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Traditional Draft SIR 24 March 2023

24 March 01:11 - HooterD 3 Wins - 0 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (14)
1 Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha image
2 Pack Guardian image
1 Immerwolf image
2 Gnarlwood Dryad image
1 Duskwatch Recruiter // Krallenhorde Howler image
1 Hamlet Captain image
1 Byway Courier image
2 Deranged Whelp image
1 Village Messenger // Moonrise Intruder image
1 Conduit of Storms // Conduit of Emrakul image
1 Spirit of the Hunt image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
1 Wolfkin Bond image
1 Moonlight Hunt image
2 Moonmist image
1 Ulvenwald Mysteries image
1 Rabid Bite image
1 Aim High image
1 Lightning Axe image
1 Tormenting Voice image
Land (17)
2 Game Trail image
8 Forest image
7 Mountain image
Sideboard
1 Gatstaf Arsonists image
1 Daring Sleuth image
1 Gavony Unhallowed image
1 Docent of Perfection image
1 Thornhide Wolves image
1 Manic Scribe image
1 Ravenous Bloodseeker image
1 Drownyard Explorers image
1 Geist of the Archives image
1 Pore Over the Pages image
2 Confront the Unknown image
1 Merciless Resolve image
1 Deny Existence image
1 Magnifying Glass image
1 Aim High image
1 Grapple with the Past image
1 Foul Orchard image
1 Woodland Stream image
1 Highland Lake image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Mayor of Avabruck
Mayor of Avabruck image 4.5 A human lord is welcome in Green in this format – and so is a Werewolf lord! So its great that the Mayor can do both. It is especially powerful as a werewolf, because it effectively cranks out a 3/3 every turn.
Noosegraf Mob image 4.0 This is a strange card that would normally be really hard to evaluate – but luckily this is a reprint set, and I’ve played with this card a lot! It is a 6-mana 5/5 that shrinks and spits out a 2/2 any time a player casts a spell. The end result is often 6 mana for 6 2/2s, which is a rate you would always pay. It also means that it is hard for your opponent to remove profitably, because they end up giving you at least one 2/2 when they target it.
Daring Sleuth image 3.5 This starts with passable base stats, and transforming it is pretty easy in Blue. Once transformed, it is a creature your opponent really has to account for, since it can generate a ton of clues.
Subjugator Angel image 2.5 This was an underperformer last time. The idea of tapping down your opponent’s whole board and swinging for lethal is easy to imagine, but there are lots of board states where the ETB ability is actually irrelevant. And in those cases, you’re playing a creature that has a pretty bad stat-line.
Abundant Maw image 2.5 This has a big body and Lightning Helixes your opponent, so its hard to go wrong there! Especially because Black has plenty of good sacrifice fodder for Emerge.
Fleeting Memories image 1.0 Clues are good and all, but this isn’t a great format to try and mill your opponent out in. Several decks in this format want cards in their graveyard. Turning on their delirium and Flashback cards isn’t really something you want to be doing. There are some clue-heavy control decks where this can work out as a win condition, but you’re really playing with fire.
Field Creeper image 1.5 This is a little better than it looks. It is both an Artifact and a Creature, which means it gets you halfway to Delirium all on its own.
Howlpack Wolf image 2.0 This has decent stats, and if you're in Red/Green it basically has no downside.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Liliana's Elite image 1.5 Even in this graveyard-centric format, Liliana’s Elite often isn’t worth it. The upside here is that it is a large vanilla creature, and the downside is that it is awful in the early game, and mediocre in the mid-game.
Grapple with the Past image 2.5 You usually want one of these in Green. It helps you get delirium and helps you get value out of the graveyard.
Fogwalker image 2.5 This does not tap down a creature – keep that in mind! It only keeps it from untapping, so if the creature isn’t already tapped, its ETB ability doesn’t do anything. A two man ⅓ with Skulk is definitely difficult to block, though, and this even has a useful creature type.
Obsessive Skinner image 3.5 Without Delirium, this is a two drop that usually makes the cut. When you get Delirium going, it becomes an impressive value engine, giving you a +1/+1 counter every turn.
Borrowed Grace image 1.5 So you can pay for +2/+2 to the whole board, or three mana for just one of these effects. Neither is very exciting.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Moonmist
Moonmist image 0.5 Even with all this additional upside, this is still a fog, and those are rarely worth it in Limited.
Curious Homunculus image 3.5 This can help you ramp into some nice spells, and once it transforms it becomes a really problematic threat. Spell and graveyard decks are very real in the format, so transforming it is very doable.
Brain in a Jar image 0.0 Not worth it in Limited, even with a spell deck around. It is too slow and doesn’t really do anything to impact the game most of the time.
Pore Over the Pages image 3.0 Paying 5 to draw 3 and discard a card isn’t amazing, but the fact this untapped two lands shouldn’t be overlooked. Most of the time, this allows you to add to the board thanks to the new cards you drew, making it much different than your typical sorcery speed draw spell.
Lupine Prototype image 0.0 A 2-mana 5/5 is great, but this is effectively a blank card for most of the game, and by the time it can attack and block, a 5/5 is no longer the most impressive thing.
Spontaneous Mutation image 1.5 Like most -X/-0 Auras, this isn’t very good – even with Flash! It doesn’t get close enough to removing an entire card to feel like its worth it. It does get a small boost because of all the Prowess in the set, but you’re still hoping to play something better.
Bloodmad Vampire image 2.5 A three-mana 4/1 isn’t a terrible rate for an aggro deck, and this has big upside! Sometimes you can cast it for two, and it gets bigger when it gets in for a hit. Madness increases your chance of making that happen, too, since you can effectively flash it in at the end of your opponent’s turn sometimes.
True-Faith Censer image 3.0 This is a very efficient Equipment, especially if you’re in Green-White and have lots of humans. +2/+1 and Vigilance is enough to make just about any creature into a problem.
Stormrider Spirit image 2.0 The Spirit decks in this format have lots of cards that let them operate at instant speed, so this having Flash works pretty well. You can leave up counter magic and removal, and if you don’t need it, add a very real body to the board. You can of course also Flash it in and ambush block stuff, which can feel pretty great.
Certain Death image 2.5 This is certainly clunky, but it deals with anything and drains 2 life, which helps offset how expensive it is.
Field Creeper image 1.5 This is a little better than it looks. It is both an Artifact and a Creature, which means it gets you halfway to Delirium all on its own.
Convolute image 1.5 This is passable counter magic, and performs especially well in the early game, but the fact it gets worse the longer the game goes on is rough.
Bound by Moonsilver image 4.0 This is amazing removal, and it was at Uncommon last time around. Downshifting it is pretty surprising, because it deals with most things in the format quite effectively! Its great you can move it around when you need to, too.
Swift Spinner image 1.5 This is a passable creature that can ambush block some stuff, but it doesn’t always make the cut.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Pack Guardian
Graf Rats image 1.0 You don’t play this unless you’re very desperate for a two drop or you have Midnight Scavengers.
Fleeting Memories image 1.0 Clues are good and all, but this isn’t a great format to try and mill your opponent out in. Several decks in this format want cards in their graveyard. Turning on their delirium and Flashback cards isn’t really something you want to be doing. There are some clue-heavy control decks where this can work out as a win condition, but you’re really playing with fire.
Pack Guardian image 4.0 A 4-mana 4/3 with Flash would usually make the cut, so the fact you can discard a land to end up also getting a 2/2 is amazing, especially because getting a land in your graveyard might help you get Delirium.
Foul Orchard image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Deny Existence image 2.0 Most decks have enough creatures for this to be playable, though it is always rough to try to use one of these when your opponent casts a noncreature spell.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Borrowed Grace image 1.5 So you can pay for +2/+2 to the whole board, or three mana for just one of these effects. Neither is very exciting.
Bloodbriar image 2.5 This is a pretty real payoff for sacrifice decks, and it has passable base stats.
