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Amonkhet
AKH set logo
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description A pyramid
Design Mark Rosewater (co-lead)
Ethan Fleischer (co-lead)
Yoni Skolnik
Shawn Main
Jackie Lee
Kimberley J. Kreines
James Hata
Sam Stoddard
Ben Hayes
Development Dave Humpherys (co-lead)
Bryan Hawley (co-lead)
Ian Duke
Eric Lauer
Jackie Lee
Ari Levitch
Kimberley J. Kreines
Tim Aten
and Mons Johnson
Art direction Mark Winters
Release date April 28, 2017
Plane Amonkhet
Themes and mechanics Graveyard matters, Cartouche, Curse, Discard, Brick counters, -1/-1 counters, Split cards
Keywords/​ability words Aftermath, Cycling, Embalm, Exert
Set size 269 cards
+8 Planeswalker deck exclusives
+10 Common dual taplands
Expansion code AKH[1]
Development codename Barrel
Amonkhet block
Amonkhet Hour of Devastation N/A
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Welcome Deck 2017 Amonkhet Amonkhet Invocations
For the plane, see Amonkhet (plane). For the MTG Arena version of the set, see Amonkhet Remastered.

Amonkhet is the 74th Magic expansion, and the first in the Amonkhet block. It was released on April 28, 2017,[2] and is a large expansion. It is set on the plane of the same name.

Set details[ | ]

Amonkhet is a top-down-designed Magic set, meaning that it was designed and developed with flavor in mind first. The set is inspired by Ancient Egypt mixed with imagery referencing Nicol Bolas.[3][4][5][6][7]

Amonkhet contains 269 cards (20 basic lands, 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. The expansion symbol is a pyramid. The Planeswalker decks contain 10 additional cards that are considered to be part of the set (2 mythic planeswalkers, 2 rares, 2 uncommons, 2 commons, and 2 common dual taplands). These are numbered #270/269 to #279/269). The other 8 dual taplands appear in the Deck Builder's Toolkit (#280/269 to #287/269) [8] Full-art basic lands appear in approximately one out of every four boosters and are available in other products as well.[9] The set introduces punch cards with markers and counters to the game.

The goal of this set was to try to create a sense of dissonance, of unease.[10] R&D wanted the players to feel like the Gatewatch felt - that there's something wrong with this world that you can't quite put your finger on. To capture this, they made the mechanics feel one way while having the creative elements to another. The names and art tell you that this is a glorious world where the inhabitants are content, but the play is ruthless.

Storyline[ | ]

“  Rise Among the Worthy  ”

Amonkhet is a plane ruled by Nicol Bolas. The desert oasis forges warriors. They train their entire life for a chance to face the Trials of the Five Gods and join the elite ranks of the Worthy and to claim an honored place in the Afterlife. They prepare for the great God-Pharaoh's return. When The Gatewatch arrives to take out Bolas, they meet with fierce resistance in the desert, and in the city, a society centered around death.

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Amonkhet are: Renewed Faith, Cruel Reality, Anointed Procession, By Force, and Gideon's Intervention.

Main article: Magic Story
Title Author Release Date Setting (plane) Featuring
Impact Michael Yichao 2017-03-29 Kaladesh, Amonkhet The Gatewatch
Trust James Wyatt 2017-04-05 Amonkhet The Gatewatch, Temmet, Oketra‎
The Writing on the Wall * Alison Luhrs 2017-04-12 Amonkhet The Gatewatch
Servants Kelly Digges 2017-04-19 Amonkhet Liliana, Raven Man, Jace, Temmet
The Hand That Moves Ken Troop 2017-04-26 Amonkhet Nissa, Kefnet
Brazen Michael Yichao 2017-05-03 Amonkhet Gideon, Oketra, Djeru
Trespass Michael Yichao 2017-05-10 Amonkhet Samut, Nakht, Djeru
Judgment Doug Beyer and Alison Luhrs 2017-05-17 Amonkhet Samut, Djeru, Hazoret, the Gatewatch

* This story was mistakenly published featuring an exchange between Chandra and Nissa that was revised to make its romantic nature more subtle.[11] The original line was "'So... friendship is about the limit of what you feel comfortable with right now?'"[12] The current version reads simply "'So... friendship?'"

