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Beast
Beast
Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/tribal cards)
Statistics
495 cards
{C} 0.2% {W} 4.8% {U} 9.3% {B} 7.9% {R} 17.4% {G} 43% {W/U} 0.2% {U/B} 0.2% {B/R} 1% {R/G} 2.4% {G/W} 2% {W/B} 0.2% {U/R} 0.6% {B/G} 1.8% {R/W} 0.8% {G/U} 2.8% {M} 2.8% {artifact symbol} 2.4%
47 Beast creation cards
{W} 2.1% {R} 2.1% {G} 78.7% {R/G} 8.5% {B/G} 2.1% {G/U} 4.3% {M} 2.1%
as of Murders at Karlov Manor
Scryfall Search
type:"Beast"

Beast is a catch-all creature type used for large, monstrous, animal-like creatures.[1]

History[ | ]

The first creature to bear the type was Beasts of Bogardan in Legends (though the Clockwork Beast from Alpha and Guardian Beast from Arabian Nights were later issued errata to become beasts), but it wasn't until Tempest that the "beast" subtype attained widespread usage. Later, in the Odyssey and Onslaught blocks, "beast" became a common "tribe" with considerable inter-card support.

Grand Creature Type Update[ | ]

In the Grand Creature Type Update the creature types Carnivore (Tooth and Claw), Lurker (Lurker), Villain (Spinal Villain) and Frostbeast (Kjeldoran Frostbeast) were changed into Beast. On the other hand Glowing Anemone was changed from Beast to Anemone, while later reverting to Beast and gaining the added Jellyfish type. Warthog shortly was a Beast (Warthog) before being turned into a Boar.

Ikoria[ | ]

Herbivorous Beasts form one of the dominant clades of Ikoria and are mainly associated with the lush forests of Zagoth.[2] Identifiable by their woolly fur, horns or antlers, and stumpy or cloven feet, most of them resemble large herbivores — elk, rhinos, camels, boars, and the like — but it is dangerous to conclude that they are at all docile.[3] Even smaller beast monsters are territorial and irascible, liable to stampede or trample when they are alarmed or threatened. While most are large and lumbering, there are also many smaller, graceful beasts that more closely resemble horses or antelopes.

Notable Beasts[ | ]

Specific types of Beasts[ | ]

Type Example Native in Description Storyline
Alms Beasts Alms Beast Ravnica Giant, muscular, hairless, grey beasts which can be ridden by groups of people. Used by the Orzhov.
Anurids Anurid Barkripper Dominaria (Otaria) Amphibious, frog-like creatures. Appear to be water-dwelling.
Aquamoebae Aquamoeba Dominaria Watery elementals
Aquuses Aquus Steed Ravnica Sleek amphibious horse-like creatures with a crest on the head like a fish's fin. Graceful in water but darts and jerks on land. No-one can ride it for long due to its darting and jerking.
Arashin War Beasts Arashin War Beast Tarkir Hairy muscular beasts with metal armor on backs, able to stand on hind legs and perform magic. Used by the Abzan.
Arborback Stompers Arborback Stomper Kaladesh Woody beasts with green stripes, green ferns growing from their backs, a horn coming from the top of their snouts, and small crests coming from the back of their heads. Altered by touching the aether, having been drawn there like a magnetic force. It is unclear which of its unusual qualities are due to the aether, and which are natural.
Arc-Sloggers Arc-Slogger Mirrodin Pink, hairless, six-legged, with one eye, an electric tail, and spikes protruding from their backs, with electricity at the end of them. They smell of ozone.
Avaraxes Avarax Dominaria (Otaria) Vaguely humanoid, reddish-orange, two pairs of arms, covered in red spikes, no eyes, big mouths, and sharp teeth. They have the ability to call each other together.
Axebane Beasts Axebane Beast Ravnica Spikes on the back similar to a pinecone, four pairs of tusks each progressively smaller as you go back, elephantine feet. Extremely territorial and short-tempered. Known to the urban hunters.
Baloths Obstinate Baloth Dominaria
Zendikar
Lizard-like creatures, often with horns protruding from their heads and backs.
Most have sharp claws and daggerlike teeth.[4]
However, some forms native to Zendikar resemble rhinoceroses or stegosaurids with hooves.
Favored by Garruk
Batterhorns Batterhorn Ravnica Giant horned predators. Very destructive creatures when they enter densely inhabited areas.
Beasts of Bogardan Beasts of Bogardan Dominaria (Bogardan) Fiery dog-like creatures. Some were summoned by Johan to fight Jedit Ojanen in Palmyra.
Binoxes Charging Binox Kylem Two-headed horned predators, bred for flashiness and foul temper Used in the arena of Valor's Reach.
Bogbeasts Blossoming Bogbeast Arcavios Crude and clumsy swamp creatures.
Bogstompers Bogstomper Unknown (possibly Skalla) Enormous animals somewhere between a crocodile and an elephant with vegetation growing on back described as gentle herbivores At some point, Vivien Reid encountered at least one - she seems to know a lot about them
Catoblepas (Cah-toh-BLEE-pahs)[5] Loathsome Catoblepas Theros Catoblepas have the body of an ox, the head of a boar, and scales on their backs.[6]
Cerodons Bull Cerodon Alara (Naya)

