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Premier Draft LTR 23 July 2023

23 July 10:34 - MavX 7 Wins - 0 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (9)
1 Grishnákh, Brash Instigator image
1 Nazgûl image
1 Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain image
1 Easterling Vanguard image
1 Haunt of the Dead Marshes image
1 Troll of Khazad-dûm image
1 Mordor Trebuchet image
1 Gandalf the Grey image
1 Ithilien Kingfisher image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (14)
1 Oath of the Grey Host image
1 Fear, Fire, Foes! image
2 Bitter Downfall image
1 Sam's Desperate Rescue image
1 Birthday Escape image
1 Grond, the Gatebreaker image
1 Mordor Muster image
1 Isolation at Orthanc image
1 Press the Enemy image
2 Glorious Gale image
1 Lash of the Balrog image
1 Sauron's Ransom image
Land (17)
4 Mountain image
7 Swamp image
6 Island image
Sideboard
1 Snarling Warg image
3 Gwaihir the Windlord image
1 Relentless Rohirrim image
1 Ioreth of the Healing House image
1 Legolas, Counter of Kills image
1 Willow-Wind image
2 Shelob's Ambush image
1 Orcish Medicine image
1 Lembas image
1 Rush the Room image
1 Rise of the Witch-king image
1 Quarrel's End image
1 Elven Chorus image
1 Long List of the Ents image
1 War of the Last Alliance image
1 Second Breakfast image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Grishnákh, Brash Instigator
Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff image 3.0 Getting treasure when people cast two spells in a turn is pretty nice, and it can sort of fuel itself – since if you have treasure, it will be easier for you to cast two spells in a turn. That said, this won’t really start triggering until the later stages of the game, when treasure is less valuable, and the life loss on the card will occasionally be a problem
Grishnákh, Brash Instigator image 4.0 Even if you don’t think about the Threaten effect, a three mana 1/1 that makes a 2/2, or alternatively puts 2 counters on an Army you already have is a pretty nice rate. With the threaten effect in the mix it gets even better, especially if you’re in Black/Red and you have some cheap sacrifice outlets
Tale of Tinúviel image 2.0 This has a pretty high ceiling, mostly as a result of Chapter II. If you can set it up to reanimate something nice, that’s going to be great. Chapter I and III deliver some value too of course, and is value that is more easily accessible, but it is decidedly less. Making something indestructible for a couple of turns is usually going to have at least some impact on the game, whether it allows you to attack or block more effectively, and lifelink can help alter a race. However, if you aren’t able to reanimate something reasonable with Chapter II, this is going to feel pretty bad overall. I think that really limits just how good this Saga can be. Sometimes it will feel amazing, when you reanimate a bomb or something – other times it will have two medium effects that don’t really get close to being worth the mana.
Éowyn, Lady of Rohan image 4.0 Even if you have no equipment, Eowyn would be a pretty nice card. First Strike and Vigilance are both very useful keywords to gain access to, and she can even give them to herself, so her three mana 2/4 body combined with that is a nice deal! White decks in the format will often have Equipment around to make her even better too.
Glorious Gale image 2.5 This is a strictly better Essence Scatter, and Essence Scatter is always decent in Limited. It is cheap and counters the most common type of spell in your typical game.
Took Reaper image 2.0 This has mediocre stats that would make it a 1.0 at best these days. Getting tempted by the ring is nice upside, and does mean you’ll come out ahead in most trades, but it also isn’t the type of upside to get that excited over.
Dúnedain Blade image 2.5 If you are paying three to equip this, it is basically unplayable. If you’re paying one to equip it enough of the time, it becomes a solid playable. There are certainly enough Humans in White, as well as some equipment synergies in the set.
Fire of Orthanc image 1.0 Demolish is almost never worth it in Limited, and tacking on this unblockable angle doesn’t do enough to change that.
