Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica is a 256-page campaign sourcebook blending Magic: The Gathering lore with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules. It introduces Ravnica, a sprawling city ruled by ten powerful guilds, offering rich settings, character options, and adventures.
Overview of Ravnica
Ravnica is a vast, rain-soaked cityscape governed by ten powerful guilds, each with unique identities and conflicting interests. This high-magic world blends intrigue, adventure, and immersive lore, offering endless possibilities for exploration and storytelling.
Geography of Ravnica
Ravnica is a sprawling, interconnected plane, functioning as both a city and a world. Its landscape is dominated by towering spires, grand architecture, and a perpetual haze of dreary rain. The cityscape is divided into ten distinct districts, each controlled by one of the ten guilds, reflecting their unique identities. The Tenth District serves as a neutral zone, balancing the power dynamics between the guilds. Ravnica’s geography is a mix of urban sprawl and hidden wilds, with waterways and bridges connecting its vast regions. Beneath the city lies the undercity, a labyrinth of tunnels and hidden spaces, while the outer edges of Ravnica blur into untamed wilderness. This diverse geography creates a rich, immersive environment, blending urban intrigue with natural wonder, and provides endless opportunities for exploration and adventure.
Climate of Ravnica
Ravnica is shrouded in a perpetual haze of dreary rain, creating a dim, misty atmosphere that permeates the cityscape. The sky is often obscured by thick, gray clouds, casting a gloomy shadow over the sprawling metropolis. This constant rain contributes to the city’s damp, humid environment, with water dripping from towering spires and pooling in the streets. Despite the rain, Ravnica remains teeming with life, as its inhabitants have adapted to the climate. The weather plays a significant role in shaping the city’s culture and architecture, with structures designed to withstand the relentless moisture. The climate also adds to the mysterious and immersive nature of the setting, enhancing the sense of intrigue and conflict that defines Ravnica. This ever-present rain is a defining feature of the plane, making it a unique and memorable environment for exploration and adventure.
Guilds of Ravnica
Ravnica is governed by ten powerful guilds, each with distinct identities and interests. These guilds shape the city’s dynamics, influencing politics, culture, and conflict. They are central to the setting, driving intrigue and adventure in this immersive world.
Azorius Senate
The Azorius Senate is one of the most influential guilds in Ravnica, representing the embodiment of law and order. Led by the enigmatic and reclusive Grand Arbiter, the Senate seeks to maintain stability and control through its vast bureaucratic network. Its members, often clad in blue and white attire, are known for their mastery of legal manipulation, arcane magic, and strategic planning.
The Senate operates as a governing body, overseeing Ravnica’s legal system and enforcing its rules with precision. They believe in the power of structure and hierarchy, often using their knowledge of the law to outmaneuver their opponents. Their influence extends beyond the courtroom, as they subtly shape the city’s policies and decisions from behind the scenes.
Azorius members are often seen as rigid enforcers of order, but they also possess a deep sense of justice. They are committed to upholding the greater good, even if it means making difficult or unpopular decisions. Their magical prowess, particularly in enchantments and illusions, makes them formidable allies or adversaries in any conflict.
The Senate’s motivations are twofold: to preserve Ravnica’s stability and to ensure their own dominance within the city’s complex political landscape. Their methods, while sometimes seen as ruthless, are always calculated and deliberate, reflecting their belief in the importance of a well-ordered society.
Boros Legion
The Boros Legion is Ravnica’s formidable military force, dedicated to justice, protection, and the maintenance of order. Clad in red and white, they are the city’s self-appointed guardians, believing in the importance of strength and valor. Led by the charismatic Aurelia, the Warleader, the Legion operates as a well-disciplined army, combining martial prowess with divine magic;
Boros adherents are deeply committed to their ideals, often seeing themselves as the moral compass of Ravnica. They oppose tyranny and corruption, frequently clashing with guilds like the Orzhov Syndicate. Their belief in justice is unwavering, though it can sometimes lead to rigid dogmatism.
The Legion’s ranks include skilled warriors, paladins, and clerics, who wield both weapons and magic with precision. Their magical abilities often revolve around fire and radiant energy, symbolizing their passion for justice and their role as protectors. The Boros Legion is also known for its emphasis on unity and camaraderie, fostering a strong sense of brotherhood among its members.
