Essence Backlash

Instant

Counter target creature spell. Essence Backlash deals damage equal to that spell's power to its controller.

"The other guilds will learn the hard way not to interfere with our investigations."
-Bori Andon, Izzet blastseeker

Hussar Patrol

Creature - Human Knight

Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)

Vigilance

"You think no one is watching, you think you're smart enough to escape, and most foolish of all, you think no one cares."
-Arrester Lavinia, Tenth Precinct

Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord

Legendary Creature - Zombie Elf

Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord gets +1/+1 for each creature card in your graveyard.

, Sacrifice another creature: Each opponent loses life equal to the sacrificed creature's power.

Sacrifice a Swamp and a Forest: Return Jarad from your graveyard to your hand.

Jarad's Orders

Sorcery

Search your library for up to two creature cards and reveal them. Put one into your hand and the other into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.

"The Izzet are searching for something. Discern what or die trying."

Rakdos, Lord of Riots

Legendary Creature - Demon

You can't cast Rakdos, Lord of Riots unless an opponent lost life this turn.

Flying, trample

Creature spells you cast cost less to cast for each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn.

Skymark Roc

Creature - Bird

Flying

Whenever Skymark Roc attacks, you may return target creature defending player controls with toughness 2 or less to its owner's hand.

"Try not to look guilty. Or delicious."
-Thorpe, street urchin

Slaughter Games

Sorcery

Slaughter Games can't be countered by spells or abilities.

Name a nonland card. Search target opponent's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with that name and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

Sluiceway Scorpion

Creature - Scorpion

Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

Scavenge (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)

Supreme Verdict

Sorcery

Supreme Verdict can't be countered.

Destroy all creatures.

Leonos had no second thoughts about the abolishment edict. He'd left skyrunes warning of the eviction, even though it was cloudy.

Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

Legendary Creature - Dryad

Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you gain life equal to that creature's toughness.

, : Populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of a creature token you control.)

Growing Ranks

Enchantment

At the beginning of your upkeep, populate. (Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of a creature token you control.)

"We will grow an army large enough to withstand the Izzet's madness."
-Trostani

Volatile Rig

Artifact Creature - Construct

Trample

Volatile Rig attacks each turn if able.

Whenever Volatile Rig is dealt damage, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, sacrifice Volatile Rig.

When Volatile Rig dies, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, it deals 4 damage to each creature and each player.

Crypt Ghast

Creature - Spirit

Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay . If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)

Whenever you tap a Swamp for mana, add to your mana pool (in addition to the mana the land produces).

Ghor-Clan Rampager

Creature - Beast

Trample

Bloodrush - , Discard Ghor-Clan Rampager: Target attacking creature gets +4/+4 and gains trample until end of turn.

"The Simic come from the cold slow depths. How could they understand the fire in a wild heart?"
-Kroshkar, Gruul shaman

Viashino Shanktail

Creature - Viashino Warrior

First strike

Bloodrush - , Discard Viashino Shanktail: Target attacking creature gets +3/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.

The Slizt Clan's battle cry is an impressive display of fury, defiance, and spit.

Balustrade Spy

Creature - Vampire Rogue

Flying

When Balustrade Spy enters the battlefield, target player reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a land card, then puts those cards into his or her graveyard.

Way of the Thief

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.

Enchanted creature is unblockable as long as you control a Gate.

A true shortcut isn't a way other people don't know; it's a way other people can't go.

Fathom Mage

Creature - Human Wizard

Evolve (Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)

Whenever a +1/+1 counter is placed on Fathom Mage, you may draw a card.

Rubblebelt Raiders

Creature - Human Warrior

Whenever Rubblebelt Raiders attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it for each attacking creature you control.

"This city will perish, and the Gruul will cheer as the boar-god crushes the last bricks into dust."
-Nikya of the Old Ways

Call of the Nightwing

Sorcery

Put a 1/1 blue and black Horror creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Syndicate Enforcer

Creature - Human Rogue

Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay . If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)

Even the darkest corners of Ravnica still lie in the shadow of the Church.

Midnight Recovery

Sorcery

Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Whispering Madness

Sorcery

Each player discards his or her hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.

Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Mark for Death

Sorcery

Target creature an opponent controls blocks this turn if able. Untap that creature. Other creatures that player controls can't block this turn.

Everyone roots for the little guy, but nobody bets on him.

Crowned Ceratok

Creature - Rhino

Trample

Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has trample.

The best way to calm a rampaging ceratok is to wait until it dies of natural causes.

Purge the Profane

Sorcery

Target opponent discards two cards and you gain 2 life.

The Orzhov hear the plans of the other guilds through the guilty thoughts of the disloyal.