Amonkhet

A form of gargantuan from Naya.[7] Massive horned creatures that move surprisingly silently, but also can produce terrifying screams.[8]
Chupacabras Lurking Chupacabra Ixalan Malicious horror beasts based on the more canine-looking interpretations of this cryptid.
Craghorns Battering Craghorn Dominaria (Otaria) Giant goat-like creatures with large horns.
Darba Darba Dominaria (Jamuraa) Enormous bird beasts, that are relatives of the parea.
They can grow upwards of twenty-five feet and are capable of picking up oxen in their beaks.
They would attack even well-armed Keldon encampments in search of food.
Dreg Reavers Dreg Reaver Alara (Grixis) Heavily armored zombies used by Grixis's necromancers.[9]
Fangren Fangren Pathcutter Mirrodin Humanoid creatures, propelling themselves on two legs while their frontal extremities bear sharp claws.
They have antelope-like heads and horns but maws with dagger-like teeth.
Big ones hunt the elves, so the elves hunt the small ones to keep them from getting big.
Ferox Nullhide Ferox Ravnica Large hairy predators. All fangs, tusks, and claws.
Firebeasts Goretusk Firebeast Dominaria (Otaria) Fiery elemental creatures, resembling oxen or boars. As a youth, Kamahl took one for a pet.
Galefangs Howling Galefang Eldraine Bear-like beasts, able to create a magical wind. Kept as pets by Giants.
Gargadons Lesser Gargadon Dominaria Enormous elephant-like beasts with horns. Used as war-beasts in Keld, though Gargadon depicts it as dicynodont-like.
Gargaroths Elder Gargaroth Unknown
Gnarlid Gnarlid Pack Zendikar Wolverine -like beast with horns.
Gnarr Glade Gnarr Dominaria, Ikoria Deer- or antelope-like creatures that inhabit wetlands. Long thought merely a Dominarian legend.
Godsires Godsire Alara (Naya) An almighty form of gargantuan from Naya.[7]
Goriaks Mosscoat Goriak Ikoria Large, stubborn, and hardy herbivores from wetland habitats. They have beautiful voices.
Gournas Needleshot Gourna Dominaria (Otaria) Treeclimbing scaled anteaters from Krosa.
Grendelkin Dominaria (Otaria) Hairy, warty things with natural armor plates, with a huge head but spindly legs that drag uselessly behind them as they walk on their knuckles.[10]
Guardian Beast Guardian Beast Rabiah A powerful multilimbed, shadowy creature Found in the workshop of El Hajjaj, guarding the City in a Bottle.
It was fought off by the Dervish Taysir.
Hystrodons Macetail Hystrodon Dominaria (Otaria) Ankylosaur-like beasts.
Indriks Indrik Stomphowler Ravnica Massive beasts similar to prehistoric indricotheres.
Possibly named after the Slavic mythological creature that named that group as well.[11]
Jiaos Leopard-Spotted Jiao Shenmeng This strange beast has the hide of a leopard, the howl of a dog, and the horns of an ox.
Kelpies River Kelpie Shadowmoor, Arcavios Ugly, vicious blob-like creatures on Shadowmoor or horselike spirits on Arcavios. On Shadowmoor, kelpies use mind-clouding magic to lure victims to the river's edge, then use lightning-fast jaws to devour them.[12] They have an eerie ability to survive injuries that should be lethal.
Kronch Raging Kronch Ravnica Snorting and drooling beasts with many tusks and horns, employed by the Gruul.
Krovods Bazaar Krovod Ravnica Large horned ox-like creatures. Often used as beasts of burden.
Krushoks Feral Krushok Tarkir Large, rhino-like beasts.
Laccoliths Laccolith Warrior Rath Large, burrowing lizard-like humanoids mutated by the environmental effects of Rath to turn to stone.[13] Employed by Volrath.
Leucrocota Ravenous Leucrocota Theros Reptilian hyena-like monsters
Lopers Dominaria Huge, red-scaled creatures used as mounts in Urborg.[14]
