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Quick Draft KHM 26.februar 2021

26 February 07:14 - buhdo 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (15)
1 Axgard Cavalry image
1 Gnottvold Recluse image
2 Doomskar Titan image
2 Masked Vandal image
1 Elderleaf Mentor image
1 Craven Hulk image
1 Calamity Bearer image
2 Svella, Ice Shaper image
1 Sarulf's Packmate image
2 Grizzled Outrider image
1 Horizon Seeker image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
1 Esika's Chariot image
1 Frost Bite image
1 Raiders' Karve image
2 Squash image
1 Provoke the Trolls image
1 Run Amok image
1 Elven Bow image
Land (17)
8 Forest image
6 Mountain image
1 Snow-Covered Mountain image
2 Gnottvold Slumbermound image
Sideboard
1 Jorn, God of Winter image
2 Jaspera Sentinel image
1 Fearless Pup image
1 Master Skald image
1 Hailstorm Valkyrie image
1 Moritte of the Frost image
1 Goldvein Pick image
1 Path to the World Tree image
1 Run Amok image
1 Dwarven Reinforcements image
1 Wings of the Cosmos image
2 Mammoth Growth image
1 Arachnoform image
1 Roots of Wisdom image
1 Glittering Frost image
1 King Harald's Revenge image
1 Rune of Mortality image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Esika's Chariot
Esika's Chariot image 4.0 4-mana to make 2/2 tokens on its own is usually a solid card in Limited, so everything else this does is upside -- and that upside is considerable. Sure, crew 4 on a 4/4 Vehicle is kind of rough, but the fact that this copies a token you control every time it attacks helps to make up for that. And also, keep in mind, this comes with the necessary creatures to crew it in the first place. It is still going to be a bit clunky in terms of crewing it, and sometimes you just won’t be able to do it -- sometimes the two 2/2 tokens is all you’ll get -- but like I said, that is a decent card in most Limited formats, and this has the potential to take over games on the right board state.
Gates of Istfell image 3.5 It is great having a land that can draw you some cards and gain you some life in the late game – most lands become useless at that point! But not this one.
Colossal Plow image 1.0 I know people like Ox and Plow shenanigans, but mostly you shouldn’t do that if you want to win. Crew 6 is a TON, and gaining some mana and life back when it attacks just isn’t going to be enough for me to overcome it. It will die on its first attack most of the time too.
Shepherd of the Cosmos image 3.5 This seems pretty good to me. So, even without Foretell, a 6-mana 3/3 with Flying that reanimates a 2-drop would be a pretty nice card. It is generally going to give you that 6 manas worth of value no problem. By adding Foretell, we get an upgrade here, since having the option to pay for it in installments is definite upside. It doesn’t hurt that there are foretell payoffs in the set too!
Feed the Serpent image 3.5 This has been surprisingly disappointing in this set. Black is a weak color overall and it isn’t easy to splash, and it is too slow to combat aggro decks. That doesn’t mean it isn’t still quite good, mind you, just that it would normally be even better. It is still easily Black’s best commons and can deal with a whole lot of stuff!
Skull Raid image 2.0 Mind Rot effects are often not great in Limited. In the early game, you can get a 2-for-1 with them -- but it comes at the great sacrifice of not adding to the board at all on turn 3. Then, in the late game, it tends to get worse as the game goes on, and will be a terrible draw way too often. This card gets around those problems by becoming a draw spell if your opponent odeon’t have two cards to discard, so that means that this Mind Rot has all the upside of most of them -- it can get you a 2-for-1 -- but it can still do it if your opponent has one or no cards in the hand. Now, it isn’t exactly an efficient draw spell, but that’s ok with me overall. Foretell, of course, also makes it easier to cast because you get to pay in installments.
Depart the Realm image 2.0 Two mana to bounce nonland permanents at Instant speed is usually fine. Bounce spells won’t always straight up trade for a card, but the tempo they give you can be worth it – and, sometimes you can get one of your opponent’s cards with this, if you bounce something that they are using a trick on or putting an Aura on. This has Foretell too, but I still don’t think it is much more than “fine”.
Hagi Mob image 1.5 This seems alright. A 5-mana 5/4 isn’t great, but it isn’t abysmal either -- and its Boast ability is fine. Doing 1 damage to a creature is the ideal scenario, but if you can use it to make blocking harder for your opponent, or to ping your opponent because they are close to dead, that works too. It isn’t super efficient at any of the stuff it does, and it isn’t very exciting, but it seems like an alright top curve card for Red decks.
Starnheim Courser image 2.5 This has the always-okay Wind Drake stats and reasonable upside. Good Equipment and Auras are plentiful in the set, so that upside does come up!
Raise the Draugr image 2.0 Black always seems to get a common spell that lets you return creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and here is the Kaldheim version of that! Cards in the past with similar effects are basically always something you want to run a single copy of, because they give your deck some late game punch, and allow you to get extra uses out of the best creatures in your deck, which is pretty awesome. You don’t usually want more of this type of card because they are so useless early, but that first copy is something I always want. I think this one is particularly nice, because it is an instant -- we normally see this effect at Sorcery speed. And sure, it asks for a little bit of help to get going -- you really only want to play this if you are consistently getting the two creatures back, just getting one is not a great deal. But, with that in mind, I think your typical black deck in the format will have enough creatures that share creature types that this will get two things back by the mid to late game most of the time.
Karfell Harbinger image 1.5 So, we see two mana 1/3s who can tap for spells relatively often, and this is a more flexible version of those, since it can also use it to foretell a card. It won’t always make a difference, but it will often enough that you’ll probably play the first copy of this in decks that are interested in spells and/or foretell, which will be lots of Blue decks.
Duskwielder image 1.0 You’ll play this in really aggressive Black decks, but even then you’re kind of hoping you’ll get a better one drop than this! Overall, this is quickly outclassed on the board, and the Boast effect doesn’t do enough to help that.
Craven Hulk image 2.0 This coward may not be good at blocking, but a 4-mana 4/4 is a good enough deal in Limited that I’m okay with that. Its also a Giant, and that is probably the creature type that matters the most in this set, as it is the most tribal of the color pairs.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Snow-Covered Swamp image 2.5 Black has some nice snow payoffs, so you should value this over most average cards.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Jorn, God of Winter
Jorn, God of Winter image 4.0 On the god side, you have, at worst, a 3-mana 3/3 that untaps itself when it attacks, which -- you know, isn’t amazing or anything, but is fine. But it has way more upside than that, as it untaps all snow permanents. This could get especially nice in a world where you have several snow lands, or other snow creatures attacking, since it will give them pseudo-vigilance. So, yeah, the God side is a very good snow payoff -- and so is the the artifact side. Being able to play snow permanents from your graveyard is nice, even if they do come into play tapped. The fact that Kaldring just taps for the effect is really nice, since it means that all of your mana will be available for you to cast a snow permanent from the graveyard. By the way, since it says “play” this means you can get snow lands too, though that isn’t the ideal way to use the card.
Harald, King of Skemfar image 3.0 In many BG decks Harald is a 3-mana 3/2 with Menace that draws you a card, and that’s pretty nice. Unfortunately, BG is one of the weaker color pairs in the format, and that holds him back significantly. The other Elf payoffs are pretty disappointing.
Vega, the Watcher image 3.5 Even if you only draw one card with Vega you are going to feel pretty good about your investment, since it has such reasonable stats to begin with. Drawing that one card isn’t too challenging, either!
Bloodsky Berserker image 3.5 Just triggering the ability once will be enough to feel like your investment was worth it, and if you do it more than that, this Berserker will get silly in a hurry. You won’t always be able to double spell, but you’ll be able to often enough that this is a very real threat, despite only being a two drop. I mean, if on turn four you play this and another two drop, that’s a pretty darn good turn four, even if you won’t get to take advantage of the menace side of things. This card, like a lot of BW cards in this set, incentivizes having a low curve and/or a lot of Foretell. Now, he does start out very vulnerable, and there will be times where you can’t get him going, or he dies to a one-mana removal spell -- but that’s fine.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Stalwart Valkyrie image 3.0 So, a 4-mana 3/2 with Flying is already a kind of ok card in Limited. So, if you’re paying two for this consistently, that’s going to be pretty nice. Especially because as we’ve seen, BW is interested in casting multiple spells in a turn, and this also helps on that front. Now, using the alternate cost won’t come up a ton in the early game, but it is worth noting that if you trade your 2/2 for theirs, you’re probably going to get more value out of that trade than they will thanks to your Valkyrie. But yeah, from the mid-game on, the alternate casting cost here will become increasingly easy to accomplish, and on a lot of boards a 3/2 with Flying is always relevant.
Masked Vandal image 2.5 This format has lots of things the Vandal can blow up, and that makes it a pretty nice card for your main deck. Having all creature types is nice too.
Dwarven Reinforcements image 2.0 Normally when you pay 4 mana for a couple of tokens, you expect a couple of 2/2s -- and that isn’t what you get here. However, Foretell does mean you can pay for this in two separate installments, which does help overcome that downside.
Withercrown image 1.0 So, I have a hard time ever calling removal “premium” if it still allows whatever you put it on to block, and this does have that problem. This is also weakened by the presence of Good Auras, +1/+1 Counters, and Equipment, since those all mean that the creature still won’t have 0 power. It doesn’t hurt that this makes your opponent lose life every turn or sacrifice the creature, at which point, you do actually get the blocker out of the way. That said, most of the time, you’ll probably play this and your opponent will just use the creature to block and die, as it allows them to get something out of the weakened creature. You generally only play this if you didn’t get better removal spells.
Craven Hulk image 2.0 This coward may not be good at blocking, but a 4-mana 4/4 is a good enough deal in Limited that I’m okay with that. Its also a Giant, and that is probably the creature type that matters the most in this set, as it is the most tribal of the color pairs.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Sarulf's Packmate image 4.0 This is a great common. A 4-mana 3/3 that draws you a card is already a good card. It is going to give you a two-for-one almost every time, especially because the stats it has are actually passable for the mana cost. Then, you add foretold to the mix, which in this case lets you pay for the card in two separate installments, and you have a card that is super powerful for a common.
Raiders' Karve image 1.5 Crew 3 is kind of a lot for a 4/4 vehicle, but the fact that it will effectively ramp and draw you a card like 40% of the time does help make that look a little less ugly. If you can get the land off the top with this even once, you’re going to feel alright. That said, it isn’t exactly efficient, and I think you probably cut this a little more than you play it.
Snow-Covered Plains image 2.0 This is the least valuable snow land because White doesn’t care much about Snow.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Doomskar Titan
Gates of Istfell image 3.5 It is great having a land that can draw you some cards and gain you some life in the late game – most lands become useless at that point! But not this one.
Doomskar Titan image 3.5 He might cost 6 mana, but he’s going to add a whole lot of damage to the board often enough that he is well worth it! And, if you foretell him on an earlier turn where you have mana around to do it, he’ll come down a turn earlier! Now, the downside here, is that on his own, he can’t do a ton, but keep in mind, his ability affects him too -- he becomes a 5/4 with Haste, and that isn’t the worst fail case ever -- and how often will your board be empty anyway? He does need you to be really going at least somewhat wide to do his best work, but he will have an impact even if you just have a couple of creatures.
Ascent of the Worthy image 0.5 This card is way too difficult to set up effectively, and you should mostly not play it.
Goldvein Pick image 3.0 This card is super good in this format. There are lots of good creatures to equip and the fixing it gives is great. While it is definitely better in more aggressive decks, it can work in any deck with a reasonable number of creatures, and that means you can value it pretty highly.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Draugr Recruiter image 1.5 So, this is definitely a Boast ability that is all about the late game. The boast is expensive, and also asks for cards in the graveyard, but if you do get to use this late, and attack with this Recruiter in a situation where the best your opponent can do is trade with it or chump block it, it is going to be pretty nice. That said, by the late game, a 4-mana 3/3 won’t always be capable of making that situation happen. Sometimes, if you have something good enough in your graveyard, it will be worth the bad attack, but it is still kind of a rough deal. I think I will probably cut this a little more than I play it.
Squash image 3.5 This is a very powerful removal spell if you’re in a Giant deck. 1R for 6 damage at instant speed is pretty incredibly efficient.. What’s nice is, 5 mana for 6 damage at instant speed isn’t completely horrendous either -- it isn’t great, mind you -- but it is the kind of removal that you’ll end up running one of a decent amount of the time. The goods news is, most Red decks will have at least a few Giants without even trying to take them, but the better news is, Giants is a very well-supported tribe in this set, and in those decks, this costing 1R won’t be that hard to achieve.
Karfell Kennel-Master image 2.5 This has been solid top-curve in Black decks. It often comes down and enables 1-2 attacks that you just couldn’t have done before, and a 4/4 body is pretty good in this format.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Depart the Realm image 2.0 Two mana to bounce nonland permanents at Instant speed is usually fine. Bounce spells won’t always straight up trade for a card, but the tempo they give you can be worth it – and, sometimes you can get one of your opponent’s cards with this, if you bounce something that they are using a trick on or putting an Aura on. This has Foretell too, but I still don’t think it is much more than “fine”.
Scorn Effigy image 1.0 This is efficient, but it doesn’t have impressive stats in the end. It can help decks with lots of double-spell payoffs, but that’s really the only place its worth it.
