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Quick Draft SNC 15 May 2022

15 May 07:42 - Q 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (23)
1 Ballroom Brawlers image
1 Disciplined Duelist image
1 Voice of the Vermin image
1 Rumor Gatherer image
1 Celestial Regulator image
1 Brokers Veteran image
2 Halo Scarab image
1 Sky Crier image
2 Inspiring Overseer image
1 Psychic Pickpocket image
1 Metropolis Angel image
2 Civil Servant image
1 Queza, Augur of Agonies image
1 Hypnotic Grifter image
2 Backup Agent image
1 Celebrity Fencer image
1 Ziatora, the Incinerator image
1 Shattered Seraph image
1 Rakish Revelers image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (10)
1 Luxurious Libation image
3 Kill Shot image
1 Hold for Ransom image
1 Ominous Parcel image
1 Buy Your Silence image
2 Warm Welcome image
1 Knockout Blow image
Land (22)
1 Skybridge Towers image
1 Brokers Hideout image
6 Plains image
4 Island image
3 Swamp image
1 Mountain image
6 Forest image
Sideboard
1 Paragon of Modernity image
1 Goldhound image
1 Cutthroat Contender image
1 Majestic Metamorphosis image
1 Security Bypass image
1 Patch Up image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Ballroom Brawlers
Widespread Thieving image 1.0 // 3.5 So, the RG deck in this format is all about treasure, and that means it will be capable of running a lot of multicolored cards – so this will slot really well into that deck. That deck is happy to get a bunch of treasure, will play a lot of multicolored cards, and can more easily produce the necessary mana to get the Hideaway card. Most decks in the format will have a decent number of multicolored cards too – but this does feel like it needs a build around, as just getting a few treasure really won’t be enough to make this worthwhile, you need to be getting a lot and/or producing the mana you need to get the free card hidden away.
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Riveteers Decoy image 3.0 A two mana 3/1 with decent upside is basically always playable, and this comes with two! First, it has to be blocked, which means it can create problems for your opponent in combat. Second, it has Blitz, which means it can come out of nowhere and force your opponent to block it instead of something they want to block more, and sometimes it will feel a bit like a removal spell.
Ballroom Brawlers image 3.5 A 5 mana ⅗ isn't great, but it gets lifelink or first strike when it attacks and gives the keyword to another creature, and that's definitely the kind of creature that drastically upgrades your board, at least on offense.
Echo Inspector image 3.0 This looks like a quality common. A 4-mana ⅔ Flyer that looted on ETB would be pretty alright to begin with, but Connive is looting with some pretty legit upside. You either get a 4-mana ¾ and discard a nonland, or its a ⅔ that gives you that loot. Either outcome is nice.
Rakish Revelers image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/3 that makes a 1/1 is something I would already sign up for, so the fact that it can fix your mana earlier in the game is some upside on a card that’s already quite playable.
Hold for Ransom image 3.0 This is a Pacifism that your opponent can pay 7 mana to get rid of. We’ve seen removal auras in the past that let your opponent pay mana to get rid of the Aura, and most of them haven’t been great. I think this one has enough going on, though, that it looks better than previous cards like that we’ve seen. For one thing, 7 mana is a ton – so much that your opponent may just never get there. For another, your opponent also lets you draw a card off of it, and they can only pay for it at Sorcery speed. Your opponent may finally get rid of it, but they will spend their whole turn doing it most of the time, and then it replaces itself! Now, like all Aura removal, this is at a bit of a disadvantage in this format because of the presence of the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice stuff more broadly.
Jewel Thief image 3.5 This is an excellent Common. A 3-mana 3/3 with Vigilance and Trample is probably close to a C+, and adding treasure to the mix is a pretty big deal – not only does it ramp and fix for you – there is also treasure synergy throughout the set.
Witty Roastmaster image 2.5 This has passable stats and a solid if unexciting ability. It can definitely chip in for a decent chunk of damage over the course of the game, especially if you’re making tokens!
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Sky Crier image 1.5 Flying and Lifelink make this a nice place to put counters, but apart from that, this card just isn’t all that efficient. And the draw effect also isn’t great since its symmetrical – and in some ways it is worse than symmetrical since you’re the one paying mana for the card and your opponent doesn’t pay anything! If you time it right, you can take advantage of the card before they do, but I still don’t like the idea of doing that. If this set didn’t have a decent +1/+1 counter theme, this would probably be a 1.0, but I think it will be a little bit better than that.
Antagonize image 2.0 That’s a pretty nice boost for the cost – enough of one that it will make most creatures survive combat and take down whatever is blocking it. +4 is enough that this can let you sneak in lethal sometimes too. I think you’ll feel pretty good about the first one of these in most of your aggressive Red decks. It is still a trick of course, and comes with the inherent downsides they always have: they are situational and risky. But as far as tricks go, this is pretty good quality.
Glittermonger image 2.0 This is a decent source of fixing and mana, especially if you’re in a deck that has some Treasure payoffs – but its base stats aren’t especially good.
Demon's Due image 2.5 This is a pretty solid draw spell. You see up to 4 cards, giving you a good chance to draw something you want, and paying 2 life for it is perfectly reasonable. It isn’t really the kind of thing you want to go after early, or that you want to run more than one of – after all, it has no impact on the board -- but it seems like the first copy is going to make the cut in your Black decks most of the time.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Disciplined Duelist
Disciplined Duelist image 3.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Double Strike and a shield counter sounds like a pretty darn good deal. Double Strike pairs particularly well with the Shield, because it means the Duelist can keep itself from getting hit at all in combat against smaller creatures, so it will hold on to the shield. Meanwhile, it is capable of taking down 4 toughness creatures and surviving to tell the tale, since it will just lose the shield counter. It will get spicier if you can increase its stats of course, like most double strikers.
Angelic Observer image 3.0 Most of the tokens in this format are Citizens, especially within White and more broadly within the Cabaretti colors, and there are also a decent number of non-token citizens around. Getting this to 5 mana seems eminently doable, and while that’s not great, it is certainly passable, and sometimes you’ll cast it for a lot less. 4 mana is probably going to be a pretty common occurrence.
Venom Connoisseur image 2.5 This will have death touch pretty often, though not usually on your opponent’s turn, which is a bit of a bummer. Giving the whole board death touch isn’t out of the question either, since you can make two bodies with one card with several different cards in the format.
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Maestros Initiate image 2.0 This doesn't have the best stats, but trading with it and then using the ability from the graveyard seems nice, and it also seems like a card that works nicely with Connive or Casualty thanks to the graveyard value.
Corrupt Court Official image 2.0 I think people will be tempted to compare this to Virus Beetle, but I think the Official will feel more like a Ravenous Rats than a Beetle. The Beetle had the advantage of being an artifact, and in a set with ninjutsu that could rebuy ETB abilities – so it isn’t going to overperform quite like that card did. However, this is still pretty well placed in this format, mostly because you can take a card away from your opponent and then sacrifice this to something with Casualty and you end up with pretty decent value. In the late game, sometimes it won’t have anything to hit of course, but at least it adds something to the board.
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Light 'Em Up image 3.0 Two mana to do 2 at Sorcery speed is usually a solid card, so having the Casualty upside of doubling the spell is pretty sweet. That means you can take down X/4s with it sometimes, or even better – kill two creatures!
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Ominous Parcel image 1.5 This can help you fix your mana, or it can be a removal spell. Its pretty bad at both of those things when you look at the total mana you spend for each, but the fact it can do both definitely makes it a decent enough playable.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Spara's Adjudicators image 2.5 The ETB trigger here can be nice in a lot of situations, where it buys you more time or makes it so you can attack more effectively on your turn. Like with all of these, you get a pretty decent creature that has the upside of helping you fix early.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Voice of the Vermin
Security Rhox image 3.5 This looks pretty good. A 4 mana 5/4 is already above rate, and there are enough treasures in the set that you can power it out for 2. You shouldn't expect to do it early, but playing this and a three drop on turn 5 sounds pretty good.
Nimble Larcenist image 2.5 This is a bit disappointing. A 3-mana 2/1 Flyer that costs three different colors isn’t great, and its ETB ability won’t always hit something. It probably will in the early game, but after that sometimes you’ll just be getting information. And while information isn’t bad, it isn’t really a return on your investment either.