Zarichi Tiger

Creature - Cat

, : You gain 2 life.

"The taming and consecration of these creatures is evidence of our faith."
-Resimir, Zarichi Temple priest

Soul Ransom

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

You control enchanted creature.

Discard two cards: Soul Ransom's controller sacrifices it, then draws two cards. Only any opponent may activate this ability.

Scatter Arc

Instant

Counter target noncreature spell.

Draw a card.

"Should your chosen emissary be able to fluctuate triharmonic pentodes, however unlikely, I shall shunt excess negavolt radicals."

Keymaster Rogue

Creature - Human Rogue

Keymaster Rogue is unblockable.

When Keymaster Rogue enters the battlefield, return a creature you control to its owner's hand.

"This one opens the grate outside Zelzo Base. This one is for Ismeri Library. This one is for an invisible door . . . No, I've said too much."

Last Thoughts

Sorcery

Draw a card.

Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Knight of Obligation

Creature - Human Knight

Vigilance

Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay . If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)

He can calculate interest to six decimal places even in the midst of a deadly duel.

One Thousand Lashes

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.

At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted creature's controller, that player loses 1 life.

Alms Beast

Creature - Beast

Creatures blocking or blocked by Alms Beast have lifelink.

Alms-coins are only redeemable at Orzhov businesses.

Mental Vapors

Sorcery

Target player discards a card.

Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Master Biomancer

Creature - Elf Wizard

Each other creature you control enters the battlefield with a number of additional +1/+1 counters on it equal to Master Biomancer's power and as a Mutant in addition to its other types.

"Nature is a wonderful engineer but works far too slowly for my tastes."

Ætherize

Instant

Return all attacking creatures to their owner's hand.

"You can come back once you've learned some manners-and figured out how to reconstitute your physical forms."

Ooze Flux

Enchantment

, Remove one or more +1/+1 counters from among creatures you control: Put an X/X green Ooze creature token onto the battlefield, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters removed this way.

Lazav, Dimir Mastermind

Legendary Creature - Shapeshifter

Hexproof

Whenever a creature card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, you may have Lazav, Dimir Mastermind become a copy of that card except its name is still Lazav, Dimir Mastermind, it's legendary in addition to its other types, and it gains hexproof and this ability.

Holy Mantle

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from creatures.

"The guilds promise to provide safety. I prefer to make my own."
-Briska, Ninth District freemage

Duskmantle Seer

Creature - Vampire Wizard

Flying

At the beginning of your upkeep, each player reveals the top card of his or her library, loses life equal to that card's converted mana cost, then puts it into his or her hand.

Assault Griffin

Creature - Griffin

Flying

"Griffins do not serve. They give freely to those they trust."
-Amira, skycaptain of Thune

Grisly Spectacle

Instant

Destroy target nonartifact creature. Its controller puts a number of cards equal to that creature's power from the top of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

"Watch people flock to a murder scene. Then tell me we're not all a little sick in the head."
-Juri, proprietor of the Juri Revue

Gideon, Champion of Justice

Planeswalker - Gideon (Loyalty: 4)

+1: Put a loyalty counter on Gideon, Champion of Justice for each creature target opponent controls.

0: Until end of turn, Gideon, Champion of Justice becomes an indestructible Human Soldier creature with power and toughness each equal to the number of loyalty counters on him. He's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn.

-15: Exile all other permanents.

Ivy Lane Denizen

Creature - Elf Warrior

Whenever another green creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

"Skyknight gear? Well, I have drake-skin gauntlets, supple and fireproof. Or a ceratok chestplate that'll stop a crossbow bolt."

Cinder Elemental

Creature - Elemental

, , Sacrifice Cinder Elemental: Cinder Elemental deals X damage to target creature or player.

Their rage can grow to such proportions that they explode in a cloud of fire.

Homing Lightning

Instant

Homing Lightning deals 4 damage to target creature and each other creature with the same name as that creature.

"I see countless worlds. What makes them think I can't find them in just one?"
-Ral Zarek

Voidwalk

Sorcery

Exile target creature. Return it to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.

Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)

Unexpected Results

Sorcery

Shuffle your library, then reveal the top card. If it's a nonland card, you may cast it without paying its mana cost. If it's a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield and return Unexpected Results to its owner's hand.

Spark Trooper

Creature - Elemental Soldier

Trample, lifelink, haste

At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Spark Trooper.

Izzet-designed conductors atop Sunhome charge empty sets of armor that give form to the fluctuating elementals.

Firemane Avenger

Creature - Angel

Flying

Battalion - Whenever Firemane Avenger and at least two other creatures attack, Firemane Avenger deals 3 damage to target creature or player and you gain 3 life.

