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Quick Draft BRO 30 November 2022

30 November 05:32 - psychatom 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (13)
1 Ashnod, Flesh Mechanist image
1 Recruitment Officer image
1 Hero of the Dunes image
1 Scrapwork Cohort image
1 Combat Thresher image
1 Boulderbranch Golem image
1 Airlift Chaplain image
1 Blanchwood Prowler image
1 Warlord's Elite image
1 Obstinate Baloth image
1 Aeronaut Cavalry image
1 Sarinth Steelseeker image
1 Argothian Sprite image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (11)
1 Go for the Throat image
2 Elsewhere Flask image
1 Mass Production image
1 Military Discipline image
1 Titania's Command image
2 Static Net image
2 Disenchant image
1 Bushwhack image
Land (16)
6 Plains image
2 Swamp image
6 Forest image
2 Evolving Wilds image
Sideboard
1 Argivian Avenger image
1 Mine Worker image
1 Burrowing Razormaw image
1 Yotian Medic image
1 Su-Chi Cave Guard image
1 Power Plant Worker image
1 No One Left Behind image
2 Energy Refractor image
1 Union of the Third Path image
1 Loran's Escape image
1 Soul-Guide Lantern image
1 Powerstone Fracture image
1 Recommission image
1 Aeronaut's Wings image
1 Corrupt image
1 Tawnos's Tinkering image
1 Shoot Down image
1 Ivory Tower image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Ashnod, Flesh Mechanist
Howling Mine image 1.0 I like drawing extra cards. I don’t like letting my opponent draw extra cards too, especially when they get to draw first – which they will once you play the Mine. Generally this benefits your opponent more than it benefits you because of that, and that really hurts this card’s value
Ashnod, Flesh Mechanist image 3.5 A one mana 1/1 Death touch is basically always a 2.5 – costing a tiny bit of mana and trading with anything is always nice -- and this one has tons of upside! Generating powerstones in exchange for creatures is useful, but Ashnod having to attack to trigger that effect isn’t so good. But that’s fine, because most of her power comes from her ability to generate Zombie tokens, which is quite the engine
Levitating Statue image 2.5 We’ve seen some spell payoffs like this in the past, and they have always been kind of underwhelming. This is because for much of the game, casting this seems like it didn’t accomplish much. After all, it is just a hunk of metal on the battlefield until you pay mana to animate it, and that’s a pretty big bummer, even in a world of powerstones. Then you jump through hoops to make it grow too. It is nice that it can sort of sit around and accumulate counters before starting to threaten your opponent, and there are certainly games where things will work out that way, but I think there will enough situations where it really lets you down
Mask of the Jadecrafter image 2.0 This is a pretty nice thing to spend powerstone mana on. It will basically never be that efficient, whether you’re using it the first time or after unearthing it, but it does give you 2 bodies in the end, and that always plays well
Mass Production image 2.5 Six mana is a bit more than I would want to pay for four tokens at Sorcery speed, but the fact that these tokens are Artifacts makes it significantly more impressive that it might look at first. It helps you go wide and triggers your artifact things.
Moment of Defiance image 2.0 This is a bit expensive for a trick that only boosts toughness by 1, which means that oftentimes your creature will also die, but it definitely makes up for that by drawing you a card. In situations where you creature does survive, you get a 2-for-1, and in situations where it doesn’t, you break even while gaining some life. It also draws you a card, checking the box for the Blue-Black deck. That seems fine to me
Perimeter Patrol image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 is solid, and this has some real upside that will let it attack a lot more effectively
Survivor of Korlis image 2.5 Soldier is a creature type that matters here, and that’s nice. This is also a good place to put counters and the like thanks to First Strike! And getting a bit of value out of the graveyard is nice too. This seems like it might be one of those one mana 1/1s we’ve seen lately that does lots of little things and the whole package turns out to be a pretty nice card
Lat-Nam Adept image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have felt pretty awful lately, but this one can grow throughout the game as you draw more cards – and that’s one of the format’s main archetypes, so this will certainly have a home in the format.
Conscripted Infantry image 2.5 A three mana 3/1 is far from ideal, but this does leave behind a 1/1 when it dies, meaning it is good sacrifice fodder
Mightstone's Animation image 3.0 In most formats this kind of effect is overwhelming, but THIS format has a ton of Powerstones running around, and paying 4 to make one into a 4/4 is definitely something you can do, especially because this can replace itself. In a pinch, you can even put it on something that is already a creature, but generally for full value you’ll want to stick this on a powerstone or other noncreature artifact, as that is far more of an upgrade. The card draw effect will also trigger the draw 2 payoffs for the Blue-Black deck.
Deadly Riposte image 2.5 This is a solid removal spell for non-aggressive decks, as removing something and gaining life goes a long way towards helping you stabilize. Meanwhile, it is pretty bad in a deck that wants to be aggressive, as you’d rather have removal that can deal with blockers, and this just doesn’t! It demands a tapped creature and the creature has to be small for this to do its job, so it certainly isn’t premium.
Machine Over Matter image 2.0 This seems pretty solid, as it will often only cost a single Blue mana, and the fact it can hit any nonland permanent makes it nicely flexible. Even if you pay 2 for this, we’ve seen that card be fine in the past. The downside about bounce, of course, is you use up a card and generally you don’t deal with one of your opponent’s – you just make them cast it again. But, if you can time this right, you can sometimes get a 1-for-1 in addition to the tempo – like if you use it in response to a trick or something.
Prison Sentence image 3.5 Arrest is always nice, and this comes with Scry 2 upside, so it is certainly premium. The format does have a sacrifice deck, which weakens a card like this, but it still looks pretty darn good.
Disfigure image 3.5 As usual, this is premium removal. It can kill a pretty wide spectrum of things for only one mana, giving you a great deal
Pack 1 Pick 2: Go for the Throat
Chromatic Star image 2.0 Because this is a noncreature spell and an artifact that replaces itself, it is going to be very playable, as multiple decks in this format care about that stuff. It also fixes your mana of course, though it is a bit clunky if you’re just using it for those purposes
Dreams of Steel and Oil image 2.5 This is a very efficient way to disrupt the opponent, and it can hit a whole lot of cards in the format. I’m usually not super high on discard, but when it gets down to a single mana and allows you to hit the majority of cards in the format, I’m on board. It is nice that you even get to exile something, which will often at least take away something with Unearth or something like that. That isn’t quite a 2-for-1, but if you hit a card in hand and a card they could use in their graveyard, you’re getting a good deal. Don’t get me wrong – it still isn’t great. The fail case on the card – where you don’t hit anything - is still pretty ugly and will feel like you’re mulliganing
Argivian Avenger image 2.0 This is a fun reference to lots of older cards with similar abilities, but I think this seems fairly underwhelming overall, even in a format where powerstones will make casting it and using its abilities easier. It just has such underwhelming base stats, and while gaining key words is nice and all, the fact its stats get worse when you do it doesn’t have me that interested
Go for the Throat image 4.0 As usual, this is a premium removal spell. Yes, the set has lots of Artifact creatures – but that was true last time we saw this card too. It still kills 80+% of the creatures in the set at a very efficient rate
Wing Commando image 3.5 We have seen a three mana 2/2 Flyer with Prowess before, and it was really good, and I think this will be too. This will be a 3/3 a significant chunk of the time, and any time you attack your opponent with it they have to consider the threat of activation, often making it very hard to block this.
Tocasia's Dig Site image 1.5 This isn’t great for your mana, but having a repeatable source of Surveil is going to be worth it in some decks, because it can both laid your graveyard and improve your card quality. Three mana is a lot for sure, and that’s an ability you’ll only be using when you have nothing better to do – but hey, it will find you something to do eventually!
Tower Worker image 2.0 Ramp is a real thing in this format, so this will certainly be seeing some play. Getting the other two Assembly-Workers in play at the same time is a fun goal, but don’t count on it
Carrion Locust image 2.0 Incidental graveyard hate is going to be nice in this format, as there are plenty of things that will be nice to exile – especially Unearth creatures. It comes attached to a reasonable flyer, and sometimes you’ll even make your opponent lose a life
Argothian Opportunist image 3.0 This seems like a bread-and-butter Common for Green decks. It has passable stats and gets you some power stone ramp going.
Recommission image 1.5 If you can consistently get back a 3 mana creature with this, it is going to feel pretty dang good, as your creature will easily be worth more than 2 mana. The problem is that you have to set this up and have the right deck make up. And while those things are doable, there will certainly be times where this is stuck in your hand.
Rust Goliath image 3.0 A 5-mana ⅗ with Reach and Trample isn’t great, neither is a 10-mana 10/10 with Reach and Trample. However, the fact you can cast this as an okayish creature for five or cast it in the late game as a big monster is pretty nice, and I feel like powerstone decks will love this card, since it can become a pretty real win condition for them
Airlift Chaplain image 3.0 Chances are decent you’ll hit something you can get back with the mill trigger, and if you don’t or choose not to get something back, you get a three mana 2/2 with Flying that loaded your graveyard some, which is pretty nice.
Mishra's Domination image 1.5 This has some nice flexibility, as it can be a decent removal spell for an aggro deck or a way to buff a creature. It doesn’t do either thing well, though
Veteran's Powerblade image 1.5 One mana to equip this is pretty nice, but three to cast is always going to feel pretty ugly. Still, it makes your solder tokens into 3/1s, which means they can swing in most cases! Obviously works with other soldiers too, but I don’t really feel like this is the soldier payoff you’re really hoping for when you draft the UW deck.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Recruitment Officer
Spotter Thopter image 3.0 A 4-mana ⅔ that scries 2 is a 2.5 at very worst. Scrying 2 isn’t that far off from drawing a card! So, the fact it has late-game upside as an 8-mana ⅘ that Scries 4 is pretty nice.
Recruitment Officer image 3.0 This has nice base stats that can allow it to do some significant damage early, and a mana sink ability that can do some pretty serious work in the late game. It is definitely the least useful in the middle part of the game, when it isn’t big enough to matter and you don’t really have the mana to spend on the ability.
Involuntary Cooldown image 2.0 This makes the creatures you target with it tapped for three different attacks on your part, and that’s certainly pretty potent. The downside is that this doesn’t fully remove the cards, only temporarily getting them out of the way, and sometimes you’ll still have static and activated abilities to worry about. Still, with a Prowess deck in this format, this seems like a nice play in that type of deck.
Machine Over Matter image 2.0 This seems pretty solid, as it will often only cost a single Blue mana, and the fact it can hit any nonland permanent makes it nicely flexible. Even if you pay 2 for this, we’ve seen that card be fine in the past. The downside about bounce, of course, is you use up a card and generally you don’t deal with one of your opponent’s – you just make them cast it again. But, if you can time this right, you can sometimes get a 1-for-1 in addition to the tempo – like if you use it in response to a trick or something.
Aeronaut Cavalry image 3.0 You often end up paying 5 mana for 4/5 worth of stats here, and ¾ of it has flying! That’s a pretty good deal, and the format has plenty of soldiers for this to do its thing, especially in Blue-White.
Gaea's Gift image 2.0 This is a nice trick. In addition to doing a good job of helping a creature win combat, the slew of keywords it gets makes it so you can blank most removal when you cast it. We’ve seen a lot o tricks like this of late, and they’ve all ended up being a card you always want one or two of in aggressive decks, and I think that’s what we have here
Military Discipline image 1.5 The turn you cast this, it will definitely help your creature win combat, and then you get a permanent +1/+0 effect to stick around. This will definitely generate some serious tempo sometimes, allowing your creature to survive against something that costs a lot more mana! It does have the inherent risks auras have, and you have to be careful about playing this, but I think this seems solid.
Phalanx Vanguard image 2.5 A two mana 2/2 with Vigilance is right around a 2.0, so the fact that the power on this thing will go up pretty often makes it a solid two drop.
Bitter Reunion image 1.5 This is a neat take on a Tormented Voice-type effect. While the UR deck in this format cares about spells, it actually cares about all non-creature spells, so this will still trigger them like Tormented Voice would. The ability to give haste to your whole board will come up sometimes too. I think you probably cut this most of the time in any deck that doesn’t care about spells, and even in the spell deck it probably isn’t the card you’re happily shoving in your deck
Trench Stalker image 2.0 If this always had death touch and life link, it would be a 3.5. That’s just a very real creature that can’t be ignored! Unfortunately, it doesn’t always have those keywords – though getting them online will be easy enough in the Blue-Black deck.