Alpine Meadow image 3.0 This isn’t one of the more important snow lands around, because White and Red are the colors that care the least about Snow. Still, it does provide fixing and a snow permanent, and those are things that are pretty valuable in this set.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Frost Bite
Bloodsky Berserker image 3.5 Just triggering the ability once will be enough to feel like your investment was worth it, and if you do it more than that, this Berserker will get silly in a hurry. You won’t always be able to double spell, but you’ll be able to often enough that this is a very real threat, despite only being a two drop. I mean, if on turn four you play this and another two drop, that’s a pretty darn good turn four, even if you won’t get to take advantage of the menace side of things. This card, like a lot of BW cards in this set, incentivizes having a low curve and/or a lot of Foretell. Now, he does start out very vulnerable, and there will be times where you can’t get him going, or he dies to a one-mana removal spell -- but that’s fine.
Path to the World Tree image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a big payoff for going five colors. On its own, it provides you with some fixing, something you often want in Limited to splash powerful cards. Worth noting this can get you snow lands if that’s what you need. Where it really gets interesting, though, is if you can utilize its activated ability -- and obviously, it can help you do that because of the fixing it gives you. That ability is no joke -- you get 2 cards, 2 life, and a 2/2 bear -- while your opponent loses 2 life and an X/2 creature. That’s the kind of late game effect that will win you games. Now, how realistic is it to be able to use that ability? I mean, you probably shouldn’t count on it, but it is doable in some decks. In decks that have a lot of fixing, this turns out to be pretty great – in decks that don’t, it is pretty bad.
Runed Crown image 3.0 You do need at least one Rune around to play this, but once you’re there, it is pretty nice because it searches up the Rune and draws you a card with that Runes ETB ability, and it also becomes a much better equipment once you do that, and usually paying 2 to Equip it feels fine once it has a Rune.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Depart the Realm image 2.0 Two mana to bounce nonland permanents at Instant speed is usually fine. Bounce spells won’t always straight up trade for a card, but the tempo they give you can be worth it – and, sometimes you can get one of your opponent’s cards with this, if you bounce something that they are using a trick on or putting an Aura on. This has Foretell too, but I still don’t think it is much more than “fine”.
Dogged Pursuit image 1.0 Draining one life gives you inevitability, and because it is also gaining you life, it helps you to survive longer -- which in turn helps you drain more life. If you are a control deck, this seems like a decent win condition to me. Now, tapping out to play this on turn four will not always be smart, because you need to be building your board in the early game to not die, and that is a pretty significant downside. You’ll be cutting this a lot, it really takes the right deck for it to be worth it.
Glittering Frost image 2.5 This card is pretty important in the 4 and 5 color Snow decks, as it helps enable your mana while also giving you two snow permanents with a single card. It is pretty much useless in aggro decks, though.
Koma's Faithful image 2.0 This seems solid. A 3-mana 3/1 with lifelink isn’t a terrible rate -- trading for an X/3 and gaining 3 life in the process isn’t bad, and it comes with some additional upside. Now, the graveyard isn’t a huge theme in this set, but there is some synergy to be had there.
Frost Bite image 3.5 So, at the base level, this is a shock that can’t hit players. 2 damage for one mana is pretty nice, as it is very likely to allow you to trade up, and because it is an instant, you can occasionally get some pretty amazing blowouts for a very low cost. Then, it is a Snow spell that is a Snow payoff, and if you have enough Snow going on and this does 3 damage, you’re really in business.
Warhorn Blast image 1.0 // 3.0 So, mass pump spells always have some decks they will be good in -- obviously, the ones that are going wide -- but they are pretty bad in less aggressive decks. This one does add Foretell to the mix -- this is one of the foretell cards where the total investment is the same whether you Foretell it or not, so if you have the extra mana it will definitely be worth doing, since only paying three for this the turn you play it is no small thing. Still, this kind of card is always kind of a build around. If you’re an aggro deck that is good at going wide, you’re going to want one copy of this pretty often. Even in those decks it is situational, but the situation is much more likely to arise in those decks.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Stalwart Valkyrie image 3.0 So, a 4-mana 3/2 with Flying is already a kind of ok card in Limited. So, if you’re paying two for this consistently, that’s going to be pretty nice. Especially because as we’ve seen, BW is interested in casting multiple spells in a turn, and this also helps on that front. Now, using the alternate cost won’t come up a ton in the early game, but it is worth noting that if you trade your 2/2 for theirs, you’re probably going to get more value out of that trade than they will thanks to your Valkyrie. But yeah, from the mid-game on, the alternate casting cost here will become increasingly easy to accomplish, and on a lot of boards a 3/2 with Flying is always relevant.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Masked Vandal
Rune of Speed image 2.5 The Runes are all nice because they come with a cantrip, taking away the biggest downside of Auras -- the possibility of getting blown out by a 2-for-1. This is cheap enough that putting it on a new creature that can take advantage of Haste is a real possibility, though sometimes you may have to settle for only getting an advantage out of the +1/+0 part. Like all runes, if you put it on equipment it can really shine.
Niko Defies Destiny image 1.0 This has been challenging to make work, simply because even with all the Foretell in the format, it is difficult to always benefit from the first two chapters on the card. When you can, it feels good, but this card is too inconsistent for me to want to play it in most decks.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Priest of the Haunted Edge image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a snow payoff that DEMANDS you have a bunch of snow lands, and you won’t always have enough to make the Priest work. You probably need 7+ snow lands to do it. However, once you do, this becomes a reasonable early blocker than is a removal spell later on, and it is something you can get back from your graveyard fairly easily. It is not very good in other decks in the format, though.
Masked Vandal image 2.5 This format has lots of things the Vandal can blow up, and that makes it a pretty nice card for your main deck. Having all creature types is nice too.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Dread Rider image 1.0 This has some nice defensive stats and an activated ability that can close out games, but it tends to be too expensive and not powerful enough for even control decks to be interested in it.
Revitalize image 0.5 This is an underwhelming reprint. A cantrip that gains you life isn’t bad, it is just one of those cards that will be the last card cut from your deck most of the time. Especially because this set doesn’t seem to have a strong life gain theme.
Draugr Thought-Thief image 1.5 If you’re going to be a 3-mana 3/2, you probably need to have something going on that makes those inefficient stats worth it -- and I don’t really see that here. You get some very minor card selection, and an effect that might help you put something in your graveyard. Or, alternatively, something that lets you control your opponent’s next draw a little bit, but neither of those things is that great. It is kind of equivalent to Scry 1, but in most ways, it isn’t as good as Scry 1. You will certainly play this sometimes, but you’ll also cut it a fair bit.
Master Skald image 2.0 5-mana for a 4/4 that returns an artifact or enchantment is not a bad deal. And sure, you also need a creature in your graveyard to make it happen, but by turn 5 that won’t normally be an issue. There are lots of good Artifacts and Enchantments in this set, but the Skald is at his best with Sagas, since they are designed to eventually go to your graveyard in the first place. If you have at least one Saga, playing a Master Skald is usually a pretty good idea.
Snow-Covered Plains image 2.0 This is the least valuable snow land because White doesn’t care much about Snow.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Elderleaf Mentor
Tyrite Sanctum image 1.0 This set does have more legendary creatures in it that most do, but it isn’t exactly Kamigawa -- there aren’t enough legendaries around for you to be able to support this very often. It hurts your mana base and often won’t do enough to be worth it.
Spectral Steel image 2.0 A two mana aura that gives +2/+2 is alright, but not usually worth the risk. Auras put you at great risk of getting blown out by a 2-for-1, so for them to be worth it, they have to do something to mitigate that risk, and Spirit Blade does that. Once it is in your graveyard you can use it to get back an Aura or Equipment, meaning that it pays you back for the card that you gave up in using it. It also means that if it gets milled, it can give you some nice graveyard value. Now, the question really is -- how often will it be able to get something back? And I think the answer is -- sometimes, but not all the time. Still, this gives a nice boost, and is a great thing to put on your one drop – and then has some late game utility. That all seems solid to me.
Gates of Istfell image 3.5 It is great having a land that can draw you some cards and gain you some life in the late game – most lands become useless at that point! But not this one.
Elderleaf Mentor image 2.5 This is fine. . Creatures who make two bodies are always nice -- and in the end here you get a solid deal -- 4 -mana for 4/3 worth of stats spread across two bodies. Unfortunately, the Elf deck in this format is hard to make work, and that holds it back a little bit.
King Harald's Revenge image 1.0 I don’t like this type of card. Sure, lure-type effects are nice, but they only really get powerful if they force EVERYTHING to block something, allowing the rest of your board to get through. This will just require one block. And yeah, sometimes this will make your creature absolutely massive, and adding Trample to that is nice -- but it still seems so clunky to me. You have to wait for the absolute right window for this to work out for you -- one where you have enough creatures for it to matter -- one where forcing the block makes a difference -- and one where your opponent doesn’t have cards in hand and mana up, since if they do, you have a good chance at getting completely blown out.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Wings of the Cosmos image 1.0 This trick is mostly not worth playing. You can use it both offensively and defensively pretty effectively, and the fact it grants flying might mean sometimes it will also let you sneak in for lethal in the air. But -- a trick is a trick. It is situational, and its risky, and it doesn’t do a whole lot to make any of that less of a problem.
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Village Rites image 1.0 This is a reprint, and not one that I thought was particularly good in Limited. For this type of card to really be something special, you need for there to be a significant sacrifice or token sub-theme, and neither seems to be an overwhelming focus of this set, though the Elf deck might do the best of taking advantage of this. It is nice that it is an instant, so you can sacrifice something after you declare a block, or in response to an opponent’s removal, but you’re basically still just doing the same sort of thing that Tormenting Voice does. Giving up two cards to get two back. And that’s not bad it just isn’t the kind of thing you will always have roomf or in your deck. Mostly, I think you’ll only play this if you’re short on playables.
Ice Tunnel image 3.5 This is a Snow land to value fairly highly. It gives you snow mana and fixing, and it is in colors that have some nice snow payoffs at lower rarities.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Raiders' Karve
Stalwart Valkyrie image 3.0 So, a 4-mana 3/2 with Flying is already a kind of ok card in Limited. So, if you’re paying two for this consistently, that’s going to be pretty nice. Especially because as we’ve seen, BW is interested in casting multiple spells in a turn, and this also helps on that front. Now, using the alternate cost won’t come up a ton in the early game, but it is worth noting that if you trade your 2/2 for theirs, you’re probably going to get more value out of that trade than they will thanks to your Valkyrie. But yeah, from the mid-game on, the alternate casting cost here will become increasingly easy to accomplish, and on a lot of boards a 3/2 with Flying is always relevant.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Grim Draugr image 2.0 This is fine. It has alright stats and it can gain some evasion in the later part of the game, giving it continued relevance.
Raiders' Karve image 1.5 Crew 3 is kind of a lot for a 4/4 vehicle, but the fact that it will effectively ramp and draw you a card like 40% of the time does help make that look a little less ugly. If you can get the land off the top with this even once, you’re going to feel alright. That said, it isn’t exactly efficient, and I think you probably cut this a little more than you play it.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Strategic Planning image 1.0 For two mana you get some card selection and some help loading your graveyard. These type of spells that just let you go 1-for-1 are always easy to cut, as their effects are so minimal. They aren’t bad, but you’d probably rather have a two-drop creature most of the time.
Infernal Pet image 2.0 You probably need to trigger this at least once to make it worth it, and since it starts out as an inefficient 3-mana 2/2, you may even want to trigger it twice before you feel okay about stuff. While that is certainly doable, I don’t really think this is going to be one of the key double spell payoffs that you need for the deck.
Vault Robber image 1.0 This is something you mostly won’t play. You could do worse if you are desperate for fixing, but the fact he is reliant on stuff in the graveyard to make Treasure can be rough, and his stats aren’t very good.
Snow-Covered Plains image 2.0 This is the least valuable snow land because White doesn’t care much about Snow.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Doomskar Titan
Doomskar Titan image 3.5 He might cost 6 mana, but he’s going to add a whole lot of damage to the board often enough that he is well worth it! And, if you foretell him on an earlier turn where you have mana around to do it, he’ll come down a turn earlier! Now, the downside here, is that on his own, he can’t do a ton, but keep in mind, his ability affects him too -- he becomes a 5/4 with Haste, and that isn’t the worst fail case ever -- and how often will your board be empty anyway? He does need you to be really going at least somewhat wide to do his best work, but he will have an impact even if you just have a couple of creatures.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This card is very mainboardable in this format because it has lots of good targets. It still isn’t great or anything, though.
Codespell Cleric image 1.0 // 2.5 So, since this is one mana, casting it as your second spell in a turn won’t be super challenging, especially in a format with Foretell. I mean, in the late game it will be a little harder, like if you’re in top deck mode, but in the early and mid-game it will just happen. For this to be worth it, it does need to be making that +1/+1 counter a significant chunk of the time, and it can do that in aggro decks. Like Battlefield Raptor, it is much better in aggressive decks than it is elsewhere.
Grim Draugr image 2.0 This is fine. It has alright stats and it can gain some evasion in the later part of the game, giving it continued relevance.
Strategic Planning image 1.0 For two mana you get some card selection and some help loading your graveyard. These type of spells that just let you go 1-for-1 are always easy to cut, as their effects are so minimal. They aren’t bad, but you’d probably rather have a two-drop creature most of the time.
