MTG Salvation

Dimir: Vraska's Assasian Token
Boros: Boros Swiftblade
Gruul: 4/1 Rhino with Trample
Orzhov: Thrull
Simic: Mutant Merfolk

Seems believable

Boros: 1/2 Double Strike Soldier
Simic: 2/3 Hexproof or 1/1 "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card"
Dimir: 2/1 Unblockable Assassin, Shade
Gruul: 4/1 Trample or 3/2 Trample or 3/2 Haste Rhino
Orzhov: 2/1 Lifelink Flying or 2/2 Lifelink Bat

you pay 5UG and it turns into a Simic Sky Swallower

Quote from onewheelwizzard

Gruul is probably a Garruk's Companion, Dimir is probably an Inkfathom Infiltrator, Simic is probably a Vedalken Heretic, Boros is probably a Boros Swiftblade, and Orzhov is probably a Liege of the Axe.

This feels fairly reasonable, although I think Orzhov would lean toward lifelink. But vigilance on a keyrune would be pretty strong too. Attack, block, and tap for mana. Seems good to me.

I don't know about the simic one though, it's too similar to Izzet's looting. But Flash/Hexproof are really the only keywords that Blue and Green similar in.

Boros Keyrune looks like Rodimus Prime with an armor plate for the Federated Commonwealth (Battletech reference there)

Simic one could be yavimaya dryad? Heres to hoping

gruul: 3/2 trample.
boros: 1/1 double strike
dimir: 2/1 unblockable
orzhov: 2/2 lifelink
simic: 2/1 whenever this creature deals danage to an opponent, you ,may put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

Quote from Griselbrand

Dimir: Vraska's Assasian Token...Seems believable

no. no it doesn't.

that would be the best and most op mana rock of all time.

Quote from herbalT

no. no it doesn't.

that would be the best and most op mana rock of all time.

Rogue's Passage and win games!

Quote from RavenEffect

Cephalid were Otarian i believe.

Correct, which means they are explicitly Dominarian (Otaria is a continent/region of Dominaria - like Shiv, Llanawar or Jamuraa - not a separate plane).

I would like to see a Boros Keyrune with 1/1 double strike! great with artifacts and equipments.

The only part that would get annoying with the equipments is the fact that it falls off every turn ><

These are pretty new arts and I am glad to see the keyrunes returning, but I think Rakdos Keyrune will still always be my favorite in my heart. I look forward to seeing what these new ones do though.

Creature types prediction:

- Boros: Soldier or Giant
- Dimir: Spirit
- Gruul: Beast
- Simic: Jellyfish
- Orzhov: Gargoyle

Here's hoping orzhov gets good spells and mechanics.

I'm assuming the Simic keyrune's creature type when animated is Mutant.

I'm willing to wager three thousand internet points that the correct creature types are something like this (disclaimer: internet points have no actual value):

Boros: Soldier
Dimir: Shapeshifter (possibly a Zombie or Skeleton also, but I'm really hoping for a shapeshifter)
Gruul: Rhino
Simic: Mutant (also possible: Worm [not Wurm], Drake, Leviathan, Plant/Hydra [I would love to see a Sprouting Phytohydra keyrune!])
Orzhov: Vampire (does no one else see the wings and fangs on that thing? It's quite clearly a vampire. Probably with lifelink).

Boros: Soldier
Dimir: Assisin
Gruul: Rhino
Simic: Mutant - No real idea
Orzhov: Thrull

Quote from RavenEffect

Cephalid were Otarian i believe.

I don't think Cephalids are coming back, but just because those are the only ones we've seen so far doesn't necessarily mean there can't be Cephalids on other planes.

the simic keyrune could easily be Homoculus? was that mentioned yet?

Quote from brasswire

I don't think Cephalids are coming back, but just because those are the only ones we've seen so far doesn't necessarily mean there can't be Cephalids on other planes.

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/225

Look at the first image under simic? If you have already seen this and still think Cephalids aren't coming back, you're too drunk to taste that chicken, Mr. Sanders.

Quote from Existence_is_futile

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/225

Look at the first image under simic? If you have already seen this and still think Cephalids aren't coming back, you're too drunk to taste that chicken, Mr. Sanders.

Cephalids have noticeably large heads though.

I.E. Cephalid Constable

Quote from Mr.Big.D

Cephalids have noticeably large heads though.

I.E. Cephalid Constable

Side view vs frontal view is not a very good comparison. Even more so considering that the new unknown art features a hood. For all you know there could be a gigantic bulging mantle under that hood.

Except the Simic are very well-known for splicing together multiple organisms. The more reasonable assumption is that the hooded figure is a humanoid creature (Human or Elf, probably) with tentacles grafted onto it in place of hands/arms, as opposed to the resurrection of an old and unpopular creature type. The first option fits all known information about the Simic and makes no further assumptions, while the latter assumes that the Cephalid type is being brought back into current usage, something that we have no evidence of being true.

The RTR Keyrunes animate into a Bird, Elemental, Devil, Insect, and Wolf. Octopus (or simply Mutant) fits into that lineup far better than Cephalid.

It's wishful thinking to see something with tentacles and immediately think "Cephalid" as opposed to "Octopus."

They're still splicing. From the Planeswalker Guide:

Krasis. Any Simic hybridized lifeform is called a krasis, the catch-all term for such creatures. The new Simic Combine is careful not to repeat the mistakes of Vig and his bioengineers, but the guild still uses magic to coax new morphologies from existing creatures, as well as to combine traits from multiple organisms in one. Some of these are unique creatures that can't reproduce. A few multiply and become part of the guild's fabric.

Also, the keyrune is likely some form of this: