Naga

Naga is an obsolete creature type that originally was introduced in Khans of Tarkir. Before that, Nagas also had been mentioned in Ravnica's storyline.Cory J. Herndon (2005), Ravnica: City of Guilds, Wizards of the Coast. Chapter 9 The type was made obsolete with the release of Modern Horizons 3, with all cards that previous had the Naga type being given errata to be the Snake type to be more consistent with how other humanoid animals are typed.
==Description==
Nagas are snake-like creatures with a humanoid upper body and a serpentine lower body (similar to gorgons). 
===History===
The creative team felt justified in distinguishing naga from snakes because it was a very resonant and popular mythological creature in non-western culture, but the decision was met with mixed response. People questioned the need of a separate creature type, drawing comparisons with Aven, Ainok, Khenra and Leonin. As a separate creature type, Nagas had minimal typal support compared to the pre-existing Snake creature type.
Naga was re-used in Amonkhet block, in part to give more diversity to the game's creature types and make them less Euro-centric.
In 2023, R&D reviewed its stance towards Naga as part of the digital release of Khans of Tarkir on Magic: The Gathering Arena. The decision was made to obsolete the type and errata all instances of Naga to Snake. This change was not made with the release of Khans of Tarkir (as the Oracle updates are tied to physical set releases), but instead was implemented with the release of Modern Horizons 3.
==Storyline==
===Amonkhet===
The Naga of Amonkhet have many features of cobras, with the males sprouting larger hoods than the females. As with most races, they are among the citizens of Naktamun on Amonkhet.Plane Shift: Amonkhet Naga believe in a principle called the Sweetest Harmony, which describes a perfect balance between the body and the mind. Finding that balance, as they understand it, is a sure path to glory in the trials. Just so, mental strength supports physical capabilities, and physical fortitude feeds mental tenacity, so neither mind nor body can exist in isolation. In the same way, the naga believe that Kefnet and Rhonas exist in interdependence and that their trials are best conceived as two halves of a whole. Traditionally, they shed their skin before entering a trial, symbolically leaving their weaknesses behind them.Flavor text for <c>Shed Weakness</c>
===Ravnica===
On Ravnica, Naga appear as members of the Golgari Swarm.
===Tarkir===
====Original timeline====
The Sultai Brood of Tarkir is ruled by the naga, who have made allegiances with Rakshasa to gain incredible necromancy powers. The naga are ruthless and decadent and are led by the merciless Sidisi, queen of the naga. They are descended from ancient human leaders that made pacts with the Rakshasa, and for this reason bear a lot of resentment and cruelty towards humans, whom they view as inferior. They claim lineage to Tarkir's dragons as their ancestors as propaganda.
Naga magic deals with the modification of the form, whether through shapeshifting or necromancy.
====Alternate timeline====
In the new timeline, the naga are forced into becoming slaves, undead or otherwise, by Silumgar as the result of a pact Tasigur made with the dragon. Under their breath, they spread the rumors that they related to the dragons in some way. The naga translators of the Silumgar clan are often the first and fastest to gain favor. They are also the first to abuse what they have earned. They have been known to take liberties with their translations, thinking themselves clever.
==Notable Naga==
Before becoming an obsolete creature type, the following notable creatures were Naga.
==Trivia==
*Nāga is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for "snake", which also refers to a deity or class of entity or being, taking the form of a very great snake — specifically the king cobra, found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. A female Nāga is a nāgī or nāgiṇī.Naga on Wikipedia
==Tokens==
Before becoming an obsolete creature type, the following cards created Naga tokens: <c>Tah-Crop Skirmisher</c>, <c>Mist-Syndicate Naga</c>, <c>Champion of Wits</c> and <c>Sinuous Striker</c>.
==References==
Category:Snakes
*
[[Category:Races