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Premier Draft MOM 19 April 2023

19 April 10:08 - pasd5 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (18)
1 Ghalta and Mavren image
2 Norn's Inquisitor image
2 Converter Beast image
2 Kwende, Pride of Femeref image
1 Dusk Legion Duelist image
1 Alabaster Host Sanctifier image
1 Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image
1 Timberland Ancient image
1 Guardian of Ghirapur image
1 Portent Tracker image
1 War Historian image
1 Renata, Called to the Hunt image
1 Oculus Whelp image
1 Inga and Esika image
1 Overgrown Pest image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (3)
1 Sunder the Gateway image
1 Phyrexian Awakening image
1 Fertilid's Favor image
Other (2)
1 Invasion of Belenon // Belenon War Antherm image
1 Invasion of Zendikar // Awakened Skyclave image
Land (17)
1 Blossoming Sands image
6 Forest image
1 Tranquil Cove image
2 Island image
1 Thornwood Falls image
6 Plains image
Sideboard
1 Baral and Kari Zev image
1 Gnottvold Hermit image
1 Knight of the New Coalition image
2 Swordsworn Cavalier image
1 Bonded Herdbeast image
1 Tarkir Duneshaper image
1 Crystal Carapace image
1 Vengeant Earth image
1 Corrupted Conviction image
1 Wicked Slumber image
1 Arachnoid Adaptation image
1 Moment of Truth image
2 Eyes of Gitaxias image
1 Invasion of Eldraine image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Ghalta and Mavren
Kwende, Pride of Femeref image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/2 with Double Strike isn’t a complete disaster, and this does upgrade a few other cards. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many First Strikers in this set.
Ghalta and Mavren image 5.0 This is a little tough to cast because of Double-Green Double-White, but it is absurd if you can! It has way above rate stats, and then also just generates a bunch of creature tokens. It does not give you any value immediately, and the most powerful cards generally give you something even if the card eats removal – and that isn’t going to happen here. But if you untap with this in play, your opponent is probably losing. If you’re behind at all, making those life link tokens will still allow you to attack, and if you’re ahead, makign another huge dino probably ends the game.
Mirror-Shield Hoplite image 3.5 Red/White is a Backup Aggro deck, so doubling Backup abilities is massively powerful, especially when attached to a creature with solid stats
Artistic Refusal image 2.0 Paying six for this is in no way worth it, but with Convoke around you can really discount this – heck, if your board is wide enough this can effectively be a free counterspell that gives you some card selection! Still, the set up cost is real – this is pretty bad in the early stages of the game when you can’t get your board set up, and counterspells are inherently quite narrow in Limited. Still, the option to make the cost much lower and the fact you can even just choose the draw two discard 1 option in a pinch makes it at least a solid card.
Invasion of Mercadia image 3.5 This is basically Tormenting Voice with a bunch of upside, and that certainly seems solid. Once transformed, you get a creature that is pretty insane, as churning out elementals, buffing your board and giving it haste is amazing.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Traumatic Revelation image 1.5 Hitting creatures and battles means you can hit most nonlands in your opponent’s deck, and if you wiff you sort of end up with a Hill Giant. While that’s not awesome, the main problem with discard spells is how weak they are when you get them late or you wiff, and the consolation prize is enough here for this to be a 1.5. Basically you get the upside discard spells offer with very minimal downside.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Alabaster Host Intercessor image 3.5 This is a large version of Banisher Priest, and while it isn’t the most efficient thing ever, that’s still a strong effect. What makes it especially nice, though, is that it has Plainscycling. This means if you draw this early when you are really far from casting it, you can get rid of it and search up a land. This really offsets the downside of this being a 6-mana card. Basically, this gets a land when you need it, and if you have the mana to cast it, it is going to have a big impact on the board. I think this is one of White’s best Commons.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
Thunderhead Squadron image 2.5 Even if you only tap one creature to help you cast this, you’re getting a passable deal. If you can cast this for significantly less, it will feel even better.
War Historian image 2.5 A 3-mana 3/3 with Reach is a C these days, and when it attacks a battle your opponent is going to be in a world of hurt, since you just have a free attack any time you do it.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Norn's Inquisitor
Emry, Lurker of the Loch image 1.0 This set isn’t artifact heavy enough for Emry to work that well. She does mill you, which Blue/Black can get some value out of, but the absence of a critical mass of good Artifacts makes her pretty bad overall.
Invasion of Shandalar image 3.0 This is going to do an incredible job of restocking your hand in the later stages of the game, and it has relatively low defense. The bad news is you don’t really want to cast this in situations where you aren’t getting the full value out of your graveyard, and that certainly isn’t guaranteed. Additionally, even with the fact you returned permanents to your hand, once this is Leyline Surge it isn’t really that impressive in your typical game of Limited. We’ve seen that countless times with this sort of effect, it just underperforms because the average power level of your permanents isn’t usually that high. Still, the Battle side is the kind of thing that helps you win a longer game.
Norn's Inquisitor image 4.0 This looks really good. It is sort of a 4-mana 1/1 that gives you a 3/3, and still has the additional upside of helping anything that transforms into a Phyrexian. Note this works not only with the Incubator tokens but also all the cards that transform using Phyrexian mana, so there are a wide swath of cards this makes better, and it already has a great baseline.
Furnace Reins image 1.5 // 4.0 A Threaten effect seems particularly interesting in this set, because getting a blocker out of the way and sending it at your opponent for a single turn is going to be more meaningful in a world where you can attack Battles. I think this does make this type of effect better, but the best place for this card will still be a deck that can also sacrifice the creature you can steal. The format does have a ton of cheap sacrifice outlets, especially in Black – and in the Black-Red deck this will be amazing. It has the upside these all have – that it can produce lethal out of nowhere – but in a Black-Red sacrifice deck you can use it earlier in the game and sacrifice the thing you steal, meaning you can use this a lot more often and a lot more effectively.
Skyclave Aerialist image 4.0 I’m already sold on a two mana 2/1 Flyer, so the fact this can transform into a more durable creature that nets you a card is amazing upside.
Ramosian Greatsword image 3.5 This is a stats boost that makes basically any creature into a threat, and the fact you can Convoke this helps soften the blow that this costs so much mana. The Equip cost itself is super reasonable for the boost after you get it into play, too!
