March of the Machine Battle Cards Review: Worth a Flip or Just a Flop?

UPDATE (May 07, 2023): Read our post-release commentary here.

With the March of the Machine preview season for MTG finally open, we now can get a closer look at the brand new card type called Battle. It was first teased in the Phyrexia: All Will be One card Atraxa, Grand Unifier, and since then players have theorized potential mechanics and effects, including a few prototype concepts that involve creating a completely different battlefield.

If you want to learn the general rules for playing battle cards, you can check our short guide here. For this article, we will instead look into the potential of specific battle cards, and how they could theoretically play out in various play formats for MTG.

Basic ideas about battle cards

• While they are mostly designed to work on all formats, battle cards seem to be most optimized for Commander (and maybe Limited) by the nature of their mechanics. Keep this in mind when I start lashing out at reviewing some of the weaker battles, since my perspective would mostly be in constructed formats.
• The current battle cards show “Siege” as a type, which hints that there will be more types of battle cards that show different kinds of flavorful mechanics to their names.
• Defense counters for siege-type battles are technically “given” to your opponent, adding to their total life pool. This is unlike loyalty counters on planeswalkers, which “add” to the owner’s total life pool instead. As such, the mechanics of investing your resources in siege-type battle cards can be considerably different, even among different battle cards.
• Mark Rosewater hinted on WeeklyMTG that the next type of battle cards after siege might put the caster instead on the defense, meaning they "get" the defense counters and not the opponent. If that's the case, then the play dynamics for this specific type of battle would be somewhat closer to managing planeswalker cards.
• All battle cards so far are permanents with ETB effects, with casting costs that are somewhat fair-ish to what they offer. As such, treating them as simple enchantments would do. The option to crack the battle card and transform it becomes optional, and only done if strategically viable.
• Because these are ETB effects, blinking these cards could also be a viable strategy when appropriate.
• Cards that deal non-combat damage (to any target or specifically to battles) are the only other sources that can remove defense counters on battle cards manually. There are two implications to this:
• First, battle cards with red mana would most likely require additional tricks to effectively transform. This is because of the color's easy access to burn spells, and given that these spells are often better targeted at key creatures or directly at your opponent.
• Second, destroying the battles with removal spells will do nothing and just send them to the graveyard as normal.
• If a card has an effect that specifically removes counters such as Vampire Hexmage, Glissa Sunslayer, or even the newest card, Render Inert, that could also fulfill the transform requirement. A severe exploit in this manner is unlikely, however, given the lessons WoTC has already learned from older abusable counter-based cards in MTG.
• Does the existence of battle cards mean Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines would finally become a tiny bit more popular in Standard?! Eh, maybe not.
• It is very important to note that if battle cards are somehow turned into creatures but are still battles, they cannot attack or block. But if it turns into a creature and is no longer a battle, all battle card rules no longer apply to the permanent (Clarification by Matt Tabak of WoTC)

 

Uncommon Battle Cards

Invasion of Amonkhet // Lazotep Convert

Flip rating: At your discretion

Basically a single-use Disinformation Campaign with a mill on the side. That does not instantly make it a playable card though, and needless to say, this has to be used in conjuction with other preparatory moves. If not, the investment won't really do anything to stop your opponent. Ah well, it's an uncommon so we can't really expect that much variation from its initially intended Dimir-aligned effect.

Invasion of Amonkhet // Lazotep Convert seems to be quite usable on its own at least, synergizing very well with the front facing ETB effect no matter which graveyard you choose. Four defense counters also make it relatively easier to transform, and since you are aiming to cheat an expensive effect into play with it, we can conclude that diverting four damage to the battle card would generally be worth it.

Still, flip only when strategically viable.

Invasion of Azgol // Ashen Reaper

Flip rating: At your discretion

Even if Rakdos colors are used, the fact that this is still a two-mana edict effect card by default still makes it quite playable on its own. Four defense counters aren’t exactly steep for the card’s color identity, plus you get a free +1/+1 counter during your end step if this card transforms on the same turn.

