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Quick Draft DMU 17 September 2022

17 September 08:10 - Cartecha 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (17)
1 Defiler of Vigor image
1 Knight of Dawn's Light image
1 Vineshaper Prodigy image
2 Magnigoth Sentry image
1 Charismatic Vanguard image
2 Argivian Cavalier image
1 Griffin Protector image
1 Bortuk Bonerattle image
1 Queen Allenal of Ruadach image
1 Deathbloom Gardener image
1 Mesa Cavalier image
1 Juniper Order Rootweaver image
1 Nemata, Primeval Warden image
1 Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava image
1 Argivian Phalanx image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (6)
1 Strength of the Coalition image
1 Bite Down image
2 Tail Swipe image
1 Destroy Evil image
1 Take Up the Shield image
Land (17)
2 Tangled Islet image
1 Sunlit Marsh image
6 Forest image
2 Swamp image
6 Plains image
Sideboard
1 Pixie Illusionist image
2 Barkweave Crusher image
1 Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image
1 Rulik Mons, Warren Chief image
1 Deathbloom Gardener image
1 Samite Herbalist image
1 Elfhame Wurm image
1 Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava image
1 Impede Momentum image
1 Heroic Charge image
1 Scout the Wilderness image
1 Stall for Time image
1 Shore Up image
1 Destroy Evil image
1 Timely Interference image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Defiler of Vigor
Defiler of Vigor image 5.0 This has great base stats and a powerful payoff for casting spells of a particular color and can effectively let you turn one mana in your permanents casting costs into Phyrexian mana! Then, casting Green permanents gives you a pretty insane trigger, putting +1/+1 counters on the whole board.
Queen Allenal of Ruadach image 3.5 Looks like another very nice signpost Uncommon. It will often be big enough to be reasonably efficient, and the extra tokens it can generate will be nice. There’s lots of support for tokens in the format!
Battlewing Mystic image 4.0 This is really nice. A two mana 2/1 Flyer is actually a pretty good rate, and I love that in the later game you can kick this for some serious card advantage too. Basically, this is great on turn two, and great as a late game top deck – and fine in the mid-game – so I really like it.
Wingmantle Chaplain image 1.0 // 4.0 This is a powerful build around for Defender decks! At worst, it is a 4-mana 0/3 that makes a 1/1 Flyer – which is pretty bad – but it is the baseline for the card, as it will often do much more than that! It is great that it has an ETB ability for itself, and then adds them to your other defenders too, so if you draw it after you’ve played your other defenders, it isn’t a complete disaster.
Essence Scatter image 2.5 This reprint is actually a counterspell I will play! It can only counter creature spells, but it does it at two mana, and you only need one Blue! Most decks will have 15+ creatures, and that’s plenty of targets for the first of these to be a solid inclusion in your Blue decks. One thing to keep in mind, don’t fall into the trap of thinking of counter magic as straight up removal. It is substantially worse in most ways, especially in Limited! The problem is – it is like removal that only works if you have the mana up at the right time, and that’s what keeps this from receiving a grade that is remotely close to a “premium removal” grade.
Shadow Prophecy image 2.5 Black usually gets a draw spell like this at Common, and this seems a bit better than most versions of it we see. Usually, we pay three, draw two, and lose two life. That's sort of the baseline here, as you can dig significantly deeper into your deck with this, and even load up your graveyard! The first copy looks pretty solid for most Black decks.
Clockwork Drawbridge image 1.0 This doesn’t seem very good to me, even in the Defender deck in the format. It has mediocre stats and it costs a little too much to tap stuff down. That effect is nice, but three mana is just asking a lot. I think you’ll end up playing this if you really need more defenders to get to your critical mass in that type of deck – but yeah, even in that deck you probably hope you don’t play this.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Bone Splinters image 2.0 We have seen this card many a time, and its always fine. Obviously one mana to kill something is really nice, but the requirement to sacrifice a creature is enough to keep it from being anywhere close to premium. Obviously, there are black decks in the format that are going to be able to make really good use of this – especially BW and BR, both of which like it when things die. It is pretty dangerous to run more than one copy of this too, since it is as situational as it is.
Lightning Strike image 4.0 This is always great. Two mana to do 3 to anything at instant speed is very powerful. It can trade up when killing creatures, and the fact it can close out a game by going to your opponents face is nice.
Crystal Grotto image 1.0 Even in a set with a multicolor theme, I’m not super into this. Filter lands are almost always not worth the trouble – and I think that will be especially true in this set, which has a ton of fixing! Filtering mana does fix for you, but at the cost of making everything of that color cost one extra, and that’s a big deal. Adding Scry 1 to the mix doesn’t make enough of a difference. I think you’ll play this if you’re really desperate for fixing – but that’s about it
Magnigoth Sentry image 2.5 Nothing fancy here, but this has solid stats and it can block Flyers! Definitely an upgrade over Giant Spider!
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Pack 1 Pick 2: Knight of Dawn's Light
Baird, Argivian Recruiter image 3.0 This is quite good. RW this time around is about having augmented power, something that can be accomplished with Enlist, as well as other affects. Baird will be able to crank out tokens pretty easily, and looks like a great engine.
Rona's Vortex image 3.0 This looks pretty good. We don’t often get one mana instant speed bounce spells, and the upside here turns into a time ebb effect – which is one-for-one removal! Seems like it will be easy to blow out a variety of situations with it too, as leaving up one Blue is pretty easy. Like with most of these, it is playable even if you don’t have any Black at all, but ideally you can splash Black at least.
Knight of Dawn's Light image 4.0 This is real good. Two mana 2/2 with a First Strike tends to be a B- – maybe a C+ at the very worst. That’s just a stat-line that is great all game long – and this has two additional abilities – augmenting your life gain isn’t a huge deal, but being able to pump itself is! This means it is a great two drop, and in the late game you can attack with it with a bunch of mana untapped, and your opponent really can’t block it very effectively.
Argivian Cavalier image 3.5 This looks like a very nice Common. We see three mana 2/2s that spit out a 1/1 a lot, and they are always solid at worst. This one comes with Enlist upside, and it can even use its token! This is probably one of White’s best Commons.
Tidepool Turtle image 1.5 It is kind of sad this doesn’t have Defender, because then at least it would slot in nicely to the defender deck! Obviously not having Defender does mean it can attack, but how often do you rumble with your ⅖ anyway? So, yeah..this has alright stats for a defensive creature, and a useful – albeit very expansive – mana sink ability. Seems like the kind of creature you end up cutting more than you play.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Mesa Cavalier image 1.5 This has mediocre stats, and it does a small thing when it enters the battlefield. Not a card you really hope to play, but fine when you do.
Hexbane Tortoise image 2.0 Thanks to Ward, this is a bit harder to kill with removal, but still pretty easy to trade with. Adding Enlist to the mix is nice, but this is definitely an Enlist creature that can easily be traded with by virtually any two drop, and that certainly lessens its impact.
Aggressive Sabotage image 2.0 This is sort of a build your own Blightning. I’m not usually a very big fan of Mind Rot effects, and that’s because they occupy a really awkward place. They are sort of at their best in the early to mid-game, because you’re more likely to hit 2 cards – but you also would probably rather just add to the board than play Mind Rot on turn 3. Then, in the late game, they are really bad top decks when both players have basically nothing in their hand. A card like Aggressive Sabotage does help shore up some of that, since in the late game you can still use it to Bolt your opponent. And, adding any effect – even one that small – makes a difference.
Phyrexian Warhorse image 2.0 I’m not ultra impressed with either mode here. You’re either getting a Hill Giant, or paying 5 mana for a 3/3 and a 1/1. That’s not a great rate. And yeah, the Warhorse can sacrifice stuff to get bigger, and the threat to do that is pretty legitimate – but I don’t feel like this is efficient or powerful enough to be a card that always makes the cut.
Gaea's Might image 2.0 This is a reprint from the last time the Phyrexian invaded, and it makes for a pretty reasonable combat trick. Getting +2/+2 out of it is easy, and it will often be Giant Growth – and sometimes even better! The set up is real, though.
Charismatic Vanguard image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but an ability that can do some work in the late game with an ability that is a bit overcosted.
Flowstone Kavu image 3.0 A three mana 2/3 with Menace is already a solid card, so the fact that this can buff its power is quite nice. This will be able to attack effectively on a whole lot of boards, since it can always threaten to be a 4/1, and it has to be blocked by two creatures – and that makes it pretty hard for your opponent to block it without losing at least one creature. I think this is going to be sneaky good.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Strength of the Coalition
Aron, Benalia's Ruin image 4.0 Overall, this is a pretty good card – but it does have kind of an awkward ability. Pumping your whole board is great – and an ability you want to be going wide for – but you have to sacrifice a creature..which means your board will have one less creature. There are definitely expendable bodies around, but the ability still feels a little weird. Still a good card overall, though. I mean, it is a 3-mana 3/3 with Menace with pretty big upside.
Ertai's Scorn image 1.5 So, this is Cancel that will cost one less if your opponent is playing more spells. Cancel is usually a 1.5 in Limited these days – three mana is a ton to leave up to counter something when you could just be adding to the board with that mana – and while the upside to make this cheaper is there, I don’t think it is that much better than Cancel.
Strength of the Coalition image 2.5 This is a nice trick, the base level of the card is a trick that Green aggro decks play one of most of the time. +2/+2 for one mana is great, because it gives enough of a boost to win most combat, while also being cheap enough that using it doesn’t hamper your board development.
Phyrexian Espionage image 2.0 This is potentially a 5-mana three-for-one, which is pretty attractive! On a base level, it is just Divination – which is usually a C- level card these days. This is one of those effects that never adds to the board, and that can be a real problem, but I think I having one or two effects in your deck like that is reasonable, and this is the kind of thing I wouldn’t feel bad about putting in that slot. When you can really get it going, it can actually be pretty devastating, and at worst, you have Divination.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is a reprint we’ve seen before, and it tends to be pretty solid in formats that have spell decks – and this is one of those! It triggers your spell payoffs while helping you find even more spells!
Goblin Picker image 2.0 This has solid base stats and rummaging can certainly improve the quality of your draws, though Rummaging is markedly worse than looting. Red also doesn’t have a ton of graveyard stuff going on in this format, and that certainly hurts this card’s stock a bit.
Geothermal Bog image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Bog Badger image 2.5 Three mana for a 3/3 is still a pretty good rate these days, so the fact you can kick this to give your board menace is certainly nice. It isn’t the kind of thing that always matters, but it matters often enough to be legitimate upside.
Bone Splinters image 2.0 We have seen this card many a time, and its always fine. Obviously one mana to kill something is really nice, but the requirement to sacrifice a creature is enough to keep it from being anywhere close to premium. Obviously, there are black decks in the format that are going to be able to make really good use of this – especially BW and BR, both of which like it when things die. It is pretty dangerous to run more than one copy of this too, since it is as situational as it is.
Floriferous Vinewall image 1.5 This is a Defender, and that does matter a bit in this format, but this card seems pretty mediocre. Basically it is a two drop that makes sure you hit a land drop – but a 0/2 is pretty awful for that investment, and it also doesn’t quite fix your mana for you, at least not all the time, since you only get to look at the top 6.
Impede Momentum image 1.5 So, this is temporary removal that doesn’t even fully get rid of the thing it only temporarily removes. I don’t love that. The creature can still use abilities and its static effects still stick around even if they are stunned. Basically, this is a longer-term version of the “tap target creature, it doesn’t untap during your opponent’s next turn” effect, but even those effects are only good when they come with something else meaningful – like as a creature’s Enter the Battlefield ability, or with a cantrip attached. Scry 1 doesn’t quite do it.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Tangled Islet
Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator image 3.5 A two mana ½ that loots is a card you usually play, so the upside of draining the opponent sometimes and letting you cast spells out of your graveyard is really nice. It is pretty neat that they made UB a spell deck this time around too – it is sort of a spells/graveyard deck.