Marketing[ | ]

Amonkhet is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), two planeswalker decks, the Amonkhet bundle, Booster Battle Packs, the Deck Builder's Toolkit and a Land Station. An early announced spring Gift Box was apparently cancelled.[13] The boosters feature artwork from Combat Celebrant, Battlefield Scavenger, Oketra the True, Honored Crop-Captain and Curator of Mysteries.[9] The bundle now includes a token pack containing 25 double-sided tokens (including all embalmed tokens).

Amonkhet Invocations[ | ]

The Masterpiece Series for Amonkhet block are called Amonkhet Invocations. These are all premium foil cards with a special Amonkhet card frame and a separate expansion symbol (). Thus, they are not part of the sets. Amonkhet Invocations are all about the Amonkhet gods, their magic and their servants.[14] They include all new art, a card frame inspired by Egyptian steles without flavor text. They appear slightly more often than premium mythic rares. These cards are playable in limited and formats where they're already legal. 30 Invocation cards are appearing with Amonkhet and 24 more cards appearing in Hour of Devastation.

Main article: Amonkhet Invocations

Events[ | ]

AKH Trials of the Gods

Trials of the Gods

AKH D4

Four-sided "lazotep" counter

  • Magic Open House took place on April 15, 2017. It is an event-filled day where players can stop by their local store for fun, casual play that includes learn-to-play Magic events, free 2017 Welcome Decks for new players, and premium foil full-art lands for participating.[15][16]
  • Prerelease Events took place on April 22, 2017.[17] Players were encouraged to complete the "Five Trials of the Gods". Players who attended Prerelease received a Trials Activity Card in their Prerelease pack. They were rewarded pyramid-shaped (four-sided) "lazotep" counters for each trial they completed. The counters could be used to keep track of -1/-1 counters on their cards.[18]
  • Release on Magic Online was Monday, April 24, 2017. This was even earlier than the paper release.[19]
  • Starting with Amonkhet, the Launch Party was extended to a Draft Weekend (April 29–30, 2017)
  • Standard Showdown started May 6, 2017.[20]
    • Prize boosters contained four cards: 2 rares or mythic rares from a currently legal Standard set, 1 Amonkhet full-art land, 1 premium card of any rarity from a currently legal Standard set.

Promotional cards[ | ]

Tokens and emblems[ | ]

AKH Punch card

Punch card

There are 24 tokens and 1 emblem for Amonkhet. Every creature spell with Embalm has a unique matching token.[21]

  1. {W} 3/4 Embalmed Angel of Sanctions
  2. {W} 1/3 Embalmed Anointer Priest
  3. {W} 3/2 Embalmed Aven Initiate
  4. {W} 2/3 Embalmed Aven Wind Guide
  5. {W} 5/3 Embalmed Glyph Keeper
  6. {W} 4/3 Embalmed Heart-Piercer Manticore
  7. {W} 6/6 Embalmed Honored Hydra
  8. {W} 2/3 Embalmed Labyrinth Guardian
  9. {W} 3/3 Embalmed Oketra's Attendant
  10. {W} 1/1 Embalmed Sacred Cat
  11. {W} 2/1 Embalmed Tah-Crop Skirmisher
  12. {W} 2/2 Embalmed Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun
  13. {W} 2/2 Embalmed Trueheart Duelist
  14. {W} 3/2 Embalmed Unwavering Initiate
  15. {W} 0/0 Embalmed Vizier of Many Faces
  16. {W} 1/1 Cat with lifelink for Regal Caracal
  17. {W} 1/1 Warrior with vigilance for Cartouche of Solidarity, Oketra the True, Oketra's Monument, Start, Supply Caravan
  18. {U} 2/2 Drake with flying for Drake Haven
  19. {B} 1/1 Insect for Nest of Scarabs
  20. {B} 2/2 Zombie for Cradle of the Accursed, Liliana, Death's Majesty, Liliana's Mastery, Doomed Dissenter, Stir the Sands
  21. {G} 4/2 Beast for Trial of Strength
  22. {G} 3/3 Hippo for Mouth
  23. {G} 1/1 Snake with deathtouch for Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
  24. {G} 5/5 Wurm for Sandwurm Convergence
  25. Emblem for Gideon of the Trials

In addition, some boosters feature a punch card with markers for exerted and embalmed, brick counters and -1/-1 counters.