It is pretty easy-to-use, and even if not as solid, might just be able to see play outside of Limited formats. It does feel weird that Invasion of Azgol // Ashen Reaper specifically requires your end step before it checks for +1/+1 counters. But it can grow very quickly given the correct Rakdos-aligned components, as it isn’t picky about the permanents it triggers with.

Invasion of Belenon // Belenon War Anthem

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

Actually, we have another battle card in this set that generates knight tokens. But that one at least is given a very fair mana cost, plus a reliable-ish transformed form, albeit played at two colors. So Invasion of Belenon // Belenon War Antherm, in comparison, feels like a very pale version of it. Even at uncommon, it would have worked better as an ETB permanent with a lower casting cost, or a higher one but generating two tokens. At three mana, it just feels very mediocre, even if slapped into a knight tribal build, or even if drafted for Limited.

Cracking five whole defense counters to transform it also provides just a simple anthem effect. Which isn't even supposed to be bad. But when compared to Wedding Announcement // Wedding Festivity (which also takes time to transform), the efficiency is just so much worse. It really needs a good acceleration strategy (or a combo card of perfect synergy) to be acceptably usable.

Invasion of Dominaria // Serra Faithkeeper 

Flip rating: Maybe don’t use at all?

Being a mono-white battle card at five defense counters makes Invasion of Dominaria // Serra Faithkeeper a hard nut to crack for its transformation reward. Its effect is also pretty weird for its cost, as it just lets you cantrip with a side dish of life gain. The transformed side is well… a Serra Angel clone, which is nice, but the effort to reach the finish line would require quite a bit more chess work between you and your opponents’ creatures.

Not exactly a remarkable card for constructed formats on its own, but would probably gain a bit of stride in Limited. Major plus points for its flavor text, at least.

Invasion of Eldraine // Prickle Faeries

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

Four mana for a simple discard effect, even if it does pick away one for two mana each, is just not really usable anymore, not even in Limited. You don't get to immediately change the board state, and it's most likely turn four, a point where both you and your opponent have already invested in whatever your cards in hand could have done.

The transformed side leaves a lot to be desired as well. I understand that this is an uncommon and Sheoldred, the Apocalypse is mythic rare, but the massive disparity in what is supposed to be similar utility sets is not even comparable at this point.

Just, skip this card.

Invasion of Ergamon // Truga Cliffcharger

Flip rating: At your discretion

Another dual-color battle card, this time in Gruul. With red as one of its color identities, it is understandable that it gets five defense counters. The effect is not bad on its own, but potentially highly synergistic depending on the build (both the Treasure token and reverse looting effect). While it may take a while even with red sources to transform this one, Invasion of Ergamon // Truga Cliffcharger seems worth the investment enough since you can cycle a different battle card all over again, or tutor up a land without any restrictions whatsoever.

Basically, a double ETB investment if cracked at the right opportunity. Not sure if such an effect for a permanent would immediately fit current Gruul builds in constructed formats, but the possibility for practical use is there.... I think.

Invasion of Kaladesh // Aetherwing, Golden-Scale Flagship

Flip rating: Worth flipping enough

An Izzet-based siege battle card with four defense counters. Paying two colors for a single 1/1 artifact flyer feels a bit too steep, but not exactly unplayable. It is red after all, so transforming it is a bit easier given the right situation. As a bonus, Aetherwing can potentially be a cheap but potent aerial swinger, since the card’s color identity could easily set up its required power boost and the ETB token immediately becomes its first crew target.

Not really a staple, but it might enter Standard for certain niche builds, and could even have a place in Historic thopter decks.

Invasion of Kamigawa // Rooftop Saboteurs

Flip rating: Maybe don’t use at all?