Walking Bulwark image 1.5 // 3.5 This is pretty interesting! On its own, it is sort of like a one mana 0/3 that loses defender and gets +3/+0 and Haste if you pay 2 mana. That’s not completely terrible, and obviously it gets better the more Defenders you have, and there is a Defender deck in this format. Seems like a decent enough one drop for a variety of decks that will also have a more synergistic home in the format.
Coalition Warbrute image 2.5 An Enlist creature with Trample is pretty sweet! Even making this into a 5/4 or 6/4 – both of which are fairly realistic things – is pretty nice! Of course, Enlist does make you tap a thing, and that’s a real cost – but this definitely looks like it can become a very real problem. It seems solid enough.
Pixie Illusionist image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 Flyer is passable, so the upside this has of becoming a 5 mana 3/3 Flyer in the late game and fixing your mana and helping with domain makes this a pretty nice Common!
Sunlit Marsh image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Essence Scatter image 2.5 This reprint is actually a counterspell I will play! It can only counter creature spells, but it does it at two mana, and you only need one Blue! Most decks will have 15+ creatures, and that’s plenty of targets for the first of these to be a solid inclusion in your Blue decks. One thing to keep in mind, don’t fall into the trap of thinking of counter magic as straight up removal. It is substantially worse in most ways, especially in Limited! The problem is – it is like removal that only works if you have the mana up at the right time, and that’s what keeps this from receiving a grade that is remotely close to a “premium removal” grade.
Shadow Prophecy image 2.5 Black usually gets a draw spell like this at Common, and this seems a bit better than most versions of it we see. Usually, we pay three, draw two, and lose two life. That's sort of the baseline here, as you can dig significantly deeper into your deck with this, and even load up your graveyard! The first copy looks pretty solid for most Black decks.
Colossal Growth image 2.5 This looks like a very good trick to me. Two for +3/+3 is a great boost that wins most combats, and the kicker makes this absolutely devastating in many situations. It IS still a trick, with all the problems they have, but one that is of this high of quality is going to be something you basically never cut the first copy of in aggressive decks.
Vanquisher's Axe image 1.5 This isn’t the most efficient Equipment ever, but it isn’t a complete disaster either. It may be particularly good in RW, where you want higher attack than toughness – and it also helps the Equipment and Artifact sub-themes in the set. Still, it probably gets cut from many decks.
Flowstone Kavu image 3.0 A three mana 2/3 with Menace is already a solid card, so the fact that this can buff its power is quite nice. This will be able to attack effectively on a whole lot of boards, since it can always threaten to be a 4/1, and it has to be blocked by two creatures – and that makes it pretty hard for your opponent to block it without losing at least one creature. I think this is going to be sneaky good.
Tangled Islet image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Pack 1 Pick 5: Vineshaper Prodigy
Warhost's Frenzy image 2.5 This is nice for a Trumpet Blast-type effect. The kicker upside is pretty real, because sometimes buffing your whole board isn’t worth it if too much of your stuff dies. This makes sure they all get replaced! At the same time, it is sort of awwkard, because you often don’t use a card like this unless you can do lethal on the spot. But I guess you’ll be willing to cast this more often when you don’t have lethal thanks to that upside. It does give it some upside as sort of a weird defensive spell too, since you can use it in response to removal or something if you’re desperate. I think this has the potential for a pretty insane ceiling, but it still has a pretty mediocre floor.
Cut Down image 4.0 This seems like premium removal. It can kill a whole lot of things that cost more than one mana, and sometimes it will really trade up. It can kill most one, two, and three drops – and a fair bit of cards higher up on the curve too! It can get blanked by a pump spell or something, but that’s true of a lot of really cheap removal – look at Lightning Bolt. The fact this is an Instant is pretty sweet too.
Yavimaya Sojourner image 1.5 This can be a pretty efficient vanilla creature – but even in this format, playing it super early as an efficient creature won’t exactly be easy, so I’m not sure the fact it can be discounted is that big of a deal, because by the time you can cast it for like four mana, the game will be pretty well-developed anyway, and a vanilla 4/6 isn’t going to change the game or anything. This asks for significant set up and the payoff doesn’t really seem worth it to me.
Vineshaper Prodigy image 3.5 This seems like a strong common! If you need a bear on turn two, it has you covered – and kicking it means that you get a 2-for-1 with some pretty impressive card selection.
Phyrexian Rager image 3.0 This is a nice reprint from the original Invasion Block! The Rager is often a 2-for-1, since it is big enough to trade and draws you cards.
Hammerhand image 2.0 This is a reprint, and it’s a pretty nice Aura in aggressive decks. One mana to make something unable to block, while also granting Haste and +1/+1 is a pretty great rate, and will often make whatever attack you make on your turn far more powerful than your opponent expects! And even after that initial turn where it really does some work, the +1/+1 sticks around, which is pretty nice
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Flowstone Kavu image 3.0 A three mana 2/3 with Menace is already a solid card, so the fact that this can buff its power is quite nice. This will be able to attack effectively on a whole lot of boards, since it can always threaten to be a 4/1, and it has to be blocked by two creatures – and that makes it pretty hard for your opponent to block it without losing at least one creature. I think this is going to be sneaky good.
Barkweave Crusher image 2.0 Giving an Enlist creature high toughness is interesting, because a lot of them can buff their power but still die pretty easily in combat, so you’re often hoping you can just attack with those creatures in situations where your opponent doesn’t have an option other than a mediocre trade. So, this is more likely to survive after getting buffed by Enlist, but it also takes some more work to make it hit hard.
Shield-Wall Sentinel image 0.0 // 2.5 Like all of these Defender matters cards, this is a build around. If you can use it to tutor something up – especially one of the powerful win conditions the deck has – it is going to feel really good. If you don’t have a decent Defender to tutor up, you’ll never play this, because its stats are awful.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Sunlit Marsh
Balmor, Battlemage Captain image 3.5 This is another nice spell payoff! That trigger is super strong, even if you only have a couple of creatures, and it is the kind of thing your opponent has to respect – the threat of activation is very real. The question is how easy it will be to go wide enough to really take advantage of this, but my feeling is you don’t have to go that wide to make this impressive.
Balduvian Berserker image 2.5 This is a little bit clunky, but I think pretty solid overall.. Without enlist, a 3-mana ⅓ that does 1 to something when it dies is…kind of alright. Probably a C- at the very best. But, this has Enlist upside that is pretty significant! Even attacking with it as a ⅔ is a pretty big pain for your opponent. Obviously, if you can make it really big it can be really sweet
Impede Momentum image 1.5 So, this is temporary removal that doesn’t even fully get rid of the thing it only temporarily removes. I don’t love that. The creature can still use abilities and its static effects still stick around even if they are stunned. Basically, this is a longer-term version of the “tap target creature, it doesn’t untap during your opponent’s next turn” effect, but even those effects are only good when they come with something else meaningful – like as a creature’s Enter the Battlefield ability, or with a cantrip attached. Scry 1 doesn’t quite do it.
Automatic Librarian image 1.5 This is functional reprint of Chrome Cat, a card that usually didn’t make the cut in Streets of New Capenna. That’s probably true here too. This format does have some Artifact stuff going on, so it will probably be a little better than the cat – but unless you’re a deck desperate for Artifacts or a three drop, you probably won’t run this. It just doesn’t do enough.
Barkweave Crusher image 2.0 Giving an Enlist creature high toughness is interesting, because a lot of them can buff their power but still die pretty easily in combat, so you’re often hoping you can just attack with those creatures in situations where your opponent doesn’t have an option other than a mediocre trade. So, this is more likely to survive after getting buffed by Enlist, but it also takes some more work to make it hit hard.
Shield-Wall Sentinel image 0.0 // 2.5 Like all of these Defender matters cards, this is a build around. If you can use it to tutor something up – especially one of the powerful win conditions the deck has – it is going to feel really good. If you don’t have a decent Defender to tutor up, you’ll never play this, because its stats are awful.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Smash to Dust image 1.5 Paying 4 mana for a 3/3 with Flying and Haste is definitely a nice card, and its great that it also scales all game long. You can also pick the exact right spot with it to get in for lethal – it will feel like Fireball in a lot of situations!
Sunlit Marsh image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Pack 1 Pick 7: Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image 3.5 This looks like a strong signpost Uncommon. Tapping things to draw extra cards sounds good to me, and then he comes with a nice ability for buffing the whole board. Basically, both of his effects are about going wide as possible and reaping the benefits.
Micromancer image 1.0 // 3.0 If your deck has three spells this can search it up, it is going to be pretty powerful! If your deck has 0 spells this can search up, you shouldn’t be playing it. Sounds like a pretty classic build around! It is unplayable with 0 spells, and gets slightly better with one, and then significantly better with two and three.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Yavimaya Sojourner image 1.5 This can be a pretty efficient vanilla creature – but even in this format, playing it super early as an efficient creature won’t exactly be easy, so I’m not sure the fact it can be discounted is that big of a deal, because by the time you can cast it for like four mana, the game will be pretty well-developed anyway, and a vanilla 4/6 isn’t going to change the game or anything. This asks for significant set up and the payoff doesn’t really seem worth it to me.
Molten Tributary image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Eerie Soultender image 2.0 There is a lot of graveyard stuff in this set, and this is both a self-mill payoff and an enabler, which is pretty nice. That graveyard effect can be particularly good, because sometimes if you’re doing the self-mill thing, you mill something you didn’t really want to lose – and this can provide some insurance on that front. It does have some pretty bad stats, but I think the graveyard decks in the format will feel fine about running one of these.
Hexbane Tortoise image 2.0 Thanks to Ward, this is a bit harder to kill with removal, but still pretty easy to trade with. Adding Enlist to the mix is nice, but this is definitely an Enlist creature that can easily be traded with by virtually any two drop, and that certainly lessens its impact.
Flowstone Infusion image 3.0 This is a pretty nice card, because it can function as a solid removal spell, and you can also use it as a trick! As we usually see with this type of card, you’ll use it as removal about 90% of the time. It is also nice that it is a cheap Instant for spell decks.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Tangled Islet
Jodah's Codex image 1.0 This is kind of a fun reference to old Magic Tomes – like Jayemdae Tome – that cost a ton of mana to draw you cards! Now, luckily you can lower the cost here and I guess once you get it down to about two you won’t feel too bad about it. But, you do still pay a whopping 5 mana up front to not add a real thing to the board, and the advantage this can build for you is pretty slow. I don’t love any of that. This seems too clunky, even in a deck that can get its domain to 5 consistently!
Founding the Third Path image 3.0 This looks pretty good to me. Chapter I and II definitely aren’t exciting, and the real value will ome from chapter three – but the first two chapters can set it up! And, if you already have something you can cast from the graveyard and copy, you can just start at chapter three to begin with! The first two chapters aren’t great because you just won’t have things to cast with Chapter I that often. It also doesn’t net you any cards, it just gives you a discount, and those sorts of effects are all way worse than they look in Limited. Chapter II is basically there to enable Chapter III, so yeah. I could see playing this on Chapter II happening a decent chunk of the time, because that way you can get more options for Chapter III, and you have all your mana available for Chapter III on your next turn. OBviously you need a lot of Instants and Sorceries, but both UW and UR seem very into those card types, so I don’t think it will be hard to find a home for this.
Floriferous Vinewall image 1.5 This is a Defender, and that does matter a bit in this format, but this card seems pretty mediocre. Basically it is a two drop that makes sure you hit a land drop – but a 0/2 is pretty awful for that investment, and it also doesn’t quite fix your mana for you, at least not all the time, since you only get to look at the top 6.
Bog Badger image 2.5 Three mana for a 3/3 is still a pretty good rate these days, so the fact you can kick this to give your board menace is certainly nice. It isn’t the kind of thing that always matters, but it matters often enough to be legitimate upside.
