Ravnica Allegiance

Ravnica Allegiance is the eightieth Magic expansion. It was released on January 25, 2019. 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.
==Set details==
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 (), Rakdos (), Gruul (), Simic (), and Orzhov (). Watermarks are used to better identify the guilds.
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===
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: <c>Rampage of the Clans</c> (), <c>Kaya's Wrath</c> (), <c>Ethereal Absolution</c> (), and <c>Emergency Powers</c> ().
====Magic Story====
Title 	Author 	Release Date	Setting 	Featuring
 	Nicky Drayden	2019-01-23 	Ravnica 	Kodolaag, Olrich, Zita, Lucinka, Jitka Wothis, Grimbly Wothis (mentioned), Dovin (mentioned)
 	Nicky Drayden	2019-01-30 	Ravnica 	Arrus, Dryzek, Ruric Thar, Jiri, Baas, Daeska Solvar
 	Nicky Drayden	2019-02-06 	Ravnica 	Medge, Miko, Chessa, Kaszira, Ptero Zallik, Andrik, Dimas, Laszlo, Saganderis, Fania, Zyanek, Zegana
 	Nicky Drayden	2019-02-20 	Ravnica 	Miri, Jarek, Danika, Caz, Vasil
 	Nicky Drayden	2019-02-27 	Ravnica 	Rezajaelis Agnaus, Tagan, Hendrik Azmerak, Janin
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Eleven 	Django Wexler	2019-08-21 	Ravnica, Unknown plane	Ral, Ghazz, Hekara, Brevia, Harith, Niv-Mizzet, Aurelia, Ferzhin, Dovin, Vell, Kaya
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Twelve 	Django Wexler	2019-08-28 	Ravnica 	Kaya, Teysa Karlov, Olgaia, Svet, Ral, Ferzhin, Domri
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Thirteen 	Django Wexler	2019-09-04 	Ravnica 	Vraska, Xeddick, Hekara, Kaya, Tomik Vrona, Teysa Karlov, Ral, Aurelia, Dovin
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Fourteen 	Django Wexler	2019-09-11 	Ravnica 	Vraska, Mazirek, Xeddick, Ral, Kaya, Aurelia
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Fifteen 	Django Wexler	2019-09-18 	Ravnica 	Ral, Frexus, Tomik Vrona, Kaya, Nicol Bolas, Teysa Karlov, Benitov Gracca, Orsov Gracca, Brimini, Harta, Forgio
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Sixteen 	Django Wexler	2019-09-25 	Ravnica, Unknown plane	Ral, Tomik Vrona, Nicol Bolas, Vraska, Mazirek, Storrev
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Seventeen	Django Wexler	2019-10-02 	Ravnica 	Ral, Lavinia, Gullifen, Noz, Fredon, Niv-Mizzet, Tezzeret, Tox
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Eighteen 	Django Wexler	2019-10-09 	Ravnica 	Ral, Niv-Mizzet, Vraska, Storrev, Nicol Bolas
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Nineteen 	Django Wexler	2019-10-16 	Ravnica 	Ral, Kaya, Hekara, Panjandrum, Lavinia, Vraska
The Gathering Storm: Chapter Twenty 	Django Wexler	2019-10-23 	Ravnica 	Ral, Kaya, Hekara, Lavinia, Vraska, Nicol Bolas, Mazirek, Storrev, Brutus, Tezzeret, Niv-Mizzet
===Marketing===
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.Wizards Play Network 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.
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.
====Collector Boosters====
For Ravnica Allegiance, Wizards of the Coast also sold "Collector Boosters" that contain 15 cards for $12.99:Hipster of the Coast on Twitter 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====
*Prerelease takes place on January 19, 2019.
*Local stores will be hosting Ravnica Weekend on February 16–17, 2019. Players can come in and play Standard, Draft, or Sealed (decided by the LGS), casual Guild Kit battles, and adventures from the D&D Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica.
====Promotional cards====
*Magic Open House: full-art 
*Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare belonging to the chosen guild.
*Draft Weekend Launch promo: 
*Magic League: 
*Buy-a-Box: 
*FNM promos: , , and 
*Ravnica Weekend: full-art <c>Lavinia, Azorius Renegade</c> and one of ten special guild-affiliated premium foil promo basic lands. These are numbered B01/10 to B10/10.