Why exactly are most bad uncommon battle cards have a two-mana additional tax for their use? This kind of hints that these were tested for lower costs and are found to be a bit more busted than they ought to be for their rarities. For Invasion of Kamigawa // Rooftop Saboteurs in particular, the “stun” effect doesn’t exactly help accelerate its transformation other than maybe if the opponent has an efficient blocker.

Invasion of Kamigawa // Rooftop Saboteurs doesn’t seem to evoke the blue imagination that much as well, although it is kind of fairly usable on its own if the user decides on the “whittle down” option. Come to think of it, though, what else would a combat-oriented blue battle card come up with that isn’t recreated by another battle card yet anyway?

Invasion of Kylem // Valor's Reach Tag Team

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

Okay, the rating might be a bit too harsh. It does seem that four mana (at Boros colors) for a combat/aggro-related effect is fair enough as far as resource investment goes. But in practice, you won't really find this very useful at turn four. So you have a weird situation where you already have an established board (past turn-four) and you try to push further with this, or you somehow try to bank on its haste effect using freshly-transformed permanents. Either of which is iffy at best without inherent synergies, like dropping it on an incubate token deck for example.

Still, the cost seems fair enough, and the defense counters do kind of feel adequate for Invasion of Kylem // Valor's Reach Tag Team. But it is a very tricky card to practically use regardless.

Invasion of Lorwyn // Winnowing Forces

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

This is quite a letdown for such a highly-anticipated plane reference, even at uncommon. More than just depiction issues, however, six mana is also very steep for a simple ETB removal effect, even if the condition does guarantee that it can destroy almost any target. At the very least, with a Golgari color identity, its five defense counters might just be worth cracking to gain access to a Beanstalk Giant clone. Though, it is still a struggle to find practical uses for this card with such enormous resource requirements.

That’s it I guess. A subpar card for what otherwise would have been one of the most loved planes of all time.

Invasion of Moag // Bloomwielder Dryads

Flip rating: Good ETB, flip probably not necessary

Four-mana for putting counters on all creatures is quite impressive, more so since it’s an ETB effect and could potentially be played again easily. You can simply treat it as a standard single-effect enchantment or a reusable sorcery, never having to bother with its transformation requirement ever.

But if the option does present itself, having five defense counters isn’t the most efficient in reaching its transformed form, especially with its Selesnya color identity. Maybe chip in a bit occasionally until it gets to one, and then just decide to flip it if there’s no other better move to do. Then again, blinking it would most likely be better in most other situations.

Invasion of Mercadia // Kyren Flamewright

Flip rating: Flip not necessary most of the time

This is basically slightly less efficient Bitter Reunion swapped into another permanent type. So that alone already makes it fairly playable-ish as a basic ETB card. Don't forget that you can simply draw two cards without having to discard if you have no cards in hand as Invasion of Mercadia // Kyren Flamewright resolves!

Invasion of Mercadia // Kyren Flamewright sadly isn't as straightforward of a playable card, especially at four defense counters. You need a specific objective or a certain board state before you even consider investing resources to crack open the battle (apart from discarding a card, paying three mana, and tapping this thing). As such, you're most likely better off just using this for its front-facing effect about 90% of the time.

Invasion of Muraganda // Primordial Plasm

Flip rating: Not worth flipping, or even using for that matter

Well, this is definitely the worst battle card so far in everything, from its effect, cost, defense counters, up to its potential payoff. Fight effects are like, just a single mana even with their most recent versions, and I’m pretty sure adding a +1/+1 counter doesn’t warrant multiplying its cost five-fold. Primordial Plasma would have been interesting and pretty usable, but it is locked behind six defense counters AND five mana to be worth the investment.

Some players have theorized that it may have been a much more broken card during development, so it was nerfed to oblivion to remove any chance of it being remotely abusable. Yup, that’s really the only acceptable explanation for why this card sucks so much.