Vault Robber image 1.0 This is something you mostly won’t play. You could do worse if you are desperate for fixing, but the fact he is reliant on stuff in the graveyard to make Treasure can be rough, and his stats aren’t very good.
Brinebarrow Intruder image 1.0 This doesn’t seem especially good. It is easy to imagine situations where you flash it in and killed a 3/1 or something, but it is mostly too situational to be worth playing. That decrease to power just doesn’t do enough often enough. You mostly won’t play this.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Craven Hulk
Gates of Istfell image 3.5 It is great having a land that can draw you some cards and gain you some life in the late game – most lands become useless at that point! But not this one.
Colossal Plow image 1.0 I know people like Ox and Plow shenanigans, but mostly you shouldn’t do that if you want to win. Crew 6 is a TON, and gaining some mana and life back when it attacks just isn’t going to be enough for me to overcome it. It will die on its first attack most of the time too.
Skull Raid image 2.0 Mind Rot effects are often not great in Limited. In the early game, you can get a 2-for-1 with them -- but it comes at the great sacrifice of not adding to the board at all on turn 3. Then, in the late game, it tends to get worse as the game goes on, and will be a terrible draw way too often. This card gets around those problems by becoming a draw spell if your opponent odeon’t have two cards to discard, so that means that this Mind Rot has all the upside of most of them -- it can get you a 2-for-1 -- but it can still do it if your opponent has one or no cards in the hand. Now, it isn’t exactly an efficient draw spell, but that’s ok with me overall. Foretell, of course, also makes it easier to cast because you get to pay in installments.
Hagi Mob image 1.5 This seems alright. A 5-mana 5/4 isn’t great, but it isn’t abysmal either -- and its Boast ability is fine. Doing 1 damage to a creature is the ideal scenario, but if you can use it to make blocking harder for your opponent, or to ping your opponent because they are close to dead, that works too. It isn’t super efficient at any of the stuff it does, and it isn’t very exciting, but it seems like an alright top curve card for Red decks.
Duskwielder image 1.0 You’ll play this in really aggressive Black decks, but even then you’re kind of hoping you’ll get a better one drop than this! Overall, this is quickly outclassed on the board, and the Boast effect doesn’t do enough to help that.
Craven Hulk image 2.0 This coward may not be good at blocking, but a 4-mana 4/4 is a good enough deal in Limited that I’m okay with that. Its also a Giant, and that is probably the creature type that matters the most in this set, as it is the most tribal of the color pairs.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Masked Vandal
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Masked Vandal image 2.5 This format has lots of things the Vandal can blow up, and that makes it a pretty nice card for your main deck. Having all creature types is nice too.
Craven Hulk image 2.0 This coward may not be good at blocking, but a 4-mana 4/4 is a good enough deal in Limited that I’m okay with that. Its also a Giant, and that is probably the creature type that matters the most in this set, as it is the most tribal of the color pairs.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Raiders' Karve image 1.5 Crew 3 is kind of a lot for a 4/4 vehicle, but the fact that it will effectively ramp and draw you a card like 40% of the time does help make that look a little less ugly. If you can get the land off the top with this even once, you’re going to feel alright. That said, it isn’t exactly efficient, and I think you probably cut this a little more than you play it.
Snow-Covered Plains image 2.0 This is the least valuable snow land because White doesn’t care much about Snow.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Goldvein Pick
Goldvein Pick image 3.0 This card is super good in this format. There are lots of good creatures to equip and the fixing it gives is great. While it is definitely better in more aggressive decks, it can work in any deck with a reasonable number of creatures, and that means you can value it pretty highly.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Scorn Effigy image 1.0 This is efficient, but it doesn’t have impressive stats in the end. It can help decks with lots of double-spell payoffs, but that’s really the only place its worth it.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Path to the World Tree
Path to the World Tree image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a big payoff for going five colors. On its own, it provides you with some fixing, something you often want in Limited to splash powerful cards. Worth noting this can get you snow lands if that’s what you need. Where it really gets interesting, though, is if you can utilize its activated ability -- and obviously, it can help you do that because of the fixing it gives you. That ability is no joke -- you get 2 cards, 2 life, and a 2/2 bear -- while your opponent loses 2 life and an X/2 creature. That’s the kind of late game effect that will win you games. Now, how realistic is it to be able to use that ability? I mean, you probably shouldn’t count on it, but it is doable in some decks. In decks that have a lot of fixing, this turns out to be pretty great – in decks that don’t, it is pretty bad.
Koma's Faithful image 2.0 This seems solid. A 3-mana 3/1 with lifelink isn’t a terrible rate -- trading for an X/3 and gaining 3 life in the process isn’t bad, and it comes with some additional upside. Now, the graveyard isn’t a huge theme in this set, but there is some synergy to be had there.
Warhorn Blast image 1.0 // 3.0 So, mass pump spells always have some decks they will be good in -- obviously, the ones that are going wide -- but they are pretty bad in less aggressive decks. This one does add Foretell to the mix -- this is one of the foretell cards where the total investment is the same whether you Foretell it or not, so if you have the extra mana it will definitely be worth doing, since only paying three for this the turn you play it is no small thing. Still, this kind of card is always kind of a build around. If you’re an aggro deck that is good at going wide, you’re going to want one copy of this pretty often. Even in those decks it is situational, but the situation is much more likely to arise in those decks.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Master Skald
Dread Rider image 1.0 This has some nice defensive stats and an activated ability that can close out games, but it tends to be too expensive and not powerful enough for even control decks to be interested in it.
Revitalize image 0.5 This is an underwhelming reprint. A cantrip that gains you life isn’t bad, it is just one of those cards that will be the last card cut from your deck most of the time. Especially because this set doesn’t seem to have a strong life gain theme.
Master Skald image 2.0 5-mana for a 4/4 that returns an artifact or enchantment is not a bad deal. And sure, you also need a creature in your graveyard to make it happen, but by turn 5 that won’t normally be an issue. There are lots of good Artifacts and Enchantments in this set, but the Skald is at his best with Sagas, since they are designed to eventually go to your graveyard in the first place. If you have at least one Saga, playing a Master Skald is usually a pretty good idea.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Wings of the Cosmos
King Harald's Revenge image 1.0 I don’t like this type of card. Sure, lure-type effects are nice, but they only really get powerful if they force EVERYTHING to block something, allowing the rest of your board to get through. This will just require one block. And yeah, sometimes this will make your creature absolutely massive, and adding Trample to that is nice -- but it still seems so clunky to me. You have to wait for the absolute right window for this to work out for you -- one where you have enough creatures for it to matter -- one where forcing the block makes a difference -- and one where your opponent doesn’t have cards in hand and mana up, since if they do, you have a good chance at getting completely blown out.
Wings of the Cosmos image 1.0 This trick is mostly not worth playing. You can use it both offensively and defensively pretty effectively, and the fact it grants flying might mean sometimes it will also let you sneak in for lethal in the air. But -- a trick is a trick. It is situational, and its risky, and it doesn’t do a whole lot to make any of that less of a problem.
Pack 1 Pick 15: Mammoth Growth
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Calamity Bearer
Calamity Bearer image 3.5 So, on its own, Calamity bearer is effectively a 4-mana 6/4, since it doubles its own damage too. That means it hits pretty hard, and can trade for just about anything. Then, if you have even more giants, things will get really silly. Especially if you have a giant or giants in play when you play this -- because if you do, the board will immediately be impacted. It isn’t super impressive on its own, but the reasonable fail case does mean you can play it in any red deck, and it has some considerable upside if you end up in Giants.
Littjara Glade-Warden image 3.0 It is definitely a bit of a bummer that you can only use this ability at sorcery speed, but turning creatures in the graveyard into value in the late game is pretty nice. Two +1/+1 counters can make a significant difference on many board states. And in addition to that, it is also a changeling, so tribal synergies will make it better too. It does start out as a Hill Giant, but the ability is good enough to overcome that mediocre performance on the vanilla test.
Ascent of the Worthy image 0.5 This card is way too difficult to set up effectively, and you should mostly not play it.
Valkyrie's Sword image 3.0 This is part of a whole cycle of Equipment that lets you pay mana to make a creature for the Equipment to attach to. Overall here, you pay 7 mana to get a 6/5 with flying and Vigilance, which is an alright deal -- thought not a stellar one. But if you look at this as a 7-drop creature with a bunch of additional upside and flexibility, it does get a little better. Afterall, you can play it early if you need to -- though the cost of playing it and equipping it isn’t very pretty. I think ideally, you hold on to this until you can pay the extra mana, and then you get that large Angel who happens to leave behind some Equipment. It is really expensive to play this, but it does not seem like a bad top curve to me.
Run Amok image 2.5 This is a key card for aggro decks in this format. If you’re going hard in that direction, this becomes a pretty high pick. It often lets you run over an opposing creature and do opposing damage, and can result in lethal out of nowhere. It isn’t especially good in other decks, though.
Draugr Thought-Thief image 1.5 If you’re going to be a 3-mana 3/2, you probably need to have something going on that makes those inefficient stats worth it -- and I don’t really see that here. You get some very minor card selection, and an effect that might help you put something in your graveyard. Or, alternatively, something that lets you control your opponent’s next draw a little bit, but neither of those things is that great. It is kind of equivalent to Scry 1, but in most ways, it isn’t as good as Scry 1. You will certainly play this sometimes, but you’ll also cut it a fair bit.
Breakneck Berserker image 2.0 Three mana 3/2s with Haste are just fine in aggressive decks. It also has a couple of useful creature types, so that’s nice.
Priest of the Haunted Edge image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a snow payoff that DEMANDS you have a bunch of snow lands, and you won’t always have enough to make the Priest work. You probably need 7+ snow lands to do it. However, once you do, this becomes a reasonable early blocker than is a removal spell later on, and it is something you can get back from your graveyard fairly easily. It is not very good in other decks in the format, though.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Funeral Longboat image 1.5 This is a decent vehicle. Crew 1 is just so easy to do, that this is going to just feel like a two mana 3/3 with Vigilance some of the time. And, the fact it is so easy to crew AND has vigilance, means your opponent also has to take into account while attacking you.
Story Seeker image 2.0 Two mana 2/2s with Lifelink are always solid. Just being able to trade for another two drop and gaining you 2 life is a decent fail case, and if they are allowed to stick around they will end up gaining you significant life. Auras and Equipment are also your friend with a creature like this.
Raiders' Karve image 1.5 Crew 3 is kind of a lot for a 4/4 vehicle, but the fact that it will effectively ramp and draw you a card like 40% of the time does help make that look a little less ugly. If you can get the land off the top with this even once, you’re going to feel alright. That said, it isn’t exactly efficient, and I think you probably cut this a little more than you play it.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Withercrown image 1.0 So, I have a hard time ever calling removal “premium” if it still allows whatever you put it on to block, and this does have that problem. This is also weakened by the presence of Good Auras, +1/+1 Counters, and Equipment, since those all mean that the creature still won’t have 0 power. It doesn’t hurt that this makes your opponent lose life every turn or sacrifice the creature, at which point, you do actually get the blocker out of the way. That said, most of the time, you’ll probably play this and your opponent will just use the creature to block and die, as it allows them to get something out of the weakened creature. You generally only play this if you didn’t get better removal spells.
Snow-Covered Island image 2.5 Blue has some nice snow payoffs, and that means you should be valuing this Snow land over most average cards.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Squash
Egon, God of Death image 2.5 So, both sides of this card really want you to have cards in your graveyard. On the Egon side, you need to have two cards for him to exile, or he sacrifices himself and draws you a card. The nice thing about that is, even if you can’t quite keep him in play, he will be on the board for a whole turn, and a 6/6 deathtouch is going to be enough to keep your opponent from attacking pretty often. Then, when your turn comes, he replaces himself. So the fail case here if you can’t quite keep him in play is not that miserable, though not great either. The other side of the card, Throne of Death, is a pretty sweet little graveyard engine. It mills a card every turn, and presumably you’ll get creatures in your graveyard from that effect, and then in the later part of the game it can cash in creatures in the graveyard for cards. There is a decent amount of graveyard synergy in this set, and that will make both sides of this card pretty happy. Both require some building around and the right situation in your graveyard though, and that definitely holds them back.
Elven Bow image 3.0 Generally, I think it is a bad plan to just straight up cast this as Equipment – when you do that, the bonus you get from them is not very good – 3 to equip is rough for +1/+2 and Reach. So normally, you want to cast this and make the elf token – which in effect, turns this into a 3-mana 2/3 with Reach that, if it dies, leaves equipment behind. And in a lot of ways, it is better than that – because you can move the Equipment before then if there’s a reason too, and even if your creature gets shut down by an Aura or bounced, you still have the Bow.
Aegar, the Freezing Flame image 4.5 With Aegar in play, if you do more damage to a creature than it has toughness, you get to draw a card -- provided the source of that damage is a Giant, Wizard, or spell. And, of course, that includes Aegar -- which means that if a 2/2 blocks it for example, you get to draw a card. That’s pretty sweet, and this kind of card will really warp games where your opponent might have to choose between blocking more effectively, or allowing you to draw a card -- and that’s never a good choice. Obviously, the UR color pair is about spells and Giants too, so you should have at least a handful of cards in your deck that can trigger this. It isn’t difficult to draw 2-3 cards with Aegar, and I think that makes him a bomb, even if he does require a bit of work to build around.
