Return to Ravnica is one of the most beloved expansions in the Magic: The Gathering (MTG) universe, marking a grand return to the city-plane of Ravnica after its original debut in 2005. Released in 2012, Return to Ravnica reinvigorated players with its dynamic mechanics, guild-centric gameplay, and immersive storytelling. Its significance in the MTG franchise, even years after its release, continues to capture the attention of both new and veteran players alike.
The World of Ravnica: A City of Guilds
Ravnica is a vast, sprawling city that covers the entire plane, characterized by its ten guilds that form the backbone of the story and gameplay. Each guild represents a different color combination of mana, offering players a range of strategies and playstyles. These guilds—such as the law-enforcing Azorius Senate (white-blue), the chaos-driven Rakdos Cult (black-red), and the scientific Izzet League (blue-red)—are central to the set’s flavor, lore, and mechanics.
The setting of Ravnica is a fusion of urban fantasy and political intrigue, where guilds vie for power and influence over the city. This environment makes the Ravnica sets stand out, as they are rich in world-building, with each guild having its own distinct culture, philosophy, and role in the larger cityscape.
The Return of the Guilds
Return to Ravnica is the first set in a block that reintroduces players to the world of Ravnica and five of the ten guilds: Azorius (white-blue), Izzet (blue-red), Rakdos (black-red), Golgari (black-green), and Selesnya (green-white). These guilds form the thematic core of the set, offering players the chance to align themselves with one of these iconic groups and embrace their unique playstyles.
The set’s mechanics are heavily guild-focused, with each guild having a specific ability that complements its mana colors and strategy. For example, the Golgari guild introduced the Scavenge mechanic, which allowed players to make use of dead creatures by turning them into additional power for their living creatures. Meanwhile, the Azorius Senate’s Detain mechanic allowed players to temporarily lock down their opponent’s creatures, halting their ability to attack or block.
These guild mechanics are integral to Return to Ravnica’s gameplay, providing distinct strategies that encourage players to immerse themselves in their chosen guild’s identity.
Iconic Cards of Return to Ravnica
Many cards from Return to Ravnica have become staples in various formats of Magic, especially in Commander and Modern. Some of the most notable cards include:
Sphinx’s Revelation: A powerful instant spell that allows players to draw cards and gain life, this card quickly became a control deck favorite.
Abrupt Decay: This instant removal spell became a key card in many formats due to its ability to destroy nonland permanents with a converted mana cost of 3 or less, making it a versatile tool.
Supreme Verdict: A board wipe that cannot be countered, making it an invaluable card in control decks, especially in formats like Modern and Standard at the time of its release.
Jace, Architect of Thought: One of the set’s Planeswalkers, Jace provided card advantage and board control, making him a popular card in both competitive and casual play.
These cards, along with many others from the set, solidified Return to Ravnica as one of the most impactful expansions in Magic: The Gathering history.
Impact on Standard and Competitive Play
When Return to Ravnica was released, it had a profound impact on the Standard format. The set reintroduced shock lands, a cycle of dual lands that had originally appeared in the Ravnica: City of Guilds set. These lands—such as Steam Vents and Temple Garden—allowed players to pay 2 life to have them enter the battlefield untapped, offering greater flexibility in multicolored decks.
These lands, combined with powerful spells and creatures, created a diverse and competitive Standard environment. The guild-centric strategies led to a variety of decks, each with its own flavor and approach to gameplay. Whether it was the midrange power of Golgari or the aggressive antics of Rakdos, players had numerous ways to engage with the meta.
The Return to Ravnica Block
Return to Ravnica was followed by two additional sets: Gatecrash and Dragon’s Maze, each of which expanded upon the world of Ravnica and introduced the remaining guilds not covered in the first set. Gatecrash featured the Boros (red-white), Simic (green-blue), Gruul (red-green), Dimir (blue-black), and Orzhov (white-black) guilds, each with its own mechanics and playstyle.
Meanwhile, Dragon’s Maze served as the conclusion to the block, bringing all ten guilds together for an epic showdown. Although Dragon’s Maze was received with mixed reactions due to its complexity and less impactful cards compared to the earlier sets, it helped to close out the story and explore the dynamics of the guilds further.