Tattered Apparition image 1.5 This has pretty bad base stats, but the fact you can pump mana into it to pumps those stats definitely matters, as this can be a real problem in the later stages of the game. It is pretty mediocre early though, and the mana it asks for can be a ton, even in the late game
Tangled Islet image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Take Up the Shield image 1.5 This sort of trick is always passable. It has the flexibility of protecting the creature from removal and being useful in combat, but the usual downsides most tricks have – they are situational, and they open you up to a 2-for-1 when you’re not careful.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Magnigoth Sentry
Clockwork Drawbridge image 1.0 This doesn’t seem very good to me, even in the Defender deck in the format. It has mediocre stats and it costs a little too much to tap stuff down. That effect is nice, but three mana is just asking a lot. I think you’ll end up playing this if you really need more defenders to get to your critical mass in that type of deck – but yeah, even in that deck you probably hope you don’t play this.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Crystal Grotto image 1.0 Even in a set with a multicolor theme, I’m not super into this. Filter lands are almost always not worth the trouble – and I think that will be especially true in this set, which has a ton of fixing! Filtering mana does fix for you, but at the cost of making everything of that color cost one extra, and that’s a big deal. Adding Scry 1 to the mix doesn’t make enough of a difference. I think you’ll play this if you’re really desperate for fixing – but that’s about it
Magnigoth Sentry image 2.5 Nothing fancy here, but this has solid stats and it can block Flyers! Definitely an upgrade over Giant Spider!
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Pack 1 Pick 10: Charismatic Vanguard
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Hexbane Tortoise image 2.0 Thanks to Ward, this is a bit harder to kill with removal, but still pretty easy to trade with. Adding Enlist to the mix is nice, but this is definitely an Enlist creature that can easily be traded with by virtually any two drop, and that certainly lessens its impact.
Aggressive Sabotage image 2.0 This is sort of a build your own Blightning. I’m not usually a very big fan of Mind Rot effects, and that’s because they occupy a really awkward place. They are sort of at their best in the early to mid-game, because you’re more likely to hit 2 cards – but you also would probably rather just add to the board than play Mind Rot on turn 3. Then, in the late game, they are really bad top decks when both players have basically nothing in their hand. A card like Aggressive Sabotage does help shore up some of that, since in the late game you can still use it to Bolt your opponent. And, adding any effect – even one that small – makes a difference.
Gaea's Might image 2.0 This is a reprint from the last time the Phyrexian invaded, and it makes for a pretty reasonable combat trick. Getting +2/+2 out of it is easy, and it will often be Giant Growth – and sometimes even better! The set up is real, though.
Charismatic Vanguard image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but an ability that can do some work in the late game with an ability that is a bit overcosted.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Impede Momentum
Ertai's Scorn image 1.5 So, this is Cancel that will cost one less if your opponent is playing more spells. Cancel is usually a 1.5 in Limited these days – three mana is a ton to leave up to counter something when you could just be adding to the board with that mana – and while the upside to make this cheaper is there, I don’t think it is that much better than Cancel.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is a reprint we’ve seen before, and it tends to be pretty solid in formats that have spell decks – and this is one of those! It triggers your spell payoffs while helping you find even more spells!
Impede Momentum image 1.5 So, this is temporary removal that doesn’t even fully get rid of the thing it only temporarily removes. I don’t love that. The creature can still use abilities and its static effects still stick around even if they are stunned. Basically, this is a longer-term version of the “tap target creature, it doesn’t untap during your opponent’s next turn” effect, but even those effects are only good when they come with something else meaningful – like as a creature’s Enter the Battlefield ability, or with a cantrip attached. Scry 1 doesn’t quite do it.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Pixie Illusionist
Coalition Warbrute image 2.5 An Enlist creature with Trample is pretty sweet! Even making this into a 5/4 or 6/4 – both of which are fairly realistic things – is pretty nice! Of course, Enlist does make you tap a thing, and that’s a real cost – but this definitely looks like it can become a very real problem. It seems solid enough.
Pixie Illusionist image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 Flyer is passable, so the upside this has of becoming a 5 mana 3/3 Flyer in the late game and fixing your mana and helping with domain makes this a pretty nice Common!
Colossal Growth image 2.5 This looks like a very good trick to me. Two for +3/+3 is a great boost that wins most combats, and the kicker makes this absolutely devastating in many situations. It IS still a trick, with all the problems they have, but one that is of this high of quality is going to be something you basically never cut the first copy of in aggressive decks.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Barkweave Crusher
Hammerhand image 2.0 This is a reprint, and it’s a pretty nice Aura in aggressive decks. One mana to make something unable to block, while also granting Haste and +1/+1 is a pretty great rate, and will often make whatever attack you make on your turn far more powerful than your opponent expects! And even after that initial turn where it really does some work, the +1/+1 sticks around, which is pretty nice
Barkweave Crusher image 2.0 Giving an Enlist creature high toughness is interesting, because a lot of them can buff their power but still die pretty easily in combat, so you’re often hoping you can just attack with those creatures in situations where your opponent doesn’t have an option other than a mediocre trade. So, this is more likely to survive after getting buffed by Enlist, but it also takes some more work to make it hit hard.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Barkweave Crusher
Barkweave Crusher image 2.0 Giving an Enlist creature high toughness is interesting, because a lot of them can buff their power but still die pretty easily in combat, so you’re often hoping you can just attack with those creatures in situations where your opponent doesn’t have an option other than a mediocre trade. So, this is more likely to survive after getting buffed by Enlist, but it also takes some more work to make it hit hard.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Rulik Mons, Warren Chief
Vodalian Hexcatcher image 1.0 Dang, as if Merfolks didn’t already have enough lords! As sweet as this card will be for Merfolk decks in multiple constructed formats, it doesn’t seem particularly good here. There just aren’t enough Merfolks in this set to make it worth it. On its own it is a two mana 1/1 with Flash that can sacrifice itself to counter a noncreature spell. So it can sort of be a really narrow Force Spike type effect for two mana…and that’s just not what you want. There may be the occasional deck that manages to get the 6+ Merfolk you need to play this thing, but it will be pretty hard to accomplish.
Rulik Mons, Warren Chief image 3.0 This is a nice attack trigger! Whether you get a land on the table or a 1/1 goblin, you’ll be pretty happy. Note, by the way, that even if it IS a land, you don’t have to put it on the table if you’d rather have a 1/1 – although most of the time, getting that land will be better, since it digs you one card deeper into your deck. It has Menace too, so it will be hard for you to attack with this in a situation where your opponent can just kill it – they’ll usually have to give something up.
Sengir Connoisseur image 3.0 Every time we see one of these 5-mana 3/3 Flyer that grows when something happens, they tend to underperform. The big problem is the high cost and the fact it can easily die to two or three mana removal, which is a real hit to the tempo. One nice thing here, is that you can play her in your first main phase when you have trades to offer, and then your opponent is put in kind of an ugly place, but I still envision this being harder to get going than it looks. I’m not saying it is bad, mind you – just not a super high quality Uncommon.
Combat Research image 2.0 Putting this on a legendary creature will feel pretty darn good, as it the stats boost is likely to allow you to more easily draw a card, and Ward 1 means it is harder for you to get blown out. This isn’t quite Curious Obsession – but it does a pretty good impression, which means it will be great to put on evasive creatures, who can suddenly start drawing you extra cards. There are also lots of situations where it isn’t very good, though. There just isn’t always a board state where you can force a creature through.
Keldon Strike Team image 3.5 This looks really good to me. If you don’t kick it, it is a 3-mana 3/1 with Haste that gives Haste to your whole board the turn it comes down. Then, when you kick it, you pay 5 mana for 5/3 worth of stats spread across three bodies. This gets an extra bonus from the fact that RW especially really wants to go wide. Also keep in mind, because it has Haste it can actually be Enlisted the turn it comes down, unlike most creatures. So yeah, seems like a really good Common to me.
Volshe Tideturner image 2.0 We see two mana 1/3s who can tap for mana to be spent on instants and sorceries all the time, and they pretty much always disappoint. They aren’t terrible, but they also aren’t anywhere near as good as a legitimate mana dork, even with the addition of paying for kicker spells in this case. You just don’t end up being able to use the mana enough, and the stat line isn’t very good.
Mesa Cavalier image 1.5 This has mediocre stats, and it does a small thing when it enters the battlefield. Not a card you really hope to play, but fine when you do.
Meria's Outrider image 2.0 A 5-mana 4/4 with Reach isn’t something I’m in for. The fact this does some damage when it enters the battlefield is a definite upgrade, and it will at least shock your opponent with regularity, and bolt them pretty often too. Still, it seems super clunky to me.
Negate image 0.5 We see this card all the time, and generally it is more of a sideboard card. Most decks only have 4 or so things this can actually target, and that just isn’t enough for it to be a main deck card. When you know your opponent has plenty of targets for it, though, it becomes a pretty nice sideboard card.
Deathbloom Gardener image 1.5 This card seems super awkward to me. A three mana 1/1 is a horrendous stat-line – dying to any 1 damage or -1/-1 effect is brutal when you’re paying three mana! And uh..yeah, it does have death touch and can tap for mana of any color, but those two abilities together is super weird. Because if you’re tapping it for mana it isn’t going to be available to block and trade for stuff with its Deathtouch. This just seems overcosted on all fronts – but it does provide fixing in a format where you’re often going to be playing a 3rd color so you can pay for off-color kicker. Still, I think you’re hoping for some of the more impactful fixing out there than this thing.
Tidepool Turtle image 1.5 It is kind of sad this doesn’t have Defender, because then at least it would slot in nicely to the defender deck! Obviously not having Defender does mean it can attack, but how often do you rumble with your ⅖ anyway? So, yeah..this has alright stats for a defensive creature, and a useful – albeit very expansive – mana sink ability. Seems like the kind of creature you end up cutting more than you play.
Contaminated Aquifer image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Sacred Peaks image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Aggressive Sabotage image 2.0 This is sort of a build your own Blightning. I’m not usually a very big fan of Mind Rot effects, and that’s because they occupy a really awkward place. They are sort of at their best in the early to mid-game, because you’re more likely to hit 2 cards – but you also would probably rather just add to the board than play Mind Rot on turn 3. Then, in the late game, they are really bad top decks when both players have basically nothing in their hand. A card like Aggressive Sabotage does help shore up some of that, since in the late game you can still use it to Bolt your opponent. And, adding any effect – even one that small – makes a difference.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Bite Down
Hurloon Battle Hymn image 4.0 This is a great removal spell that you can turn into Wardleader’s Helix when you kick it, and that’s pretty awesome!
Hero's Heirloom image 2.5 This is a decentish piece of Equipment even without the Legendary upside. 2 to play and 2 to equip for this boost is probably a C- at worst So, the legendary upside is pretty nice! You won’t end up with a ton of legendaries, it should be noted, but there are a decent number of Uncommon, so you’ll end up with more than you would in most formats. Your typical deck will probably have like 2 legendaries, but when you do play them and equip this, they are going to be scary!
Yavimaya Iconoclast image 3.5 This is going to be such a beating when your opponent can kick it on turn three! A 3-mana 4/3 Trampler with Haste is no joke, and the fail case here is still a creature that is above rate.
Phyrexian Espionage image 2.0 This is potentially a 5-mana three-for-one, which is pretty attractive! On a base level, it is just Divination – which is usually a C- level card these days. This is one of those effects that never adds to the board, and that can be a real problem, but I think I having one or two effects in your deck like that is reasonable, and this is the kind of thing I wouldn’t feel bad about putting in that slot. When you can really get it going, it can actually be pretty devastating, and at worst, you have Divination.