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Duskwielder image 1.0 You’ll play this in really aggressive Black decks, but even then you’re kind of hoping you’ll get a better one drop than this! Overall, this is quickly outclassed on the board, and the Boast effect doesn’t do enough to help that.
Dread Rider image 1.0 This has some nice defensive stats and an activated ability that can close out games, but it tends to be too expensive and not powerful enough for even control decks to be interested in it.
Squash image 3.5 This is a very powerful removal spell if you’re in a Giant deck. 1R for 6 damage at instant speed is pretty incredibly efficient.. What’s nice is, 5 mana for 6 damage at instant speed isn’t completely horrendous either -- it isn’t great, mind you -- but it is the kind of removal that you’ll end up running one of a decent amount of the time. The goods news is, most Red decks will have at least a few Giants without even trying to take them, but the better news is, Giants is a very well-supported tribe in this set, and in those decks, this costing 1R won’t be that hard to achieve.
Karfell Harbinger image 1.5 So, we see two mana 1/3s who can tap for spells relatively often, and this is a more flexible version of those, since it can also use it to foretell a card. It won’t always make a difference, but it will often enough that you’ll probably play the first copy of this in decks that are interested in spells and/or foretell, which will be lots of Blue decks.
Shimmerdrift Vale image 3.5 It isn’t often that one of the best Commons in a set is a Land, but that’s the case in Kaldheim. This land provides excellent fixing and snow mana, and those are really important things for many decks in this format.
Disdainful Stroke image 1.0 This is a card we’ve seen a lot of, and generally I don’t like running it. It is super weird in this format too, because you’ll go up against aggro decks who have 0-2 targets for this, and against snow decks who will have like 7+. I think that really means you have to start it in your sideboard, since it will be so bad against a big part of the metagame.
Story Seeker image 2.0 Two mana 2/2s with Lifelink are always solid. Just being able to trade for another two drop and gaining you 2 life is a decent fail case, and if they are allowed to stick around they will end up gaining you significant life. Auras and Equipment are also your friend with a creature like this.
Infernal Pet image 2.0 You probably need to trigger this at least once to make it worth it, and since it starts out as an inefficient 3-mana 2/2, you may even want to trigger it twice before you feel okay about stuff. While that is certainly doable, I don’t really think this is going to be one of the key double spell payoffs that you need for the deck.
Snow-Covered Forest image 2.5 Green has some nice snow payoffs, and that means you should be valuing this Snow land over most average cards.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Svella, Ice Shaper
Draugr Necromancer image 4.0 A vanilla 4-mana 4/4 is already playable, and this is far from vanilla! Just making your opponent’s creatures that die go to exile is a somewhat relevant ability. Most decks have at least 1-2 cards that care about the graveyard, so hey, that’s upside. But where you really get the value is out of the ability to cast the creatures that are exiled by the Necromancer. Now, you do have to have snow mana to cast creatures that aren’t in a color that lands you control could produce, but that isn’t a huge ask -- you generally will just need one snow land to make that work in most cases, and then of course there’s the fact that a decent chunk of opponents will have creatures you can cast with your mana anyway! Now, the snow limitation is definitely relevant, and there will be times where this guy is just too slow to help you out, but he’s still pretty great.
Bretagard Stronghold image 3.5 Making two creatures bigger and giving them vigilance and lifelink is pretty awesome, especially because one of your lands id doing the job. Those two keywords combined can really help you win a race, since you gain life and allow your creatures to hang back as blockers.
Svella, Ice Shaper image 4.5 Svella comes with reasonable stats for the cost, and the ability to make snow artifacts that provide fixing and snow mana. The late game ability to choose a card from the top four cards of your library to cast is nice additional upside, and Svella can get there surprisingly quickly thanks to the Icy Manaliths. It is definitely an amazing late-game mana sink. Svella is a bomb that, if she isn’t killed, will simply win you the game.
Fall of the Impostor image 3.5 Three mana for a +1/+1 counter won’t make it feel like the greatest investment ever at first, and really -- even after you get the second counter it won’t feel great either -- but hey, it does impact the board a little bit at least! The most value the card gives you is with chapter three, which will typically take down your opponent’s best creature -- and that means you spent three mana for two +1/+1 counters and a removal spell, which is actually crazy efficient! It is, of course, slow -- and sometimes you’ll really wish you could just kill their creature first, but this is still really efficient.
Raven Wings image 1.5 This is fine. 2 to play and 2 to equip is a bit steep, but giving evasion and +1/+0 to something will often make a pretty big difference -- sending your big guys into the air is particularly appealing.
Vault Robber image 1.0 This is something you mostly won’t play. You could do worse if you are desperate for fixing, but the fact he is reliant on stuff in the graveyard to make Treasure can be rough, and his stats aren’t very good.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This card is very mainboardable in this format because it has lots of good targets. It still isn’t great or anything, though.
Withercrown image 1.0 So, I have a hard time ever calling removal “premium” if it still allows whatever you put it on to block, and this does have that problem. This is also weakened by the presence of Good Auras, +1/+1 Counters, and Equipment, since those all mean that the creature still won’t have 0 power. It doesn’t hurt that this makes your opponent lose life every turn or sacrifice the creature, at which point, you do actually get the blocker out of the way. That said, most of the time, you’ll probably play this and your opponent will just use the creature to block and die, as it allows them to get something out of the weakened creature. You generally only play this if you didn’t get better removal spells.
Karfell Harbinger image 1.5 So, we see two mana 1/3s who can tap for spells relatively often, and this is a more flexible version of those, since it can also use it to foretell a card. It won’t always make a difference, but it will often enough that you’ll probably play the first copy of this in decks that are interested in spells and/or foretell, which will be lots of Blue decks.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Elderfang Disciple image 1.5 A two mana 1/1 that makes an opponent discard a card is nice, and because it does that, you’re at least starting out with a 1-for-1 in most cases. Then, if it can trade for an X/1, you’re getting some serious 2-for-1 value out of this card. Now, it won’t always line up that way, and in the late game the discard thing might not matter too much, and those are serious limitations, but this seems decent enough.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Snow-Covered Swamp image 2.5 Black has some nice snow payoffs, so you should value this over most average cards.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Gnottvold Slumbermound
Gnottvold Slumbermound image 3.5 Blowing up lands in this format is bigger than normal because of snow lands and this cycle, and being able to make a 4/4 at instant speed is pretty nice too.
Path to the World Tree image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a big payoff for going five colors. On its own, it provides you with some fixing, something you often want in Limited to splash powerful cards. Worth noting this can get you snow lands if that’s what you need. Where it really gets interesting, though, is if you can utilize its activated ability -- and obviously, it can help you do that because of the fixing it gives you. That ability is no joke -- you get 2 cards, 2 life, and a 2/2 bear -- while your opponent loses 2 life and an X/2 creature. That’s the kind of late game effect that will win you games. Now, how realistic is it to be able to use that ability? I mean, you probably shouldn’t count on it, but it is doable in some decks. In decks that have a lot of fixing, this turns out to be pretty great – in decks that don’t, it is pretty bad.
Invoke the Divine image 1.5 This set has enough good artifacts and Enchantments that this ends up having a reasonable number of targets, making it an okay thing to run in your main deck.
Withercrown image 1.0 So, I have a hard time ever calling removal “premium” if it still allows whatever you put it on to block, and this does have that problem. This is also weakened by the presence of Good Auras, +1/+1 Counters, and Equipment, since those all mean that the creature still won’t have 0 power. It doesn’t hurt that this makes your opponent lose life every turn or sacrifice the creature, at which point, you do actually get the blocker out of the way. That said, most of the time, you’ll probably play this and your opponent will just use the creature to block and die, as it allows them to get something out of the weakened creature. You generally only play this if you didn’t get better removal spells.
Glittering Frost image 2.5 This card is pretty important in the 4 and 5 color Snow decks, as it helps enable your mana while also giving you two snow permanents with a single card. It is pretty much useless in aggro decks, though.
Shimmerdrift Vale image 3.5 It isn’t often that one of the best Commons in a set is a Land, but that’s the case in Kaldheim. This land provides excellent fixing and snow mana, and those are really important things for many decks in this format.
Open the Omenpaths image 0.0 This is a card a lot of people will play when they are desperate for fixing – but don’t do it. Ritual effects like this aren’t good in Limited, you two for one yourself for some fixing and a small mana boost, and that card disadvantage is likely to cause you to lose the game. The alternate mode this has doesn’t help make any more playable either.
Mists of Littjara image 1.5 This type of Blue removal spell is always pretty alright. The fact you can’t use it to keep a creature from still being a good blocker can be annoying sometimes, but the fact it can also shut down vehicles and has Flash do make up for that a little bit. The Flash side of it will sometimes allow you to double block and kill something, while keeping both of your creatures, and when you can make this trade 1-for-1 it is going to feel good. That won’t be the regular occurrence, I don’t think – but it will happen often enough that you’ll play this if you need removal.
Undersea Invader image 1.0 One of the great things about flash is being able to ambush block, and you won't be doing that here because it enters tapped. It might be a giant, but it is mostly just an inefficient creature. If it wasn't a Giant you probably wouldn't play it all.
Battlefield Raptor image 1.5 // 3.5 This is a key card for aggressive decks. It wears the cheap Equipment and Auras it he format well, and suiting it up early can often win games. If you’re an aggro deck, you’re never cutting this, and it will be one of the best things you can do on turn one. Obviously, it isn’t very good anywhere else, so keep that in mind.
Grizzled Outrider image 1.5 5-mana for a 5/5 is kind of alright. And that’s all there is to say about that.
Snow-Covered Mountain image 2.0 Red isn’t overflowing with snow payoffs, but this is still a snow land and those are quite useful in this format.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Squash
Kardur, Doomscourge image 4.0 Kardur is strong, so it is kind of unfortunate that BR collectively isn’t really. You’ll mostly play him off a splash in other decks. Forcing all of your opponent’s creatures to attack you can make a big impact, not only because you can set up blocks to kill their creatures -- which, with Kardur in play, also means you’ll drain them 1 life -- but also because it opens your opponent up for a crack back that might just be lethal. In other words, Your opponent will have to attack in what is likely a less-than-optimal situation, while you’ll be able to attack in a pretty good one. Now, if your opponent’s board is significantly better than yours, things might not go so well, but if that’s true, well -- they were probably going to attack you with everything anyway! Note, by the way, that it doesn’t matter who controls an attacking creature for the drain life trigger, so it matters when you attack and when your opponent attacks.
Ascent of the Worthy image 0.5 This card is way too difficult to set up effectively, and you should mostly not play it.
Rune of Sustenance image 2.5 I think the whole Rune cycle is pretty solid. The problem is often that Auras are risky because they 2-for-1 you -- but by adding a cantrip to all the cards in the Rune cycle, they made sure you won’t normally get 2-for-1’d. Now, you do have to be concerned about an opponent killing what you target in response, but as long as it resolves, you’ll be in the clear. It is also interesting you can put this on any permanent, so in a pinch -- like stuck on two lands in the early game, you can effectively cycle these by putting them on a land or something. Now, that isn’t ideal -- but having that in a moment of desperation is definitely upside. It only does something more than draw you a card if it is on a creature or an Equipment though, and lifelink is pretty nice on either of those things. It isn’t quite an evasive ability, but it is one that can really wreak havoc on races. It is also worth noting there are lots of Aura and Enchantment payoffs in this set, which is going to make it a bit better. I think this is a card you’ll play the first copy of in most White decks.
Undersea Invader image 1.0 One of the great things about flash is being able to ambush block, and you won't be doing that here because it enters tapped. It might be a giant, but it is mostly just an inefficient creature. If it wasn't a Giant you probably wouldn't play it all.
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Squash image 3.5 This is a very powerful removal spell if you’re in a Giant deck. 1R for 6 damage at instant speed is pretty incredibly efficient.. What’s nice is, 5 mana for 6 damage at instant speed isn’t completely horrendous either -- it isn’t great, mind you -- but it is the kind of removal that you’ll end up running one of a decent amount of the time. The goods news is, most Red decks will have at least a few Giants without even trying to take them, but the better news is, Giants is a very well-supported tribe in this set, and in those decks, this costing 1R won’t be that hard to achieve.
Run Ashore image 1.5 Blue often gets an expensive spell that lets you bounce a couple of things, and it is always a decent card, and I think that’s what we’re looking at here. One nice thing here is that one of the permanents will go back to the top of an opponent’s library, which means that you are actually trading one-for-one with Run Ashore, instead of just getting some tempo. Speaking of tempo, you can often find situations where paying 6 mana results in bouncing more than 6 mana worth of stuff for your opponent, and that’s nice too. You can, of course, also use it on your own stuff if you can get benefits out of it, and that sometimes is the case. This can really help a Blue deck stabilize, or potentially end the game. Take note also that it is an instant -- lots of previous similar cards have been sorceries -- and that does open up the chance for some more significant blowouts. That said, it is super expensive and fairly situational, and not really something you can ever afford to play more than one of.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Immersturm Raider image 1.5 We see this card a lot -- I mean, Fissure Wizard in Zendikar Rising is basically the same. It is a solid card, gives you some card selection -- which can even make it matter in the late game, and all of that makes it so that it can overcome the downside of its mediocre stats.