Firemane Nevena led the victorious assault on the Barbu Rooftop rebels. Now the Gateless have marked her for death.

Ordruun Veteran

Creature - Minotaur Soldier

Battalion - Whenever Ordruun Veteran and at least two other creatures attack, Ordruun Veteran gains double strike until end of turn. (It deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.)

"My father was Gruul, but I chose the precision of the legion over the fury of the pack."

Clinging Anemones

Creature - Jellyfish

Defender

Evolve (Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)

Scorchwalker

Creature - Elemental

Bloodrush - , Discard Scorchwalker: Target attacking creature gets +5/+1 until end of turn.

"Borborygmos's elemental launched an assault, but the Izzet wards held and experiments continue."
-Skyknight report on the Rubblebelt

Scab-Clan Charger

Creature - Centaur Warrior

Bloodrush - , Discard Scab-Clan Charger: Target attacking creature gets +2/+4 until end of turn.

"The only roads I wish to see are those beaten flat by wild hooves."

Millennial Gargoyle

Artifact Creature - Gargoyle

Flying

"You've got to keep your wits about you on the roofs. Not all stones are compliant handholds."
-Iveta, rooftop runner

Sunspire Gatekeepers

Creature - Human Soldier

When Sunspire Gatekeepers enters the battlefield, if you control two or more Gates, put a 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance onto the battlefield.

"You will pass with respect, or you will not pass at all."

Mindstatic

Instant

Counter target spell unless its controller pays .

"It's always satisfying to stymie the best efforts of a rival, but the reactions of the Gruul are particularly amusing."
-Bori Andon, Izzet blastseeker

Opal Lake Gatekeepers

Creature - Vedalken Soldier

When Opal Lake Gatekeepers enters the battlefield, if you control two or more Gates, you may draw a card.

Sentries guard Ravnica's landmarks and outlying districts, unaware of these places' import to the maze.

Fatal Fumes

Instant

Target creature gets -4/-2 until end of turn.

Travelers in the undercity dread the horrors and assassins of the Dimir, but nearly as many die from more mundane hazards.

Ubul Sar Gatekeepers

Creature - Zombie Soldier

When Ubul Sar Gatekeepers enters the battlefield, if you control two or more Gates, target creature an opponent controls gets -2/-2 until end of turn.

There are many gates into the undercity, but few ways out.

Rubblebelt Maaka

Creature - Cat

Bloodrush - , Discard Rubblebelt Maaka: Target attacking creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.

"The maaka remain loyal to us in this time of strife. We don't even have to feed them-our enemies do."
-Nedja, Gruul shaman

Smelt-Ward Gatekeepers

Creature - Human Warrior

When Smelt-Ward Gatekeepers enters the battlefield, if you control two or more Gates, gain control of target creature an opponent controls until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.

Saruli Gatekeepers

Creature - Elf Warrior

When Saruli Gatekeepers enters the battlefield, if you control two or more Gates, you gain 7 life.

In Ravnica's wilder districts, nature still stirs, and its protectors still mind their posts.

Thrashing Mossdog

Creature - Plant Hound

Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.)

Scavenge (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)

Advent of the Wurm

Instant

Put a 5/5 green Wurm creature token with trample onto the battlefield.

The consciousness of Mat'Selesnya does not always spread in peaceful ways.

Ascended Lawmage

Creature - Vedalken Wizard

Flying, hexproof

A lawmage's runic script is an act of governance given form: legislation written directly onto the air itself.

Bronzebeak Moa

Creature - Bird

Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, Bronzebeak Moa gets +3/+3 until end of turn.

They fight for their home with more loyalty than any conscript.

Carnage Gladiator

Creature - Skeleton Warrior

Whenever a creature blocks, that creature's controller loses 1 life.

: Regenerate Carnage Gladiator.

Not the foulest or bloodiest act at Rix Maadi by a stretch.

Council of the Absolute

Creature - Human Advisor

As Council of the Absolute enters the battlefield, name a card other than a creature or land card.

Your opponents can't cast cards with the chosen name.

Spells with the chosen name you cast cost less to cast.

Debt to the Deathless

Sorcery

Each opponent loses two times X life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.

Some of Orzhov's cruelest collectors remember their debtors by taste alone.

Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch

Legendary Creature - Human Cleric

First strike, haste

Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Each other creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has haste.

Fluxcharger

Creature - Weird

Flying

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may switch Fluxcharger's power and toughness until end of turn.

One part mizzium, two parts elemental energy, eleven parts danger.

Gruul War Chant

Enchantment

Each attacking creature you control gets +1/+0 and can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.

