Tracker App

Quick Draft LCI 22 January 2024

22 January 05:43 - farl4s 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
3 Join the Dead image
1 Huatli's Final Strike image
1 Hunter's Blowgun image
2 Walk with the Ancestors image
1 Abrade image
Creature (16)
4 Panicked Altisaur image
1 Dinotomaton image
1 Curator of Sun's Creation image
1 Primordial Gnawer image
2 Malamet Veteran image
2 Rampaging Ceratops image
1 Mineshaft Spider image
1 Broodrage Mycoid image
1 Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake image
1 Plundering Pirate image
1 Sunshot Militia image
Land (16)
1 Promising Vein image
4 Forest image
6 Mountain image
5 Swamp image
Sideboard
1 Disruptor Wanderglyph image
1 Resplendent Angel image
1 Thousand Moons Infantry image
1 Oltec Archaeologists image
1 Fungal Fortitude image
1 Another Chance image
2 Etali's Favor image
1 Fanatical Offering image
1 Staggering Size image
1 Canonized in Blood image
1 Zoyowa's Justice image
1 Family Reunion image
1 Master's Guide-Mural image
1 Ancestors' Aid image
1 Over the Edge image
1 Daring Discovery image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Join the Dead
Get Lost image 2.0 The flexibility and efficiency here is great…but giving your opponent two map tokens is some very real downside. It would be in any format, but in this one? Where there are lots of bonuses for controlling artifacts, having permanents go to the graveyard, and exploring? In other words…you’re never going to trade 1-for-1 with this, and that really hurts how effective it can be in your typical game. You can use it on your own permanent if you desperately need maps, and that will come up on occasion, but that doesn’t make a huge difference.
Sorcerous Spyglass image 0.0 This is an 0.0 every time we see it. Even IF you see a card that you get to name, turning off a card’s activated abilities isn’t worth a card, and we’re talking about the BEST CASE scenario
Zoetic Glyph image 3.0 I like this. It reminds me of Mightstone’s Animation. While it doesn’t replace itself up front the way Animation did, this format has lots of random artifact tokens that this can animate into a very real creature, and the Glyph does replace itself if your opponent can ever deal with your creature, and they probably have to in one way or another, since a 5/4 isn’t really the kind of thing you can ignore. I do think drawing a card up front is better than Discovering when the Glyph goes to the graveyard, but this seems like it will be in a good spot in the format, just like Mightstone’s Animation was
Caparocti Sunborn image 3.5 So, Red-white is good at making map tokens and creature tokens, so the idea here is yo’ull be tapping those. And when you can, Caparocti will feel crazy good, and you’ll be talking about a 2-for-1. The fact it has decent base stats to go alongside that makes me very impressed with this signpost Uncommon
Twists and Turns image 3.5 Scry 1 before you explore is a big upgrade, and obviously this can help you find the lands you need to transform it, and once transformed it's a great late game mana sink. The fact it explores when it ETBs is awesome too! I don't really think this needs a build around grade, since even on its own it seems playable, provided you're a slowish Green deck. And you're pretty likely to have more explore without even trying too
Join the Dead image 4.0 This is great without Descend, and with it it’s incredible. Always remember that double Black ends up being a problem sometimes, but this is so efficient that it doesn’t matter much.
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Armored Kincaller image 3.0 This will gain you three pretty often in Green, and that’s a pretty good ETB to have on a three mana 3/3
Tinker's Tote image 3.0 Three mana for two 1/1s is almost a passable rate, and this one card gives you THREE artifacts, something that is valuable in White in this format, as we’ve seen throughout this video. The added life gain bonus is nice to have too. I think this looks like a quality common because of all the stuff it enables – whether it be tapping, carfting, or sacrificing artifacts
Waterwind Scout image 3.5 Wind Drake + Map token for three mana seems like a quality Common to me. Explore and artifacts both matter in Blue, and this helps you do both of those. This looks like a pretty good deal
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Fungal Fortitude image 2.0 +2/+0 will help a creature win lots of combats, and it doesn’t matter that there isn’t also a toughness boost, because the creature’s coming back! It feels especially busted with ETB abilities. This also helps you trigger descend stuff
Poison Dart Frog image 3.0 This fixes your mana, ramps you, and can even trade for anything. That last part is nice, because mana dorks have diminishing returns the longer the game goes, but this one will also do something
Marauding Brinefang image 2.5 The common landcyclers feel like they will be extra good in the graveyard decks in the format, and Blue is definitely interested in the graveyard. This is because you can get extra value out of landycling these early – as it puts a permanent into your graveyard. Then, like usual with landcyclers, in the later stage of the game you get a beefy creature
Hidden Volcano image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 2: Panicked Altisaur
Zoetic Glyph image 3.0 I like this. It reminds me of Mightstone’s Animation. While it doesn’t replace itself up front the way Animation did, this format has lots of random artifact tokens that this can animate into a very real creature, and the Glyph does replace itself if your opponent can ever deal with your creature, and they probably have to in one way or another, since a 5/4 isn’t really the kind of thing you can ignore. I do think drawing a card up front is better than Discovering when the Glyph goes to the graveyard, but this seems like it will be in a good spot in the format, just like Mightstone’s Animation was
Cenote Scout image 3.0 This is either a one mana 1/1 that draws you a card, or a one mana 2/2 with Surveil 1. Both are cards you would happily play
Thrashing Brontodon image 3.0 This is a reprint. Like last time, it has efficient stats and has upside that lets you blow up some key permanents
Clay-Fired Bricks image 4.0 Hitting a land drop and gaining two life isn't bad, and it also has a very relevant card type. Then in the late game it has a massive impact on the board. Like, the kind of impact that drastically improves your chances of winning.
Sunfire Torch image 2.0 So…this is a really roundabout Shock. It takes some extra steps, and more total mana, but eventually it does 2 to something! You can also keep it around for a meager power boost if you want. Being an artifact and a card that can put itself into the graveyard has extra value here too, but I do think this takes too much work to really be looked at as premium removal.
Mineshaft Spider image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but it does help you with graveyard stuff
Rumbling Rockslide image 2.5 This can kill lots of things at 4, and it does scale the longer the game goes. It’s a bit clunky as a 4-mana Sorcery, so it isn’t premium removal, but the first copy of it seems pretty appealing in most Red decks
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Primordial Gnawer image 2.0 This is an ugly stat-line, but it does make sure you get a 2-for-1. Still…the stat-line is bad enough that I don’t think this ends up always making the cut.
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Oaken Siren image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Flying and Vigilance that happens to be an artifact would probably be borderline playable in this format, so I think adding in the mana for artifact stuff does enough to make it a card that will make the cut in many Blue decks
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Hidden Nursery image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 3: Dinotomaton
Canonized in Blood image 3.0 You probably need at least two counters before this feels like it’s worth it, and I think that’s definitely doable. It’s great that in the late game, you also have the ability to put a very real flyer into play too, while also triggering your other descent stuff. This seems like a very nice payoff for the various descending strategies – which, keep in mind can include self mill, sacrifice, and more
Mischievous Pup image 2.5 This can save a creature from removal or rebuy an ETB, and it can ambush stuff too.
Caparocti Sunborn image 3.5 So, Red-white is good at making map tokens and creature tokens, so the idea here is yo’ull be tapping those. And when you can, Caparocti will feel crazy good, and you’ll be talking about a 2-for-1. The fact it has decent base stats to go alongside that makes me very impressed with this signpost Uncommon
Waterlogged Hulk image 3.5 A one mana artifact that can load your graveyard is better in this format than it is in most – as we’ve seen Blue cares about artifacts and the graveyard, and this checks the most boxes. Then, when you craft this it becomes a very real easy-to-crew vehicle, that in the really late game can just close it out for you. I think the front does what you want to do in Blue and getting to the point where you get the vehicle is easy enough that this looks quite strong
Dead Weight image 3.5 This is good every time we see it, especially because they tend to put it in formats where you can get some extra value out of it. One mana for -2/-2 is already premium, as you can trade up all the time, but the extra value in this format comes as a result of all of the Descend. Permanents that are removal spells are going to give you some nice extra value, and that’s certainly true here
Glorifier of Suffering image 2.5 Putting a counter on TWO separate creatures is a pretty nice payoff for throwing away a gnome token or a map token, and can really make an attack far more formidable. It can also put a counter on itself, which is nice. This seems like a quality payoff for the aggressive sacrifice decks in the format.