Snarling Warg image 2.5 A 4-mana ¾ Menace isn’t the worst stat-line, and this will be a 4/4 sometimes
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Bag End Porter image 3.0 This starts with solid stats, and there are enough legendary creatures in this set for this to attack as a 5/5 or 6/6 a decent chunk of the time.
Brandywine Farmer image 2.0 The stat-line is horrendous, but getting two foods out of one card is a nice thing in Green, and especially in Green-White, where you can find many uses for Food
Uruk-hai Berserker image 2.0 These are definitely below-rate stats these days, and if this didn’t do anything else it would be a 1.0, even with a useful creature type. Getting tempted by the Ring is real upside, but it also isn’t so insane that I’m thrilled about the idea of playing this
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Nazgûl
Dawn of a New Age image 4.0 You definitely need to have a board for this to do its thing, but even if you only have two or three creatures, you end up getting a 2 or 3-for-1 for only two mana and you even gain some life when all is said and done. Because you do need to have some stuff going on it can be pretty awkward in the early game, but by the middle part of the game this is going to be capable of giving you insurmountable card advantage.
Gollum's Bite image 3.5 A one mana instant that gives -2/-2 is already premium removal. You can trade up with it super easy, so the fact that you can also get the Ring to tempt you from the graveyard is amazing upside to have on an already very good card.
Nazgûl image 3.5 This is effectively a three mana ⅔ with Deathtouch, and because the ring tempts you you’re also going to have the option of giving it or something else some additional abilities. Black has a lot of tempted by the ring effects for it to feed off of, too.
Improvised Club image 1.5 Giving up a real creature for this is not very good, as you end up 2-for-1ing yourself, but if you have a treasure or food, or expendable body to sacrifice, this will do a decent job. Its nice that it can go after the opponent, and that will sometimes close out games. Still, it takes enough set up to actually be worthwhile that you’re not always going to play it
Lothlórien Lookout image 1.5 This card’s pretty awkward, because 1/3 doesn’t exactly scream “Attack with me!” While Scrying is definitely important for Green decks in the format, there are lots of better ways to do it, so I don’t think this will usually make the cut unless you’re desperate for the synergy or two drops
Cirith Ungol Patrol image 2.5 This is a fairly powerful sacrifice effect. Normally we just get “draw a card” on this type of thing and that ends up being fine, so also getting a Food out of it is some serious business. Gaining life on top of drawing a card can be a powerful way to pull ahead in a game. This has sort of decent stats too, and a useful creature type, and there’s plenty of good sacrifice fodder around
Slip On the Ring image 1.0 This is cheaper than most versions of this effect that we see, but most versions of this effect also draw you a card, and The Ring Tempts You isn’t quite as good as that. Still, this will be effective in decks that end up with enough cards with ETBs. It is a bit of a bummer it can only hit creatures, as blinking Sagas can be particularly valuable. You can of course use it to help a creature dodge removal and stuff like that too. But Still, it seems like this type of card basically never makes the cut in Limited formats these days. It isn’t a disaster in the right deck, but actually generating a card of value with it is harder than you think. We’ve seen this be the case with basically every version of this effect in countless Limited formats at this point. While the list of situations where this is good seems long, the percentage of the time they come up just isn’t enough.
Gimli's Fury image 1.5 +3/+2 is a decent boost for two mana, but you do need to be getting trample out of this pretty often for it to be worth it.
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Glorious Gale image 2.5 This is a strictly better Essence Scatter, and Essence Scatter is always decent in Limited. It is cheap and counters the most common type of spell in your typical game.