True-Faith Censer image 3.0 This is a very efficient Equipment, especially if you’re in Green-White and have lots of humans. +2/+1 and Vigilance is enough to make just about any creature into a problem.
Olivia's Dragoon image 3.0 This card would be solid in any format, but in this one it is even better! It has a useful creature type and can help you get Delirium and Madness cards going.
Borrowed Hostility image 0.0 This is bad. It is a build-your-own Sure Strike, except it costs twice the mana – and it isn’t like Sure Strike is that impressive to begin with.
Galvanic Bombardment image 2.5 // 4.0 You’ll always play this even if you only have one copy, and it becomes far better the more copies you have. If you have 4+, it becomes one of the best cards in your deck.
Haunted Fengraf image 1.0 This is bad for your mana base, and the fact it is random is a pretty big problem.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Game Trail
Ghoulraiser image 3.0 Gravedigger for three mana is a nice card, even if you can only get back Zombies and it is entirely random! This delivers a nice 2-for-1 in most Black decks.
Curious Homunculus image 3.5 This can help you ramp into some nice spells, and once it transforms it becomes a really problematic threat. Spell and graveyard decks are very real in the format, so transforming it is very doable.
Fortified Village image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Woodland Stream image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Game Trail image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Wretched Gryff image 4.0 This is one of the best Commons in the set. Casting it for the full 7 mana is totally passable, and if you can sacrifice something that gives you value and cast the Gryff for three or four mana – which happens all the time – it feels particularly amazing.
Byway Courier image 3.5 This is good at trading off for things, and the Clue it gives you means you’re going to get a 2-for-1.
Alms of the Vein image 1.0 Even if you can consistently cast this for its Madness cost, Alms of the Vein is fairly disappointing. The six point life swing is nice, but doesn’t feel worth a card most of the time.
Exultant Cultist image 2.5 This is good sacrifice fodder, and can be especially spicy with Emerge. Even in the absence of those things, the fact you can trade this off for a 2-for-1 feels pretty good.
Merciless Resolve image 1.5 There are some expendable bodies in this format for sure, and the fact you can sacrifice a land is nice. But this is still fairly clunky for the effect, which often amounts to you breaking even on cards. That’s not especially exciting.
Terrarion image 1.5 This does a solid job of fixing your mana, and it helps you get delirium early by putting an Artifact in the graveyard.
Ghoulcaller's Accomplice image 3.0 This has solid base stats, and the fact you can get a Zombie out of it from the graveyard is great! Obviously, the rate on that second body isn’t amazing, but card advantage is card advantage. It also means you can discard or mill this and still get some nice value out of it.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Immerwolf
Immerwolf image 3.5 Obviously, this buffs most creatures in Red/Green, and making all of your werewolves stay stuck in their more powerful form is awesome.
Fevered Visions image 1.5 This is basically howling mine, but it does come with a bit of a downside for your opponent, as they will get Shocked by it sometimes. Still, it isn’t that easy to start burning your opponent with this in Limited, and like most symmetrical card-draw, the fact your opponent gets the first card out of this is definitely rough.
Stone Quarry image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Foreboding Ruins image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Thraben Foulbloods image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 isn’t very good, but a three mana 4/3 with Menace is! Delirium is very accessible too, though you won’t usually have it when you’re playing this on turn three.
Devilthorn Fox image 1.5 A vanilla two mana 3/1 was better back in 2016, and this will be far more playable in this format than it is in more recent ones.
Confront the Unknown image 1.5 This only gives +1/+1 a little too often to be anything special. Some really clue-heavy decks can get some good use out of this, but it isn’t exactly the payoff you’re hoping for.
Strength of Arms image 2.5 This is a nice trick. One mana for +2/+2 tends to play pretty well, and the times you can get a 1/1 token out of this feel really insane, and its very doable, especially in GW.
Bloodmad Vampire image 2.5 A three-mana 4/1 isn’t a terrible rate for an aggro deck, and this has big upside! Sometimes you can cast it for two, and it gets bigger when it gets in for a hit. Madness increases your chance of making that happen, too, since you can effectively flash it in at the end of your opponent’s turn sometimes.
Spontaneous Mutation image 1.5 Like most -X/-0 Auras, this isn’t very good – even with Flash! It doesn’t get close enough to removing an entire card to feel like its worth it. It does get a small boost because of all the Prowess in the set, but you’re still hoping to play something better.
Bound by Moonsilver image 4.0 This is amazing removal, and it was at Uncommon last time around. Downshifting it is pretty surprising, because it deals with most things in the format quite effectively! Its great you can move it around when you need to, too.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Game Trail
Gatstaf Arsonists image 2.5 This is a solid finisher. A 5-mana 5/4 is obviously not great, but a 5-mana 6/5 with Menace? Yeah, that closes out a lot of games.
Game Trail image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Morkrut Necropod image 2.5 This is a pretty scary creature. A 7/7 with Menace is a real pain to block! It does come with a pretty big downside, but giving up expendable creatures or lands to swing with this thing isn’t too shabby.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Stormrider Spirit image 2.0 The Spirit decks in this format have lots of cards that let them operate at instant speed, so this having Flash works pretty well. You can leave up counter magic and removal, and if you don’t need it, add a very real body to the board. You can of course also Flash it in and ambush block stuff, which can feel pretty great.
Terrarion image 1.5 This does a solid job of fixing your mana, and it helps you get delirium early by putting an Artifact in the graveyard.
Grapple with the Past image 2.5 You usually want one of these in Green. It helps you get delirium and helps you get value out of the graveyard.
True-Faith Censer image 3.0 This is a very efficient Equipment, especially if you’re in Green-White and have lots of humans. +2/+1 and Vigilance is enough to make just about any creature into a problem.
Borrowed Malevolence image 2.0 This doesn’t feel amazing no matter how you cast it. If you can Escalate it, the boost it offers your creature and the -1/-1 it gives an opponent’s can be pretty nice, but three mana is steep enough that I don’t love this.
Rush of Adrenaline image 2.0 This is a decent trick. The toughness boost of only 1 does mean your creature will die more often with this than you might like, but +2 power and trample for one mana can also result in huge blowouts.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Gatstaf Arsonists
Diregraf Captain image 3.5 This is a better Zombie payoff than the one in the main set. Lords are always quite powerful, and the additions of deathtouch and damaging your opponent when a Zombie dies is great.
Gatstaf Arsonists image 2.5 This is a solid finisher. A 5-mana 5/4 is obviously not great, but a 5-mana 6/5 with Menace? Yeah, that closes out a lot of games.
Dusk Feaster image 2.5 This is pretty bad if you can’t get delirium going. The good news is, by the time you’re going to want to cast this, you’re pretty likely to have it in a deck like Black-Green. At that point, it is a 5-mana ⅘ Flyer – which is pretty nice!
Confront the Unknown image 1.5 This only gives +1/+1 a little too often to be anything special. Some really clue-heavy decks can get some good use out of this, but it isn’t exactly the payoff you’re hoping for.
Geist of the Archives image 3.0 This is surprisingly good. It can block lots of creatures in the format, and a free Scry every upkeep does a great job of improving the quality of your cards.
Merciless Resolve image 1.5 There are some expendable bodies in this format for sure, and the fact you can sacrifice a land is nice. But this is still fairly clunky for the effect, which often amounts to you breaking even on cards. That’s not especially exciting.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Pyre Hound image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a buildaround, but it is also an incredibly important and powerful Common for the Blue-Red deck. It gets massive in that deck, and the Trample is a real problem for your opponent.
Take Inventory image 1.0 // 3.5 This card can get really silly, especially in Blue-Red decks that can generate awesome value from spells that draw cards. Obviously, you want to get multiples of these, so that they can scale as the game goes on. Even if you only have two, you probably play them – and if you end up with 4+, it feels amazing.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Gnarlwood Dryad
Murderer's Axe image 1.0 This mostly isn’t worth it. Sure, you want to be discarding in this format to set up Delirium and cast things for their Madness cost, but there are lots of better ways to do that. The fact there isn’t any other Equip cost on this at all is rough, because even in this format there are situations where you just can’t move this.