Snow-Covered Forest image 2.5 Green has some nice snow payoffs, and that means you should be valuing this Snow land over most average cards.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Sarulf's Packmate
Crush the Weak image 2.5 These types of cards always feel sort of awkward to me. That’s because you will far too frequently have a board state where it doesn’t help at all -- either because your opponents board is too big, or because your board is too small. It is nice that it adds some extra graveyard hate to the mix, and has Foretell, making paying for it a little more manageable. It fits really nicely into Giant decks, which are mostly larger creatures.
Replicating Ring image 3.0 This provides great fixing, and it actually ends up making a bunch of copies more often than you might think! And all of that extra mana is also pretty good, because there are several creatures at lower rarities with snow mana activated abilities, and if you can sink that much snow mana into them, they become quite formidable.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Jarl of the Forsaken image 2.0 This type of removal effect is often underwhelming. Sure, when you do manage to trigger the effect it feels pretty good, but most of the time you had to give up a card to make that effect work in the first place, so it isn’t quite as good of a deal as it might seem at first. Now, adding Foretell here does matter -- because it means it will be easier to find a window where you can actually cast and use this, as spending 2 mana on the turn you actually cast the card is significantly better.
Sarulf's Packmate image 4.0 This is a great common. A 4-mana 3/3 that draws you a card is already a good card. It is going to give you a two-for-one almost every time, especially because the stats it has are actually passable for the mana cost. Then, you add foretold to the mix, which in this case lets you pay for the card in two separate installments, and you have a card that is super powerful for a common.
Draugr Thought-Thief image 1.5 If you’re going to be a 3-mana 3/2, you probably need to have something going on that makes those inefficient stats worth it -- and I don’t really see that here. You get some very minor card selection, and an effect that might help you put something in your graveyard. Or, alternatively, something that lets you control your opponent’s next draw a little bit, but neither of those things is that great. It is kind of equivalent to Scry 1, but in most ways, it isn’t as good as Scry 1. You will certainly play this sometimes, but you’ll also cut it a fair bit.
Codespell Cleric image 1.0 // 2.5 So, since this is one mana, casting it as your second spell in a turn won’t be super challenging, especially in a format with Foretell. I mean, in the late game it will be a little harder, like if you’re in top deck mode, but in the early and mid-game it will just happen. For this to be worth it, it does need to be making that +1/+1 counter a significant chunk of the time, and it can do that in aggro decks. Like Battlefield Raptor, it is much better in aggressive decks than it is elsewhere.
Roots of Wisdom image 1.0 So, this card helps you mill yourself, and then gets an elf or land back from the graveyard most of the time – but not always, especially early. I do like that you get to draw a card if you can’t get a land or elf, which means that you don’t have to have a huge number of elves for it to be super okay. I do kind of wish that it would let you make the choice -- like, if you have an elf and/or land in your graveyard, you could still choose to draw, but it doesn’t work that way -- you only draw if there is nothing to get back. But yeah, like Anticipate, and Tormenting Voice and other cards like this, I imagine you’ll cut this more than you’ll play it. Frankly, it just doesn’t do a whole lot. It doesn’t help that the Elf deck isn’t very impressive.
Skull Raid image 2.0 Mind Rot effects are often not great in Limited. In the early game, you can get a 2-for-1 with them -- but it comes at the great sacrifice of not adding to the board at all on turn 3. Then, in the late game, it tends to get worse as the game goes on, and will be a terrible draw way too often. This card gets around those problems by becoming a draw spell if your opponent odeon’t have two cards to discard, so that means that this Mind Rot has all the upside of most of them -- it can get you a 2-for-1 -- but it can still do it if your opponent has one or no cards in the hand. Now, it isn’t exactly an efficient draw spell, but that’s ok with me overall. Foretell, of course, also makes it easier to cast because you get to pay in installments.
Rimewood Falls image 3.0 Good Snow land. It gives you snow mana and fixing, and it is in colors that have some nice snow payoffs.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Provoke the Trolls
Hailstorm Valkyrie image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/2 with flying and trample is not good. By adding the ability to pump snow mana into this, you get something that is certainly better. Oftentimes your opponent will just have to take a hit from this because of the threat of activation of that ability. That said, being able to do it more than once in this format is far from a forgone conclusion, and because it has such a bad baseline, the upside doesn’t do enough to make it a whole lot better.
Skemfar Elderhall image 3.5 This is a land that can turn into a removal spell and a couple of tokens in the late game, and I’m all about that.
Provoke the Trolls image 2.5 4-mana to do 3 to anything is not an amazing deal, and it is definitely kept out of the “premium” tier of removal, but at least it can do it at instant speed. The additional upside here is that you can also use this as a combat trick, by targeting one of your own creatures to give it +5/+0. And, while that is certainly upside, it isn’t that much upside. First, you need the creature you target with it to survive, so that means it has at least 4 toughness. Second, if you’re using it to help you kill a blocking or attacking creature in combat, well -- you just 2-for-1’d yourself. Third, if you’re interested in using it to help you do lethal, it isn’t actually that much more damage than the card can do as a burn spell, since the 3 damage can just go after the opponent. So, yeah, on occasion you’ll use it for that stats boost -- but most of the time, this is just an okay removal spell.
Run Ashore image 1.5 Blue often gets an expensive spell that lets you bounce a couple of things, and it is always a decent card, and I think that’s what we’re looking at here. One nice thing here is that one of the permanents will go back to the top of an opponent’s library, which means that you are actually trading one-for-one with Run Ashore, instead of just getting some tempo. Speaking of tempo, you can often find situations where paying 6 mana results in bouncing more than 6 mana worth of stuff for your opponent, and that’s nice too. You can, of course, also use it on your own stuff if you can get benefits out of it, and that sometimes is the case. This can really help a Blue deck stabilize, or potentially end the game. Take note also that it is an instant -- lots of previous similar cards have been sorceries -- and that does open up the chance for some more significant blowouts. That said, it is super expensive and fairly situational, and not really something you can ever afford to play more than one of.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Annul image 0.0 This is a reprint, and it isn’t really one that is here to be played in Limited -- it is for constructed sideboards. It will be a rare thing in this format for people to have enough targets for this for it to be worth running, you might bring it out of your sideboard on occasion, but even then it doesn’t seem that likely to me. It is way better to have cards that destroy this type of permanent rather than counter them, because you can draw the removal after the fact and be okay. You have to have this in your hand at the exact right time for it to do something.
Ravenous Lindwurm image 2.5 This is this format’s premier Common finisher. The efficient stats and life gain it grants you can turn around a lot of games, and if you’re in a mid-range or slow Green deck, you’ll be pretty happy with the Lindwurm.
Dogged Pursuit image 1.0 Draining one life gives you inevitability, and because it is also gaining you life, it helps you to survive longer -- which in turn helps you drain more life. If you are a control deck, this seems like a decent win condition to me. Now, tapping out to play this on turn four will not always be smart, because you need to be building your board in the early game to not die, and that is a pretty significant downside. You’ll be cutting this a lot, it really takes the right deck for it to be worth it.
Glittering Frost image 2.5 This card is pretty important in the 4 and 5 color Snow decks, as it helps enable your mana while also giving you two snow permanents with a single card. It is pretty much useless in aggro decks, though.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Run Amok
Rune of Mortality image 2.5 “draw a card” to an Aura goes a long way towards making an Aura better, since it takes away a 2-for-1. The fact that these can go on any permanent means that sometimes you can effectively cycle them too, by putting them on a land if you’re manascrewed. Deathtouch is a nice keyword ability to grant, too, because it can make any creature capable of trading with any other creature, and since you drew a card off of this, a trade will feel fine.
Koma's Faithful image 2.0 This seems solid. A 3-mana 3/1 with lifelink isn’t a terrible rate -- trading for an X/3 and gaining 3 life in the process isn’t bad, and it comes with some additional upside. Now, the graveyard isn’t a huge theme in this set, but there is some synergy to be had there.
Littjara Kinseekers image 1.5 A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t very good. But, if you can trigger its ETB ability, you’re going to be pretty happy -- as a 4-mana ⅗ that scries one is a pretty good deal. Now, because it has Changeling, you will just need two other creatures with matching creature types to trigger it, and while that isn’t always going to be what your board looks like, I imagine that in the late game it won’t be that hard to trigger. The ideal thing to do would be to curve out with creatures with the same types, but that won’t always be doable. Still, this being a reasonable 4-mana 2/4 changeling in the early game, and a much more impressive card in the later part of the game makes me think this is a pretty solid common for Blue.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Run Amok image 2.5 This is a key card for aggro decks in this format. If you’re going hard in that direction, this becomes a pretty high pick. It often lets you run over an opposing creature and do opposing damage, and can result in lethal out of nowhere. It isn’t especially good in other decks, though.
Karfell Kennel-Master image 2.5 This has been solid top-curve in Black decks. It often comes down and enables 1-2 attacks that you just couldn’t have done before, and a 4/4 body is pretty good in this format.
Snakeskin Veil image 1.5 This is a decent combat trick. It doesn’t give the biggest boost ever, even for one mana. Basically with tricks, you’re looking for the ones that can do the best job of helping your creature win combat, and you want to do it as efficiently as possible. One usually expects at least a +2/+2 boost from a one mana trick, and this doesn’t deliver there. However, it does grant a creature hexproof, and that means that it also has utility outside of combat -- plus, the boost it gives is permanent, so it isn’t SUPER far away from +2/+2.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This card is very mainboardable in this format because it has lots of good targets. It still isn’t great or anything, though.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Run Amok
Ascent of the Worthy image 0.5 This card is way too difficult to set up effectively, and you should mostly not play it.
Run Amok image 2.5 This is a key card for aggro decks in this format. If you’re going hard in that direction, this becomes a pretty high pick. It often lets you run over an opposing creature and do opposing damage, and can result in lethal out of nowhere. It isn’t especially good in other decks, though.
Draugr Thought-Thief image 1.5 If you’re going to be a 3-mana 3/2, you probably need to have something going on that makes those inefficient stats worth it -- and I don’t really see that here. You get some very minor card selection, and an effect that might help you put something in your graveyard. Or, alternatively, something that lets you control your opponent’s next draw a little bit, but neither of those things is that great. It is kind of equivalent to Scry 1, but in most ways, it isn’t as good as Scry 1. You will certainly play this sometimes, but you’ll also cut it a fair bit.
Priest of the Haunted Edge image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a snow payoff that DEMANDS you have a bunch of snow lands, and you won’t always have enough to make the Priest work. You probably need 7+ snow lands to do it. However, once you do, this becomes a reasonable early blocker than is a removal spell later on, and it is something you can get back from your graveyard fairly easily. It is not very good in other decks in the format, though.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Funeral Longboat image 1.5 This is a decent vehicle. Crew 1 is just so easy to do, that this is going to just feel like a two mana 3/3 with Vigilance some of the time. And, the fact it is so easy to crew AND has vigilance, means your opponent also has to take into account while attacking you.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Elven Bow
Elven Bow image 3.0 Generally, I think it is a bad plan to just straight up cast this as Equipment – when you do that, the bonus you get from them is not very good – 3 to equip is rough for +1/+2 and Reach. So normally, you want to cast this and make the elf token – which in effect, turns this into a 3-mana 2/3 with Reach that, if it dies, leaves equipment behind. And in a lot of ways, it is better than that – because you can move the Equipment before then if there’s a reason too, and even if your creature gets shut down by an Aura or bounced, you still have the Bow.
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Duskwielder image 1.0 You’ll play this in really aggressive Black decks, but even then you’re kind of hoping you’ll get a better one drop than this! Overall, this is quickly outclassed on the board, and the Boast effect doesn’t do enough to help that.
Dread Rider image 1.0 This has some nice defensive stats and an activated ability that can close out games, but it tends to be too expensive and not powerful enough for even control decks to be interested in it.
Karfell Harbinger image 1.5 So, we see two mana 1/3s who can tap for spells relatively often, and this is a more flexible version of those, since it can also use it to foretell a card. It won’t always make a difference, but it will often enough that you’ll probably play the first copy of this in decks that are interested in spells and/or foretell, which will be lots of Blue decks.
Disdainful Stroke image 1.0 This is a card we’ve seen a lot of, and generally I don’t like running it. It is super weird in this format too, because you’ll go up against aggro decks who have 0-2 targets for this, and against snow decks who will have like 7+. I think that really means you have to start it in your sideboard, since it will be so bad against a big part of the metagame.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Arachnoform
Vault Robber image 1.0 This is something you mostly won’t play. You could do worse if you are desperate for fixing, but the fact he is reliant on stuff in the graveyard to make Treasure can be rough, and his stats aren’t very good.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This card is very mainboardable in this format because it has lots of good targets. It still isn’t great or anything, though.
Karfell Harbinger image 1.5 So, we see two mana 1/3s who can tap for spells relatively often, and this is a more flexible version of those, since it can also use it to foretell a card. It won’t always make a difference, but it will often enough that you’ll probably play the first copy of this in decks that are interested in spells and/or foretell, which will be lots of Blue decks.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Grizzled Outrider
Path to the World Tree image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a big payoff for going five colors. On its own, it provides you with some fixing, something you often want in Limited to splash powerful cards. Worth noting this can get you snow lands if that’s what you need. Where it really gets interesting, though, is if you can utilize its activated ability -- and obviously, it can help you do that because of the fixing it gives you. That ability is no joke -- you get 2 cards, 2 life, and a 2/2 bear -- while your opponent loses 2 life and an X/2 creature. That’s the kind of late game effect that will win you games. Now, how realistic is it to be able to use that ability? I mean, you probably shouldn’t count on it, but it is doable in some decks. In decks that have a lot of fixing, this turns out to be pretty great – in decks that don’t, it is pretty bad.