Citanul Stalwart image 2.0 Even with powerstones, it can be a little tricky finding a way to consistently use this to fix and ramp your mana. There will be times where you just can’t do it, and its an ability that isn’t that great in the late game. That said, this format does have many payoffs for doing such a thing, and the powerstones certainly make this better.
Union of the Third Path image 1.0 Three mana to draw one card is abysmal. Adding life gain to the mix certainly improves things, although the fact this format doesn’t have a life gain deck makes that matter a lot less. I think you’ll cut this more than you play it, it just doesn’t seem impactful enough overall
Stern Lesson image 2.5 This is a solid card that will slot nicely into the spell decks and the artifact decks – especially the ramp-oriented artifact deck. Three mana to draw two and discard one on its own on an instant is usually kind of alright, and I do think the Powerstone upside here is enough for this to be a one-of in most Blue decks in the format. Any noncreature spell that draws you cards will be welcome in Blue-Red too.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Hero of the Dunes
No One Left Behind image 3.5 This is a really cool design for a reanimation spell. We see 5 mana reanimation spells all the time, and most of them are duds because the set up of having something worth reanimating in your graveyard is surprisingly challenging in formats without a dedicated reanimator-type deck. This makes up for that in a big way, since you can reanimate 3 mana things for only two mana. In other words, setting this up so it is actually worth using is way, way easier than most versions of this effect we have seen before, and it still has the same super powerful top end of being able to reanimate a massive bomb or something. Black decks look well-positioned to take advantage of this. I’m pretty high on this
Heavyweight Demolisher image 2.0 A 7-mana 8/6 with Menace is no joke..but it isn’t so good that I like the fact that it punishes you by making you pay three mana just to untap it. The Unearth upside is sweet of course, as your opponent has to account for it or end up dying in the late game, but the untap tax is enough for me to really feel like I won’t always be happy about playing this
Hero of the Dunes image 4.0 This looks like a pretty impressive signpost Uncommon! The stat-line is bad, but everything beyond that is quite impressive. It directly reanimates a small creature to the battlefield, that on its own already has me pretty interested, so the fact it also buffs all of your low CMC creatures – including the one it brings back – really has me excited. This feels like a signpost uncommon that pulls you into its color pair
Raze to the Ground image 2.5 This format does have a ton of Artifacts, so this will usually have a target, many of which will be creatures. And its also nice that it can draw you a card when it hits a cheap artifact. In a pinch you could even go after your own powerstone! However…it is a little overcosted and clunky to be that good. Three mana to kill only one permanent type, even one that is relatively plentiful in the set, just isn’t a great rate. The uncounterable clause only matters a tiny bit here too. I mean, I don’t think this is bad at all – but I think some people will see this and think it is premium, but it just won’t be
Wasteful Harvest image 1.5 This format does have a deck that really wants to mill cards, but I’m still not super into this. Three mana to get a single permanent back from the graveyard is pretty underwhelming, even with mill attached. I’d much rather impact the board and mill myself at the same time, and there are ways to do that in the format
Yotian Medic image 2.0 This is a solid little defensive creature. It can block for a lot of the game while giving you back some life, which is certainly going to be a pain for aggro decks
Kill-Zone Acrobat image 2.0 There are plenty of expendable things to give up to give this flying when it needs it to get in for damage – whether you’re giving up powerstones or creatures with unearth
Gixian Skullflayer image 2.0 This is a nice little payoff for getting creatures in your graveyard, a strategy that looks to be well supported in the format. I do wish this enabled itself a little bit, like by milling a single card or something – but it will be able to grow with relative ease in Black/Green decks especially
Desynchronize image 2.0 5 mana is a lot, and while this does let you trade 1-for-1, since it doesn’t just bounce the permanent – it puts it on top or bottom of your opponent’s library – it also doesn’t do a great job of dealing with some really problematic permanents, which your opponent can just draw again.
Tomakul Honor Guard image 2.0 This has solid stats, and cheap removal will cost extra to destroy it! The format does have a bunch of 1/1 tokens, though, and that always makes a 3/1 sad
Goblin Blast-Runner image 2.0 This seems like a pretty nice sacrifice payoff at Common. A 3/2 with Menace can swing effectively for a long time, and sometimes it will be bigger! At the same time, it will also be a ½ a decent chunk of the time, and that’s not so good
Trench Stalker image 2.0 If this always had death touch and life link, it would be a 3.5. That’s just a very real creature that can’t be ignored! Unfortunately, it doesn’t always have those keywords – though getting them online will be easy enough in the Blue-Black deck.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Elsewhere Flask
Elsewhere Flask image 1.5 This replaces itself, and that is enough in this format for it to be decent enough, since the UR deck likes casting nocnreature spells and several decks like artifacts. It can also fix your mana a bit, but that’s a small part of what this card does.
Forging the Anchor image 1.5 It seems like most of the time this is just going to be a Divination – and one that you had to do some work with in order to actually draw two cards. Hitting three things with this will start to feel significantly better, and it is certainly a possibility in an artifact-heavy set, but the flip side of that is hitting 0-1 things. On average, this probably ends up worse than Divination, but it also has a higher ceiling.
Dreams of Steel and Oil image 2.5 This is a very efficient way to disrupt the opponent, and it can hit a whole lot of cards in the format. I’m usually not super high on discard, but when it gets down to a single mana and allows you to hit the majority of cards in the format, I’m on board. It is nice that you even get to exile something, which will often at least take away something with Unearth or something like that. That isn’t quite a 2-for-1, but if you hit a card in hand and a card they could use in their graveyard, you’re getting a good deal. Don’t get me wrong – it still isn’t great. The fail case on the card – where you don’t hit anything - is still pretty ugly and will feel like you’re mulliganing
Tomakul Scrapsmith image 2.5 You either get a three mana 3/2, or a three mana 2/1 that draws you an Artifact. Obviously the latter option is the better one, and this would be at least a 3.5 if that’s what it was – but it will only do that half the time, and the 3/2 option is less exciting. It also takes a bit of a hti because Red is not very interested in the graveyard in this set, so loading it up a little bit is unlikely to give you any extra value
Unleash Shell image 3.0 5 mana is a lot, but at least its an Instant! It can deal with most creatures in the format too, and Shocking your opponent in the face when you use it is definitely some decent additional upside. The problem with paying 5 for this effect is you’’ll often have to use it on a creature that costs less, and you’re losing some serious tempo when you do that – and sometimes you just can’t get the mana to deal with a cheap creature and that’s a problem too. You don’t really want more than one of these most of the time, because they are so expensive, but I do think the first copy should be valued reasonably highly
Mightstone's Animation image 3.0 In most formats this kind of effect is overwhelming, but THIS format has a ton of Powerstones running around, and paying 4 to make one into a 4/4 is definitely something you can do, especially because this can replace itself. In a pinch, you can even put it on something that is already a creature, but generally for full value you’ll want to stick this on a powerstone or other noncreature artifact, as that is far more of an upgrade. The card draw effect will also trigger the draw 2 payoffs for the Blue-Black deck.
Burrowing Razormaw image 2.0 This has some reasonable stats and does a good job of loading your graveyard
Depth Charge Colossus image 1.0 I don’t love this. Both modes are pretty inefficient for a creature you have to pay extra mana for to untap. Even with powerstones I don’t think I’m playing this.
Scrapwork Rager image 3.0 This is a fun reference to Phyrexian Rager. When you cast it, it is a little bit worse, since you pay one more mana for the same effect – but the Unearth side of things means this bad boy gives you a 2-for-1, and that’s pretty nice.
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Mine Worker image 1.5 If this format had a life gain deck, it would be way better. As is, it is fairly mediocre, as it has poor stats and an ability that doesn’t really do enough. Obviously if you can get the Tron going here you’re going to be happier, but even with all three at Common, I wouldn’t count on that
Pack 1 Pick 6: Scrapwork Cohort
Sardian Cliffstomper image 1.0 // 2.5 This isn’t especially impressive to me, even if you end up in mono-red – and it is pretty much unplayable if you’re not in mono-red. Sure, it can get some high power, but without evasion to take advantage of it, I’m not that excited about it. And yeah, it only costs two mana, but the fact it only starts doing its thing once you have four mountains is a pretty big hurdle
Gaea's Gift image 2.0 This is a nice trick. In addition to doing a good job of helping a creature win combat, the slew of keywords it gets makes it so you can blank most removal when you cast it. We’ve seen a lot o tricks like this of late, and they’ve all ended up being a card you always want one or two of in aggressive decks, and I think that’s what we have here
Scrapwork Mutt image 2.5 A three mana 2/1 that rummages when it ETBS is probably a 1.5, and I think adding Unearth to the mix is some real upside, since you get the ETB all over again. This looks like it can nicely set up graveyard and artifact payoffs.
Mine Worker image 1.5 If this format had a life gain deck, it would be way better. As is, it is fairly mediocre, as it has poor stats and an ability that doesn’t really do enough. Obviously if you can get the Tron going here you’re going to be happier, but even with all three at Common, I wouldn’t count on that
Union of the Third Path image 1.0 Three mana to draw one card is abysmal. Adding life gain to the mix certainly improves things, although the fact this format doesn’t have a life gain deck makes that matter a lot less. I think you’ll cut this more than you play it, it just doesn’t seem impactful enough overall
Sibling Rivalry image 0.5 // 3.0 This format has a very real Sacrifice deck in it, meaning that Sibling Rivalry is going to be pretty well-positioned, as the best thing to do with these is to steal an opposing creature or artifact and sacrifice it to one of your sacrifice outlets – like the Minotaur we saw earlier. This also gives you a powerstone, which gives you something else to sacrifice in many cases! This is definitely a build around, as it isn’t very good in just any deck in the format
Scrapwork Cohort image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/1 that makes a 1/1 token is a playable card, especially in a format where one card making multiple artifacts matters. So, the fact it can Unearth and leave behind some permanent value in the form of that 1/1 is some nice late game upside to have.
Fallaji Archaeologist image 2.5 This is a cool design. It will either be a two mana ¼ – which is passable – or a two mana 0/3 that gets you something from the graveyard. Now, keep in mind you only get the card back if it is among those that are milled – and this only hits noncreature nonlands, so you may wiff sometimes. But if you’re a spell heavy deck in the format – which generally means UR – it seems like this will do what you want it to do most of the time, and at least you get a consolation prize if you do wiff.
Dwarven Forge-Chanter image 3.0 Back in Khans of Tarkir there was a White two mana 1/3 with Prowess and it was a really nice common – so, adding Ward – Pay 2 life to that also makes for a pretty sweet common! A creature with Prowess is always really obnoxious to block or attack into, since you never know what your opponent might be able to do. The threat of activation is very real! This is a great two drop for Blue-Red decks, and lots of other Red decks will have enough non-creature spells to have a pretty good time with this
Thraxodemon image 2.0 This is a bear with some decent upside – giving up a creature or artifact to draw a card is nice, though I don’t love paying three mana for the effect – but powerstones will soften the blow some
Pack 1 Pick 7: Loran's Escape
Soul-Guide Lantern image 2.0 This is another artifact that replaces itself, making it useful in the format. It also hates on the graveyard – something else of value in a format with Unearth and a couple of graveyard decks. You can main deck this pretty happily
Pyrrhic Blast image 2.5 We see these sacrifice effects a lot and they are usually kind of a pain to use, since you 2-for-1 yourself! But this gets around that by replacing itself with a draw a card effect. You can also hit any player with it, so it can finish someone off which is cool. Now, it still does require some set up that is surprisingly awkward sometimes – like you need a creature with high enough power or some sacrifice synergy or this can fall pretty flat. It is an Instant, so you can use it in response to removal and stuff which helps
Defabricate image 0.5 This set might have a lot of artifacts and enchantments in it, but I’m still thinking this is a bit too narrow to be good in your main deck. It can counter activated or triggered abilities, which gives it some additional uses – but it is often hard to get a full card back when you counter one of those. Yeah, this still feels like sideboard material.