Invasion of New Capenna // Holy Frazzle-Cannon

Flip rating: Good ETB, flip at your discretion

A bit expensive than the latest/most updated card we have with a similar effect, but it is still within the same tier as the mono-color versions introduced in last two to three sets. The only thing missing perhaps is the ability to target planeswalkers (and battles). Anyway, with lots of cheap sac fodder in constructed formats, this will eventually find some use in a niche deck even if it does not become as popular as its design wants to be.

As for its transformed form, Invasion of New Capenna // Holy Frazzle-Cannon seems to be an amazing tribal-centric card that generates very easy bonuses for the entire board. It's also very much ready to use (equip) the moment it transforms, so just fire away!

Invasion of Pyrulea // Gargantuan Slabhorn

Flip rating: At your discretion

Basically just a card that can scry for 3 to then let you draw a card. Not bad for its Simic casting cost, and can certainly find utility in a lot of similarly color aligned decks. In fact, it may be good enough on without the need to ever transform it most of the time. Just swap it with your favorite similar effects currently in use, and enjoy the "modularity" of cracking it open once deemed viable.

Of course, this does not mean that I completely dismiss the potential of Gargantuan Slabhorn. After all, there's quite a good selection of builds if using transformed permanents is the name of the game. Maybe run it with an upcoming stompy incubate deck perhaps? Or splash it with the typical ensemble of flipping enchantment staples.

Invasion of Regatha // Disciples of the Inferno

Flip rating: Obligatory flip?!

The casting cost for the burn effect seems a bit off, but this is probably the lowest that we can realistically get because it's going to become too busted at two mana. In any case, the fact that it specifically hits battles means that its user is encouraged to do so whenever strategically appropriate. So in a theoretical offensive situation, you can perhaps transform another battle with it, while pinging a potential defender to push more damage to any other relevant target(s).

Invasion of Regatha // Disciples of the Inferno also isn't a slouch, with very good trigger upsides that directly synergizes with the front facing effect.

Invasion of Ulgrotha // Grandmother Ravi Sengir

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

Five mana for a drain effect with five whole defense counters? Not usable. This is like, the complete opposite of Invasion of Karsus // Refraction Elemental in terms of ETB viability. It has one nifty upside though: it can target (other) battles. So you might just be able to combo it with more efficient battle cards, and have it like, just be transformed via Render Inert or something.

That is if the situation would even call for it. Since, Invasion of Ulgrotha // Grandmother Ravi Sengir is a whole different entity of its own, for better, or for worse.

Invasion of Vryn // Overloaded Mage-Ring

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

What year is it again? Pretty sure that it's been a long time since MTG has seen simple four-mana triple-draw looter cards with no other tricks up its sleeve be viable enough for faster constructed formats. So without any direct synergy to other cards, this will be very difficult to use in other formats. Doesn't help that it has four defense counters either, which further worsens the card's overall practical value.

Which is such a waste, since the transformed side has a very interesting effect that could be exploited in super grindy matchups. Ah well, I really hope to be proven wrong with the initial rating for this card soon.

Invasion of Xerex // Vertex Paladin

Flip rating: Maybe don't use at all?

Very pricey for the simple bounce effect that it can do, made worse since you need white and blue to do the trick. Its transformed form is also nothing to write home about, but at least it has synergy. One, because March of the Machine seems to be aiming for an Azorius knight tribal theme. And two, most fast-paced Azorious decks do tend to pile up combat weenies and tokens anyway.

If we are to find potential versatility for this card, the key would have to come from its four defense counters. A transformation can be achieved relatively easily, especially if proven to be more splashable than it initially seems. You can then treat it as a dual utility card, despite the (unnecessary) addition of two more mana for its intial effect.

Invasion of Zendikar // Awakened Skyclave

Flip rating: Good ETB, flip at your discretion

The first battle card revealed, and the one that got players truly hyped for the new card type’s potential given its sheer efficiency. Basically an ETB (and potentially replayable) Explosive Vegetation, and that alone already makes it universally playable for anything that requires effective ramp effects.