What Players Ask About Return to Ravnica
One of the most frequent questions players ask is about the reintroduction of shock lands and their importance in deck-building. Shock lands are considered essential for multicolored decks due to their flexibility and ease of use, and their return in Return to Ravnica helped shape the mana bases for numerous competitive decks.
Players also frequently inquire about which guilds are the most powerful in the set. While this can vary depending on personal playstyle, guilds like Golgari and Azorius have often been seen as particularly strong, thanks to their resilience and control-oriented mechanics.
Another common question is whether Return to Ravnica is good for new players. The set’s focus on two-color guilds, combined with its straightforward mechanics, makes it a great entry point for those new to Magic: The Gathering. The guild system provides a clear sense of identity for players, allowing them to explore different strategies while sticking to a theme.
The Lasting Legacy of Return to Ravnica
Even years after its release, Return to Ravnica continues to be a fan favorite. The rich lore, iconic characters, and strategic depth of the guild system have left a lasting impact on the MTG community. Players often revisit the set, either through reprints, Commander decks, or discussions on the guilds and their significance.
With the return of Ravnica in later sets, such as Guilds of Ravnica in 2018, it’s clear that the world of Ravnica remains a central and beloved aspect of the Magic: The Gathering multiverse. Fans are continually drawn back to the city of guilds, eagerly awaiting new stories, characters, and mechanics that further expand this intricate and vibrant plane.
FAQs
What is Return to Ravnica in Magic: The Gathering?
Return to Ravnica is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set released in October 2012. It marked a return to the city-plane of Ravnica, a vast urban world first introduced in the 2005 set Ravnica: City of Guilds. The set focuses on five of Ravnica’s ten guilds and introduces new mechanics and cards that revolve around the guilds’ specific identities. It is the first set of the Return to Ravnica block, followed by Gatecrash and Dragon’s Maze.
Which guilds are featured in Return to Ravnica?
Return to Ravnica features five of the ten Ravnica guilds: Azorius (white-blue), Izzet (blue-red), Rakdos (black-red), Golgari (black-green), and Selesnya (green-white). Each guild comes with its own mechanics, themes, and strategies that align with the colors they represent. For instance, Azorius specializes in law and order with the Detain mechanic, while Golgari focuses on life and death with Scavenge, allowing cards to be used from the graveyard.
What are the key mechanics in Return to Ravnica?
Each guild in Return to Ravnica introduces its own unique mechanic that reflects its playstyle. Azorius uses Detain, which allows players to temporarily lock down an opponent’s creatures or permanents. The Izzet guild introduces Overload, which gives players the option to cast spells that affect multiple targets. Rakdos brings Unleash, which allows players to enhance their creatures’ power at the cost of blocking. Golgari’s Scavenge lets players reuse their dead creatures by converting them into additional power for their living creatures. Selesnya offers Populate, enabling players to copy token creatures on the battlefield. These mechanics help define each guild’s strategy and add depth to the gameplay.
What are shock lands, and why are they important in Return to Ravnica?
Shock lands are a cycle of dual lands that can produce two different colors of mana, but they enter the battlefield tapped unless you pay 2 life. These lands, such as Steam Vents and Temple Garden, are critical in multicolored decks as they offer great flexibility in managing mana bases. Originally introduced in the 2005 Ravnica: City of Guilds set, shock lands were reprinted in Return to Ravnica and are prized for their versatility in competitive formats like Modern and Commander.
What are some of the most iconic cards from Return to Ravnica?
Several cards from Return to Ravnica have had a lasting impact on multiple formats. Some of the most iconic include Sphinx’s Revelation, a potent spell for control decks that allows players to gain life and draw cards, Abrupt Decay, a removal spell known for its ability to destroy low-cost permanents, and Supreme Verdict, a board wipe that cannot be countered. Jace, Architect of Thought also stands out as a Planeswalker card that offers card advantage and board control. These cards remain popular in formats like Modern and Commander and continue to see play in various competitive and casual decks.
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