Themes and mechanics[ | ]

Destined to Lead

The bottom half of Amonkhet split cards is turned sideways for easy use out of the graveyard

Amonkhet has a strong graveyard component.[22][23] Unlike Shadows over Innistrad, this uses the graveyard mainly as a resource.[24]

Several cards in the set have abilities that care about you discarding other cards. They'll benefit you if an opponent makes you discard your cards, or if you discard them yourself.

The set makes use of brick counters and -1/-1 counters.

Amonkhet has three new named mechanics.

  • Embalm — The embalm ability can only be activated if the creature is in the graveyard. When activated, the card is exiled and creates a token copy of itself. This creature token is a copy of the embalmed creature, except that it is a zombie in addition to its other creature types and monocolored white. Embalm appears most commonly in blue and white, with a green and red rare.
  • Exert — When you declare an attacker with this ability, you decide whether to exert it. If you choose to exert, the creature gains a bonus. If you did, the creature won't untap as normal during your next untap phase. Exert appears in red, green, and white.
  • AftermathSplit card halves with aftermath may only be cast from your graveyard. They are exiled after casting.
    • While regular split cards were named with an ”A and B“ convention, Aftermath cards use an ”A to B“ convention.[25]

The set has one returning named mechanic:

A black-red mini-theme, an unnamed mechanic R&D likes to call "heckbent", is a riff off of hellbent. Heckbent cares about you having one or fewer cards in your hand (as opposed to hellbent, which requires your hand to be empty). If you do, your creature gains an ability that makes either itself or others better.[26] Another unnamed mechanic is nicknamed "Ruthless" (“When ~ enters the battlefield, put ... -1/-1 counters on target creature you control.”). It is featured in black and green and is often paired with a second ability, often interacting with -1/-1 counters.

Card types[ | ]

Cycles[ | ]

Amonkhet has twelve cycles, two of which are double cycles and one is a vertical cycle:

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Gods Oketra the True Kefnet the Mindful Bontu the Glorified Hazoret the Fervent Rhonas the Indomitable
The mythic rare gods of Amonkhet. Each has a keyword, a combat restriction, and an activated ability to fulfill this restriction.
Cartouches Cartouche of Solidarity Cartouche of Knowledge Cartouche of Ambition Cartouche of Zeal Cartouche of Strength
Common Aura enchantments that have an entry ability and grant the enchanted creature +1/+1 and a keyword, with the additional subtype cartouche.[27][28]
Trials Trial of Solidarity Trial of Knowledge Trial of Ambition Trial of Zeal Trial of Strength
Uncommon enchantments with an entry effect (making them act like sorceries) that returns to the hand when a cartouche enters.[27][28]
Monuments Oketra's Monument Kefnet's Monument Bontu's Monument Hazoret's Monument Rhonas's Monument
Uncommon legendary artifacts associated with one god, costing {3} mana and reducing the cost of creature spells associated with its gods' color by {1}, and also have a trigger when a creature spell (of any color) is cast.[6]
Monocolored rares Dusk // Dawn Commit // Memory Never // Return Insult // Injury Mouth // Feed
Five split cards featuring the aftermath mechanic.
Cycle effect uncommons Renewed Faith Vizier of Tumbling Sands Stir the Sands Deem Worthy Shefet Monitor
These cards all have an ability that triggers when the card is cycled.
Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W}
Allied-colored cycling duals Irrigated Farmland Fetid Pools Canyon Slough Sheltered Thicket Scattered Groves
A set of rare allied colored cycling lands.[29]
Reversed allied colored rares Failure // Comply Rags // Riches Cut // Ribbons Heaven // Earth Prepare // Fight
Five allied colored split cards featuring the aftermath mechanic.
Cycle name {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Enemy colored uncommons Start // Finish Reduce // Rubble Destined // Lead Onward // Victory Spring // Mind
Five enemy colored uncommon split cards featuring the aftermath mechanic.
Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W} {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Two-colored draft archetypes Aven Wind Guide Shadowstorm Vizier Merciless Javelineer Khenra Charioteer Ahn-Crop Champion Wayward Servant Enigma Drake Decimator Beetle Honored Crop-Captain Weaver of Currents
Ten uncommon cards which each represent a two-colored draft archetype.
Reprinted dual taplands Meandering River Submerged Boneyard Cinder Barrens Timber Gorge Tranquil Expanse Forsaken Sanctuary Highland Lake Foul Orchard Stone Quarry Woodland Stream
Ten common dual lands that enter the battlefield tapped. This cycle cannot be found in booster packs, and was printed for use in supplementary products and as to be kept in Standard.[30]