Yotian Frontliner image 2.0 This will be pretty sweet to play on turn one, because it is likely to get in and buff other creatures in the process. However, even with Unearth, it has diminishing turns as the game goes on, because it just won’t survive attacking on very many boards. Basically, you end up paying a couple of mana to buff a creature twice, and I’m not super impressed by that. It is both an artifact and a soldier, which this format cares about, and that helps some.
Loran's Escape image 2.0 These effects have been playing pretty well lately, and I think that’s probably the case here too. Blanking removal and various other effects while also improving a creature’s ability to win combat is pretty solid.
Swiftgear Drake image 1.5 5-mana for a 2/4 with Flying and Haste isn’t amazing, but it isn’t a completely terrible rate either – probably something like a D+, so the ETB upside here is kind of nice. You can get rid of some graveyard action your opponent is utilizing, or you can put a card back on the bottom of your library that you want to draw later
Goblin Blast-Runner image 2.0 This seems like a pretty nice sacrifice payoff at Common. A 3/2 with Menace can swing effectively for a long time, and sometimes it will be bigger! At the same time, it will also be a ½ a decent chunk of the time, and that’s not so good
Penregon Strongbull image 3.0 This looks pretty sweet. There are plenty of artifacts to sacrifice, including the powerstones that can help pay for the ability, which effectively makes this say “Sacrifice a powerstone: It gets +1/+1 and deals 1 damage to an opponent.” The ability is just very affordable, and this creature attacking with a few artifacts in play is going to be a pretty sizable problem. Love that it also damages the opponent, giving it the capability of doing some very significant damage if it goes unblocked
Tower Worker image 2.0 Ramp is a real thing in this format, so this will certainly be seeing some play. Getting the other two Assembly-Workers in play at the same time is a fun goal, but don’t count on it
Pack 1 Pick 8: Powerstone Fracture
Pyrrhic Blast image 2.5 We see these sacrifice effects a lot and they are usually kind of a pain to use, since you 2-for-1 yourself! But this gets around that by replacing itself with a draw a card effect. You can also hit any player with it, so it can finish someone off which is cool. Now, it still does require some set up that is surprisingly awkward sometimes – like you need a creature with high enough power or some sacrifice synergy or this can fall pretty flat. It is an Instant, so you can use it in response to removal and stuff which helps
Powerstone Fracture image 2.5 In case you didn’t get it from the card’s name, the ideal thing to do here is going to be to sacrifice a powerstone. In that case, you aren’t using up a real card – and that’s good, because giving up a real card to cast this is pretty bad. It is basically a wore bone splinters, and it isn’t like bone splinters is an incredible card. I still think this falls below premium removal because of the set up needed to make it decent
Bitter Reunion image 1.5 This is a neat take on a Tormented Voice-type effect. While the UR deck in this format cares about spells, it actually cares about all non-creature spells, so this will still trigger them like Tormented Voice would. The ability to give haste to your whole board will come up sometimes too. I think you probably cut this most of the time in any deck that doesn’t care about spells, and even in the spell deck it probably isn’t the card you’re happily shoving in your deck
Urza's Rebuff image 1.5 Adding a second mode to Cancel is definitely an upgrade, but Cancel is usually a D+. Three mana counter spells that cost two blue ask a little too much of you – that’s a lot of mana to leave up - but its nice you can use this to tap some stuff down too.
Yotian Medic image 2.0 This is a solid little defensive creature. It can block for a lot of the game while giving you back some life, which is certainly going to be a pain for aggro decks
Fog of War image 0.0 Fogs are unplayable in Limited. You spend a card to delay the inevitable in most cases.
Mine Worker image 1.5 If this format had a life gain deck, it would be way better. As is, it is fairly mediocre, as it has poor stats and an ability that doesn’t really do enough. Obviously if you can get the Tron going here you’re going to be happier, but even with all three at Common, I wouldn’t count on that
Machine Over Matter image 2.0 This seems pretty solid, as it will often only cost a single Blue mana, and the fact it can hit any nonland permanent makes it nicely flexible. Even if you pay 2 for this, we’ve seen that card be fine in the past. The downside about bounce, of course, is you use up a card and generally you don’t deal with one of your opponent’s – you just make them cast it again. But, if you can time this right, you can sometimes get a 1-for-1 in addition to the tempo – like if you use it in response to a trick or something.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Mass Production
Levitating Statue image 2.5 We’ve seen some spell payoffs like this in the past, and they have always been kind of underwhelming. This is because for much of the game, casting this seems like it didn’t accomplish much. After all, it is just a hunk of metal on the battlefield until you pay mana to animate it, and that’s a pretty big bummer, even in a world of powerstones. Then you jump through hoops to make it grow too. It is nice that it can sort of sit around and accumulate counters before starting to threaten your opponent, and there are certainly games where things will work out that way, but I think there will enough situations where it really lets you down
Mass Production image 2.5 Six mana is a bit more than I would want to pay for four tokens at Sorcery speed, but the fact that these tokens are Artifacts makes it significantly more impressive that it might look at first. It helps you go wide and triggers your artifact things.
Moment of Defiance image 2.0 This is a bit expensive for a trick that only boosts toughness by 1, which means that oftentimes your creature will also die, but it definitely makes up for that by drawing you a card. In situations where you creature does survive, you get a 2-for-1, and in situations where it doesn’t, you break even while gaining some life. It also draws you a card, checking the box for the Blue-Black deck. That seems fine to me
Survivor of Korlis image 2.5 Soldier is a creature type that matters here, and that’s nice. This is also a good place to put counters and the like thanks to First Strike! And getting a bit of value out of the graveyard is nice too. This seems like it might be one of those one mana 1/1s we’ve seen lately that does lots of little things and the whole package turns out to be a pretty nice card
Lat-Nam Adept image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have felt pretty awful lately, but this one can grow throughout the game as you draw more cards – and that’s one of the format’s main archetypes, so this will certainly have a home in the format.
Conscripted Infantry image 2.5 A three mana 3/1 is far from ideal, but this does leave behind a 1/1 when it dies, meaning it is good sacrifice fodder
Mightstone's Animation image 3.0 In most formats this kind of effect is overwhelming, but THIS format has a ton of Powerstones running around, and paying 4 to make one into a 4/4 is definitely something you can do, especially because this can replace itself. In a pinch, you can even put it on something that is already a creature, but generally for full value you’ll want to stick this on a powerstone or other noncreature artifact, as that is far more of an upgrade. The card draw effect will also trigger the draw 2 payoffs for the Blue-Black deck.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Argivian Avenger
Dreams of Steel and Oil image 2.5 This is a very efficient way to disrupt the opponent, and it can hit a whole lot of cards in the format. I’m usually not super high on discard, but when it gets down to a single mana and allows you to hit the majority of cards in the format, I’m on board. It is nice that you even get to exile something, which will often at least take away something with Unearth or something like that. That isn’t quite a 2-for-1, but if you hit a card in hand and a card they could use in their graveyard, you’re getting a good deal. Don’t get me wrong – it still isn’t great. The fail case on the card – where you don’t hit anything - is still pretty ugly and will feel like you’re mulliganing
Argivian Avenger image 2.0 This is a fun reference to lots of older cards with similar abilities, but I think this seems fairly underwhelming overall, even in a format where powerstones will make casting it and using its abilities easier. It just has such underwhelming base stats, and while gaining key words is nice and all, the fact its stats get worse when you do it doesn’t have me that interested
Tocasia's Dig Site image 1.5 This isn’t great for your mana, but having a repeatable source of Surveil is going to be worth it in some decks, because it can both laid your graveyard and improve your card quality. Three mana is a lot for sure, and that’s an ability you’ll only be using when you have nothing better to do – but hey, it will find you something to do eventually!
Tower Worker image 2.0 Ramp is a real thing in this format, so this will certainly be seeing some play. Getting the other two Assembly-Workers in play at the same time is a fun goal, but don’t count on it
Rust Goliath image 3.0 A 5-mana ⅗ with Reach and Trample isn’t great, neither is a 10-mana 10/10 with Reach and Trample. However, the fact you can cast this as an okayish creature for five or cast it in the late game as a big monster is pretty nice, and I feel like powerstone decks will love this card, since it can become a pretty real win condition for them
Veteran's Powerblade image 1.5 One mana to equip this is pretty nice, but three to cast is always going to feel pretty ugly. Still, it makes your solder tokens into 3/1s, which means they can swing in most cases! Obviously works with other soldiers too, but I don’t really feel like this is the soldier payoff you’re really hoping for when you draft the UW deck.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Military Discipline
Machine Over Matter image 2.0 This seems pretty solid, as it will often only cost a single Blue mana, and the fact it can hit any nonland permanent makes it nicely flexible. Even if you pay 2 for this, we’ve seen that card be fine in the past. The downside about bounce, of course, is you use up a card and generally you don’t deal with one of your opponent’s – you just make them cast it again. But, if you can time this right, you can sometimes get a 1-for-1 in addition to the tempo – like if you use it in response to a trick or something.
Military Discipline image 1.5 The turn you cast this, it will definitely help your creature win combat, and then you get a permanent +1/+0 effect to stick around. This will definitely generate some serious tempo sometimes, allowing your creature to survive against something that costs a lot more mana! It does have the inherent risks auras have, and you have to be careful about playing this, but I think this seems solid.
Phalanx Vanguard image 2.5 A two mana 2/2 with Vigilance is right around a 2.0, so the fact that the power on this thing will go up pretty often makes it a solid two drop.
Trench Stalker image 2.0 If this always had death touch and life link, it would be a 3.5. That’s just a very real creature that can’t be ignored! Unfortunately, it doesn’t always have those keywords – though getting them online will be easy enough in the Blue-Black deck.
Union of the Third Path image 1.0 Three mana to draw one card is abysmal. Adding life gain to the mix certainly improves things, although the fact this format doesn’t have a life gain deck makes that matter a lot less. I think you’ll cut this more than you play it, it just doesn’t seem impactful enough overall
Pack 1 Pick 12: No One Left Behind
No One Left Behind image 3.5 This is a really cool design for a reanimation spell. We see 5 mana reanimation spells all the time, and most of them are duds because the set up of having something worth reanimating in your graveyard is surprisingly challenging in formats without a dedicated reanimator-type deck. This makes up for that in a big way, since you can reanimate 3 mana things for only two mana. In other words, setting this up so it is actually worth using is way, way easier than most versions of this effect we have seen before, and it still has the same super powerful top end of being able to reanimate a massive bomb or something. Black decks look well-positioned to take advantage of this. I’m pretty high on this
Heavyweight Demolisher image 2.0 A 7-mana 8/6 with Menace is no joke..but it isn’t so good that I like the fact that it punishes you by making you pay three mana just to untap it. The Unearth upside is sweet of course, as your opponent has to account for it or end up dying in the late game, but the untap tax is enough for me to really feel like I won’t always be happy about playing this
Desynchronize image 2.0 5 mana is a lot, and while this does let you trade 1-for-1, since it doesn’t just bounce the permanent – it puts it on top or bottom of your opponent’s library – it also doesn’t do a great job of dealing with some really problematic permanents, which your opponent can just draw again.
Goblin Blast-Runner image 2.0 This seems like a pretty nice sacrifice payoff at Common. A 3/2 with Menace can swing effectively for a long time, and sometimes it will be bigger! At the same time, it will also be a ½ a decent chunk of the time, and that’s not so good
Pack 1 Pick 13: Energy Refractor
Forging the Anchor image 1.5 It seems like most of the time this is just going to be a Divination – and one that you had to do some work with in order to actually draw two cards. Hitting three things with this will start to feel significantly better, and it is certainly a possibility in an artifact-heavy set, but the flip side of that is hitting 0-1 things. On average, this probably ends up worse than Divination, but it also has a higher ceiling.