Tangled Islet image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Citizen's Arrest image 3.0 This seems like it is in the lower range of “premium” removal. These sorts of cards seem to be getting worse these days, since so many creatures have ETB abilities. Still, it can deal with any creature or planeswalker, and that’s nice! The double White is a bit of a downer too, as you can’t splash it. But yeah, sounds like I’m super down on it - and I guess I am, at least with how good these type of effects used to be. But this is still one of White’s best Commons!
Jaya's Firenado image 2.0 This is a very clunky removal spell. 5 damage for 5 mana at Sorcery speed is never very impressive, and the upside here is pretty limited, with Scry 1 all you get. Even when we see this card at Instant speed these days it isn’t great, so a Sorcery is kind of rough. This is very far from premium removal, and is the kind of thing you’ll run one of in your red decks, but most of the time you’re hoping you find some better removal.
Phyrexian Rager image 3.0 This is a nice reprint from the original Invasion Block! The Rager is often a 2-for-1, since it is big enough to trade and draws you cards.
Gibbering Barricade image 2.5 This slots in nicely in the Defender deck, as well as in the Sacrifice and graveyard decks – and on top of that, it is just a decent card in any Black deck. A 3-mana 2/4 Defender can really lock down the ground for awhile, and the ability to cash stuff in is pretty sweet.
Bite Down image 3.5 Man, there was a day where the sorcery speed version of this was super good removal – and now we are getting it at Instant speed! And its premium removal for sure. This type of effect is always far better than a fight effect, because your creature only needs to be as big as the creature it damages, instead of bigger. There’s always risk with these Green removal spells of course, largely because your opponent removing your creature is a huge blow out, so you do have to pick your spots. Because its an Instant, you can find more windows where it is safe to use. This is one of the best Green commons.
Samite Herbalist image 2.0 The idea here is to tap this for Enlist effects, and it is certainly nice to get that extra value when you do. Obviously it can also just give you this trigger when it attacks, and any time you can at least trad with it, that will feel fine. It also works with crewing vehicles!
Salvaged Manaworker image 2.5 We see artifact creatures who can filter mana all the time, and if that’s all they really do – along with mediocre stats – they see very little play. However, the filtering usually costs more than one. This actually looks like some nice fixing.
Contaminated Aquifer image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Pack 2 Pick 3: Argivian Cavalier
Monstrous War-Leech image 2.0 The ceiling for this card is just that it is a really efficient vanilla creature. That’s not super impressive to me. You’re going to need to have some other reasons to mill yourself to really want to play this, since it can enable other self-mill payoffs – and you’re going to need them, since this isn’t a great one. It also feels like mana values are a little lower than usual in this set as a result of all the Kicker, so this really may not be well-positioned for the format.
Sheoldred's Restoration image 2.5 This is a pretty nice reanimation spell. They usually cost 5 these days, so spending one mana less for the effect is nice, even if you lose life – and when you kick it you even gain life, which is pretty nice! Now, it still has the problem these always have – it isn’t always easy having something worth reanimating, but graveyard decks in this format look fairly legit, and this card does too.
Cleaving Skyrider image 4.0 This is a very good Uncommon. I’m already in on a 3-mana 2/2 Flyer with Flash, so adding the big upside of the Kicker is really nice. You can Flash it in when you’re the one attacking to killa blocker or something – or help you do lethal to your opponent – but it is pretty sweet that you can also use it when your opponent is attacking you, in which cases it will usually account for two bodies, between killing one and blocking out. Paying 6 for this is just going to do a ton of work in many situations. Now, there will be times where you just have to run this out as a Wind Drake, but that’s a pretty decent fail case.
Smash to Dust image 1.5 Paying 4 mana for a 3/3 with Flying and Haste is definitely a nice card, and its great that it also scales all game long. You can also pick the exact right spot with it to get in for lethal – it will feel like Fireball in a lot of situations!
Scout the Wilderness image 3.0 This looks pretty good. A three mana Rampant Growth isn’t amazing, but it does fix your mana and ramp you, and I think the Kicked version of the card really makes up for that. Five mana for two 1/1s and a land isn’t a bad deal! And I think this sort of card will be extra good here, between Domain and all of the off-color kicker costs.
Argivian Cavalier image 3.5 This looks like a very nice Common. We see three mana 2/2s that spit out a 1/1 a lot, and they are always solid at worst. This one comes with Enlist upside, and it can even use its token! This is probably one of White’s best Commons.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Griffin Protector image 3.0 This is a reprint and it overperformed a bit when we last saw it. I think it will be pretty nice here too, as the Go-wide theme in White is fairly pronounced, as we’ve seen already in this video.
Flowstone Kavu image 3.0 A three mana 2/3 with Menace is already a solid card, so the fact that this can buff its power is quite nice. This will be able to attack effectively on a whole lot of boards, since it can always threaten to be a 4/1, and it has to be blocked by two creatures – and that makes it pretty hard for your opponent to block it without losing at least one creature. I think this is going to be sneaky good.
Voda Sea Scavenger image 1.5 This doesn’t seem very good to me. It has what are definitely mediocre stats these days, and the ability just gives you pseudo-scry, but how good it is is highly dependent on your lands – and it also isn’t nearly as good as Scry, because you have far less control over the cards.
Tangled Islet image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Juniper Order Rootweaver image 3.0 This is a very nice Common. It can just be a bear, or it can be a 3-mana 2/2 that puts a counter somewhere. The counter effect is the sort of thing that tends to be useful all game long, since in the later stages you can find somewhere to put it that makes a difference. In the early game, you may just want to make this a three mana 3/3, which is solid.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Griffin Protector
Tura Kennerüd, Skyknight image 4.0 This is strong. It has stats that are ALMOST passable, and has a huge payoff for casting instant and sorcery spells. The color pair is about spells AND going wide, and this nicely checks both of those boxes for you.
Joint Exploration image 3.0 The base card is pretty solid. Two mana to get a look at up to three cards is a reasonable deal, and if you can kick it the ramp is pretty real! I like that you get to Scry two before your draw, because that means you can increase your chances of hitting a land you need to get the ramp effect to matter. It doesn’t always add to the board, even when you kick it, but it is cheap enough and Instant speed, so that makes that less of a problem.
Cult Conscript image 3.5 Notably, this thing can block. Not the turn it comes into play or comes back from the graveyard, but still – the ability to block on a 2-power recursive creature definitely matters! Bringing a 2/1 back over and over against is a decent thing to be doing in a game of Limited, especially because you can play this on turn one and it can do some work. This will be especially nice in any deck that can get extra value out of bringing it back over and over again – like decks utilizing Sacrifice effects, where it can be pretty interesting.
Jaya's Firenado image 2.0 This is a very clunky removal spell. 5 damage for 5 mana at Sorcery speed is never very impressive, and the upside here is pretty limited, with Scry 1 all you get. Even when we see this card at Instant speed these days it isn’t great, so a Sorcery is kind of rough. This is very far from premium removal, and is the kind of thing you’ll run one of in your red decks, but most of the time you’re hoping you find some better removal.
Impulse image 2.0 This old school reprint is basically a better Anticipate, and any sort of Instant-speed card selection card tends to be pretty solid in formats that have a Spell deck – and this format has multiple! It still doesn’t add to the board, and there are only so many slots in a deck for that type of card – but I think the first copy of this is fine.
Aggressive Sabotage image 2.0 This is sort of a build your own Blightning. I’m not usually a very big fan of Mind Rot effects, and that’s because they occupy a really awkward place. They are sort of at their best in the early to mid-game, because you’re more likely to hit 2 cards – but you also would probably rather just add to the board than play Mind Rot on turn 3. Then, in the late game, they are really bad top decks when both players have basically nothing in their hand. A card like Aggressive Sabotage does help shore up some of that, since in the late game you can still use it to Bolt your opponent. And, adding any effect – even one that small – makes a difference.
Griffin Protector image 3.0 This is a reprint and it overperformed a bit when we last saw it. I think it will be pretty nice here too, as the Go-wide theme in White is fairly pronounced, as we’ve seen already in this video.
Stall for Time image 2.5 This is sort of passable when you don’t kick it, since it replaces itself and its an Instant, so you can shut down an entire round of attacking and blocking by those two creatures. Kicking it is the real dream though, since those stun counters will really give you some amazing tempo.
Hexbane Tortoise image 2.0 Thanks to Ward, this is a bit harder to kill with removal, but still pretty easy to trade with. Adding Enlist to the mix is nice, but this is definitely an Enlist creature that can easily be traded with by virtually any two drop, and that certainly lessens its impact.
Volshe Tideturner image 2.0 We see two mana 1/3s who can tap for mana to be spent on instants and sorceries all the time, and they pretty much always disappoint. They aren’t terrible, but they also aren’t anywhere near as good as a legitimate mana dork, even with the addition of paying for kicker spells in this case. You just don’t end up being able to use the mana enough, and the stat line isn’t very good.
Shield-Wall Sentinel image 0.0 // 2.5 Like all of these Defender matters cards, this is a build around. If you can use it to tutor something up – especially one of the powerful win conditions the deck has – it is going to feel really good. If you don’t have a decent Defender to tutor up, you’ll never play this, because its stats are awful.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Bortuk Bonerattle
Bortuk Bonerattle image 3.5 This looks like a very nice signpost Uncommon. A 6-mana 4/4 that gets back a creature from the graveyard is already pretty decent, but the upside of straight-up reanimating things is pretty incredible! You’ll usually be able to reanimate a 2 drop, and reanimating something that costs 3 or 4 isn’t out of the question in this format either.
Join Forces image 2.0 I’m not usually a huge fan of three mana tricks, but once you add in the 2-for-1 potential, it starts to get a little more interesting. It also adds pseudo-vigilance if you use it on the attack because of the untap, which of course also means that you can ambush block the opponent – but it is almost always better to use this offensively, since your opponent is less likely to have mana on your turn. It DOES still cost three, which is a very real amount of mana for a temporary boost, but this will generate a 2-for-1 often enough that I think the first copy is pretty appealing in aggressive White deck
Tidepool Turtle image 1.5 It is kind of sad this doesn’t have Defender, because then at least it would slot in nicely to the defender deck! Obviously not having Defender does mean it can attack, but how often do you rumble with your ⅖ anyway? So, yeah..this has alright stats for a defensive creature, and a useful – albeit very expansive – mana sink ability. Seems like the kind of creature you end up cutting more than you play.
Gaea's Might image 2.0 This is a reprint from the last time the Phyrexian invaded, and it makes for a pretty reasonable combat trick. Getting +2/+2 out of it is easy, and it will often be Giant Growth – and sometimes even better! The set up is real, though.
Aggressive Sabotage image 2.0 This is sort of a build your own Blightning. I’m not usually a very big fan of Mind Rot effects, and that’s because they occupy a really awkward place. They are sort of at their best in the early to mid-game, because you’re more likely to hit 2 cards – but you also would probably rather just add to the board than play Mind Rot on turn 3. Then, in the late game, they are really bad top decks when both players have basically nothing in their hand. A card like Aggressive Sabotage does help shore up some of that, since in the late game you can still use it to Bolt your opponent. And, adding any effect – even one that small – makes a difference.
Smash to Dust image 1.5 Paying 4 mana for a 3/3 with Flying and Haste is definitely a nice card, and its great that it also scales all game long. You can also pick the exact right spot with it to get in for lethal – it will feel like Fireball in a lot of situations!
Griffin Protector image 3.0 This is a reprint and it overperformed a bit when we last saw it. I think it will be pretty nice here too, as the Go-wide theme in White is fairly pronounced, as we’ve seen already in this video.
Geothermal Bog image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Bog Badger image 2.5 Three mana for a 3/3 is still a pretty good rate these days, so the fact you can kick this to give your board menace is certainly nice. It isn’t the kind of thing that always matters, but it matters often enough to be legitimate upside.