Stone Quarry image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Imprisoned in the Moon image 2.5 This was Rare last time, downshifting it to Common will have a pretty significant impact on the format. That said, it isn’t amazing removal in Limited. Giving your opponent extra mana isn’t great, but it is usually better than whatever their best creature is. Still, you don’t really feel like you get a full card of value when you play this.
Certain Death image 2.5 This is certainly clunky, but it deals with anything and drains 2 life, which helps offset how expensive it is.
Thraben Foulbloods image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 isn’t very good, but a three mana 4/3 with Menace is! Delirium is very accessible too, though you won’t usually have it when you’re playing this on turn three.
Insatiable Gorgers image 2.5 A 4-mana 5/3 isn’t too bad, even if it has to always attack, and the Madness upside is nice to have.
Gnarlwood Dryad image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 with deathtouch is always playable, and this has the upside of becoming much more relevant in the mid to late game.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Daring Sleuth
Daring Sleuth image 3.5 This starts with passable base stats, and transforming it is pretty easy in Blue. Once transformed, it is a creature your opponent really has to account for, since it can generate a ton of clues.
Fleeting Memories image 1.0 Clues are good and all, but this isn’t a great format to try and mill your opponent out in. Several decks in this format want cards in their graveyard. Turning on their delirium and Flashback cards isn’t really something you want to be doing. There are some clue-heavy control decks where this can work out as a win condition, but you’re really playing with fire.
Field Creeper image 1.5 This is a little better than it looks. It is both an Artifact and a Creature, which means it gets you halfway to Delirium all on its own.
Liliana's Elite image 1.5 Even in this graveyard-centric format, Liliana’s Elite often isn’t worth it. The upside here is that it is a large vanilla creature, and the downside is that it is awful in the early game, and mediocre in the mid-game.
Grapple with the Past image 2.5 You usually want one of these in Green. It helps you get delirium and helps you get value out of the graveyard.
Fogwalker image 2.5 This does not tap down a creature – keep that in mind! It only keeps it from untapping, so if the creature isn’t already tapped, its ETB ability doesn’t do anything. A two man ⅓ with Skulk is definitely difficult to block, though, and this even has a useful creature type.
Borrowed Grace image 1.5 So you can pay for +2/+2 to the whole board, or three mana for just one of these effects. Neither is very exciting.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Pore Over the Pages
Pore Over the Pages image 3.0 Paying 5 to draw 3 and discard a card isn’t amazing, but the fact this untapped two lands shouldn’t be overlooked. Most of the time, this allows you to add to the board thanks to the new cards you drew, making it much different than your typical sorcery speed draw spell.
Spontaneous Mutation image 1.5 Like most -X/-0 Auras, this isn’t very good – even with Flash! It doesn’t get close enough to removing an entire card to feel like its worth it. It does get a small boost because of all the Prowess in the set, but you’re still hoping to play something better.
Stormrider Spirit image 2.0 The Spirit decks in this format have lots of cards that let them operate at instant speed, so this having Flash works pretty well. You can leave up counter magic and removal, and if you don’t need it, add a very real body to the board. You can of course also Flash it in and ambush block stuff, which can feel pretty great.
Certain Death image 2.5 This is certainly clunky, but it deals with anything and drains 2 life, which helps offset how expensive it is.
Field Creeper image 1.5 This is a little better than it looks. It is both an Artifact and a Creature, which means it gets you halfway to Delirium all on its own.
Convolute image 1.5 This is passable counter magic, and performs especially well in the early game, but the fact it gets worse the longer the game goes on is rough.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Foul Orchard
Fleeting Memories image 1.0 Clues are good and all, but this isn’t a great format to try and mill your opponent out in. Several decks in this format want cards in their graveyard. Turning on their delirium and Flashback cards isn’t really something you want to be doing. There are some clue-heavy control decks where this can work out as a win condition, but you’re really playing with fire.
Foul Orchard image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Deny Existence image 2.0 Most decks have enough creatures for this to be playable, though it is always rough to try to use one of these when your opponent casts a noncreature spell.
Borrowed Grace image 1.5 So you can pay for +2/+2 to the whole board, or three mana for just one of these effects. Neither is very exciting.
Haunted Fengraf image 1.0 This is bad for your mana base, and the fact it is random is a pretty big problem.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Woodland Stream
Woodland Stream image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Wretched Gryff image 4.0 This is one of the best Commons in the set. Casting it for the full 7 mana is totally passable, and if you can sacrifice something that gives you value and cast the Gryff for three or four mana – which happens all the time – it feels particularly amazing.
Exultant Cultist image 2.5 This is good sacrifice fodder, and can be especially spicy with Emerge. Even in the absence of those things, the fact you can trade this off for a 2-for-1 feels pretty good.
Merciless Resolve image 1.5 There are some expendable bodies in this format for sure, and the fact you can sacrifice a land is nice. But this is still fairly clunky for the effect, which often amounts to you breaking even on cards. That’s not especially exciting.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Confront the Unknown
Stone Quarry image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Thraben Foulbloods image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 isn’t very good, but a three mana 4/3 with Menace is! Delirium is very accessible too, though you won’t usually have it when you’re playing this on turn three.
Confront the Unknown image 1.5 This only gives +1/+1 a little too often to be anything special. Some really clue-heavy decks can get some good use out of this, but it isn’t exactly the payoff you’re hoping for.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Gavony Unhallowed
Morkrut Necropod image 2.5 This is a pretty scary creature. A 7/7 with Menace is a real pain to block! It does come with a pretty big downside, but giving up expendable creatures or lands to swing with this thing isn’t too shabby.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Pack 1 Pick 15: Merciless Resolve
Merciless Resolve image 1.5 There are some expendable bodies in this format for sure, and the fact you can sacrifice a land is nice. But this is still fairly clunky for the effect, which often amounts to you breaking even on cards. That’s not especially exciting.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Docent of Perfection
Immerwolf image 3.5 Obviously, this buffs most creatures in Red/Green, and making all of your werewolves stay stuck in their more powerful form is awesome.
Docent of Perfection image 5.0 A 5-mana 5/4 that spits out a token every time you cast a spell is already a bomb, so the fact that this transforms into an even larger creature that also buffs all of your Wizards is absolutely incredible.
Neglected Heirloom image 3.5 The base form of the Heirloom is a solid piece of Equipment, and once it transforms it can make any creature into a major threat. Transforming it isn’t always easy of course, and works best in Red-Green, but because it has such a good baseline, it is worth valuing fairly highly.
Veteran Cathar image 3.5 This has good base stats, and the ability to give double strike to your humans can be quite formidable. It is quite expensive to do it, though.
Stensia Masquerade image 2.0 If you’re a Vampire deck, playing one of these is decent. The fact it has Madness means you can treat it as a trick sometimes that gives First Strike to all of your attackers. Buffing your Vampire is nice too! The problem here is that this card is pretty bad if you’re behind.
Hamlet Captain image 3.5 This is a nice Human payoff that can make most boards significantly better. It doesn’t buff itself, though, so it often goes down in one attack.
Devilthorn Fox image 1.5 A vanilla two mana 3/1 was better back in 2016, and this will be far more playable in this format than it is in more recent ones.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Moonlight Hunt image 2.5 This is a fairly effective removal spell, as you can often use it effectively even with just a single Wolf or Werewolf. Your deck does need to be loaded up with them for this to be at its best, though – as if you don’t have a wolf or werewolf in play, this does stone nothing.
Dead Weight image 3.5 This is premium removal, kills many things for only one mana. It is also a little better than normal in this format because of Delirium.
Deny Existence image 2.0 Most decks have enough creatures for this to be playable, though it is always rough to try to use one of these when your opponent casts a noncreature spell.
Ravenous Bloodseeker image 2.5 This is a nice discard outlet that can be pretty obnoxious to block in the early game.