Voice of the Vermin image 3.5 The stat-line is ugly, like on many cards with Shield counters, but that’s cause those counters are really good! And its bad stats also don’t matter as much when it attacks, because it can make itself into a 4/4, and a 4/4 with a shield counter for four is pretty nasty. Obviously, making another creature into a 4/4 is an option too!
Corrupt Court Official image 2.0 I think people will be tempted to compare this to Virus Beetle, but I think the Official will feel more like a Ravenous Rats than a Beetle. The Beetle had the advantage of being an artifact, and in a set with ninjutsu that could rebuy ETB abilities – so it isn’t going to overperform quite like that card did. However, this is still pretty well placed in this format, mostly because you can take a card away from your opponent and then sacrifice this to something with Casualty and you end up with pretty decent value. In the late game, sometimes it won’t have anything to hit of course, but at least it adds something to the board.
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Hold for Ransom image 3.0 This is a Pacifism that your opponent can pay 7 mana to get rid of. We’ve seen removal auras in the past that let your opponent pay mana to get rid of the Aura, and most of them haven’t been great. I think this one has enough going on, though, that it looks better than previous cards like that we’ve seen. For one thing, 7 mana is a ton – so much that your opponent may just never get there. For another, your opponent also lets you draw a card off of it, and they can only pay for it at Sorcery speed. Your opponent may finally get rid of it, but they will spend their whole turn doing it most of the time, and then it replaces itself! Now, like all Aura removal, this is at a bit of a disadvantage in this format because of the presence of the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice stuff more broadly.
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Security Bypass image 1.0 Unblockable when attacking alone + the ability to Connive every time you hit the opponent is kind of decent for the cost, but I don’t feel like its worth the inherent risk of playing an Aura. Connive isn’t quite worth a card after you do it once, though, and that means if your opponent can deal with whatever you put this on before you do it a second time, you’re ending up way behind. So, in the end, this feels like an Aura that won’t quite do enough to be worth the risk. Even if you’re discarding things for value, I’m skeptical.
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Riveteers Initiate image 2.5 Like most of this cycle, this is solid. It has okay base stats, and it can gain a useful keyword! Deathtouch does mean it can trade with anything, and that’s nice.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Rumor Gatherer
Freelance Muscle image 3.0 This will often get a boost when it attacks or blocks, but it has some pretty bad base-stats and it doesn’t have any evasion or anything else. It will get huge sometimes, but there will certainly be times where you play this and it just doesn’t get enough of a boost to be relevant.
Rumor Gatherer image 3.0 A 3-mana 2/1 – and one that costs double white – is just really bad. Scrying any time a creature enters the battlefield is nice upside though, and if you can make enough tokens or double spell with creatures, it will end up netting you a card. I think this will net you a card often enough that I want to start the format valuing this card pretty highly, bad stats and all.
Dusk Mangler image 4.0 This is a pretty neat design, and it reminds me of Daemogoth Woe-Eater from Strixhaven, and that’s pretty good company to keep! The body you get isn’t nearly as efficient, but this really delivers a gut-punch to the opponent when it comes down. You might have to do something extra to cast it, but your opponent has to do all of those things when you cast it. Note, by the way that the extra cost is part of casting it, so if you reanimate it or flicker it, your opponent gets punished by the ETB trigger again and you don’t have to do anything! The additional cost being flexible is great too, as you can find a way to cast it in most situations.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Body Dropper image 3.5 This is a pretty nice payoff for Sacrificing stuff, which is going to be very doable in Black-Red in this format as a result of both Alliance and Blitz, and it of course comes with its own way to sacrifice things and gain Menace. This seems like it could become a real problem for your opponent in many Black-Red decks!
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Sewer Crocodile image 1.5 // 2.5 If you can get the ability on this down to a single Blue, it represent a pretty reasonable win condition, since you can crack in with your unblockable Crocodile and still have plenty of mana left over to add to the board too. That’s usually the problem with this big inefficient creatures who ask for a lot of mana to become unblockable – you can’t really do more than use the ability, but with the Crocodile, sometimes you’ll be able to get it going pretty cheaply. In a Blue deck that isn’t good at loading the graveyard you probably don’t end up playing this – so this probably deserves a build around.
Girder Goons image 2.5 Neither mode with this is great, but both are fine. A 5-mana 4/4 that leaves behind a 2/2 can definitely generate a 2-for-1, and if you Blitz this you not only get to draw a card when it dies, you also add to the board.
Speakeasy Server image 2.5 A passable Flyer with an ETB that gains you life always tends to perform reasonably well in Limited. It can really help you stabilize. The downside here is that you need a board in place to gain any life – it doesn’t even gain you 1 life on its own, which is a little sad. Still, in White you’ll be able to go wide, and gaining 3+ with this should be pretty decent.
Paragon of Modernity image 2.0 This looks solid. It starts out as an inefficient creature, but most decks will be three colors in this format, so putting counters on this as a mana sink in the mid to late game seems like a legitimate strategy. If your deck doesn’t have good enough fixing to consistently get three colors this is much worse, but I think most decks will be able to do it, so it isn’t a build around or anything.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Luxurious Libation
Luxurious Libation image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. The bonus it gives you will never be the most efficient, but the fact it scales is nice, and getting a token is some nice added value, especially if you have some Alliance going on. It is still a trick, and has all the risks they always have - situational, risky, and so forth - but I think the first copy of this seems decent.
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
Brokers Hideout image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Boon of Safety image 2.0 A shield counter will allow your creature to survive a whole lot of stuff, whether its a removal spell or damage in combat. In combat, your creature will still get to damage the thing that it is blocking or being blocked by, and if its big enough it can just kill it. It feels like there are enough situations where you can generate some sweet tempo with this that I can definitely see running a copy of it in aggressive White decks.
Big Score image 2.5 This is an easier-to-cast Unexpected Windfall. While that card has been great in constructed, it wasn’t that great in Limited. It isn’t a bad card to have around though, as it helps you find some fresh cards while also providing you with some ramping and fixing, and the extra treasure it gives you might even enable you to cast something! But it doesn’t really do anything to immediately impact the game, and that makes it a card that you can cut sometimes.
Join the Maestros image 2.5 This seems like a solid Common. Without Casualty it is pretty ugly, but if you have some decent fodder to sacrifice, getting two 4/3 bodies is pretty good for the cost.
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Make Disappear image 1.5 Without Casualty, this kind of counter spell isn't great, since your opponent is likely to have the spare mana the longer the game goes on. With casualty…I still don't think it is great, but obviously it will allow you to counter more spells more often.
Sky Crier image 1.5 Flying and Lifelink make this a nice place to put counters, but apart from that, this card just isn’t all that efficient. And the draw effect also isn’t great since its symmetrical – and in some ways it is worse than symmetrical since you’re the one paying mana for the card and your opponent doesn’t pay anything! If you time it right, you can take advantage of the card before they do, but I still don’t like the idea of doing that. If this set didn’t have a decent +1/+1 counter theme, this would probably be a 1.0, but I think it will be a little bit better than that.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Kill Shot
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Join the Maestros image 2.5 This seems like a solid Common. Without Casualty it is pretty ugly, but if you have some decent fodder to sacrifice, getting two 4/3 bodies is pretty good for the cost.
Dig Up the Body image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky version of this effect – three mana to get one thing back is not especially good, even with the mill thrown in. Basically, for this to feel like its worth it, you’ll need to be doubling the spell, and that’s easy enough since it only needs one power, but I still think this is the kind of card you’re really only going to want one of in Black decks. You really don’t want this showing up in your opening hand, you want it late.
