Ally

*For other uses, see Allied colors.*

7 Ally creation cards 85.7%  14.3%

**Ally** is a creature class introduced in *Zendikar*. Allies are people or creatures that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, meant to reflect Zendikar's state as an adventurer's party plane. Allies were reused in *Worldwake* and returned in the Battle for Zendikar block.

## Description

When an ally comes into play it triggers its own ability and the ability of other allies already in play. Originally, there were three types of allies, which R&D nicknamed after Dungeon & Dragons classes: *Fighters* (got +1/+1 counters), *Wizards* (had an ETB effect that scaled based on the number of Allies you had) and *Clerics* (created an effect which enhanced all your Allies for the turn).

Allies of *Battle for Zendikar* had the rally mechanic, which benefits not only other allies but all creatures under the player's control, followed by the cohort mechanic in *Oath of the Gatewatch*, which requires the player to tap the cohort-bearing creature and a second untapped ally.

Every party member in *Zendikar Rising* was handed off from vision design as an Ally in addition to its other class, but the type was removed in set design. The only mention appears on Tazri, Beacon of Unity. Mark Rosewater has every intention to have Allies return on any future return to Zendikar. They even may appear on non-Zendikar worlds.

Two  Ally commanders were printed with Partner in *Commander 2016*, being the last Allies printed for seven years until Kasla, the Broken Halo in 2023.

## Rulings

* Some Allies, such as Nimana Sell-Sword, have abilities that put +1/+1 counters on them. These abilities trigger when they enter the battlefield themselves, so even though Nimana Sell-Sword will enter the battlefield as a 2/2 creature, it will become a 3/3 creature almost immediately. But they'll be more vulnerable to instants and abilities while their triggered abilities wait to resolve.
* Some Allies have abilities that, when they resolve, grant an ability to all Allies you control. These affect only Allies you control at the time the ability resolves.
* Some Allies have abilities that, when they resolve, do something based on the number of Allies you control. These count the number of Allies you control as they resolve.
* When an Ally enters the battlefield under your control, each applicable triggered ability of the Allies you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one that resolves.
* If more than one Ally enters the battlefield under your control at the same time due to some spell or ability, they'll all see each other enter the battlefield. For example, if two Nimana Sell-Swords enter the battlefield at the same time, each one's ability will trigger twice (once for itself and once for the other one), and they'll each wind up as 4/4 creatures.

## Notable Allys

Theros
* Gideon Jura (Gideon, Ally of Zendikar)

Zendikar
* Akiri
* Assar Ihmad
* Bruse Tarl
* Drana
* Father Rami
* General Tazri
* Kasla
* Mina and Denn, Wildborn
* Moliq
* Munda
* Noyan Dar
* Radrik
* Tawny
* Thairin
* Vado Thal
* Zada

## Trivia

* Root-Kin Ally doesn't have the subtype Ally.

## References

1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 14, 2021). "Are Ally’s still a 3 on the Beeble scale?". *Blogatog*. Tumblr.
2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 14, 2009). "Achieving Zendikar, Part II". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
3. ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 02, 2009). "True Allies". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
4. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 19, 2020). "Original *Zendikar* Design Hand-Off Document, Part Two". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
5. ↑ Doug Beyer (November 04, 2009). "Ally Cuisine". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
6. ↑ Tom LaPille (November 06, 2009). "Know Your Allies". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
7. ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 15, 2015). "What about how allies were made in original Zendikar?". *Blogatog*. Tumblr.
8. ↑ Matt Tabak (August 31, 2015). "Battle for Zendikar Mechanics". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
9. ↑ Sam Stoddard (September 18, 2015). "Developing New Mechanics in a Returning World". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
10. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 28, 2020). "*Zendikar Rising* Vision Design Hand-Off". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
11. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 5, 2020). "Odds & Ends: *Zendikar Rising*". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
12. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 25, 2022). "Do you think allies will ever return?". *Blogatog*. Tumblr.

## External links

* A Planeswalker's Primer for Zendikar: Allies