Drag Under image 2.5 Bouncing something at Sorcery speed and going down a card normally isn’t worth it. However, this replaces itself, which makes a really big difference! It means you still get the tempo but don’t go down a card, and there’s a spell deck in this format, so any spell that draws you a card already gets more value.
Swift Spinner image 1.5 This is a passable creature that can ambush block some stuff, but it doesn’t always make the cut.
Grotesque Mutation image 2.0 This is a decent trick. While the small toughness boost isn’t going to always keep your creature alive, the lifelink can really alter a race in your favor.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Duskwatch Recruiter
Elder Cathar image 3.0 This is a pretty nice payoff for Humans. Paying 3 mana for 4/4 worth of stats feels pretty good, and also makes the Cathar good sacrifice fodder.
Duskwatch Recruiter image 4.5 This is a very strong Uncommon. It has good base stats, and on the front side it has a very powerful activated ability that will allow you to outcard your opponent in the later stages of the game. The front side is kind of the one you want the most, but the Werewolf side isn’t too shabby either.
Call the Bloodline image 0.0 // 3.0 In the right deck, this can be very powerful! There is a lot of Madness in this set, especially in Black-Red, and this is one of the best ways to get Madness going, since it also lets you add a very real body to the board.
Brain in a Jar image 0.0 Not worth it in Limited, even with a spell deck around. It is too slow and doesn’t really do anything to impact the game most of the time.
Fiery Temper image 4.0 Even without Madness this would be a great Common, with Madness, which basically gives it the potential to be Lightning Bolt, it is one of the best Commons in the set.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Drownyard Explorers image 2.0 This has decent defensive stats, and eventually draws you a card. It is a fine card for the grindy Clue decks, though most other decks aren’t that interested.
Rush of Adrenaline image 2.0 This is a decent trick. The toughness boost of only 1 does mean your creature will die more often with this than you might like, but +2 power and trample for one mana can also result in huge blowouts.
Deranged Whelp image 2.5 This is a solid little two-drop and it has a useful creature type.
Bloodmad Vampire image 2.5 A three-mana 4/1 isn’t a terrible rate for an aggro deck, and this has big upside! Sometimes you can cast it for two, and it gets bigger when it gets in for a hit. Madness increases your chance of making that happen, too, since you can effectively flash it in at the end of your opponent’s turn sometimes.
Faithbearer Paladin image 2.0 This is better than it looks. A ¾ with lifelink is pretty beefy in this format, and represents a very real road block for aggro decks.
Intrepid Provisioner image 3.0 This is a solid Human payoff. The +2/+2 it offers often gives you a much better situation to attack with, and the 3/3 Trample body isn’t the worst thing.
Olivia's Dragoon image 3.0 This card would be solid in any format, but in this one it is even better! It has a useful creature type and can help you get Delirium and Madness cards going.
Drogskol Shieldmate image 2.0 This isn’t as impressive as it looks. +0/+1 to your whole board is not impactful in most situations. Still, it is a three mana ⅔ with Flash and upside, so it is super solid.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Hamlet Captain
Gatstaf Arsonists image 2.5 This is a solid finisher. A 5-mana 5/4 is obviously not great, but a 5-mana 6/5 with Menace? Yeah, that closes out a lot of games.
Hamlet Captain image 3.5 This is a nice Human payoff that can make most boards significantly better. It doesn’t buff itself, though, so it often goes down in one attack.
Drownyard Behemoth image 2.5 The main thing you want to do with this is Flash it in and ambush block a smaller creature, and that’s most creatures! If you do that, you’re going to get a 2-for-1. Sometimes that situation doesn’t present itself, and you just find yourself casting this as a 5/7, and it doesn’t feel nearly as good in those cases, but Blue has enough good sacrifice fodder that this will still feel pretty decent.
Haunted Dead image 3.5 4-mana for a 2/2 and a 1/1 Flyer is decent, and this can keep coming back from your graveyard! Discarding two cards might sound steep, but in this format, you can get a ton of upside out of discarding cards.
Deny Existence image 2.0 Most decks have enough creatures for this to be playable, though it is always rough to try to use one of these when your opponent casts a noncreature spell.
Pyre Hound image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a buildaround, but it is also an incredibly important and powerful Common for the Blue-Red deck. It gets massive in that deck, and the Trample is a real problem for your opponent.
Insatiable Gorgers image 2.5 A 4-mana 5/3 isn’t too bad, even if it has to always attack, and the Madness upside is nice to have.
Guardian of Pilgrims image 2.0 This has medium base stats, and has a medium ETB ability. So basically, it's medium.
Macabre Waltz image 2.5 You want one of these in virtually every Black deck. It is great at bringing back your best creatures, and it can even help you load the graveyard!
Drogskol Shieldmate image 2.0 This isn’t as impressive as it looks. +0/+1 to your whole board is not impactful in most situations. Still, it is a three mana ⅔ with Flash and upside, so it is super solid.
Devilthorn Fox image 1.5 A vanilla two mana 3/1 was better back in 2016, and this will be far more playable in this format than it is in more recent ones.
Tattered Haunter image 2.0 This is a reasonable two-drop, though it does suffer from the fact that it is awful against the format’s flying tokens.
Intrepid Provisioner image 3.0 This is a solid Human payoff. The +2/+2 it offers often gives you a much better situation to attack with, and the 3/3 Trample body isn’t the worst thing.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Highland Lake
Vampiric Fury image 1.0 // 2.5 This is cheaper than most Trumpet-Blast type effects, but only buffing Vampires is enough of a restriction that I’m not that thrilled about it. If you really got their on vampires, it isn’t a bad inclusion, but there are lots of Red decks that won’t play this.
Accursed Witch image 3.5 This hits hard, can trade for many things, and when it dies it becomes a serious problem for your opponent. As a curse, it drains your opponent 1 life every upkeep, which really snowballs. It is especially nasty to sacrifice this to cast something with Emerge!
Highland Lake image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Gryff's Boon image 3.5 This offers an incredibly efficient boost up front, as +1/+0 and Flying is enough to massively upgrade most creatures! What really makes it a quality Aura is the fact that you can constantly bring it back from the graveyard.
Drownyard Explorers image 2.0 This has decent defensive stats, and eventually draws you a card. It is a fine card for the grindy Clue decks, though most other decks aren’t that interested.
Ravenous Bloodseeker image 2.5 This is a nice discard outlet that can be pretty obnoxious to block in the early game.
Drogskol Shieldmate image 2.0 This isn’t as impressive as it looks. +0/+1 to your whole board is not impactful in most situations. Still, it is a three mana ⅔ with Flash and upside, so it is super solid.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Thornhide Wolves image 2.0 Last time around, this vanilla 4-mana ⅘ played surprisingly well. It is quite large for the format, and has a useful creature type.
Bloodbriar image 2.5 This is a pretty real payoff for sacrifice decks, and it has passable base stats.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Byway Courier
Conduit of Storms image 3.0 A three mana ⅔ that gives you a mana every time it attacks isn’t too bad, and this can transform into a fairly impressive Eldrazi Werewolf.
Manic Scribe image 2.0 This is another really awkward mill card. Milling can benefit your opponent enough in this format that going this route is highly questionable. That said, the Scribe is capable of milling the opponent out all on its own.
Biting Rain image 2.5 If you’re going to end up in a control deck, Biting Rain is a nice inclusion, as it does a great job of keeping aggro decks in check. Obviously, if you’re an aggro deck, you don’t want this.
Bloodmad Vampire image 2.5 A three-mana 4/1 isn’t a terrible rate for an aggro deck, and this has big upside! Sometimes you can cast it for two, and it gets bigger when it gets in for a hit. Madness increases your chance of making that happen, too, since you can effectively flash it in at the end of your opponent’s turn sometimes.
Sanitarium Skeleton image 1.0 // 2.5 If you need sacrifice fodder, this is pretty nice. If you don’t, you aren’t playing it.