Dreams of Steel and Oil image 2.5 This is a very efficient way to disrupt the opponent, and it can hit a whole lot of cards in the format. I’m usually not super high on discard, but when it gets down to a single mana and allows you to hit the majority of cards in the format, I’m on board. It is nice that you even get to exile something, which will often at least take away something with Unearth or something like that. That isn’t quite a 2-for-1, but if you hit a card in hand and a card they could use in their graveyard, you’re getting a good deal. Don’t get me wrong – it still isn’t great. The fail case on the card – where you don’t hit anything - is still pretty ugly and will feel like you’re mulliganing
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Union of the Third Path
Gaea's Gift image 2.0 This is a nice trick. In addition to doing a good job of helping a creature win combat, the slew of keywords it gets makes it so you can blank most removal when you cast it. We’ve seen a lot o tricks like this of late, and they’ve all ended up being a card you always want one or two of in aggressive decks, and I think that’s what we have here
Union of the Third Path image 1.0 Three mana to draw one card is abysmal. Adding life gain to the mix certainly improves things, although the fact this format doesn’t have a life gain deck makes that matter a lot less. I think you’ll cut this more than you play it, it just doesn’t seem impactful enough overall
Pack 1 Pick 15: Soul-Guide Lantern
Soul-Guide Lantern image 2.0 This is another artifact that replaces itself, making it useful in the format. It also hates on the graveyard – something else of value in a format with Unearth and a couple of graveyard decks. You can main deck this pretty happily
Pack 2 Pick 1: Titania's Command
Foundry Inspector image 3.5 This looks amazing in this format, because most decks are going to have 7+ artifacts, and some will have even more! This makes your artifacts easy to cast while adding a very real body to the board – that makes it a heck of a lot better than something like Cloud Key.
Titania's Command image 5.0 The Commands are all great, but this one is the best for Limited. You’ll probably most frequently choose to make two 2/2 bears and put two +1/+1 counters on each creature you control. At worst, that’s 6 mana for two 8/8s – and there is no way that you don’t have more of a board! You do have the other options of course, but the other two options are far more situational and generally less powerful too. So this might have fewer really good options, but you can just choose those two every time and this will feel like a bomb
Take Flight image 3.5 This is quite the Aura! +1/+0 and Flying is going to make a lot of creatures problematic, and because you get to draw a card when your creature attacks, it helps get around the dangerous 2-for-1 downside that is inherent with an Aura. If the creature you put this on is allowed to continue unchecked, you’re just going to win.
Transmogrant Altar image 1.0 // 3.0 There is a pretty real sacrifice deck in this format, so I am very intrigued by this. There is plenty of fodder and payoffs for sacrificing, so generating extra value when you use either of these abilities isn’t far-fetched, and that seems pretty darn good. In that sort of deck, this looks like it could be a very real engine. I think it needs a build around grade for sure, as it probably doesn’t make sense outside of Black-Red. If you can’t get some extra stuff out of sacrificing things, this isn’t nearly as good.
Corrupt image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a pretty sweet reprint, and it gives you a very good reason to go really hard into Black, especially if you get multiples! This can be a very real win condition or an excellent removal spell. While it is costly and a Sorcery, all the life it can gain you is enough to outweigh that. You probably need to be doing 4 with this for it to feel decent, and 5+ to feel like you’re really getting there. Now, if you aren’t a deck running 13+ Swamps it is going to get significantly worse, so keep that in mind
Coastal Bulwark image 2.0 Obviously, if you’re playing Blue, this is going to be a 3/3 – and a wall that can Surveil 1 is going to be a solid thing to have in more defensive decks.
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Koilos Roc image 3.0 A 5-mana 3/3 with Flash and Flying is usually playable, as it not only allows you to leave mana up for other stuff, you can flash it in to ambush something – so I’m pretty happy that this also adds a powerstone to the mix. Because of Flash, you’ll also be able to use that powerstone most of the time when you untap.
Recommission image 1.5 If you can consistently get back a 3 mana creature with this, it is going to feel pretty dang good, as your creature will easily be worth more than 2 mana. The problem is that you have to set this up and have the right deck make up. And while those things are doable, there will certainly be times where this is stuck in your hand.
Moment of Defiance image 2.0 This is a bit expensive for a trick that only boosts toughness by 1, which means that oftentimes your creature will also die, but it definitely makes up for that by drawing you a card. In situations where you creature does survive, you get a 2-for-1, and in situations where it doesn’t, you break even while gaining some life. It also draws you a card, checking the box for the Blue-Black deck. That seems fine to me
Dwarven Forge-Chanter image 3.0 Back in Khans of Tarkir there was a White two mana 1/3 with Prowess and it was a really nice common – so, adding Ward – Pay 2 life to that also makes for a pretty sweet common! A creature with Prowess is always really obnoxious to block or attack into, since you never know what your opponent might be able to do. The threat of activation is very real! This is a great two drop for Blue-Red decks, and lots of other Red decks will have enough non-creature spells to have a pretty good time with this
Blitz Automaton image 3.0 A three mana 3/2 with Haste is right around a 2.5, so adding the more expensive upside of this being a 6/4 with Haste sometimes is nice. Yes, 7 mana for a 6/4 with Haste is an awful rate, but the modality of all of these prototype cards is great in Limited!
Scrapwork Cohort image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/1 that makes a 1/1 token is a playable card, especially in a format where one card making multiple artifacts matters. So, the fact it can Unearth and leave behind some permanent value in the form of that 1/1 is some nice late game upside to have.
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Gaea's Gift image 2.0 This is a nice trick. In addition to doing a good job of helping a creature win combat, the slew of keywords it gets makes it so you can blank most removal when you cast it. We’ve seen a lot o tricks like this of late, and they’ve all ended up being a card you always want one or two of in aggressive decks, and I think that’s what we have here
Pack 2 Pick 2: Combat Thresher
Blackblade Reforged image 2.5 Last time we saw this was Dominaria, a set with lots of legendary creatures, so it was pretty easy to equip it for the lower cost. There aren’t enough legendary creatures in this format for you to be able to consistently equip this for the lower cost. However, with powerstones around, actually paying to Equip this is going to be a little bit easier than it was last time we saw it
Combat Thresher image 4.0 This looks like a great Uncommon. A three mana 1/1 with Double Strike that draws you a card is amazing, as you get a pretty nice 2-for-1, as a 1/1 double striker can trade with X/2s, and can really make life difficult for X/1s. The Double Striker also loves it when you augment its stats of course. That card would already be a great Uncommon you always play – so the fact you can pay more mana late to make it a bigger double strike is some sweet upside.
Symmetry Matrix image 0.0 // 3.0 This is a build around that can definitely work sometimes, but this format doesn’t actually have a heavy symmetry theme going on. The one place where it might work most often is in a deck that has lots of creature tokens, as those are all symmetrical in the format. But yeah, you need 7+ creatures/cards that can trigger the Matrix for it to be worth it, and the fact you pay 4 and don’t add to the board at first is always pretty rough
Meticulous Excavation image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. It does give you ways to rebuy ETB abilities and the like, but it asks for a ton of mana that you’re only going to have available in the extreme late game. And yes, with powerstones around this will be easier to use, but I don’t think that makes enough of a difference. The whole Unearth part of the card is kind of silly too, because to take advantage of it, you’re going to need to pay to Unearth a creature and then pay three more to return it to your hand so you get to keep it around. That’s just not a reasonable expectation.
Fallaji Archaeologist image 2.5 This is a cool design. It will either be a two mana ¼ – which is passable – or a two mana 0/3 that gets you something from the graveyard. Now, keep in mind you only get the card back if it is among those that are milled – and this only hits noncreature nonlands, so you may wiff sometimes. But if you’re a spell heavy deck in the format – which generally means UR – it seems like this will do what you want it to do most of the time, and at least you get a consolation prize if you do wiff.
Blanchwood Prowler image 3.0 This is either a two mana 1/1 that draws you a land and loads your graveyard, or a two mana 2/2 that loads your graveyard. Both of those options are solid, and you can get some extra value out of milling yourself in Green, as the Green-Black deck is all about it
Powerstone Engineer image 2.0 Trading this off and getting a powerstone in the process seems fine.
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Gixian Infiltrator image 2.0 This is a solid, if unexciting sacrifice payoff that will work especially well in the Black/Red deck. It starts with decent stats and a few counters are enough to make it a threat
Kill-Zone Acrobat image 2.0 There are plenty of expendable things to give up to give this flying when it needs it to get in for damage – whether you’re giving up powerstones or creatures with unearth
Penregon Strongbull image 3.0 This looks pretty sweet. There are plenty of artifacts to sacrifice, including the powerstones that can help pay for the ability, which effectively makes this say “Sacrifice a powerstone: It gets +1/+1 and deals 1 damage to an opponent.” The ability is just very affordable, and this creature attacking with a few artifacts in play is going to be a pretty sizable problem. Love that it also damages the opponent, giving it the capability of doing some very significant damage if it goes unblocked
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Coastal Bulwark image 2.0 Obviously, if you’re playing Blue, this is going to be a 3/3 – and a wall that can Surveil 1 is going to be a solid thing to have in more defensive decks.
Unleash Shell image 3.0 5 mana is a lot, but at least its an Instant! It can deal with most creatures in the format too, and Shocking your opponent in the face when you use it is definitely some decent additional upside. The problem with paying 5 for this effect is you’’ll often have to use it on a creature that costs less, and you’re losing some serious tempo when you do that – and sometimes you just can’t get the mana to deal with a cheap creature and that’s a problem too. You don’t really want more than one of these most of the time, because they are so expensive, but I do think the first copy should be valued reasonably highly
Pack 2 Pick 3: Corrupt
Sigil of Valor image 1.5 This seems like it will be kind of alright. It is definitely rough that sometimes it offers no bonus at all, but there are enough boards in the mid-to-late game where equipping this does some work,. Only attacking with one thing is definitely a big restriction, but this can also make just about any creature into a threat on a lot of board states. The set up and restriction are pretty real, though – and it definitely underperformed last time we saw it
Corrupt image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a pretty sweet reprint, and it gives you a very good reason to go really hard into Black, especially if you get multiples! This can be a very real win condition or an excellent removal spell. While it is costly and a Sorcery, all the life it can gain you is enough to outweigh that. You probably need to be doing 4 with this for it to feel decent, and 5+ to feel like you’re really getting there. Now, if you aren’t a deck running 13+ Swamps it is going to get significantly worse, so keep that in mind
Hulking Metamorph image 3.5 A 4-mana 3/3 that can copy any creature or artifact you contro is pretty good. It won’t ever be worse than a 3/3, and it doesn’t take that much in addition to that stat-line for you to feel like you’re getting a decent deal. Just add a key word, static ability, or ETB ability and you’re doing fine. The flip side of course is that if you have some really big creatures it will be smaller, but that’s okay.
Giant Cindermaw image 3.0 A three mana 4/3 with Trample is a nice aggressive creature, and shutting down lifegain matters sometimes too
Argothian Sprite image 2.5 This is better than it looks. There are lots of Artifact creatures in the set, including most of the format’s creature tokens, so this will be a nice attacker on many boards. Then, in the mid-to-late game you can buff it to make sure it stays relevant. As I’ve been saying, power stones make an ability like this easier to use than it looks! This looks like a quality two-drop for Green decks int he format
Mishra's Juggernaut image 2.0 Boy, this is pretty disappointing for referencing an old card that was a powerhouse during Magic’s early days! 5 mana for a 5/3 with Trample that always has to attack is just a 1.5. Adding Unearth to the mix is nice for a Trampler, though
Dwarven Forge-Chanter image 3.0 Back in Khans of Tarkir there was a White two mana 1/3 with Prowess and it was a really nice common – so, adding Ward – Pay 2 life to that also makes for a pretty sweet common! A creature with Prowess is always really obnoxious to block or attack into, since you never know what your opponent might be able to do. The threat of activation is very real! This is a great two drop for Blue-Red decks, and lots of other Red decks will have enough non-creature spells to have a pretty good time with this
Deadly Riposte image 2.5 This is a solid removal spell for non-aggressive decks, as removing something and gaining life goes a long way towards helping you stabilize. Meanwhile, it is pretty bad in a deck that wants to be aggressive, as you’d rather have removal that can deal with blockers, and this just doesn’t! It demands a tapped creature and the creature has to be small for this to do its job, so it certainly isn’t premium.