Dinotomaton image 3.0 A 4-mana 4/3 Menace is pretty close to a 2.5, so the upside of giving something else menace right away is pretty nice! It won’t always enable a good attack, but it will pretty frequently, especially if you’re curving out
Another Chance image 2.5 Playing one copy of this effect is usually a good idea in Black decks in Limited, but that’s even more the case in this format, since milling yourself and loading the graveyard in general is easier than normal, and there are more payoffs than normal for doing it too. You still probably don’t want more than one of these, but that first copy is something I’m going to value pretty highly for a common
Waterwind Scout image 3.5 Wind Drake + Map token for three mana seems like a quality Common to me. Explore and artifacts both matter in Blue, and this helps you do both of those. This looks like a pretty good deal
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Cosmium Blast image 2.5 We see a card like this in most sets, and as usual – it’s efficient, but situational enough that it definitely isn’t premium. It’s far better when you’re not an aggro deck, since in that type of deck you want removal that lets you get rid of a creature before they ever get to block.
Fanatical Offering image 2.5 This probably isn’t quite Deadly Dispute, but I think that’s a pretty good comparison. This format has lots and lots of expendable stuff around, and this will often feel like you’re giving up very little to draw two and get a Map token, and that’s some serious value
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 4: Join the Dead
Might of the Ancestors image 2.0 This is a boost that can make just about any creature into a much better attacker, and you get the trigger the turn you play it, provided you play it in your first main phase. Still…there are situations where a card like this just doesn’t do enough to make your board state any better, and it feels miserable in those situations.
Goldfury Strider image 2.0 The base stats here are very underwhelming, and the idea here is that you can use some combination of artifacts and creature tokens that are available in the set to make this a 5/5 trampler, in which case you’re talking about something significantly more impressive. It is a pretty big bummer that you have to do it at sorcery speed, as the threat of activation here would make it a lot better. You’re just…not always going to have the extra stuff around to buff this, and even when you do, I don’t think you’re going to feel like you’re doing something all that impressive.
Sinuous Benthisaur image 0.0 // 4.0 This has some insane potential. Even if you just have two caves, this is a 6-mana 4/4 that draws you two cards. That’s really amazing, and even with one cave it’s a passible card. Now…if there are no Caves around it’s awful, but if your deck has 4 or more caves in it, you’re going to be happy to play this most of the time
Ironpaw Aspirant image 2.5 We see two mana 1/1s with this ETB all the time, and they tend to be solid or better. So, getting a ½ instead is amazing. This makes it a 2/3 with nothing else around, which makes for a great two turn play, and then in the later game you can put the counter somewhere more meaningful. Obviously, this works well with the Green-White theme of having higher base power, too. I think this a great Common.
Screaming Phantom image 2.5 It has passable stats and helps enable all of your graveyard shenanigans that you’re almost guaranteed to have in Black
Etali's Favor image 1.0 You just don’t want to pay for that stats boost when you’re seriously risking getting 2-for-1’d. The Discover part does mean that this makes sure to give you back a card, but the card you get back won’t be impressive enough to offset this card’s weak effect, at least not enough for this to be the kind of Red card you’re interesting in playing consistently
Runaway Boulder image 1.5 Lots of decks want to run as many permanents as possible because of Descend, and the Boulder gives you a removal spell that is still a permanent. Now…it is very far from being efficient, but it does deal with most things, and you can also cycle it away – which also matters for Descend. With all that in mind, it will definitely make the cut a decent chunk of the time
Sage of Days image 3.0 This is a nice way to load your graveyard in a hurry, and it isn’t that far from Scry 3 on ETB, which would make for a nice card. The stat-line isn’t good of course, but I think this does the kind of thing you want to be doing in Blue in this format
Acrobatic Leap image 1.5 One mana tricks that give +1/+3 are rarely worthwhile in Limited. The boost is enough to save a creature in combat, but not enough to help it win combat often enough. The flying and untap angle here do make it so you can both punch in for lethal in the air or ambush a flyer, but those use cases are all much too frequent for this to be something that makes the cut in all your white aggro decks.
Join the Dead image 4.0 This is great without Descend, and with it it’s incredible. Always remember that double Black ends up being a problem sometimes, but this is so efficient that it doesn’t matter much.
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Hidden Cataract image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 5: Huatli's Final Strike
Forgotten Monument image 2.0 This tries to address the problem that most caves only produce colorless, and that’s a huge hit to your mana base if you’re not careful. If you do have enough Caves, this provides some nice fixing, but if you’re really reliant on getting this for your fixing your’e going to be in some trouble
Hurl into History image 2.0 5 mana for something that can't even counter everything is sort of brutal. But this set has fewer instants and sorceries than normal, and also getting to Discover means you're getting a 2 for 1
Grasping Shadows image 2.0 4 mana is kind of a lot for something that just gives a couple of keywords to a creature, and it only gives it to them when the creature attacks alone. That said, deathtouch + lifelink tends to make it so you can attack with something on most turns, and sometimes it offers a really serious boost. Shadows’ Lair drawing you some cards after all that is pretty sweet too, but this does seem rough on board states where you’re not the beat down. I mean…sometimes you just can’t attack, and this will feel blank when that’s the case
Basking Capybara image 2.5 This seems like a solid two drop. Obviously a 1/3 isn’t where you want to be, but a two mana 4/3 is some serious business, and Green is good enough at getting there on Descend that you can expect this to have a very relevant body by the mid game
Goblin Tomb Raider image 2.0 This will be a one mana 2/2 with Haste fairly frequently, especially in the mid-to-late game, and that kind of body matters surpsingly often, even at that stage of the game. It’s also a solid enough play on turn one.
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Song of Stupefaction image 1.5 Lowering a creature’s power just isn’t enough to be worth a card most of the time, although I do think milling gives you enough value itself in this format that this isn’t unplayable, but I think you’ll be able to find better enablers and payoffs for milling yourself than this thing
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Another Chance image 2.5 Playing one copy of this effect is usually a good idea in Black decks in Limited, but that’s even more the case in this format, since milling yourself and loading the graveyard in general is easier than normal, and there are more payoffs than normal for doing it too. You still probably don’t want more than one of these, but that first copy is something I’m going to value pretty highly for a common
Huatli's Final Strike image 3.5 We see this kind of effect all the time at Common in Green, and it’s always one of Green’s must commons. It’s great removal that has occasional 2-for-1 upside thanks to the stats boost. You always have to be a little careful, in case your opponent can respond to you casting it, but the fact it’s an instant means you can find a nice window more often than not
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Curator of Sun's Creation
Curator of Sun's Creation image 2.0 Even if this is potentially powerful, the fact your opponent can probably attack into it with impunity, or kill it for two mana, makes it hard for me to get excited
Saheeli's Lattice image 3.5 This might be the best Tormenting Voice effect we’ve ever seen. That type of card is always fine, as it lets you dig deeper in your deck, but this one has a ton of upside. First, it’s an artifact in a format where that matters. It’s also a permanent in a format where that matters more than being an instant or sorcery, And this is a format where you can get extra value out of discard, and on top of that, this can turn into a very real creature in the later stages of the game. Playing this on two and then getting a creature later sounds awesome
Plundering Pirate image 3.0 Creatures that make treasures on ETB virtually always over perform, and the stat-line here is a bit better than what we usually see. Treasure brings extra value in an artifact format too. I think this is one of Red’s better commons
Fanatical Offering image 2.5 This probably isn’t quite Deadly Dispute, but I think that’s a pretty good comparison. This format has lots and lots of expendable stuff around, and this will often feel like you’re giving up very little to draw two and get a Map token, and that’s some serious value
Skullcap Snail image 2.5 It’s important than this exile instead of letting the opponent discard, as you don’t want to be helping your opponent get Descend stuff going. As usual, a two mana 1/1 with this effect is solid
Greedy Freebooter image 1.0 // 3.0 This is some amazing sacrifice fodder, especially because the sacrifice effects in this format let you sacrifice creature or artifacts, and this one card gives you two of those. It does get a lot worse in situations where you can’t sacrifice it easily, as it will be a little more difficult to get a card of value out of it. I think that probably makes it a build around
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Rampaging Spiketail image 2.5 We recently saw cards with landcycling for two really underperform, but they have some advantages in this format. Like all land cyclers, this has the upside of getting you a land when you draw it early, and being a reasonably relevant card in the later stages of the game. And in this case, the Spiketail is likely to enable a pretty good attack when you cast it. But the extra value of land cyclers comes as a result of this format’s graveyard-heavy theme. Cycling this counts as descending, and it also makes it more likely you get to Descend 4 or 8, and you can also exile it from your graveyard for Craft
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 7: Staggering Size
Swashbuckler's Whip image 1.5 So, one to play and one to equip to give a creature this tap effect for two mana seems…kind of alright. I’d like to pay one to tap things, but still. It is…kind of weird it also gives Reach. I guess that’s mostly a flavor thing, because the creature you put this on will often tap something before your opponent goes to combat, in which case Reach doesn’t matter. But anyway, this can tap things down for awhile, and then in the late game can just start Discovering, which is nice. Keep in mind, most of the time when you discover 10 for 8 mana, you’re going to get something worth far less, so it won’t ever feel efficient, but it’s a decent late game mana sink. Still…the whole package here seems passable, no matter what stage of the game it is
Dauntless Dismantler image 2.5 Two mana ¼s aren't the worst thing, and this has some genuine upside. This set has a ton of artifacts, including Map tokens, and making those things all enter tapped seems relevant, as does the ability to potentially destroy more than one artifact at a time.
