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Ogre
Ogre
Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/tribal cards)
Statistics
132 cards
{W} 1.5% {B} 24.2% {R} 56.1% {G} 3% {U/B} 0.8% {B/R} 6.8% {R/G} 2.3% {U/R} 0.8% {M} 4.5%
3 Ogre creation cards
{B} 33.3% {R} 66.7%
as of Murders at Karlov Manor
Scryfall Search
type:"Ogre"

Ogre is a creature type describing massive, brutish humanoids with low intelligence (with some exceptions) and great bloodlust. They appear in many different planes in many different forms and are primarily associated with red and black. The first ogre ever printed in Magic was Gray Ogre, which was the only creature of the type in Alpha.

Storyline

Alara

Incurables are the Ogres of Grixis, inflicted by a terrible form-altering curse that happened soon after the Sundering.[1][2][3][4] Their shaman-queen undertook a desperate ritual to dislodge the curse from her people, but instead her magic mutated the curse and strengthened its grasp on them all. Generations of bizarre mutations later, the affliction left these "incurables" monstrous and homicidally insane.

Arcavios

The Oggyar ogres of Arcavios are known for their fire magic.[5]

Capenna

Capennan ogres work primarily industrial labor jobs and thus are found mostly among the Riveteers. That said, some work instead as hired muscle for the Obscura, and even the famously exclusive Maestros. Unlike on other planes, they appear to be roughly as intelligent as humans.

Dominaria

Ogres can be found on many places on Dominaria, among them Keld, Otaria and Caliman. Those who live on Caliman, like many of that island's denizens, have access to more advanced technology, such as mechanical sawblades powered by Phyrexian mana batteries.

The bloodthirsty Sawtooth Ogres of Keld have been rallied and commanded by leaders like the warlord Maraxus.

Eldraine

The Ogres of Eldraine are big and blocky, with a head like a wedge and standing almost twice the height of a man.[6] They have very thick hides.

While most ogres live in the Wilds, some are known to make incursions into the Realm and wreak havoc. When ogres first moved into the Wilds, they encountered all manner of unfamiliar creatures. Over generations, these ogres adapted to their new environs, passing down a spellcasting tradition of their own.[7] Ogres with control over rat colonies are known as chitterlords. When ogres venture from the Wilds to raid nearby settlements, an ogre chitterlord often leads the way, calling rats from the alleys and sewers to harry townsfolk from within the city while the ogres lay siege to the outer walls.

Fiora

Ogres on Fiora are known to be employed as mercenaries, as seen by the Crown-Hunter Hireling.

Kamigawa

Known as o-bakemono, the ogres of Kamigawa are more intelligent than ogres of other worlds and possess considerable brute cunning.[8][9] They originated in the Sokenzan Mountains, though most of their kind later relocated into the swamps of Takenuma. Most of these ogres cared for little but to inflict pain, murder innocents, and worship the demonic oni, though some ogres rejected the oni and remained in the mountains were cursed and made an outcast by their brethren; some of these joined forces with the ronin of the mountains and became samurai themselves.[10]

The o-bakemono were in the thrall of the oni and worshiped them with foul blood rites and sacrifices of living sentients in exchange for gifts of strength and supernatural powers.[11] With the advent of the Kami War, the o-bakemono succeeded in freeing many of their oni masters from their spiritual prisons, together hoping to destroy Kamigawa. The most fearsome stronghold of the demon-worshiping o-bakemono was the blood-stained keep of Shinka, where dwelt the dreaded ogre shaman Hidetsugu.

In the modern day, o-bakemono culture has diversified. Many ogres now possess powerful cybernetic augmentation, and have lent their services to the Asari Uprisers or one of Towashi's many Reckoner gangs.

Mirrodin

The Mirrodin Ogre is too dense to recognize a threat of any sort, consuming whatever they feel like, and easily outsmarted by goblins who use them as a beast of burden. Mirran ogres are famed for crushing artifacts.[12]

Multiple of these ogres were phyrexianized, becoming servants of Urabrask. These menials are favored servants of the praetor, who mainly bring new material for the furnace.

