Demon

Demons are powerful, evil beings who are often difficult to control and exact a price from anyone who tries to deal with them. They are usually associated with black mana, and the occasional influence of red mana. Physically, almost all of the demons herewithin are pure manifestations of black mana, without true flesh. Demon is the iconic creature for the color black. They are all intentionally male.

The first cards to bear the type were Demonic Hordes and Lord of the Pit in Alpha.

Afraid of main stream critcism on the growing game of Magic, both the creature type and the word “Demonic” disappeared in 1995. For the same reason the pentagram got removed from the Fourth Edition Unholy Strength. For all practical purposes, demons were replaced by Horrors. Demons returned to the game in the fall of 2002 with the release of Onslaught. WotC had realised that other popular entertainment (from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer to Hellboy) had made demons fashionable.

Storyline

Dominaria

Lords of the Pit

A lord of the pit.

A Lord of the Pit is a powerful creature with a gigantic jaw full of razor teeth, two huge wings, and claws. One was summoned by Ravidel at the Dueling Chasm of Golthonor in his battle against Kristina of the Woods, Jared Carthalion, and Altair of Coloni, where the pit lord killed Hoont the spitting slug. Another was summoned by a mage in Kush during fights on Arena. Lords of the pit are so powerful, requiring a constant stream of sacrifices to be kept under control, that even planeswalkers are wary of summoning them. One of them, named Thomil, summoned a lord of the pit in a fight with Worzel and lost his control over it what cost him very long time to recover.

It is unknown whether or not the Lord of the Pit was meant to be the "Devil" of the Magic the Gathering Universe.

Minions of Leshrac

A minion of Leshrac.

Minions of Leshrac were large, batlike sharp-toothed demonic creatures. Jodah and Jaya Ballard fought one of them in the cave near Tresserhorn. The minions of Leshrac also fought in the battle of Kjeldor and Balduvia with Lim-Dûl.

Demonic Hordes

Large swarms of lesser demons who share a penchant for destroying the land of Dominaria.

Minions of Tevesh Szat

A minion of Tevesh Szat.

Mold Demons

A mold demon.

Mold demons are monsters that stand several dozen feet in height and equipped with sharp spikes and teeth made from blue-black mold spores; they are capable of extremely fast regeneration. The shapeshifter Halfdane took the form of a mold demon during his fight with Ayesha Tanaka and Tor Wauki.

Mirrodin

Demons exist on the artificial plane of Mirrodin though, like all other non-artificial life, were likely brought to the plane via the soul traps created by Memnarch.

Reiver demon

Reiver Demon is traditionally bat-winged demon, notable primarily for being the source of Demon's Horn.

Carnifex demon

Carnifex Demon is a Phyrexian demon who appears as a black skinned humanoid with a large skeletal jaw covering his decaying humanoid face. This demon spreads the contagion around, infecting other creatures with its virus. Ironically, Carnifex himself appears to be infected with the contagion.

Grixis

In the Shard of Alara known as Grixis, demons run rampant consuming the living.

Archdemon of Unx

A large demon composed mostly of the tortured visages of the occupants of the necropolis of Unx.

Defiler of Souls

The Defiler of Souls is believed to be the punishment that awaits any who slide into sin by the Bantian people. Bears a striking resemblance to the Prince of Thralls.

Extractor Demons

Large demons who wear the bones of their victims as accesories. These demons collect the bones (teeth, skulls, etc.) of their prey and sometimes forge the bones into weaponry.

Prince of Thralls

A powerful demon who could command the dead and destroy the living, claiming there is no one he cannot control or command. Given his flavor text, it is implied he may have been the demon who manipulated Sedris into becoming a lich and caused the corruption that is now Grixis. The demon is characterized by its dark blue skin tone and blood stained horns.