Lorians Treespring Lorian Dominaria (Otaria) Ferocious sloth-like beasts living in the treetops of Krosa.
Manglehorns Manglehorn Amonkhet The name says it all.
Monox Dominaria A large mount used by Jedit Ojanen. An ungainly brute half the size of an elephant with the ugliest features of camel and horse.[15][16]
Nodorogs Gruul Nodorog Ravnica Lean predators with three horns and large claws.
Primadoxes Roaring Primadox Shandalar Bipedal ape-like monsters with large fangs.
Quagnoths Quagnoth Rath A relative of the Scragnoth, native to acidic seas and ironkelp beds.[17] The quagnoth's scales, resilient enough to withstand the acidic waters of its home, are equally resistant to magic.
Rakeclaws Rakeclaw Gargantuan Alara (Naya) A form of gargantuan from Naya.[7]
Rannets Ridge Rannet Alara (Naya) A form of gargantuan from Naya.[18]
Rigida Dominaria (Terisiare) Ice Beasts. They overran the state of Almaaz immediately after the Brothers' War.
Scalpelexis Scalpelexis Dominaria An unusual beast that lands on its victims heads and robs bits of knowledge from them.[19] Its name is a combination of scalp, scalpel, and lexis (meaning "word").
Shadowbeast Shadowbeast Sighting Innistrad A warped and twisted parody of a humanoid, caught somewhere at the intersection between man, beast, and tree.[20]
Shaleskins Shaleskin Plower Dominaria (Otaria) Enormous reptiles with stone-like skins.
Si Earthshaking Si Shenmeng Maned predators with one long horn on their noses.
Slaughterhorns Slaughterhorn Ravnica Unpredictable ox-like creature with multiple horns.[21] Beasts that are associated with the Gruul.
Sloths Relic Sloth, Arboreal Grazer Ravnica, Arcavios Sloths are for now typed as beasts. Most sloths seen so far seem to be giant ground sloths.
Snapjaw Adaptive Snapjaw Ravnica Part toad, part lizard, possibly part mouse. Artificially created by the Simic.
Snidds Sea Snidd Rath
Dominaria
Land-transforming eel-like creatures with limbs.
Spearbreakers Spearbreaker Behemoth Alara (Naya) A form of gargantuan from Naya.[7]
Spiritmongers Spiritmonger Dominaria Dominarian part-tree beasts that use a protective shield of dead spirits.[22] They are enraged by Phyrexian technology.[23]
Starrix Auspicious Starrix Ikoria Giant Elk Beasts.
Tanadon Thundering Tanadon New Phyrexia
Thoctars Woolly Thoctar Alara Some of the most ferocious and deadly gargantuans from Naya.[7]
Thragtusks Thragtusk Shandalar Longhaired, fanged, aurochs-like beasts.
Trudges Brackish Trudge Arcavios Lumbering beasts covered with decaying plant matter, making them ideal breeding grounds for fungal spores.
Tyrranaxes Alpha Tyrranax Mirrodin. Large, metal-enhanced reptiles.[24]
Vizzerdrixes Vizzerdrix Dominaria Vicious rabbit-beasts "A bored wizard once created a vizzerdrix out of a bunny and a piranha. He never made that mistake again." - 7th Ed. flavor text
Vorracs Copperhoof Vorrac Mirrodin. Metal-enhanced beasts, similar to giant warthogs.[25] Source of the famous Vorrac Battlehorns[26]
Wumpuses Hunted Wumpus Dominaria (Shiv)
Mercadia
They are elephant-like but with a woolly head and gigantic teeth, and without a trunk. Their hooves may have claws. Their name is a reference to the game Hunt the Wumpus.[19]
Zheng Ferocious Zheng Shenmeng Known for their glowing horn and stone-rattling roar.
These cat beasts are the fiercest predators in the forest.
Zeppelids Assault Zeppelid Ravnica Long bulbous sea creature-like beasts, small green wart-like features on their undersides, large, inflated, green air-sacs on top, a honeycomb texture on the rest of it. Able to fly, probably with the air-sacs. Created by the Simic, intended to create a fierce bidding war between the Orzhov and Azorius to fund the final stages of Project Kraj.