Scout the Wilderness image 3.0 This looks pretty good. A three mana Rampant Growth isn’t amazing, but it does fix your mana and ramp you, and I think the Kicked version of the card really makes up for that. Five mana for two 1/1s and a land isn’t a bad deal! And I think this sort of card will be extra good here, between Domain and all of the off-color kicker costs.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Queen Allenal of Ruadach
Queen Allenal of Ruadach image 3.5 Looks like another very nice signpost Uncommon. It will often be big enough to be reasonably efficient, and the extra tokens it can generate will be nice. There’s lots of support for tokens in the format!
Cleaving Skyrider image 4.0 This is a very good Uncommon. I’m already in on a 3-mana 2/2 Flyer with Flash, so adding the big upside of the Kicker is really nice. You can Flash it in when you’re the one attacking to killa blocker or something – or help you do lethal to your opponent – but it is pretty sweet that you can also use it when your opponent is attacking you, in which cases it will usually account for two bodies, between killing one and blocking out. Paying 6 for this is just going to do a ton of work in many situations. Now, there will be times where you just have to run this out as a Wind Drake, but that’s a pretty decent fail case.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Heroic Charge image 1.0 // 3.0 So, they added some pretty real Kicker upside to Inspired Charge – and the Charge is already a card that you end up playing one of in decks that are good at going wide. I love the ability to add trample here later in the game, as it will make it even easier for you to get lethal to go through. I do sort of feel like this sort of card needs a build around grade, because you really need to be very adept at going wide for it to be worth it – if your deck is just decent at it, you can’t really play it.
Argivian Cavalier image 3.5 This looks like a very nice Common. We see three mana 2/2s that spit out a 1/1 a lot, and they are always solid at worst. This one comes with Enlist upside, and it can even use its token! This is probably one of White’s best Commons.
Battle-Rage Blessing image 2.0 This format feels like it has some of the best tricks we’ve seen in a while – at least on average – as this is yet another solid trick. Two mana isn’t the amount I love to pay for tricks – I would much rather pay 1 – but deathtouch + indestructible does allow virtually any creature to win combat, and this comes with the upside of also blanking most removal. As usual, tricks are situational and risky, so even most good tricks aren’t amazing. But this is one I will play the first copy of in most creature-heavy Black decks.
Benalish Sleeper image 2.0 Two mana for a 3/1 is usually passable in Limited, so the Edict upside is nice! There are plenty of times where kicking this is better for you than your opponent, and when that’s true, this will feel like a great Common. Now, there will also be times where kicking it doesn’t really do much, or hurts you more than your opponent, so temper your expectations.
Salvaged Manaworker image 2.5 We see artifact creatures who can filter mana all the time, and if that’s all they really do – along with mediocre stats – they see very little play. However, the filtering usually costs more than one. This actually looks like some nice fixing.
Benalish Faithbonder image 2.0 A two mana 1/3 with Vigilance is probably a 1.5 -- adding Enlist is pretty nice on a Vigilance creature too, because Enlist naturally has you tap something extra down when you attack, but at least your enlist creature doesn’t get tapped!
Pack 2 Pick 7: Argivian Cavalier
Balduvian Atrocity image 3.0 A 3-mana ⅔ with Menace is a 2.0 at worst, and you get a fair bit of value out of paying the Kicker cost here. You won’t always have something to get back with that effect – at least, not something meaningful – but it also doesn’t seem like it will be a huge challenge to get some value there.
Cleaving Skyrider image 4.0 This is a very good Uncommon. I’m already in on a 3-mana 2/2 Flyer with Flash, so adding the big upside of the Kicker is really nice. You can Flash it in when you’re the one attacking to killa blocker or something – or help you do lethal to your opponent – but it is pretty sweet that you can also use it when your opponent is attacking you, in which cases it will usually account for two bodies, between killing one and blocking out. Paying 6 for this is just going to do a ton of work in many situations. Now, there will be times where you just have to run this out as a Wind Drake, but that’s a pretty decent fail case.
Impulse image 2.0 This old school reprint is basically a better Anticipate, and any sort of Instant-speed card selection card tends to be pretty solid in formats that have a Spell deck – and this format has multiple! It still doesn’t add to the board, and there are only so many slots in a deck for that type of card – but I think the first copy of this is fine.
Vineshaper Prodigy image 3.5 This seems like a strong common! If you need a bear on turn two, it has you covered – and kicking it means that you get a 2-for-1 with some pretty impressive card selection.
Soaring Drake image 2.5 This shows you how much power creep there is with creatures! Wind Drake, a 3 mana 2/2 Flyer, used to be a quality card in Limited – but now we get a three mana ⅔ Flyer in Limited and that’s pretty much the bar for “solid Common.”
Stall for Time image 2.5 This is sort of passable when you don’t kick it, since it replaces itself and its an Instant, so you can shut down an entire round of attacking and blocking by those two creatures. Kicking it is the real dream though, since those stun counters will really give you some amazing tempo.
Argivian Cavalier image 3.5 This looks like a very nice Common. We see three mana 2/2s that spit out a 1/1 a lot, and they are always solid at worst. This one comes with Enlist upside, and it can even use its token! This is probably one of White’s best Commons.
Keldon Strike Team image 3.5 This looks really good to me. If you don’t kick it, it is a 3-mana 3/1 with Haste that gives Haste to your whole board the turn it comes down. Then, when you kick it, you pay 5 mana for 5/3 worth of stats spread across three bodies. This gets an extra bonus from the fact that RW especially really wants to go wide. Also keep in mind, because it has Haste it can actually be Enlisted the turn it comes down, unlike most creatures. So yeah, seems like a really good Common to me.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Deathbloom Gardener
Tori D'Avenant, Fury Rider image 3.5 Attacking with this is going to be pretty awesome on most boards, as the buffs it offers yoru creature are enough to really make them great attackers. The downside is you have a Gray Ogre that can die relatively easy in combat, but chances are good that attacking with it will be worth it. As long as it trades while buffing your whole board, you’re going to feel good about it.
Negate image 0.5 We see this card all the time, and generally it is more of a sideboard card. Most decks only have 4 or so things this can actually target, and that just isn’t enough for it to be a main deck card. When you know your opponent has plenty of targets for it, though, it becomes a pretty nice sideboard card.
Take Up the Shield image 1.5 This sort of trick is always passable. It has the flexibility of protecting the creature from removal and being useful in combat, but the usual downsides most tricks have – they are situational, and they open you up to a 2-for-1 when you’re not careful.
Writhing Necromass image 2.0 Casting this for 5 seems pretty doable, and in some decks you can cast it even more easily! Of course, the flipside is that sometimes it will be challenging to get a good deal on this card.
Crystal Grotto image 1.0 Even in a set with a multicolor theme, I’m not super into this. Filter lands are almost always not worth the trouble – and I think that will be especially true in this set, which has a ton of fixing! Filtering mana does fix for you, but at the cost of making everything of that color cost one extra, and that’s a big deal. Adding Scry 1 to the mix doesn’t make enough of a difference. I think you’ll play this if you’re really desperate for fixing – but that’s about it
Deathbloom Gardener image 1.5 This card seems super awkward to me. A three mana 1/1 is a horrendous stat-line – dying to any 1 damage or -1/-1 effect is brutal when you’re paying three mana! And uh..yeah, it does have death touch and can tap for mana of any color, but those two abilities together is super weird. Because if you’re tapping it for mana it isn’t going to be available to block and trade for stuff with its Deathtouch. This just seems overcosted on all fronts – but it does provide fixing in a format where you’re often going to be playing a 3rd color so you can pay for off-color kicker. Still, I think you’re hoping for some of the more impactful fixing out there than this thing.
Llanowar Stalker image 1.0 My first instinct with a card like this is that it is just awful. I mean, it is a one mana 1/1 that will be a 2/1 on some turns, and if you really get things going – a 3/1 or 4/1 – but it can still just be traded with by a 1/1 Soldier token, so it really isn’t that impressive. Enlist makes this card a little more interesting, because if this can tap and buff your other creatures by 2 on most turns, that’s pretty good value. Still…the fail case of the card is pretty dang bad, and I’m not sure the Enlist upside does enough to change my mind.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Mesa Cavalier
Keldon Strike Team image 3.5 This looks really good to me. If you don’t kick it, it is a 3-mana 3/1 with Haste that gives Haste to your whole board the turn it comes down. Then, when you kick it, you pay 5 mana for 5/3 worth of stats spread across three bodies. This gets an extra bonus from the fact that RW especially really wants to go wide. Also keep in mind, because it has Haste it can actually be Enlisted the turn it comes down, unlike most creatures. So yeah, seems like a really good Common to me.
Volshe Tideturner image 2.0 We see two mana 1/3s who can tap for mana to be spent on instants and sorceries all the time, and they pretty much always disappoint. They aren’t terrible, but they also aren’t anywhere near as good as a legitimate mana dork, even with the addition of paying for kicker spells in this case. You just don’t end up being able to use the mana enough, and the stat line isn’t very good.
Mesa Cavalier image 1.5 This has mediocre stats, and it does a small thing when it enters the battlefield. Not a card you really hope to play, but fine when you do.
Meria's Outrider image 2.0 A 5-mana 4/4 with Reach isn’t something I’m in for. The fact this does some damage when it enters the battlefield is a definite upgrade, and it will at least shock your opponent with regularity, and bolt them pretty often too. Still, it seems super clunky to me.
Negate image 0.5 We see this card all the time, and generally it is more of a sideboard card. Most decks only have 4 or so things this can actually target, and that just isn’t enough for it to be a main deck card. When you know your opponent has plenty of targets for it, though, it becomes a pretty nice sideboard card.
Tidepool Turtle image 1.5 It is kind of sad this doesn’t have Defender, because then at least it would slot in nicely to the defender deck! Obviously not having Defender does mean it can attack, but how often do you rumble with your ⅖ anyway? So, yeah..this has alright stats for a defensive creature, and a useful – albeit very expansive – mana sink ability. Seems like the kind of creature you end up cutting more than you play.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Samite Herbalist
Jaya's Firenado image 2.0 This is a very clunky removal spell. 5 damage for 5 mana at Sorcery speed is never very impressive, and the upside here is pretty limited, with Scry 1 all you get. Even when we see this card at Instant speed these days it isn’t great, so a Sorcery is kind of rough. This is very far from premium removal, and is the kind of thing you’ll run one of in your red decks, but most of the time you’re hoping you find some better removal.
Phyrexian Rager image 3.0 This is a nice reprint from the original Invasion Block! The Rager is often a 2-for-1, since it is big enough to trade and draws you cards.
Gibbering Barricade image 2.5 This slots in nicely in the Defender deck, as well as in the Sacrifice and graveyard decks – and on top of that, it is just a decent card in any Black deck. A 3-mana 2/4 Defender can really lock down the ground for awhile, and the ability to cash stuff in is pretty sweet.
Samite Herbalist image 2.0 The idea here is to tap this for Enlist effects, and it is certainly nice to get that extra value when you do. Obviously it can also just give you this trigger when it attacks, and any time you can at least trad with it, that will feel fine. It also works with crewing vehicles!
Salvaged Manaworker image 2.5 We see artifact creatures who can filter mana all the time, and if that’s all they really do – along with mediocre stats – they see very little play. However, the filtering usually costs more than one. This actually looks like some nice fixing.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Juniper Order Rootweaver
Smash to Dust image 1.5 Paying 4 mana for a 3/3 with Flying and Haste is definitely a nice card, and its great that it also scales all game long. You can also pick the exact right spot with it to get in for lethal – it will feel like Fireball in a lot of situations!
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Voda Sea Scavenger image 1.5 This doesn’t seem very good to me. It has what are definitely mediocre stats these days, and the ability just gives you pseudo-scry, but how good it is is highly dependent on your lands – and it also isn’t nearly as good as Scry, because you have far less control over the cards.