Staggering Size image 2.0 This offers a big enough boost to make a creature win combat pretty often, and trample can result in some pretty serious damage to your opponent too. I think you’ll play one of these in lots of aggressive Green decks
Screaming Phantom image 2.5 It has passable stats and helps enable all of your graveyard shenanigans that you’re almost guaranteed to have in Black
Attentive Sunscribe image 2.5 There are some vehicles in the set, in addition to many White cards that like it when you tap your stuff. This adds a decent bonus to those effects, while also being an early artifact to get those kinds of things going.
Malamet Brawler image 2.0 The awkward thing about this card is that by the time you can attack with something else that is worth giving trample to, your Brawler is probably not going to uh…brawl very well. I mean, it’s a fine two drop, but not one I’m excited about
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Sunfire Torch image 2.0 So…this is a really roundabout Shock. It takes some extra steps, and more total mana, but eventually it does 2 to something! You can also keep it around for a meager power boost if you want. Being an artifact and a card that can put itself into the graveyard has extra value here too, but I do think this takes too much work to really be looked at as premium removal.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 8: Etali's Favor
Sunbird Standard image 2.0 We’ve seen time and time again, a three mana artifact that taps for mana of any color isn’t playable in Limited. It’s just too slow, and a mana boost like this just isn’t worth a card most of the time. However…this obviously has some real upside, since it can turn into a creature. And it can do it fairly flexibly, since it can exile any permanent type. That said, it is usually going to be a 2/2 Flyer that can tap for two mana – which is nice, but the set up cost of getting there is pretty significant. It takes quite the mana investment, even if the Standard itself can be used
Etali's Favor image 1.0 You just don’t want to pay for that stats boost when you’re seriously risking getting 2-for-1’d. The Discover part does mean that this makes sure to give you back a card, but the card you get back won’t be impressive enough to offset this card’s weak effect, at least not enough for this to be the kind of Red card you’re interesting in playing consistently
Thousand Moons Crackshot image 1.5 Sometimes you’ll be able to attack with this and really open the floodgates on your opponent by getting their best blocker out of the way, but three mana is a lot, and your opponent also always knows this is coming, making it a lot less useful. You’re rarely going to use this ability early, and by the late game it has some diminishing returns.
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Greedy Freebooter image 1.0 // 3.0 This is some amazing sacrifice fodder, especially because the sacrifice effects in this format let you sacrifice creature or artifacts, and this one card gives you two of those. It does get a lot worse in situations where you can’t sacrifice it easily, as it will be a little more difficult to get a card of value out of it. I think that probably makes it a build around
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Rumbling Rockslide image 2.5 This can kill lots of things at 4, and it does scale the longer the game goes. It’s a bit clunky as a 4-mana Sorcery, so it isn’t premium removal, but the first copy of it seems pretty appealing in most Red decks
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 9: Fungal Fortitude
Sorcerous Spyglass image 0.0 This is an 0.0 every time we see it. Even IF you see a card that you get to name, turning off a card’s activated abilities isn’t worth a card, and we’re talking about the BEST CASE scenario
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Armored Kincaller image 3.0 This will gain you three pretty often in Green, and that’s a pretty good ETB to have on a three mana 3/3
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Fungal Fortitude image 2.0 +2/+0 will help a creature win lots of combats, and it doesn’t matter that there isn’t also a toughness boost, because the creature’s coming back! It feels especially busted with ETB abilities. This also helps you trigger descend stuff
Marauding Brinefang image 2.5 The common landcyclers feel like they will be extra good in the graveyard decks in the format, and Blue is definitely interested in the graveyard. This is because you can get extra value out of landycling these early – as it puts a permanent into your graveyard. Then, like usual with landcyclers, in the later stage of the game you get a beefy creature
Hidden Volcano image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 10: Primordial Gnawer
Sunfire Torch image 2.0 So…this is a really roundabout Shock. It takes some extra steps, and more total mana, but eventually it does 2 to something! You can also keep it around for a meager power boost if you want. Being an artifact and a card that can put itself into the graveyard has extra value here too, but I do think this takes too much work to really be looked at as premium removal.
Mineshaft Spider image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but it does help you with graveyard stuff
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Primordial Gnawer image 2.0 This is an ugly stat-line, but it does make sure you get a 2-for-1. Still…the stat-line is bad enough that I don’t think this ends up always making the cut.
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Pack 1 Pick 11: Another Chance
Waterlogged Hulk image 3.5 A one mana artifact that can load your graveyard is better in this format than it is in most – as we’ve seen Blue cares about artifacts and the graveyard, and this checks the most boxes. Then, when you craft this it becomes a very real easy-to-crew vehicle, that in the really late game can just close it out for you. I think the front does what you want to do in Blue and getting to the point where you get the vehicle is easy enough that this looks quite strong
Another Chance image 2.5 Playing one copy of this effect is usually a good idea in Black decks in Limited, but that’s even more the case in this format, since milling yourself and loading the graveyard in general is easier than normal, and there are more payoffs than normal for doing it too. You still probably don’t want more than one of these, but that first copy is something I’m going to value pretty highly for a common
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Fanatical Offering image 2.5 This probably isn’t quite Deadly Dispute, but I think that’s a pretty good comparison. This format has lots and lots of expendable stuff around, and this will often feel like you’re giving up very little to draw two and get a Map token, and that’s some serious value
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 12: Etali's Favor
Screaming Phantom image 2.5 It has passable stats and helps enable all of your graveyard shenanigans that you’re almost guaranteed to have in Black
Etali's Favor image 1.0 You just don’t want to pay for that stats boost when you’re seriously risking getting 2-for-1’d. The Discover part does mean that this makes sure to give you back a card, but the card you get back won’t be impressive enough to offset this card’s weak effect, at least not enough for this to be the kind of Red card you’re interesting in playing consistently
Sage of Days image 3.0 This is a nice way to load your graveyard in a hurry, and it isn’t that far from Scry 3 on ETB, which would make for a nice card. The stat-line isn’t good of course, but I think this does the kind of thing you want to be doing in Blue in this format
Acrobatic Leap image 1.5 One mana tricks that give +1/+3 are rarely worthwhile in Limited. The boost is enough to save a creature in combat, but not enough to help it win combat often enough. The flying and untap angle here do make it so you can both punch in for lethal in the air or ambush a flyer, but those use cases are all much too frequent for this to be something that makes the cut in all your white aggro decks.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Disruptor Wanderglyph
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Song of Stupefaction image 1.5 Lowering a creature’s power just isn’t enough to be worth a card most of the time, although I do think milling gives you enough value itself in this format that this isn’t unplayable, but I think you’ll be able to find better enablers and payoffs for milling yourself than this thing
Another Chance image 2.5 Playing one copy of this effect is usually a good idea in Black decks in Limited, but that’s even more the case in this format, since milling yourself and loading the graveyard in general is easier than normal, and there are more payoffs than normal for doing it too. You still probably don’t want more than one of these, but that first copy is something I’m going to value pretty highly for a common
Pack 1 Pick 14: Fanatical Offering
Fanatical Offering image 2.5 This probably isn’t quite Deadly Dispute, but I think that’s a pretty good comparison. This format has lots and lots of expendable stuff around, and this will often feel like you’re giving up very little to draw two and get a Map token, and that’s some serious value
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 15: Forest
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 1: Resplendent Angel
Resplendent Angel image 4.5 Even without any other life gain in your deck, we're talking about a creature with great stats that can threaten to swing for 5 lifelink damage and make another body in the later stages of the game
Colossadactyl image 3.0 This is a great statline and keyword combination for the cost. Not much more to say here
Scytheclaw Raptor image 2.0 This has good aggressive stats, and the symmetrical effect will sometimes punish your opponent
Synapse Necromage image 3.5 The stat-line is bad, but this replaces itself with two bodies which are really valuable in this format, even if they can’t block. There’s just so much you can do with them in the format, with sacrificing the most notable. I think this ends up giving you a ton for the mana you invest
Clay-Fired Bricks image 4.0 Hitting a land drop and gaining two life isn't bad, and it also has a very relevant card type. Then in the late game it has a massive impact on the board. Like, the kind of impact that drastically improves your chances of winning.