Ichor Drinker image 2.5 This one drop brings a lot of value. A one mana 1/1 with Lifelink isn’t amazing, but in a format with +1/+1 counters around, among other ways to augment your creatures, it will probably play a little better than it looks. Additionally, if you mill this thing in your Blue-Black deck, or it ends up in your graveyard in any other way, it does deliver some real value in the format of the incubate token. One drops lately have pretty much all overperformed, and I think this is another one that will. It is really cheap and does stuff that all the decks in the format can take advantage of.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Bloodfell Caves image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Crystal Carapace
Firja, Judge of Valor image 3.5 This has decent base stats, and it will net you cards sometimes. It even loads your graveyard if you’re interested in that.
Grafted Butcher image 4.0 There are lots of Phyrexians in this set, including all the Incubate tokens, so a Phyrexian lord is already fairly well positioned! Offering +1/+1 and one turn of menace to your Phyrexians is going to have a big impact on a lot of boards, and the Butcher doesn’t stay dead either!
Astral Wingspan image 3.0 Auras can be really dangerous to use when they don’t give you some sort of value like that, because if your opponent can deal with the creature you put it on, you just got 2-for-1’d and there’s a good chance you’re going to lose. Now, you still have to be careful about when you use this, since they can still respond by removing the creature you target, but as long as you pick the right spot, this is going to feel pretty nice. +2/+2 and Flying is a boost that makes almost any creature into a problem, and Convoke makes casting this even easier.
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Knight of the New Coalition image 3.0 4-mana for two 2/2s with Vigilance is an excellent rate – this helps you go wide like the RW deck wants you to do, while also producing two bodies with a very useful creature type. I think this looks like a very good Common.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Mirran Banesplitter image 1.5 The fact this Equips for free the first time is nice, and definitely has the ability to make just about anything into a much better attacker. With Flash, you may even find a way to trade a smaller creature for something larger. The fact it costs three to Equip thereafter is rough.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Etched Host Doombringer image 2.5 This is an interesting design. Obviously the stats are bad, but even if this could only drain 2 life on ETB it would probably be playable, so having this Battle upside is pretty nice. If you can use this to defeat a battle and transform it, its going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1 – and the fact you can also use it to subtract counters from your battles or add counters to your opponents battles is pretty sweet. If you can use this to defeat a battle on ETB, it is going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Blossoming Sands
Render Inert image 1.5 You can use this to “defeat” a battle, which is probably the strongest thing you can do with it – and you can also use it to get rid of an incubator token in most cases, and there are a variety of other random uses in the format too. The fact it replaces itself is nice, but I still feel like this is probably too narrow to make the cut very often.
Compleated Huntmaster image 3.5 You can sort of look at this as paying 3 mana, sacrificing something, and getting a 3/3 – that wouldn’t be a bad deal, and this is better because you can pay for the Incubator on a separate turn. This doesn’t have the worst stats for a card with this strong of an ability, either. Cards like this really make it feel like the sacrifice deck in this format is going to have some legs
Captive Weird image 3.5 This looks good. A one mana ⅓ with Defender isn’t exactly impressive, but this transforms quite easily. You can play it on turn one and block a little bit, and you effectively get to draw a card when it transforms. Because of Phyrexian Mana, in the later part of the game you can look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 you pay 2 life for that draws you that card, which is also great. So yeah, this is good whether you do it all at once or in installments.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Searing Barb image 2.0 Three mana for 2 damage at Sorcery speed isn’t very good, but you can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 2/2 that does 2 damage to something. Which…well, still isn’t that good. Still, it does have 2-for-1 potential and can hit battles.
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Alabaster Host Sanctifier image 2.5 We have seen quite a few two mana 2/2s with Lifelink at this point, and they’re always fine. The set almost prominently features a +1/+1 mechanic in White, which might even make it a little better than usual.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Norn's Inquisitor
Invasion of Kylem image 2.5 The base effect on this card generally isn’t worth the four mana it asks you for. However, because this also comes into play and has to be defended, it synergizes quite well with itself. +2/+0 and Vigilance on two creatures will allow you to attack this fairly effectively right away on many boards. In other words, there will definitely be turns where this costs 4-mana to give +2/+0, vigilance, and haste to two creatures, and then you also get those two really powerful 3/2 tokens on the same turn. Yeah, that’s an insane card. Now, we do have to take into account the situations where this doesn’t do much, and the fact this doesn’t do something permanent to the board does mean sometimes this will do stone nothing.
Norn's Inquisitor image 4.0 This looks really good. It is sort of a 4-mana 1/1 that gives you a 3/3, and still has the additional upside of helping anything that transforms into a Phyrexian. Note this works not only with the Incubator tokens but also all the cards that transform using Phyrexian mana, so there are a wide swath of cards this makes better, and it already has a great baseline.
Nezumi Freewheeler image 4.0 A 4-mana 3/3 Menace isn’t amazing, but this can also give you a bit of graveyard value. Getting cards in the opponent’s graveyard has some upside to it in Black in this format too. This can also transform the turn after you play it into a very exciting creature that can take advantage of the graveyard quite effectively.
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
Sunder the Gateway image 1.5 So at worst, this is a two mana 2/2, and sometimes you’ll have another Incubator around who is bigger, and you’ll choose to turn that one into a creature. That’s probably usually what this will do, because there aren’t a boatload of targets for this in the format. When you do get to kill an artifact or Enchantment with this it will feel like a pretty sweet 2-for-1, and I think the baseline is solid. Having Artifact and Enchantment hate in your main deck is nice too.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Furtive Analyst image 1.5 Paying 2 to loot is kind of a lot – it is hard to have that kind of mana available consistently, and while a three mana ¼ with Vigilance is acceptable, the whole package here seems a little overcosted.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Aerial Boost image 2.0 This is the kind of trick you always need to keep in mind, because your opponent will be able to cast this even with no lands untapped! It offers a reasonable boost and the upside of sometimes just letting a creature get in there because of Flying.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 6: Baral and Kari Zev
Baral and Kari Zev image 4.0 This has great base stats, and the fact you get to either cast something for free or get a Ragavan token is great! Oftentimes you won’t be able to take advantage of the free spell, so it is a big deal that they give you something else in those situations. The token is legendary and all, so getting more than one isn’t going to happen, but it can probably also swing at your opponent for free most turns.
Wicked Slumber image 3.0 As usual, the best way to use this sort of thing is to tap your opponent’s stuff during their turn so that you get two attacks where those creatures are out of commission. This can often win you the game on its own, and the fact you can convoke this means casting it will be extra easy. Its also nice that you can choose a couple of different ways to use this. It always taps two creatures, but you can put one stun counter on each creature, or two on one creature if that’s better.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Gnottvold Hermit
Gnottvold Hermit image 4.0 A 4-mana 4/4 is a pretty solid rate, and this can transform into a creature that can drastically upgrade another attacker every time it gets in there.