The best part? Three defense counters! With its color identity squarely at green, you’re almost guaranteed to always pop this off immediately the turn it is casted (whenever it seems fit for your current strategy, of course). Though to be fair, just one Awakaned Skyclave on the field won’t exactly be a game-ender, even if it has haste. Plus, players might likely be more than interested in replaying its ETB effect over and over than anything else.

Rare Battle Cards

Invasion of Alara // Awaken the Maelstrom

Flip rating: At your discretion

If casted raw without using mana fixing tricks that cheat WUBRG mana, Invasion of Alara // Awaken the Maelstrom becomes pretty inefficient as it only manages to cast one of the chosen four-mana-value cards on the battlefield. Then again, most cards that can use these tricks are often not available in Standard, so there is a weird divide to its predicted playability at the moment. Perhaps there is more value to its auto-mill effect instead, with the two added and casted cards functioning as setup bonuses for the player.

As for its defense counters, seven feel like an absolute chore to remove. But strangely enough, this is probably the only expensive battle card that matches the high investment of the high transformed effect that it provides (others either being straight up bad, or just better than its base defense counters). It's also the only transformed battle card so far that is not a permanent. Like a ticking time bomb, your opponent has to deal with it as soon as possible lest they be swept with multiple advantages in a single wipe.

Invasion of Arcavios // Invocation of the Founders

Flip rating: Uncertain, use with caution

Not the worst among rare battle cards, but it surely is the weirdest out of all of them. Five mana to pay for a wish/learn effect seems quite bad, but I suppose is forgivable due to its versatility. But seven defense counters are a lot, and the difficulty to transform it is felt so much more in blue. But alright, I get it. You do get a reward in the form of an infinite and automatic copy effect, which can snowball very quickly with the right setup, although you still don’t necessarily win the game outright after transforming.

It has the potential to take off in certain very specific builds. But with the cost-related quirkiness of its basic design, its ultimate playability level can be a bit hard to predict unless we see it in actual play in more diverse MTG formats.

Invasion of Fiora // Marchesa, Resolute Monarch

Flip rating: Absolutely worth flipping at each opportunity

Yet another good battle card that reflects its effect nicely with its cost... mostly. Well, you do get divided between including one or both intended target types, but at least you are only given four defense counters to transform this card. Given black’s access to two critical counter-removal cards, this can be pretty easy to accomplish.

The best part? Marchesa, Resolute Monarch can be an absolute bombshell for battle cards in general. Transform Invasion of Fiora // Marchesa, Resolute Monarch, and you can immediately transform another battle so long as it is not another Invasion of Fiora. Of course, its various utility against other cards such as planeswalkers is also a very welcome alternative option.

Bonus card advantage too if you can protect yourself for one full turn cycle.

Invasion of Gobakhan // Lightshield Array

Flip rating: Good ETB, quite worth flipping most of the time

Now this is an absolute steal of a value for a battle card. Well, depending on the situation and your opponent, it usually ends up on the same dilemma as Soul Partition, even if the exiled card is from the hand. But it is very much worth the strategic delay that it offers each time. Plus, the intel that it provides when peeking at your opponents hand makes it already worth so much more.

At three defense counters, this also makes it very easy to transform. The reward may not be immediate, but it is cumulative, and saves your board in a pinch without any complications. Would most likely see use in a variety of constructed format decks moving forward.

Invasion of Ikoria // Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria

Flip rating: Absolutely worth flipping at each opportunity

Okay, this is just getting ridiculous. Invasion of Ikoria // Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria feels like it’s already at home in Standard with its very juicy ETB effect. But it seems like this is one of the battle cards that would definitely make its way to extended formats, especially Modern. Summoning anything from the deck with no conditions other than mana value? Suggesting that six defense counters are even a hindrance to the types of decks this will mostly be included in?