Take Inventory image 1.0 // 3.5 This card can get really silly, especially in Blue-Red decks that can generate awesome value from spells that draw cards. Obviously, you want to get multiples of these, so that they can scale as the game goes on. Even if you only have two, you probably play them – and if you end up with 4+, it feels amazing.
Borrowed Grace image 1.5 So you can pay for +2/+2 to the whole board, or three mana for just one of these effects. Neither is very exciting.
Olivia's Dragoon image 3.0 This card would be solid in any format, but in this one it is even better! It has a useful creature type and can help you get Delirium and Madness cards going.
Byway Courier image 3.5 This is good at trading off for things, and the Clue it gives you means you’re going to get a 2-for-1.
Wolfkin Bond image 3.0 This is a surprisingly good Aura, and one you’re usually going to want one of in your Green decks. 5 mana is a lot, but the fact this gives you a 2/2 means that you do a good job of mitigating against the risk of getting 2-for-1’d.
Ghoulcaller's Accomplice image 3.0 This has solid base stats, and the fact you can get a Zombie out of it from the graveyard is great! Obviously, the rate on that second body isn’t amazing, but card advantage is card advantage. It also means you can discard or mill this and still get some nice value out of it.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Wolfkin Bond
Vampiric Fury image 1.0 // 2.5 This is cheaper than most Trumpet-Blast type effects, but only buffing Vampires is enough of a restriction that I’m not that thrilled about it. If you really got their on vampires, it isn’t a bad inclusion, but there are lots of Red decks that won’t play this.
Anguished Unmaking image 3.5 Hitting any type of permanent is great, and well worth paying 3 life for. That said, playing more than 1 or 2 of this can get a little sketchy because of the life payment. You can offset it by gaining some life, of course.
Indulgent Aristocrat image 3.5 This is a great Vampire payoff. It is a bit awkward sometimes that you have to sacrifice something to put the counters on your creatures, but if you’ve got enough Vampires in play that is well worth the price.
Borrowed Grace image 1.5 So you can pay for +2/+2 to the whole board, or three mana for just one of these effects. Neither is very exciting.
Morkrut Necropod image 2.5 This is a pretty scary creature. A 7/7 with Menace is a real pain to block! It does come with a pretty big downside, but giving up expendable creatures or lands to swing with this thing isn’t too shabby.
Ravenous Bloodseeker image 2.5 This is a nice discard outlet that can be pretty obnoxious to block in the early game.
Thraben Foulbloods image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 isn’t very good, but a three mana 4/3 with Menace is! Delirium is very accessible too, though you won’t usually have it when you’re playing this on turn three.
Wolfkin Bond image 3.0 This is a surprisingly good Aura, and one you’re usually going to want one of in your Green decks. 5 mana is a lot, but the fact this gives you a 2/2 means that you do a good job of mitigating against the risk of getting 2-for-1’d.
Laboratory Brute image 1.5 You want to be milling yourself in this format, but there are lots of better cards out there that can do the job.
Borrowed Malevolence image 2.0 This doesn’t feel amazing no matter how you cast it. If you can Escalate it, the boost it offers your creature and the -1/-1 it gives an opponent’s can be pretty nice, but three mana is steep enough that I don’t love this.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Confront the Unknown
Pick the Brain image 0.5 Yeah, Coercion is never worth it in Limited, and the Delirium upside here may as well be flavor text.
Uncaged Fury image 2.5 This is a very nice trick. It is a little expensive, but it makes most creatures win combat, and it has the potential to allow an unblocked creature to just finish off your opponent. The first copy should be valued fairly highly.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Grapple with the Past image 2.5 You usually want one of these in Green. It helps you get delirium and helps you get value out of the graveyard.
Wild-Field Scarecrow image 3.0 This is a passable defensive creature that is great at fixing your mana and helping you get Delirium.
Confront the Unknown image 1.5 This only gives +1/+1 a little too often to be anything special. Some really clue-heavy decks can get some good use out of this, but it isn’t exactly the payoff you’re hoping for.
Bloodmad Vampire image 2.5 A three-mana 4/1 isn’t a terrible rate for an aggro deck, and this has big upside! Sometimes you can cast it for two, and it gets bigger when it gets in for a hit. Madness increases your chance of making that happen, too, since you can effectively flash it in at the end of your opponent’s turn sometimes.
Stormrider Spirit image 2.0 The Spirit decks in this format have lots of cards that let them operate at instant speed, so this having Flash works pretty well. You can leave up counter magic and removal, and if you don’t need it, add a very real body to the board. You can of course also Flash it in and ambush block stuff, which can feel pretty great.
Strength of Arms image 2.5 This is a nice trick. One mana for +2/+2 tends to play pretty well, and the times you can get a 1/1 token out of this feel really insane, and its very doable, especially in GW.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Gnarlwood Dryad
Graf Rats image 1.0 You don’t play this unless you’re very desperate for a two drop or you have Midnight Scavengers.
Mournwillow image 3.0 This is not the most exciting signpost Uncommon ever, its Delirium ETB ability isn’t always relevant, so it is kind of a pain that you have to jump through hoops to even get it to do its thing. Still, hard to go wrong when the card’s baseline is a three mana 3/2 with Haste.
Gnarlwood Dryad image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 with deathtouch is always playable, and this has the upside of becoming much more relevant in the mid to late game.
Merciless Resolve image 1.5 There are some expendable bodies in this format for sure, and the fact you can sacrifice a land is nice. But this is still fairly clunky for the effect, which often amounts to you breaking even on cards. That’s not especially exciting.
Sigardian Priest image 2.5 This format has a ton of humans in it, so you often can’t tap creatures that you desperately want to tap. That makes this a lot worse than something like Master Decoy, but its still solid.
Take Inventory image 1.0 // 3.5 This card can get really silly, especially in Blue-Red decks that can generate awesome value from spells that draw cards. Obviously, you want to get multiples of these, so that they can scale as the game goes on. Even if you only have two, you probably play them – and if you end up with 4+, it feels amazing.
Grotesque Mutation image 2.0 This is a decent trick. While the small toughness boost isn’t going to always keep your creature alive, the lifelink can really alter a race in your favor.
Epitaph Golem image 0.0 // 2.5 This is better than it looks! This is a format where you can actually end up milling yourself out, especially in Black-Green. Once your library is out of cards, the Golem not only helps you avoid losing because you’re out of cards – it also effectively lets you draw whatever card you want every single turn. It takes a fairly particular deck for this to make the cut, though.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Moonlight Hunt
Stensia Masquerade image 2.0 If you’re a Vampire deck, playing one of these is decent. The fact it has Madness means you can treat it as a trick sometimes that gives First Strike to all of your attackers. Buffing your Vampire is nice too! The problem here is that this card is pretty bad if you’re behind.
Devilthorn Fox image 1.5 A vanilla two mana 3/1 was better back in 2016, and this will be far more playable in this format than it is in more recent ones.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Moonlight Hunt image 2.5 This is a fairly effective removal spell, as you can often use it effectively even with just a single Wolf or Werewolf. Your deck does need to be loaded up with them for this to be at its best, though – as if you don’t have a wolf or werewolf in play, this does stone nothing.
Dead Weight image 3.5 This is premium removal, kills many things for only one mana. It is also a little better than normal in this format because of Delirium.
Ravenous Bloodseeker image 2.5 This is a nice discard outlet that can be pretty obnoxious to block in the early game.
Swift Spinner image 1.5 This is a passable creature that can ambush block some stuff, but it doesn’t always make the cut.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Deranged Whelp
Brain in a Jar image 0.0 Not worth it in Limited, even with a spell deck around. It is too slow and doesn’t really do anything to impact the game most of the time.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Drownyard Explorers image 2.0 This has decent defensive stats, and eventually draws you a card. It is a fine card for the grindy Clue decks, though most other decks aren’t that interested.
Deranged Whelp image 2.5 This is a solid little two-drop and it has a useful creature type.