Vertical cycle[ | ]

Cycle name
Build-a-Monument Luxa River Shrine Edifice of Authority Pyramid of the Pantheon
Oracle's Vault
Four artifacts with two abilities, one of which has a minor effect and adds brick counters, and the other is a more powerful version that requires three brick counters to activate.[24]

Reprinted cards[ | ]

Functional reprints[ | ]

Card comparisons[ | ]

Preconstructed decks[ | ]

Amonkhet features two planeswalker decks:

Planeswalker
deck name
Colors Included Planeswalker
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Gideon W R Gideon, Martial Paragon
Liliana B G Liliana, Death Wielder

Notable cards[ | ]

  • The rare cycling dual land cycle (like Irrigated Farmland has seen significant play in control decks in Standard and Pioneer.
  • Approach of the Second Sun is an alternate-win card.
  • Glorious End is an alternate-loss card and red extra turn spell.
  • Because of the change in Standard rotation, Gideon of the Trials inadvertently became the third Gideon planeswalker card in Standard. The card's powerful emblem that it can create immediately and its ability to pressure the opponent has combined to make it seem consistent play in Standard, Pioneer, Modern, and even Legacy.
  • Gate to the Afterlife mentions the card God-Pharaoh's Gift, which wasn't released until Hour of Devastation.[8]
  • The dual taplands were reprinted to keep them in Standard.[30]
    • The eight dual taplands only appearing in the Deck Builder's Toolkit are printed with the Amonkhet expansion symbol, but without new art that reflects the plane.
  • Vizier of Remedies is among the best cards to combo with Devoted Druid to create infinite mana and has seen play in Modern decks built around the combo.
  • Nissa, Steward of Elements is the first planeswalker card with X in its mana cost.
  • Anointed Procession is the first white card to have an ability that doubles the production of tokens and is a staple in casual Commander decks.
  • The cycle of monuments (like Bontu's Monument) are staples in the casual Commander format, particularly in monocolored creature-focused decks.
  • Pull from Tomorrow was frequently played in Standard control decks, especially as a way to find Approach of the Second Sun.
  • Cascading Cataracts is frequently played alongside Golos, Tireless Pilgrim, as it can be fetched by Golos and then used to easily produce the five colors of mana for its ability.
  • Manglehorn was a strong sideboard card for green aggro decks in Standard and has even seen limited success in Vintage, a format filled with problematic artifacts.
  • Lord of the Accursed is a strong lord for black aggro decks in Pioneer and Historic.
  • Liliana, Death's Majesty was a heavily played value engine for black control decks in Standard and has transitioned to success in Pioneer.
  • Commit // Memory was a control deck staple Standard and Pioneer, especially for control-combo decks that can use its wheel effect to find their pieces.
  • As Foretold is the key card in the eponymous Modern deck that used it to cast costless suspend spells like Ancestral Visions.
  • Harsh Mentor was infamously hyped as a sideboard card for Modern and eternal formats, especially in burn decks, but went on to limited success.
  • Trespasser's Curse sees play in a variety of aggressive decks in Pauper that can bring it out of the sideboard against creature-based decks to pressure their life total.
  • Cast Out and Censor were heavily played in Standard control decks as versatile answers with cycling and continue to see play in Pioneer.
  • New Perspectives has a unique effect and was used in a short-lived Standard combo deck alongside cycling cards such as Vizier of Tumbling Sands to win the game in a single turn.
  • Glorybringer was a staple in Standard red decks, becoming the face of the format and Red Deck Wins in specific.
  • Sweltering Suns is a versatile boardwipe that has seen consistent play in red sideboards from Standard to Modern.
  • Rhonas the Indomitable and Hazoret the Fervent were staples in green and red aggro decks, respectively, in Standard, where their conditions were easy to fulfill.
  • Soul-Scar Mage is a powerful staple in Burn decks and Red Deck Wins in Pioneer and Modern, where it is reminiscent of Monastery Swiftspear with graveyard hate attached.