Juniper Order Rootweaver image 3.0 This is a very nice Common. It can just be a bear, or it can be a 3-mana 2/2 that puts a counter somewhere. The counter effect is the sort of thing that tends to be useful all game long, since in the later stages you can find somewhere to put it that makes a difference. In the early game, you may just want to make this a three mana 3/3, which is solid.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Stall for Time
Aggressive Sabotage image 2.0 This is sort of a build your own Blightning. I’m not usually a very big fan of Mind Rot effects, and that’s because they occupy a really awkward place. They are sort of at their best in the early to mid-game, because you’re more likely to hit 2 cards – but you also would probably rather just add to the board than play Mind Rot on turn 3. Then, in the late game, they are really bad top decks when both players have basically nothing in their hand. A card like Aggressive Sabotage does help shore up some of that, since in the late game you can still use it to Bolt your opponent. And, adding any effect – even one that small – makes a difference.
Stall for Time image 2.5 This is sort of passable when you don’t kick it, since it replaces itself and its an Instant, so you can shut down an entire round of attacking and blocking by those two creatures. Kicking it is the real dream though, since those stun counters will really give you some amazing tempo.
Volshe Tideturner image 2.0 We see two mana 1/3s who can tap for mana to be spent on instants and sorceries all the time, and they pretty much always disappoint. They aren’t terrible, but they also aren’t anywhere near as good as a legitimate mana dork, even with the addition of paying for kicker spells in this case. You just don’t end up being able to use the mana enough, and the stat line isn’t very good.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Scout the Wilderness
Smash to Dust image 1.5 Paying 4 mana for a 3/3 with Flying and Haste is definitely a nice card, and its great that it also scales all game long. You can also pick the exact right spot with it to get in for lethal – it will feel like Fireball in a lot of situations!
Scout the Wilderness image 3.0 This looks pretty good. A three mana Rampant Growth isn’t amazing, but it does fix your mana and ramp you, and I think the Kicked version of the card really makes up for that. Five mana for two 1/1s and a land isn’t a bad deal! And I think this sort of card will be extra good here, between Domain and all of the off-color kicker costs.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Heroic Charge
Heroic Charge image 1.0 // 3.0 So, they added some pretty real Kicker upside to Inspired Charge – and the Charge is already a card that you end up playing one of in decks that are good at going wide. I love the ability to add trample here later in the game, as it will make it even easier for you to get lethal to go through. I do sort of feel like this sort of card needs a build around grade, because you really need to be very adept at going wide for it to be worth it – if your deck is just decent at it, you can’t really play it.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Nemata, Primeval Warden
Nemata, Primeval Warden image 3.5 Exiling opposing creatures when they die is always surprisingly good, as it not only turns off recursion, but death triggers! But the real value here is getting a saproling every time that happens, and then also having ways to cash in those Saprolings for very real value! And it all comes attached to a very real 4-mana ¾ Reach body.
Ertai's Scorn image 1.5 So, this is Cancel that will cost one less if your opponent is playing more spells. Cancel is usually a 1.5 in Limited these days – three mana is a ton to leave up to counter something when you could just be adding to the board with that mana – and while the upside to make this cheaper is there, I don’t think it is that much better than Cancel.
Blight Pile image 1.5 // 3.0 This looks like a very real win condition for the Defender deck. And, even outside of the defender deck, a two mana 3/3 with Defender is actually a solid thing to have around if you’re a control deck. It shuts down a lot of early attackers. It can also always make your opponent lose 1 life at a time, even outside of the defender deck. Like the other Defender payoffs in the format, I think I have to give this a regular grade and a Defender deck grade.
Frostfist Strider image 4.0 I always love creatures who ETB and freeze something down, and now we have “stun” counters that pretty much do the same thing! It is a great tempo play to add to the board while significantly downgrading your opponents for a whole turn cycle, and it usually enables you get to the upper hand if you didn’t already have it – and if you were already head, you often win on the spot. This is a great Uncommon. It is pretty fascinating to compare to Berg STrider from Kaldheim, which was similar – it was easier to cast, but it also demanded you spend snow mana ot get that to happen, and it didn’t have Ward 2. Now, Giants were also a tribal thing in Kaldheim, but I still think the Strider comes out ahead – and that’s probably why it is at Uncommon. I think this is likely Blue’s best Uncommon.
Magnigoth Sentry image 2.5 Nothing fancy here, but this has solid stats and it can block Flyers! Definitely an upgrade over Giant Spider!
Contaminated Aquifer image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Keldon Strike Team image 3.5 This looks really good to me. If you don’t kick it, it is a 3-mana 3/1 with Haste that gives Haste to your whole board the turn it comes down. Then, when you kick it, you pay 5 mana for 5/3 worth of stats spread across three bodies. This gets an extra bonus from the fact that RW especially really wants to go wide. Also keep in mind, because it has Haste it can actually be Enlisted the turn it comes down, unlike most creatures. So yeah, seems like a really good Common to me.
Toxic Abomination image 1.5 I feel like this mostly isn’t worth it. Sure, the base stats are good, but these days a vanilla two mana 3/2 isn’t that amazing in Limited. Even without the loss of two life, this would probably just end up as a 2.0. It can trade up for sure, but yeah. It is a fine two drop if you’re in a really aggressive Black deck, but apart from that I’m not that impressed
Molten Tributary image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Argivian Phalanx image 3.0 If you can consistently cast this for 4 or less, I think you’ll be reasonably happy with the card, and that does seem like a pretty reasonable outcome. White has plenty of ways to go wide too, so I think you can pretty consistently cast this for a reasonable cost, and sometimes even play it above curve. It will feel kind of disastrous to have this if your opponent is managing to interfere with your development, though.
Coalition Warbrute image 2.5 An Enlist creature with Trample is pretty sweet! Even making this into a 5/4 or 6/4 – both of which are fairly realistic things – is pretty nice! Of course, Enlist does make you tap a thing, and that’s a real cost – but this definitely looks like it can become a very real problem. It seems solid enough.
Ghitu Amplifier image 3.0 This is pretty neat. So, if you don’t kick it, the card is a slightly weaker Kiln Fiend – which means that it can really thrive off of cheap spells and hit hard in the early game. Then, in the late game, you can kick this thing and bounce a creature, which you know is an effect I always love – adding to the board and subtracting from your opponent’s is quite good! I really want to give this a 3.5 but I think I’m letting my own affinity for this type of card push me in that direction – it is probably more like a 3.0.
Goblin Picker image 2.0 This has solid base stats and rummaging can certainly improve the quality of your draws, though Rummaging is markedly worse than looting. Red also doesn’t have a ton of graveyard stuff going on in this format, and that certainly hurts this card’s stock a bit.
Soaring Drake image 2.5 This shows you how much power creep there is with creatures! Wind Drake, a 3 mana 2/2 Flyer, used to be a quality card in Limited – but now we get a three mana ⅔ Flyer in Limited and that’s pretty much the bar for “solid Common.”
Pack 3 Pick 2: Magnigoth Sentry
Lagomos, Hand of Hatred image 3.5 This seems really good. I mean, you’re almost never going to get the tutor effect going, but that’s fine – generating a 2/1 with Haste and Trample every turn gives you a free attack every turn, as well as a body for various other sacrifice effects in the format. When you do get to tutor up any card in your deck it is going to feel good, though most of the time when that happens it will mean something didn’t go so well. But at least it helps you rebuild!
Coalition Skyknight image 3.0 As soon as I saw Enlist, I knew slapping it on a flyer would be pretty sweet – and that’s what we have here! This will be able to attack pretty hard in the air if it has a friend around. The downside is that it has some pretty mediocre base-stats, and is the kind of 4 drop that dies to Common one and two mana removal, and that tempo hit can be brutal. With only two toughness, it doesn’t take much with Reach or Flying to take it down, either.
Dragon Whelp image 3.5 This is a reprint, and it is a pretty good Limited card! 4-mana for a ⅔ Flyer isn’t amazing, but Firebreathing does some serious work here. You’re not normally going to be buffing it so much that it gets sacrificed anyway – unless it is going to kill your opponent, and you can still do that!
Yavimaya Steelcrusher image 2.5 This is a bear with some pretty significant upside! Enlist means it will be able to attack reasonably hard all game long, and the fact it can destroy artifacts means it has utility all game long too.
Phyrexian Vivisector image 2.5 While not the most exciting death payoff ever, this does have solid stats, and Scrying can really add up!
Idyllic Beachfront image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Soaring Drake image 2.5 This shows you how much power creep there is with creatures! Wind Drake, a 3 mana 2/2 Flyer, used to be a quality card in Limited – but now we get a three mana ⅔ Flyer in Limited and that’s pretty much the bar for “solid Common.”
Colossal Growth image 2.5 This looks like a very good trick to me. Two for +3/+3 is a great boost that wins most combats, and the kicker makes this absolutely devastating in many situations. It IS still a trick, with all the problems they have, but one that is of this high of quality is going to be something you basically never cut the first copy of in aggressive decks.
Crystal Grotto image 1.0 Even in a set with a multicolor theme, I’m not super into this. Filter lands are almost always not worth the trouble – and I think that will be especially true in this set, which has a ton of fixing! Filtering mana does fix for you, but at the cost of making everything of that color cost one extra, and that’s a big deal. Adding Scry 1 to the mix doesn’t make enough of a difference. I think you’ll play this if you’re really desperate for fixing – but that’s about it
Radiant Grove image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Take Up the Shield image 1.5 This sort of trick is always passable. It has the flexibility of protecting the creature from removal and being useful in combat, but the usual downsides most tricks have – they are situational, and they open you up to a 2-for-1 when you’re not careful.
Urborg Repossession image 3.0 We see a Common Black card in virtually every set lets you return two creatures from your hand to your graveyard – and this is one of the best versions of that we have seen. The fact it gains you life helps make up for how slow this effect can be, and when you KICK this, it is actually a pretty powerful spell. You get back a creature, one other permanent, and gain that 2 life for three mana. If this was ALWAYS just a Black-Green card, it would be pretty good, but the fact you can cast it as a different spell without the Kicker is pretty nice
Magnigoth Sentry image 2.5 Nothing fancy here, but this has solid stats and it can block Flyers! Definitely an upgrade over Giant Spider!
Pack 3 Pick 3: Tail Swipe
Rona, Sheoldred's Faithful image 3.5 Making your opponent’s life total go down just by casting spells is pretty nice – as is the fact that you can bring Rona back from the graveyard. It is a bit costly of course, and isn’t the kind of thing you should just always do when she dies, but in the late game if you’re flooding out, it does give you something fine to do with your mana.
Shalai's Acolyte image 3.5 This is the kind of Kicker creature that is sneaky good in Limited. Neither mode of the card is that impressive a – a 5-mana ¾ Flyer or a 7 mana ⅚ Flyer – but the modality is a big deal, and neither mode is terrible either. If you need to play it early, you won’t be ashamed to, and when you cast it late it might be a bit inefficient, but it is pretty likely to be the beefiest flyer on the board.
Tail Swipe image 3.5 This looks premium to me, and one of the best fight spells we’ve ever seen! One mana for +1/+1 and fight during your Main Phase is a pretty big deal, and it will allow your creatures to fight pretty effectively, and then it also has the upside of being an Instant speed Fight effect – and sure, you don’t get the boost – but this card basically gives you the best of both worlds. If your creatures are already pretty beefy, you can cast this as an Instant so you can wreck your opponent out of nowhere, but if your creatures need a little help, you’ll cast it during one of your main phases. It always feels good ot kill their only blocker and attack with a buffed creature too! It does suffer from the dangers of all fight spells – so make sure to pick your spot wisely, and at a time where you don’t have a big risk of getting blown out – but I still think this looks pretty amazing.
