As Magic continues to evolve as a game, all aspects of the game are suspect to change. From emergency errata to broken keywords (we’re looking at you, Companion) to changes in card type terminology, like Tribal to Kindred, all kinds of aspects in Magic can evolve. The same is true for creature types, which commonly see unexpected changes to simplify needless complexity and evoke brilliant flavor.
Since creature types can directly impact the strength of an MTG card, especially in a format like Commander, creature type changes are a bigger deal than players may expect. Suddenly, a massive typal support card can gain vastly increased playability. Alternatively, if the added card fulfills a need for the archetype in a competitive format, it could increase the competitive viability of the entire archetype.
With that in mind, it’s very intriguing that a major, beloved, and classic creature type may soon be assimilated by a new alternative. The coin is up in the air, but the fact that MTG designer Mark Rosewater is looking for feedback suggests that this has a chance of seriously taking place. It may only be a matter of time before Kithkin become Halflings.
Kithkin Become Halfings?
Following a question asked by Blogatog user catmanthree, Mark Rosewater revealed that he is personally tempted to fuse the Kithkin and the Halfling creature types.
Halfling is a rather new creature type in Magic that, as of the writing of this article, is three years old. Originally added to the game during Magic’s first Dungeons & Dragons crossover, Halflings have only appeared in three MTG sets: both Dungeons & Dragons crossover sets (Adventures of the Forgotten Realms and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate), and Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. Interestingly, Halflings have not appeared in a set based on MTG lore.
Kithkin is a much older creature type. First appearing in MTG Legends in the form of Amrou Kithkin, this creature type is almost as old as the game itself. This creature type has a huge presence on the Plane of Lorwyn, which we are confirmed to visit next year.
While MTG Designer Mark Rosewater has made their personal temptation clear, he appears to be looking for feedback from his Blogatog community as to whether or not these creature types should be fused. A poll is now available for players to input their opinion on the potential move. Do you want these creature types to be fused, or do you not care too much?
The Benefits
Notably Kithkin, in particular, have a ton of typal synergy. Kithkin Harbinger, for example, provides a white Goblin Matron that can search for Kithkin as an ETB effect. Effects that specifically reward Kithkin are all over the creature type. Here’s a list of cards that specifically care about the Kithkin creature type within the type:
- Amrou Kithkin
- Cenn’s Heir
- Goldmeadow Stalwart
- Kithkin Harbinger
- Surge of Thoughtweft
- Thoughtweft Trio
- Wizened Cenn
- Kithkin Mourncaller
- Ballyrush Banneret
- Kinsbaile Borderguard
- Kithkin Zephyrnaut
Notably, there are a lot of Kithkin that have typal payoffs for other creature types. A lot of Kithkin care about the Soldier creature type, and Kinsbaile Cavalier is a solid payoff for Knight Typal decks.
Looking at Halflings, there aren’t nearly as many typal payoffs for this archetype. After all, Halflings have only existed for three years. That said, there are a few Halfling Typal payoffs that exist, like Treebeard Gracious Host and Bilbo’s Ring from the Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth crossover.
That said, both archetypes have a lot to gain from the fusion between Halfling and Kithkin. Now, all of the Kithkin payoffs can be applied to Halflings. Kithkin Harbinger would be capable of searching for the powerful infinite combo engine Samwise Gamgee, for example. This could help elevate the playability of both creature types in Commander.
Once we get our new Lorwyn set near the end of 2025, this will likely create a demand for the old creature type. Should it be fused with Halfling, the demand could spread into more archetypes, like using new Kithkin creatures in a Halfling Food deck inspired by Lord of the Rings synergies.
The downside associated with the loss of an ancient creature type is that a ton of lore could be lost. Erratas won’t reach paper iterations of MTG cards, so we will still see the implications of the past in writing, but some players may want Kithkins and Halflings to stay separate.
Player Opinion
While we do not know the results of the survey yet, many players who are already interested in this fusion expect it to go through. Magic has a history of fusing its unique creature types with things that have a larger real-world base:
“Magic loves eliminating its original types, so I assume this is inevitable.”
llanowarminotaur
Thanks to the existence of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as Lord of the Rings, Halflings have a much deeper entrenchment in pop culture than Kithkin do. The Magic IP, for a billion-dollar brand, has always been surprisingly weak. Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro’s decision to embark on a massive series of crossover episodes in the form of Universes Beyond has not only made the original IP shakier but has brought the card game to many players who were originally unaware of it. From this perspective, the move from Kithkin to Halflings seems inevitable.
Some players obviously wish for Kithkin to remain, or even want Kithkin to absorb Halflings. Kithkin are a part of Magic’s IP, and the loss of such an old creature type saddens some players.
The most common suggestion from the community, however, is to have both creature types continue to exist, but have them connected somehow. One commenter suggested that Kithkin, Halflings, and Hobbit (should that become a creature type) be Batched. A similar suggestion considers the idea of Halflings becoming a Kithkin subtype.
The results of Rosewater’s poll does suggest that the majority of MTG players would rather keep Kithkin and Halflings separate. A resounding 46% of voters want to keep the creature types separate. 36% would like them combined, and 17.5% don’t really care either way.
That said, only about 1100 players voted in this poll, which is a far cry from representing the millions of players that participate in Magic: the Gathering.
At this point, the idea of fusing Kithkins and Halflings is being considered, at the least. Personally, I would like to see these two creature types join hands, but I could care less which title wins over the other. It presents an opportunity for more unique synergies to explore.
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