As defenders of Ravnica, the Boros Legion plays a crucial role in maintaining the city’s fragile peace, often stepping in to resolve conflicts and protect the innocent. Their actions are driven by a noble desire to uphold what is right, even when the path is fraught with challenges.
House Dimir
House Dimir is one of Ravnica’s most mysterious and feared guilds, masterminding espionage, manipulation, and assassination. Operating in the shadows, they are led by the enigmatic Mirko Vosk, a ghostly figure who wields immense power. The Dimir specialize in secrets, using spies, rogues, and shadowy illusions to achieve their goals.
Their magic revolves around darkness, illusions, and mind control, making them formidable opponents in both physical and psychological warfare. House Dimir is composed of vampires, shadowy figures, and other clandestine operatives, all bound by a code of silence and loyalty to Vosk.
Dimir agents are known for their ability to infiltrate and manipulate other guilds, often pulling strings from behind the scenes. Their presence is felt throughout Ravnica, striking fear into those who dare oppose them. Despite their sinister nature, House Dimir sees itself as a necessary force, maintaining balance through its covert operations.
Their influence is subtle but pervasive, making them a key player in Ravnica’s intricate political landscape. Whether through espionage or outright deception, House Dimir ensures its survival and dominance in the city’s eternal struggle for power.
House Golgari
House Golgari, also known as the “Golgari Swarm,” is a guild driven by the cycle of decay and rebirth. They are led by the enigmatic Golgari Queen, a figure shrouded in mystery, and are known for their mastery of nature, death, and decay. The Golgari embrace the natural order of life and death, often appearing as scavengers or undertakers to the other guilds.
Their magic revolves around necromancy and the manipulation of organic matter, allowing them to summon swarms of insects, animate corpses, and control the growth of fungi and plants. House Golgari is composed of a diverse array of beings, including humans, elves, and insect-like creatures, all united under their philosophy of life and death.
While often misunderstood as mere scavengers, the Golgari play a crucial role in Ravnica’s ecosystem, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Their activities are both ecological and economic, as they recycle resources and maintain the balance of nature within the city.
House Golgari’s influence is subtle but pervasive, often working behind the scenes to ensure the city’s survival. Their connection to the natural world makes them a unique and powerful force in Ravnica’s intricate political landscape.
Gruul Clans
The Gruul Clans are a loose network of tribal groups united by their rejection of urban life and their deep connection to nature. They inhabit the wilds of Ravnica, thriving in the untamed regions beyond the city’s sprawling structures. The Gruul are led by a powerful warlord who embodies their values of strength, ferocity, and freedom.
The Gruul Clans are known for their brutal yet effective tactics in combat, favoring brute strength over strategy. They are skilled in the use of massive weapons and are feared for their relentless ferocity. Their society is highly hierarchical, with strength determining one’s status and influence within the clan.
Despite their savage reputation, the Gruul have a deep connection to the natural world and are attuned to the primal instincts of Ravnica. They view the city’s guilds as oppressive and corrupt, often clashing with them over territory and resources. The Gruul Clans serve as a reminder of the wild, untamed power that lies at the heart of Ravnica.
Their presence in the city is both a challenge and a balance to the guilds’ dominance, ensuring that the natural world is never entirely suppressed by urban sprawl.
Izzet League
The Izzet League is a guild of brilliant minds, merging the boundaries of science and magic to achieve unparalleled innovation. Led by the enigmatic dragon, Niv-Mizzet, the Izzet seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe through experiments and discoveries. Their towering spires and intricate workshops are hubs of intellectual pursuit, where mages, inventors, and engineers collaborate to push the limits of knowledge.
The Izzet League is driven by a passion for progress, often viewing the world as a complex puzzle waiting to be solved. Their experiments can lead to extraordinary breakthroughs, but also chaotic mishaps, as their pursuit of knowledge often disregards practical consequences. The guild’s members are divided into circles, each focusing on a specific field of study, from elemental manipulation to temporal research.
While the Izzet League is not overtly political, their discoveries often influence Ravnica’s balance of power. They are seen as eccentric and unpredictable, but their contributions to the city’s advancement are undeniable. The Izzet League represents the fusion of intellect and magic, embodying the limitless potential of Ravnica’s most brilliant minds.
