Domri Rade
SLAVIC NATIVE AMERICAN GREASER </thread> While an apt description of Domri Rade, there actually is more to the little dude. Domri Rade is a Planeswalker from the plane of Ravnica, basically a world-city. He hails from parts unknown but is now a member of the Burning-Tree clan. He's basically what you would get if you gave your average, unsatisfied, rebellious, kids-these-days youth super powers.
Early Life[edit]
Domri was orphaned at a young age, and knows nothing of his parents, and so begins the setup for the story of an edgy teen. His life as a street urchin was often impaired by petty things such as "laws" and "rules", thus the Gruul attitude of "ROW ROW, FIGHT DA POWAH" appealed greatly to the young Rade. He tried his hardest to join the Gruul clans, but he was far too small and wiry to attract any notice. But, like any rejected nerd, Domri lurked close to the Gruul, eventually learning that he was exceptionally skilled at commanding animals to do his bidding. One fine day, the Orzhov attacked the Gruul home of The Rubblebelt. But young Domri was ready. He unleashed a veritable horde of animals at the Orzhov, forcing them to retreat (and making the Obzedat wonder why no one just used Merciless Eviction). Borborygmos, leader of the strongest Gruul Clan, Burning-Tree, declared young Domri Rade to be an honorary member of his clan.
The Rite of Passage[edit]
Everything went well for Domri for a while. He was able to do all the things he wanted (namely: fight and break things) without any Azorius or Boros lackeys knocking him over the head. This all changed when he was told it was time for the -dramatic music- Rite of Passage. This rite involves burying the Gruul alive with magic to protect their body, but nothing to protect their mind. Presumably, any who are brought out as a gibbering wreck are too weak to be Gruul and are killed, while those who persevere and escape the confinement are strong. Domri, small and wiry still, talked a big game about the rite, how he wasn't afraid and how he would be fine. But on the inside he was terrified. When the dirt covered his body and he couldn't move he started to panic, freaking out and imagining being under the open skies until he suddenly poofed onto the plane of Naya, his Spark activated. Unluckily for him, his joy at being freed attracted a Gargantuan that would have killed him right then and there were it not for the intervention of the locals, who he rewarded by babbling on and on about Ravnica until he eventually faded back onto it. The rest, as they say, is history.
Guilds of Ravnica Block[edit]
Showing up in the second set, Domri has succeeded in becoming the leader of the Gruul Clans, seeking to unite the loose clans in their destruction of Ravnica. Thanks to a little help from a certain dragon, he continued to help tip the scales in favor of the Gruul, helping to destroy vast swathes of Ravnica. With how good he wrecked shit on Ravnica, many members of the Gruul Clans thought him to be a herald of the Raze-Boar, who would bring about the End Raze to destroy Ravnica for good. The sick spear that he got from Bolas helped to drive that thought home, just as planned.
Fast forward to War of the Spark, in which most of Ravnica WAS actually destroyed, the End Raze began with Domri and Bolas working together to raise chaos in the city. This destruction caused many different kinds of phenomena to arise: from powerful elementals of destruction raising themselves from the cobbles to the manifestation of the Raze-Boar itself. With the Boar manifested and readily kicking the shit in of anyone who was in its way, Bolas does what he does to pretty much anyone he works with: betrays them. Domri ends up being one of the first walkers to have their Spark forcibly removed, which is a lethal process.
Cards[edit]
Domri Rade has two Planeswalker cards. He is a multicolored Planeswalker of the colors Red and Green. His +1 allows you to look at the top card of your Library and, if it is a creature card, reveal it and put it in your hand. His -2 has a creature you control fight another creature, one of the few ways to make creatures attack each other (and yes, you can fight your own creatures, but that creature cannot fight itself). His final ability is a big -7 that gives you an emblem which buffs your creatures into the stratosphere. If you can SOMEHOW get him that high, congratulations, you probably just won. Overall a fairly strong card in creature-based decks, for obvious reasons. Costs 3 and starts with 3 Loyalty.
His second card, Chaos Bringer, follows Domri's succession into his role as the leader of the Gruul Clans. Costing one more generic mana from his original appearance (and with a cockney accent to boot), he starts with 5 loyalty. His +1 lets you add 1 Red or 1 Green mana to your mana pool, and if you use this mana to cast a creature, then you can have it enter the battlefield with either a +1/+1 counter on it or haste. While this basically does nothing the turn he comes out, things will start to get shaky for your opponent when your small threats become hasty beatdowns or bigger threats in their own right. His -3 ability lets you nab 2 creatures from the top 4 cards of your library, which is what you'll probably be doing the first turn he comes out. His -8 Ultimate ability gives you an emblem that pops out a 4/4 Beast token at the end of every end step, including your opponents! This is backbreaking and will (slowly, but assuredly) win you the game, as most Planeswalker Ultimates often do. Another fine addition to any creature based decks.
| Planeswalkers of Magic: The Gathering | |
|---|---|
| Original Five: | Ajani Goldmane - Chandra Nalaar Garruk Wildspeaker - Jace Beleren - Liliana Vess |
| Alara: | Elspeth Tirel - Nicol Bolas - Sarkhan Vol - Tezzeret |
| Zendikar: | Gideon Jura - Nissa Revane - Sorin Markov |
| Scars of Mirrodin: | Karn - Koth of the Hammer - Venser |
| Innistrad: | Tamiyo - Tibalt - Davriel Cane |
| Return to Ravnica: | Domri Rade - Ral Zarek - Vraska |
| Theros: | Ashiok - Kiora - Xenagos - Calix |
| Tarkir: | Ugin - Narset |
| Kaladesh: | Dovin Baan - Saheeli Rai |
| Amonkhet: | Samut |
| Other: | Dack Fayden - Vivien Reid - Kaya |
| Commander 2014: | Daretti - Freyalise - Nahiri - Ob Nixilis - Teferi |
| Pre-mending: | Bo Levar - Commodore Guff - Jaya Ballard - Urza |
| Forgotten Realms: | Ellywick Tumblestrum - Bahamut - Lolth - Zariel - Mordenkainen |
| Planeswalker Groups: | The Gatewatch |