Orcish Medicine image 1.5 This trick isn’t that likely to help your creature win combat, but it does blank an attack and gain you some life at worst, and the fact it blanks most removal isn’t too bad either. Add Amass to the mix and I think you have a card that makes the cut in your deck sometimes, but for a trick to really be worthwhile it does need to be more useful in combat than this is
Pack 1 Pick 3: Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain
Goblin Fireleaper image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 that does 1 to something when it dies is borderline playable, and this has a much higher ceiling than that! It goes great with Equipment and other buffs, and it can buff its own power, really presenting a problem for your opponent. It is a pretty nice card all game long, as you can always attack with it and threatne to buff it, which creates problems on most board states. Your opponent often has to take it or risk getting 2-for-1’d when it gets pumped
Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain image 3.5 This is mostly useful alongside Amass, but the good news is there’s a ton of that in Black and Red in this set. A two mana 2/2 with Menace that gives you some extra counters here and there definitely makes for a nice signpost Uncommon
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
Chance-Met Elves image 3.0 This looks like another quality Scry payoff. Starting as a 3/2 obviously isn’t very good, but there’s definitely a critical mass of Scry in the set, so this will do a good job of accumulating counters throughout the game.
Mirkwood Bats image 3.0 This stat-line is well below rate these days, but this ability has the potential to be fairly strong, especially if you have some Food or Treasure tokens around since they are tokens that you create with built-in sacrifice effects
Improvised Club image 1.5 Giving up a real creature for this is not very good, as you end up 2-for-1ing yourself, but if you have a treasure or food, or expendable body to sacrifice, this will do a decent job. Its nice that it can go after the opponent, and that will sometimes close out games. Still, it takes enough set up to actually be worthwhile that you’re not always going to play it
Ent's Fury image 3.5 This looks like a nice removal spell for Green. +1/+1 + Fight for two mana is a good enough rate for this to be a nice card, so the 4 toughness or greater upside is enough to push this into “premium removal” range. You do always need to be careful with fight spells and choose a spot where you don’t risk getting completely blown out – like if your opponent removes your fighter in response – but there are plenty of windows where casting this will have a big impact
Dúnedain Blade image 2.5 If you are paying three to equip this, it is basically unplayable. If you’re paying one to equip it enough of the time, it becomes a solid playable. There are certainly enough Humans in White, as well as some equipment synergies in the set.
Mirkwood Spider image 2.5 One mana 1/1 deathtouchers are pretty much always playable, since they are relevant all game long thanks to their ability to trade with anything. Sometimes this will also be able to grant a problematic legendary creature death touch, and that’s some nice additional upside
Lórien Revealed image 2.0 5 mana to draw 3 at sorcery speed is often a little too clunky to be something every deck wants, but the fact this can island cycle earlier in the game helps make up for that a fairly significant amount. When you do have the time to cast this, the card advantage it can give you is pretty sweet too. The only problem is sometimes tapping out and not adding to the board can mean you’re going to die
Shire Scarecrow image 1.5 A two mana 0/3 defender doesn’t tend to be very good, but this does a reasonable job of filtering your mana
Mordor Muster image 3.0 Two mana 1/1s that draw you a card are always solid in Limited, and that’s certainly the case here, especially because the format has extra Orc and Army synergy all over the place
Pack 1 Pick 4: Easterling Vanguard
Minas Tirith image 3.5 Being able to draw even one card with this is going to feel pretty good, as you normally can’t get that type of value out of your lands. It will enter tapped a lot which is a bummer, but this still looks like it will deliver plenty of value to make it worth it
Rise of the Witch-king image 2.0 4 mana is a lot for a symmetrical edict, but the ability to return any permanent to the battlefield makes up for that some. Since it lets you get any permanent, you have a better chance than usual of having something worth bringing back, although the best thing to bring back is usually still going to be a creature. It does also take something away from your opponent, but it will frequently not be a very meaningful creature
Lembas image 2.5 This seems pretty solid. Scry 1 + Draw 1 when it ETBs is nice, and it is nice that it is Food – not only because it can gain you life, but because the format has lots of payoffs for Food – as well as things like Historic and Artifacts more generally, which it helps you with. The Scry and the extra draw also works well with decks in the format
Mirkwood Bats image 3.0 This stat-line is well below rate these days, but this ability has the potential to be fairly strong, especially if you have some Food or Treasure tokens around since they are tokens that you create with built-in sacrifice effects
Hithlain Knots image 2.0 This does a bunch of little stuff that will play reasonably well in multiple decks in the format. Whether you’re interesting in drawing extra cards, casting spells, or Scrying, this has you covered!