Goblin Tomb Raider image 2.0 This will be a one mana 2/2 with Haste fairly frequently, especially in the mid-to-late game, and that kind of body matters surpsingly often, even at that stage of the game. It’s also a solid enough play on turn one.
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Runaway Boulder image 1.5 Lots of decks want to run as many permanents as possible because of Descend, and the Boulder gives you a removal spell that is still a permanent. Now…it is very far from being efficient, but it does deal with most things, and you can also cycle it away – which also matters for Descend. With all that in mind, it will definitely make the cut a decent chunk of the time
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Mineshaft Spider image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but it does help you with graveyard stuff
Etali's Favor image 1.0 You just don’t want to pay for that stats boost when you’re seriously risking getting 2-for-1’d. The Discover part does mean that this makes sure to give you back a card, but the card you get back won’t be impressive enough to offset this card’s weak effect, at least not enough for this to be the kind of Red card you’re interesting in playing consistently
Glorifier of Suffering image 2.5 Putting a counter on TWO separate creatures is a pretty nice payoff for throwing away a gnome token or a map token, and can really make an attack far more formidable. It can also put a counter on itself, which is nice. This seems like a quality payoff for the aggressive sacrifice decks in the format.
Frilled Cave-Wurm image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/5 is mediocre, but there are definitely worst stat-lines. The Descend upgrade here is a big one too, as it suddenly makes the Cave-Wurm into a formidable attacker. That said, this is never going to feel like anything special. The floor is a very inefficient creature and the ceiling is one with slightly above-rate stats
Fungal Fortitude image 2.0 +2/+0 will help a creature win lots of combats, and it doesn’t matter that there isn’t also a toughness boost, because the creature’s coming back! It feels especially busted with ETB abilities. This also helps you trigger descend stuff
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 2: Promising Vein
Defossilize image 2.0 5 mana reanimation spells normally don't fair well in Limited, they are usually in the D range, even with some extra value tacked on, but I think this one will overperform. First, Black decks are great at loading the graveyard, and second, there are a cycle of big cycling creatures in the set who go great with this
Chart a Course image 3.0 It is two mana to draw two reasonably often, and that’s an insane deal. Even when you can’t quite make that happen, two mana to draw two and discard 1 isn’t a bad deal, especially in a format with graveyard stuff all over the place
Might of the Ancestors image 2.0 This is a boost that can make just about any creature into a much better attacker, and you get the trigger the turn you play it, provided you play it in your first main phase. Still…there are situations where a card like this just doesn’t do enough to make your board state any better, and it feels miserable in those situations.
Idol of the Deep King image 3.0 The front side of this is a playable, albeit inefficient removal spell. It’s nice it can hit the opponent too! The thing it transforms into…is….very mediocre, though. The free equip is nice, but +2/+0 isn’t much to write home about, and this won’t quite feel like a 2-for-1 most of the time, because the Equipment side just isn’t worth a card. Still, it’s removal with some real upside
Deathcap Marionette image 2.0 We’ve already seen that descending is a key part of what Black wants to do in this format, and the Marionette helps you do it while being capable of trading with anything thanks to death touch
Goblin Tomb Raider image 2.0 This will be a one mana 2/2 with Haste fairly frequently, especially in the mid-to-late game, and that kind of body matters surpsingly often, even at that stage of the game. It’s also a solid enough play on turn one.
Envoy of Okinec Ahau image 2.5 Solid base stats, and a passable mana sink ability. Not much more to say about it.
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Petrify image 2.0 They really are giving Pacifism upside these days! This one can shut off abilities and hit artifacts too! The problem with this card in this format is that there is a prominent sacrifice theme, and even an entire mechanic – in Craft – that lets you exile permanents you control, there’s also a bunch of cards that let you tap your creatures and artifacts for value, and so on. In other words, Petrify will have a hard time giving you a full card of value consistently, because your opponent will still be able to do enough stuff with their permanents that this doesn’t shut the card down entirely
Poison Dart Frog image 3.0 This fixes your mana, ramps you, and can even trade for anything. That last part is nice, because mana dorks have diminishing returns the longer the game goes, but this one will also do something
Miner's Guidewing image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a great card on its own, but getting to explore when it dies is pretty sweet. You do need another creature around for that part to matter, though.
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Malamet Veteran
Spyglass Siren image 3.0 This looks like a great one drop. It reminds me a bit of Voldaren Epicure, and that’s some great company to keep. You get a decent enough one mana 1/1 Flyer, and then some additional value on top of that? Value that has some format-specific synergy? Yeah, this is good
Chart a Course image 3.0 It is two mana to draw two reasonably often, and that’s an insane deal. Even when you can’t quite make that happen, two mana to draw two and discard 1 isn’t a bad deal, especially in a format with graveyard stuff all over the place
Visage of Dread image 3.0 This will hit a card in your opponent's hand every single time on turn two, and it will often have a card to hit much later than that. It does have the potential of feeling terrible when you wiff, but it makes up for that with the Craft upside, which is likely going to be accessible by the stage of the game when it does wiff. Disrupting the opponent early and getting a big monster late will feel best of course.
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Shipwreck Sentry image 2.0 We see two mana 3/3s with Defender that can only attack when X happens in a turn, and they always end up being decent. Even when they can’t attack, they have nice bodies that your opponent usually can’t just attack into, and on the turns they can rumble, they are pretty good at that too
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Waterwind Scout image 3.5 Wind Drake + Map token for three mana seems like a quality Common to me. Explore and artifacts both matter in Blue, and this helps you do both of those. This looks like a pretty good deal
Tinker's Tote image 3.0 Three mana for two 1/1s is almost a passable rate, and this one card gives you THREE artifacts, something that is valuable in White in this format, as we’ve seen throughout this video. The added life gain bonus is nice to have too. I think this looks like a quality common because of all the stuff it enables – whether it be tapping, carfting, or sacrificing artifacts
Malamet Veteran image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/4 trampler is sort of passable, and the fact that this can hand out +1/+1 counters, including to itself, when you have enough permanents in your graveyard, is pretty nice. Descend 4 is pretty approachable by the time the Veteran comes down too
Deathcap Marionette image 2.0 We’ve already seen that descending is a key part of what Black wants to do in this format, and the Marionette helps you do it while being capable of trading with anything thanks to death touch
Hidden Courtyard image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 4: Join the Dead
Hurl into History image 2.0 5 mana for something that can't even counter everything is sort of brutal. But this set has fewer instants and sorceries than normal, and also getting to Discover means you're getting a 2 for 1
Goldfury Strider image 2.0 The base stats here are very underwhelming, and the idea here is that you can use some combination of artifacts and creature tokens that are available in the set to make this a 5/5 trampler, in which case you’re talking about something significantly more impressive. It is a pretty big bummer that you have to do it at sorcery speed, as the threat of activation here would make it a lot better. You’re just…not always going to have the extra stuff around to buff this, and even when you do, I don’t think you’re going to feel like you’re doing something all that impressive.