Jetmir's Fixer image 3.0 This is a two mana 2/2 with some very nice upside. Even if it didn’t have the Treasure bonus, being able to pump this creature’s stats for a single red and a single green would be a pretty nice card. Obviously though, Red-Green is very into Treasure in this format, so you’re going to be able to trigger the bonus if you want to.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Kill Shot image 2.0 Is decent removal, but it is situational enough that it is nowhere near premium. An aggressive deck isn’t super interested in a card like this, because you really want cards that let you kill blockers, and your opponent can also play around a card like this pretty effectively.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Daring Escape image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike makes for a decent trick for one mana. The power boost isn’t ultra impressive, but First Strike obviously makes combat go much more favorably for your creature. I still think Antagonize is probably the trick you’re after if you’re playing Red aggro, but this can fill the role.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Skybridge Towers
Involuntary Employment image 1.0 // 3.5 This looks really well positioned in this format. Usually, Threaten effects aren’t something you’re that into, because they only have a temporary effect on the board that your opponent can often just ignore. They basically only do something if they let you do lethal the turn you cast it. However, in formats where there is a sacrifice theme, Threaten effects get a big upgrade, and that’s certainly the case here. The Maestros have a Sacrifice mechanic as their thing, and Black-Red in particular is very into sacrificing stuff. Once you have that going on, you can steal a thing, attack your opponent with it, and then sacrifice it for value, and that can be utterly backbreaking. This does cost 4 upfront, which is a bit steep – but it gives you a treasure back, which should help you do whatever you need to to sacrifice the creature that you steal. So yeah, this is definitely a build around – it is a 1.0 in your typical Red deck, but its probably at least a 3.5 in Cabaretti and Black-Red, and I wouldn’t be super surprised to see it overperform here. The fact they put this effect at Uncommon kind of tells me they knew it would be a little too good at Common, where we often see this type of card.
Dapper Shieldmate image 2.5 If you take the shield counter out of the equation here, this card would be a 1.0. A 4-mana 2/2 that’s only a 4/2 on your turn just isn’t good. However, the shield counter definitely matters here. Your opponent is going to have to give up something in most cases just to get rid of the counter. And sure, they could just chump it with a token or something, but they still have to put in some work, and they can’t just ignore this since it can hit for 4 damage at a time.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Maestros Initiate image 2.0 This doesn't have the best stats, but trading with it and then using the ability from the graveyard seems nice, and it also seems like a card that works nicely with Connive or Casualty thanks to the graveyard value.
Revelation of Power image 1.5 The boost isn’t amazing, but the counter upside will definitely come up. It can let you win combat and gain life as well as help you get in for a bunch in the air. You’ll play this in aggressive decks with lots of counters.
Skybridge Towers image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Gathering Throng image 0.0 // 3.0 Collect ‘em all cards are always pretty fun in Limited. A 3-mana 3/1 is bad, but as long as you have two of these, this is very playable, since a 3-mana 3/1 that draws another one is a pretty good deal. It makes sure you will continue to have stuff to play, and getting these also guarantees you can go wide and keep triggering Alliance. They are also Citizens! So yeah, Basically, if you have only one copy of this, its pretty much unplayable – if you have two, it’s a 2.5, and it probably maxes out around a 3.0.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Celestial Regulator
Stimulus Package image 3.5 This seems pretty nice. It can ramp and fix for you, and the ability to turn all your tokens into creatures is pretty nice, especially because of the Alliance and Casualty mechanics. It is definitely a little slow, but you can add to the board right away with it if you want to by giving up those treasures. Red-Green seems to have a lot of treasure nonsense going on, so I don’t think this needs a buildaround grade.
Big Score image 2.5 This is an easier-to-cast Unexpected Windfall. While that card has been great in constructed, it wasn’t that great in Limited. It isn’t a bad card to have around though, as it helps you find some fresh cards while also providing you with some ramping and fixing, and the extra treasure it gives you might even enable you to cast something! But it doesn’t really do anything to immediately impact the game, and that makes it a card that you can cut sometimes.
Speakeasy Server image 2.5 A passable Flyer with an ETB that gains you life always tends to perform reasonably well in Limited. It can really help you stabilize. The downside here is that you need a board in place to gain any life – it doesn’t even gain you 1 life on its own, which is a little sad. Still, in White you’ll be able to go wide, and gaining 3+ with this should be pretty decent.
Celestial Regulator image 3.0 I always love Frost Lynx type creatures because of the amazing tempo they generate by freezing something down while you add to the board. Now, freezing something down takes a little bit of setup with the Regulator, but if yo’ure in Blue White you’ll have access to lots of +1/+1 and Shield counters, so I think this will do its thing a big chunk of the time – and on top of that it has efficient flying stats.
Cabaretti Initiate image 1.5 If you can put counters on this, it can get interesting – and you certainly have access to some of those in this format. But overall, this is probably the worst of this cycle. A one mana ½ just gets outclassed way too quickly, and giving a creature that size double strike isn’t exactly a big deal. You’ll play it of course in aggressive decks, but I can see it getting cut a good chunk of the time too, even in Cabaretti.
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Obscura Storefront image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Hold for Ransom
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Hold for Ransom image 3.0 This is a Pacifism that your opponent can pay 7 mana to get rid of. We’ve seen removal auras in the past that let your opponent pay mana to get rid of the Aura, and most of them haven’t been great. I think this one has enough going on, though, that it looks better than previous cards like that we’ve seen. For one thing, 7 mana is a ton – so much that your opponent may just never get there. For another, your opponent also lets you draw a card off of it, and they can only pay for it at Sorcery speed. Your opponent may finally get rid of it, but they will spend their whole turn doing it most of the time, and then it replaces itself! Now, like all Aura removal, this is at a bit of a disadvantage in this format because of the presence of the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice stuff more broadly.
Witty Roastmaster image 2.5 This has passable stats and a solid if unexciting ability. It can definitely chip in for a decent chunk of damage over the course of the game, especially if you’re making tokens!
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Sky Crier image 1.5 Flying and Lifelink make this a nice place to put counters, but apart from that, this card just isn’t all that efficient. And the draw effect also isn’t great since its symmetrical – and in some ways it is worse than symmetrical since you’re the one paying mana for the card and your opponent doesn’t pay anything! If you time it right, you can take advantage of the card before they do, but I still don’t like the idea of doing that. If this set didn’t have a decent +1/+1 counter theme, this would probably be a 1.0, but I think it will be a little bit better than that.
Glittermonger image 2.0 This is a decent source of fixing and mana, especially if you’re in a deck that has some Treasure payoffs – but its base stats aren’t especially good.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Ominous Parcel
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Ominous Parcel image 1.5 This can help you fix your mana, or it can be a removal spell. Its pretty bad at both of those things when you look at the total mana you spend for each, but the fact it can do both definitely makes it a decent enough playable.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Brokers Veteran
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Security Bypass image 1.0 Unblockable when attacking alone + the ability to Connive every time you hit the opponent is kind of decent for the cost, but I don’t feel like its worth the inherent risk of playing an Aura. Connive isn’t quite worth a card after you do it once, though, and that means if your opponent can deal with whatever you put this on before you do it a second time, you’re ending up way behind. So, in the end, this feels like an Aura that won’t quite do enough to be worth the risk. Even if you’re discarding things for value, I’m skeptical.
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Halo Scarab
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Sky Crier
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Sky Crier image 1.5 Flying and Lifelink make this a nice place to put counters, but apart from that, this card just isn’t all that efficient. And the draw effect also isn’t great since its symmetrical – and in some ways it is worse than symmetrical since you’re the one paying mana for the card and your opponent doesn’t pay anything! If you time it right, you can take advantage of the card before they do, but I still don’t like the idea of doing that. If this set didn’t have a decent +1/+1 counter theme, this would probably be a 1.0, but I think it will be a little bit better than that.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Buy Your Silence
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Inspiring Overseer
Cabaretti Ascendancy image 4.0 At worst, you get to Scry the top card of your library every turn, and you’ll draw a decent chunk of the time. Cabaretti is really into the Alliance mechanic, and this can help you draw more creatures to get your triggers going. This will build a lot of card advantage.
Nimble Larcenist image 2.5 This is a bit disappointing. A 3-mana 2/1 Flyer that costs three different colors isn’t great, and its ETB ability won’t always hit something. It probably will in the early game, but after that sometimes you’ll just be getting information. And while information isn’t bad, it isn’t really a return on your investment either.
Sleep with the Fishes image 3.0 This is basically a 4-mana unblockable 1/1 that freezes down an opposing creature. That’s pretty sweet, since you’re adding a relevant body to the board while you cast a removal spell. Now, with the “Casualty” mechanic around, this type of card does get worse since your opponent is going to be perfectly happy sacrificing things sometimes. I think if this format didn’t have a big sacrifice theme, this would probably be premium – but in this format, it is sadly probably just a 3.0.