Omen Hawker image 2.0 This format does have a decent number of activated abilities, between Incubate and creatures who can transform for some amount of mana. Accelerating those things is definitely nice, but it still feels like this might be a little too narrow, even in this format.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Bola Slinger image 3.0 This type of creature is always nice in an aggro deck, since getting blockers out of the way really changes how well you can attack. So, this is either a 4-mana 3/3 with this ability, or a 4-mana 2/2 that puts a counter on something else and gives it that ability right away.
Blighted Burgeoning image 2.0 If you play this on an untapped land, you can immediately transform the Incubator, and that’s nice – it means you can actually add something to the board when you play this, and the problem with most cards like this is they don’t do that. This also does a pretty good job of fixing and ramping your mana.
Flitting Guerrilla image 1.5 Wind Drakes aren’t what they used to be, and this ability is something you’ll only use a small percentage of the time.
Preening Champion image 3.5 This helps you do Convoke stuff in addition to having the Knight creature type, and it is just a really good rate in general. This is one of Blue’s best Commons.
Ichor Drinker image 2.5 This one drop brings a lot of value. A one mana 1/1 with Lifelink isn’t amazing, but in a format with +1/+1 counters around, among other ways to augment your creatures, it will probably play a little better than it looks. Additionally, if you mill this thing in your Blue-Black deck, or it ends up in your graveyard in any other way, it does deliver some real value in the format of the incubate token. One drops lately have pretty much all overperformed, and I think this is another one that will. It is really cheap and does stuff that all the decks in the format can take advantage of.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 8: Converter Beast
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image 3.0 On its own, Daxos is a 2/2, and it will often have higher toughness than that – plus all the incidental life gain is nice. That said, this format doesn’t have a life gain deck in it – nor does it really have an Enchantment deck, nor does it have very many other cards that care about Devotion. So, it doesn’t do
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Zhalfirin Shapecraft image 2.0 This is a nice trick, not too different from Suit Up, a Blue trick that performed really well in the past. It probably isn’t quite as good – that cost one more mana but made the creature a 4/5, and that was a size that could win combat with almost everything, where as a 4/3 can sometimes be a little too small to survive combat – and that’s what you really want here to get a sweet 2-for-1. Still, it is relatively cheap, can create 2-for-1s, and plays well with +1/+1 counters which this set certainly has.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Ral's Reinforcements image 2.5 Going wide and Convoke are two of Red’s big themes in the set, so this seems to do exactly what you want to be doing in Red.
Etched Host Doombringer image 2.5 This is an interesting design. Obviously the stats are bad, but even if this could only drain 2 life on ETB it would probably be playable, so having this Battle upside is pretty nice. If you can use this to defeat a battle and transform it, its going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1 – and the fact you can also use it to subtract counters from your battles or add counters to your opponents battles is pretty sweet. If you can use this to defeat a battle on ETB, it is going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1
Pack 1 Pick 9: Kwende, Pride of Femeref
Kwende, Pride of Femeref image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/2 with Double Strike isn’t a complete disaster, and this does upgrade a few other cards. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many First Strikers in this set.
Invasion of Mercadia image 3.5 This is basically Tormenting Voice with a bunch of upside, and that certainly seems solid. Once transformed, you get a creature that is pretty insane, as churning out elementals, buffing your board and giving it haste is amazing.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Traumatic Revelation image 1.5 Hitting creatures and battles means you can hit most nonlands in your opponent’s deck, and if you wiff you sort of end up with a Hill Giant. While that’s not awesome, the main problem with discard spells is how weak they are when you get them late or you wiff, and the consolation prize is enough here for this to be a 1.5. Basically you get the upside discard spells offer with very minimal downside.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Thunderhead Squadron image 2.5 Even if you only tap one creature to help you cast this, you’re getting a passable deal. If you can cast this for significantly less, it will feel even better.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Vengeant Earth
Emry, Lurker of the Loch image 1.0 This set isn’t artifact heavy enough for Emry to work that well. She does mill you, which Blue/Black can get some value out of, but the absence of a critical mass of good Artifacts makes her pretty bad overall.
Ramosian Greatsword image 3.5 This is a stats boost that makes basically any creature into a threat, and the fact you can Convoke this helps soften the blow that this costs so much mana. The Equip cost itself is super reasonable for the boost after you get it into play, too!
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Bloodfell Caves image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Knight of the New Coalition
Knight of the New Coalition image 3.0 4-mana for two 2/2s with Vigilance is an excellent rate – this helps you go wide like the RW deck wants you to do, while also producing two bodies with a very useful creature type. I think this looks like a very good Common.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Etched Host Doombringer image 2.5 This is an interesting design. Obviously the stats are bad, but even if this could only drain 2 life on ETB it would probably be playable, so having this Battle upside is pretty nice. If you can use this to defeat a battle and transform it, its going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1 – and the fact you can also use it to subtract counters from your battles or add counters to your opponents battles is pretty sweet. If you can use this to defeat a battle on ETB, it is going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Corrupted Conviction
Captive Weird image 3.5 This looks good. A one mana ⅓ with Defender isn’t exactly impressive, but this transforms quite easily. You can play it on turn one and block a little bit, and you effectively get to draw a card when it transforms. Because of Phyrexian Mana, in the later part of the game you can look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 you pay 2 life for that draws you that card, which is also great. So yeah, this is good whether you do it all at once or in installments.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Sunder the Gateway
Sunder the Gateway image 1.5 So at worst, this is a two mana 2/2, and sometimes you’ll have another Incubator around who is bigger, and you’ll choose to turn that one into a creature. That’s probably usually what this will do, because there aren’t a boatload of targets for this in the format. When you do get to kill an artifact or Enchantment with this it will feel like a pretty sweet 2-for-1, and I think the baseline is solid. Having Artifact and Enchantment hate in your main deck is nice too.
Furtive Analyst image 1.5 Paying 2 to loot is kind of a lot – it is hard to have that kind of mana available consistently, and while a three mana ¼ with Vigilance is acceptable, the whole package here seems a little overcosted.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 14: Wicked Slumber
Wicked Slumber image 3.0 As usual, the best way to use this sort of thing is to tap your opponent’s stuff during their turn so that you get two attacks where those creatures are out of commission. This can often win you the game on its own, and the fact you can convoke this means casting it will be extra easy. Its also nice that you can choose a couple of different ways to use this. It always taps two creatures, but you can put one stun counter on each creature, or two on one creature if that’s better.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Pack 1 Pick 15: Forest
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 1: Phyrexian Awakening
Tymaret, Chosen from Death image 2.5 Hating on graveyards has some real value in this format, especially against Blue/Black decks, and Theros is basically always going to have a decent stat-line and bring some incidental life gain along for the ride.