Rabiah

Rabiah featured several race of Ogres, including the fierce Hasran Ogres and the traitorous Ghazbán Ogres (the latter were also seen on Dominarian Sarpadia).

Ravnica

The Ogres on the city plane can actually be reasoned with, but are nonetheless slow thinkers and easy to deceive. They are featured in all the red guilds (both in cards and the novels): Boros Legion, Izzet League, Gruul Clans, and Cult of Rakdos. Ravnican ogres are known to exude a poisonous stench that makes them hard to integrate into society. As such, most ogres have reclusive roles, like catching rats, reflected as a population of black-aligned Ogres who are independent actors.

Shandalar

The ancient Ogre civilization of the Onakke (oh-NAH-kay),[13] on Shandalar, were creators of the Chain Veil.[14] The Onakke were utterly obliterated by a magical spell, cast by an unknown source. Their spirits haunt the Chain Veil, and its owner Liliana Vess, while their bodies are in the Onakke Catacomb. The monstrous Ursoth that was hunted by Garruk Wildspeaker had a similar appearance as the ancient ogres, and might, therefore, be related.[15] During New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse, a group of dormant Onakke were reawakened by the Chain Veil's magic when it seeped from Ravnica to Shandalar through Realmbreaker's Omenpaths.[16]

Tarkir

The massive ogres of the Mardu Horde on Tarkir are stronger than orcs, but of feral-level intelligence. They are uncontrollably violent and are kept chained until they're sent at the enemy to stir up chaos and cause destruction. Some ogres are also found in the Qal Sisma Mountains, where they live solitary lives, making occasional contact with the wandering Temur.

In the new timeline, Ogres are primarily aligned with the Atarka. They are tolerated by the dragons as long as they gather food, and are among the first to be hunted in turn when they fail to bring their share.

Zendikar

Zendikari ogres live mainly on Akoum, but small populations exist on all continents. Their size and strength help protect them from the dangers of Zendikar, so they have little need for walls or roofs—which is good since they have little skill at building buildings. Ogre society, such as it is, revolves around leaders who gather small gangs (usually six to ten other ogres) to join them in pillaging, extorting, or slaving.

Despite their low intelligence, some more clever ogres master the use of certain kinds of magic. The use of red mana complements an ogre's fierce and angry tendencies, and some ogres can produce fiery spells and manipulate the volcanic forces of Akoum. Other ogres channel black mana to immerse themselves in necromancy and diabolism, accentuating their amoral nature and their willingness to enslave others for their own benefit.[17]


Notable Ogres

Alara

Kamigawa

Capenna

Ravnica

Shandalar

Zendikar

Unknown

Tokens

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Ogre Red Creature — Ogre 3/3
Red Creature — Ogre 4/4
Ogre Warrior Black Creature — Ogre Warrior 4/3

Gallery

References

  1. A Planeswalker's Guide to Alara
  2. Doug Beyer (June 10, 2009). "Graduation Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. (2008). Shards of Alara Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Doug Beyer & Jenna Helland (2008). A Planeswalker's Guide to Alara, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786951246
  5. Flavor text for Heated Debate
  6. Kate Elliott (2019), Throne of Eldraine: The Wildered Quest, Penguin Random House
  7. James Wyatt et al. (2023). "D&D Monstrous Compendium: Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures". Wizards of the Coast.
  8. Magic Arcana (February 09, 2005). "Sketches: Flames of the Blood Hand". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Magic Arcana (February 22, 2005). "Whenever Ogre Marauder Attacks". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Magic Arcana (July 12, 2005). "Renegade from the Mountains". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Magic Arcana (July 06, 2005). "Sketches: Raving Oni-Slave". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Doug Beyer (February 09, 2011). "Public Displays of Aggression". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Doug Beyer (July 2, 2014). "How do you pronounce Onakke?". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
  14. James Wyatt (July 2, 2014). "Veil of Deceit". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. Doug Beyer, Jason Shawn Alexander, Jenna Helland et al. (July 30, 2008). "The Hunter and the Veil". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. Flavor text for Onakke Javelineer (March of the Machine).
  17. James Wyatt. (2016). Plane Shift: Zendikar, Wizards of the Coast.
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