Fallaji Archaeologist image 2.5 This is a cool design. It will either be a two mana ¼ – which is passable – or a two mana 0/3 that gets you something from the graveyard. Now, keep in mind you only get the card back if it is among those that are milled – and this only hits noncreature nonlands, so you may wiff sometimes. But if you’re a spell heavy deck in the format – which generally means UR – it seems like this will do what you want it to do most of the time, and at least you get a consolation prize if you do wiff.
Emergency Weld image 3.0 Gravedigger is always a nice card in Limited, this costs half as much for a creature half the size, and still returns something from your graveyard to your hand. Getting a 2-for-1 is harder with a 1/1, but a two mana 1/1 with this effect seems pretty nice
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Perimeter Patrol image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 is solid, and this has some real upside that will let it attack a lot more effectively
Survivor of Korlis image 2.5 Soldier is a creature type that matters here, and that’s nice. This is also a good place to put counters and the like thanks to First Strike! And getting a bit of value out of the graveyard is nice too. This seems like it might be one of those one mana 1/1s we’ve seen lately that does lots of little things and the whole package turns out to be a pretty nice card
Pack 2 Pick 4: Boulderbranch Golem
Soul-Guide Lantern image 2.0 This is another artifact that replaces itself, making it useful in the format. It also hates on the graveyard – something else of value in a format with Unearth and a couple of graveyard decks. You can main deck this pretty happily
Gaea's Courser image 3.5 This is a great payoff for loading the graveyard. In Black/Green decks especially, it will generate some 2-for-1s or better.
Yotian Tactician image 3.5 As I’ve said, there are lots of soldiers in this set, with UW being the color pair that is the most interested in them. This is a nice lord that will buff much of your board when you’re in the color pair.
Alloy Animist image 2.0 With all the power stones around, this ability is going to overperform – between the fact that they can pay for the ability and the fact you can animate them! This is a good place to sink mana
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Burrowing Razormaw image 2.0 This has some reasonable stats and does a good job of loading your graveyard
Boulderbranch Golem image 3.5 A 4-mana 3/3 that gains you 3 life when it enters is a 2.5, and the upside here is going to be the kind of card that really allows you to stabilize, as a 6/5 that gains you 6 is going to make any opponent having a fast start very sad. This is one of Green’s best Commons
Fallaji Archaeologist image 2.5 This is a cool design. It will either be a two mana ¼ – which is passable – or a two mana 0/3 that gets you something from the graveyard. Now, keep in mind you only get the card back if it is among those that are milled – and this only hits noncreature nonlands, so you may wiff sometimes. But if you’re a spell heavy deck in the format – which generally means UR – it seems like this will do what you want it to do most of the time, and at least you get a consolation prize if you do wiff.
Third Path Savant image 2.0 This has a very powerful ability that draws you cards late, and if you’re flooding out or have a bunch of powerstones, that’s a nice ability to help get you out of it. It has a pretty bad stat-line until you get to that point, though.
Stone Retrieval Unit image 2.5 The rate here isn’t amazing, but it is one card that adds two artifacts to the board, and ramps you. Seems solid to me
Tawnos's Tinkering image 1.0 I feel like actually generating a card of value with this is going to be a little bit challenging, and it is a pretty big investment for a card that won’t always be able to do enough
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Static Net
Take Flight image 3.5 This is quite the Aura! +1/+0 and Flying is going to make a lot of creatures problematic, and because you get to draw a card when your creature attacks, it helps get around the dangerous 2-for-1 downside that is inherent with an Aura. If the creature you put this on is allowed to continue unchecked, you’re just going to win.
Thopter Architect image 3.5 This is a pretty nice artifact payoff, as sending your best creature into the air can result in combat shifting much more in your favor! It even counts powerstones and the like, which is nice
Static Net image 4.0 Paying one more mana for Oblivion Ring is already a pretty good deal, but you actually get a return on your investment in the form of life and a powerstone! That’s obviously amazing, and allows this easily to reach premium removal status.
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Powerstone Engineer image 2.0 Trading this off and getting a powerstone in the process seems fine.
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Warlord's Elite image 1.5 A three mana 4/4 is nice and all, but not incredible, and this makes you jump through some significant hoops to actually get it into play. Tapping lands or creatures to play this feels like it will be a pretty big pain most of the time, and overall it feels like this will effectively be a 5-mana 4/4 pretty often
Stone Retrieval Unit image 2.5 The rate here isn’t amazing, but it is one card that adds two artifacts to the board, and ramps you. Seems solid to me
Tomakul Honor Guard image 2.0 This has solid stats, and cheap removal will cost extra to destroy it! The format does have a bunch of 1/1 tokens, though, and that always makes a 3/1 sad
Thraxodemon image 2.0 This is a bear with some decent upside – giving up a creature or artifact to draw a card is nice, though I don’t love paying three mana for the effect – but powerstones will soften the blow some
Prison Sentence image 3.5 Arrest is always nice, and this comes with Scry 2 upside, so it is certainly premium. The format does have a sacrifice deck, which weakens a card like this, but it still looks pretty darn good.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Airlift Chaplain
Ivory Tower image 0.0 This isn’t good in Limited. You need to be a draw go style control deck to really make this gain you life that matters, and that just doesn’t happen in Limited. This will frequently do nothing or close to nothing.
Stone Retrieval Unit image 2.5 The rate here isn’t amazing, but it is one card that adds two artifacts to the board, and ramps you. Seems solid to me
Mishra's Juggernaut image 2.0 Boy, this is pretty disappointing for referencing an old card that was a powerhouse during Magic’s early days! 5 mana for a 5/3 with Trample that always has to attack is just a 1.5. Adding Unearth to the mix is nice for a Trampler, though
Bitter Reunion image 1.5 This is a neat take on a Tormented Voice-type effect. While the UR deck in this format cares about spells, it actually cares about all non-creature spells, so this will still trigger them like Tormented Voice would. The ability to give haste to your whole board will come up sometimes too. I think you probably cut this most of the time in any deck that doesn’t care about spells, and even in the spell deck it probably isn’t the card you’re happily shoving in your deck
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Coastal Bulwark image 2.0 Obviously, if you’re playing Blue, this is going to be a 3/3 – and a wall that can Surveil 1 is going to be a solid thing to have in more defensive decks.
Koilos Roc image 3.0 A 5-mana 3/3 with Flash and Flying is usually playable, as it not only allows you to leave mana up for other stuff, you can flash it in to ambush something – so I’m pretty happy that this also adds a powerstone to the mix. Because of Flash, you’ll also be able to use that powerstone most of the time when you untap.
Thraxodemon image 2.0 This is a bear with some decent upside – giving up a creature or artifact to draw a card is nice, though I don’t love paying three mana for the effect – but powerstones will soften the blow some
Airlift Chaplain image 3.0 Chances are decent you’ll hit something you can get back with the mill trigger, and if you don’t or choose not to get something back, you get a three mana 2/2 with Flying that loaded your graveyard some, which is pretty nice.
Giant Growth image 2.0 Giant Growth is back! As always, it is a very nice trick. One mana for this stats boost lets your creature win a whole lot of combats, and you can do it for a very, very low investment, giving you a nice advantage
Pack 2 Pick 7: Disenchant
Spectrum Sentinel image 1.0 This looks pretty bad for Limited. Multicolored isn’t a huge theme in the format, and neither are nonbasic lands. Mostly, you’re going to be getting a one mana ½. It is both an artifact and a soldier, so in decks that care about those things it isn’t the biggest disaster ever, but it still isn’t very good
Cradle Clearcutter image 3.0 A three mana 1/3 that taps for one Green is a 2.0 – and maybe a 2.5 in this set, which has lots of reasons to ramp. In some ways, I feel like casting this as the bigger version is less attractive, as you are less likely to want a bunch of mana, even in this format – but hey, sometimes it will ramp you into something
Ravenous Gigamole image 2.5 This loads your graveyard, and will frequently also get you something back – when it doesn’t, it is a 4-mana ¾ -- which isn’t great, but because you’re interested in graveyard stuff, putting those cards in the graveyard definitely matters.
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Lat-Nam Adept image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have felt pretty awful lately, but this one can grow throughout the game as you draw more cards – and that’s one of the format’s main archetypes, so this will certainly have a home in the format.
Boulderbranch Golem image 3.5 A 4-mana 3/3 that gains you 3 life when it enters is a 2.5, and the upside here is going to be the kind of card that really allows you to stabilize, as a 6/5 that gains you 6 is going to make any opponent having a fast start very sad. This is one of Green’s best Commons
Shoot Down image 2.5 This has a whole lot of targets in this format. It is a bit clunky as a 4 mana Sorcery, but it just feels like this will be able to deal with enough permanents in this format that I like the first copy in most Green decks
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Mine Worker image 1.5 If this format had a life gain deck, it would be way better. As is, it is fairly mediocre, as it has poor stats and an ability that doesn’t really do enough. Obviously if you can get the Tron going here you’re going to be happier, but even with all three at Common, I wouldn’t count on that
Pack 2 Pick 8: Elsewhere Flask
Elsewhere Flask image 1.5 This replaces itself, and that is enough in this format for it to be decent enough, since the UR deck likes casting nocnreature spells and several decks like artifacts. It can also fix your mana a bit, but that’s a small part of what this card does.
Ashnod's Harvester image 3.0 A two mana 3/1 that hates on the graveyard will pretty much always make the cut, especially one that’s an artifact! Unearth and other graveyard action is a very real presence in the format, and being able to take one of those away from your opponent will feel pretty nice! It can even Unearth on its own to take a card out of it has to, and a 3/1 is an effective attacker on many boards
Powerstone Engineer image 2.0 Trading this off and getting a powerstone in the process seems fine.
Third Path Savant image 2.0 This has a very powerful ability that draws you cards late, and if you’re flooding out or have a bunch of powerstones, that’s a nice ability to help get you out of it. It has a pretty bad stat-line until you get to that point, though.
Hoarding Recluse image 2.0 This can trade for anything, and while that’s not the most exciting at 4 mana, a 2/3 Reach can also block lots of small stuff in addition to making your opponent hesitant to attack with big stuff. The death ability here actually matters a bit too, as Green-Black decks will be milling themselves a significant chunk of the time, and sometimes you end up milling things you didn’t really want to mill, and this can help you get that card back
Combat Courier image 2.0 It is nice that you can cash this in for a card – twice, thanks to Unearth – and that does give you a 2-for-1, albeit an expensive one. But if you can get some extra value out of this being around, it is definitely worth it.
Tomakul Scrapsmith image 2.5 You either get a three mana 3/2, or a three mana 2/1 that draws you an Artifact. Obviously the latter option is the better one, and this would be at least a 3.5 if that’s what it was – but it will only do that half the time, and the 3/2 option is less exciting. It also takes a bit of a hti because Red is not very interested in the graveyard in this set, so loading it up a little bit is unlikely to give you any extra value
Tocasia's Dig Site image 1.5 This isn’t great for your mana, but having a repeatable source of Surveil is going to be worth it in some decks, because it can both laid your graveyard and improve your card quality. Three mana is a lot for sure, and that’s an ability you’ll only be using when you have nothing better to do – but hey, it will find you something to do eventually!
Pack 2 Pick 9: Recommission
Transmogrant Altar image 1.0 // 3.0 There is a pretty real sacrifice deck in this format, so I am very intrigued by this. There is plenty of fodder and payoffs for sacrificing, so generating extra value when you use either of these abilities isn’t far-fetched, and that seems pretty darn good. In that sort of deck, this looks like it could be a very real engine. I think it needs a build around grade for sure, as it probably doesn’t make sense outside of Black-Red. If you can’t get some extra stuff out of sacrificing things, this isn’t nearly as good.
Coastal Bulwark image 2.0 Obviously, if you’re playing Blue, this is going to be a 3/3 – and a wall that can Surveil 1 is going to be a solid thing to have in more defensive decks.
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Recommission image 1.5 If you can consistently get back a 3 mana creature with this, it is going to feel pretty dang good, as your creature will easily be worth more than 2 mana. The problem is that you have to set this up and have the right deck make up. And while those things are doable, there will certainly be times where this is stuck in your hand.