Ayara, Widow of the Realm image 4.0 Just the frontside is a really strong card. Giving up creatures or artifacts to drain the opponent’s life is a great way to close out a game. There will be situations where you can’t take full advantage of that ability, but the baseline is still a three mana 3/3 – and the card still has some other upside! If you’re in a spot where the ability on the front isn’t doing anything, you can simply transform Ayara, and she can help you do some damage by bringing back creatures or artifacts.
Xerex Strobe-Knight image 4.0 This has an excellent baseline as a Vigilance Wind Drake, and you’ll be able to spit a token out with it often enough for this to deliver some impressive value.
Mutagen Connoisseur image 3.5 Blue-Green is all about transforming things. This plays well with Incubator and Battles, as well as all the creatures that can transform for Phyrexian mana. Even with just 1 power, this is going to feel like a fairly powerful card, and it can get a lot sillier than that.
Phyrexian Awakening image 3.0 On its own, you get a 5-mana 4/4 with Vigilance, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not a bad deal, especially when this can also give some of your other creatures Vigilance. Vigilance seems pretty well positioned in the format too, because creatures with it can attack battles and defend them at the same time.
Invasion of Zendikar image 2.0 Lately, a 4-mana card that gets you two lands from your graveyard has been too clunky to work effectively in Limited. However, unlike most cards that do that, this does have the potential to add meaningfully to the board. If you can play this and flip it in the near future, getting that 4/4 body will make a big deal. That said, you won’t always be able to get that done consistently in Limited.
Expedition Lookout image 2.5 This is a two drop that lots of creatures can’t attack through, and eventually it becomes an unblockable 2/3. That’s pretty nice, because it might take awhile before you get there – since it can’t be blocked, it will be relevant on any board.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Mountain image
Pack 2 Pick 2: Dusk Legion Duelist
Dusk Legion Duelist image 4.0 There’s enough +1/+1 counter stuff in White for this to be an excellent card, especially because at worst you’re getting a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance
Invasion of Vryn image 2.5 A Sorcery speed Sift isn’t a terrible card, though if this is a format where you really need to add more meaningfully to the board, it might be a little bit too clunky. The things this transforms into also isn’t amazing, but if you double a removal spell with it, it will certainly feel pretty good.
Surge of Salvation image 0.5 Granting hexproof to your creatures can be a good way to combat removal for sure, but when we’ve seen similar one mana cards actually be worth playing, they have also granted indestructibility. So you really need a card like this to also save a creature in combat consistently – not just save it from removal – and it looks like this will only do that against black or red creatures. In short, the floor is quite low, low enough that I don’t think I want to start with this in my main deck.
Astral Wingspan image 3.0 Auras can be really dangerous to use when they don’t give you some sort of value like that, because if your opponent can deal with the creature you put it on, you just got 2-for-1’d and there’s a good chance you’re going to lose. Now, you still have to be careful about when you use this, since they can still respond by removing the creature you target, but as long as you pick the right spot, this is going to feel pretty nice. +2/+2 and Flying is a boost that makes almost any creature into a problem, and Convoke makes casting this even easier.
Aetherblade Agent image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with deathtouch is a little bit below rate, but it does trade for anything, and the creature this can become late is a big problem for your opponent.
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Vanquish the Weak image 3.0 This can sometimes trade up, but more often than not you break even on mana or worse when you cast this – for me, that keeps it from being a premium-level removal spell – instead it is merely solid.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Thunderhead Squadron image 2.5 Even if you only tap one creature to help you cast this, you’re getting a passable deal. If you can cast this for significantly less, it will feel even better.
Arachnoid Adaptation image 1.5 One mana for +2/+2 always has me a little bit interested, since it offers a big enough boost for a creature to win a significant number of combats, and It comes at a very low cost. The tempo you get when you use this kind of trick can be amazing! The creature even gets pseudo-vigilance. You can also use this defensively of course, and that’s the only way that Reach will be useful, but you should really only do that in an emergency. It is always dangerous to use a trick on your opponents turn, since during combat they probably have lots of mana untapped. In the end, this seems solid for aggressive Green decks, though I don’t think it will always make the cut.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Wind-Scarred Crag image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Invasion of Eldraine
Reyav, Master Smith image 3.0 There’s a decent amount of Auras and Equipment in the set, but not so many that this is going to be super easy to trigger.
Zurgo and Ojutai image 5.0 This looks great. A 5-mana 4/4 with Flying and Haste is already amazing, and this comes with great upside that was offered by the other Ojutai. You get great card selection and you get to draw a card, and the fact it has Hexproof means it is likely to give you that value most of the time when you cast it, and Flying and Haste do a great job of making sure that happens.
Invasion of Eldraine image 2.0 Overcosted Mind Rot is not a good starting point. It will feel nice if you play it early and you get that 2-for-1, but not adding to the board is definitely a problem, as is how bad this is as a top deck in many situations. It does synergize with itself though, because once transformed it punishes the opponent for having too few cards in hand. Still, I don’t see the front side delivering enough value, or assisting enough in transforming it, that I see this as being something great. Obviously, if you always got the creature and the effect for 4 mana it would be nuts, but I have some doubts that can be accomplished.
Copper Host Crusher image 1.0 This is a big hard-to-kill monster, but it also costs 8 mana which simply isn’t an amount of mana you get to very consistently in Limited.
Kami of Whispered Hopes image 3.5 This being a three mana 1/1 is a big liability. It dies to basically everything, and the tempo hit can be rough. That said, it does come with some strong abilities! Giving things extra counters and ramping mana is great, and if you are putting counters on it, it will get quite large and produce lots of mana.
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Etched Familiar image 2.5 Trading this off and draining 2 life from your opponent is going to feel like a good deal all the time, and it isn’t terrible sacrifice fodder either.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Realmbreaker's Grasp image 3.5 White’s usual premium Common removal spell Is here! It shuts down most creatures entirely, though as usual cards with static ability, sacrifice effects, and bounce effects hurt when you play this card – and those things are in this set, of course.
Redcap Heelslasher image 3.0 A 4-mana ¾ with First Strike performs reasonably well, and having the ability to offer +1/+1 and temporary first strike to something already in play will usually mean that creature can attack far more effectively that turn.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 4: Invasion of Belenon
Mutagen Connoisseur image 3.5 Blue-Green is all about transforming things. This plays well with Incubator and Battles, as well as all the creatures that can transform for Phyrexian mana. Even with just 1 power, this is going to feel like a fairly powerful card, and it can get a lot sillier than that.