Deathbloom Gardener image 1.5 This card seems super awkward to me. A three mana 1/1 is a horrendous stat-line – dying to any 1 damage or -1/-1 effect is brutal when you’re paying three mana! And uh..yeah, it does have death touch and can tap for mana of any color, but those two abilities together is super weird. Because if you’re tapping it for mana it isn’t going to be available to block and trade for stuff with its Deathtouch. This just seems overcosted on all fronts – but it does provide fixing in a format where you’re often going to be playing a 3rd color so you can pay for off-color kicker. Still, I think you’re hoping for some of the more impactful fixing out there than this thing.
Magnigoth Sentry image 2.5 Nothing fancy here, but this has solid stats and it can block Flyers! Definitely an upgrade over Giant Spider!
Barkweave Crusher image 2.0 Giving an Enlist creature high toughness is interesting, because a lot of them can buff their power but still die pretty easily in combat, so you’re often hoping you can just attack with those creatures in situations where your opponent doesn’t have an option other than a mediocre trade. So, this is more likely to survive after getting buffed by Enlist, but it also takes some more work to make it hit hard.
Essence Scatter image 2.5 This reprint is actually a counterspell I will play! It can only counter creature spells, but it does it at two mana, and you only need one Blue! Most decks will have 15+ creatures, and that’s plenty of targets for the first of these to be a solid inclusion in your Blue decks. One thing to keep in mind, don’t fall into the trap of thinking of counter magic as straight up removal. It is substantially worse in most ways, especially in Limited! The problem is – it is like removal that only works if you have the mana up at the right time, and that’s what keeps this from receiving a grade that is remotely close to a “premium removal” grade.
Splatter Goblin image 2.5 This is a quality two drop. It can attack and block quite effectively on many boards, since it can frequently generate a 2-for-1
Sunlit Marsh image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is a reprint we’ve seen before, and it tends to be pretty solid in formats that have spell decks – and this is one of those! It triggers your spell payoffs while helping you find even more spells!
Extinguish the Light image 3.5 I think a 4 mana instant that can destroy any creature is already in the lower range of “premium” removal, so adding the upside of life gain is pretty real! It always stinks to spend 4 mana to kill something that your opponent paid less mana for, so the consolation prize is nice! They made sure to make it cost double black so you can’t splash it really, but I still think this is a 3.5
Pack 3 Pick 4: Tail Swipe
Radha, Coalition Warlord image 3.0 This might be the weakest of all the signpost Uncommons, but it is still pretty good. The problem is that Radha can’t buff herself, so she is quite vulnerable when attacking. Because the ability triggers when she taps, you can use her with Enlist or with Vehicles – and that’s probably the best way to take advantage, since then she isn’t vulnerable, she just offers a big stats boost to something.
Tail Swipe image 3.5 This looks premium to me, and one of the best fight spells we’ve ever seen! One mana for +1/+1 and fight during your Main Phase is a pretty big deal, and it will allow your creatures to fight pretty effectively, and then it also has the upside of being an Instant speed Fight effect – and sure, you don’t get the boost – but this card basically gives you the best of both worlds. If your creatures are already pretty beefy, you can cast this as an Instant so you can wreck your opponent out of nowhere, but if your creatures need a little help, you’ll cast it during one of your main phases. It always feels good ot kill their only blocker and attack with a buffed creature too! It does suffer from the dangers of all fight spells – so make sure to pick your spot wisely, and at a time where you don’t have a big risk of getting blown out – but I still think this looks pretty amazing.
Negate image 0.5 We see this card all the time, and generally it is more of a sideboard card. Most decks only have 4 or so things this can actually target, and that just isn’t enough for it to be a main deck card. When you know your opponent has plenty of targets for it, though, it becomes a pretty nice sideboard card.
Haunted Mire image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Wooded Ridgeline image 3.0 The fact that these have land types is a big deal, because it will really make Domain decks in the format far more functional. I also think that means that, even though these come into play tapped, they are going to be a little bit higher on your pick order than the pain lands are – at least once it is clear you’re going with one of the domain decks, because just jamming these lands into your deck is going to be a big deal. I think these will be valued similarly to how we valued snow lands in Kaldheim – which means they are pretty darn important! They are also useful of course in decks without a Domain theme because of the fixing they provide, and lots of decks in this format will be looking to splash at least a third color, because there are lots of cards in the set that have off-color Kicker costs
Charismatic Vanguard image 2.0 This has mediocre stats, but an ability that can do some work in the late game with an ability that is a bit overcosted.
Captain's Call image 2.5 This is definitely not the most efficient token generator we’ve ever seen, but White does have a pretty big go-wide theme going on, and as a result I think this will play a little better than it looks.
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Jaya's Firenado image 2.0 This is a very clunky removal spell. 5 damage for 5 mana at Sorcery speed is never very impressive, and the upside here is pretty limited, with Scry 1 all you get. Even when we see this card at Instant speed these days it isn’t great, so a Sorcery is kind of rough. This is very far from premium removal, and is the kind of thing you’ll run one of in your red decks, but most of the time you’re hoping you find some better removal.
Stall for Time image 2.5 This is sort of passable when you don’t kick it, since it replaces itself and its an Instant, so you can shut down an entire round of attacking and blocking by those two creatures. Kicking it is the real dream though, since those stun counters will really give you some amazing tempo.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Destroy Evil
Protect the Negotiators image 2.0 So, if you kick this, it is a 3-mana Force Spike that gives you a 1/1 at worse. That’s…not great. The upside is that it can be a lot harder to pay the cost sometimes, but the idea that this is essentially a blank card if your board is empty and you don’t kick it is pretty rough, and there will be lots of situations where you just can’t make your opponent pay enough mana. The other issue is that counter spells aren’t often that useful in creature-heavy decks, since you would rather be adding to the board. The UW theme in this format DOES seem to be about both spells and going wide, which is pretty interesting – and could mean this overperforms.
Samite Herbalist image 2.0 The idea here is to tap this for Enlist effects, and it is certainly nice to get that extra value when you do. Obviously it can also just give you this trigger when it attacks, and any time you can at least trad with it, that will feel fine. It also works with crewing vehicles!
Furious Bellow image 1.5 Sure Strike is always a decent trick, and this is strictly better because it tacks on Scry 1. +3/+0 and First Strike will allow most creatures to win combat, which is definitely quite nice. It has the usual problems tricks have of course – because they are both risky and situational. You’ll run one of these in some of your aggressive Red decks.
Deathbloom Gardener image 1.5 This card seems super awkward to me. A three mana 1/1 is a horrendous stat-line – dying to any 1 damage or -1/-1 effect is brutal when you’re paying three mana! And uh..yeah, it does have death touch and can tap for mana of any color, but those two abilities together is super weird. Because if you’re tapping it for mana it isn’t going to be available to block and trade for stuff with its Deathtouch. This just seems overcosted on all fronts – but it does provide fixing in a format where you’re often going to be playing a 3rd color so you can pay for off-color kicker. Still, I think you’re hoping for some of the more impactful fixing out there than this thing.
Timely Interference image 2.5 These sorts of effect aren’t always useful, but the fact that this replaces itself is pretty important. It seems to me that you’ll find enough situations where the -1/-0 and/or the “must block” part of the card that this is going to be pretty solid. When you can trade it for a full card, you get a 2-for-1! Cycling it will probably be more common, but the upside is pretty real.
Phyrexian Warhorse image 2.0 I’m not ultra impressed with either mode here. You’re either getting a Hill Giant, or paying 5 mana for a 3/3 and a 1/1. That’s not a great rate. And yeah, the Warhorse can sacrifice stuff to get bigger, and the threat to do that is pretty legitimate – but I don’t feel like this is efficient or powerful enough to be a card that always makes the cut.
Pixie Illusionist image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 Flyer is passable, so the upside this has of becoming a 5 mana 3/3 Flyer in the late game and fixing your mana and helping with domain makes this a pretty nice Common!
Tolarian Terror image 3.0 Seems like a solid enough spell payoff. If you can pay 5 for this, you’ll be happy, and that seems like a pretty reasonable occurrence in a Blue-Red deck. Ward 2 means that it won’t be easy for your opponent to kill this without significantly overpaying, and that definitely matters.
Elfhame Wurm image 2.5 This is a solid French Vanilla creature. It will be a pretty beefy presence on most board states. One of these probably makes the cut in a lot of Green decks, but there are certainly better things you could be doing with 5 mana.
Destroy Evil image 2.5 This has two modes that are somewhat narrow, but putting them both together does mean most opponents will have enough combined targets for this to do a decent job.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava
Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava image 3.5 This is another very sweet signpost Uncommon. Its ability will trigger when you attack – or if you Enlist – and that’s great. Now, actually buffing Zar himself isn’t going ot be easy, since you would need a full 5 basic land types, but the ability will be able to buff a huge chunk of your board in a lot of situations. Obviously you can’t do it over and over b because the creatures will get too big, but buffing all of yoru 2/2s and smaller seems like it will go down a decent chunk of the time, and that’s going to be plenty strong.
Love Song of Night and Day image 3.0 I think you’ll frequently want to skip Chapter I here, since it does benefit your opponent as well as you, and really they come out ahead in most ways, since you spent mana and a card and they just got to draw 2 cards for 0 mana! Sometimes you’ll do chapter I, like if you’re desperate for a specific card or really need some gas – but the good news is, just getting chapter II and chapter III is plenty fo value for the investment.
Cut Down image 4.0 This seems like premium removal. It can kill a whole lot of things that cost more than one mana, and sometimes it will really trade up. It can kill most one, two, and three drops – and a fair bit of cards higher up on the curve too! It can get blanked by a pump spell or something, but that’s true of a lot of really cheap removal – look at Lightning Bolt. The fact this is an Instant is pretty sweet too.
Meteorite image 1.0 This reprint is a super clunky way to fix your mana, and adding a Shock to the mix doesn’t make a huge difference for me. This set does have an artifact subtheme, so maybe sometimes it makes the cut?
Timely Interference image 2.5 These sorts of effect aren’t always useful, but the fact that this replaces itself is pretty important. It seems to me that you’ll find enough situations where the -1/-0 and/or the “must block” part of the card that this is going to be pretty solid. When you can trade it for a full card, you get a 2-for-1! Cycling it will probably be more common, but the upside is pretty real.
Yavimaya Steelcrusher image 2.5 This is a bear with some pretty significant upside! Enlist means it will be able to attack reasonably hard all game long, and the fact it can destroy artifacts means it has utility all game long too.
Battle-Rage Blessing image 2.0 This format feels like it has some of the best tricks we’ve seen in a while – at least on average – as this is yet another solid trick. Two mana isn’t the amount I love to pay for tricks – I would much rather pay 1 – but deathtouch + indestructible does allow virtually any creature to win combat, and this comes with the upside of also blanking most removal. As usual, tricks are situational and risky, so even most good tricks aren’t amazing. But this is one I will play the first copy of in most creature-heavy Black decks.
Crystal Grotto image 1.0 Even in a set with a multicolor theme, I’m not super into this. Filter lands are almost always not worth the trouble – and I think that will be especially true in this set, which has a ton of fixing! Filtering mana does fix for you, but at the cost of making everything of that color cost one extra, and that’s a big deal. Adding Scry 1 to the mix doesn’t make enough of a difference. I think you’ll play this if you’re really desperate for fixing – but that’s about it
Yavimaya Sojourner image 1.5 This can be a pretty efficient vanilla creature – but even in this format, playing it super early as an efficient creature won’t exactly be easy, so I’m not sure the fact it can be discounted is that big of a deal, because by the time you can cast it for like four mana, the game will be pretty well-developed anyway, and a vanilla 4/6 isn’t going to change the game or anything. This asks for significant set up and the payoff doesn’t really seem worth it to me.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava
Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava image 3.5 This is another very sweet signpost Uncommon. Its ability will trigger when you attack – or if you Enlist – and that’s great. Now, actually buffing Zar himself isn’t going ot be easy, since you would need a full 5 basic land types, but the ability will be able to buff a huge chunk of your board in a lot of situations. Obviously you can’t do it over and over b because the creatures will get too big, but buffing all of yoru 2/2s and smaller seems like it will go down a decent chunk of the time, and that’s going to be plenty strong.