Dwarven Forge-Chanter image 3.0 Back in Khans of Tarkir there was a White two mana 1/3 with Prowess and it was a really nice common – so, adding Ward – Pay 2 life to that also makes for a pretty sweet common! A creature with Prowess is always really obnoxious to block or attack into, since you never know what your opponent might be able to do. The threat of activation is very real! This is a great two drop for Blue-Red decks, and lots of other Red decks will have enough non-creature spells to have a pretty good time with this
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Gaea's Gift image 2.0 This is a nice trick. In addition to doing a good job of helping a creature win combat, the slew of keywords it gets makes it so you can blank most removal when you cast it. We’ve seen a lot o tricks like this of late, and they’ve all ended up being a card you always want one or two of in aggressive decks, and I think that’s what we have here
Pack 2 Pick 10: Blanchwood Prowler
Symmetry Matrix image 0.0 // 3.0 This is a build around that can definitely work sometimes, but this format doesn’t actually have a heavy symmetry theme going on. The one place where it might work most often is in a deck that has lots of creature tokens, as those are all symmetrical in the format. But yeah, you need 7+ creatures/cards that can trigger the Matrix for it to be worth it, and the fact you pay 4 and don’t add to the board at first is always pretty rough
Meticulous Excavation image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. It does give you ways to rebuy ETB abilities and the like, but it asks for a ton of mana that you’re only going to have available in the extreme late game. And yes, with powerstones around this will be easier to use, but I don’t think that makes enough of a difference. The whole Unearth part of the card is kind of silly too, because to take advantage of it, you’re going to need to pay to Unearth a creature and then pay three more to return it to your hand so you get to keep it around. That’s just not a reasonable expectation.
Blanchwood Prowler image 3.0 This is either a two mana 1/1 that draws you a land and loads your graveyard, or a two mana 2/2 that loads your graveyard. Both of those options are solid, and you can get some extra value out of milling yourself in Green, as the Green-Black deck is all about it
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Unleash Shell image 3.0 5 mana is a lot, but at least its an Instant! It can deal with most creatures in the format too, and Shocking your opponent in the face when you use it is definitely some decent additional upside. The problem with paying 5 for this effect is you’’ll often have to use it on a creature that costs less, and you’re losing some serious tempo when you do that – and sometimes you just can’t get the mana to deal with a cheap creature and that’s a problem too. You don’t really want more than one of these most of the time, because they are so expensive, but I do think the first copy should be valued reasonably highly
Pack 2 Pick 11: Disenchant
Sigil of Valor image 1.5 This seems like it will be kind of alright. It is definitely rough that sometimes it offers no bonus at all, but there are enough boards in the mid-to-late game where equipping this does some work,. Only attacking with one thing is definitely a big restriction, but this can also make just about any creature into a threat on a lot of board states. The set up and restriction are pretty real, though – and it definitely underperformed last time we saw it
Argothian Sprite image 2.5 This is better than it looks. There are lots of Artifact creatures in the set, including most of the format’s creature tokens, so this will be a nice attacker on many boards. Then, in the mid-to-late game you can buff it to make sure it stays relevant. As I’ve been saying, power stones make an ability like this easier to use than it looks! This looks like a quality two-drop for Green decks int he format
Mishra's Juggernaut image 2.0 Boy, this is pretty disappointing for referencing an old card that was a powerhouse during Magic’s early days! 5 mana for a 5/3 with Trample that always has to attack is just a 1.5. Adding Unearth to the mix is nice for a Trampler, though
Dwarven Forge-Chanter image 3.0 Back in Khans of Tarkir there was a White two mana 1/3 with Prowess and it was a really nice common – so, adding Ward – Pay 2 life to that also makes for a pretty sweet common! A creature with Prowess is always really obnoxious to block or attack into, since you never know what your opponent might be able to do. The threat of activation is very real! This is a great two drop for Blue-Red decks, and lots of other Red decks will have enough non-creature spells to have a pretty good time with this
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Burrowing Razormaw
Soul-Guide Lantern image 2.0 This is another artifact that replaces itself, making it useful in the format. It also hates on the graveyard – something else of value in a format with Unearth and a couple of graveyard decks. You can main deck this pretty happily
Yotian Tactician image 3.5 As I’ve said, there are lots of soldiers in this set, with UW being the color pair that is the most interested in them. This is a nice lord that will buff much of your board when you’re in the color pair.
Burrowing Razormaw image 2.0 This has some reasonable stats and does a good job of loading your graveyard
Tawnos's Tinkering image 1.0 I feel like actually generating a card of value with this is going to be a little bit challenging, and it is a pretty big investment for a card that won’t always be able to do enough
Pack 2 Pick 13: Warlord's Elite
Thopter Architect image 3.5 This is a pretty nice artifact payoff, as sending your best creature into the air can result in combat shifting much more in your favor! It even counts powerstones and the like, which is nice
Warlord's Elite image 1.5 A three mana 4/4 is nice and all, but not incredible, and this makes you jump through some significant hoops to actually get it into play. Tapping lands or creatures to play this feels like it will be a pretty big pain most of the time, and overall it feels like this will effectively be a 5-mana 4/4 pretty often
Tomakul Honor Guard image 2.0 This has solid stats, and cheap removal will cost extra to destroy it! The format does have a bunch of 1/1 tokens, though, and that always makes a 3/1 sad
Pack 2 Pick 14: Aeronaut's Wings
Ivory Tower image 0.0 This isn’t good in Limited. You need to be a draw go style control deck to really make this gain you life that matters, and that just doesn’t happen in Limited. This will frequently do nothing or close to nothing.
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Mine Worker
Mine Worker image 1.5 If this format had a life gain deck, it would be way better. As is, it is fairly mediocre, as it has poor stats and an ability that doesn’t really do enough. Obviously if you can get the Tron going here you’re going to be happier, but even with all three at Common, I wouldn’t count on that
Pack 3 Pick 1: Static Net
Sigil of Valor image 1.5 This seems like it will be kind of alright. It is definitely rough that sometimes it offers no bonus at all, but there are enough boards in the mid-to-late game where equipping this does some work,. Only attacking with one thing is definitely a big restriction, but this can also make just about any creature into a threat on a lot of board states. The set up and restriction are pretty real, though – and it definitely underperformed last time we saw it
Fauna Shaman image 3.0 The Shaman starts with passable stats, and comes with the ability to search up creatures which is great. Now, that ability is significantly weaker than it might look at first, mostly because you have to give up a creature to get a creature, so you’re really just getting card selection. Card selection is great of course, but you have to weigh whether using the ability is worth more than just casting the creature. The answer to that is usually dependent on the contents of your deck and whether there are any creatures who are better in a given situation. If you have a bomb creature or two, this gets far better. One nice thing here is that the Shaman synergizes well with the format’s Black/Green deck, which wants creatures in the graveyard.
Urza, Powerstone Prodigy image 3.0 A three mana 1/3 with Vigilance that can loot is a card you’ll always play, so I love the upside you get when you discard artifacts. You won’t always want to do that of course, so I mostly see the ability as sort of softening the blow of having to discard a real card instead of a land – though you will go for the powerstone when you have something amazing to ramp into.
Static Net image 4.0 Paying one more mana for Oblivion Ring is already a pretty good deal, but you actually get a return on your investment in the form of life and a powerstone! That’s obviously amazing, and allows this easily to reach premium removal status.
Thopter Architect image 3.5 This is a pretty nice artifact payoff, as sending your best creature into the air can result in combat shifting much more in your favor! It even counts powerstones and the like, which is nice
Coastal Bulwark image 2.0 Obviously, if you’re playing Blue, this is going to be a 3/3 – and a wall that can Surveil 1 is going to be a solid thing to have in more defensive decks.
Union of the Third Path image 1.0 Three mana to draw one card is abysmal. Adding life gain to the mix certainly improves things, although the fact this format doesn’t have a life gain deck makes that matter a lot less. I think you’ll cut this more than you play it, it just doesn’t seem impactful enough overall
Argothian Sprite image 2.5 This is better than it looks. There are lots of Artifact creatures in the set, including most of the format’s creature tokens, so this will be a nice attacker on many boards. Then, in the mid-to-late game you can buff it to make sure it stays relevant. As I’ve been saying, power stones make an ability like this easier to use than it looks! This looks like a quality two-drop for Green decks int he format
Scrapwork Rager image 3.0 This is a fun reference to Phyrexian Rager. When you cast it, it is a little bit worse, since you pay one more mana for the same effect – but the Unearth side of things means this bad boy gives you a 2-for-1, and that’s pretty nice.
Thraxodemon image 2.0 This is a bear with some decent upside – giving up a creature or artifact to draw a card is nice, though I don’t love paying three mana for the effect – but powerstones will soften the blow some
Scrapwork Mutt image 2.5 A three mana 2/1 that rummages when it ETBS is probably a 1.5, and I think adding Unearth to the mix is some real upside, since you get the ETB all over again. This looks like it can nicely set up graveyard and artifact payoffs.
Desynchronize image 2.0 5 mana is a lot, and while this does let you trade 1-for-1, since it doesn’t just bounce the permanent – it puts it on top or bottom of your opponent’s library – it also doesn’t do a great job of dealing with some really problematic permanents, which your opponent can just draw again.
Lat-Nam Adept image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have felt pretty awful lately, but this one can grow throughout the game as you draw more cards – and that’s one of the format’s main archetypes, so this will certainly have a home in the format.
Curate image 2.5 This lets you see up to three cards and can let you put advantageous cards in the graveyard, and that’s pretty nice – especially in a format with a spell deck and a card draw deck!
Excavation Explosion image 4.0 This looks pretty great, even as a Sorcery! Three mana to do three to anything is always nice – you can usually break even or better on the mana you spend, and this actually gives you some mana back in the form of a powerstone
Pack 3 Pick 2: Evolving Wilds
Ornithopter image 1.0 This is another 0 mana artifact that doesn’t really give you a full card of value. You just don’t get enough out of playing a 0/2 Flyer to make it worth the card, and that matters a ton in Limited. This can basically come down and chump block something – and sometimes you can equip it or give it some counters, which makes things more interesting – but that’s a lot of work to make a terrible card passable
Mishra, Excavation Prodigy image 3.0 This looks like a pretty nice Uncommon. Looting is a great ability to have around in Limited, as it improves the quality of your draws – and Mishra here pays you off a little bit for discarding artifacts, since he can give you mana back. I’m not sure how often it is going to be optimal to do that, but it is nice to have the option. The stat-line is a little rough, as he can die to pretty much anything, including spells that cost 1/3rd what he does, but at least having Haste means you can usually do something with him right away
Evangel of Synthesis image 3.5 A two mana ⅔ that loots on ETB is a nice card. It is also nice that this is both an enabler and a payoff for the draw extra cards deck, though it is a little sad that it will technically trigger the turn you play it, it just won’t matter
Calamity's Wake image 0.0 This isn’t here for Limited. You don’t really want to use up a card to hate on the graveyard and stop noncreature spells for the turn most of the time. It is kind of reasonable as a sideboard card in situations where your opponent has lots of graveyard action I guess, but even then I’m not ultra impressed with such a narrow hate effect that doesn’t really give you a card back.
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Penregon Strongbull image 3.0 This looks pretty sweet. There are plenty of artifacts to sacrifice, including the powerstones that can help pay for the ability, which effectively makes this say “Sacrifice a powerstone: It gets +1/+1 and deals 1 damage to an opponent.” The ability is just very affordable, and this creature attacking with a few artifacts in play is going to be a pretty sizable problem. Love that it also damages the opponent, giving it the capability of doing some very significant damage if it goes unblocked
Wasteful Harvest image 1.5 This format does have a deck that really wants to mill cards, but I’m still not super into this. Three mana to get a single permanent back from the graveyard is pretty underwhelming, even with mill attached. I’d much rather impact the board and mill myself at the same time, and there are ways to do that in the format
Supply Drop image 2.0 This is a pretty interesting design! Three mana for +2/+2 isn’t a great rate for a trick, but you can cash it in for a card later, giving it some real 2-for-1 potential in a format that has a fair bit of Artifact synergy too.