Open the Omenpaths image 0.0 This is a card a lot of people will play when they are desperate for fixing – but don’t do it. Ritual effects like this aren’t good in Limited, you two for one yourself for some fixing and a small mana boost, and that card disadvantage is likely to cause you to lose the game. The alternate mode this has doesn’t help make any more playable either.
Mists of Littjara image 1.5 This type of Blue removal spell is always pretty alright. The fact you can’t use it to keep a creature from still being a good blocker can be annoying sometimes, but the fact it can also shut down vehicles and has Flash do make up for that a little bit. The Flash side of it will sometimes allow you to double block and kill something, while keeping both of your creatures, and when you can make this trade 1-for-1 it is going to feel good. That won’t be the regular occurrence, I don’t think – but it will happen often enough that you’ll play this if you need removal.
Grizzled Outrider image 1.5 5-mana for a 5/5 is kind of alright. And that’s all there is to say about that.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Jaspera Sentinel
Undersea Invader image 1.0 One of the great things about flash is being able to ambush block, and you won't be doing that here because it enters tapped. It might be a giant, but it is mostly just an inefficient creature. If it wasn't a Giant you probably wouldn't play it all.
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Roots of Wisdom
Codespell Cleric image 1.0 // 2.5 So, since this is one mana, casting it as your second spell in a turn won’t be super challenging, especially in a format with Foretell. I mean, in the late game it will be a little harder, like if you’re in top deck mode, but in the early and mid-game it will just happen. For this to be worth it, it does need to be making that +1/+1 counter a significant chunk of the time, and it can do that in aggro decks. Like Battlefield Raptor, it is much better in aggressive decks than it is elsewhere.
Roots of Wisdom image 1.0 So, this card helps you mill yourself, and then gets an elf or land back from the graveyard most of the time – but not always, especially early. I do like that you get to draw a card if you can’t get a land or elf, which means that you don’t have to have a huge number of elves for it to be super okay. I do kind of wish that it would let you make the choice -- like, if you have an elf and/or land in your graveyard, you could still choose to draw, but it doesn’t work that way -- you only draw if there is nothing to get back. But yeah, like Anticipate, and Tormenting Voice and other cards like this, I imagine you’ll cut this more than you’ll play it. Frankly, it just doesn’t do a whole lot. It doesn’t help that the Elf deck isn’t very impressive.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Hailstorm Valkyrie
Hailstorm Valkyrie image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/2 with flying and trample is not good. By adding the ability to pump snow mana into this, you get something that is certainly better. Oftentimes your opponent will just have to take a hit from this because of the threat of activation of that ability. That said, being able to do it more than once in this format is far from a forgone conclusion, and because it has such a bad baseline, the upside doesn’t do enough to make it a whole lot better.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Moritte of the Frost
Doomskar image 4.5 This is a powerful board sweeper -- straight up 5 mana to blow up all creatures, or paying 5 over a couple of turns both feel pretty good. Wraths can be awkward to be sure, especially if you’re an aggro deck, but my general philosophy on cards like this is this: They have an effect that is so powerful, and so irreplaceable, that you should be taking it highly no matter what, and it should always make your deck -- provided you can cast it, of course. And yeah, sometimes you’ll look at a board and you’ll wish you just had a 4 drop to follow up your 2 and 3 drop, and that is a bit of a bummer -- but if things end up going sideways on you because you can’t do that? Guess what, you can just play Doomskar!
Surtland Frostpyre image 3.0 Doing 2 damage to everything and letting you Scry 2 is not a bad deal, especially when it comes attached to a land. You won’t always be able to get the value you want out of the ability, since maybe it hurts you more than your opponent -- but adding Scry 2 to the mix does help a little bit on that front.
Moritte of the Frost image 3.5 Clones tend to be nice because they can be whatever the best creature on the battlefield is -- or, in this case, whatever your best permanents is -- , though clones that cost 5 do start to be a little less attractive, because it is normally less likely that you’ll be able to get 5 mana’s worth of value out of it. But, the whole “two +1/+1 counters” thing is important here, and it will often make it hard for Moritte not to give you 5 mana’s worth of value. As long as you are copying something that costs 3+ mana, it will feel pretty nice -- and oftentimes you’ll get a lot more than that. I think you’ll be copying creatures with this like 90% of the time, but the fact he can also copy like an Aura that is a removal spell and stuff like that is definitely nice additional upside.
Bloodsky Berserker image 3.5 Just triggering the ability once will be enough to feel like your investment was worth it, and if you do it more than that, this Berserker will get silly in a hurry. You won’t always be able to double spell, but you’ll be able to often enough that this is a very real threat, despite only being a two drop. I mean, if on turn four you play this and another two drop, that’s a pretty darn good turn four, even if you won’t get to take advantage of the menace side of things. This card, like a lot of BW cards in this set, incentivizes having a low curve and/or a lot of Foretell. Now, he does start out very vulnerable, and there will be times where you can’t get him going, or he dies to a one-mana removal spell -- but that’s fine.
Fearless Pup image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with first strike is not that impressive, those are just stats that quickly become irrelevant, and in some games it will feel like you should have just played a four drop that is more impactful. Adding Boast to the mix obviously matters, though, and often just the threat of activation will mean that your opponent just takes hits from this thing. This is also another great creature to enhance with equipment, counters, and Auras.
Weigh Down image 3.0 -3/-3 for one Black mana is super efficient. Having to have a creature in the graveyard does mean this will often be dead in the early game, and sometimes even later than that -- but, all you have to do to make it work is trade with something, and if you’re doing that and getting the additional value out of that creature by exiling it to pay for this, it will feel pretty good. I think the first copy of this tends to really feel like premium removal, but you generally don’t want to run too many of them, as there is only so much fuel in your graveyard.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Revitalize image 0.5 This is an underwhelming reprint. A cantrip that gains you life isn’t bad, it is just one of those cards that will be the last card cut from your deck most of the time. Especially because this set doesn’t seem to have a strong life gain theme.
Dwarven Reinforcements image 2.0 Normally when you pay 4 mana for a couple of tokens, you expect a couple of 2/2s -- and that isn’t what you get here. However, Foretell does mean you can pay for this in two separate installments, which does help overcome that downside.
Funeral Longboat image 1.5 This is a decent vehicle. Crew 1 is just so easy to do, that this is going to just feel like a two mana 3/3 with Vigilance some of the time. And, the fact it is so easy to crew AND has vigilance, means your opponent also has to take into account while attacking you.
Priest of the Haunted Edge image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a snow payoff that DEMANDS you have a bunch of snow lands, and you won’t always have enough to make the Priest work. You probably need 7+ snow lands to do it. However, once you do, this becomes a reasonable early blocker than is a removal spell later on, and it is something you can get back from your graveyard fairly easily. It is not very good in other decks in the format, though.
Bound in Gold image 4.0 So, here’s White’s usual Common Aura that is a premium removal spell. For three mana this shuts down pretty much everything -- apart from static abilities -- and that’s a really good deal. Keeping the creatures from even being able to crew vehicles is a really big deal too. This is white’s best common -- it just answers pretty much everything, and does it efficiently. It has the downsides of aura-based removal of course -- like there are ways to get rid of it -- but it is worth the risk. You can also splash it easily, which really matters in this format.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Depart the Realm image 2.0 Two mana to bounce nonland permanents at Instant speed is usually fine. Bounce spells won’t always straight up trade for a card, but the tempo they give you can be worth it – and, sometimes you can get one of your opponent’s cards with this, if you bounce something that they are using a trick on or putting an Aura on. This has Foretell too, but I still don’t think it is much more than “fine”.
Snow-Covered Forest image 2.5 Green has some nice snow payoffs, and that means you should be valuing this Snow land over most average cards.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Svella, Ice Shaper
Maja, Bretagard Protector image 4.0 Anthem effects are a powerful thing, especially when they come attached to a creature. And sure, the creature itself doesn’t have the most impressive of stats, but it will typically be adding a ton of power and toughness to the board -- especially because it comes with landfall that makes a 1/1 token! The ideal thing to do with it will often be to play it and then play a land so you get at least some value if Maja dies, but given that Maja will usually reshape the board anyway, it will be pretty challenging not to get some value out of the card.
Svella, Ice Shaper image 4.5 Svella comes with reasonable stats for the cost, and the ability to make snow artifacts that provide fixing and snow mana. The late game ability to choose a card from the top four cards of your library to cast is nice additional upside, and Svella can get there surprisingly quickly thanks to the Icy Manaliths. It is definitely an amazing late-game mana sink. Svella is a bomb that, if she isn’t killed, will simply win you the game.
Giant's Amulet image 3.0 This is something of a split card. You can play it early as just the Equipment, like if you desperately need to give Hexproof to something -- but most of the time you’ll want to wait until later, when it amounts to being a 5-mana ⅘ with Hexproof about half the time, and then it leaves Equipment behind. That said, this creature doesn’t come with evasion at all, and the actual Equipment boost is a little underwhelming.
Tuskeri Firewalker image 3.0 A 3-mana 3/2 isn’t great, but its Boast effect is pretty nice. You really need to only be able to play somethin off of it once to feel good about the situation, since at that point, you’re getting a 2-for-1 in most cases. It even lets you pay lands if you exile one of them. The downside with this type of effect is often that you are unable to cast the spell you exile, and that’ll happen, but I think it’ll work out often enough that this seems pretty nice to me. Even if you just attack with it and it dies in combat, if you get a card out of the Boast, you’re doing just fine. I think this is a pretty good Red common.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Gods' Hall Guardian image 2.0 This is a Foretell card that doesn’t end up costing you extra mana in the end.. You still pay a total of six mana, but having the flexibility to pay that mana in installments -- two on one turn, 4 on another -- is nice. Plus, like most foretell cards, it lets you play something ahead of curve -- getting this down on turn 4 is pretty legit. Now, 6-mana for a 3/6 with Vigilance is far from impressive – but it is already borderline playable. It is a good defensive body that can also pressure the opponent a little bit.
Gnottvold Recluse image 2.0 Most spiders we see come with low power and high toughness. This makes them good at repeatedly blocking smaller flyers, but not so good at actually killing them. Gnottvold Recluse is different, in that it has higher power and lower toughness. This means it is going to be better at blocking and killing larger flyers, but a lot worse at repeatedly blocking flyers. 3-mana for a 4/2 line is often a borderline playable card even without Reach, and I think adding Reach to the mix here means you will feel fine about playing the first copy of this. Though, it would be nice if it were a snow permanent or something.
Feed the Serpent image 3.5 This has been surprisingly disappointing in this set. Black is a weak color overall and it isn’t easy to splash, and it is too slow to combat aggro decks. That doesn’t mean it isn’t still quite good, mind you, just that it would normally be even better. It is still easily Black’s best commons and can deal with a whole lot of stuff!
Axgard Cavalry image 2.5 This is a nice two drop. Having a bear that can give haste to stuff is really nice. If the board is such that it can’t attack itself, there’s a good chance you can play a creature that has a nice attack on the board if you can make it attack right away, and that’s what the Cavalry does. These creatures who can give haste to other creatures always seem to overperform, and I think this looks like a nice Common for Red.
Bind the Monster image 2.5 Blue does not often get super efficient Auras that are capable of getting a blocker out of the way with no problem, and in general it doesn’t usually get removal that can just straight up shut down most creatures – but that’s what this is. For one mana, this can deal entirely with most creatures, and sure – you’re going to take some damage, but I think it is worth it for the efficiency. Playing more than one of these can get a bit risky, since you only have so much life you can pay for an effect like this, but I think you pretty much always play the first copy, especially if you’re light on other removal.
Demonic Gifts image 1.5 This type of trick is usually alright. The stats boost is enough to make your creature take down larger creatures in combat, and it doesn’t really have to “win” the combat, since the Gifts will bring your creature right back if it dies. This can get especially nasty if your creature has an ETB ability. It also doesn’t hurt that it does something against most removal too. It is still a trick, and the situational nature of them keeps most of them from ever being especially good.
Beskir Shieldmate image 3.0 This is a solid two-drop. A two mana 2/1 is far from ideal, but if you can trade with this and then get a token, you’re going to feel pretty good. Overall, this is a nice two drop that will pretty much always make the cut
Snow-Covered Island image 2.5 Blue has some nice snow payoffs, and that means you should be valuing this Snow land over most average cards.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Dwarven Reinforcements
Fall of the Impostor image 3.5 Three mana for a +1/+1 counter won’t make it feel like the greatest investment ever at first, and really -- even after you get the second counter it won’t feel great either -- but hey, it does impact the board a little bit at least! The most value the card gives you is with chapter three, which will typically take down your opponent’s best creature -- and that means you spent three mana for two +1/+1 counters and a removal spell, which is actually crazy efficient! It is, of course, slow -- and sometimes you’ll really wish you could just kill their creature first, but this is still really efficient.