Orzhov Syndicate
The Orzhov Syndicate is a guild that masterfully blends religion and death with organized crime, presenting itself as a holy organization while engaging in racketeering, extortion, and other illicit activities. Led by a powerful lich, the Orzhov manipulates others through fear, greed, and false promises of salvation. Their influence permeates Ravnica, as they control vast networks of smugglers, assassins, and informants.
The Syndicate’s public face is that of a religious order, but beneath this veneer lies a ruthless machine driven by the pursuit of power and wealth. They exploit the city’s underworld, preying on the desperate and the vulnerable. Their ranks include corrupt priests, undead enforcers, and shadowy figures who operate in the darkness, ensuring the Orzhov’s grip on Ravnica remains unyielding.
Despite their sinister nature, the Orzhov Syndicate maintains a veneer of legitimacy, allowing them to infiltrate and control key aspects of Ravnica’s society. Their presence is a reminder of the city’s darker side, where death and corruption are tools for achieving power and maintaining control.
Rakdos Cult
The Rakdos Cult is a chaotic and bloodthirsty guild that worships chaos, violence, and destruction. They are led by the demon lord Rakdos, who embodies hedonism and carnage. The cult operates as a twisted theater of pain and spectacle, staging brutal rituals and violent performances to satiate their dark desires.
Rakdos followers are a mix of deranged individuals, bloodthirsty warriors, and demon-worshipping fanatics. They thrive in Ravnica’s shadows, orchestrating riots, sabotaging order, and spreading fear. Their chaotic influence disrupts the city’s fragile balance, making them a constant thorn in the side of more orderly guilds like the Azorius Senate.
The cult’s power is rooted in its unpredictability and willingness to embrace destruction for its own sake. They are feared across Ravnica, not just for their violence, but for their ability to corrupt and destabilize. Despite their chaotic nature, the Rakdos Cult remains a formidable force, embodying the raw, untamed energy of the city’s darker side.
Selesnya Conclave
The Selesnya Conclave is a guild dedicated to the principles of unity, life, and nature. They believe in the power of community and the sacred bond between all living beings. Led by the enigmatic Conclave’s Voice and the wise Loxodon hierophants, the Selesnya seek to preserve harmony and protect the natural balance of Ravnica.
The Conclave is known for its emphasis on collective action and mutual support. They practice rituals like the Rite of Union, which strengthens bonds between members, and are often called upon to mediate disputes between other guilds. Their influence is evident in Ravnica’s sprawling parks and green spaces, which they maintain as sanctuaries for life and growth.
Selesnya magic often revolves around healing, growth, and protection. Their followers include druids, clerics, and rangers who champion the cause of preserving Ravnica’s ecosystems. Despite their peaceful nature, the Conclave is not hesitant to defend their ideals, summoning powerful forces to protect the innocent and vanquish threats to the natural order.
Simic Combine
The Simic Combine is a guild of scientists, inventors, and biologists who seek to advance life through experimentation and fusion of magic and technology. Led by the enigmatic Momir Vig, the Simic believe in the perfectibility of life and the importance of progress. They are known for their radical experiments, often blending disparate species to create new, hybrid life forms.
The Simic Combine operates underground laboratories hidden throughout Ravnica, where they conduct their research and develop innovative solutions to the city’s challenges. Their work often pushes the boundaries of ethics, leading to both admiration and controversy. Despite this, the Simic are driven by a genuine desire to improve the world, even if their methods are unconventional.
The guild’s influence is evident in Ravnica’s cutting-edge technology and bio-magical advancements. Their creations, from towering mechanical constructs to genetically modified organisms, are testament to their ingenuity. The Simic Combine remains a key player in shaping Ravnica’s future, blending science and magic in ways no other guild can match.
Character Creation
Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduces five new races, including the Loxodon and Vedalken, and two unique subclasses, allowing players to craft characters deeply rooted in Ravnica’s lore. Guild affiliations also shape backgrounds and traits, enhancing roleplay opportunities.