Curate image 2.5 This lets you see up to three cards and can let you put advantageous cards in the graveyard, and that’s pretty nice – especially in a format with a spell deck and a card draw deck!
Yotian Medic image 2.0 This is a solid little defensive creature. It can block for a lot of the game while giving you back some life, which is certainly going to be a pain for aggro decks
Kill-Zone Acrobat image 2.0 There are plenty of expendable things to give up to give this flying when it needs it to get in for damage – whether you’re giving up powerstones or creatures with unearth
Boulderbranch Golem image 3.5 A 4-mana 3/3 that gains you 3 life when it enters is a 2.5, and the upside here is going to be the kind of card that really allows you to stabilize, as a 6/5 that gains you 6 is going to make any opponent having a fast start very sad. This is one of Green’s best Commons
Mishra's Juggernaut image 2.0 Boy, this is pretty disappointing for referencing an old card that was a powerhouse during Magic’s early days! 5 mana for a 5/3 with Trample that always has to attack is just a 1.5. Adding Unearth to the mix is nice for a Trampler, though
Evolving Wilds image 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a pretty nice land. It does an excellent job of fixing for you. If you’re splashing something, just a single Wilds and a basic land in that splash color is enough, and that’s pretty great! Its at pretty much the same level as the Rare dual lands we just saw.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Obstinate Baloth
Mishra's Bauble image 1.5 This is a free artifact that replaces itself, though it does take a whole turn to actually replace itself, so the UR deck won’t be quite as excited about this one
Su-Chi Cave Guard image 4.0 This is a quality thing to ramp into with your Powerstones. It is huge, hard to kill, and can play offense and defense! Plus, if it dies, it gives you a whole bunch of mana, and this format has a decent number of mana sinks around since they wanted you to have stuff to do with your power stones
Obstinate Baloth image 4.0 A 4-mana 4/4 that gains you 4 when it enters is just a great card in Limited. It gives you an efficient creature and a very relevant body to help you pull ahead if your opponent was having an aggressive start
Recommission image 1.5 If you can consistently get back a 3 mana creature with this, it is going to feel pretty dang good, as your creature will easily be worth more than 2 mana. The problem is that you have to set this up and have the right deck make up. And while those things are doable, there will certainly be times where this is stuck in your hand.
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Depth Charge Colossus image 1.0 I don’t love this. Both modes are pretty inefficient for a creature you have to pay extra mana for to untap. Even with powerstones I don’t think I’m playing this.
Raze to the Ground image 2.5 This format does have a ton of Artifacts, so this will usually have a target, many of which will be creatures. And its also nice that it can draw you a card when it hits a cheap artifact. In a pinch you could even go after your own powerstone! However…it is a little overcosted and clunky to be that good. Three mana to kill only one permanent type, even one that is relatively plentiful in the set, just isn’t a great rate. The uncounterable clause only matters a tiny bit here too. I mean, I don’t think this is bad at all – but I think some people will see this and think it is premium, but it just won’t be
Fallaji Archaeologist image 2.5 This is a cool design. It will either be a two mana ¼ – which is passable – or a two mana 0/3 that gets you something from the graveyard. Now, keep in mind you only get the card back if it is among those that are milled – and this only hits noncreature nonlands, so you may wiff sometimes. But if you’re a spell heavy deck in the format – which generally means UR – it seems like this will do what you want it to do most of the time, and at least you get a consolation prize if you do wiff.
Warlord's Elite image 1.5 A three mana 4/4 is nice and all, but not incredible, and this makes you jump through some significant hoops to actually get it into play. Tapping lands or creatures to play this feels like it will be a pretty big pain most of the time, and overall it feels like this will effectively be a 5-mana 4/4 pretty often
Gixian Infiltrator image 2.0 This is a solid, if unexciting sacrifice payoff that will work especially well in the Black/Red deck. It starts with decent stats and a few counters are enough to make it a threat
Argothian Opportunist image 3.0 This seems like a bread-and-butter Common for Green decks. It has passable stats and gets you some power stone ramp going.
Mishra's Domination image 1.5 This has some nice flexibility, as it can be a decent removal spell for an aggro deck or a way to buff a creature. It doesn’t do either thing well, though
Rust Goliath image 3.0 A 5-mana ⅗ with Reach and Trample isn’t great, neither is a 10-mana 10/10 with Reach and Trample. However, the fact you can cast this as an okayish creature for five or cast it in the late game as a big monster is pretty nice, and I feel like powerstone decks will love this card, since it can become a pretty real win condition for them
Pack 3 Pick 4: Aeronaut Cavalry
Gnawing Vermin image 2.0 This gives you a bunch of little stuff, but getting all of it for one mana is a pretty decent deal! One mana 1/1s that can give -1/-1 to something when they die are usually pretty nice, as they can trade up for X/2s or even get a 2-for-1 if your opponent has two X/1s. The fact it mills sets up a couple of different Black decks in the format too
Hulking Metamorph image 3.5 A 4-mana 3/3 that can copy any creature or artifact you contro is pretty good. It won’t ever be worse than a 3/3, and it doesn’t take that much in addition to that stat-line for you to feel like you’re getting a decent deal. Just add a key word, static ability, or ETB ability and you’re doing fine. The flip side of course is that if you have some really big creatures it will be smaller, but that’s okay.
Reconstructed Thopter image 2.5 A three mana 2/1 Flyer isn’t great these days, but this comes with the upside of an important card type and Unearth, which certainly allows it to generate some more value
Shoot Down image 2.5 This has a whole lot of targets in this format. It is a bit clunky as a 4 mana Sorcery, but it just feels like this will be able to deal with enough permanents in this format that I like the first copy in most Green decks
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Military Discipline image 1.5 The turn you cast this, it will definitely help your creature win combat, and then you get a permanent +1/+0 effect to stick around. This will definitely generate some serious tempo sometimes, allowing your creature to survive against something that costs a lot more mana! It does have the inherent risks auras have, and you have to be careful about playing this, but I think this seems solid.
Moment of Defiance image 2.0 This is a bit expensive for a trick that only boosts toughness by 1, which means that oftentimes your creature will also die, but it definitely makes up for that by drawing you a card. In situations where you creature does survive, you get a 2-for-1, and in situations where it doesn’t, you break even while gaining some life. It also draws you a card, checking the box for the Blue-Black deck. That seems fine to me
Airlift Chaplain image 3.0 Chances are decent you’ll hit something you can get back with the mill trigger, and if you don’t or choose not to get something back, you get a three mana 2/2 with Flying that loaded your graveyard some, which is pretty nice.
Powerstone Fracture image 2.5 In case you didn’t get it from the card’s name, the ideal thing to do here is going to be to sacrifice a powerstone. In that case, you aren’t using up a real card – and that’s good, because giving up a real card to cast this is pretty bad. It is basically a wore bone splinters, and it isn’t like bone splinters is an incredible card. I still think this falls below premium removal because of the set up needed to make it decent
Retrieval Agent image 1.5 This has somewhat passable defensive stats and a nice creature type, but the ability is expensive and underwhelming – even with powerstones around.
Aeronaut Cavalry image 3.0 You often end up paying 5 mana for 4/5 worth of stats here, and ¾ of it has flying! That’s a pretty good deal, and the format has plenty of soldiers for this to do its thing, especially in Blue-White.
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Evolving Wilds
Arms Race image 1.0 This Artifact-only but more expensive version of Sneak Attack is pretty cool, and this format certainly has some beefy artifact creatures that you could cheat into play, like basically everything with Prototype. However, it is hard to take full advantage of a card like this in Limited, as you often find yourself going down cards in order to do some damage or get your creature chump blocked, and that’s not usually worth it. You also invest a total of 8 mana to cheat your first thing into play, and I don’t love that! You need a few things to make this worth playing – payoffs for sacrificing stuff, big artifact creatures to cheat into play, and things that give you value when they enter the battlefield or die. I feel like that’s probably asking too much of a draft or a sealed pool. This has some potential, but hard to imagine it working very consistently
Cradle Clearcutter image 3.0 A three mana 1/3 that taps for one Green is a 2.0 – and maybe a 2.5 in this set, which has lots of reasons to ramp. In some ways, I feel like casting this as the bigger version is less attractive, as you are less likely to want a bunch of mana, even in this format – but hey, sometimes it will ramp you into something
Ravenous Gigamole image 2.5 This loads your graveyard, and will frequently also get you something back – when it doesn’t, it is a 4-mana ¾ -- which isn’t great, but because you’re interested in graveyard stuff, putting those cards in the graveyard definitely matters.
Power Plant Worker image 2.0 This is a fun cycle, since they all reference the original Urza lands. I think the card seems pretty decent too. The stats aren’t great, but +2/+2 for three mana isn’t the worst rate in a set with power stones everywhere. I wouldn’t count on getting all three of these in play, but you might achieve it on occasion.
Evolving Wilds image 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a pretty nice land. It does an excellent job of fixing for you. If you’re splashing something, just a single Wilds and a basic land in that splash color is enough, and that’s pretty great! Its at pretty much the same level as the Rare dual lands we just saw.
Yotian Medic image 2.0 This is a solid little defensive creature. It can block for a lot of the game while giving you back some life, which is certainly going to be a pain for aggro decks
Conscripted Infantry image 2.5 A three mana 3/1 is far from ideal, but this does leave behind a 1/1 when it dies, meaning it is good sacrifice fodder
Gnarlroot Pallbearer image 2.0 This doesn’t have a great stat-line – but a 5/5 trampler is passable -- and the ETB trigger will be pretty effective in most Green decks, allowing you to attack with something that just couldn’t before. Still, it is rather expensive and dependent on your graveyard
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Giant Growth image 2.0 Giant Growth is back! As always, it is a very nice trick. One mana for this stats boost lets your creature win a whole lot of combats, and you can do it for a very, very low investment, giving you a nice advantage
Tocasia's Onulet image 2.0 A 5-mana 4/4 that gains you 2 life when it dies is probably a 1.5. This has a pretty reasonable Unearth cost too, though, and you get to gain 2 more life!
Pack 3 Pick 6: Bushwhack
Demolition Field image 0.0 This card is basically Field of Ruin, and that’s a card that just isn’t worth running in Limited. Sure, it can sort of fix your mana, but this format won’t have so many basic lands that you can count on that consistently, and your opponent gets some help too! It isn’t good for your mana base and it has an ability that isn’t good in Limited.
Bushwhack image 3.5 This is quite nice! If this were two separate cards, you would end up playing either of them and they would be around a 2.5. Neither of them is incredible of course, but fixing your mana or using it as a one mana removal spell is good, even if the removal option does take you a bit of work, since you need a creature that is big enough to survive fighting – and you have to be careful about interaction. Still, giving me a card with an option between these two modes for only one mana is sweet.
Goblin Firebomb image 1.5 We’ve seen cards like this before, and they are always pretty mediocre. It isn’t efficient, even for destroying any permanent type. Now, the format does have an artifact theme, and if you can find ways to recur this, it can get interesting! You’ll run it if you’re really desperate for removal
Mishra's Domination image 1.5 This has some nice flexibility, as it can be a decent removal spell for an aggro deck or a way to buff a creature. It doesn’t do either thing well, though
Powerstone Engineer image 2.0 Trading this off and getting a powerstone in the process seems fine.
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Tawnos's Tinkering image 1.0 I feel like actually generating a card of value with this is going to be a little bit challenging, and it is a pretty big investment for a card that won’t always be able to do enough
Yotian Medic image 2.0 This is a solid little defensive creature. It can block for a lot of the game while giving you back some life, which is certainly going to be a pain for aggro decks
Gixian Skullflayer image 2.0 This is a nice little payoff for getting creatures in your graveyard, a strategy that looks to be well supported in the format. I do wish this enabled itself a little bit, like by milling a single card or something – but it will be able to grow with relative ease in Black/Green decks especially
Curate image 2.5 This lets you see up to three cards and can let you put advantageous cards in the graveyard, and that’s pretty nice – especially in a format with a spell deck and a card draw deck!
Pack 3 Pick 7: Shoot Down
Ivory Tower image 0.0 This isn’t good in Limited. You need to be a draw go style control deck to really make this gain you life that matters, and that just doesn’t happen in Limited. This will frequently do nothing or close to nothing.