Idol of the Deep King image 3.0 The front side of this is a playable, albeit inefficient removal spell. It’s nice it can hit the opponent too! The thing it transforms into…is….very mediocre, though. The free equip is nice, but +2/+0 isn’t much to write home about, and this won’t quite feel like a 2-for-1 most of the time, because the Equipment side just isn’t worth a card. Still, it’s removal with some real upside
Sage of Days image 3.0 This is a nice way to load your graveyard in a hurry, and it isn’t that far from Scry 3 on ETB, which would make for a nice card. The stat-line isn’t good of course, but I think this does the kind of thing you want to be doing in Blue in this format
Broodrage Mycoid image 3.0 This will make a 1/1 on a decent number of turns and it has passable stats
Seismic Monstrosaur image 2.0 This probably isn’t as good as the land cyclers in Blue, Black, and Green, as those are the colors that are best with the graveyard, but Red isn’t completely uninterested in the ‘yard, and the creature you get here isn’t the most inefficient thing either. The ability to throw away lands late when you’re flooding out comes in handy too
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Armored Kincaller image 3.0 This will gain you three pretty often in Green, and that’s a pretty good ETB to have on a three mana 3/3
Join the Dead image 4.0 This is great without Descend, and with it it’s incredible. Always remember that double Black ends up being a problem sometimes, but this is so efficient that it doesn’t matter much.
Quicksand Whirlpool image 2.5 Casting this for six is kind of rough, but casting it for three is solid enough, especially in less aggressive decks.
Dead Weight image 3.5 This is good every time we see it, especially because they tend to put it in formats where you can get some extra value out of it. One mana for -2/-2 is already premium, as you can trade up all the time, but the extra value in this format comes as a result of all of the Descend. Permanents that are removal spells are going to give you some nice extra value, and that’s certainly true here
Hidden Cataract image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 5: Rampaging Ceratops
Rampaging Ceratops image 2.0 This has solid stats and blocking it is no easy task.
Stinging Cave Crawler image 2.5 A three mana ⅓ with death touch isn’t good. It isn’t a disaster either, since it can trade for stuff, but it isn’t something thar would make the cut every time either. So, for this to be worth it, you're hoping to get Descend going. And once you do, your opponent is going to have a hard time not getting 2 for 1'd. The card does work well with itself, as sometimes a ⅓ death toucher will buy you the time you need to get to the point where you have Descend 4
Oteclan Landmark image 3.0 One mana to scry 2 isn’t very good, even in a format where you can sacrifice or tap this for value. But…this is way more than that, because crafting it isn’t a hug challenge, and the creature you get is a legitimate threat, because giving flying to your other attackers makes for a powerful effect. Between the format’s artifact synergy, and this card’s upside, this looks like a really nice Common to me
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Sunshot Militia image 2.0 This seems like a decent way to finish your opponent off in Red artifact decks. Even if they stabilize, this two drop can make it impossible for them provided you have artifacts and creatures around, and that’s not a huge ask. This only being Sorcery speed, like most of these effects, certainly matters, as being able to wait until the end of your opponents turn would mean you can keep all our blocks up – but still, I think this will do enough to warrant a slot in your deck
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Shipwreck Sentry image 2.0 We see two mana 3/3s with Defender that can only attack when X happens in a turn, and they always end up being decent. Even when they can’t attack, they have nice bodies that your opponent usually can’t just attack into, and on the turns they can rumble, they are pretty good at that too
Hidden Volcano image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 6: Zoyowa's Justice
Zoyowa's Justice image 0.0 I'm not interested in this kind of justice. I get it, you can use it an attempt to get yourself a better card, or downgrade an opposing one, but too much is left up to chance. You have no idea how it will go, and it will backfire far too often
Canonized in Blood image 3.0 You probably need at least two counters before this feels like it’s worth it, and I think that’s definitely doable. It’s great that in the late game, you also have the ability to put a very real flyer into play too, while also triggering your other descent stuff. This seems like a very nice payoff for the various descending strategies – which, keep in mind can include self mill, sacrifice, and more
Thousand Moons Crackshot image 1.5 Sometimes you’ll be able to attack with this and really open the floodgates on your opponent by getting their best blocker out of the way, but three mana is a lot, and your opponent also always knows this is coming, making it a lot less useful. You’re rarely going to use this ability early, and by the late game it has some diminishing returns.
Skullcap Snail image 2.5 It’s important than this exile instead of letting the opponent discard, as you don’t want to be helping your opponent get Descend stuff going. As usual, a two mana 1/1 with this effect is solid
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Pirate Hat image 2.5 If you can Equip this for one consistently, it looks pretty solid to me. The stats boost isn’t the best thing ever, but if you’re sticking it on things for 1 mana it will feel plenty good, especially because artifacts and loot triggers are better than normal in this format
In the Presence of Ages image 2.5 I think you’ll want one of these in most Green decks. It helps you load the yard while drawing you a couple of cards in most cases
Out of Air image 2.0 So, this is either a Harder-to-cast Essence Scatter, or a harder-to-cast Counterspell. I’m not super enthusiastic about either of those modes. Countermagic that costs double blue can be rough in Limited, because you are far from guaranteed to have it up when you need to. That’s sort of true of all counterspells, but one with more mana intensive requirements in a format where your mana just isn’t very good is extra hard to use
Greedy Freebooter image 1.0 // 3.0 This is some amazing sacrifice fodder, especially because the sacrifice effects in this format let you sacrifice creature or artifacts, and this one card gives you two of those. It does get a lot worse in situations where you can’t sacrifice it easily, as it will be a little more difficult to get a card of value out of it. I think that probably makes it a build around
Hidden Necropolis image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 7: Malamet Veteran
Adaptive Gemguard image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have not performed well of late. The fact aggro decks can just attack into them with their two and three drops while they hold up a combat trick has been a real problem. This one can get bigger if you have artifacts and creatures lying around, and that’s certainly doable. It even counts itself for the effect.
Hotfoot Gnome image 2.0 A three mana 3/1 with Haste with a useful card type in Artifact is probably a 1.5, but it’s nice this can tap to give things haste. Once it isn’t a very good attacker on its own – which will be often – it can at least make your other creatures into better attackers. Still, this isn’t nearly as good as one mana 1/1s with this ability that we’ve seen in the recent past
Malamet Veteran image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/4 trampler is sort of passable, and the fact that this can hand out +1/+1 counters, including to itself, when you have enough permanents in your graveyard, is pretty nice. Descend 4 is pretty approachable by the time the Veteran comes down too
Sage of Days image 3.0 This is a nice way to load your graveyard in a hurry, and it isn’t that far from Scry 3 on ETB, which would make for a nice card. The stat-line isn’t good of course, but I think this does the kind of thing you want to be doing in Blue in this format
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
In the Presence of Ages image 2.5 I think you’ll want one of these in most Green decks. It helps you load the yard while drawing you a couple of cards in most cases
Island image
Pack 2 Pick 8: Panicked Altisaur
Nicanzil, Current Conductor image 3.5 This has nice base stats and it makes all of your Explores way better. Getting to put a land into play right when you hit it with Explore is super relevant in the early game, and while it drops off some late, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Getting an extra +1/+1 counter on Nicanzil also means it has the potential to stay relevant forever
Sorcerous Spyglass image 0.0 This is an 0.0 every time we see it. Even IF you see a card that you get to name, turning off a card’s activated abilities isn’t worth a card, and we’re talking about the BEST CASE scenario
Kaslem's Stonetree image 1.5 The front side of this isn’t great, although the fact it can hit any land means it can help you dig for Caves if you’re interested in doing that – and you probably are, because the Stonetree crafts with Caves! Later, it can become a beefy enough creature. Overall…I’m not actually that impressed here. It doesn’t add to the board on the front side, and crafting with Caves is challenging enough that you can’t really count on getting the 5/5. There are just so many better cave payoffs in the set, that this isn’t really the one you’re desperate for
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Thousand Moons Crackshot image 1.5 Sometimes you’ll be able to attack with this and really open the floodgates on your opponent by getting their best blocker out of the way, but three mana is a lot, and your opponent also always knows this is coming, making it a lot less useful. You’re rarely going to use this ability early, and by the late game it has some diminishing returns.