Bloodmad Vampire image 2.5 A three-mana 4/1 isn’t a terrible rate for an aggro deck, and this has big upside! Sometimes you can cast it for two, and it gets bigger when it gets in for a hit. Madness increases your chance of making that happen, too, since you can effectively flash it in at the end of your opponent’s turn sometimes.
Intrepid Provisioner image 3.0 This is a solid Human payoff. The +2/+2 it offers often gives you a much better situation to attack with, and the 3/3 Trample body isn’t the worst thing.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Deny Existence
Drownyard Behemoth image 2.5 The main thing you want to do with this is Flash it in and ambush block a smaller creature, and that’s most creatures! If you do that, you’re going to get a 2-for-1. Sometimes that situation doesn’t present itself, and you just find yourself casting this as a 5/7, and it doesn’t feel nearly as good in those cases, but Blue has enough good sacrifice fodder that this will still feel pretty decent.
Deny Existence image 2.0 Most decks have enough creatures for this to be playable, though it is always rough to try to use one of these when your opponent casts a noncreature spell.
Insatiable Gorgers image 2.5 A 4-mana 5/3 isn’t too bad, even if it has to always attack, and the Madness upside is nice to have.
Guardian of Pilgrims image 2.0 This has medium base stats, and has a medium ETB ability. So basically, it's medium.
Drogskol Shieldmate image 2.0 This isn’t as impressive as it looks. +0/+1 to your whole board is not impactful in most situations. Still, it is a three mana ⅔ with Flash and upside, so it is super solid.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Thornhide Wolves
Vampiric Fury image 1.0 // 2.5 This is cheaper than most Trumpet-Blast type effects, but only buffing Vampires is enough of a restriction that I’m not that thrilled about it. If you really got their on vampires, it isn’t a bad inclusion, but there are lots of Red decks that won’t play this.
Ravenous Bloodseeker image 2.5 This is a nice discard outlet that can be pretty obnoxious to block in the early game.
Thornhide Wolves image 2.0 Last time around, this vanilla 4-mana ⅘ played surprisingly well. It is quite large for the format, and has a useful creature type.
Bloodbriar image 2.5 This is a pretty real payoff for sacrifice decks, and it has passable base stats.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Manic Scribe
Manic Scribe image 2.0 This is another really awkward mill card. Milling can benefit your opponent enough in this format that going this route is highly questionable. That said, the Scribe is capable of milling the opponent out all on its own.
Biting Rain image 2.5 If you’re going to end up in a control deck, Biting Rain is a nice inclusion, as it does a great job of keeping aggro decks in check. Obviously, if you’re an aggro deck, you don’t want this.
Olivia's Dragoon image 3.0 This card would be solid in any format, but in this one it is even better! It has a useful creature type and can help you get Delirium and Madness cards going.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Ravenous Bloodseeker
Vampiric Fury image 1.0 // 2.5 This is cheaper than most Trumpet-Blast type effects, but only buffing Vampires is enough of a restriction that I’m not that thrilled about it. If you really got their on vampires, it isn’t a bad inclusion, but there are lots of Red decks that won’t play this.
Ravenous Bloodseeker image 2.5 This is a nice discard outlet that can be pretty obnoxious to block in the early game.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Magnifying Glass
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Pack Guardian
Avacyn's Collar image 2.5 The boost this offers isn’t really worth it, unless you have a lot of Humans, because then you can turn trades into an advantage.
Eternal Scourge image 3.5 This is a three mana 3/3 that just won’t stay away. Sure, any spell at all exiles the Scourge, but you can just keep casting it over and over again, so your opponent isn’t going to be that keen on using spells on it anyway.
Neglected Heirloom image 3.5 The base form of the Heirloom is a solid piece of Equipment, and once it transforms it can make any creature into a major threat. Transforming it isn’t always easy of course, and works best in Red-Green, but because it has such a good baseline, it is worth valuing fairly highly.
Pack Guardian image 4.0 A 4-mana 4/3 with Flash would usually make the cut, so the fact you can discard a land to end up also getting a 2/2 is amazing, especially because getting a land in your graveyard might help you get Delirium.
Stone Quarry image 2.5 These always enter tapped, which is a little bit of a bummer, but they still provide some quality fixing.
Nebelgast Herald image 3.5 On its own, this is a three mana 2/1 flyer that taps down an opposing creature. You would always play that, and this comes with the additional upside of making every spirit you control tap something down. This can really allow you to attack for tons of damage, especially in the air.
Pyre Hound image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a buildaround, but it is also an incredibly important and powerful Common for the Blue-Red deck. It gets massive in that deck, and the Trample is a real problem for your opponent.
Bound by Moonsilver image 4.0 This is amazing removal, and it was at Uncommon last time around. Downshifting it is pretty surprising, because it deals with most things in the format quite effectively! Its great you can move it around when you need to, too.
Wretched Gryff image 4.0 This is one of the best Commons in the set. Casting it for the full 7 mana is totally passable, and if you can sacrifice something that gives you value and cast the Gryff for three or four mana – which happens all the time – it feels particularly amazing.
Grotesque Mutation image 2.0 This is a decent trick. While the small toughness boost isn’t going to always keep your creature alive, the lifelink can really alter a race in your favor.
Spontaneous Mutation image 1.5 Like most -X/-0 Auras, this isn’t very good – even with Flash! It doesn’t get close enough to removing an entire card to feel like its worth it. It does get a small boost because of all the Prowess in the set, but you’re still hoping to play something better.
Thraben Inspector image 3.0 This is a nice one drop. Generating a clue is great value to add to a one mana ½, and it even has a useful creature type.
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Sanitarium Skeleton image 1.0 // 2.5 If you need sacrifice fodder, this is pretty nice. If you don’t, you aren’t playing it.
Thornhide Wolves image 2.0 Last time around, this vanilla 4-mana ⅘ played surprisingly well. It is quite large for the format, and has a useful creature type.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Village Messenger
Moonmist image 0.5 Even with all this additional upside, this is still a fog, and those are rarely worth it in Limited.
Village Messenger image 2.5 This is great on turn one, especially if you’re on the play. You get to play this and get in for a damage, and if your opponent doesn’t have a one drop, this turns into a 2/2 Menace – and it's going to stay that way for quite some time. If you get it later in the game, it is significantly less impressive, but a 2/2 Menace can at least be relevant on most board states.
Mad Prophet image 2.0 This is a nice repeatable way to get Madness going, but the stat-line means it dies to several one mana removal spells in the format, and that downside hurts.
Pore Over the Pages image 3.0 Paying 5 to draw 3 and discard a card isn’t amazing, but the fact this untapped two lands shouldn’t be overlooked. Most of the time, this allows you to add to the board thanks to the new cards you drew, making it much different than your typical sorcery speed draw spell.
Blood Mist image 0.0 This is bad. It isn’t worth the mana or the card. Double strike on one creature can sometimes be pretty sweet, but the fact it only works on one creature and only on your turn is rough. You basically already need a really good creature or this is irrelevant.
Fiend Binder image 2.5 The stat-line is ugly for the cost, but tapping down an opposing creature every time it attacks can allow you to do tons of damage.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Puncturing Light image 2.5 This can kill a decent number of creatures in the format, and it does it fairly efficiently. Obviously, it is a little too narrow to be premium, but its fine.
Fogwalker image 2.5 This does not tap down a creature – keep that in mind! It only keeps it from untapping, so if the creature isn’t already tapped, its ETB ability doesn’t do anything. A two man ⅓ with Skulk is definitely difficult to block, though, and this even has a useful creature type.
Howlpack Wolf image 2.0 This has decent stats, and if you're in Red/Green it basically has no downside.
Wolfkin Bond image 3.0 This is a surprisingly good Aura, and one you’re usually going to want one of in your Green decks. 5 mana is a lot, but the fact this gives you a 2/2 means that you do a good job of mitigating against the risk of getting 2-for-1’d.
Thraben Foulbloods image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 isn’t very good, but a three mana 4/3 with Menace is! Delirium is very accessible too, though you won’t usually have it when you’re playing this on turn three.
