Onslaught (Magic: The Gathering)
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| Onslaught | ||
|---|---|---|
| Expansion Symbol |
| |
| Release Date | October 2002 | |
| Mechanics | Creature types | |
| Keywords | Morph, Cycling | |
| Size | 350 cards | |
| Sets in Onslaught Block | ||
| Onslaught | '[[Legions (Magic: The Gathering) | '[[Scourge (Magic: The Gathering) |
| [[Magic: The Gathering]] Chronology | ||
| '[[Judgment (Magic: The Gathering) | Onslaught | '[[Legions (Magic: The Gathering) |
Story Setting
The story of Onslaught mainly concerns characters introduced in the [[Odyssey (Magic: The Gathering)|Odyssey]] block. Kamahl the Barbarian has relocated to the Krosan Forest with the Mirari and becomes a druid of Krosa. The power of the Mirari begins to work on the forest, mutating its residents and growing some of them to gigantic proportions.
Ixidor, an illusionist, fights in the pits. His partner, a beautiful sorceress named Nivea, is killed off by Phage. Ixidor wanders the desert, and discovers his new powers of reality sculpting. Ixidor uses his new power to create a palace in the desert, and to create an angel based on Nivea, named Akroma.
Meanwhile, Kamahl's sister Jeska is transformed into Phage, a pit fighter whose touch brings death. Phage now allies herself with the Cabal. The illusionist Ixidor, another pit fighter, is wronged by the Cabal. He resolves to avenge the wrong by attacking Phage, helped by the angel Akroma, who is sworn to Ixidor's service. The struggle between Phage and Akroma leads Kamahl into an uneasy alliance with the Cabal against the destructive power of Ixidor and Akroma.
Set History
Onslaught Block marked the end of many traditional elements of Magic: the Gathering. It was the last block to feature the old-style card faces or a storyline set in Dominaria. However, this was not apparent in October 2002 when the set was released. Some players see Onslaught Block as the end of a "Bronze Age" of classic gameplay, which began in Invasion Block.Mechanics
Onslaught introduced a number of major mechanics and featured the first return of a keyword from abeyance.- Creature types - Many effects in Onslaught (Known as "Tribal" effects) depended on a creature's types, i.e. its species, role, etc. These included type-specific creature removal, power boosts, and abilities which grew stronger based on the number of creatures of a certain type which a player controlled.
- 'Mistform' Illusions - A race of creatures who could temporarily change their creature types to any type.
- Cycling - A repeat of the same mechanic from the Urza Block. It lets a player pay a mana cost and discard the Cycling card from his or her hand in order to draw a card. Onslaught expanded on the Cycling mechanic by using more varied mana costs than Urza's Block Cycling cards and by including abilities that are triggered by the use of Cycling cards.
- Morph - The most radical new mechanic in Onslaught, this allows players to play creatures as "face-down" creatures with no special abilities, except the ability to turn face-up for a cost. This added an element of guesswork to the game which was greater than any previously present.
Notable cards
- [Rorix Bladewing] - The most famous of a cycle of powerful, Legendary creatures, designed to encourage players to consider using high-cost creatures in competitive play. The other Legendary creatures in Onslaught similar to Rorix are [Visara The Dreadful], [Jareth, Leonine Titan], [Arcanis the Omnipotent] and [Silvos, Rogue Elemental].
- [Patriarch's Bidding] - the last of the cards to portray The First. It was also a staple in reanimation decks like 'Goblin Bidding'.
- [Voidmage Prodigy] - A crazy wizard pit-fighter made in the guise of the then Invitational Winner Kai Budde. The card was later given an alternate art, as the original art was rather poor and made Kai look extremely obese.
- [Astral Slide] - This enchantment, which temporarily removed creatures from the game whenever a card's Cycling ability was used, became the backbone of a powerful Onslaught tournament deck.