Acolyte of Aclazotz image 2.5 There are plenty of expendable artifacts and creatures to be had in Black, and this also works well with Descend stuff. Draining 1 life at a time might sound small, but it really can keep you alive while pressuring your opponent
Greedy Freebooter image 1.0 // 3.0 This is some amazing sacrifice fodder, especially because the sacrifice effects in this format let you sacrifice creature or artifacts, and this one card gives you two of those. It does get a lot worse in situations where you can’t sacrifice it easily, as it will be a little more difficult to get a card of value out of it. I think that probably makes it a build around
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Pack 2 Pick 9: Mineshaft Spider
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Runaway Boulder image 1.5 Lots of decks want to run as many permanents as possible because of Descend, and the Boulder gives you a removal spell that is still a permanent. Now…it is very far from being efficient, but it does deal with most things, and you can also cycle it away – which also matters for Descend. With all that in mind, it will definitely make the cut a decent chunk of the time
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Mineshaft Spider image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but it does help you with graveyard stuff
Frilled Cave-Wurm image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/5 is mediocre, but there are definitely worst stat-lines. The Descend upgrade here is a big one too, as it suddenly makes the Cave-Wurm into a formidable attacker. That said, this is never going to feel like anything special. The floor is a very inefficient creature and the ceiling is one with slightly above-rate stats
Fungal Fortitude image 2.0 +2/+0 will help a creature win lots of combats, and it doesn’t matter that there isn’t also a toughness boost, because the creature’s coming back! It feels especially busted with ETB abilities. This also helps you trigger descend stuff
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 10: Hunter's Blowgun
Might of the Ancestors image 2.0 This is a boost that can make just about any creature into a much better attacker, and you get the trigger the turn you play it, provided you play it in your first main phase. Still…there are situations where a card like this just doesn’t do enough to make your board state any better, and it feels miserable in those situations.
Deathcap Marionette image 2.0 We’ve already seen that descending is a key part of what Black wants to do in this format, and the Marionette helps you do it while being capable of trading with anything thanks to death touch
Envoy of Okinec Ahau image 2.5 Solid base stats, and a passable mana sink ability. Not much more to say about it.
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Pack 2 Pick 11: Family Reunion
Visage of Dread image 3.0 This will hit a card in your opponent's hand every single time on turn two, and it will often have a card to hit much later than that. It does have the potential of feeling terrible when you wiff, but it makes up for that with the Craft upside, which is likely going to be accessible by the stage of the game when it does wiff. Disrupting the opponent early and getting a big monster late will feel best of course.
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Shipwreck Sentry image 2.0 We see two mana 3/3s with Defender that can only attack when X happens in a turn, and they always end up being decent. Even when they can’t attack, they have nice bodies that your opponent usually can’t just attack into, and on the turns they can rumble, they are pretty good at that too
Pack 2 Pick 12: Broodrage Mycoid
Goldfury Strider image 2.0 The base stats here are very underwhelming, and the idea here is that you can use some combination of artifacts and creature tokens that are available in the set to make this a 5/5 trampler, in which case you’re talking about something significantly more impressive. It is a pretty big bummer that you have to do it at sorcery speed, as the threat of activation here would make it a lot better. You’re just…not always going to have the extra stuff around to buff this, and even when you do, I don’t think you’re going to feel like you’re doing something all that impressive.
Sage of Days image 3.0 This is a nice way to load your graveyard in a hurry, and it isn’t that far from Scry 3 on ETB, which would make for a nice card. The stat-line isn’t good of course, but I think this does the kind of thing you want to be doing in Blue in this format
Broodrage Mycoid image 3.0 This will make a 1/1 on a decent number of turns and it has passable stats
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Walk with the Ancestors
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Pack 2 Pick 14: Canonized in Blood
Canonized in Blood image 3.0 You probably need at least two counters before this feels like it’s worth it, and I think that’s definitely doable. It’s great that in the late game, you also have the ability to put a very real flyer into play too, while also triggering your other descent stuff. This seems like a very nice payoff for the various descending strategies – which, keep in mind can include self mill, sacrifice, and more
Out of Air image 2.0 So, this is either a Harder-to-cast Essence Scatter, or a harder-to-cast Counterspell. I’m not super enthusiastic about either of those modes. Countermagic that costs double blue can be rough in Limited, because you are far from guaranteed to have it up when you need to. That’s sort of true of all counterspells, but one with more mana intensive requirements in a format where your mana just isn’t very good is extra hard to use
Pack 2 Pick 15: Island
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 1: Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake
Throne of the Grim Captain image 0.0 // 4.5 This is a super cool design, and I think you’ll actually be able to pull this off in Limited. Normally, a two mana Artifact that mills two wouldn’t be playable on its own, but there are going to be some decks in this format so reliant on Craft and/or Descend, that this delivers some pretty real value. And ending up with a reasonable mix of these four creature types isn’t impossible either. Still, you shouldn’t be playing this unless you can get value out of that front side – apart from hoping you mill creatures with the right types. So, this really feels like a build around
Confounding Riddle image 3.0 We've seen cards before with these two options, more or less, and they have performed pretty well. One of the downsides of counter magic is that if your opponent plays around it after you left mana up, it can feel terrible. This fixes that problem by having another powerful mode - a mode that is extra strong in a format where Blue us so into the graveyard. Getting one card in hand and several in the yard will often feel like two cards of value in this set
Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake image 3.5 A 5-mana 6/4 with Vigilance and Menace is already a pretty imposing creature, and this one can come back in the later stages of the game. Having to deal with this problematic of a body twice in a game isn’t going to be easy. That said, Descend 8 is pretty intense, and even with Blue-Black being good at milling itself, it isn’t exactly something you should always count on. Still, this looks like a really nice signpost Uncommon
Digsite Conservator image 2.5 Graveyard hate is really legit in this format, as keeping your opponent from being able to craft or take advantage of Descent is going to really matter, so I think a two mana 2/1 that hates on the graveyard is probably already kind of playable. Add in the Discover upside and we’re talking about something that is perfectly solid. You won’t always have that 4 mana of course, but when you do you might generate a two-for-one, or at least really make your graveyard-loving opponent’s life a lot more difficult while getting a card to replace the Conservator
Waterlogged Hulk image 3.5 A one mana artifact that can load your graveyard is better in this format than it is in most – as we’ve seen Blue cares about artifacts and the graveyard, and this checks the most boxes. Then, when you craft this it becomes a very real easy-to-crew vehicle, that in the really late game can just close it out for you. I think the front does what you want to do in Blue and getting to the point where you get the vehicle is easy enough that this looks quite strong
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Brackish Blunder image 2.0 Just the bounce part of the card is usually a passable card, so getting a map token if the creature is tapped makes this pretty appealing. Now…not being a permanent in Blue does hurt a card a little bit because of Descent stuff, but the fact this gives you a Map helps check some boxes for artifact decks.
Pathfinding Axejaw image 3.5 This will either be a 4-mana 5/4 with Surveil 1, or a 4-mana 4/3 that draws you a card. Both of those are pretty nice for the cost.
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Quicksand Whirlpool image 2.5 Casting this for six is kind of rough, but casting it for three is solid enough, especially in less aggressive decks.