Fatal Grudge image 2.5 This is pretty neat, as it can potentially force an opponent to sacrifice any permanent type. Most frequently, it will be a symmetrical edict effect that you come out ahead of because you get to draw a card. The problem is, this format is loaded up with ways to make creature tokens and creatures who really want to be sacrificed or in the graveyard. And, I guess that’s a positive too, because you can sacrifice one of those things, but your opponent is equally likely to have them, minimizing the impact of this card. The flexibility to deal with other permanent types definitely matters, but I think that overall – this is just a solid playable in the context of this format.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Dig Up the Body image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky version of this effect – three mana to get one thing back is not especially good, even with the mill thrown in. Basically, for this to feel like its worth it, you’ll need to be doubling the spell, and that’s easy enough since it only needs one power, but I still think this is the kind of card you’re really only going to want one of in Black decks. You really don’t want this showing up in your opening hand, you want it late.
Plasma Jockey image 3.0 This reminds me a lot of Goblin Heelcutter or Clamor Shaman, both of which were great cards in aggressive decks in their respective formats. It probably isn’t quite as good as either of them, but it will have a similar impact. You will Blitz this on a turn where it really makes an immediate impact, but its nice you can also just cast it normally if you’re more interested in adding permanently to the board – like if you’re not the beat down when you play it.
Ominous Parcel image 1.5 This can help you fix your mana, or it can be a removal spell. Its pretty bad at both of those things when you look at the total mana you spend for each, but the fact it can do both definitely makes it a decent enough playable.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Inspiring Overseer image 4.0 This is a pretty incredible Common. It gives you a passable flying body while replacing itself and even gaining you a life! We saw a Blue version of this once without the life gain and it was really good – and we’ve seen a non-flying version of this card in the recent past that was also quite good. That trend will continue here. This is probably just White’s best Common.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Rhox Pummeler image 2.5 The shield counter is pretty nice on a creature with high power and trample, as it really can put your opponent in a bind when it comes to blocking it. For some of these shield creatures, you can just throw one of your tokens in front of it to get the shield to go away – and you can still do that here, but you’re probably taking 5 in the process! This seems like a decent top curve.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Psychic Pickpocket
Nimble Larcenist image 2.5 This is a bit disappointing. A 3-mana 2/1 Flyer that costs three different colors isn’t great, and its ETB ability won’t always hit something. It probably will in the early game, but after that sometimes you’ll just be getting information. And while information isn’t bad, it isn’t really a return on your investment either.
Psychic Pickpocket image 3.5 I always love creatures who bounce a creature or other permanent when they ETB – it just feels great to add to your board while setting your opponent back at the same time. I think even without connive this would probably be at least a C, and I think the connive upside here is pretty huge. You either loot your way into a card you want, or discard something to make this a 4/3 – and a lot of the things that you can discard in the format give you graveyard value. I think this is one of Blue’s best Uncommons – if not THE best.
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Tramway Station image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Murder image 4.0 Murder at Common! As usual, it is premium removal you always want. It can’t be splashed, which is a bit of a bummer, but it is still worth a high pick. I’m giving it a 4
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Daring Escape image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike makes for a decent trick for one mana. The power boost isn’t ultra impressive, but First Strike obviously makes combat go much more favorably for your creature. I still think Antagonize is probably the trick you’re after if you’re playing Red aggro, but this can fill the role.
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Metropolis Angel
Metropolis Angel image 3.5 This looks pretty good. Its fragile, but it seems like it will be drawing you cards pretty often in both of the families it overlaps into it, thanks to Obscuara’s Connive and the Brokers’ Shield counters. It also hits pretty hard if the air is clear!
Arc Spitter image 2.0 This is an interesting piece of Equipment. My first instinct is that this is probably not very good, since it doesn’t augment the stats of the creature you put it on, but this is a card where threat of activation is going to be very real, as it is relatively cheap to take down a blocking creature with the effect. Now, it does absolutely nothing when you’re on the back foot, and is only good if you’re the beat down, but I think this might be a little better than it looks. It is cheap to cast, cheap to equip, and its ability is also reasonably costed, so much so that it will make people really think about whether they want to block. Also, if you combine this with death touch it can be particularly nasty! I think in aggressive decks this is actually a decent playable.
Celebrity Fencer image 3.0 This has the potential to get really massive, but I don’t love that it starts out as a 3/2. You’re going to get really blown out sometimes when you play this and your opponent destroys it for one or two mana. But in a lot of White decks in this format, especially the Cabaretti, like putting a ton of creature tokens into play, and that will allow the Fencer to do some serious work.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Cabaretti Courtyard image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Gathering Throng image 0.0 // 3.0 Collect ‘em all cards are always pretty fun in Limited. A 3-mana 3/1 is bad, but as long as you have two of these, this is very playable, since a 3-mana 3/1 that draws another one is a pretty good deal. It makes sure you will continue to have stuff to play, and getting these also guarantees you can go wide and keep triggering Alliance. They are also Citizens! So yeah, Basically, if you have only one copy of this, its pretty much unplayable – if you have two, it’s a 2.5, and it probably maxes out around a 3.0.
Celestial Regulator image 3.0 I always love Frost Lynx type creatures because of the amazing tempo they generate by freezing something down while you add to the board. Now, freezing something down takes a little bit of setup with the Regulator, but if yo’ure in Blue White you’ll have access to lots of +1/+1 and Shield counters, so I think this will do its thing a big chunk of the time – and on top of that it has efficient flying stats.
Rhox Pummeler image 2.5 The shield counter is pretty nice on a creature with high power and trample, as it really can put your opponent in a bind when it comes to blocking it. For some of these shield creatures, you can just throw one of your tokens in front of it to get the shield to go away – and you can still do that here, but you’re probably taking 5 in the process! This seems like a decent top curve.
Snooping Newsie image 3.0 This seems solid. Early it is a decent creature that loads your graveyard, and in the later game it becomes a 3/3 lifelinker, something that has an impact on most boards. I do think it will be a little challenging to get it going, but the set seems to have enough ways to load the graveyard that it will be doable.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Exhibition Magician image 3.0 This is a good Common. A three mana 2/1 that makes a 1/1 – in a color that has lots of pay offs for going wide – is a pretty nice card – probably a C+. So, also having the Treasure option is nice upside – sometimes you’ll want it to help you ramp, and sometimes you’ll be in a deck that cares about Treasure than it does going wide, especially if you’re in Red/Green.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Pack 2 Pick 4: Civil Servant
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Ready to Rumble image 2.5 No matter which mode you choose, you aren’t getting a great deal for the mana, but hey – 5 damage does kill most stuff! Just… paying 5 to kill something that costs a lot less is pretty rough. You probably play one copy of this in most Red decks though, as it gives you some removal that does the job and comes with some artifact-hate upside.
Incriminate image 2.0 Black often has cards that let the opponent make a decision about something, and they pretty much always underperform, since there are too many situations where your opponent can minimize the damage. However, I think this might make your opponent make a narrow enough decision that it will be decent. Sure, you’ll have situations where your opponent hasl ike a 1/1 and some bomb creature and it isn’t going to feel too good in those scenarios – and I’m certainly not saying this is premium removal ro anything – but I do think there will be enough board states where this kills something you want dead for two mana. Don’t go into it thinking it is Doom Blade, and I think you’ll feel okay about what you’re getting.
Expendable Lackey image 2.5 True to his name, this Lackey is a pretty nice creature to sacrifice to a card with Casualty, since he can then make a Fish token from the graveyard – which you can also sacrifice. He also works well with Connive, because you still get value out of discarding him. They’ve been making a lot of one drops lately that overlap into multiple decks, and I think that’s what this is. This doesn’t exactly feel like the premium card you want to really abuse those two mechanics, but it does seem pretty decent there.
Civil Servant image 3.0 This has above rate stats, and it looks like there are enough Citizens in this set to make those stats even more impressive for a fairly low cost. This isn’t really the Citizen payoff you’re hoping for, but it does seem like a pretty nice Common for that deck.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
Maestros Initiate image 2.0 This doesn't have the best stats, but trading with it and then using the ability from the graveyard seems nice, and it also seems like a card that works nicely with Connive or Casualty thanks to the graveyard value.
