Nephilim

Nephilim
Creature Type
(Subtype forcreature/kindred cards)
Beeble Scale	8[1]
Statistics	5 cards 100% as ofGuildpact
Scryfall Search
type:"Nephilim"

Nephilim is acreature type unique to theGuildpact set and theRavnicaplane.

Description[]

The fiverarecreatures of thecycle have different appearances; some arespirit-like, othersbeast-like. Each costs fourmana of separatecolors; the excluded color is theenemy color of the middle two colors.

• Yore-Tiller Nephilim ()
• Glint-Eye Nephilim ()
• Dune-Brood Nephilim ()
• Ink-Treader Nephilim ()
• Witch-Maw Nephilim ()

Storyline[]

Nephilim were powerful monstrosities with limited intelligence that were venerated by theCult of Yore, who saw them as the “Old Gods”.^[2][3] As such they were a symbol of the oldRavnica, before the time of theGuildpact. Unlike the created lords of the Guildpact, these entities did not make demands or accept sacrifices. They did not require or answer prayers. They were there only to humble; living, walking examples of the world's vastness, diversity, unpredictability, danger, wonder, horror, and complexity beyond comprehension.^[4]

The Nephilim were subdued thousands of years before the events of theRavnica block, and imprisoned deep below the plane's surface. Their precise origins are unknown. Once awakened by construction works in theUtvara district, five of the creatures fed on adragon corpse and grew in size and power, showing a shared ability to absorb power from other beings.^[2] Almost forgotten for 10,000 years, the return of the Nephilim was seen as a sign for change and indeed it coincided with the fall of the Guildpact at theDecamillennial. Though they defeatedNiv-Mizzet, he managed to destroy two of them. The remaining three made it to the center ofRavnica City where they were eventually subdued:Rakdos defeated one of them and the last two were killed by mana explosions.

Four-color design[]

The Nephilim were the first cards printed that needed exactly four different colors to play. They were created because there was some concern inR&D that some players might not buy into the “guild thing” and they wanted to have some other cool cards for them. They ended up being not all that liked and none saw any tournament play, as their admittedly unique abilities were not seen to justify the difficulty of assembling those colors.^[5] However, as the nephilim were the only four-color cards in all ofMagic untilCommander 2016, there has been a persistent wish from someCommander players for R&D to issueerrata for the Nephilim to make them intolegendary creatures.^[6][7] AlthoughMark Rosewater admits that he should have made them legendary, R&D is unwilling to do a functional errata.^[8] Rosewater has cited the Nephilim as an example of creative design that didn't come together into a compelling whole.^[9]

Trivia[]

• The name is taken from eponymous Hebrew biblical creatures.Nephilim is derived from the Hebrew ‏נפיל‎ (singular:nephil), “the fallen”. It can also meanGiants, specifically the giants who were the fallen angels (hence the name "the fallen") in Jewish myth and their children.^[10]
• Dune-Brood Nephilim producesSand creaturetokens. The only other card producing Sand creature tokens isHazezon Tamar fromLegends, and later withHazezon, Shaper of Sand in theDominaria United/Box Toppers.
• Dissension had two cards referring to the Nephilim: theauraBlessing of the Nephilim and theinstantMight of the Nephilim.
• Dune-Brood Nephilim's art has a strong resemblance to one of Zdzisław Beksiński'sUntitled paintings (Depicted here:https://www.wikiart.org/en/zdzislaw-beksinski/untitled-504)

Story appearances[]

References[]

