Magic: The Gathering’s latest set goes back to the Greek and Roman mythology-inspired world of Theros, home to monsters, heroes and most importantly, a pantheon of mighty gods.
Theros Beyond Death is the latest offering from Wizards of the Coast and the plane in which we’ll spend our time in the next few months. This is the second time players can enjoy this enchanting setting after the massive success of Theros, Born of the Gods and Journey into Nyx sets released in 2013.
Last time we followed the tragic story of the heroine Elspeth Tirel and her dealings with the unnatural forces ruling over Theros - the pantheon of gods seated in their home in the night sky named Nyx.
Today we’re looking at some of these iconic deities to prepare for their new arrival. While the original Theros block featured all 15 gods - one single-colored and 10 two-colored, today we’re listing the big five, as they will be major players in the story to come. Let’s begin!
Helliod
The God of the Sun clearly draws inspiration from the Greek god Helios. His reputation is far less shiny than his spear, though. Driven by jealousy and hatred, he killed his own champion, Elspeth, turning to an unexpected villain in the story.
Thassa
Magic’s answer to Poseidon is the merfolk-looking Goddess of the Sea. Representing pure blue mana, this mighty deity is associated with aquatic creatures, knowledge, and mystery. Her emblematic bident was stolen by the planeswalker Kiora, who we recently saw fighting in the War of the Spark.
Erebos
Erebos is the Magic counterpart to Hades, the God of the Dead. This keeper of the Underworld rules over the souls of all the people who die on Theros. They enter his realm adorned with funeral masks that are the set symbol of Theros Beyond Death. He is certainly going to be a central character in the story of the expansion.
Purphoros
The God of the Forge rather strikingly resembles the Olympian god Hephaestus, the tireless creator. Purphoros wields a mighty hammer and the entire world is his forge. Backed by his worshipers, his rage can cause total mayhem on the battlefield.
Nylea
The Theros Goddess of the Hunt is based on Artemis, the greatest sharpshooter the world has ever seen. She protects the forests and the growth of life. She is worshipped not only by humans but also by wild creatures such as nymphs and satyrs.
With your mind refreshed it is time to enter Theros once more and meet those gods. They all have new cards with an amazing Nyx-inspired card frame and bearing extremely powerful and useful effects. In true Theros tradition, they also require Devotion to their respective colors, so should you choose to include one of them in your deck, make sure they are surrounded by loyal followers and supported by powerful enchantments and artifacts.