New Races in Ravnica
Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduces five unique races, each deeply tied to the city’s lore. The Loxodon are elephant-like humanoids known for their wisdom and endurance, while the Vedalken are blue-skinned, highly intelligent beings with a natural affinity for magic. The Simic Hybrid combines human and animal traits, offering versatility in ability scores. The Gruul, hailing from the Gruul Clans, are strong and resilient, with a bonus to strength and resistance to damage. Lastly, the Centaur blends human and equine features, granting speed and wisdom bonuses. These races provide players with diverse options to craft characters that embody Ravnica’s vibrant culture and guild affiliations, enhancing both roleplay and gameplay.
New Subclasses in Ravnica
Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduces two new subclasses, each tied to the unique flavor of Ravnica’s guilds. The Rogue gains access to the Thief subclass, focusing on cunning and stealth, while the Paladin can embrace the Oath of Heroism, emphasizing justice and protection. These subclasses offer players fresh ways to align their characters with Ravnica’s themes of intrigue and conflict. The Thief subclass excels at creating illusions and manipulating enemies, perfect for the shadowy tactics of House Dimir. Meanwhile, the Oath of Heroism Paladin embodies the noble ideals of the Boros Legion, granting abilities that inspire allies and protect the innocent. Both subclasses provide rich roleplaying opportunities and mechanical depth, allowing players to immerse themselves in Ravnica’s vibrant world. These additions enhance the versatility of existing D&D classes while staying true to the setting’s lore and tone.
Magic Items in Ravnica
Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduces 17 new magic items, including iconic artifacts like the Sword of the Paruns and guild signets. These items reflect Ravnica’s unique lore, blending guild themes with powerful magical properties for players to discover and wield.
Notable Magic Items
Among the 17 new magic items in Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica, several stand out for their unique properties and ties to the setting. The Sword of the Paruns, a legendary artifact, embodies the power and unity of Ravnica’s guilds, granting its wielder immense combat prowess and authority. Guild signets, associated with each of the ten guilds, serve as focal points for guild-specific magic, allowing characters to channel their guild’s essence. These items not only enhance gameplay but also deepen immersion in Ravnica’s lore. Other notable items include artifacts that reflect the city’s blend of magic and intrigue, offering players diverse tools to shape their adventures. These magic items are crafted to resonate with Ravnica’s themes of conflict, cooperation, and the pursuit of power.
Monsters and Enemies
Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduces 78 new monsters, each reflecting the city’s unique blend of magic, intrigue, and conflict. From constructs like the Loxodon to fiends tied to the Rakdos Cult, these enemies embody Ravnica’s chaotic, mana-infused world.
Notable Monsters in Ravnica
Ravnica is home to a diverse array of unique and iconic monsters, each tied to the city’s intricate lore and magical environment. The Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica introduces 78 new creatures, ranging from towering constructs to cunning fiends. One of the most notable is the Loxodon, a massive elephantine creature with immense strength and wisdom, often revered as a symbol of the city’s resilience. Another standout is the Rakdos Cultist, a twisted humanoid tied to the Rakdos Guild, known for their sadistic rituals and chaotic magic. The Golgari Grave-Troll is a horrifying undead beast, risen from the city’s sprawling undercroft, embodying the dark, necrotic magic of the Golgari Swarm. Additionally, the Simic Hybrid represents the Izzet League’s experiments gone wrong, blending human and animal traits into a terrifying yet fascinating creature. These monsters, along with others, bring Ravnica’s vibrant and dangerous world to life, offering players a rich array of challenges and encounters.
Adventure in Ravnica
Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica offers a rich setting for adventure, blending political intrigue and magical conflicts. The book includes Krenko’s Way, a ready-made adventure for level , and provides tools to craft unique campaigns in this vibrant world.
Krenko’s Way
Krenko’s Way is a ready-made adventure designed for level , serving as an ideal introduction to the Ravnica setting. This adventure delves into the vibrant cityscape of Ravnica, where players navigate the intricate political landscape dominated by the ten guilds. The story revolves around Krenko, a charismatic goblin leader, and his missing clan, drawing players into a web of intrigue and danger; Set against the backdrop of Ravnica’s perpetual rain-soaked streets and bustling markets, Krenko’s Way offers a mix of combat, exploration, and role-playing opportunities. It highlights the unique flavor of Ravnica, blending urban fantasy with the rich lore of Magic: The Gathering. This adventure is perfect for new players and Dungeon Masters alike, providing a gateway to the immersive world of Ravnica and its endless possibilities for storytelling.