Kill Shot image 2.0 Is decent removal, but it is situational enough that it is nowhere near premium. An aggressive deck isn’t super interested in a card like this, because you really want cards that let you kill blockers, and your opponent can also play around a card like this pretty effectively.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Queza, Augur of Agonies
A Little Chat image 3.0 The base level of this card would probably be a 1.5 or 2.0. It doesn’t do much, but it gives you some okay card selection. However, I think the Casualty upside here is pretty big, because once this turn into a 4 mana card that draws you two of the top four cards of your library, we’re talking about something pretty powerful! And you can sacrifice almost any creature to get that copy. You won’t always be able to do that of course, but the sort of acceptable baseline and the big upside makes this a card that I don’t think you’ll cut from most Blue decks.
Queza, Augur of Agonies image 4.0 This has some subpar stats, but it will also drain your opponent a life every single turn at a minimum. That sort of effect can really allow you to stabilize against aggressive opponents, as it helps you stay just out of reach of their lethal damage and things eventually start to snowball. This is especially true when you couple this with Connive and other draw effects.
Stimulus Package image 3.5 This seems pretty nice. It can ramp and fix for you, and the ability to turn all your tokens into creatures is pretty nice, especially because of the Alliance and Casualty mechanics. It is definitely a little slow, but you can add to the board right away with it if you want to by giving up those treasures. Red-Green seems to have a lot of treasure nonsense going on, so I don’t think this needs a buildaround grade.
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
Disdainful Stroke image 1.0 // 2.5 This is mostly a sideboard card to bring in against an opponent with many expensive spells. Most of the time, it just doesn’t have enough targets. If this format turns out to lean pretty hard on spells with a mana value of 4 or greater that could change.
Big Score image 2.5 This is an easier-to-cast Unexpected Windfall. While that card has been great in constructed, it wasn’t that great in Limited. It isn’t a bad card to have around though, as it helps you find some fresh cards while also providing you with some ramping and fixing, and the extra treasure it gives you might even enable you to cast something! But it doesn’t really do anything to immediately impact the game, and that makes it a card that you can cut sometimes.
Rhox Pummeler image 2.5 The shield counter is pretty nice on a creature with high power and trample, as it really can put your opponent in a bind when it comes to blocking it. For some of these shield creatures, you can just throw one of your tokens in front of it to get the shield to go away – and you can still do that here, but you’re probably taking 5 in the process! This seems like a decent top curve.
Maestros Initiate image 2.0 This doesn't have the best stats, but trading with it and then using the ability from the graveyard seems nice, and it also seems like a card that works nicely with Connive or Casualty thanks to the graveyard value.
Majestic Metamorphosis image 2.0 As we learned in Kamigawa Neon Dynasty, slapping “draw a card” on this type of spell is a big upgrade. Just temporary altering your creature’s stats is a bit too narrow of a use to be something you want to use a card on all the time, but this makes up for that with the cantrip. The times where you use this as a trick that wrecks your opponent is pretty sweet. It probably won’t be quite as good as Suit Up was, since Ninjutsu made for an interesting environment in terms of how opponents would block, but this definitely seems solid.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Hypnotic Grifter
Hypnotic Grifter image 2.5 This seems like a nice manasink that can load your graveyard and potentially grow the Grifter. It definitely won’t be doing a whole lot early, but in the late game this is the kind of effect that can really help you get there. Still, it does take awhile to get going.
Raffine's Silencer image 3.0 This can often be a 3-mana 2/2 that gives -2/-2 to something when it dies, and that’s the kind of thing that can generate a 2-for-1. Even if it is only a 1/1 that loots once you’re getting a decent deal. It gets a lot better if you have other ways to pump it, but even on its own you end up with a decent card.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Cabaretti Initiate image 1.5 If you can put counters on this, it can get interesting – and you certainly have access to some of those in this format. But overall, this is probably the worst of this cycle. A one mana ½ just gets outclassed way too quickly, and giving a creature that size double strike isn’t exactly a big deal. You’ll play it of course in aggressive decks, but I can see it getting cut a good chunk of the time too, even in Cabaretti.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
Plasma Jockey image 3.0 This reminds me a lot of Goblin Heelcutter or Clamor Shaman, both of which were great cards in aggressive decks in their respective formats. It probably isn’t quite as good as either of them, but it will have a similar impact. You will Blitz this on a turn where it really makes an immediate impact, but its nice you can also just cast it normally if you’re more interested in adding permanently to the board – like if you’re not the beat down when you play it.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Brokers Hideout
Tavern Swindler image 1.5 This is a reprint, and not an especially good one. Last time we saw it there was a significant life gain theme, but that’s not really the case here, so gaining life with this isn’t that great. There are a few cards in the format that check for life loss and life gain, and this could do some work in such a deck, but a lot of the time this is just a Bear.
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Snooping Newsie image 3.0 This seems solid. Early it is a decent creature that loads your graveyard, and in the later game it becomes a 3/3 lifelinker, something that has an impact on most boards. I do think it will be a little challenging to get it going, but the set seems to have enough ways to load the graveyard that it will be doable.
Plasma Jockey image 3.0 This reminds me a lot of Goblin Heelcutter or Clamor Shaman, both of which were great cards in aggressive decks in their respective formats. It probably isn’t quite as good as either of them, but it will have a similar impact. You will Blitz this on a turn where it really makes an immediate impact, but its nice you can also just cast it normally if you’re more interested in adding permanently to the board – like if you’re not the beat down when you play it.
Brokers Hideout image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Pack 2 Pick 8: Warm Welcome
Tavern Swindler image 1.5 This is a reprint, and not an especially good one. Last time we saw it there was a significant life gain theme, but that’s not really the case here, so gaining life with this isn’t that great. There are a few cards in the format that check for life loss and life gain, and this could do some work in such a deck, but a lot of the time this is just a Bear.
Cabaretti Initiate image 1.5 If you can put counters on this, it can get interesting – and you certainly have access to some of those in this format. But overall, this is probably the worst of this cycle. A one mana ½ just gets outclassed way too quickly, and giving a creature that size double strike isn’t exactly a big deal. You’ll play it of course in aggressive decks, but I can see it getting cut a good chunk of the time too, even in Cabaretti.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Capenna Express image 2.0 A 4-mana 6/6 vehicle with Crew 3 is generally not something you end up playing, but the upside of crewing this with Treasure is very real, as Green – and especially Red-Green, looks like it will be pretty good at generating treasure.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Backup Agent
Plasma Jockey image 3.0 This reminds me a lot of Goblin Heelcutter or Clamor Shaman, both of which were great cards in aggressive decks in their respective formats. It probably isn’t quite as good as either of them, but it will have a similar impact. You will Blitz this on a turn where it really makes an immediate impact, but its nice you can also just cast it normally if you’re more interested in adding permanently to the board – like if you’re not the beat down when you play it.
Ominous Parcel image 1.5 This can help you fix your mana, or it can be a removal spell. Its pretty bad at both of those things when you look at the total mana you spend for each, but the fact it can do both definitely makes it a decent enough playable.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Rhox Pummeler image 2.5 The shield counter is pretty nice on a creature with high power and trample, as it really can put your opponent in a bind when it comes to blocking it. For some of these shield creatures, you can just throw one of your tokens in front of it to get the shield to go away – and you can still do that here, but you’re probably taking 5 in the process! This seems like a decent top curve.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Backup Agent
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Daring Escape image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike makes for a decent trick for one mana. The power boost isn’t ultra impressive, but First Strike obviously makes combat go much more favorably for your creature. I still think Antagonize is probably the trick you’re after if you’re playing Red aggro, but this can fill the role.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Celebrity Fencer
Arc Spitter image 2.0 This is an interesting piece of Equipment. My first instinct is that this is probably not very good, since it doesn’t augment the stats of the creature you put it on, but this is a card where threat of activation is going to be very real, as it is relatively cheap to take down a blocking creature with the effect. Now, it does absolutely nothing when you’re on the back foot, and is only good if you’re the beat down, but I think this might be a little better than it looks. It is cheap to cast, cheap to equip, and its ability is also reasonably costed, so much so that it will make people really think about whether they want to block. Also, if you combine this with death touch it can be particularly nasty! I think in aggressive decks this is actually a decent playable.