Gallery[ | ]

Tokens[ | ]

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Beast Black Creature — Beast 3/3 Deathtouch
Green Creature — Beast 2/2
Green Creature — Beast 4/2
Green Creature — Beast 3/3
Green Creature — Beast 4/4
Green Creature — Beast 5/5
Green Creature — Beast 5/5 Trample
Red/​Green Creature — Beast 4/4 Trample
Red/​Green/​White Creature — Beast 8/8
Colorless Artifact Creature — Beast 6/6
Carnivore Red Creature — Beast 3/1
Fungus Beast Green Creature — Fungus Beast 4/4 Trample
Cat Beast White Creature — Cat Beast 2/2
Dinosaur Beast Green Creature — Dinosaur Beast X/X Trample
Fungus Beast Green Creature — Fungus Beast 4/4 Trample
Phyrexian Beast Green Creature — Phyrexian Beast 3/3 Toxic 1
Green Creature — Phyrexian Beast 4/4
Caller of the Pack Green Creature — Beast 8/6 Trample

Trivia[ | ]

  • When Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths had a strong tribal theme in vision design, Beasts were the green-centered tribe.[27]
  • Beast of Burden is not a Beast.
  • Krosan Warchief is a Beast Lord.
  • Gruul Keyrune is a manstone that can become a 3/2 red and green Beast artifact creature with trample.
  • Hidden Predators is a Enchantment that can become a 4/4 green Beast.
  • Often referred to by the community as "booster ruiners", Trained Orgg's and Vizzerdrix's foil versions came to grow into valuable and coveted collector cards - partially because of the meme, partially because of the nostalgia. They also have grown to be probably some of most famous Beast-type creatures in the game. As of March 2022, the prices for these cards ranged from $80USD to $160USD according to MTGGoldfish - while in E-Bay they were being sold for as high as $120USD to $265USD.

References[ | ]

  1. Mark Rosewater (November 18, 2002). "Beast of Show". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. Chris Mooney (April 2, 2020). "Planeswalker's Guide to Ikoria". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Jay Annelli (2022). Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, DK. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.
  4. Doug Beyer (August 10, 2011). "Magic's Exclusive Creatures". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. Wizards of the Coast (September 26, 2013). "Theran Pronunciation Quiz". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. Trick Jarrett (November 08, 2013). "What is a Catoblepas?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. a b c d e Doug Beyer (November 5, 2008). "The Movers and Shakers of Naya". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. Plane Shift: Amonkhet
  9. Doug Beyer & Jenna Helland (2008). A Planeswalker's Guide to Alara, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786951246
  10. Chainer's Torment
  11. Matt Cavotta (August 09, 2006). "The Incredible Hulk". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. (2008). Eventide Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Daneen McDermott, Scott McGough, and Jess Lebow (February 23, 2000). "The Magic Storyline Team Discusses Nemesis (archived)". wizards.com.
  14. J. Robert King (1998-1999). "Born to Greatness" The Duelist #29, 32, & 34.
  15. Legend of Jedit Ojanen
  16. Clayton Emery (2001). jedit. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. Lexicon of the Future. Wizards of the Coast (2008). Archived from the original on August 8, 2009.
  18. Doug Beyer (June 10, 2009). "Graduation Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. a b Wizards of the Coast (January 15, 2002). "The Lexicon Archive". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017.
  20. Seanan McGuire (September 03, 2021). "Tangles". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. Trick Jarrett (May 10, 2013). "Bloodrush Art". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. Daniel Stahl. "Remember Me? (archived)". wizards.com.
  23. Flavor text of Tear Asunder
  24. Doug Beyer (March 16, 2011). "Six Secrets Behind the Sets". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  25. Magic Arcana (May 14, 2007). "The Ferocious Vorrac". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. Monty Ashley (September 27, 2010). "Copperhorn". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. Mark Rosewater (April 20, 2020). "Ikoria of the Beholder, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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