Pilfer image 2.0 A two mana Coercion is a pretty big upgrade from three mana versions of the effect. It gives you decent information and can really disrupt your opponent. You still pay two mana for a one-for-one that doesn’t add to the board at all, but I think one copy of this is going to see some play in Black decks.
Writhing Necromass image 2.0 Casting this for 5 seems pretty doable, and in some decks you can cast it even more easily! Of course, the flipside is that sometimes it will be challenging to get a good deal on this card.
Impede Momentum image 1.5 So, this is temporary removal that doesn’t even fully get rid of the thing it only temporarily removes. I don’t love that. The creature can still use abilities and its static effects still stick around even if they are stunned. Basically, this is a longer-term version of the “tap target creature, it doesn’t untap during your opponent’s next turn” effect, but even those effects are only good when they come with something else meaningful – like as a creature’s Enter the Battlefield ability, or with a cantrip attached. Scry 1 doesn’t quite do it.
Coalition Warbrute image 2.5 An Enlist creature with Trample is pretty sweet! Even making this into a 5/4 or 6/4 – both of which are fairly realistic things – is pretty nice! Of course, Enlist does make you tap a thing, and that’s a real cost – but this definitely looks like it can become a very real problem. It seems solid enough.
Destroy Evil image 2.5 This has two modes that are somewhat narrow, but putting them both together does mean most opponents will have enough combined targets for this to do a decent job.
Flowstone Kavu image 3.0 A three mana 2/3 with Menace is already a solid card, so the fact that this can buff its power is quite nice. This will be able to attack effectively on a whole lot of boards, since it can always threaten to be a 4/1, and it has to be blocked by two creatures – and that makes it pretty hard for your opponent to block it without losing at least one creature. I think this is going to be sneaky good.
Molten Monstrosity image 2.5 This is going to feel pretty miserable if you have an empty board, and you kind of need at least a three power creature for this to feel like you’re doing okay. But it is hard to imagine curve outs where this comes down super early, unless you manage to have a 4 power creature as a two or three drop. You probably mostly play this on turn 5 when you’re curving out, and while that’s good, it isn’t amazing.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Destroy Evil
Destroy Evil image 2.5 This has two modes that are somewhat narrow, but putting them both together does mean most opponents will have enough combined targets for this to do a decent job.
Eerie Soultender image 2.0 There is a lot of graveyard stuff in this set, and this is both a self-mill payoff and an enabler, which is pretty nice. That graveyard effect can be particularly good, because sometimes if you’re doing the self-mill thing, you mill something you didn’t really want to lose – and this can provide some insurance on that front. It does have some pretty bad stats, but I think the graveyard decks in the format will feel fine about running one of these.
Deathbloom Gardener image 1.5 This card seems super awkward to me. A three mana 1/1 is a horrendous stat-line – dying to any 1 damage or -1/-1 effect is brutal when you’re paying three mana! And uh..yeah, it does have death touch and can tap for mana of any color, but those two abilities together is super weird. Because if you’re tapping it for mana it isn’t going to be available to block and trade for stuff with its Deathtouch. This just seems overcosted on all fronts – but it does provide fixing in a format where you’re often going to be playing a 3rd color so you can pay for off-color kicker. Still, I think you’re hoping for some of the more impactful fixing out there than this thing.
Jaya's Firenado image 2.0 This is a very clunky removal spell. 5 damage for 5 mana at Sorcery speed is never very impressive, and the upside here is pretty limited, with Scry 1 all you get. Even when we see this card at Instant speed these days it isn’t great, so a Sorcery is kind of rough. This is very far from premium removal, and is the kind of thing you’ll run one of in your red decks, but most of the time you’re hoping you find some better removal.
Pixie Illusionist image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 Flyer is passable, so the upside this has of becoming a 5 mana 3/3 Flyer in the late game and fixing your mana and helping with domain makes this a pretty nice Common!
Battle-Rage Blessing image 2.0 This format feels like it has some of the best tricks we’ve seen in a while – at least on average – as this is yet another solid trick. Two mana isn’t the amount I love to pay for tricks – I would much rather pay 1 – but deathtouch + indestructible does allow virtually any creature to win combat, and this comes with the upside of also blanking most removal. As usual, tricks are situational and risky, so even most good tricks aren’t amazing. But this is one I will play the first copy of in most creature-heavy Black decks.
Toxic Abomination image 1.5 I feel like this mostly isn’t worth it. Sure, the base stats are good, but these days a vanilla two mana 3/2 isn’t that amazing in Limited. Even without the loss of two life, this would probably just end up as a 2.0. It can trade up for sure, but yeah. It is a fine two drop if you’re in a really aggressive Black deck, but apart from that I’m not that impressed
Pack 3 Pick 9: Argivian Phalanx
Ertai's Scorn image 1.5 So, this is Cancel that will cost one less if your opponent is playing more spells. Cancel is usually a 1.5 in Limited these days – three mana is a ton to leave up to counter something when you could just be adding to the board with that mana – and while the upside to make this cheaper is there, I don’t think it is that much better than Cancel.
Blight Pile image 1.5 // 3.0 This looks like a very real win condition for the Defender deck. And, even outside of the defender deck, a two mana 3/3 with Defender is actually a solid thing to have around if you’re a control deck. It shuts down a lot of early attackers. It can also always make your opponent lose 1 life at a time, even outside of the defender deck. Like the other Defender payoffs in the format, I think I have to give this a regular grade and a Defender deck grade.
Keldon Strike Team image 3.5 This looks really good to me. If you don’t kick it, it is a 3-mana 3/1 with Haste that gives Haste to your whole board the turn it comes down. Then, when you kick it, you pay 5 mana for 5/3 worth of stats spread across three bodies. This gets an extra bonus from the fact that RW especially really wants to go wide. Also keep in mind, because it has Haste it can actually be Enlisted the turn it comes down, unlike most creatures. So yeah, seems like a really good Common to me.
Argivian Phalanx image 3.0 If you can consistently cast this for 4 or less, I think you’ll be reasonably happy with the card, and that does seem like a pretty reasonable outcome. White has plenty of ways to go wide too, so I think you can pretty consistently cast this for a reasonable cost, and sometimes even play it above curve. It will feel kind of disastrous to have this if your opponent is managing to interfere with your development, though.
Ghitu Amplifier image 3.0 This is pretty neat. So, if you don’t kick it, the card is a slightly weaker Kiln Fiend – which means that it can really thrive off of cheap spells and hit hard in the early game. Then, in the late game, you can kick this thing and bounce a creature, which you know is an effect I always love – adding to the board and subtracting from your opponent’s is quite good! I really want to give this a 3.5 but I think I’m letting my own affinity for this type of card push me in that direction – it is probably more like a 3.0.
Goblin Picker image 2.0 This has solid base stats and rummaging can certainly improve the quality of your draws, though Rummaging is markedly worse than looting. Red also doesn’t have a ton of graveyard stuff going on in this format, and that certainly hurts this card’s stock a bit.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Take Up the Shield
Lagomos, Hand of Hatred image 3.5 This seems really good. I mean, you’re almost never going to get the tutor effect going, but that’s fine – generating a 2/1 with Haste and Trample every turn gives you a free attack every turn, as well as a body for various other sacrifice effects in the format. When you do get to tutor up any card in your deck it is going to feel good, though most of the time when that happens it will mean something didn’t go so well. But at least it helps you rebuild!
Coalition Skyknight image 3.0 As soon as I saw Enlist, I knew slapping it on a flyer would be pretty sweet – and that’s what we have here! This will be able to attack pretty hard in the air if it has a friend around. The downside is that it has some pretty mediocre base-stats, and is the kind of 4 drop that dies to Common one and two mana removal, and that tempo hit can be brutal. With only two toughness, it doesn’t take much with Reach or Flying to take it down, either.
Yavimaya Steelcrusher image 2.5 This is a bear with some pretty significant upside! Enlist means it will be able to attack reasonably hard all game long, and the fact it can destroy artifacts means it has utility all game long too.
Colossal Growth image 2.5 This looks like a very good trick to me. Two for +3/+3 is a great boost that wins most combats, and the kicker makes this absolutely devastating in many situations. It IS still a trick, with all the problems they have, but one that is of this high of quality is going to be something you basically never cut the first copy of in aggressive decks.
Take Up the Shield image 1.5 This sort of trick is always passable. It has the flexibility of protecting the creature from removal and being useful in combat, but the usual downsides most tricks have – they are situational, and they open you up to a 2-for-1 when you’re not careful.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Deathbloom Gardener
Rona, Sheoldred's Faithful image 3.5 Making your opponent’s life total go down just by casting spells is pretty nice – as is the fact that you can bring Rona back from the graveyard. It is a bit costly of course, and isn’t the kind of thing you should just always do when she dies, but in the late game if you’re flooding out, it does give you something fine to do with your mana.
Deathbloom Gardener image 1.5 This card seems super awkward to me. A three mana 1/1 is a horrendous stat-line – dying to any 1 damage or -1/-1 effect is brutal when you’re paying three mana! And uh..yeah, it does have death touch and can tap for mana of any color, but those two abilities together is super weird. Because if you’re tapping it for mana it isn’t going to be available to block and trade for stuff with its Deathtouch. This just seems overcosted on all fronts – but it does provide fixing in a format where you’re often going to be playing a 3rd color so you can pay for off-color kicker. Still, I think you’re hoping for some of the more impactful fixing out there than this thing.
Barkweave Crusher image 2.0 Giving an Enlist creature high toughness is interesting, because a lot of them can buff their power but still die pretty easily in combat, so you’re often hoping you can just attack with those creatures in situations where your opponent doesn’t have an option other than a mediocre trade. So, this is more likely to survive after getting buffed by Enlist, but it also takes some more work to make it hit hard.
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Shore Up
Negate image 0.5 We see this card all the time, and generally it is more of a sideboard card. Most decks only have 4 or so things this can actually target, and that just isn’t enough for it to be a main deck card. When you know your opponent has plenty of targets for it, though, it becomes a pretty nice sideboard card.
Shore Up image 2.0 At one mana, this is pretty impressive for a trick! It only offers +1/+1, which isn’t always enough to win combat, but the untap effect and the hexproof also means it has some additional utility. Any time a trick gives a real boost and only costs one, it tends to be solid in Limited, and I think that’s what this will be.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As usual, this is passable if you have to main deck it, because it can target enough different things – but you’re kind of hoping you have enough other interaction in your deck that you don’t have to throw this in there.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Elfhame Wurm
Protect the Negotiators image 2.0 So, if you kick this, it is a 3-mana Force Spike that gives you a 1/1 at worse. That’s…not great. The upside is that it can be a lot harder to pay the cost sometimes, but the idea that this is essentially a blank card if your board is empty and you don’t kick it is pretty rough, and there will be lots of situations where you just can’t make your opponent pay enough mana. The other issue is that counter spells aren’t often that useful in creature-heavy decks, since you would rather be adding to the board. The UW theme in this format DOES seem to be about both spells and going wide, which is pretty interesting – and could mean this overperforms.
Elfhame Wurm image 2.5 This is a solid French Vanilla creature. It will be a pretty beefy presence on most board states. One of these probably makes the cut in a lot of Green decks, but there are certainly better things you could be doing with 5 mana.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Timely Interference
Timely Interference image 2.5 These sorts of effect aren’t always useful, but the fact that this replaces itself is pretty important. It seems to me that you’ll find enough situations where the -1/-0 and/or the “must block” part of the card that this is going to be pretty solid. When you can trade it for a full card, you get a 2-for-1! Cycling it will probably be more common, but the upside is pretty real.
Draft Pick Overview