A Ravnica Retrospect

Return to Ravnica is just around the corner. With much anticipation gained by the spoiler-esque picture of Jace and Niv-Mizzet just chillin’, the awesome setup of the pre-releases and the speculation that shock lands or a land very similar with basic land types will be returning, it’s gotten all Magic fans from the era of the original Ravnica block giddy like school girls. Or maybe that’s just me. Nonetheless it’s going to be awesome.

Maybe you’re just now hearing about Ravnica and you don’t know what all the hype is about. What’s funny is that you most likely already do know a little about Ravnica. Have you ever heard of people playing a Boros deck? How about a Dredge deck? These are both direct products of Ravnica. The names just sort of stuck around. If you’ve ever played any of the modern format you’ve definitely seen some of what Ravnica had to offer. Shock lands and Dark Confidants everywhere!

Return to Ravnica is going to be re-introducing 5 of the 10 guilds. Azorious (W/U), Izzet (U/R), Rakdos (R/B), Golgari (B/G), Selesnya (G/W). WUURRBBGGW. Sounds like something you’d see in a comic book when a spaceship flew by. There will be an equal representation of all colors in a wide array of flavors. There’s the chance that they may be bringing back hybrid mana as well. Cards with hybrid mana symbols can be cast using either of the colors of the mana symbols in the cost. Hybrid cards lead to more deck versatility and options. I’m a fan personally.

To get an idea of what was going down around the Magic scene when Ravnica was in Standard, here’s an “Izzet” list that took home the trophy at Worlds in 2006.

Lands 1 Calciform Pools 1 Dreadship Reef 8 Island 4 Mountain 4 Shivan Reef 4 Steam Vents Creatures 4 Bogardan Hellkite 2 Hunted Dragon Other Spells 4 Dragonstorm 4 Gigadrowse 4 Lotus Bloom 4 Remand 4 Rite of Flame 4 Seething Song 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Telling Time Sideboard 1 Calciform Pools 2 Dreadship Reef 3 Ignorant Bliss 3 Pyroclasm 4 Repeal 1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir 1 Trickbind

Dragonstorrrrrm!!! The inclusions of Ravnica block cards in this deck are Hunted Dragon, Steam Vents, Gigadrowse, Remand, Telling Time, Ignorant Bliss, and Repeal. Gigadrowse even has the Izzet ability, replicate. Pretty neat.
One of the most popular archetypes around this time was Boros. Here’s a generic boros list from the same tourney.

Lands 4 Battlefield Forge 3 Boros Garrison 3 Flagstones of Trokair 2 Gemstone Mine 2 Mountain 3 Plains 4 Sacred Foundry Creatures 4 Giant Solifuge 4 Icatian Javelineers 4 Knight of the Holy Nimbus 4 Savannah Lions 3 Scorched Rusalka 4 Soltari Priest Other Spells 4 Char 4 Lightning Helix 4 Rift Bolt 4 Volcanic Hammer Sideboard 4 Cryoclasm 3 Honorable Passage 2 Paladin en-Vec 4 Ronom Unicorn 2 Worship

Boros in the hizouse. I’m talkin’ Lightning Helix for days son! Scorched Rusalka doin’ some work mah n-word! Giant Solifuge bein’ buggy as a muh fugga. Get stomped!

So that’s a little bit of what Ravnica brought to the table when it was doing its thing in standard. Tons of fun, full of flavor. Scrumptious. Be prepared to sell your soul for more Magic cards, cause you’re gonna want to.