**Non-foil versions of these basic lands appear in the Guild Kits, where they are numbered as part of the deck.
====Tokens / Emblem====
The sixteenth card in the boosters is a token card or an emblem, with advertisements on the backside.Token Rarity in RNA (Reddit) There are twelve tokens and one emblem in the set:
# 1/1 Human creature for <c>Hero of Precinct One</c> and <c>Watchful Giant</c>
# 0/2 Illusion creature with "Whenever this creature blocks a creature, that creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step." for <c>Mesmerizing Benthid</c>
# 2/2 Zombie creature for <c>Awaken the Erstwhile</c> and <c>Captive Audience</c>
# 1/1 Goblin creature for <c>Goblin Gathering</c>
# 3/3 Centaur creature for <c>Rampage of the Clans</c>
# 3/3 Frog Lizard creature for <c>Incongruity</c>
# 2/2 Ooze creature for <c>Biogenic Ooze</c>
# 4/4 Beast creature with trample for <c>Domri, Chaos Bringer</c> and <c>Threat</c>
# 4/4 Sphinx creature with flying and vigilance for <c>Warden</c>
# 1/1 Spirit creature with flying for <c>Ethereal Absolution</c>, <c>Knight of the Last Breath</c> and all creatures with afterlife
# 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying for <c>Dovin, Grand Arbiter</c> and <c>Deploy</c>
# Treasure artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color." for <c>Smothering Tithe</c>
# 
====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.
Crest	Guild 	Colors 	Keyword or ability word
 	Azorius Senate 	 	Addendum
 	If you cast a spell during your main phase,... it has an additional or alternative effect. 	If you cast a spell during your main phase,... it has an additional or alternative effect. 	If you cast a spell during your main phase,... it has an additional or alternative effect.
 	Cult of Rakdos 	 	Spectacle
 	You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.	You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.	You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.
 	Gruul Clans 	 	Riot
 	This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste. 	This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste. 	This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste.
 	Orzhov Syndicate 	 	Afterlife N
 	When this creature dies, create N 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token(s) with flying. 	When this creature dies, create N 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token(s) with flying. 	When this creature dies, create N 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token(s) with flying.
 	Simic Combine 	 	Adapt N
 	If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put N +1/+1 counter(s) on it. 	If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put N +1/+1 counter(s) on it. 	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 	 	 	 	 	
Mythic rares 	 	 	 	 	
Mythic rares 	Five mythic rare creatures. 	Five mythic rare creatures. 	Five mythic rare creatures. 	Five mythic rare creatures. 	Five mythic rare creatures.
Cycle name 	Azorius 	Rakdos 	Gruul 	Orzhov 	Simic
Guild leaders 	 	 	 	 	
Guild leaders 	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. 	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. 	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. 	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. 	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 	 	 	 	 	
Guild champions 	Five rare legendary multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and are a significant figure in the guild. 	Five rare legendary multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and are a significant figure in the guild. 	Five rare legendary multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and are a significant figure in the guild. 	Five rare legendary multicolor creatures, each of whom are aligned with a guild and are a significant figure in the guild. 	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	 	 	 	 	
Mythic rare guild spells	Five mythic rare guild spells. 	Five mythic rare guild spells. 	Five mythic rare guild spells. 	Five mythic rare guild spells. 	Five mythic rare guild spells.
Guildmages 	 	 	 	 	
Guildmages 	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. 	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. 	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. 	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. 	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 	 	 	 	 	
MMNN creatures 	Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors. 	Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors. 	Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors. 	Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors. 	Five powerful uncommon multicolored creatures, each of which cost four mana, two of each of their respective guild's colors.
Mechanical commons 	 	 	 	 	
Mechanical commons 	Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic. 	Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic. 	Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic. 	Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic. 	Five common multicolor spells which demonstrate the guild mechanic.
Activated creatures 	 	 	 	 	
Activated creatures 	Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color. 	Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color. 	Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color. 	Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color. 	Five common monocolored creatures with an activated ability of the other guild color.
Hybrid creatures 	 	 	 	 	
Hybrid creatures 	Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost. 	Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost. 	Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost. 	Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost. 	Five common creatures which have only hybrid mana and generic mana in their casting cost.