Celebrity Fencer image 3.0 This has the potential to get really massive, but I don’t love that it starts out as a 3/2. You’re going to get really blown out sometimes when you play this and your opponent destroys it for one or two mana. But in a lot of White decks in this format, especially the Cabaretti, like putting a ton of creature tokens into play, and that will allow the Fencer to do some serious work.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Rhox Pummeler image 2.5 The shield counter is pretty nice on a creature with high power and trample, as it really can put your opponent in a bind when it comes to blocking it. For some of these shield creatures, you can just throw one of your tokens in front of it to get the shield to go away – and you can still do that here, but you’re probably taking 5 in the process! This seems like a decent top curve.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Goldhound
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Incriminate image 2.0 Black often has cards that let the opponent make a decision about something, and they pretty much always underperform, since there are too many situations where your opponent can minimize the damage. However, I think this might make your opponent make a narrow enough decision that it will be decent. Sure, you’ll have situations where your opponent hasl ike a 1/1 and some bomb creature and it isn’t going to feel too good in those scenarios – and I’m certainly not saying this is premium removal ro anything – but I do think there will be enough board states where this kills something you want dead for two mana. Don’t go into it thinking it is Doom Blade, and I think you’ll feel okay about what you’re getting.
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Majestic Metamorphosis
Majestic Metamorphosis image 2.0 As we learned in Kamigawa Neon Dynasty, slapping “draw a card” on this type of spell is a big upgrade. Just temporary altering your creature’s stats is a bit too narrow of a use to be something you want to use a card on all the time, but this makes up for that with the cantrip. The times where you use this as a trick that wrecks your opponent is pretty sweet. It probably won’t be quite as good as Suit Up was, since Ninjutsu made for an interesting environment in terms of how opponents would block, but this definitely seems solid.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Cutthroat Contender
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Ziatora, the Incinerator
Ziatora, the Incinerator image 5.0 This is great. It is a huge Flyer that can do a ton of damage all on its own, and then it comes with a very strong ability that lets it throw one of your other creatures at anything, while also generating treasure tokens. This means that most of the time, you’ll at least get to sacrifice something with Ziatora before your opponent has removal. You won’t always have something to sacrifice, but you will pretty often, and those treasure can really help soften the blow of giving up the creature. And the ability can kill creatures or finish off an opponent! I think this is a bomb.
Elegant Entourage image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/5 tends to be pretty solid, even these days where creatures seem to keep getting better. Then, this has a pretty nice alliance trigger, as +1/+1 and Trample is going to be enough to really improve your attacks on a given turn. IT is a bit of a bummer that the Entourage can’t pump itself, but it still feels like this will create problems for your opponent most of the time when you trigger Alliance.
Illicit Shipment image 1.0 This is an interesting take on a tutor. Most tutors, especially those that cost FIVE mana are pretty terrible in Limited. You have to play this thing on your turn and not add to the board at all in most cases, and even if you have something awesome to search up, you severely decrease your chances of winning as soon as you choose to do that. Basically, you end up breaking even on cards and not doing so well on mana when you cast this. Now, once you throw Casualty into the mix, you’re paying 5 to draw TWO of the best cards in your deck, and that’s certainly better. But the Casualty here is a little steep at 3, and you’re still spending a lot of mana and just spinning your wheels until your next turn. I’m tempted to just give this a 0.0, but I think if you can do Casualty often enough with it, its probably a 1.0 or 1.5.
Darling of the Masses image 3.5 The GW color pair is very much into CItizens. There’s a lot of Citizens in this set, including tokens, so the Darling will impact the board right away pretty often. The fact she generates more tokens when she attacks is great too, though as a 2/4 she won’t always be capable of giving you those tokens.
Brokers Hideout image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Tramway Station image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Raffine's Informant image 3.0 This is a nice White common. It is either a two mana 2/1 that lets you throw a land away for a fresh card, or a two mana 3/2 that makes you discard a real card, but the card you discard will often be able to give you some sort of value! Both options are pretty appealing.
Make Disappear image 1.5 Without Casualty, this kind of counter spell isn't great, since your opponent is likely to have the spare mana the longer the game goes on. With casualty…I still don't think it is great, but obviously it will allow you to counter more spells more often.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Rakish Revelers image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/3 that makes a 1/1 is something I would already sign up for, so the fact that it can fix your mana earlier in the game is some upside on a card that’s already quite playable.
Midnight Assassin image 2.5 As a deathtoucher, this can trade with anything – and Flying makes it so it can trade for even more than most death touchers! And, in the meantime, it can attack away in the air for a bit of damage.
Jetmir's Fixer image 3.0 This is a two mana 2/2 with some very nice upside. Even if it didn’t have the Treasure bonus, being able to pump this creature’s stats for a single red and a single green would be a pretty nice card. Obviously though, Red-Green is very into Treasure in this format, so you’re going to be able to trigger the bonus if you want to.
Obscura Storefront image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Girder Goons image 2.5 Neither mode with this is great, but both are fine. A 5-mana 4/4 that leaves behind a 2/2 can definitely generate a 2-for-1, and if you Blitz this you not only get to draw a card when it dies, you also add to the board.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Civil Servant
Cemetery Tampering image 0.0 // 3.5 So, you really have to be all in on a graveyard deck to make this worth it. You can’t just be playing this to eventually get the free spell, since it will take you awhile to get there, and you aren’t even guaranteed to hit something that really saves you that much mana, since you paid 3 in the first place for a card that does nothing but mill you! The good news though, is there is enough graveyard stuff going on in this format that this will be worth it in some decks, and be a pretty insane enabler that is well worth the card, even before you get to cast the Hidden Away card.
Graveyard Shift image 2.5 I am not normally super into 5 mana reanimation spells in Limited. It is just too hard to actually get a full five mana of value out of your graveyard on a consistent basis. However, this format looks like it might have what this kind of card needs. The Connive mechanic means you can discard things to reanimate pretty easily, so I think this might be one of those formats where this is a nice card.
Patch Up image 1.5 If your deck has a significant number of creatures that cost 3 mana or less, this seems alright. Especially if you can get multiple bodies back, since that will let you trigger your cards with Alliance. It is a bit of a dud in the early game a lot of the time, and sometimes you just won’t be able to get it going – and it doesn’t feel like it is even close to a card you always play in White or anything.
Majestic Metamorphosis image 2.0 As we learned in Kamigawa Neon Dynasty, slapping “draw a card” on this type of spell is a big upgrade. Just temporary altering your creature’s stats is a bit too narrow of a use to be something you want to use a card on all the time, but this makes up for that with the cantrip. The times where you use this as a trick that wrecks your opponent is pretty sweet. It probably won’t be quite as good as Suit Up was, since Ninjutsu made for an interesting environment in terms of how opponents would block, but this definitely seems solid.
Civil Servant image 3.0 This has above rate stats, and it looks like there are enough Citizens in this set to make those stats even more impressive for a fairly low cost. This isn’t really the Citizen payoff you’re hoping for, but it does seem like a pretty nice Common for that deck.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Racers' Ring image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Security Bypass image 1.0 Unblockable when attacking alone + the ability to Connive every time you hit the opponent is kind of decent for the cost, but I don’t feel like its worth the inherent risk of playing an Aura. Connive isn’t quite worth a card after you do it once, though, and that means if your opponent can deal with whatever you put this on before you do it a second time, you’re ending up way behind. So, in the end, this feels like an Aura that won’t quite do enough to be worth the risk. Even if you’re discarding things for value, I’m skeptical.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Jackhammer image 1.5 We’ve seen a purely colorless version of this before, and I wasn’t particular impressed with that, so one that requires Red mana to cast isn’t exactly something I’m looking to play. Sticking this on a token is the most appealing thing, as a 3/1 token can’t be ignored, but the two mana to equip this is a pretty steep rate on a card that doesn’t do anything else.
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Revelation of Power image 1.5 The boost isn’t amazing, but the counter upside will definitely come up. It can let you win combat and gain life as well as help you get in for a bunch in the air. You’ll play this in aggressive decks with lots of counters.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Inspiring Overseer
Illuminator Virtuoso image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with Double Strike is already pretty decent, so adding Connive to the mix is pretty sweet. Now, actually trigger the Connive on this card isn’t the easiest thing in the world, since your typical deck doesn’t really run that many ways to target its own stuff, but this is obviously a pretty nice payoff for playing some tricks.