Heck, why not just spend two colorless and put a Vampire Hexmage on the battlefield? Sac the lady, and you get a free 8/8 with reach that cannot be blocked, and offers the same advantage to anything non-Human.

It’s an absolute masterpiece. I’m actually kinda afraid of what it can do in all extended formats moving forward.

Invasion of Ixalan // Belligerent Regisaur

Flip rating: At your discretion

Quite a very nice impluse and hand fixing effect right off the bat at a mana cost that's worth most similar cards in Standard. The huge disadvantage of course is its sorcery speed, but it still gets a pass for being easy to use in a color where mana is abundant. As such, this would be very playable in Limited, and might even replace a few of its similar counterparts in niche Standard decks.

Invasion of Ixalan // Belligerent Regisaur is quite the interesting creature. At four defense counters, I assume that this will be easy enough to transform. Then every single instant-speed spell in your hand essentially becomes its protection. It's 4/3 body does feel less impressive though. But hey, that's still a two-drop permanent for ya!

 

Invasion of Kaldheim // Pyre of the World Tree

Flip rating: Good ETB, flip at your discretion

A wheel effect plus impulse draw for your entire hand costing four mana looks deceptively unimpressive at first glance. But since this always doubles your card pool for an effective two turns, the possibilities are almost endless. Especially if coupled with ramp cards that can accelerate its use on turn three. What if you have a couple of mana dorks/rocks from that entire pool? Just dump them all for a massive mana advantage on your next turn.

Invasion of Kaldheim // Pyre of the World Tree is a bit less impressive, but it at least synergizes with the first effect. Given that it is red, it’s quite easy to transform it on the same turn before playing your land, and then discarding the rest to the pyre to refresh yourself with new resources (while presumably also bombing a few relevant battles on the way).

Invasion of Karsus // Refraction Elemental

Flip rating: Good ETB, flip at your discretion

Yet another instantly usable battle card based on its effect-to-mana efficiency alone. It is as simple as it can get for a board-wiping burn spell. Invasion of Karsus // Refraction Elemental is a nice bonus, to race your opponent better, but not strictly required.

Sorry, doesn’t feel like I have much to say about this straightforward card apart from the fact that it is usable and can potentially be relevant in Standard.

Invasion of Tolvada // The Broken Sky

Flip rating: Flip probably not necessary

Even at two colors, Invasion of Tolvada // The Broken Sky is still a good enough for a “go-wide” reanimation card given the casting cost of similar effects in Standard right now. It does specifically prevent battles from being recycled, but it can easily fit into any reanimator build as an additional option, or replace some of the other five-mana reanimator cards currently in use such as Invoke Justice and Repair and Recharge.

Five defense counters aren’t bad, since the reanimated permanent could be used to instantly crack the battle. No big incentive to practically aim for this though. In a crutch, perhaps, you may chip away at it slowly or leave it untouched until you need the lifelink or token generation effect.

Invasion of Segovia // Caetus, Sea Tyrant of Segovia

Flip rating: Absolutely worth flipping at each opportunity

It’s always funny to see 1/1 weenies given trample. Anyway, even without such an ability, generating two tokens for three mana is good enough. As for how exactly that aligns with blue, I don’t have the brightest insights. What I can determine, though, is that the payoff for transforming this card is very good, and it is specifically this transformed effect which is more synergistic to blue builds.

In fact, the front-facing battle card effect may as well be its secondary ability, and your first objective in using this card is to transform it as quickly as possible, most likely using the very tokens it generates.

Invastion of Theros // Ephara, Ever-Sheltering

Flip rating: At your discretion

Total rating is a bit lower since it's not as universal as some of the good ETB battle cards. But within its thematic build, it is as effective as it can go for the typical casting cost of such a card. Very flavorful for the plane that it depicts as well, especially since it directly synergizes with the transformed side, with relative easy access at four defense counters.

Invasion of Theros // Ephara, Ever-Sheltering also makes a somewhat more useful representation of a "devotion" theme. Instead of counting for mana symbols, it simply counts enchantments, still a creature all the way, with a direct reward for casting the requirement for having indestructible and lifelink.