Mirkwood Spider image 2.5 One mana 1/1 deathtouchers are pretty much always playable, since they are relevant all game long thanks to their ability to trade with anything. Sometimes this will also be able to grant a problematic legendary creature death touch, and that’s some nice additional upside
Grey Havens Navigator image 2.0 We’ve seen three mana 3/2s with Flash that Scry a lot lately, and they haven’t been that good – but in the other sets there wasn’t a Scry deck like there is in this one. That probably does enough for this to be solid
Nimble Hobbit image 2.0 Tapping opposing creatures tends to be pretty good in aggro decks, but paying three for the effect is kind of rough. Giving up a Food is more appealing, but you’re still attacking with a 1/3, and there’s a pretty good chance that even when you tap down an opposing creature with this, your opponent can easily take it down in combat, especially after the early stages of the game.
Knights of Dol Amroth image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before by a different name, and it was pretty underwhelming. Starting out as a Hill Giant is pretty rough these days, and even in a deck built around drawing extra cards, getting this to 4/4 isn’t always going to happen – and even if it does you don’t really feel like you’re getting there
Battle-Scarred Goblin image 2.5 This isn’t the most exciting upside, but it does mean it can trade with X/3s and it basically can’t be blocked at all by X/1s. It can also be kind of funny to pair with death touch. It also has a useful creature type, which matters.
Easterling Vanguard image 2.0 You get three 3/2 worth of stats for two mana here. And sure, you don’t get it all at the same time, but this still looks like a solid two drop.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Haunt of the Dead Marshes
Ringsight image 0.0 Three mana tutors don’t tend to be very good in Limited. After all, the average power level of the cards in your deck isn’t all that high, and you don’t end up netting any cards – you just go down a card and get one back and that doesn’t tend to be worth three mana. Because the ring tempts you, as long as you have a creature, this will tutor for something since your ringbearer becomes legendary, but this still looks really rough
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
Erebor Flamesmith image 2.5 We see this type of spell payoff pretty often, and they are always pretty reasonable, especially when you can get multiples of them. Pinging your opponent can really add up if you’re doing a good job casting instants and sorceries.
Errand-Rider of Gondor image 2.5 If you don’t control a legendary creature this gives you some decent card selection, and if you do control one, we’re talking about a 2-for-1. Generally that seems like that means if you play this on turn three it is probably just card selection, but by the mid to late game it will usually draw you a card straight up. The stats aren’t great of course, but this definitely does enough to make the cut pretty often.
Hithlain Knots image 2.0 This does a bunch of little stuff that will play reasonably well in multiple decks in the format. Whether you’re interesting in drawing extra cards, casting spells, or Scrying, this has you covered!
Olog-hai Crusher image 2.5 This isn’t exactly the Goblin/Orc payoff you’re hoping for, but a 4-mana 4/4 Trampler is fairly formidable, and it will often be capable of blocking
Bewitching Leechcraft image 3.0 Obviously, this doesn’t work super well against Armies, since they will have counters to remove that allows this to untap, and there are other +1/+1 counters in the set too. However, I do think this will effectively lock down most creatures in the set, and it isn’t like if they have +1/+1 counters this goes away entirely anyway, because they have to keep removing counters from it to untap it. Obviously you want to use it on things that don’t have those counters at all, I’m just saying that even in the worst case it can be a problem for your opponent. I think this actually gets pretty close to being premium removal because it is so cheap, but even ignoring the whole +1/+1 counter part of the card, this doesn’t ever fully deal with a creature.