Tiller of Flesh image 2.5 The stats aren’t great, but the trigger is pretty good. However, I’m not sure you’ll be targeting things enough in this format for this to really go wild. Notably, it only counts spells that target, and not abilities like Backup. If you have a critical mass of removal and combat tricks this can do a pretty good job, but the floor is pretty bad.
Invasion of Belenon image 3.5 This Battle makes you overpay a bit for a 2/2 with Vigilance, but that is a body that can help you pressure your opponent and transform this into an Anthem, which is a powerful thing.
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Eyes of Gitaxias image 2.0 You can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 3/3 that draws you a card, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not too bad, but it isn’t exactly something special either.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Swiftwater Cliffs image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Alabaster Host Sanctifier
Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty image 4.0 A 5-mana 3/1 isn’t good, but this has Cascade – so you’re also going to get something else, and even if it is just a one mana spell you’re getting a decent deal – if you hit something that costs 4 it will feel pretty insane. Granting Cascade to your expensive stuff is a nice thing to have around too, and if you can follow this by casting a six drop on the next turn its pretty hard for you to lose.
Invasion of Amonkhet image 3.5 We’ve already seen some of the non-battle signpost Uncommons, but every color pair has an uncommon Battle too! As we’ve seen, Blue-Black is interested in getting things in the graveyard, and the fact you draw while your opponent discards is some really nice value, and it really isn’t that far off of the three mana you’re paying, so the fact you might get a 4/4 later in the game is pretty nice.
Wary Thespian image 2.5 Two mana for a 3/1 and a couple of Surveil triggers seems like a solid deal. That is some very nice card selection to come attached to a creature that is already close to playable based on its statline.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Alabaster Host Sanctifier image 2.5 We have seen quite a few two mana 2/2s with Lifelink at this point, and they’re always fine. The set almost prominently features a +1/+1 mechanic in White, which might even make it a little better than usual.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Final Flourish image 3.0 This is a nice removal spell. The base card is probably a C, but the kicker upside here is massive. As we’ve seen, Black has good sacrifice outlets and lots of other good reasons to sacrifice creatures, so this card will be right at home in that type of deck. That said, this will probably only be capable of -2/-2 a little too often to be an amazing removal spell.
Tidal Terror image 3.0 This 6-mana 5/6 plays well with all the token stuff going on in Blue/white, as it can sometimes be unblockable. Islandcycling is a great thing to have, as it allows you to throw this away in the early game so that you hit your land drop, and if you play it late, it isn’t a bad threat to have.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Tranquil Cove image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image 4.0 This was powerful last time we saw it, and it will be here too. Blue/White isn’t as into spells this time around, but you will have spells and this gives you the option to draw extra cards off of them, while also having a powerful mass pump effect that really alters the game when you get there.
Fearless Skald image 4.0 So, this is either a 5-mana 4/3 with Double Strike, or a 5-mana 3/2 that puts a counter on something else and gives it double strike for a turn. Both modes can be pretty nice, though I think I would be more inclined to put the counter somewhere else, since even at three toughness this dies quite easily, and if you put all of your eggs in one basket the tempo might hurt! This is going to create a major threat the turn it comes down, and it is a pretty nice threat on its own.
Iridescent Blademaster image 1.5 This is a bear that can buff itself when you have some extra mana lying around. We’ve seen many cards like this in recent years, and most of them haven’t been especially impressive. You just don’t find yourself with a bunch of mana lying around until the later stages of the game, so this is often irrelevant between about turn 2 and turn 10, and that’s a problem.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Thunderhead Squadron image 2.5 Even if you only tap one creature to help you cast this, you’re getting a passable deal. If you can cast this for significantly less, it will feel even better.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 7: Timberland Ancient
Zada, Hedron Grinder image 1.5 // 3.5 Zada is really sweet if you are a deck that uses combat tricks and goes wide because using a combat trick on every one of your creatures look insane, and that does look like something many Red decks will do in the format. That said, the base level thing you get here is a Hill Giant, and this is probably another one that needs a build around.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Shatter the Source image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. 6 mana for 6 damage at Instant speed is usually a 2.0, and with Convoke you’re going to be able to cast this in many more situations than you would normally be able to. Sometimes you can blow up a problem Artifact with this too.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Tenured Oilcaster image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/4 Menace isn’t too bad, so if you add in the fact it mills you and pays you off for milling is pretty nice. The times when this is a 5/4 menace for 4 will feel pretty nice!
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Temporal Cleansing image 2.0 A Sorcery that always did this for four mana would probably be a 1.5. It is definitely removal, but very clunky, and the fact it can’t be a more permanent answer for many creatures is definitely a problem.
Rugged Highlands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Kwende, Pride of Femeref
Kwende, Pride of Femeref image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/2 with Double Strike isn’t a complete disaster, and this does upgrade a few other cards. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many First Strikers in this set.
Invasion of New Capenna image 3.0 I don’t love that this does stone nothing on turn two a lot of the time. It would be nice to set this up on turn two and get a little something, which is what a lot of the cheap Battles do – but this one is far more situational. That said, the thing that it can do is certainly powerful, especially if you have some expendable bodies around, which isn’t a huge ask if you’re in Black-White, since that’s the color pair the most interested in Incubating. This also means that the Equipment you ultimately get can do a pretty nice job of enhancing your board.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Bola Slinger image 3.0 This type of creature is always nice in an aggro deck, since getting blockers out of the way really changes how well you can attack. So, this is either a 4-mana 3/3 with this ability, or a 4-mana 2/2 that puts a counter on something else and gives it that ability right away.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Dreg Recycler image 2.5 Life drain does a great job of helping you stay alive while also pressuring your opponent, and it even has passable stats.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Wind-Scarred Crag image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Invasion of Zendikar
Mutagen Connoisseur image 3.5 Blue-Green is all about transforming things. This plays well with Incubator and Battles, as well as all the creatures that can transform for Phyrexian mana. Even with just 1 power, this is going to feel like a fairly powerful card, and it can get a lot sillier than that.
Invasion of Zendikar image 2.0 Lately, a 4-mana card that gets you two lands from your graveyard has been too clunky to work effectively in Limited. However, unlike most cards that do that, this does have the potential to add meaningfully to the board. If you can play this and flip it in the near future, getting that 4/4 body will make a big deal. That said, you won’t always be able to get that done consistently in Limited.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Mountain image
Pack 2 Pick 10: Arachnoid Adaptation
Invasion of Vryn image 2.5 A Sorcery speed Sift isn’t a terrible card, though if this is a format where you really need to add more meaningfully to the board, it might be a little bit too clunky. The things this transforms into also isn’t amazing, but if you double a removal spell with it, it will certainly feel pretty good.