Take to the Streets image 1.0 // 3.0 This looks like a solid payoff for going wide, especially because there are so many Citizens around. Now, it is still super situational – it basically does nothing until you’ve gone wide enough – but I imagine you are going to want the first copy of this in the Citizen decks in the format.
Inspiring Overseer image 4.0 This is a pretty incredible Common. It gives you a passable flying body while replacing itself and even gaining you a life! We saw a Blue version of this once without the life gain and it was really good – and we’ve seen a non-flying version of this card in the recent past that was also quite good. That trend will continue here. This is probably just White’s best Common.
Shattered Seraph image 2.5 The initial card you get isn’t great – a 7-mana 4/4 Flyer that gains you 3 life would probably be something like a D+. It is a real body and the life gain is nice, but by that stage of the game the size may not be enough. And..the other side of the card isn’t great either, as paying 2 mana to fix your mana hurts pretty bad. However, what saves this card from being awful is the fact that you can still cast it from exile, so eventually you can get both parts of the card going. Sometimes it won’t be worth doing the exile part of course, but this looks solid overall.
Jackhammer image 1.5 We’ve seen a purely colorless version of this before, and I wasn’t particular impressed with that, so one that requires Red mana to cast isn’t exactly something I’m looking to play. Sticking this on a token is the most appealing thing, as a 3/1 token can’t be ignored, but the two mana to equip this is a pretty steep rate on a card that doesn’t do anything else.
Antagonize image 2.0 That’s a pretty nice boost for the cost – enough of one that it will make most creatures survive combat and take down whatever is blocking it. +4 is enough that this can let you sneak in lethal sometimes too. I think you’ll feel pretty good about the first one of these in most of your aggressive Red decks. It is still a trick of course, and comes with the inherent downsides they always have: they are situational and risky. But as far as tricks go, this is pretty good quality.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Prizefight image 2.0 Cards that just fight and don’t offer a stats boost of any kind tend to be pretty medium. Buffing the creature makes it so that a wider variety of creatures can do something useful with them, and you just don’t get that here at all. It does combo interestingly with shield tokens, since it can enable you to fight with a shielded creature without losing it, and that does kind of expand the range of creatures that can fight with this and survive.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Light 'Em Up image 3.0 Two mana to do 2 at Sorcery speed is usually a solid card, so having the Casualty upside of doubling the spell is pretty sweet. That means you can take down X/4s with it sometimes, or even better – kill two creatures!
Pack 3 Pick 4: Warm Welcome
An Offer You Can't Refuse image 0.0 I think I WILL be refusing this offer. This mostly seems like it was printed for constructed. Most Limited decks don’t have enough non-creature spells for this sort of thing to be good, and giving them treasure seems like way too much downside on an already narrow counterspell, even if it is efficient. It is probably a sideboard card at best.
Incriminate image 2.0 Black often has cards that let the opponent make a decision about something, and they pretty much always underperform, since there are too many situations where your opponent can minimize the damage. However, I think this might make your opponent make a narrow enough decision that it will be decent. Sure, you’ll have situations where your opponent hasl ike a 1/1 and some bomb creature and it isn’t going to feel too good in those scenarios – and I’m certainly not saying this is premium removal ro anything – but I do think there will be enough board states where this kills something you want dead for two mana. Don’t go into it thinking it is Doom Blade, and I think you’ll feel okay about what you’re getting.
Sewer Crocodile image 1.5 // 2.5 If you can get the ability on this down to a single Blue, it represent a pretty reasonable win condition, since you can crack in with your unblockable Crocodile and still have plenty of mana left over to add to the board too. That’s usually the problem with this big inefficient creatures who ask for a lot of mana to become unblockable – you can’t really do more than use the ability, but with the Crocodile, sometimes you’ll be able to get it going pretty cheaply. In a Blue deck that isn’t good at loading the graveyard you probably don’t end up playing this – so this probably deserves a build around.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Paragon of Modernity image 2.0 This looks solid. It starts out as an inefficient creature, but most decks will be three colors in this format, so putting counters on this as a mana sink in the mid to late game seems like a legitimate strategy. If your deck doesn’t have good enough fixing to consistently get three colors this is much worse, but I think most decks will be able to do it, so it isn’t a build around or anything.
Boon of Safety image 2.0 A shield counter will allow your creature to survive a whole lot of stuff, whether its a removal spell or damage in combat. In combat, your creature will still get to damage the thing that it is blocking or being blocked by, and if its big enough it can just kill it. It feels like there are enough situations where you can generate some sweet tempo with this that I can definitely see running a copy of it in aggressive White decks.
Mayhem Patrol image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. On its own, it is basically a two mana 2/2 with Menace, but the fact it can lend that power boost to other creatures is pretty nice, and the Blitz upside is fine too. It won’t generally be too long before it can’t attack any more, so just Blitzing it when you draw it in that situation is nice.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Sky Crier image 1.5 Flying and Lifelink make this a nice place to put counters, but apart from that, this card just isn’t all that efficient. And the draw effect also isn’t great since its symmetrical – and in some ways it is worse than symmetrical since you’re the one paying mana for the card and your opponent doesn’t pay anything! If you time it right, you can take advantage of the card before they do, but I still don’t like the idea of doing that. If this set didn’t have a decent +1/+1 counter theme, this would probably be a 1.0, but I think it will be a little bit better than that.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Celebrity Fencer image 3.0 This has the potential to get really massive, but I don’t love that it starts out as a 3/2. You’re going to get really blown out sometimes when you play this and your opponent destroys it for one or two mana. But in a lot of White decks in this format, especially the Cabaretti, like putting a ton of creature tokens into play, and that will allow the Fencer to do some serious work.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Knockout Blow
Patch Up image 1.5 If your deck has a significant number of creatures that cost 3 mana or less, this seems alright. Especially if you can get multiple bodies back, since that will let you trigger your cards with Alliance. It is a bit of a dud in the early game a lot of the time, and sometimes you just won’t be able to get it going – and it doesn’t feel like it is even close to a card you always play in White or anything.
Knockout Blow image 3.0 3-mana to do 4 to an attacker while you gain 2 life is alrighty very playable, so the fact this will cost only a single mana sometimes is a nice upgrade. It is still situational removal, and that’s going to hurt it some.
For the Family image 2.0 This seems like a solid trick. One for +2/+2 usually plays reasonably well, and the multiple creature upside is pretty legit.
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
Boon of Safety image 2.0 A shield counter will allow your creature to survive a whole lot of stuff, whether its a removal spell or damage in combat. In combat, your creature will still get to damage the thing that it is blocking or being blocked by, and if its big enough it can just kill it. It feels like there are enough situations where you can generate some sweet tempo with this that I can definitely see running a copy of it in aggressive White decks.
Dapper Shieldmate image 2.5 If you take the shield counter out of the equation here, this card would be a 1.0. A 4-mana 2/2 that’s only a 4/2 on your turn just isn’t good. However, the shield counter definitely matters here. Your opponent is going to have to give up something in most cases just to get rid of the counter. And sure, they could just chump it with a token or something, but they still have to put in some work, and they can’t just ignore this since it can hit for 4 damage at a time.
Girder Goons image 2.5 Neither mode with this is great, but both are fine. A 5-mana 4/4 that leaves behind a 2/2 can definitely generate a 2-for-1, and if you Blitz this you not only get to draw a card when it dies, you also add to the board.
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Backstreet Bruiser image 2.0 A two mana 3/3 makes for a pretty good blocker, and it is certainly doable to take defender off of this thing, especially in Blue-White.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Kill Shot
Brazen Upstart image 3.5 This looks really good. It is going to be a 3-mana 4/2 with Vigilance that draws you a card most of the time, and that’s going to be a pretty easy 2-for-1. It will be hard to miss a creature in that top 5 - especially in Cabaretti - but it will happen sometimes. Even when that goes down, you get a solid creature.
A Little Chat image 3.0 The base level of this card would probably be a 1.5 or 2.0. It doesn’t do much, but it gives you some okay card selection. However, I think the Casualty upside here is pretty big, because once this turn into a 4 mana card that draws you two of the top four cards of your library, we’re talking about something pretty powerful! And you can sacrifice almost any creature to get that copy. You won’t always be able to do that of course, but the sort of acceptable baseline and the big upside makes this a card that I don’t think you’ll cut from most Blue decks.
