Born of the Gods

Born of the Gods is the second set in the Theros block of Magic: The Gathering. Released in February 2014, the set continued the Greek mythology-inspired world of Theros while expanding its themes of gods, heroes, enchantments, devotion, and monsters.

With 165 cards, Born of the Gods introduced new mechanics while bringing back important mechanics from Theros. The set included 60 commons, 60 uncommons, 35 rares, and 10 mythic rares.

For collectors, older MTG players, and anyone researching the Theros block, Born of the Gods is an important set to understand. Its cards also helped shape Limited formats during the period and expanded several mechanics that would become closely associated with Theros.

What Is Born of the Gods?

Born of the Gods is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set released on February 7, 2014. Its Prerelease events took place on February 1–2, followed by Launch Weekend from February 7–9.

The set continues the story of Theros after the events of the original Theros expansion. Gods and mortals remain central to the setting, while the rise of Xenagos creates further conflict across the plane.

From a gameplay perspective, Born of the Gods builds on the enchantment-heavy design of Theros. It also introduces new mechanics such as Inspired and Tribute, while continuing mechanics including Bestow, Heroic, Devotion, Scry, and Gods.

Born of the Gods at a glance

• Set: Born of the Gods
• Abbreviation: BNG
• Block: Theros
• Release date: February 7, 2014
• Card count: 165
• Commons: 60
• Uncommons: 60
• Rares: 35
• Mythic rares: 10
• Plane: Theros
• Major themes: Gods, devotion, enchantments, heroes, monsters, and mythology

Born of the Gods Mechanics

The set’s mechanics are a major reason it remains interesting to MTG players. Some mechanics were completely new, while others returned from Theros.

Inspired

Inspired is one of the signature mechanics introduced in Born of the Gods.

A creature with Inspired triggers its ability whenever it becomes untapped. Since creatures normally untap at the beginning of their controller’s turn, attacking can become an important part of triggering the ability.

The interesting part is that players can also find other ways to tap their creatures and then untap them later.

This creates an additional layer of decision-making. A creature may have value beyond its combat statistics because its Inspired ability can generate cards, mana, creatures, or other advantages.

Tribute

Tribute gives an opponent a difficult choice.

When a creature with Tribute enters the battlefield, the opponent can either place the specified number of +1/+1 counters on it or allow another ability to trigger because Tribute was not paid.

This creates a classic “pick your poison” situation.

For example, an opponent may choose to make the creature larger to prevent its additional ability from triggering. Alternatively, they may refuse to pay Tribute and accept the creature’s additional effect.

The mechanic was designed specifically as Born of the Gods’ replacement for the Monstrosity mechanic used in Theros.

Bestow

Bestow returns from Theros.

A creature with Bestow can be cast as an Aura instead of being cast as a creature. When used as an Aura, it gives its abilities and power/toughness to the enchanted creature.

If the enchanted creature leaves the battlefield, the Bestow card can become a creature instead.

This gives players flexibility because the same card can function as either a creature or an Aura.

Devotion

Devotion counts the colored mana symbols in the mana costs of permanents you control.

Born of the Gods expanded the mechanic by introducing Gods that cared about devotion to two colors rather than one.

This encouraged players to build their permanents and mana base around particular color combinations.

Heroic

Heroic returns from Theros.

A creature with Heroic triggers when its controller casts a spell that targets it. The reward can range from +1/+1 counters to other useful effects.

This encourages players to combine creatures with combat tricks, Auras, and other targeted spells.

Scry

Born of the Gods also continued the Scry mechanic.

Scry allows a player to look at cards from the top of their library and decide which ones should remain on top and which should go to the bottom.

This helps improve the consistency of a deck by allowing players to filter cards they do not currently need.

The Gods of Born of the Gods

One of the biggest attractions of the set is its cycle of five two-color Gods.

Unlike the original Theros Gods, the Born of the Gods Gods are two-colored. Each has a devotion requirement connected to its two colors.

The five Gods are:

• Ephara, God of the Polis — white and blue
• Phenax, God of Deception — blue and black
• Mogis, God of Slaughter — black and red
• Xenagos, God of Revels — red and green
• Karametra, God of Harvests — green and white

These Gods are legendary enchantment creatures with indestructible. They only function as creatures when the controller’s devotion to their colors reaches the required threshold.

Their design helped reinforce one of the central themes of the Theros block: building a permanent base that could generate enough devotion to awaken powerful Gods.

What Makes Born of the Gods Different From Theros?

Although Born of the Gods belongs to the same block, it has a different mechanical identity.

Theros established the block’s core themes, including enchantment creatures, Bestow, Heroic, Devotion, Scry, and the original Gods.