Aetherblade Agent image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with deathtouch is a little bit below rate, but it does trade for anything, and the creature this can become late is a big problem for your opponent.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Arachnoid Adaptation image 1.5 One mana for +2/+2 always has me a little bit interested, since it offers a big enough boost for a creature to win a significant number of combats, and It comes at a very low cost. The tempo you get when you use this kind of trick can be amazing! The creature even gets pseudo-vigilance. You can also use this defensively of course, and that’s the only way that Reach will be useful, but you should really only do that in an emergency. It is always dangerous to use a trick on your opponents turn, since during combat they probably have lots of mana untapped. In the end, this seems solid for aggressive Green decks, though I don’t think it will always make the cut.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Pack 2 Pick 11: Moment of Truth
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Redcap Heelslasher image 3.0 A 4-mana ¾ with First Strike performs reasonably well, and having the ability to offer +1/+1 and temporary first strike to something already in play will usually mean that creature can attack far more effectively that turn.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 12: Eyes of Gitaxias
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Eyes of Gitaxias image 2.0 You can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 3/3 that draws you a card, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not too bad, but it isn’t exactly something special either.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Swiftwater Cliffs image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Tranquil Cove
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Tranquil Cove image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Plains
Fearless Skald image 4.0 So, this is either a 5-mana 4/3 with Double Strike, or a 5-mana 3/2 that puts a counter on something else and gives it double strike for a turn. Both modes can be pretty nice, though I think I would be more inclined to put the counter somewhere else, since even at three toughness this dies quite easily, and if you put all of your eggs in one basket the tempo might hurt! This is going to create a major threat the turn it comes down, and it is a pretty nice threat on its own.
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 15: Swordsworn Cavalier
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Guardian of Ghirapur
Squee, the Immortal image 3.5 Squee just doesn’t’ stay dead! The ability to continually return from the graveyard or exile means you can just keep trading this off if you’re on defense, or just keep on sending it in if you’re on offense. It also works well with the Sacrifice stuff in the set. It is still just a 2/1, but that recursion is nice.
Guardian of Ghirapur image 4.0 A three mana 3/3 with flying is still a very good rate, and sometimes this will even flicker something for value. You can even use this to get a blocker out of the way temporarily, so it will almost always do something.
Invasion of Regatha image 3.5 Doing some direct damage with this is pretty nice, and it will feel really good when you can also pick off a small creature and/or defeat a Battle. As with most of these, the creature when you transform this is pretty amazing.
Mutagen Connoisseur image 3.5 Blue-Green is all about transforming things. This plays well with Incubator and Battles, as well as all the creatures that can transform for Phyrexian mana. Even with just 1 power, this is going to feel like a fairly powerful card, and it can get a lot sillier than that.
Copper Host Crusher image 1.0 This is a big hard-to-kill monster, but it also costs 8 mana which simply isn’t an amount of mana you get to very consistently in Limited.
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Overgrown Pest image 1.5 Early, the fact this hits a land will feel pretty good. In the later game you won’t really want a land, and if you don’t have enough double-faced cards it will feel especially bad. There aren’t any DFCs at Common either, so actually getting a critical mass where this hits consistently is a challenge.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Cut Short image 3.0 This is decent removal, especially because it can show up out of nowhere when you’re tapped out. It is restrictive enough that I do think it falls a bit short of premium
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Skittering Surveyor image 3.0 This does a great job of fixing your mana, and makes for an expendable body to sacrifice in Black-Red.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Expedition Lookout image 2.5 This is a two drop that lots of creatures can’t attack through, and eventually it becomes an unblockable 2/3. That’s pretty nice, because it might take awhile before you get there – since it can’t be blocked, it will be relevant on any board.
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Portent Tracker
Yargle, Glutton of Urborg image 1.0 If you want a big vanilla creature, Yargle does the job. But…you really shouldn’t want that. The low toughness makes him a real liability.
Artistic Refusal image 2.0 Paying six for this is in no way worth it, but with Convoke around you can really discount this – heck, if your board is wide enough this can effectively be a free counterspell that gives you some card selection! Still, the set up cost is real – this is pretty bad in the early stages of the game when you can’t get your board set up, and counterspells are inherently quite narrow in Limited. Still, the option to make the cost much lower and the fact you can even just choose the draw two discard 1 option in a pinch makes it at least a solid card.
Invasion of Eldraine image 2.0 Overcosted Mind Rot is not a good starting point. It will feel nice if you play it early and you get that 2-for-1, but not adding to the board is definitely a problem, as is how bad this is as a top deck in many situations. It does synergize with itself though, because once transformed it punishes the opponent for having too few cards in hand. Still, I don’t see the front side delivering enough value, or assisting enough in transforming it, that I see this as being something great. Obviously, if you always got the creature and the effect for 4 mana it would be nuts, but I have some doubts that can be accomplished.
Stormclaw Rager image 4.0 This is a powerful sacrifice outlet, even limited to Sorcery speed only! You get a card back, so it is hard not to get nice value out of this, especially if you’re sacrificing something really expendable. There’s also a cheap Threaten effect in the format that is going to combo absurdly with this, but in general, there’s plenty to sacrifice to this, making it another great signpost
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Portent Tracker image 2.5 This is an ugly stat-line, but between ramping your mana and messing with Battles, this seems like it has some pretty real utility. Some mana dorks are all but useless late, but because this can do things with Battles, that’s less likely.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Aerial Boost image 2.0 This is the kind of trick you always need to keep in mind, because your opponent will be able to cast this even with no lands untapped! It offers a reasonable boost and the upside of sometimes just letting a creature get in there because of Flying.
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Jungle Hollow image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 3: War Historian
Aegar, the Freezing Flame image 2.5 This was a powerhouse in Kaldheim Limited, pretty much an Uncommon bomb -- but that set had a heavy spell theme and Giant tribal all over the place. Blue-Red only has spells as a sub-theme this time around, and the set only has two Giants in it – and one of them is Mythic. Mostly in this format, we’re talking about a three mana 3/3 that draws you a card when you do excess damage with a spell.
Yargle and Multani image 2.0 This is a massive vanilla creature. Obviously 18 power is enormous, but it can also be chump blocked all day or taken down by a couple of 3 power creatures. If you have ways to give this evasion it will become quite the threat. However, we’ve seen that big vanilla creatures haven’t been that impressive in the past, even if this is the biggest one yet.