"We are the heart of the wild, the fire in its eyes, and the howl in its throat. Come, join the battle to which you were born."
-Kroshkar, Gruul shaman

Krasis Incubation

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.

, Return Krasis Incubation to its owner's hand: Put two +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.

Notion Thief

Creature - Human Rogue

Flash

If an opponent would draw a card except the first one he or she draws in each of his or her draw steps, instead that player skips that draw and you draw a card.

Plasm Capture

Instant

Counter target spell. At the beginning of your next precombat main phase, add X mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.

"Everything serves a purpose. Even you."
-Vorel of the Hull Clade

Ral Zarek

Planeswalker - Ral (Loyalty: 4)

+1: Tap target permanent, then untap another target permanent.

-2: Ral Zarek deals 3 damage to target creature or player.

-7: Flip five coins. Take an extra turn after this one for each coin that comes up heads.

Reap Intellect

Sorcery

Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose up to X nonland cards from it and exile them. For each card exiled this way, search that player's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

Rot Farm Skeleton

Creature - Plant Skeleton

Rot Farm Skeleton can't block.

, Put the top four cards of your library into your graveyard: Return Rot Farm Skeleton from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

Tajic, Blade of the Legion

Legendary Creature - Human Soldier

Indestructible

Battalion - Whenever Tajic, Blade of the Legion and at least two other creatures attack, Tajic gets +5/+5 until end of turn.

"I run the maze alone, but I fight with the full might of the Legion."

Warleader's Helix

Instant

Warleader's Helix deals 4 damage to target creature or player and you gain 4 life.

"There is no time to remedy our enemies' ignorance. Blast it out of them."
-Aurelia

Alive (Alive/Well)

Sorcery

Put a 3/3 green Centaur creature token onto the battlefield.

Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)

Down (Down/Dirty)

Sorcery

Target player discards two cards.

Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)

Ajani's Chosen

Creature - Cat Soldier

Whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, put a 2/2 white Cat creature token onto the battlefield. If that enchantment is an Aura, you may attach it to the token.

"United, our roar will level mountains."

Angelic Accord

Enchantment

At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 4 or more life this turn, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

As demons are drawn to suffering, angels are drawn to acts of benevolence.

Bonescythe Sliver

Creature - Sliver

Sliver creatures you control have double strike. (They deal both first-strike and regular combat damage.)

"Their appendages are sharper than our swords and quicker than our bows."-Hastric, Thunian scout

Charging Griffin

Creature - Griffin

Flying

Whenever Charging Griffin attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

Four claws, two wings, one beak, no fear.

Congregate

Instant

Target player gains 2 life for each creature on the battlefield.

"In the gathering there is strength for all who founder, renewal for all who languish, love for all who sing."
-Song of All, canto 642

Indestructibility

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant permanent

Enchanted permanent has indestructible. (Effects that say "destroy" don't destroy that permanent. A creature with indestructible can't be destroyed by damage.)

Pillarfield Ox

Creature - Ox

"May starving fleas birth a thousand generations on your stubborn hide, cow!"
-Bruse Tarl, Goma Fada nomad

Seraph of the Sword

Creature - Angel

Flying

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to Seraph of the Sword.

"Only when my sword lies idle shall I rejoice."

Wall of Swords

Creature - Wall

Defender (This creature can't attack.)

Flying

The air hummed with the scissoring sound of uncounted blades that hovered in front of the invaders as though wielded by a phalanx of unseen hands.

Archaeomancer

Creature - Human Wizard

When Archaeomancer enters the battlefield, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.

"Words of power never disappear. They sleep, awaiting those with the will to rouse them."

Clone

Creature - Shapeshifter

You may have Clone enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield.

One face, two minds.

Domestication

Enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

You control enchanted creature.

At the beginning of your end step, if enchanted creature's power is 4 or greater, sacrifice Domestication.

Elite Arcanist

Creature - Human Wizard

When Elite Arcanist enters the battlefield, you may exile an instant card from your hand.

, : Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. X is the converted mana cost of the exiled card.

Nephalia Seakite

Creature - Bird

Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)

Flying

"Keep one eye on the cliff road or you may fall to your death. Keep one eye on the sky or your death may fall on you."
-Manfried Ulmach, Elgaud Master-at-Arms

Water Servant

Creature - Elemental

: Water Servant gets +1/-1 until end of turn.

: Water Servant gets -1/+1 until end of turn.

"This creature has innate perceptiveness. It knows when to rise and when to vanish into the tides."
-Jestus Dreya, Of Elements and Eternity

Accursed Spirit

Creature - Spirit

Intimidate (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)

Many have heard the slither of dragging armor and the soft squelch of its voice. But only its victims ever meet its icy gaze.