- [Exalted Angel] - Perhaps the most efficient large white creature ever printed, the Angel's ability to provide huge life-total swings (based on its ability to gain life for each damage it deals) combined with its ability to start attacking on the fourth turn (thanks to its ability to be played face-down and then Morph to its full form) made it very popular in both tournaments and casual play tables.
- The Fetchlands: [Windswept Heath], [Flooded Strand], [Polluted Delta], [Bloodstained Mire], and [Wooded Foothills] - Prior to the introduction of the cycle of ten Ravnica block dual lands, these lands were considered the most efficient 'duals' ever, because of their ability to fix mana instantly, and thin their deck, making it less likely to draw a land. Many clamor for their reprinting, along with printing of enemy-color fetchlands.
External links
| [[Magic: The Gathering sets]] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Core sets: [[Alpha (Magic: The Gathering)|Alpha]], [[Beta (Magic: The Gathering)|Beta]], [[Unlimited (Magic: The Gathering)|Unlimited]], [[Revised (Magic: The Gathering)|Revised]], [[4th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|4th Edition]], [[5th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|5th Edition]], [[6th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|6th Edition]], [[7th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|7th Edition]], [[8th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|8th Edition]], [[9th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|9th Edition]], [[10th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)|10th Edition]] | ||
| Expansion Sets | ||
|
Early sets: [[Arabian Nights (Magic: The Gathering)|Arabian Nights]], [[Antiquities (Magic: The Gathering)|Antiquities]], [[Legends (Magic: The Gathering)|Legends]],
[[The Dark (Magic: The Gathering)|The Dark]], Fallen Empires, [[Chronicles (Magic: The Gathering)|Chronicles]], [[Homelands (Magic: The Gathering)|Homelands]] Ice Age Block: [[Ice Age (Magic: The Gathering)|Ice Age]], [[Alliances (Magic: The Gathering)|Alliances]], Coldsnap Mirage Block: [[Mirage (Magic: The Gathering)|Mirage]], [[Visions (Magic: The Gathering)|Visions]], [[Weatherlight (Magic: The Gathering)|Weatherlight]] Rath Cycle: [[Tempest (Magic: The Gathering)|Tempest]], [[Stronghold (Magic: The Gathering)|Stronghold]], [[Exodus (Magic: The Gathering)|Exodus]] |
Urza Block: Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy, Urza's Destiny Masques Block: Mercadian Masques, [[Nemesis (Magic: The Gathering)|Nemesis]], [[Prophecy (Magic: The Gathering)|Prophecy]] Invasion Block: [[Invasion (Magic: The Gathering)|Invasion]], [[Planeshift (Magic: The Gathering)|Planeshift]], [[Apocalypse (Magic: The Gathering)|Apocalypse]] Odyssey Block: [[Odyssey (Magic: The Gathering)|Odyssey]], [[Torment (Magic: The Gathering)|Torment]], [[Judgment (Magic: The Gathering)|Judgment]] Onslaught Block: [[Onslaught (Magic: The Gathering)|Onslaught]], [[Legions (Magic: The Gathering)|Legions]], [[Scourge (Magic: The Gathering)|Scourge]] |
Mirrodin Block: Mirrodin, Darksteel, Fifth Dawn Kamigawa Block: Champions of Kamigawa, Betrayers of Kamigawa, Saviors of Kamigawa Ravnica Block: [[Ravnica: City of Guilds]], Guildpact, [[Dissension (Magic: The Gathering)|Dissension]] Time Spiral Block: Time Spiral, Planar Chaos, Future Sight |
| Parody Sets | Beginner Sets | Compilations/reprint sets |
| Unglued, Unhinged | [[Portal (Magic: The Gathering)|Portal]], [[Portal Second Age (Magic: the Gathering)|Portal: Second Age]], Portal: Three Kingdoms | Deckmasters 2001, Beatdown Set, Battle Royale Set, [[Chronicles (Magic: The Gathering)|Chronicles]], [[Anthologies (Magic: The Gathering)|Anthologies]] |
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