Krenko’s Guide to Creature Types: Lammasu
Art by Mark Zug
What is a Lammasu (flavorfully)?
You’ve probably seen a Lammasu without realizing what a Lammasu is. They appear frequently in ancient mesopotamian art as bulls with human heads and wings. Often leonine features would make their way into a Lammasu as well, but the core is the quadrupedal form with a human head.
Lammasu are guardian spirits, known for hanging out in front of buildings in pairs and keeping away unwanted guests and evil spirits. They don’t show up too frequently in general mythology, but depictions of them are as old as the written word.
Image from the Louvre
What is a Lammasu (mechanically)?
In fitting for their flavor, Lammasu are white creatures with flying. With only two Lammasu it’s also noteworthy that both have power 5, and while ‘power 5’ rarely sticks around as creature type identity, ‘large creature’ easily does.
Can I make a Lammasu deck?
There are only two Lammasu, and one of them is too weak for constructed play.
Is Lammasu a good creature type?
As much of a pedigree as Lammasu have, they really don’t need to be their own creature type. Obviously with just two random Lammasu, it’s clear that the creature type is currently doing absolutely nothing, so what’s the fix?
More Lammasu seems random and unnecessary. I certainly wouldn’t mind more, but it’s not like this game is begging for Lammasu to join the menagerie of things that appear on multiple planes. An influx of Lammasu on Tarkir could be interesting, but that plane has white dragons, and Ravnica’s full of Angels and Birds and everything else.
My biggest feeling on this is that the Chimera creature type should be expanded, as mentioned before, and that Lammasu is one of the creature types that should fall under Chimera. On the other hand, while it might be confusing, Lamassu could simply be Angels or Archons. It works fine mechanically, and their purpose in mythology is much the same: they’re benevolent protectors who just want what’s best for people. They’re also considered deific, but making the two Lammasu that exist into God types would really cut into the coolness of Gods mechanically.
And this is a good example of why some vaguer creature types would be better. We’re never going to hit peak Lammasu. Maybe we’ll have a mesopotamian set with a half-dozen Lammasu in it, but it’s not like we’re going to get a huge influx. Letting them count as something else would just make that type line do something, while it currently doesn’t.
Lammasu ARE cool though and I’d love to see some in a mesopotamian set, and I’d also love to see some as artifact creatures because Lammasu statues are kind of a big deal.