Invasion of Zendikar image 2.0 Lately, a 4-mana card that gets you two lands from your graveyard has been too clunky to work effectively in Limited. However, unlike most cards that do that, this does have the potential to add meaningfully to the board. If you can play this and flip it in the near future, getting that 4/4 body will make a big deal. That said, you won’t always be able to get that done consistently in Limited.
Gift of Compleation image 3.0 You can sort of look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 with this Surveil effect. Obviously, it is better than that, because you can pay in installments and the Surveil effect sticks around even if the creature goes down
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Atraxa's Fall image 0.5 One thing to keep in mind is that destroying a battle doesn’t let you cast it transformed. A battle has to be “defeated” for that to happen, and the only way to make that happen is to remove the counters on it one way or another. This simply puts in the graveyard. In other words, you want to use this on a battle you are defending. This targets a whole bunch of stuff, but I’m still pretty skeptical it will find something useful to do on a regular basis, so I’m starting it in the sideboard.
Etched Host Doombringer image 2.5 This is an interesting design. Obviously the stats are bad, but even if this could only drain 2 life on ETB it would probably be playable, so having this Battle upside is pretty nice. If you can use this to defeat a battle and transform it, its going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1 – and the fact you can also use it to subtract counters from your battles or add counters to your opponents battles is pretty sweet. If you can use this to defeat a battle on ETB, it is going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1
Sunder the Gateway image 1.5 So at worst, this is a two mana 2/2, and sometimes you’ll have another Incubator around who is bigger, and you’ll choose to turn that one into a creature. That’s probably usually what this will do, because there aren’t a boatload of targets for this in the format. When you do get to kill an artifact or Enchantment with this it will feel like a pretty sweet 2-for-1, and I think the baseline is solid. Having Artifact and Enchantment hate in your main deck is nice too.
War Historian image 2.5 A 3-mana 3/3 with Reach is a C these days, and when it attacks a battle your opponent is going to be in a world of hurt, since you just have a free attack any time you do it.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Fertilid's Favor image 2.0 This is an Instant speed way to both ramp your mana and buff a creature. In other words, it can be part combat trick part ramp spell. Ramp spells can be a dangerous proposition in Limited because they usually don’t add to the board at all, but this one does. It doesn’t search up the basic land as efficiently as something like Rampant Growth, but this is better in Limited in a lot of ways, because it is a much better late-game top deck and even has a bit of 2-for-1 potential. I think having both of these effects on a single Instant is enough to make this a quality card.
Tranquil Cove image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Renata, Called to the Hunt
Renata, Called to the Hunt image 3.5 Renata giving your creatures a +1/+1 counter when they enter is great, especially because this set has +1/+1 counter synergy, and sometimes Renate will also have pretty high power.
Invasion of Amonkhet image 3.5 We’ve already seen some of the non-battle signpost Uncommons, but every color pair has an uncommon Battle too! As we’ve seen, Blue-Black is interested in getting things in the graveyard, and the fact you draw while your opponent discards is some really nice value, and it really isn’t that far off of the three mana you’re paying, so the fact you might get a 4/4 later in the game is pretty nice.
Oracle of Tragedy image 2.5 The loot ETB will be useful the most often, but it doesn’t hurt to have the other option. Either way, this isn’t much more than filler.
Blightreaper Thallid image 3.5 You get a 2/2 upfront, and then on the next turn you have the option of making this a 3/3 and getting a 1/1. That’s a pretty nice thing to have around if you don’t have anything to do with three mana, and at some point you’re certainly going to have the time to transform this. It isn’t the most massive upgrade ever, but you do end up getting two Saprolings and a 3/3 in the long run.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Cut Short image 3.0 This is decent removal, especially because it can show up out of nowhere when you’re tapped out. It is restrictive enough that I do think it falls a bit short of premium
Swiftwater Cliffs image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Bonded Herdbeast
Rona, Sheoldred's Faithful image 3.0 Adding some incidental life loss to your spells can be nice, and Blue/Black in this format mills itself enough that her recursive ability matters too.
Merciless Repurposing image 3.0 6 mana is a lot, even for removal – mostly because you end up paying more than your opponent did for their creature a lot of the time, and that tempo hit can be rough. However, this is an Instant, and it gives you something that will eventually be a creature. If you have 8 mana lying around, this will feel like an 8-mana 3/3 that exiles something on ETB, and the fact you can spread it out in two installments is nice.
Invasion of Vryn image 2.5 A Sorcery speed Sift isn’t a terrible card, though if this is a format where you really need to add more meaningfully to the board, it might be a little bit too clunky. The things this transforms into also isn’t amazing, but if you double a removal spell with it, it will certainly feel pretty good.
Phyrexian Gargantua image 3.0 This is a nice reprint. It is basically two Phyrexian Ragers! It has the potential be a three-for-one, and the trade off is playing something below-rate that also hurts you a little bit. Still, the first copy of this seems like a solid inclusion.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Marauding Dreadship image 1.5 So in the end, you pay 5 mana for a 2/2 and a 4/1 Vehicle with Haste and Crew 2. That’s not….the worst thing ever, but it doesn’t seem like you’re doing a great job either. The Vehicle can simply be blocked by a token or something, and Crew 2 is kind of high for a 1 toughness vehicle. It can definitely come down and do some surprise damage, but the fact that you have to tap something significant to crew it makes that a lot less appealing.
Eyes of Gitaxias image 2.0 You can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 3/3 that draws you a card, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not too bad, but it isn’t exactly something special either.
Mirran Banesplitter image 1.5 The fact this Equips for free the first time is nice, and definitely has the ability to make just about anything into a much better attacker. With Flash, you may even find a way to trade a smaller creature for something larger. The fact it costs three to Equip thereafter is rough.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Tarkir Duneshaper
Breach the Multiverse image 4.5 7 mana to reanimate the best things in your graveyard and your opponent’s isn’t bad. Because it mills ten cards, you are reasonably likely to get back at least 7 mana worth of value, and the card selection you get should be powerful. One kind of cool thing about this is that if the game is late enough that both players are low on cards, you can also cast this to mill your opponent out, and they will draw before you do! This is expensive for sure, but it does feel like it will be able to pull you ahead from behind in most situations.
Astral Wingspan image 3.0 Auras can be really dangerous to use when they don’t give you some sort of value like that, because if your opponent can deal with the creature you put it on, you just got 2-for-1’d and there’s a good chance you’re going to lose. Now, you still have to be careful about when you use this, since they can still respond by removing the creature you target, but as long as you pick the right spot, this is going to feel pretty nice. +2/+2 and Flying is a boost that makes almost any creature into a problem, and Convoke makes casting this even easier.