Dauntless Cathar image 3.5 Trading this off for something and then getting a flying token out of your graveyard feels great. Also works well if you want to sacrifice it or you end up milling it.
Sanitarium Skeleton image 1.0 // 2.5 If you need sacrifice fodder, this is pretty nice. If you don’t, you aren’t playing it.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Deranged Whelp
Battleground Geist image 2.5 There are lots of Spirits in this set, and this will be doubly true while Battleground Geist is in the format. It has passable stats and impacts the board right away.
Stromkirk Occultist image 4.0 They downshifted this to Rare, which is pretty spicy! A three mana 3/2 Trample isn’t a bad starting point, so when you add in the Madness upside and the fact that this can effectively draw you cards, and we’re talking about an incredibly efficient and powerful creature.
Lightning Axe image 3.5 There’s lots of stuff in this format that you want to be discarding, and you will often find yourself able to cast this for only a single mana and cast whatever you discard. At that point, you’re really negating the downside of the Axe, and it just becomes an incredibly efficient removal spell with major upside. You won’t always be able to do that of course, but it happens often enough that this is premium removal.
Mockery of Nature image 2.5 This format has a decent number of Artifacts and Enchantments, and if you have a target, the Mockery will feel amazing. However, there aren’t so many of them in the set that this will consistently give you that sweet 2-for-1.
Fogwalker image 2.5 This does not tap down a creature – keep that in mind! It only keeps it from untapping, so if the creature isn’t already tapped, its ETB ability doesn’t do anything. A two man ⅓ with Skulk is definitely difficult to block, though, and this even has a useful creature type.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Thraben Foulbloods image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 isn’t very good, but a three mana 4/3 with Menace is! Delirium is very accessible too, though you won’t usually have it when you’re playing this on turn three.
Exultant Cultist image 2.5 This is good sacrifice fodder, and can be especially spicy with Emerge. Even in the absence of those things, the fact you can trade this off for a 2-for-1 feels pretty good.
Guardian of Pilgrims image 2.0 This has medium base stats, and has a medium ETB ability. So basically, it's medium.
Weirding Wood image 2.0 This fixes your mana and generates a Clue, and some decks are definitely in the market for that.
Morkrut Necropod image 2.5 This is a pretty scary creature. A 7/7 with Menace is a real pain to block! It does come with a pretty big downside, but giving up expendable creatures or lands to swing with this thing isn’t too shabby.
Drag Under image 2.5 Bouncing something at Sorcery speed and going down a card normally isn’t worth it. However, this replaces itself, which makes a really big difference! It means you still get the tempo but don’t go down a card, and there’s a spell deck in this format, so any spell that draws you a card already gets more value.
Deranged Whelp image 2.5 This is a solid little two-drop and it has a useful creature type.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Ulvenwald Mysteries
Vampiric Fury image 1.0 // 2.5 This is cheaper than most Trumpet-Blast type effects, but only buffing Vampires is enough of a restriction that I’m not that thrilled about it. If you really got their on vampires, it isn’t a bad inclusion, but there are lots of Red decks that won’t play this.
Ulvenwald Mysteries image 4.0 This is a very powerful value engine, especially in Blue-Green, where you have lots of Clues anyway. Making it so sacrificing a clue generates a 1/1 is a huge upgrade, as it allows you to add to the board while digging deeper into your deck. This is less good if you’re entirely reliant on it to generate your Clues, but even then it can be pretty good.
Abundant Maw image 2.5 This has a big body and Lightning Helixes your opponent, so its hard to go wrong there! Especially because Black has plenty of good sacrifice fodder for Emerge.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Drownyard Explorers image 2.0 This has decent defensive stats, and eventually draws you a card. It is a fine card for the grindy Clue decks, though most other decks aren’t that interested.
Morkrut Necropod image 2.5 This is a pretty scary creature. A 7/7 with Menace is a real pain to block! It does come with a pretty big downside, but giving up expendable creatures or lands to swing with this thing isn’t too shabby.
Borrowed Hostility image 0.0 This is bad. It is a build-your-own Sure Strike, except it costs twice the mana – and it isn’t like Sure Strike is that impressive to begin with.
Insolent Neonate image 2.5 This is a solid one drop that can chip in for some nice damage early, and then cash itself in for a card later in the game.
Geist of the Archives image 3.0 This is surprisingly good. It can block lots of creatures in the format, and a free Scry every upkeep does a great job of improving the quality of your cards.
Thraben Inspector image 3.0 This is a nice one drop. Generating a clue is great value to add to a one mana ½, and it even has a useful creature type.
Gnarlwood Dryad image 3.0 A one mana 1/1 with deathtouch is always playable, and this has the upside of becoming much more relevant in the mid to late game.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Conduit of Storms
Traveler's Amulet image 2.5 This nicely fixes your mana, while also giving you an Artifact in the graveyard for Delirium.
Conduit of Storms image 3.0 A three mana ⅔ that gives you a mana every time it attacks isn’t too bad, and this can transform into a fairly impressive Eldrazi Werewolf.
Fortified Village image 2.5 Playing these untapped is fairly easy, and they do a good job of fixing your mana.
Field Creeper image 1.5 This is a little better than it looks. It is both an Artifact and a Creature, which means it gets you halfway to Delirium all on its own.
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Spontaneous Mutation image 1.5 Like most -X/-0 Auras, this isn’t very good – even with Flash! It doesn’t get close enough to removing an entire card to feel like its worth it. It does get a small boost because of all the Prowess in the set, but you’re still hoping to play something better.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Rush of Adrenaline image 2.0 This is a decent trick. The toughness boost of only 1 does mean your creature will die more often with this than you might like, but +2 power and trample for one mana can also result in huge blowouts.
Strength of Arms image 2.5 This is a nice trick. One mana for +2/+2 tends to play pretty well, and the times you can get a 1/1 token out of this feel really insane, and its very doable, especially in GW.
Grapple with the Past image 2.5 You usually want one of these in Green. It helps you get delirium and helps you get value out of the graveyard.
Sanitarium Skeleton image 1.0 // 2.5 If you need sacrifice fodder, this is pretty nice. If you don’t, you aren’t playing it.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Rabid Bite
Havengul Runebinder image 4.0 This is very powerful when you have a well-stocked graveyard, something that is eminently doable in this format. Cranking out tokens and buffing all of your Zombies makes this a pretty amazing engine.
Midnight Scavengers image 2.5 This can give you a pretty nice 2-for-1, and if you have Graf Rats in your deck it has the potential to become an incredibly scary creature.
Reaper of Flight Moonsilver image 2.5 The base stats here aren’t good – but if you have Delirium going, the Reaper can represent lethal on a lot of board states.
Biting Rain image 2.5 If you’re going to end up in a control deck, Biting Rain is a nice inclusion, as it does a great job of keeping aggro decks in check. Obviously, if you’re an aggro deck, you don’t want this.
Rabid Bite image 3.5 This is premium removal. You have to be careful about when you use it, because your opponent can interact in response and blow you out. But when you get the chance to use it, it ends up dealing with most creatures very efficiently.
Tormenting Voice image 2.5 This is better in this format than it is in pretty much any other! It helps you get Delirium and discard things with Madness, on top of also being a nice card for the Blue-Red spell deck since it triggers all of your payoffs.
Essence Flux image 0.0 // 2.5 The Blue-White Spirit deck has a blink/flicker sub-theme, as Essence Flux tells you. If you have enough Spirits with ETB abilities, this is playable. But there are many decks it doesn’t work out in, even Blue/White ones!
Jace's Scrutiny image 2.0 This is a little better than it might look at first, largely because the format has both a Spell deck and an Investigate deck. This ultimately replaces itself thanks to the Clue, and the -4/-0 can end up blanking an attack at worst, and sometimes you can even set up a really advantageous combat situation where your opponent actually loses a card.
