Orzhov Basilica

Orzhov Basilica was originally printed in the Guildpact expansion of 2006, representing the legalistic and ecclesiastical guild of the Orzhov Syndicate on the plane of Ravnica. The design features a bounceland mechanic, which requires the player to return a land to their hand upon play, providing efficient mana ramp at the cost of tempo. This specific printing appeared in the Commander 2011 product, which was the debut of the dedicated Commander preconstructed deck series designed to support the multiplayer format.

The artwork was commissioned from John Avon, a prominent fantasy illustrator known for his expansive and atmospheric landscape work for the game. Avon’s depiction of the basilica emphasizes the gothic, cathedral-like architecture of the Orzhov, utilizing heavy stone textures and ethereal, cavernous lighting to reflect the guild's blend of finance and religion. This iteration was received as a staple utility land for multi-color decks, valued for its ability to provide two colors of mana while allowing players to reuse powerful utility lands.