Born of the Gods expanded those ideas and introduced Inspired and Tribute.

The set also introduced new enchantment creatures called Archetypes. Each Archetype grants a particular keyword ability to your creatures while preventing your opponents’ creatures from having that ability.

This made the set feel like an expansion of the original Theros environment rather than a completely separate mechanical direction.

Born of the Gods in Limited Play

Born of the Gods was particularly important in Limited formats because players had to build decks from a restricted pool of cards.

At the Prerelease, players received a seeded booster, two Born of the Gods boosters, and three Theros boosters. Wizards of the Coast recommended building a minimum 40-card deck, generally using around two colors and approximately 23 nonland spells alongside lands.

This meant players needed to evaluate cards based not only on individual strength but also on how well they worked together.

Important Limited considerations included:

• Mana curve
• Creature quality
• Removal
• Combat tricks
• Heroic synergy
• Bestow creatures
• Devotion requirements
• Inspired triggers
• Tribute choices
• Color balance
• Scry effects

The combination of Theros and Born of the Gods created a Limited environment where enchantments and creature synergies could significantly influence deck construction.

Born of the Gods Prerelease Packs

The Born of the Gods Prerelease was notable because players could choose from different destinies, each associated with a color.

The Prerelease Pack contained:

• 2 Born of the Gods booster packs
• 3 Theros booster packs
• 1 seeded booster pack
• 1 promotional card
• 1 Hero Card
• 1 activity card
• 1 Spindown life counter
• 1 welcome letter

The seeded booster contained a concentration of cards associated with the chosen color, although it was not exclusively limited to that color.

This gave players a starting direction while still leaving room for deck-building decisions.

Is Born of the Gods Worth Collecting?

The answer depends on what you are collecting.

Born of the Gods is an older Magic expansion, so sealed booster packs, boxes, Prerelease products, and individual cards can appeal to collectors interested in the Theros block or older MTG products.

However, age does not automatically make every Born of the Gods card valuable.

Factors that can affect a card’s or sealed product’s market value include:

• Card rarity
• Condition
• Foil or nonfoil version
• Language
• Edition and printing
• Demand from competitive players
• Commander demand
• Collector interest
• Historical significance
• Current supply

If you are buying sealed Born of the Gods products, it is particularly important to compare recent market listings rather than relying only on old asking prices.

Popular Types of Born of the Gods Cards

The set contains several categories that collectors and players may find interesting.

Gods

The five two-color Gods are among the most recognizable cards from the set and are closely connected to the Theros storyline.

Enchantment Creatures

Born of the Gods continued Theros’s distinctive use of enchantment creatures, including the Archetype cycle.

Bestow Creatures

Bestow creatures provide flexibility because they can operate as either creatures or Auras.

Heroic Creatures

Heroic cards reward players for targeting their creatures with spells.

Inspired Creatures

Inspired creatures introduce a different style of gameplay based around tapping and untapping.

Tribute Creatures

Tribute creatures create strategic choices for opponents by offering a trade-off between creature size and an additional effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cards are in Born of the Gods?

Born of the Gods contains 165 cards: 60 commons, 60 uncommons, 35 rares, and 10 mythic rares.

When was Born of the Gods released?

The official release date was February 7, 2014. The Prerelease was held on February 1–2, 2014.

What are the main Born of the Gods mechanics?

The set introduced Inspired and Tribute while returning Bestow, Devotion, Heroic, Scry, and Gods from the broader Theros environment. Which Gods are in Born of the Gods?

The set contains Ephara, Phenax, Mogis, Xenagos, and Karametra, representing five two-color combinations. (MAGIC: THE GATHERING)

Is Born of the Gods part of the Theros block?

Yes. Born of the Gods is the second set in the Theros block, following Theros and preceding Journey into Nyx.

What is Tribute in MTG?

Tribute is a creature mechanic that gives an opponent a choice: put +1/+1 counters on the creature or allow an additional ability to trigger when the creature enters the battlefield. (MAGIC: THE GATHERING)

Why Born of the Gods Still Matters

Born of the Gods occupies an important position in Magic: The Gathering history. It expanded the mythology and mechanical framework established by Theros while introducing new gameplay decisions through Inspired and Tribute.

Its two-color Gods, enchantment creatures, Bestow cards, Heroic strategies, and devotion mechanics also make it easy to recognize within the Theros block.

For someone researching Born of the Gods cards, booster packs, Prerelease products, or MTG collectibles, understanding the set’s mechanics and original release context is essential. It provides the foundation for understanding not only individual cards but also how the entire Theros Limited environment was designed.