v t e Creature types   Races Iconic Angel Sphinx Demon Dragon Hydra Characteristic Human Merfolk Vampire/Zombie Goblin Elf Multicolored Alien Armadillo Atog Avatar Bird Bringer Chimera Cockatrice Demigod Dinosaur Dog Elemental Elephant Frog God Horse Incarnation Insect Kavu Licid Lizard Lhurgoyf Llama Mutant Nephilim Noggle Nymph Otter Ox Pangolin Phelddagrif Phyrexian Porcupine Rabbit Salamander Satyr Shapeshifter Sheep Slith Sliver Sloth Spirit Surrakar Volver Wall Weasel Weird Werewolf Zubera Majority Archon Camel Cat Fox Glimmer Griffin Hippogriff Kirin Kithkin Kor Lammasu Mouse Pegasus Soltari Unicorn Majority Beeble Crab Djinn Drake Faerie Fish Homarid Homunculus Illusion Jellyfish Kraken Leviathan Metathran Moonfolk Nautilus Octopus Oyster Serpent Shark Siren Sponge Squid Starfish Thalakos Trilobite Turtle Vedalken Whale Majority Aetherborn Azra Bat Carrier Dauthi Eye Gorgon Hag Harpy Horror Imp Lamia Leech Nightmare Nightstalker Rat Scorpion Shade Skeleton Skunk Slug Snail Specter Thrull Worm Wraith Majority Coyote Cyclops Devil Dwarf Efreet Giant Goat Gremlin Hellion Jackal Kobold Manticore Minotaur Ogre Orc Orgg Phoenix Wolverine Yeti Majority Antelope Ape Aurochs Badger Basilisk Bear Beast Beaver Boar Brushwagg Capybara Centaur Crocodile Dryad Elk Ferret Fungus Hippo Hyena Mole Mongoose Monkey Ooze Ouphe Plant Possum Raccoon Rhino Snake Spike Spider Squirrel Treefolk Troll Varmint Wolf Wombat Wurm Artifact Creatures Assembly Worker Blinkmoth Construct Dreadnought Juggernaut Gargoyle Gnome Golem Masticore Myr Robot Sable Scarecrow Toy Walrus Majority Eldrazi MajorityToken Balloon Camarid Caribou Fractal Germ Graveborn Hamster Inkling Mite Orb Pentavite Pest Pincher Prism Reflection Sand Saproling Sculpture Servo Splinter Tetravite Thopter Triskelavite Crossover Dungeons & Dragons Beholder Gith Gnoll Halfling Tiefling Universes Beyond Astartes C'tan Custodes Cyberman Dalek Necron Primarch Synth Time Lord Tyranid Non-Eternal Alicorn Autobot Art Aven Brainiac Chameleon Chicken Clamfolk Cow Cyborg Deer Die Donkey Elemental? Expansion Symbol Glass Gorilla Gus Hawk Jaguar Kangaroo Killbot Lobster Locus Mammoth Mummy Penguin Pig Pony Present Ship Sketch Spuzzem Teddy The Biggest Baddest Nastiest Scariest Creature You'll Ever See Tree Vampyre Windmill Zonian   Classes Spellcasters Cleric Wizard Warlock Shaman Druid General Advisor Archer Artificer Assassin Barbarian Bard Berserker Clown Detective Doctor Drone Employee Flagbearer Gamer Hero Knight Mercenary Minion Monger Monk Mystic Ninja Noble Nomad Performer Pilot Pirate Praetor Processor Ranger Rebel Rigger Rogue Samurai Scout Soldier Spellshaper Warrior Category Ally Citizen Child Coward Egg Elder Guest Mount Peasant Spawn Survivor Token Specific Army Deserter Scion Serf Tentacle Crossover Universes Beyond Inquisitor Scientist Non-Eternal Armored Artist Athlete Attendee Boxer Bureaucrat Champion Chef Cobbler Designer Elves Fan Fighter Grandchild Hatificer Half Head Judge Lady of Proper Etiquette Mime Paratrooper Reveler Shoemaker Spy Stained Townsfolk Villain Wainwright Waiter Wrestler   Obsolete Notable Races Abomination Anemone Butterfly Cephalid Lemure Naga Rukh Undead Viashino Villain Wyvern Notable Classes Alchemist Avenger Bodyguard Enchantress Flying Men Guardian Legend Lord Sage Smith Witch Notable Character Type Aladdin Ali Baba Ali from Cairo El-Hajjâj Niall Silvain Rag Man Sindbad Stangg Twin Uncle Istvan Other Aboroth Aesthir Albatross Alligator Ambush Party Ancestor Ant Anteater Archaeologist Asp Autocrat Avizoa Ball Lightning Bandit Banshee Barishi Bee Behemoth Being Blinking Spirit Brother Brownie Bull Caravan Carnivore Carriage Caterpillar Cavalry Cave People Cheetah Clone Cobra Constable Crusader Dandân Dead Dervish Devouring Deep Doppelganger Dragonfly Drill Sergeant Eater Eel Effigy Entity Erne Essence Evil Eye Exorcist Falcon Fallen Farmer Fiend Folk of An Havva Force Frostbeast Fungusaur Gaea's Avenger Gaea's Liege Gatekeeper General Ghost Ghoul Gorilla Pack Gypsy Harlequin Hell's Caretaker Heretic Hipparion Hippopotamus Hornet Horseman Hound Hunter Infernal Denizen Island Fish Keeper Kelp King Legionnaire Leper Lichenthrope Lion Lord of Atlantis Lost Soul Lurker Lycanthrope Mage Maiden Marid Master Medusa Mana Bird Mantis Martyr Meerkat Merchant Mindsucker Minor Miracle Worker Mist Mob Mold Demon Mosquito Monster Murk Dweller Nameless Race Nature Spirit Narwhal Necrosavant Nekrataal Night Stalker Paladin Peacekeeper Penguin People of the Woods Phantasm Pigeon Pikemen Pixie Queen Poison Snake Poltergeist Preacher Priest Pyknite Python Raider Rider Robber Roc Rock Sled Rooster Scavenger Scavenger Folk Shadow Shyft Singing Tree Sister Sorcerer Sorceress Speaker Sprite Squire Strider Swarm Tactician Tarpan Taskmaster Thief Thundermare Tiger Titan Toad Tombspawn Tortoise Tracker Twin Viper Vulture Walking Dead War Rider Warthog Wasp Whippoorwill Wight Wiitigo Wildcat Wildebeest Will o' the Wisp Wirefly Wolverine Pack Wolves of the Hunt Wood Wretched   Related Beeble Scale Changeling Characteristic and iconic races Creature Type History Grand Creature Type Update Phyrexian Creature Type Update Kindred Predefined token Incubator Walker Summon Typal Typal coupling Familiar Outlaw Party Unreleased types Teacher Torturer Vegetable