Innistrad

Long ago on Innistrad, demons were a threat only whispered about, feared by vampires and humans alike. They were thought to be long dead, or mythical. But then Avacyn and her angels came, and with her presence a new equilibrium was reached. Vampires, werewolves, and the undead were driven back to restore the balance between humanity and the rest of the world's beings. But their retreat opened a space—an opportunity for Innistrad's infernal forces to manifest. The demons and their hosts of devils began to arrive, one by one.

Born from ancient demon-worship, the Skirsdag are now a secret demon cult centered in the High City of Thraben.

Reaper from the Abyss

Reaper from the Abyss is a powerful, cunning demon, who seduces humans into worshiping him. True to his title, he is a swift and merciless killer.

Bloodgift Demon

Bloodgift Demon is a sinister master of souls, promising to lend eldritch power in exchange for devotion. In Griselbrand's absence, many Skirsdag cultists chose to name him as their dark lord.

Withengar "Unbound"

Withengar is infamous even among demons as being dangerously strong. He fought and succeeded in killing the demon-slayer known as Saint Traft. Soon after, he was trapped within a bone dagger, lying in wait until he could taste the blood of a powerful mage and be set free.

Kamigawa

A black-aligned oni.

A red-aligned oni.

The oni are malevolent spirits of evil and chaos in Kamigawa, most of whom were locked away in the Sokenzan Mountains. Following the outbreak of the Kami War, many were released by their o-bakemono worshipers to bring destruction to the plane. Unlike the demons of most other planes, some oni are created from red mana rather than black. Oni may be recognized by the presence of their third eye.

Shadowmoor

Demon hounds exist on Shadowmoor. They are mostly monstrous demons devoid of any intelligence.

Phyrexia

Yawgmoth Demons

A Yawgmoth demon.

The demons of Phyrexia inhabit its Sixth Sphere and are the most powerful and loyal minions of Yawgmoth. They form the majority of Yawgmoth's Inner Circle.

Lesser Demons

During the times of Greensleeves, Phyrexia was inhabited by fleshy and mindless demons, which had only one purpose: to gather all artifacts they find and bring them to Phyrexia.

Ravnica

A Ravnican demon.

Demons of Ravnica are few in number, but appear otherwise similar to Dominarian demons. The most famous is Rakdos, parun and guildmaster of the Cult of Rakdos.

Half-demons

Though it is uncertain what the hideous process through which the Cult of Rakdos go through to create half-demons, the result is unique to each one.

Woebringer Demons

A small black demon with an insatiable appetite. They are known for causing panic throughout the streets of Ravnica and consuming the souls of other creatures. However, it is implied that these demons will die quickly if they are unable to find any souls to devour.

Tarkir

Several types of demons exist in Tarkir, mostly associated with the Sultai Brood and the Mardu Horde. The most unique are the Rakshasa, demonic tiger-like cats, with which the Sultai have made pacts for power.

Theros

Theros demons are souls long consumed by hatred and other negative emotions, eventually corrupted by black mana in an astonishingly quick process. With some effort, some fly back to the world of the living from the Underworld, leading "second lives" in a myrad of ways, usually as yet another form of wild monster.

Zendikar

Various demons exist on Zendikar, most of which possess incredible and rather destructive powers. The most notable demon on Zendikar is Ob Nixilis, a fallen planeswalker who lost his spark and seeks revenge against the land that corrupted him. Like most other demons on other planes, these demons covet power and wish to take the land's energy for themselves.

Hellcarver Demons

The Hellcarver are demons who demand litterally ALL physical materials for their services, once the pact is made, one must sacrifice everything for them. The price is great, but the reward they offer is irresistable.

Halo Hunters

Demons who hunt down and kill angels where they roam and collect the remains as trophies to hang in their homes.

Abyssal Persecutors

Abyssal Persecutor A ruthless and efficient demon easily summoned by planeswalkers. The drawback is that they enjoy abusing their victims so much that they use their dark arts to make their victims immortal.