Banned and restricted cards[ | ]

  • Gideon's Intervention was banned in Historic Brawl in 2020 due to its ability to prevent the opponent from ever casting their commander. This concern is less relevant in multiplayer formats like Commander and Oathbreaker.

Trivia[ | ]

Main article: Amonkhet/Trivia

References[ | ]

  1. Product Information
  2. Wizards of the Coast (August 31, 2016). "Announcement Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Mark Rosewater (September 05, 2016). "Is Amonkhet an Egypt-inspired plane?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  4. Mark Rosewater (March 31, 2017). "Is Amonkhet top-down Egypt or top-down Bolas?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. a b c Mark Rosewater (April 3, 2017). "Amonkhet Down to Business, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. a b Ethan Fleischer (April 4, 2017). "Five Trials". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. Mark Rosewater (April 17, 2017). "Amonkhet Down to Business, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. a b Wizards of the Coast (February 9, 2017). "Amonkhet Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. a b Blake Rasmussen (February 20, 2017). "Modern Masters 2017 Edition and Amonkhet Packaging". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Mark Rosewater (May 29, 2017). "Odds & Ends: Amonkhet, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Alison Luhrs (April 12, 2017). "not to sound accusatory (which it is all too easy to be, right now) but what context can you give about the line change in the stiry today?" Magic: The Gathering. Tumblr.
  12. Jay Annelli (April 12, 2017). "Let’s Talk About The Writing on the Wall" Ask Jay. Tumblr.
  13. Amonkhet Product information for retailers
  14. Mark Rosewater (March 30, 2017). "What is the theme of the Amonkhet Invocations supposed to be?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  15. Elaine Chase (February 13, 2017). "What's in Store for In-Store Play". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. a b c d e Blake Rasmussen (March 27, 2017). "So Much Amonkhet News". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. Gavin Verhey (April 17, 2017). "Amonkhet Prerelease Primer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. Preview Your AKH Event Kits
  19. Lee Sharpe (April 12, 2017). "Amonkhet on Magic Online Is Earlier than Ever". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. Blake Rasmussen (February 20, 2017). "The February 20, 2017 Update". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. Nicholas Wolfram (2017-04-13). "The Tokens of Amonkhet". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. Mark Rosewater (March 28, 2017). "Have we already seen the reason for the lack of graveyard interactions in Standard?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  23. Matt Tabak (April 3, 2017). "Amonkhet Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. a b c Mark Rosewater (April 10, 2017). "Amonkhet Down to Business, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  25. Mark Rosewater (April 03, 2017). "Is the naming convention for the new aftermath cards still and (Fire and Ice) or has it changed?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  26. Mark Rosewater (May 1, 2017). "Amonkhet Talking, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. a b c Dave Humpherys (April 4, 2017). "Developing Amonkhet". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  28. a b Meghan Wolff (April 5, 2017). "Trial and Trial Again". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  29. Sam Stoddard (March 31, 2017). "Cycling Duels". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  30. a b Mark Rosewater (August 31, 2012). "Why are the common taplands printed with the Amonkhet symbol, but without new art that reflects the plane?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  31. Mark Rosewater (April 24, 2017). "Amonkhet Talking, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

External links[ | ]

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