Uncommon split cards 	 	 	 	 	
Uncommon split cards 	Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor. 	Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor. 	Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor. 	Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor. 	Five uncommon split cards, one side of which uses hybrid mana in guild colors and the other side is multicolor.
Rare split cards 	 	 	 	 	
Rare split cards 	Five rare split cards, following the same formula as above. The hybrid side depicts the guild champion, and the multicolored side depicts its leader. 	Five rare split cards, following the same formula as above. The hybrid side depicts the guild champion, and the multicolored side depicts its leader. 	Five rare split cards, following the same formula as above. The hybrid side depicts the guild champion, and the multicolored side depicts its leader. 	Five rare split cards, following the same formula as above. The hybrid side depicts the guild champion, and the multicolored side depicts its leader. 	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 	 	 	 	 	
Lockets 	Five common mana stones for . 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. 	Five common mana stones for . 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. 	Five common mana stones for . 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. 	Five common mana stones for . 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. 	Five common mana stones for . 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 	 	 	 	 	
Guildgates 	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.	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.	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.	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.	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 	 	 	 	 	
Shock lands 	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. 	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. 	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. 	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. 	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	Mirrored Pairs	Description
 	 	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 ==
*<c>Absorb</c>, first printed in Invasion (first time Modern legal)
*<c>Act of Treason</c>, first printed in Magic 2010, last seen in Core Set 2019
*<c>Concordia Pegasus</c>, first printed in Return to Ravnica
*<c>Gateway Plaza</c>, first printed in Guilds of Ravnica
*<c>Gift of Strength</c>, first printed in Hour of Devastation
*<c>Mammoth Spider</c>, first printed in Dominaria
*<c>Junktroller</c>, first printed in Ravnica: City of Guilds
*<c>Mortify</c>, first printed in Guildpact, last seen in Commander 2018
*<c>Root Snare</c>, first printed in Core Set 2019
*<c>Scrabbling Claws</c>, first printed in Mirrodin, last seen in Commander 2018
*<c>Tower Defense</c>, first printed in Gatecrash
*The guildgates, first seen in Return to Ravnica block
*The shock lands first seen in Ravnica block.
===Functional reprints===
*<c>Axebane Beast</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Rowan Treefolk</c> and <c>Southern Elephant</c>, save for creature types.
*<c>Civic Stalwart</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Inspiring Captain</c>, save for creature types.
*<c>Haazda Officer</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Herald Of The Fair</c>, save for creature types.
*<c>Feral Maaka</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Defiant Khenra</c> and <c>Falkenrath Reaver</c>, save for creature types.
*<c>Grotesque Demise</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Reaver Ambush</c>.
*<c>Prowling Caracal</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Blade of the Sixth Pride</c> and <c>Oreskos Swiftclaw</c>, save for creature types.
==Card comparisons==
== Preconstructed decks ==
Ravnica Allegiance features two planeswalker decks:
Ravnica Allegiance features five Guild Kits:
==Notable cards==
*<c>Simic Ascendancy</c> is an alternate-win card.
* (#250) breaks the pattern of displaying a quote from the set's lieutenant. Instead Nikya's flavor text appears on .
*<c>Angel of Grace</c> is a throwback to <c>Angel's Grace</c>
*<c>Collision // Colossus</c> has half the card being <c>Colossal Might</c>, even with the same word root.
*<c>Electrodominance</c> sees some Modern play in decks trying to abuse 0 CMC suspend spells such as <c>Restore Balance</c>.
*<c>Bring to Trial</c> is a finishing scene to those seen in <c>Collar the Culprit</c> and <c>Citywide Bust</c> from Guilds of Ravnica. All cards are illustrated by Victor Adame Minguez.
===Banned and Restricted cards===
*<c>Wilderness Reclamation</c> was designed as a new version of <c>Awakening</c>, but adjusted to not scale quite so powerfully with more players. In Standard, however, it had a potent combo with <c>Nexus of Fate</c> before rotation and <c>Expansion//Explosion</c> 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.
*<c>Growth Spiral</c> was a fairly innocuous common with a high upside, being a new <c>Explore</c> 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 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 <c>Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath</c>, which similarly wanted cheap cantrips.
==References==
==External links==
*Ravnica Allegiance Trailer
*Ravnica Allegiance Full Spoiler
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