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Vito's Inquisitor image 3.0 The starting stat-line is bad, but growing this and making it evasive seems doable enough for this to perform reasonably well. Especially because you can do it at instant speed and whenever you want
Deep Goblin Skulltaker image 2.0 The Gray Ogre statline is ugly, even with Menace, but this can grow without a ton of effort, and obviously the bigger it gets, the better Menace feels
Forest image
Pack 3 Pick 2: Abrade
Belligerent Yearling image 3.0 This has nice starting stats, and the fact its power can go up can allow it to stay relevant all game long
Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake image 3.5 A 5-mana 6/4 with Vigilance and Menace is already a pretty imposing creature, and this one can come back in the later stages of the game. Having to deal with this problematic of a body twice in a game isn’t going to be easy. That said, Descend 8 is pretty intense, and even with Blue-Black being good at milling itself, it isn’t exactly something you should always count on. Still, this looks like a really nice signpost Uncommon
Spyglass Siren image 3.0 This looks like a great one drop. It reminds me a bit of Voldaren Epicure, and that’s some great company to keep. You get a decent enough one mana 1/1 Flyer, and then some additional value on top of that? Value that has some format-specific synergy? Yeah, this is good
Grasping Shadows image 2.0 4 mana is kind of a lot for something that just gives a couple of keywords to a creature, and it only gives it to them when the creature attacks alone. That said, deathtouch + lifelink tends to make it so you can attack with something on most turns, and sometimes it offers a really serious boost. Shadows’ Lair drawing you some cards after all that is pretty sweet too, but this does seem rough on board states where you’re not the beat down. I mean…sometimes you just can’t attack, and this will feel blank when that’s the case
Deep Goblin Skulltaker image 2.0 The Gray Ogre statline is ugly, even with Menace, but this can grow without a ton of effort, and obviously the bigger it gets, the better Menace feels
Abrade image 4.0 This is great every time it gets printed, and it might actually be better here. Two for 3 damage at instant speed is already premium, but this format has a ton of artifacts and artifact creatures too, and this can also destroy those outright.
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Unlucky Drop image 3.0 Because it puts the creature back in your opponents deck, it does actually let you trade 1-for-1, and that’s important. Keep in mind your opponent makes the choice about where to put the card. This does get a small knock simply for not being a permanent, in a color where permanents really matter
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Runaway Boulder image 1.5 Lots of decks want to run as many permanents as possible because of Descend, and the Boulder gives you a removal spell that is still a permanent. Now…it is very far from being efficient, but it does deal with most things, and you can also cycle it away – which also matters for Descend. With all that in mind, it will definitely make the cut a decent chunk of the time
Rampaging Spiketail image 2.5 We recently saw cards with landcycling for two really underperform, but they have some advantages in this format. Like all land cyclers, this has the upside of getting you a land when you draw it early, and being a reasonably relevant card in the later stages of the game. And in this case, the Spiketail is likely to enable a pretty good attack when you cast it. But the extra value of land cyclers comes as a result of this format’s graveyard-heavy theme. Cycling this counts as descending, and it also makes it more likely you get to Descend 4 or 8, and you can also exile it from your graveyard for Craft
Cogwork Wrestler image 2.5 This can Flash in and kill just about any X/1, which tends to feel pretty good.. If you can combine it with some other creatures, it can even take down bigger things. You do need to have that mode work out more often than not to make it worth it, because just using this to blank a couple of damage isn’t nearly as good, but that’s not the worst fail case either.
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 3: Master's Guide-Mural
Digsite Conservator image 2.5 Graveyard hate is really legit in this format, as keeping your opponent from being able to craft or take advantage of Descent is going to really matter, so I think a two mana 2/1 that hates on the graveyard is probably already kind of playable. Add in the Discover upside and we’re talking about something that is perfectly solid. You won’t always have that 4 mana of course, but when you do you might generate a two-for-one, or at least really make your graveyard-loving opponent’s life a lot more difficult while getting a card to replace the Conservator
Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that shuts off your opponent’s spells during your turn is something that always makes the cut, and this comes with some awesome upside, since it will draw you a few cards sometimes. The easiest way to make this do its thing is to get +1/+1 counters with Explore, but any stats boost on your creatures will work
Diamond Pick-Axe image 2.5 It looks a lot like Goldvein Pick, a piece of equipment that really overperformed in Kaldheim. The stats boost is modest, but generating treasure is a huge deal, especially in decks that care about artifacts, but it isn’t hard to find uses for them in any deck
Master's Guide-Mural image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/4 Golem isn’t exactly great, but keep in mind Blue-White does like having artifacts lying around, and this gives you two of them. If you can craft this in the later stages of the game, you end up with a pretty powerful Artifact that can immediately crank out another 4/4, and can make more later in the game too. I don’t love how expensive this is to craft or how much it costs initially, and I worry it will feel a little too slow, but this definitely has the ability to take over games
Cavern Stomper image 2.5 This thing means business, and in addition to adding such a nice body to the board, it also improves your next draw significantly. The ability is costly, but there are certainly times where it matters
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Sunfire Torch image 2.0 So…this is a really roundabout Shock. It takes some extra steps, and more total mana, but eventually it does 2 to something! You can also keep it around for a meager power boost if you want. Being an artifact and a card that can put itself into the graveyard has extra value here too, but I do think this takes too much work to really be looked at as premium removal.
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Volatile Wanderglyph image 2.0 This will let you rummage when you attack or crew a vehicle, but perhaps most importantly, it lets you do it when you tap it using one of the many cards in this format that lets you tap artifacts and creatures for value. It doesn’t seem essential for that type of deck, but it certainly seems useful.
Cogwork Wrestler image 2.5 This can Flash in and kill just about any X/1, which tends to feel pretty good.. If you can combine it with some other creatures, it can even take down bigger things. You do need to have that mode work out more often than not to make it worth it, because just using this to blank a couple of damage isn’t nearly as good, but that’s not the worst fail case either.
Captivating Cave image 2.0 Filter lands have been performing better, of late, at least in sets with multicolor themes, and while this set one doesn’t have a strong one of those, the fact this has a useful sub type and can be used to put some counters on stuff, while also setting up Descend, probably means it’s decent enough
Pack 3 Pick 4: Plundering Pirate
Thrashing Brontodon image 3.0 This is a reprint. Like last time, it has efficient stats and has upside that lets you blow up some key permanents
Malamet Battle Glyph image 3.5 One mana for fight is often a playable card in Green, but this one comes with serious upside! Because it’s so cheap, resolving a creature and then using this to fight in the same turn will be a regular occurrence, and getting a permanent boost that makes your creature more capable of surviving and winning a fight with an opposing creature is awesome
Ancestors' Aid image 2.0 +2/+0 and First Strike is going to win combat a huge percentage of the time, and in addition to the value treasure normally gives you in the form of mana, there’s lots of other stuff you can do with it in the format
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Quicksand Whirlpool image 2.5 Casting this for six is kind of rough, but casting it for three is solid enough, especially in less aggressive decks.
Buried Treasure image 1.5 Paying two mana for a treasure is terrible, but this can at least give you an actual card from out of the graveyard, and that certainly matters in this format, where this is likely to get milled or sacrificed for value. I’m still not sure I really want to be playing this on turn two, basically ever, so maybe you mostly want to mill it. For now, I’m not very interested in this
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Plundering Pirate image 3.0 Creatures that make treasures on ETB virtually always over perform, and the stat-line here is a bit better than what we usually see. Treasure brings extra value in an artifact format too. I think this is one of Red’s better commons
Join the Dead image 4.0 This is great without Descend, and with it it’s incredible. Always remember that double Black ends up being a problem sometimes, but this is so efficient that it doesn’t matter much.