Mirkwood Spider image 2.5 One mana 1/1 deathtouchers are pretty much always playable, since they are relevant all game long thanks to their ability to trade with anything. Sometimes this will also be able to grant a problematic legendary creature death touch, and that’s some nice additional upside
Haunt of the Dead Marshes image 2.0 Having a legendary creature isn’t a guarantee in this format, but it is easier than normal because of both the Ring Tempts You and a large number of legendary creatures in general. I like that you get to Scry 1 every time too!
The Black Breath image 0.5 A one-sided -1/-1 effect can be good in the right match-up, but I mostly think this needs a sideboard grade. If you’re not able to take down creatures with it consistently it just isn’t going to be worth it, as the Ring tempts you alone just won’t be enough for the cost.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Mordor Trebuchet
Bill the Pony image 3.0 Not killing everything is a little bit of a bummer, but this will usually be able to kill the best things on the battlefield. You can build around it to some extent too, but not having a bunch of creatures who get destroyed by it, and it isn’t like that’s super hard to do in White. Getting some Food is some nice upside to have too. Overall I think this looks pretty good. IT will be a bit awkward sometimes, as sweepers often are in Limited, and there will be times where it hurts you more than your opponent. However, you will find enough board states where you come out ahead when the dust settles.
Rush the Room image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike can help a creature win a decent number of combats, but not so many that I’m super excited about this as a trick. The extra Goblin/Orc upside is good, and occasionally giving something Haste will make a difference, but this seems pretty weak overall
Fire of Orthanc image 1.0 Demolish is almost never worth it in Limited, and tacking on this unblockable angle doesn’t do enough to change that.
Mordor Trebuchet image 2.0 Obviously you’re going to be happiest with this in a Black-Red deck, but in that deck this seems like a pretty legit payoff. A three mana ¼ isn’t anything to write home about, but throwing a 2/1 Boulder at your opponent every time you attack with a Goblin or Orc is pretty sweet. It also works quite well alongside sacrifice outlets
Errand-Rider of Gondor image 2.5 If you don’t control a legendary creature this gives you some decent card selection, and if you do control one, we’re talking about a 2-for-1. Generally that seems like that means if you play this on turn three it is probably just card selection, but by the mid to late game it will usually draw you a card straight up. The stats aren’t great of course, but this definitely does enough to make the cut pretty often.
Pippin's Bravery image 2.0 One mana for +2/+2 is usually a decent enough trick, and the food upside here is very real. This can allow your creature to win combat very efficiently, and that’s always what you want from a combat trick
Eastfarthing Farmer image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ that makes a food is probably already playable, so giving +1/+1 to something when this ETBs is nice too, and sometimes it will be more than +1/+1!
Grey Havens Navigator image 2.0 We’ve seen three mana 3/2s with Flash that Scry a lot lately, and they haven’t been that good – but in the other sets there wasn’t a Scry deck like there is in this one. That probably does enough for this to be solid
Morgul-Knife Wound image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. I know it looks like a really cheap removal spell, but it has some serious problems. It is basically a Black version of the kind of removal spell Blue usually gets that makes a creature into a 0/2 or whatever, and those are always pretty underwhelming. So, let’s go through this card’s problems: The biggest thing is that it it doesn’t entirely remove a creature on its own. That effectively means you’re going down a card, and not taking a full card from your opponent.. Just lowering a creature’s power means that it can still block – perhaps even really effectively since its toughness is unaffected. It can also use all of its abilities. And heck, if it has high enough power it might still be a decent attacker! All of that is bad news. Additionally, giving your opponent an option about whether to pay life or exile the creature is way worse than it looks, because your opponent can always choose whichever option doesn’t really matter for them, and most of the time – neither of them will matter. Basically, even when this does operate as removal it isn’t going to give you a full card of value, and there will be plenty of times where it is far worse than that
Pack 1 Pick 7: Shelob's Ambush
Glorfindel, Dauntless Rescuer image 2.5 This combination of abilities seems pretty good, and makes Glorfindel capable of doing something powerful in a few different situations. For example, if your opponent has a 2/2 around that you can force to block, that feels pretty good. And, if your opponent can only take down Glorfindel with a double block, you can shut that down. It gets really interesting when you scry more than once in a turn and you can choose both, which you’ll want to do in some situations. All that said, while the design is definitely cool, I think it will be hard to line things up consistently with Glorfindel, especially because he demands you Scry for this effect to ever happen in the first place.