Rune of Mortality image 2.5 “draw a card” to an Aura goes a long way towards making an Aura better, since it takes away a 2-for-1. The fact that these can go on any permanent means that sometimes you can effectively cycle them too, by putting them on a land if you’re manascrewed. Deathtouch is a nice keyword ability to grant, too, because it can make any creature capable of trading with any other creature, and since you drew a card off of this, a trade will feel fine.
Frost Augur image 1.0 // 3.5 Drawing more cards than your opponent is a good way to win in Limited, and this little one drop can definitely enable that. You do need to have a decent chunk of Snow permanents to make it do its thing consistently, but I think 5-7 is probably enough that you run this -- even drawing once with it is great. It will certainly be possible in this set to end up with 10+ snow cards though, and when you do, that’s when you’ll be in business. It is pretty bad in a deck without that critical mass though, so keep that in mind.
Glittering Frost image 2.5 This card is pretty important in the 4 and 5 color Snow decks, as it helps enable your mana while also giving you two snow permanents with a single card. It is pretty much useless in aggro decks, though.
Undersea Invader image 1.0 One of the great things about flash is being able to ambush block, and you won't be doing that here because it enters tapped. It might be a giant, but it is mostly just an inefficient creature. If it wasn't a Giant you probably wouldn't play it all.
Deathknell Berserker image 2.0 There are a decent number of ways in this format to get the Berserker to 3 power, so he makes that 2/2 Zombie way more often than you might think! And when he does that, he feels quite good. That’s nice upside to have on an already okay creature stats-wise.
Littjara Kinseekers image 1.5 A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t very good. But, if you can trigger its ETB ability, you’re going to be pretty happy -- as a 4-mana ⅗ that scries one is a pretty good deal. Now, because it has Changeling, you will just need two other creatures with matching creature types to trigger it, and while that isn’t always going to be what your board looks like, I imagine that in the late game it won’t be that hard to trigger. The ideal thing to do would be to curve out with creatures with the same types, but that won’t always be doable. Still, this being a reasonable 4-mana 2/4 changeling in the early game, and a much more impressive card in the later part of the game makes me think this is a pretty solid common for Blue.
Raiders' Karve image 1.5 Crew 3 is kind of a lot for a 4/4 vehicle, but the fact that it will effectively ramp and draw you a card like 40% of the time does help make that look a little less ugly. If you can get the land off the top with this even once, you’re going to feel alright. That said, it isn’t exactly efficient, and I think you probably cut this a little more than you play it.
Wings of the Cosmos image 1.0 This trick is mostly not worth playing. You can use it both offensively and defensively pretty effectively, and the fact it grants flying might mean sometimes it will also let you sneak in for lethal in the air. But -- a trick is a trick. It is situational, and its risky, and it doesn’t do a whole lot to make any of that less of a problem.
Dwarven Reinforcements image 2.0 Normally when you pay 4 mana for a couple of tokens, you expect a couple of 2/2s -- and that isn’t what you get here. However, Foretell does mean you can pay for this in two separate installments, which does help overcome that downside.
Iron Verdict image 2.5 This is another “Trap card” with foretell. So, in the past, 3-mana cards that do 5-damage to attacking creatures have been solid -- and this can actually work on any tapped creature, not just attacking ones. This is better than most of the other cards like that we’ve seen because of Foretell too. Being able to put this aside and use it for a single white mana later on in the game is great -- and this type of effect is situational, so putting it aside for awhile until you need it is going to work out pretty well. Now, I still don’t think this is quite “premium” removal -- you still are paying a total of 3 mana for the effect, and it is still pretty situational. But it is a nice White common.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Snow-Covered Plains image 2.0 This is the least valuable snow land because White doesn’t care much about Snow.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Horizon Seeker
Elven Bow image 3.0 Generally, I think it is a bad plan to just straight up cast this as Equipment – when you do that, the bonus you get from them is not very good – 3 to equip is rough for +1/+2 and Reach. So normally, you want to cast this and make the elf token – which in effect, turns this into a 3-mana 2/3 with Reach that, if it dies, leaves equipment behind. And in a lot of ways, it is better than that – because you can move the Equipment before then if there’s a reason too, and even if your creature gets shut down by an Aura or bounced, you still have the Bow.
Draugr's Helm image 3.0 Two to play and four to equip for +2/+2 and Menace is just too much mana -- especially the Equip part. The good news, though, is that this normally won’t just be the equipment. If you pay 5 for it, you get a 2/2 zombie token that is equipped with it -- which means 5 for a 4/4 with Menace. That’s a decent rate, especially because if the token does die, you still have the Equipment. And, yeah, that Equip cost is pretty steep, but it also makes most creature into a threat. And, it is really just upside on a 5-mana 4/4 with Menace, and that’s not too shabby.
Tergrid's Shadow image 1.5 I tend not to be a huge fan of symmetrical edict effects in Limited. They have some really wide variance in terms of what they can do. There will certainly be board states where it devastates your opponent and doesn’t hurt you as much -- and those will be situations where you cast it. But there will also be times where it hurts you more than your opponent, and you just won’t be able to cast this card. It does have Foretell, which means that maybe if the board isn’t ideal, but you have the mana around, you can Foretell it to pay less mana for it on a single turn further down the road. And yeah, there will be times where you just foretell this on turn two, let your opponent play two creatures, and then cast the Shadow on turn four, which will be pretty nice, but you can’t count on that panning out regularly.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Grim Draugr image 2.0 This is fine. It has alright stats and it can gain some evasion in the later part of the game, giving it continued relevance.
Scorn Effigy image 1.0 This is efficient, but it doesn’t have impressive stats in the end. It can help decks with lots of double-spell payoffs, but that’s really the only place its worth it.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Axgard Cavalry image 2.5 This is a nice two drop. Having a bear that can give haste to stuff is really nice. If the board is such that it can’t attack itself, there’s a good chance you can play a creature that has a nice attack on the board if you can make it attack right away, and that’s what the Cavalry does. These creatures who can give haste to other creatures always seem to overperform, and I think this looks like a nice Common for Red.
Gods' Hall Guardian image 2.0 This is a Foretell card that doesn’t end up costing you extra mana in the end.. You still pay a total of six mana, but having the flexibility to pay that mana in installments -- two on one turn, 4 on another -- is nice. Plus, like most foretell cards, it lets you play something ahead of curve -- getting this down on turn 4 is pretty legit. Now, 6-mana for a 3/6 with Vigilance is far from impressive – but it is already borderline playable. It is a good defensive body that can also pressure the opponent a little bit.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This card is very mainboardable in this format because it has lots of good targets. It still isn’t great or anything, though.
Horizon Seeker image 3.0 This card enables splashes, makes it easier to find your snow mana, and has pretty reasonable stats. He fits into any Green deck really, and that’s nice.
Snow-Covered Mountain image 2.0 Red isn’t overflowing with snow payoffs, but this is still a snow land and those are quite useful in this format.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Gnottvold Recluse
The Three Seasons image 1.0 This has not been very good. It seems like it might be an okay snow payoff, but it turns out that getting the most out of Chapter II is difficult, and that’s not great news when Chapter I has no immediate impact on the board. Then, Chapter III is kind of a bummer, because you have to give your opponent back some cards. Now, you can choose their worst ones and all that, but I’ve seen that side of the card backfire a lot.
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Mists of Littjara image 1.5 This type of Blue removal spell is always pretty alright. The fact you can’t use it to keep a creature from still being a good blocker can be annoying sometimes, but the fact it can also shut down vehicles and has Flash do make up for that a little bit. The Flash side of it will sometimes allow you to double block and kill something, while keeping both of your creatures, and when you can make this trade 1-for-1 it is going to feel good. That won’t be the regular occurrence, I don’t think – but it will happen often enough that you’ll play this if you need removal.
Infernal Pet image 2.0 You probably need to trigger this at least once to make it worth it, and since it starts out as an inefficient 3-mana 2/2, you may even want to trigger it twice before you feel okay about stuff. While that is certainly doable, I don’t really think this is going to be one of the key double spell payoffs that you need for the deck.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Priest of the Haunted Edge image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a snow payoff that DEMANDS you have a bunch of snow lands, and you won’t always have enough to make the Priest work. You probably need 7+ snow lands to do it. However, once you do, this becomes a reasonable early blocker than is a removal spell later on, and it is something you can get back from your graveyard fairly easily. It is not very good in other decks in the format, though.
Village Rites image 1.0 This is a reprint, and not one that I thought was particularly good in Limited. For this type of card to really be something special, you need for there to be a significant sacrifice or token sub-theme, and neither seems to be an overwhelming focus of this set, though the Elf deck might do the best of taking advantage of this. It is nice that it is an instant, so you can sacrifice something after you declare a block, or in response to an opponent’s removal, but you’re basically still just doing the same sort of thing that Tormenting Voice does. Giving up two cards to get two back. And that’s not bad it just isn’t the kind of thing you will always have roomf or in your deck. Mostly, I think you’ll only play this if you’re short on playables.
Gnottvold Recluse image 2.0 Most spiders we see come with low power and high toughness. This makes them good at repeatedly blocking smaller flyers, but not so good at actually killing them. Gnottvold Recluse is different, in that it has higher power and lower toughness. This means it is going to be better at blocking and killing larger flyers, but a lot worse at repeatedly blocking flyers. 3-mana for a 4/2 line is often a borderline playable card even without Reach, and I think adding Reach to the mix here means you will feel fine about playing the first copy of this. Though, it would be nice if it were a snow permanent or something.
Vault Robber image 1.0 This is something you mostly won’t play. You could do worse if you are desperate for fixing, but the fact he is reliant on stuff in the graveyard to make Treasure can be rough, and his stats aren’t very good.
Invoke the Divine image 1.5 This set has enough good artifacts and Enchantments that this ends up having a reasonable number of targets, making it an okay thing to run in your main deck.
Grim Draugr image 2.0 This is fine. It has alright stats and it can gain some evasion in the later part of the game, giving it continued relevance.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Gnottvold Slumbermound
Weathered Runestone image 0.0 This isn’t really here for Limited, it is a hate card for constructed sideboards, and one that won’t have much of an impact on most of your games in Limited, so you should never play it.
Gnottvold Slumbermound image 3.5 Blowing up lands in this format is bigger than normal because of snow lands and this cycle, and being able to make a 4/4 at instant speed is pretty nice too.
Snakeskin Veil image 1.5 This is a decent combat trick. It doesn’t give the biggest boost ever, even for one mana. Basically with tricks, you’re looking for the ones that can do the best job of helping your creature win combat, and you want to do it as efficiently as possible. One usually expects at least a +2/+2 boost from a one mana trick, and this doesn’t deliver there. However, it does grant a creature hexproof, and that means that it also has utility outside of combat -- plus, the boost it gives is permanent, so it isn’t SUPER far away from +2/+2.
Smashing Success image 0.0 Land destruction spells are almost never worth it in Limited. This is because it often has a negligible effect on the game -- if you get it late it basically does nothing, if you get it early it might do something, but even then there is about a 50% chance that your opponent still won’t be bothered by it. And yeah, this one is an instant, can hit artifacts, and makes a treasure when it destroys artifacts, but you still shouldn’t play it.
Valor of the Worthy image 2.0 I often complain about Auras that don’t give a good boost for the mana cost, as well as auras that don’t give you value to help a 2-for-1 not feel so bad. This does kind of okay on both of those fronts, but not super well on either. The efficiency here is pretty nice when you look at the whole package - one mana for a +1/+1 Aura and a 1/1 flyer if things go wrong, but I’m still not sure I like the risk of putting this on something. +1/+1 can have an impact, but it isn’t ultra likely to be game changing, and while you only spend a single White mana, you still have some risk here, as the 1/1 you get is probably worse than whatever you put it on.
Undersea Invader image 1.0 One of the great things about flash is being able to ambush block, and you won't be doing that here because it enters tapped. It might be a giant, but it is mostly just an inefficient creature. If it wasn't a Giant you probably wouldn't play it all.
Breakneck Berserker image 2.0 Three mana 3/2s with Haste are just fine in aggressive decks. It also has a couple of useful creature types, so that’s nice.
King Harald's Revenge image 1.0 I don’t like this type of card. Sure, lure-type effects are nice, but they only really get powerful if they force EVERYTHING to block something, allowing the rest of your board to get through. This will just require one block. And yeah, sometimes this will make your creature absolutely massive, and adding Trample to that is nice -- but it still seems so clunky to me. You have to wait for the absolute right window for this to work out for you -- one where you have enough creatures for it to matter -- one where forcing the block makes a difference -- and one where your opponent doesn’t have cards in hand and mana up, since if they do, you have a good chance at getting completely blown out.
Brinebarrow Intruder image 1.0 This doesn’t seem especially good. It is easy to imagine situations where you flash it in and killed a 3/1 or something, but it is mostly too situational to be worth playing. That decrease to power just doesn’t do enough often enough. You mostly won’t play this.
Snowfield Sinkhole image 3.0 Like most of the snow dual lands that have White in them, this one isn’t quite as good as the others. Still, it provides fixing and snow mana, and that’s useful in this format.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Rune of Mortality
Rune of Mortality image 2.5 “draw a card” to an Aura goes a long way towards making an Aura better, since it takes away a 2-for-1. The fact that these can go on any permanent means that sometimes you can effectively cycle them too, by putting them on a land if you’re manascrewed. Deathtouch is a nice keyword ability to grant, too, because it can make any creature capable of trading with any other creature, and since you drew a card off of this, a trade will feel fine.