Skullcap Snail image 2.5 It’s important than this exile instead of letting the opponent discard, as you don’t want to be helping your opponent get Descend stuff going. As usual, a two mana 1/1 with this effect is solid
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 5: Panicked Altisaur
Glimpse the Core image 1.5 It has been a long time since they gave us a two mana ramp spell like this. It can't grab any basic land like Rampant growth, but it still gets you to 4 on turn three, and even has Cave upside. The question becomes "Would it just be better to play a two mana 2/2, though?" And given what formats have looked like lately, the answer is usually gonna be yes, especially because this is pretty bad when you get it late. If there is a legit ramp deck in the format, this is likely to play a role in it, but I am very skeptical given that we haven't seen a legit ramp deck work out in Limited since like…Strixhaven
Cavernous Maw image 2.0 There are enough Caves to get this going in some decks, and if your deck can take the hit to your mana this causes, it’s a pretty good creature land
Inverted Iceberg image 3.5 The front side of the card has a useful card type, loads your graveyard, and replaces itself. It would probably be a C all on its own. And in the late game you can transform it into a creature that your opponent is going to have to do something about. Even if it doesn’t impact the board on turn two, I think it does enough for the cost and the upside is big
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Screaming Phantom image 2.5 It has passable stats and helps enable all of your graveyard shenanigans that you’re almost guaranteed to have in Black
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Buried Treasure image 1.5 Paying two mana for a treasure is terrible, but this can at least give you an actual card from out of the graveyard, and that certainly matters in this format, where this is likely to get milled or sacrificed for value. I’m still not sure I really want to be playing this on turn two, basically ever, so maybe you mostly want to mill it. For now, I’m not very interested in this
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
River Herald Scout image 3.0 You would happily play a two mana 2/3 with Surveil one, and you’d happily play a two mana ½ that draws you a card, and you’re getting one of those every time you cast it
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 6: Walk with the Ancestors
Twists and Turns image 3.5 Scry 1 before you explore is a big upgrade, and obviously this can help you find the lands you need to transform it, and once transformed it's a great late game mana sink. The fact it explores when it ETBs is awesome too! I don't really think this needs a build around grade, since even on its own it seems playable, provided you're a slowish Green deck. And you're pretty likely to have more explore without even trying too
Shipwreck Sentry image 2.0 We see two mana 3/3s with Defender that can only attack when X happens in a turn, and they always end up being decent. Even when they can’t attack, they have nice bodies that your opponent usually can’t just attack into, and on the turns they can rumble, they are pretty good at that too
Broodrage Mycoid image 3.0 This will make a 1/1 on a decent number of turns and it has passable stats
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Disturbed Slumber image 0.0 This effect is basically never worth it. I get it, you can ambush your opponent’s attacker with a land, or suddenly do 4 out of nowhere, but the times where that’s actually worth a card are infrequent. I’d rather have something that permanently adds to the board
Fanatical Offering image 2.5 This probably isn’t quite Deadly Dispute, but I think that’s a pretty good comparison. This format has lots and lots of expendable stuff around, and this will often feel like you’re giving up very little to draw two and get a Map token, and that’s some serious value
Dinotomaton image 3.0 A 4-mana 4/3 Menace is pretty close to a 2.5, so the upside of giving something else menace right away is pretty nice! It won’t always enable a good attack, but it will pretty frequently, especially if you’re curving out
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Cosmium Blast image 2.5 We see a card like this in most sets, and as usual – it’s efficient, but situational enough that it definitely isn’t premium. It’s far better when you’re not an aggro deck, since in that type of deck you want removal that lets you get rid of a creature before they ever get to block.
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 7: Sunshot Militia
Kaslem's Stonetree image 1.5 The front side of this isn’t great, although the fact it can hit any land means it can help you dig for Caves if you’re interested in doing that – and you probably are, because the Stonetree crafts with Caves! Later, it can become a beefy enough creature. Overall…I’m not actually that impressed here. It doesn’t add to the board on the front side, and crafting with Caves is challenging enough that you can’t really count on getting the 5/5. There are just so many better cave payoffs in the set, that this isn’t really the one you’re desperate for
Etali's Favor image 1.0 You just don’t want to pay for that stats boost when you’re seriously risking getting 2-for-1’d. The Discover part does mean that this makes sure to give you back a card, but the card you get back won’t be impressive enough to offset this card’s weak effect, at least not enough for this to be the kind of Red card you’re interesting in playing consistently
Ancestors' Aid image 2.0 +2/+0 and First Strike is going to win combat a huge percentage of the time, and in addition to the value treasure normally gives you in the form of mana, there’s lots of other stuff you can do with it in the format
Adaptive Gemguard image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have not performed well of late. The fact aggro decks can just attack into them with their two and three drops while they hold up a combat trick has been a real problem. This one can get bigger if you have artifacts and creatures lying around, and that’s certainly doable. It even counts itself for the effect.
Unlucky Drop image 3.0 Because it puts the creature back in your opponents deck, it does actually let you trade 1-for-1, and that’s important. Keep in mind your opponent makes the choice about where to put the card. This does get a small knock simply for not being a permanent, in a color where permanents really matter
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Skullcap Snail image 2.5 It’s important than this exile instead of letting the opponent discard, as you don’t want to be helping your opponent get Descend stuff going. As usual, a two mana 1/1 with this effect is solid
Sunshot Militia image 2.0 This seems like a decent way to finish your opponent off in Red artifact decks. Even if they stabilize, this two drop can make it impossible for them provided you have artifacts and creatures around, and that’s not a huge ask. This only being Sorcery speed, like most of these effects, certainly matters, as being able to wait until the end of your opponents turn would mean you can keep all our blocks up – but still, I think this will do enough to warrant a slot in your deck
Forest image
Pack 3 Pick 8: Rampaging Ceratops
Rampaging Ceratops image 2.0 This has solid stats and blocking it is no easy task.
Oteclan Landmark image 3.0 One mana to scry 2 isn’t very good, even in a format where you can sacrifice or tap this for value. But…this is way more than that, because crafting it isn’t a hug challenge, and the creature you get is a legitimate threat, because giving flying to your other attackers makes for a powerful effect. Between the format’s artifact synergy, and this card’s upside, this looks like a really nice Common to me
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Sunfire Torch image 2.0 So…this is a really roundabout Shock. It takes some extra steps, and more total mana, but eventually it does 2 to something! You can also keep it around for a meager power boost if you want. Being an artifact and a card that can put itself into the graveyard has extra value here too, but I do think this takes too much work to really be looked at as premium removal.
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Cavern Stomper image 2.5 This thing means business, and in addition to adding such a nice body to the board, it also improves your next draw significantly. The ability is costly, but there are certainly times where it matters
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 9: Panicked Altisaur
Waterlogged Hulk image 3.5 A one mana artifact that can load your graveyard is better in this format than it is in most – as we’ve seen Blue cares about artifacts and the graveyard, and this checks the most boxes. Then, when you craft this it becomes a very real easy-to-crew vehicle, that in the really late game can just close it out for you. I think the front does what you want to do in Blue and getting to the point where you get the vehicle is easy enough that this looks quite strong
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Deep Goblin Skulltaker image 2.0 The Gray Ogre statline is ugly, even with Menace, but this can grow without a ton of effort, and obviously the bigger it gets, the better Menace feels
Forest image
Pack 3 Pick 10: Thousand Moons Infantry
Deep Goblin Skulltaker image 2.0 The Gray Ogre statline is ugly, even with Menace, but this can grow without a ton of effort, and obviously the bigger it gets, the better Menace feels
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Rampaging Spiketail image 2.5 We recently saw cards with landcycling for two really underperform, but they have some advantages in this format. Like all land cyclers, this has the upside of getting you a land when you draw it early, and being a reasonably relevant card in the later stages of the game. And in this case, the Spiketail is likely to enable a pretty good attack when you cast it. But the extra value of land cyclers comes as a result of this format’s graveyard-heavy theme. Cycling this counts as descending, and it also makes it more likely you get to Descend 4 or 8, and you can also exile it from your graveyard for Craft
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 11: Oltec Archaeologists
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Volatile Wanderglyph image 2.0 This will let you rummage when you attack or crew a vehicle, but perhaps most importantly, it lets you do it when you tap it using one of the many cards in this format that lets you tap artifacts and creatures for value. It doesn’t seem essential for that type of deck, but it certainly seems useful.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Ancestors' Aid
Ancestors' Aid image 2.0 +2/+0 and First Strike is going to win combat a huge percentage of the time, and in addition to the value treasure normally gives you in the form of mana, there’s lots of other stuff you can do with it in the format
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 13: Over the Edge
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 14: Daring Discovery
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 15: Forest
Forest image
Draft Pick Overview