Ever-Sheltering indeed.

Mythic Rare Battle Cards

Invasion of Innistrad // Deluge of the Dead

Flip rating: At your discretion

Let me start by saying just how flavorful this card is for the plane it is representing. Also, it is the only battle card so far that has flash, which increases its technical playability despite its casting cost compared to its maximum target size (only one, and only creatures).

Having the strategic advantage of speed plus its color identity, it is conceptually a bit easier to transform. However, situations where this would be tactically viable won’t be as universal. As such, its usability in constructed formats isn’t clear. On paper it doesn’t seem like it would survive the likes of Standard and Modern. But, as a speedy auto-kill button for anything, there might be some yet-to-be-unlocked combo that would surprise players yet again.

Invasion of New Phyrexia // Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir

Flip rating: At your discretion

As per my previous pre-review of this card, I assumed that six defense counters feels quite heavy as an investment to transform the card. But if we are simply talking about the initial battle effect, then this is actually pretty playable card. A bit strange for a mythic rare sure, and would have been potentially broken if soldiers are instead summoned. But, it is efficient in mana resource nonetheless. With grindier versions of its color identity, it can even be an endgame mana sink after your opponents have already thrown most of their Farewell and Depopulate bombs.

How about Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir? He’s not bad. The card isn’t designed to be transformed as quickly as possible, but he certainly helps in the “I win more” department. Pretty strange for a Teferi card though, who now has a solid Knight tribal effect apart from his usual control shenanigans.

Invasion of Shandalar // Leyline Surge

Flip rating: Absolutely worth flipping at each opportunity

Well that turned out ugly quickly for the Phyrexians. Probably the best mythic rare battle card yet, it allows you to buyback three freaking permanents from the graveyard at a very, very reasonable casting cost. Even more amazing is the synergy of the transformed side, which allows you to put all those returned cards on the battlefield. With only four defense counters to remove, its user can easily get all of its juicy effects in just a single turn.

What’s to stop you from recycling that Titan of Industry or Portal to Phyrexia again? It gets even more bonkers when ramped, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In any case, this is a nice, cozy battle card that wouldn't be surprising if it sees a meta debut outside Standard.

Invasion of Ravnica // Guildpact Paragon

Flip rating: Maybe don’t use at all?

For a colorless battle card, this probably would have been the only way to keep it universally useful for all dual-color combinations in a flavorful manner. Unlike most permanent-type removal like Leyline Binding or Brutal Cathar // Moonrage Brute, this one is literally “permanent” upon resolving, even if it does have a bit of targeting limitation.

The issue lies with its casting cost. Even if Guildpact Paragon is useful on its own for endless resource recycling, you still have to sit through five mana and four defense counters before you can get to the actual juicy effect. On the flip side, being colorless means that there might be some unforeseen shortcut combo to speed it up. But as it looks now, it does seem like this is one of the MTG battle cards built for the original purpose of being a Commander-centric “political” piece.

Invasion of Tarkir // Defiant Thundermaw

Flip rating: Good ETB in a dragon deck, flip probably not necessary

This battle card sadly won’t be universally usable simply due to its tribal-centric effect. But, with its sheer efficiency, it almost becomes an obligatory addition to any dragon deck currently playable on all formats. Two mana for two damage on any target may seem pathetic, but it is very easy to turn it into a burn powerhouse using your shiny dragons.

Even better, because Invasion of Tarkir // Defiant Thundermaw says “any other target”,  this means that you can target a different Invasion of Tarkir // Defiant Thundermaw (or a different battle card entirely) for a potentially quick transformation curve. With a transformed Defiant Thundermaw in play, you could also divert its two damage to other battle cards, snowballing the battle card transformations even further!

… well, assuming that hitting face somehow isn’t the most optimal strategy for that specific moment.