Vault Robber image 1.0 This is something you mostly won’t play. You could do worse if you are desperate for fixing, but the fact he is reliant on stuff in the graveyard to make Treasure can be rough, and his stats aren’t very good.
Codespell Cleric image 1.0 // 2.5 So, since this is one mana, casting it as your second spell in a turn won’t be super challenging, especially in a format with Foretell. I mean, in the late game it will be a little harder, like if you’re in top deck mode, but in the early and mid-game it will just happen. For this to be worth it, it does need to be making that +1/+1 counter a significant chunk of the time, and it can do that in aggro decks. Like Battlefield Raptor, it is much better in aggressive decks than it is elsewhere.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Infernal Pet image 2.0 You probably need to trigger this at least once to make it worth it, and since it starts out as an inefficient 3-mana 2/2, you may even want to trigger it twice before you feel okay about stuff. While that is certainly doable, I don’t really think this is going to be one of the key double spell payoffs that you need for the deck.
Skull Raid image 2.0 Mind Rot effects are often not great in Limited. In the early game, you can get a 2-for-1 with them -- but it comes at the great sacrifice of not adding to the board at all on turn 3. Then, in the late game, it tends to get worse as the game goes on, and will be a terrible draw way too often. This card gets around those problems by becoming a draw spell if your opponent odeon’t have two cards to discard, so that means that this Mind Rot has all the upside of most of them -- it can get you a 2-for-1 -- but it can still do it if your opponent has one or no cards in the hand. Now, it isn’t exactly an efficient draw spell, but that’s ok with me overall. Foretell, of course, also makes it easier to cast because you get to pay in installments.
Master Skald image 2.0 5-mana for a 4/4 that returns an artifact or enchantment is not a bad deal. And sure, you also need a creature in your graveyard to make it happen, but by turn 5 that won’t normally be an issue. There are lots of good Artifacts and Enchantments in this set, but the Skald is at his best with Sagas, since they are designed to eventually go to your graveyard in the first place. If you have at least one Saga, playing a Master Skald is usually a pretty good idea.
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Berg Strider image 3.5 I always like this kind of creature that taps something down when it comes into play, but they are usually only at their best if they can lock the creature down for a turn too. Berg Strider won’t always do that, but it will do it often enough, and hey, at least it does something even if you don’t have the snow mana. It is also another snow payoff that doesn’t demand 10+ snow lands, you can run it with just a few. Tapping something down even without snow mana can often enable an attack you didn’t have otherwise, and tapping something down for a turn can really swing a race in your favor, since that creature won’t be blocking or attacking. This is certainly beefier than most of these tap-down creatures are too -- it has good enough stats to be imposing on some board states.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Grizzled Outrider
Replicating Ring image 3.0 This provides great fixing, and it actually ends up making a bunch of copies more often than you might think! And all of that extra mana is also pretty good, because there are several creatures at lower rarities with snow mana activated abilities, and if you can sink that much snow mana into them, they become quite formidable.
Master Skald image 2.0 5-mana for a 4/4 that returns an artifact or enchantment is not a bad deal. And sure, you also need a creature in your graveyard to make it happen, but by turn 5 that won’t normally be an issue. There are lots of good Artifacts and Enchantments in this set, but the Skald is at his best with Sagas, since they are designed to eventually go to your graveyard in the first place. If you have at least one Saga, playing a Master Skald is usually a pretty good idea.
Ravenform image 2.0 Cards that remove a creature but then give your opponent a token tend to be really unimpressive in Limited. The efficiency is nice, and it can deal with artifacts AND creatures, but don’t underestimate the downside of giving them a 1/1 flyer. That makes it so you aren’t exactly getting a straight up 1-for-1 with the card, and aggressive decks will be especially annoyed that their removal spell still leaves a blocker around. I’m not saying this card is bad. It isn’t. It is cheap and can deal with lots of things. It also comes with Foretell upside which is nice, but this isn’t close to being premium removal.
Grizzled Outrider image 1.5 5-mana for a 5/5 is kind of alright. And that’s all there is to say about that.
Draugr Recruiter image 1.5 So, this is definitely a Boast ability that is all about the late game. The boast is expensive, and also asks for cards in the graveyard, but if you do get to use this late, and attack with this Recruiter in a situation where the best your opponent can do is trade with it or chump block it, it is going to be pretty nice. That said, by the late game, a 4-mana 3/3 won’t always be capable of making that situation happen. Sometimes, if you have something good enough in your graveyard, it will be worth the bad attack, but it is still kind of a rough deal. I think I will probably cut this a little more than I play it.
Smashing Success image 0.0 Land destruction spells are almost never worth it in Limited. This is because it often has a negligible effect on the game -- if you get it late it basically does nothing, if you get it early it might do something, but even then there is about a 50% chance that your opponent still won’t be bothered by it. And yeah, this one is an instant, can hit artifacts, and makes a treasure when it destroys artifacts, but you still shouldn’t play it.
Brinebarrow Intruder image 1.0 This doesn’t seem especially good. It is easy to imagine situations where you flash it in and killed a 3/1 or something, but it is mostly too situational to be worth playing. That decrease to power just doesn’t do enough often enough. You mostly won’t play this.
Arachnoform image 1.0 This set has a lot of nice Auras, but Arachnoform isn’t one of them. It doesn’t mitigate agains the 2-for-1, and the bonus it grants is not significant enough for me to be interested in taking a risk. +2/+2, reach, and changeling status just doesn’t do it for me.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Fearless Pup
Fearless Pup image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with first strike is not that impressive, those are just stats that quickly become irrelevant, and in some games it will feel like you should have just played a four drop that is more impactful. Adding Boast to the mix obviously matters, though, and often just the threat of activation will mean that your opponent just takes hits from this thing. This is also another great creature to enhance with equipment, counters, and Auras.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Revitalize image 0.5 This is an underwhelming reprint. A cantrip that gains you life isn’t bad, it is just one of those cards that will be the last card cut from your deck most of the time. Especially because this set doesn’t seem to have a strong life gain theme.
Dwarven Reinforcements image 2.0 Normally when you pay 4 mana for a couple of tokens, you expect a couple of 2/2s -- and that isn’t what you get here. However, Foretell does mean you can pay for this in two separate installments, which does help overcome that downside.
Funeral Longboat image 1.5 This is a decent vehicle. Crew 1 is just so easy to do, that this is going to just feel like a two mana 3/3 with Vigilance some of the time. And, the fact it is so easy to crew AND has vigilance, means your opponent also has to take into account while attacking you.
Priest of the Haunted Edge image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a snow payoff that DEMANDS you have a bunch of snow lands, and you won’t always have enough to make the Priest work. You probably need 7+ snow lands to do it. However, once you do, this becomes a reasonable early blocker than is a removal spell later on, and it is something you can get back from your graveyard fairly easily. It is not very good in other decks in the format, though.
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Axgard Cavalry
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Seize the Spoils image 1.0 This is not an efficient way to dig deeper into your library, and while it also gives you a Treasure, you mostly should avoid playing this.
Gods' Hall Guardian image 2.0 This is a Foretell card that doesn’t end up costing you extra mana in the end.. You still pay a total of six mana, but having the flexibility to pay that mana in installments -- two on one turn, 4 on another -- is nice. Plus, like most foretell cards, it lets you play something ahead of curve -- getting this down on turn 4 is pretty legit. Now, 6-mana for a 3/6 with Vigilance is far from impressive – but it is already borderline playable. It is a good defensive body that can also pressure the opponent a little bit.
Gnottvold Recluse image 2.0 Most spiders we see come with low power and high toughness. This makes them good at repeatedly blocking smaller flyers, but not so good at actually killing them. Gnottvold Recluse is different, in that it has higher power and lower toughness. This means it is going to be better at blocking and killing larger flyers, but a lot worse at repeatedly blocking flyers. 3-mana for a 4/2 line is often a borderline playable card even without Reach, and I think adding Reach to the mix here means you will feel fine about playing the first copy of this. Though, it would be nice if it were a snow permanent or something.
Axgard Cavalry image 2.5 This is a nice two drop. Having a bear that can give haste to stuff is really nice. If the board is such that it can’t attack itself, there’s a good chance you can play a creature that has a nice attack on the board if you can make it attack right away, and that’s what the Cavalry does. These creatures who can give haste to other creatures always seem to overperform, and I think this looks like a nice Common for Red.
Demonic Gifts image 1.5 This type of trick is usually alright. The stats boost is enough to make your creature take down larger creatures in combat, and it doesn’t really have to “win” the combat, since the Gifts will bring your creature right back if it dies. This can get especially nasty if your creature has an ETB ability. It also doesn’t hurt that it does something against most removal too. It is still a trick, and the situational nature of them keeps most of them from ever being especially good.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Glittering Frost
Glittering Frost image 2.5 This card is pretty important in the 4 and 5 color Snow decks, as it helps enable your mana while also giving you two snow permanents with a single card. It is pretty much useless in aggro decks, though.
Undersea Invader image 1.0 One of the great things about flash is being able to ambush block, and you won't be doing that here because it enters tapped. It might be a giant, but it is mostly just an inefficient creature. If it wasn't a Giant you probably wouldn't play it all.
Deathknell Berserker image 2.0 There are a decent number of ways in this format to get the Berserker to 3 power, so he makes that 2/2 Zombie way more often than you might think! And when he does that, he feels quite good. That’s nice upside to have on an already okay creature stats-wise.
Littjara Kinseekers image 1.5 A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t very good. But, if you can trigger its ETB ability, you’re going to be pretty happy -- as a 4-mana ⅗ that scries one is a pretty good deal. Now, because it has Changeling, you will just need two other creatures with matching creature types to trigger it, and while that isn’t always going to be what your board looks like, I imagine that in the late game it won’t be that hard to trigger. The ideal thing to do would be to curve out with creatures with the same types, but that won’t always be doable. Still, this being a reasonable 4-mana 2/4 changeling in the early game, and a much more impressive card in the later part of the game makes me think this is a pretty solid common for Blue.
Wings of the Cosmos image 1.0 This trick is mostly not worth playing. You can use it both offensively and defensively pretty effectively, and the fact it grants flying might mean sometimes it will also let you sneak in for lethal in the air. But -- a trick is a trick. It is situational, and its risky, and it doesn’t do a whole lot to make any of that less of a problem.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Snow-Covered Mountain
Guardian Gladewalker image 2.5 So, we see versions of this card all the time -- and they are always pretty nice commons for Green. The +1/+1 counter ETB trigger makes it so that it is relevant all game long -- often times a single counter is enough to enable attacks you just didn’t have before. And, you know, sometimes, this is just a two-mana 2/2, like in the early game. Adding changeling to the mix is significant upside on an already pretty good Green common.
Giant Ox image 1.0 This is kind of a cool design. A two mana 0/6 is a card that you’ll play sometimes in really controlling decks, but this guy is also capable of crewing basically everything despite being only two mana. That said, this set isn’t exactly brimming with quality Vehicles – something I am pretty disappointed about, so I still don’t think most decks will be playing him – though, pairing him with the Plow is pretty funny.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This card is very mainboardable in this format because it has lots of good targets. It still isn’t great or anything, though.
Snow-Covered Mountain image 2.0 Red isn’t overflowing with snow payoffs, but this is still a snow land and those are quite useful in this format.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Mammoth Growth
Mammoth Growth image 1.5 This is a decent trick. Paying the three mana up front isn’t the greatest deal, but the stats boost it gives is enough that it can help almost any creature win combat. The downside is the massive tempo hit you can take if your opponent can do something in response, so like with all tricks, be as careful as you can with this. Adding foretell to the mix does help reduce the downside a little bit -- since you only pay one Green mana the turn you actually use it, and you probably decided to Foretell it on a turn when you couldn’t do anything with your mana anyway, so if you do get blown out the tempo won’t be so bad.
Invoke the Divine image 1.5 This set has enough good artifacts and Enchantments that this ends up having a reasonable number of targets, making it an okay thing to run in your main deck.
Grim Draugr image 2.0 This is fine. It has alright stats and it can gain some evasion in the later part of the game, giving it continued relevance.
Pack 3 Pick 14: King Harald's Revenge
Smashing Success image 0.0 Land destruction spells are almost never worth it in Limited. This is because it often has a negligible effect on the game -- if you get it late it basically does nothing, if you get it early it might do something, but even then there is about a 50% chance that your opponent still won’t be bothered by it. And yeah, this one is an instant, can hit artifacts, and makes a treasure when it destroys artifacts, but you still shouldn’t play it.
King Harald's Revenge image 1.0 I don’t like this type of card. Sure, lure-type effects are nice, but they only really get powerful if they force EVERYTHING to block something, allowing the rest of your board to get through. This will just require one block. And yeah, sometimes this will make your creature absolutely massive, and adding Trample to that is nice -- but it still seems so clunky to me. You have to wait for the absolute right window for this to work out for you -- one where you have enough creatures for it to matter -- one where forcing the block makes a difference -- and one where your opponent doesn’t have cards in hand and mana up, since if they do, you have a good chance at getting completely blown out.
Pack 3 Pick 15: Jaspera Sentinel
Jaspera Sentinel image 2.0 The fixing this offers is a big deal for the decks trying to play 3+ colors. It doesn’t have the greatest stats, and Reach isn’t very exciting, but the mana production here is nice.
Draft Pick Overview