Kill Shot image 2.0 Is decent removal, but it is situational enough that it is nowhere near premium. An aggressive deck isn’t super interested in a card like this, because you really want cards that let you kill blockers, and your opponent can also play around a card like this pretty effectively.
Riveteers Initiate image 2.5 Like most of this cycle, this is solid. It has okay base stats, and it can gain a useful keyword! Deathtouch does mean it can trade with anything, and that’s nice.
Backstreet Bruiser image 2.0 A two mana 3/3 makes for a pretty good blocker, and it is certainly doable to take defender off of this thing, especially in Blue-White.
Witty Roastmaster image 2.5 This has passable stats and a solid if unexciting ability. It can definitely chip in for a decent chunk of damage over the course of the game, especially if you’re making tokens!
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Girder Goons image 2.5 Neither mode with this is great, but both are fine. A 5-mana 4/4 that leaves behind a 2/2 can definitely generate a 2-for-1, and if you Blitz this you not only get to draw a card when it dies, you also add to the board.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Kill Shot
Slip Out the Back image 1.0 This doesn’t seem great to me. Sure, it can save your creature and it gets a permanent buff, but good effects like this can actually allow you to take down the creature that you’re blocking. That’s part of what made Tamiyo’s Safekeeping so good – it had an effect that was good against removal, but it could also make your creature win combat when it would have been a trade. And…you can’t do that with Phasing. Basically, this can only save your creature and buff it – and that’s not really worth a card. It is just too narrow.
Midnight Assassin image 2.5 As a deathtoucher, this can trade with anything – and Flying makes it so it can trade for even more than most death touchers! And, in the meantime, it can attack away in the air for a bit of damage.
Revelation of Power image 1.5 The boost isn’t amazing, but the counter upside will definitely come up. It can let you win combat and gain life as well as help you get in for a bunch in the air. You’ll play this in aggressive decks with lots of counters.
Kill Shot image 2.0 Is decent removal, but it is situational enough that it is nowhere near premium. An aggressive deck isn’t super interested in a card like this, because you really want cards that let you kill blockers, and your opponent can also play around a card like this pretty effectively.
Capenna Express image 2.0 A 4-mana 6/6 vehicle with Crew 3 is generally not something you end up playing, but the upside of crewing this with Treasure is very real, as Green – and especially Red-Green, looks like it will be pretty good at generating treasure.
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
Witness Protection image 1.5 I have a hard time ever getting behind this type of removal. The big problem is that you aren’t entirely dealing with the creature you put it on! It can still attack and block, and +1/+1 and shield counters are a problem too, as is the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice effects. You’ll play this if you’re desperate for removal, but that’s about it.
Boon of Safety image 2.0 A shield counter will allow your creature to survive a whole lot of stuff, whether its a removal spell or damage in combat. In combat, your creature will still get to damage the thing that it is blocking or being blocked by, and if its big enough it can just kill it. It feels like there are enough situations where you can generate some sweet tempo with this that I can definitely see running a copy of it in aggressive White decks.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Shattered Seraph
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Shattered Seraph image 2.5 The initial card you get isn’t great – a 7-mana 4/4 Flyer that gains you 3 life would probably be something like a D+. It is a real body and the life gain is nice, but by that stage of the game the size may not be enough. And..the other side of the card isn’t great either, as paying 2 mana to fix your mana hurts pretty bad. However, what saves this card from being awful is the fact that you can still cast it from exile, so eventually you can get both parts of the card going. Sometimes it won’t be worth doing the exile part of course, but this looks solid overall.
Rhox Pummeler image 2.5 The shield counter is pretty nice on a creature with high power and trample, as it really can put your opponent in a bind when it comes to blocking it. For some of these shield creatures, you can just throw one of your tokens in front of it to get the shield to go away – and you can still do that here, but you’re probably taking 5 in the process! This seems like a decent top curve.
Witty Roastmaster image 2.5 This has passable stats and a solid if unexciting ability. It can definitely chip in for a decent chunk of damage over the course of the game, especially if you’re making tokens!
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Rakish Revelers
Illicit Shipment image 1.0 This is an interesting take on a tutor. Most tutors, especially those that cost FIVE mana are pretty terrible in Limited. You have to play this thing on your turn and not add to the board at all in most cases, and even if you have something awesome to search up, you severely decrease your chances of winning as soon as you choose to do that. Basically, you end up breaking even on cards and not doing so well on mana when you cast this. Now, once you throw Casualty into the mix, you’re paying 5 to draw TWO of the best cards in your deck, and that’s certainly better. But the Casualty here is a little steep at 3, and you’re still spending a lot of mana and just spinning your wheels until your next turn. I’m tempted to just give this a 0.0, but I think if you can do Casualty often enough with it, its probably a 1.0 or 1.5.
Tramway Station image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Make Disappear image 1.5 Without Casualty, this kind of counter spell isn't great, since your opponent is likely to have the spare mana the longer the game goes on. With casualty…I still don't think it is great, but obviously it will allow you to counter more spells more often.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Rakish Revelers image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/3 that makes a 1/1 is something I would already sign up for, so the fact that it can fix your mana earlier in the game is some upside on a card that’s already quite playable.
Midnight Assassin image 2.5 As a deathtoucher, this can trade with anything – and Flying makes it so it can trade for even more than most death touchers! And, in the meantime, it can attack away in the air for a bit of damage.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Security Bypass
Patch Up image 1.5 If your deck has a significant number of creatures that cost 3 mana or less, this seems alright. Especially if you can get multiple bodies back, since that will let you trigger your cards with Alliance. It is a bit of a dud in the early game a lot of the time, and sometimes you just won’t be able to get it going – and it doesn’t feel like it is even close to a card you always play in White or anything.
Security Bypass image 1.0 Unblockable when attacking alone + the ability to Connive every time you hit the opponent is kind of decent for the cost, but I don’t feel like its worth the inherent risk of playing an Aura. Connive isn’t quite worth a card after you do it once, though, and that means if your opponent can deal with whatever you put this on before you do it a second time, you’re ending up way behind. So, in the end, this feels like an Aura that won’t quite do enough to be worth the risk. Even if you’re discarding things for value, I’m skeptical.
Jackhammer image 1.5 We’ve seen a purely colorless version of this before, and I wasn’t particular impressed with that, so one that requires Red mana to cast isn’t exactly something I’m looking to play. Sticking this on a token is the most appealing thing, as a 3/1 token can’t be ignored, but the two mana to equip this is a pretty steep rate on a card that doesn’t do anything else.
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Pack 3 Pick 11: Halo Scarab
Jackhammer image 1.5 We’ve seen a purely colorless version of this before, and I wasn’t particular impressed with that, so one that requires Red mana to cast isn’t exactly something I’m looking to play. Sticking this on a token is the most appealing thing, as a 3/1 token can’t be ignored, but the two mana to equip this is a pretty steep rate on a card that doesn’t do anything else.
Antagonize image 2.0 That’s a pretty nice boost for the cost – enough of one that it will make most creatures survive combat and take down whatever is blocking it. +4 is enough that this can let you sneak in lethal sometimes too. I think you’ll feel pretty good about the first one of these in most of your aggressive Red decks. It is still a trick of course, and comes with the inherent downsides they always have: they are situational and risky. But as far as tricks go, this is pretty good quality.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Paragon of Modernity
An Offer You Can't Refuse image 0.0 I think I WILL be refusing this offer. This mostly seems like it was printed for constructed. Most Limited decks don’t have enough non-creature spells for this sort of thing to be good, and giving them treasure seems like way too much downside on an already narrow counterspell, even if it is efficient. It is probably a sideboard card at best.
Paragon of Modernity image 2.0 This looks solid. It starts out as an inefficient creature, but most decks will be three colors in this format, so putting counters on this as a mana sink in the mid to late game seems like a legitimate strategy. If your deck doesn’t have good enough fixing to consistently get three colors this is much worse, but I think most decks will be able to do it, so it isn’t a build around or anything.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Patch Up
Patch Up image 1.5 If your deck has a significant number of creatures that cost 3 mana or less, this seems alright. Especially if you can get multiple bodies back, since that will let you trigger your cards with Alliance. It is a bit of a dud in the early game a lot of the time, and sometimes you just won’t be able to get it going – and it doesn’t feel like it is even close to a card you always play in White or anything.
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Broken Wings
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Draft Pick Overview