Grotesque Mutation image 2.0 This is a decent trick. While the small toughness boost isn’t going to always keep your creature alive, the lifelink can really alter a race in your favor.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Spirit of the Hunt
Spirit of the Hunt image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 with Flash is pretty nice, and while you may not always be able to take full advantage of its ETB ability, there are times when it really matters. It can save your creatures from some removal spells, or turn a trade into a much more beneficial situation.
Shrill Howler image 3.5 This might only have one toughness, but because it can’t be blocked by creatures with lower power, you don’t need to worry too much about your opponent trading up. Once transformed it becomes an absolute monster, drastically increasing its toughness and generating a body when it hits your opponent.
Ulrich's Kindred image 3.0 This has a solid baseline, and granting indestructibility to your werewolves can be great! That said, the ability is fairly costly, and if your opponent has mana up when you try to use it, prepare to get blown out.
Invasive Surgery image 0.0 Yeah, no. This is far too narrow, even if you have Delirium active.
Geist of the Archives image 3.0 This is surprisingly good. It can block lots of creatures in the format, and a free Scry every upkeep does a great job of improving the quality of your cards.
Devilthorn Fox image 1.5 A vanilla two mana 3/1 was better back in 2016, and this will be far more playable in this format than it is in more recent ones.
Convolute image 1.5 This is passable counter magic, and performs especially well in the early game, but the fact it gets worse the longer the game goes on is rough.
Puncturing Light image 2.5 This can kill a decent number of creatures in the format, and it does it fairly efficiently. Obviously, it is a little too narrow to be premium, but its fine.
Sanitarium Skeleton image 1.0 // 2.5 If you need sacrifice fodder, this is pretty nice. If you don’t, you aren’t playing it.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Aim High
Graf Mole image 3.0 This is a nice Clue payoff with solid stats. The life it gains you can really help you buy yourself the time to draw all of your extra cards.
Compelling Deterrence image 2.5 Two mana to bounce a non-land permanent is usually playable, especially in a format with a spell deck! The Zombie upside is nice too, especially in situations when your opponent has an empty hand, when this basically feels like Doom Blade!
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Guardian of Pilgrims image 2.0 This has medium base stats, and has a medium ETB ability. So basically, it's medium.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Borrowed Malevolence image 2.0 This doesn’t feel amazing no matter how you cast it. If you can Escalate it, the boost it offers your creature and the -1/-1 it gives an opponent’s can be pretty nice, but three mana is steep enough that I don’t love this.
Wretched Gryff image 4.0 This is one of the best Commons in the set. Casting it for the full 7 mana is totally passable, and if you can sacrifice something that gives you value and cast the Gryff for three or four mana – which happens all the time – it feels particularly amazing.
Haunted Fengraf image 1.0 This is bad for your mana base, and the fact it is random is a pretty big problem.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Aim High
Nebelgast Herald image 3.5 On its own, this is a three mana 2/1 flyer that taps down an opposing creature. You would always play that, and this comes with the additional upside of making every spirit you control tap something down. This can really allow you to attack for tons of damage, especially in the air.
Pyre Hound image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a buildaround, but it is also an incredibly important and powerful Common for the Blue-Red deck. It gets massive in that deck, and the Trample is a real problem for your opponent.
Wretched Gryff image 4.0 This is one of the best Commons in the set. Casting it for the full 7 mana is totally passable, and if you can sacrifice something that gives you value and cast the Gryff for three or four mana – which happens all the time – it feels particularly amazing.
Grotesque Mutation image 2.0 This is a decent trick. While the small toughness boost isn’t going to always keep your creature alive, the lifelink can really alter a race in your favor.
Spontaneous Mutation image 1.5 Like most -X/-0 Auras, this isn’t very good – even with Flash! It doesn’t get close enough to removing an entire card to feel like its worth it. It does get a small boost because of all the Prowess in the set, but you’re still hoping to play something better.
Aim High image 1.5 This type of trick is rarely good. The stats boost is medium for two mana, and Reach and untapping are mostly only relevant on defense, which is the worst possible time to use a trick.
Sanitarium Skeleton image 1.0 // 2.5 If you need sacrifice fodder, this is pretty nice. If you don’t, you aren’t playing it.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Moonmist
Moonmist image 0.5 Even with all this additional upside, this is still a fog, and those are rarely worth it in Limited.
Pore Over the Pages image 3.0 Paying 5 to draw 3 and discard a card isn’t amazing, but the fact this untapped two lands shouldn’t be overlooked. Most of the time, this allows you to add to the board thanks to the new cards you drew, making it much different than your typical sorcery speed draw spell.
Blood Mist image 0.0 This is bad. It isn’t worth the mana or the card. Double strike on one creature can sometimes be pretty sweet, but the fact it only works on one creature and only on your turn is rough. You basically already need a really good creature or this is irrelevant.
Fiend Binder image 2.5 The stat-line is ugly for the cost, but tapping down an opposing creature every time it attacks can allow you to do tons of damage.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Fogwalker image 2.5 This does not tap down a creature – keep that in mind! It only keeps it from untapping, so if the creature isn’t already tapped, its ETB ability doesn’t do anything. A two man ⅓ with Skulk is definitely difficult to block, though, and this even has a useful creature type.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Lightning Axe
Battleground Geist image 2.5 There are lots of Spirits in this set, and this will be doubly true while Battleground Geist is in the format. It has passable stats and impacts the board right away.
Lightning Axe image 3.5 There’s lots of stuff in this format that you want to be discarding, and you will often find yourself able to cast this for only a single mana and cast whatever you discard. At that point, you’re really negating the downside of the Axe, and it just becomes an incredibly efficient removal spell with major upside. You won’t always be able to do that of course, but it happens often enough that this is premium removal.
Weirded Vampire image 1.5 This is bad if you don’t cast it with Madness, and mediocre when you do.
Exultant Cultist image 2.5 This is good sacrifice fodder, and can be especially spicy with Emerge. Even in the absence of those things, the fact you can trade this off for a 2-for-1 feels pretty good.
Guardian of Pilgrims image 2.0 This has medium base stats, and has a medium ETB ability. So basically, it's medium.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Drownyard Explorers
Vampiric Fury image 1.0 // 2.5 This is cheaper than most Trumpet-Blast type effects, but only buffing Vampires is enough of a restriction that I’m not that thrilled about it. If you really got their on vampires, it isn’t a bad inclusion, but there are lots of Red decks that won’t play this.
Magnifying Glass image 1.0 This is a very clunky mana rock. It is nice that it can produce Clues, but it doesn’t exactly do that efficiently either.
Drownyard Explorers image 2.0 This has decent defensive stats, and eventually draws you a card. It is a fine card for the grindy Clue decks, though most other decks aren’t that interested.
Morkrut Necropod image 2.5 This is a pretty scary creature. A 7/7 with Menace is a real pain to block! It does come with a pretty big downside, but giving up expendable creatures or lands to swing with this thing isn’t too shabby.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Grapple with the Past
Field Creeper image 1.5 This is a little better than it looks. It is both an Artifact and a Creature, which means it gets you halfway to Delirium all on its own.
Gavony Unhallowed image 2.0 This starts with some pretty bad stats, but it can definitely grow in this format, especially in a deck like Black-White, which has a substantial amount of Sacrifice stuff.
Grapple with the Past image 2.5 You usually want one of these in Green. It helps you get delirium and helps you get value out of the graveyard.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Tormenting Voice
Tormenting Voice image 2.5 This is better in this format than it is in pretty much any other! It helps you get Delirium and discard things with Madness, on top of also being a nice card for the Blue-Red spell deck since it triggers all of your payoffs.
Grotesque Mutation image 2.0 This is a decent trick. While the small toughness boost isn’t going to always keep your creature alive, the lifelink can really alter a race in your favor.
Pack 3 Pick 15: Geist of the Archives
Geist of the Archives image 3.0 This is surprisingly good. It can block lots of creatures in the format, and a free Scry every upkeep does a great job of improving the quality of your cards.
Draft Pick Overview