Pestilence Demons

A demon similar to Ob Nixilis in that they covet power and domination. They fly around, inflicting plague and torment upon everyone around them. It is also interesting to note that pestilence demons seem to bear a traditional, goatlike appearance.

Unknown

Demons of Death's Gate

A powerful demon of unknown origin that can be released through the offering of marrow and sinew and blood. It is characterized by its monstrous gapping maw and colossal chiropteran wings.

Xathrid Demons

Demons possessing a menacing grin and pale skin, the Xathrid are powerful demons known for making contracts with people in exchange for power. However, the only currency they accept is flesh and blood, much to the horror of their clients and cultists.

Notable Demons

Dominaria

• The Spirit of the Night is an infamous slayer native to the continent of Jamuraa.
• Lady Orca

Grixis

• Malfegor who is said to have been involved in the Sundering of Alara.
• Nefarox

Innistrad

• Griselbrand, one of four influential archdemons who claimed ownership over the soul of Liliana Vess. On Innistrad, he rose in power to eclipse all other demons. Griselbrand was locked into the Helvault, together with Avacyn. After their escape, he was killed by Liliana.
• Shilgengar, the demon which preyed on Edgar Markov's ambition and whispered secrets that would point the way to the creation of vampires on Innistrad.
• Withengar, the killer of Saint Traft
• Archdemon of Greed

Kamigawa

• The All-Consuming Oni of Chaos
• Kagemaro, First to Suffer was the first human to become so evil that his spirit became an oni or "demon spirit". His strength is determined by the number of cards in his controller's hand. He can also be sacrificed to cause a sometimes fatal reduction in strength of all creatures in play.
• Kuro, Pitlord was a powerful oni who took many Nezumi and others as his minions.
• Kyoki, Sanity's Eclipse draws on the power of spirit magic to eat away at an opponent's mind.
• Seizan, Perverter of Truth. A powerful, evil oni known for its ability to deceive.
• Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked. An oni overlord.
• Yukora, the Prisoner, imprisoned by 99 monks with a magic spell.
• Urami, a legendary oni caged underground for centuries.

Phyrexia

• Abcal-dro was a Phyrexian Inner Circle member who oversaw Belbe's creation, implanted her lens and used it to oversee her selection of the new evincar.
• Ashtok
• Croag was a powerful Inner Circle member who worked alongside Davvol on Rath. He was badly wounded by Kreig.
• Gix
• Kirril was a close servant of Yawgmoth who brought Crovax to Phyrexia for compleation.

Ravnica

• Rakdos is the Ravnican guild leader of the Cult of Rakdos.

Tarkir

• Feyomsi, a rakshasa sorcerer and necromancer that personally teaches Sidisi, the Sultai khan. He governs the necropolis of Ukud, served by a group of loyal mages primarily composed of humans.
• Ebirri, a rakshasa with whom Taigam made a pact with, and the one responsible for leading to his defection of the Jeskai. When attacked by Jeskai zealots, Taigam took the opportunity to try to murder Ebirri, but failed.

Zendikar

• Ob Nixilis, a fallen planeswalker trapped by Zendikar's wild mana. It is unknown if he was a demon before his fall or not.

Unknown

• Kothophed, with whom Liliana Vess traded her soul for youth and power.

Grand Creature Type Update

In the Grand Creature Type Update the following creature types were changed into Demon:

• Infernal-Denizen (Infernal Denizen)
• Minor Demon (Boris Devilboon)
• Mold-Demon (Mold Demon)
• Wretched (The Wretched)

Demon tokens

Demon tokens are produced by:

• Boris Devilboon (1/1 black and red Demon "named Minor Demon")
• Demonic Rising (5/5 black Demon with flying)
• Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath (5/5 black Demon with flying)
• Promise of Power (X/X black Demon with flying)
• Skirsdag High Priest (5/5 black Demon with flying)
• Tomb of Urami (legendary 5/5 black Demon Spirit with flying "named Urami")

Trivia

• Withengar Unbound has the highest power and toughness of any demon.

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