Each of these lands may be tapped for or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, <c>Contested Cliffs</c> for Beasts, <c>Seaside Haven</c> for Birds, and <c>Starlit Sanctum</c> for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.	Each of these lands may be tapped for or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, <c>Contested Cliffs</c> for Beasts, <c>Seaside Haven</c> for Birds, and <c>Starlit Sanctum</c> for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.	Each of these lands may be tapped for or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, <c>Contested Cliffs</c> for Beasts, <c>Seaside Haven</c> for Birds, and <c>Starlit Sanctum</c> for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.	Each of these lands may be tapped for or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, <c>Contested Cliffs</c> for Beasts, <c>Seaside Haven</c> for Birds, and <c>Starlit Sanctum</c> for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.	Each of these lands may be tapped for or tapped and activated for an ability related to one of the main tribes of the expansion. Five require only one color of mana, whilst three, <c>Contested Cliffs</c> for Beasts, <c>Seaside Haven</c> for Birds, and <c>Starlit Sanctum</c> for Clerics, require two colors of mana to activate their non-mana-producing ability. Furthermore, Starlit Sanctum is notable for having two non-mana-producing activated abilities.
Words 	 	 	 	 	
Words 	Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy. 	Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy. 	Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy. 	Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy. 	Each of these rare enchantments may be activated for to allow their controller to replace the next draw in exchange for an effect. The flavor texts reference a guiding philosophy for each color, and how the respective enemy colors oppose that philosophy.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Allied-colored fetch lands 	 	 	 	 	
Allied-colored fetch lands 	Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair. 	Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair. 	Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair. 	Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair. 	Each of these rare lands has an activated ability costing 1 life and the tapping and sacrifice of the land to search for a land with either or both of two basic land types corresponding to the colors of an allied color pair.
===Vertical cycles===
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Symbiotic creatures 	 	 	 	 	
Symbiotic creatures 	Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature. 	Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature. 	Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature. 	Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature. 	Each of these green creatures has a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. The ability allows the creatures' controllers to put green 1/1 Insect creature tokens into play equal to the printed power of the creature.
"Cost matters" cards	 	 	 	 	
"Cost matters" cards	Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.	Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.	Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.	Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.	Each of these red spells has an ability that reveals cards from the top of its controller's library until a nonland card is revealed and has a scalable effect that is dependent on the converted mana cost of the nonland card revealed.
===Pairs===
Onslaught has one mirrored pair.
Mirrored Pairs	Mirrored Pairs	Description
 	 	Common Clerics with a mana cost of M, power/toughness of 1/2, cycling and protection from the other's color.
==Reprinted cards==
* <c>Clone</c>, First printed in Alpha, last seen in Revised Edition. Reprinted as a classic creature.
* <c>Disciple of Grace</c>, first printed in Urza's Saga
* <c>Elven Riders</c>, first printed in Legends, last seen in 6th Edition
* <c>Lay Waste</c>, first printed in Urza's Saga
* <c>Meddle</c>, first printed in Mirage
* <c>Pacifism</c>, first pinted in Mirage, last seen in 7th Edition
* <c>Shock</c>, first printed in Stronghold, last seen in 7th Edition
* <c>Swat</c>, first printed in Urza's Legacy
* <c>Syphon Soul</c>, first printed in Legends, last seen in 6th Edition
* <c>Taunting Elf</c>, first printed in Urza's Destiny
===Functional reprints===
* <c>Elvish Scrapper</c>, functional reprint of except for creature-type
* <c>Glory Seeker</c>, functional reprint of and except for creature-type
* <c>Goblin Sky Raider</c>, functional reprint of except for creature-type
* <c>Goblin Sledder</c>, functional reprint of 
* <c>Nantuko Husk</c>, functional reprint of except for creature-type
===Color shifted===
* <c>Crafty Pathmage</c>, blue color shifted version of and 
* <c>Sandskin</c>, white color shifted version of 
* <c>Naturalize</c>, green color shifted version of 
* <c>Sea's Claim</c>, blue color shifted version of 
===Strictly better===
* <c>Barkhide Mauler</c>, upgrade from 
* <c>Disruptive Pitmage</c>, upgrade from and 
* <c>Foothill Guide</c> and <c>Gustcloak Runner</c>, upgrade from 
*<c>Naturalize</c>, upgrade from 
* <c>Riptide Biologist</c>, upgrade from 
* <c>Trickery Charm</c>, upgrade from 
==Notable cards==
*In then legal Standard, top cards included: <c>Astral Slide</c>, <c>Blistering Firecat</c>, <c>Exalted Angel</c>, <c>Goblin Piledriver</c>, <c>Goblin Sharpshooter</c>, <c>Patriarch's Bidding</c>, <c>Ravenous Baloth</c>, <c>Rorix Bladewing</c>, <c>Visara the Dreadful</c>, and <c>Wellwisher</c> were particularly noteworthy. The fetch lands (lands that could be sacrificed for the cost of tapping them and the loss of one life, to search their controller's library for a land of the specified basic land type) and cycling lands also saw high levels of play.
*The cycle of allied fetch lands continues to see significant play in all formats in which they are legal.
*<c>Erratic Explosion</c> saw some play alongside high mana cost cards, such as <c>Draco</c> and <c>Dragon Tyrant</c>.
*<c>Nantuko Husk</c> was the cornerstone of Standard BW Ghost Husk decks after being reprinted in 9th Edition, thanks to its strong interaction with Saviors of Kamigawa card <c>Promise of Bunrei</c>.
*<c>Starlit Sanctum</c> saw play in Extended, alongside <c>Daru Spiritualist</c> and cards able to repeatedly target the Cleric (Daru Spiritualist) for free, such as <c>Lightning Greaves</c>, <c>Shuko</c>, and <c>Nomads en-Kor</c>; not dissimilar to the Cephalid Breakfast deck.
*<c>Voidmage Prodigy</c>, Kai Budde's invitational card.
== Preconstructed decks ==
Onslaught has four bicolored theme decks.
==Notes==
==References==
==External links==
*
*