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Mirran Banesplitter image 1.5 The fact this Equips for free the first time is nice, and definitely has the ability to make just about anything into a much better attacker. With Flash, you may even find a way to trade a smaller creature for something larger. The fact it costs three to Equip thereafter is rough.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
Final Flourish image 3.0 This is a nice removal spell. The base card is probably a C, but the kicker upside here is massive. As we’ve seen, Black has good sacrifice outlets and lots of other good reasons to sacrifice creatures, so this card will be right at home in that type of deck. That said, this will probably only be capable of -2/-2 a little too often to be an amazing removal spell.
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Oculus Whelp
Invasion of Kaladesh image 3.0 While a two mana 1/1 Flyer isn’t the best deal, it does mean this Battle gives you an evasive creature that can help you transform this into a solid Vehicle. It will at least be a ¼ Flyer with Crew 1, and that’s not too bad – and sometimes it will be a much bigger problem than that.
Elvish Vatkeeper image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that makes an Incubator is sweet – if you have five mana available you can just do it all, and pay 5 for a 3/3 and a 2/2, which is a nice deal! The other ability is fairly expensive, but if you have the mana to sink into it, it certainly makes your Incubator a lot scarier.
Aetherblade Agent image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with deathtouch is a little bit below rate, but it does trade for anything, and the creature this can become late is a big problem for your opponent.
Flitting Guerrilla image 1.5 Wind Drakes aren’t what they used to be, and this ability is something you’ll only use a small percentage of the time.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Oculus Whelp image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 Flyer is a little below rate these days, but if this is replacing itself when it dies it does get significantly better. Oftentimes the problem with casting something that costs 4+ mana and has 2 or less toughness is that your opponent can get an easy tempo advantage when they point a one or two mana removal spell at it, but this hedges against that a little when you have a transformed permanent around, since getting the 2-for-1 makes that feel a little less awful. Still, even in the Blue-Green deck you won’t always be able to get this going, and the baseline just isn’t very good.
Fertilid's Favor image 2.0 This is an Instant speed way to both ramp your mana and buff a creature. In other words, it can be part combat trick part ramp spell. Ramp spells can be a dangerous proposition in Limited because they usually don’t add to the board at all, but this one does. It doesn’t search up the basic land as efficiently as something like Rampant Growth, but this is better in Limited in a lot of ways, because it is a much better late-game top deck and even has a bit of 2-for-1 potential. I think having both of these effects on a single Instant is enough to make this a quality card.
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 8: Inga and Esika
Inga and Esika image 4.0 This 4-mana 4/4 comes with substantial upside! Giving your board vigilance and the ability to tap for mana is pretty awesome, and you’re also going to be able to draw cards with it sometimes.
Nezumi Freewheeler image 4.0 A 4-mana 3/3 Menace isn’t amazing, but this can also give you a bit of graveyard value. Getting cards in the opponent’s graveyard has some upside to it in Black in this format too. This can also transform the turn after you play it into a very exciting creature that can take advantage of the graveyard quite effectively.
Corruption of Towashi image 1.0 // 3.5 This looks like a very strong payoff for transforming things, and it comes with a built-in way to draw you that first card. On its own, that makes this a 7-mana 4/4 that draws you a card. That isn’t…amazing, but it is a passable baseline! Plus, as with all of these, you pay in installments and it offers some extra upside. That said, if you aren’t in a deck that really got there on transforming creatures, this probably isn’t very good.
Kitesail image 2.0 This offers a reasonable boost for how much it takes to Equip. Adding Flying to creatures is a nice upgrade.
Flitting Guerrilla image 1.5 Wind Drakes aren’t what they used to be, and this ability is something you’ll only use a small percentage of the time.
Tidal Terror image 3.0 This 6-mana 5/6 plays well with all the token stuff going on in Blue/white, as it can sometimes be unblockable. Islandcycling is a great thing to have, as it allows you to throw this away in the early game so that you hit your land drop, and if you play it late, it isn’t a bad threat to have.
Disturbing Conversion image 2.0 Blue-Black is interested in milling both players, so this seems like a decent card for that type of deck. Only lowering a creature’s power is pretty far from actually removing that creature, but this does enable your other graveyard stuff reasonably well.
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 9: Overgrown Pest
Mutagen Connoisseur image 3.5 Blue-Green is all about transforming things. This plays well with Incubator and Battles, as well as all the creatures that can transform for Phyrexian mana. Even with just 1 power, this is going to feel like a fairly powerful card, and it can get a lot sillier than that.
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Overgrown Pest image 1.5 Early, the fact this hits a land will feel pretty good. In the later game you won’t really want a land, and if you don’t have enough double-faced cards it will feel especially bad. There aren’t any DFCs at Common either, so actually getting a critical mass where this hits consistently is a challenge.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Expedition Lookout image 2.5 This is a two drop that lots of creatures can’t attack through, and eventually it becomes an unblockable 2/3. That’s pretty nice, because it might take awhile before you get there – since it can’t be blocked, it will be relevant on any board.
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Converter Beast
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Fertilid's Favor
Aegar, the Freezing Flame image 2.5 This was a powerhouse in Kaldheim Limited, pretty much an Uncommon bomb -- but that set had a heavy spell theme and Giant tribal all over the place. Blue-Red only has spells as a sub-theme this time around, and the set only has two Giants in it – and one of them is Mythic. Mostly in this format, we’re talking about a three mana 3/3 that draws you a card when you do excess damage with a spell.
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Fertilid's Favor image 2.0 This is an Instant speed way to both ramp your mana and buff a creature. In other words, it can be part combat trick part ramp spell. Ramp spells can be a dangerous proposition in Limited because they usually don’t add to the board at all, but this one does. It doesn’t search up the basic land as efficiently as something like Rampant Growth, but this is better in Limited in a lot of ways, because it is a much better late-game top deck and even has a bit of 2-for-1 potential. I think having both of these effects on a single Instant is enough to make this a quality card.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Swordsworn Cavalier
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Eyes of Gitaxias
Invasion of Vryn image 2.5 A Sorcery speed Sift isn’t a terrible card, though if this is a format where you really need to add more meaningfully to the board, it might be a little bit too clunky. The things this transforms into also isn’t amazing, but if you double a removal spell with it, it will certainly feel pretty good.
Eyes of Gitaxias image 2.0 You can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 3/3 that draws you a card, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not too bad, but it isn’t exactly something special either.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Thornwood Falls
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 15: Island
Island image
Draft Pick Overview