All across the world, spellslingers are summoning creatures, casting spells and travelling the multiverse as they enjoy Magic the Gatherings latest hit set, Guilds of Ravnica, or as some others are choosing to call it, the Return to Return, of Ravnica!

The latter name is of course is a joke, of which many Planeswalkers use when referring to the set, which pays homage to the massively popular set blocks that came before it and of which we are now going to explore, together.

Where it all Began, The Ravnica Block

The first of these sets, in which players first visited the realm of Ravnica was simply titled the “Ravnica” block, which was the 11th Magic the Gathering set to be released and debuted in 2005, a lifetime ago for some.

This block would consist of three sets, which were loved and adored by fans;

• Ravnica: City of Guilds
• Guildpact
• Dissension

These three sets introduced a new concept, known as “guilds”, which focused on unique color pairings, which were then linked to mechanics. Each guild had a mechanic that differentiated it from its other rival guilds.

This set was also ground breaking in the realm of Magic the Gathering, as it was the first set block to feature hybrid mana cost spells, ie, cards that could be cast by using a selection of two mana types, rather than the previous just one.

The popularity of this set would spur on the creation of two more sets after it, with one of them being the just released Guilds of Ravnica set.

The Return to Ravnica Block

After solving the problems on Ravnica, our Planewalkers travelled the Multiverse for a number of years, visiting new realms, meeting new friends and discovering new Planes, however the forces of evil would eventually draw our players back to Ravnica with the launch of the Return to Ravnica Block, which was released between 2012-2013.

This block was insanely successful due to its incredibly strong land base, which are still considered staples in many modern and commander based decks to this day, the shock lands.

In addition to having a strong land base, the Return to Ravnica block was simply a fun, engaging and enjoyable set to open and play, building upon the foundation that the Ravnica block laid.

Unlike most other Magic the Gathering sets, the Return to Ravnica block featured not one, but two very large sets, Return to Ravnica and Gatecrash, of which were followed by a smaller expansion set, Dragon’s Maze.

These sets came out during a time period of Magic the Gatherings history, in which it’s player

base was ballooning in size, resulting in a massive opening of these products and countless games played.

The success of this block, and the immediate others preceding it, have largely led to where we find ourselves today, in which players are now once again traversing the Multiverse and returning to some of their fondest Magic the Gathering memories, Ravnica.

The Return to Return to Ravnica, Guilds of Ravnica

Zephyr Epic is excited to be entering the arena at this important moment in Magic the Gatherings history, partaking and helping spread the fond memories that the Guilds of Ravnica set is sure to conjure up and create anew.

The Guilds of Ravnica set has been received and reviewed by both casual and pro players alike, with overwhelming acclaim.

Once again, the beloved “shock lands” have returned in this set, much to the relief and joy to those who were not playing during the 2012-2013 Return to Ravnica block period.

As with its predecessors, this Ravnica themed set focuses in on the guilds that make up and inhabit the Plane of Ravnica, featuring five of its key guilds and some of the unique mechanics that come along with these guilds.

These guilds are as follows;

• The House Dimir
• The Izzet League
• The Golgari Swarm
• The Boros Legion
• The Selesnya Council

If you are an experienced Magic the Gathering spellslinger, then you will take notice of the fact that not all guilds are included in this set, nor are all of the shock lands. You would be correct in this assessment, but fret not, they are coming.

In Conclusion

We have explored the rich history of Magic the Gatherings much beloved and cherished Ravnica Plane, one in which many fond memories and moments of excitement have been had over and are surely yet to come.

We are proud to now be offering not only Guilds of Ravnica product, but other additional Magic the Gathering sets as well, of which we will be expanding upon and adding more as time goes on.

Players will remain on the Plane of Ravnica for the next couple of sets, where the remainder of the shock lands and guilds are going to have their moment to shine in the spotlight.

In our next article, we are going to explore in depth the guilds showcased in the Guilds of Ravnica, and the mechanics that are attached to them.

Until then, we would love to hear which guild is your favorite so far? Which spells have you, or do you plan to cast, from the exciting new set known as the Guilds of Ravnica?