Great Desert Prospector image 3.5 It is a bit of a bummer that this guy doesn’t count himself, so the floor on the card is a pretty ugly 5-mana 3/2. However, the ceiling can be pretty silly, as he can really enable you to ramp into artifact stuff or sink mana into activated abilities. Generally speaking, there are lots of ways to make use of power stones in the set!
Aeronaut's Wings image 2.0 +1/+0 and Flying is enough to make a creature a problem for your opponent, even if two to play and two to equip will feel a little clunky.
Desynchronize image 2.0 5 mana is a lot, and while this does let you trade 1-for-1, since it doesn’t just bounce the permanent – it puts it on top or bottom of your opponent’s library – it also doesn’t do a great job of dealing with some really problematic permanents, which your opponent can just draw again.
Third Path Savant image 2.0 This has a very powerful ability that draws you cards late, and if you’re flooding out or have a bunch of powerstones, that’s a nice ability to help get you out of it. It has a pretty bad stat-line until you get to that point, though.
Excavation Explosion image 4.0 This looks pretty great, even as a Sorcery! Three mana to do three to anything is always nice – you can usually break even or better on the mana you spend, and this actually gives you some mana back in the form of a powerstone
Conscripted Infantry image 2.5 A three mana 3/1 is far from ideal, but this does leave behind a 1/1 when it dies, meaning it is good sacrifice fodder
Survivor of Korlis image 2.5 Soldier is a creature type that matters here, and that’s nice. This is also a good place to put counters and the like thanks to First Strike! And getting a bit of value out of the graveyard is nice too. This seems like it might be one of those one mana 1/1s we’ve seen lately that does lots of little things and the whole package turns out to be a pretty nice card
Shoot Down image 2.5 This has a whole lot of targets in this format. It is a bit clunky as a 4 mana Sorcery, but it just feels like this will be able to deal with enough permanents in this format that I like the first copy in most Green decks
Pack 3 Pick 8: Sarinth Steelseeker
Sarinth Steelseeker image 4.0 This looks really good. Format has a ton of artifacts, and this even counts power stones. The trigger also isn’t limited to once per turn, unlike lots of these effects! Basically, every time you put an artifact in play you either draw a card or Surveil 1, and that’s a trigger that will generate some pretty amazing value. This looks like quite the engine
Gaea's Gift image 2.0 This is a nice trick. In addition to doing a good job of helping a creature win combat, the slew of keywords it gets makes it so you can blank most removal when you cast it. We’ve seen a lot o tricks like this of late, and they’ve all ended up being a card you always want one or two of in aggressive decks, and I think that’s what we have here
Warlord's Elite image 1.5 A three mana 4/4 is nice and all, but not incredible, and this makes you jump through some significant hoops to actually get it into play. Tapping lands or creatures to play this feels like it will be a pretty big pain most of the time, and overall it feels like this will effectively be a 5-mana 4/4 pretty often
Bitter Reunion image 1.5 This is a neat take on a Tormented Voice-type effect. While the UR deck in this format cares about spells, it actually cares about all non-creature spells, so this will still trigger them like Tormented Voice would. The ability to give haste to your whole board will come up sometimes too. I think you probably cut this most of the time in any deck that doesn’t care about spells, and even in the spell deck it probably isn’t the card you’re happily shoving in your deck
Mightstone's Animation image 3.0 In most formats this kind of effect is overwhelming, but THIS format has a ton of Powerstones running around, and paying 4 to make one into a 4/4 is definitely something you can do, especially because this can replace itself. In a pinch, you can even put it on something that is already a creature, but generally for full value you’ll want to stick this on a powerstone or other noncreature artifact, as that is far more of an upgrade. The card draw effect will also trigger the draw 2 payoffs for the Blue-Black deck.
Tawnos's Tinkering image 1.0 I feel like actually generating a card of value with this is going to be a little bit challenging, and it is a pretty big investment for a card that won’t always be able to do enough
Rust Goliath image 3.0 A 5-mana ⅗ with Reach and Trample isn’t great, neither is a 10-mana 10/10 with Reach and Trample. However, the fact you can cast this as an okayish creature for five or cast it in the late game as a big monster is pretty nice, and I feel like powerstone decks will love this card, since it can become a pretty real win condition for them
Combat Courier image 2.0 It is nice that you can cash this in for a card – twice, thanks to Unearth – and that does give you a 2-for-1, albeit an expensive one. But if you can get some extra value out of this being around, it is definitely worth it.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Argothian Sprite
Urza, Powerstone Prodigy image 3.0 A three mana 1/3 with Vigilance that can loot is a card you’ll always play, so I love the upside you get when you discard artifacts. You won’t always want to do that of course, so I mostly see the ability as sort of softening the blow of having to discard a real card instead of a land – though you will go for the powerstone when you have something amazing to ramp into.
Thopter Architect image 3.5 This is a pretty nice artifact payoff, as sending your best creature into the air can result in combat shifting much more in your favor! It even counts powerstones and the like, which is nice
Union of the Third Path image 1.0 Three mana to draw one card is abysmal. Adding life gain to the mix certainly improves things, although the fact this format doesn’t have a life gain deck makes that matter a lot less. I think you’ll cut this more than you play it, it just doesn’t seem impactful enough overall
Argothian Sprite image 2.5 This is better than it looks. There are lots of Artifact creatures in the set, including most of the format’s creature tokens, so this will be a nice attacker on many boards. Then, in the mid-to-late game you can buff it to make sure it stays relevant. As I’ve been saying, power stones make an ability like this easier to use than it looks! This looks like a quality two-drop for Green decks int he format
Thraxodemon image 2.0 This is a bear with some decent upside – giving up a creature or artifact to draw a card is nice, though I don’t love paying three mana for the effect – but powerstones will soften the blow some
Desynchronize image 2.0 5 mana is a lot, and while this does let you trade 1-for-1, since it doesn’t just bounce the permanent – it puts it on top or bottom of your opponent’s library – it also doesn’t do a great job of dealing with some really problematic permanents, which your opponent can just draw again.
Curate image 2.5 This lets you see up to three cards and can let you put advantageous cards in the graveyard, and that’s pretty nice – especially in a format with a spell deck and a card draw deck!
Pack 3 Pick 10: Yotian Medic
Calamity's Wake image 0.0 This isn’t here for Limited. You don’t really want to use up a card to hate on the graveyard and stop noncreature spells for the turn most of the time. It is kind of reasonable as a sideboard card in situations where your opponent has lots of graveyard action I guess, but even then I’m not ultra impressed with such a narrow hate effect that doesn’t really give you a card back.
Penregon Strongbull image 3.0 This looks pretty sweet. There are plenty of artifacts to sacrifice, including the powerstones that can help pay for the ability, which effectively makes this say “Sacrifice a powerstone: It gets +1/+1 and deals 1 damage to an opponent.” The ability is just very affordable, and this creature attacking with a few artifacts in play is going to be a pretty sizable problem. Love that it also damages the opponent, giving it the capability of doing some very significant damage if it goes unblocked
Wasteful Harvest image 1.5 This format does have a deck that really wants to mill cards, but I’m still not super into this. Three mana to get a single permanent back from the graveyard is pretty underwhelming, even with mill attached. I’d much rather impact the board and mill myself at the same time, and there are ways to do that in the format
Supply Drop image 2.0 This is a pretty interesting design! Three mana for +2/+2 isn’t a great rate for a trick, but you can cash it in for a card later, giving it some real 2-for-1 potential in a format that has a fair bit of Artifact synergy too.
Curate image 2.5 This lets you see up to three cards and can let you put advantageous cards in the graveyard, and that’s pretty nice – especially in a format with a spell deck and a card draw deck!
Yotian Medic image 2.0 This is a solid little defensive creature. It can block for a lot of the game while giving you back some life, which is certainly going to be a pain for aggro decks
Pack 3 Pick 11: Su-Chi Cave Guard
Su-Chi Cave Guard image 4.0 This is a quality thing to ramp into with your Powerstones. It is huge, hard to kill, and can play offense and defense! Plus, if it dies, it gives you a whole bunch of mana, and this format has a decent number of mana sinks around since they wanted you to have stuff to do with your power stones
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Depth Charge Colossus image 1.0 I don’t love this. Both modes are pretty inefficient for a creature you have to pay extra mana for to untap. Even with powerstones I don’t think I’m playing this.
Raze to the Ground image 2.5 This format does have a ton of Artifacts, so this will usually have a target, many of which will be creatures. And its also nice that it can draw you a card when it hits a cheap artifact. In a pinch you could even go after your own powerstone! However…it is a little overcosted and clunky to be that good. Three mana to kill only one permanent type, even one that is relatively plentiful in the set, just isn’t a great rate. The uncounterable clause only matters a tiny bit here too. I mean, I don’t think this is bad at all – but I think some people will see this and think it is premium, but it just won’t be
Mishra's Domination image 1.5 This has some nice flexibility, as it can be a decent removal spell for an aggro deck or a way to buff a creature. It doesn’t do either thing well, though
Pack 3 Pick 12: Energy Refractor
Gnawing Vermin image 2.0 This gives you a bunch of little stuff, but getting all of it for one mana is a pretty decent deal! One mana 1/1s that can give -1/-1 to something when they die are usually pretty nice, as they can trade up for X/2s or even get a 2-for-1 if your opponent has two X/1s. The fact it mills sets up a couple of different Black decks in the format too
Shoot Down image 2.5 This has a whole lot of targets in this format. It is a bit clunky as a 4 mana Sorcery, but it just feels like this will be able to deal with enough permanents in this format that I like the first copy in most Green decks
Mishra's Onslaught image 1.5 You are overpaying for both modes on this card – usually each of these effects costs three. You do get some modality here, but the token effect is generally underpowered while the mass pump effect is narrow, so I think this will get cut a fair bit
Energy Refractor image 1.5 It is a good thing this replaces itself, because it is pretty bad at filtering mana! Two mana for one mana of any color just isn’t a very good rate, though it can do it multiple times a turn because it doesn’t tap. The format does care about artifacts and noncreature spells, and one that replaces itself has some inhererent value, with the filtering part just some minor upside. It does let you make your powerstones produce colored mana, but still not efficient at all.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Power Plant Worker
Arms Race image 1.0 This Artifact-only but more expensive version of Sneak Attack is pretty cool, and this format certainly has some beefy artifact creatures that you could cheat into play, like basically everything with Prototype. However, it is hard to take full advantage of a card like this in Limited, as you often find yourself going down cards in order to do some damage or get your creature chump blocked, and that’s not usually worth it. You also invest a total of 8 mana to cheat your first thing into play, and I don’t love that! You need a few things to make this worth playing – payoffs for sacrificing stuff, big artifact creatures to cheat into play, and things that give you value when they enter the battlefield or die. I feel like that’s probably asking too much of a draft or a sealed pool. This has some potential, but hard to imagine it working very consistently
Power Plant Worker image 2.0 This is a fun cycle, since they all reference the original Urza lands. I think the card seems pretty decent too. The stats aren’t great, but +2/+2 for three mana isn’t the worst rate in a set with power stones everywhere. I wouldn’t count on getting all three of these in play, but you might achieve it on occasion.
Gnarlroot Pallbearer image 2.0 This doesn’t have a great stat-line – but a 5/5 trampler is passable -- and the ETB trigger will be pretty effective in most Green decks, allowing you to attack with something that just couldn’t before. Still, it is rather expensive and dependent on your graveyard
Pack 3 Pick 14: Tawnos's Tinkering
Disenchant image 2.5 This is a solid main deck card in this format. There are lots of artifacts and a decent number of Enchantments. It is efficient and Instant speed too, which is always nice.
Tawnos's Tinkering image 1.0 I feel like actually generating a card of value with this is going to be a little bit challenging, and it is a pretty big investment for a card that won’t always be able to do enough
Pack 3 Pick 15: Ivory Tower
Ivory Tower image 0.0 This isn’t good in Limited. You need to be a draw go style control deck to really make this gain you life that matters, and that just doesn’t happen in Limited. This will frequently do nothing or close to nothing.
Draft Pick Overview