Took Reaper image 2.0 This has mediocre stats that would make it a 1.0 at best these days. Getting tempted by the ring is nice upside, and does mean you’ll come out ahead in most trades, but it also isn’t the type of upside to get that excited over.
Bombadil's Song image 2.5 The stats boost here isn’t great, and that means there are a more narrow number of creatures who can win a previously unwinnable combat with the help of Bombadil’s Song. It makes up for that some by also being capable of blanking removal spells and tempting you with the ring, so in the end I think you get a reasonable return on your investment
Fog on the Barrow-Downs image 3.0 This is solid removal. Three mana Pacifisms tend to be fine, though they aren’t usually amazing because they don’t entirely get rid of 100% of creatures, since they don’t stop things like activated or triggered abilities. Enchantment-based removal also isn’t great against things like bounce or flicker effects. Still, this does shut down most creatures for a fairly reasonable cost.
Shelob's Ambush image 2.5 This is a really nice trick. Death touch and the toughness boost for only one mana means many creatures will be capable of taking down an opposing creature and surviving to tell the tale, and that’s likely to give you some pretty awesome tempo since it only costs a single mana. Its great that you also get some Food out of the deal!
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Ithilien Kingfisher image 3.0 This isn’t quite as good as a three mana 2/1 with Flying that draws when it enters the battlefield, but it is still quite good. It is a reasonable threat in the air, and it can deliver a two-for-one pretty often.
Bag End Porter image 3.0 This starts with solid stats, and there are enough legendary creatures in this set for this to attack as a 5/5 or 6/6 a decent chunk of the time.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Troll of Khazad-dûm
Pelargir Survivor image 2.0 Fixing and ramp for spells is alright, though even in a spell-heavy deck it always seems that this spell-specific ramp underperforms. The other ability is even less meaningful for the most part, as it costs a ton of mana and won’t do something meaningful most of the time.
Mushroom Watchdogs image 3.0 This is a pretty solid food payoff. The Watchdogs can quickly become a problem, and the fact that they gain Vigilance can really help out in a race. I’m giving this a 3.
Mirrormere Guardian image 2.5 3-mana 4/2s tend to be reasonable, and in this set there are several cards that like it when you have a creature with 4 or more power, and this is one of the earliest ways you can meet that requirement. The ring tempting you when it dies is some very nice additional upside, too
Pippin's Bravery image 2.0 One mana for +2/+2 is usually a decent enough trick, and the food upside here is very real. This can allow your creature to win combat very efficiently, and that’s always what you want from a combat trick
Second Breakfast image 2.0 Sometimes this kind of trick can generate a 2-for-1, which is obviously great – but with a toughness boost of only one, more often than not at least one of the creatures is going to die. Three mana is a lot to spend on a trick too! It is nice it gives you some food at least.
Troll of Khazad-dûm image 2.0 This 6/5 is pretty tough to block and can alter combat even in the later stages of the game, and if you draw it early and you need a land, it can fetch one for you
Gimli's Axe image 2.0 +3/+0 and Menace is enough to make just about anything into a threat, but even in a set with this many legendaries, you aren’t going to be able to always count on that. After all, they only appear at Uncommon or higher, and when this isn’t granting menace it seems pretty bad, especially when you take the casting and equip cost into account.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Snarling Warg
Tale of Tinúviel image 2.0 This has a pretty high ceiling, mostly as a result of Chapter II. If you can set it up to reanimate something nice, that’s going to be great. Chapter I and III deliver some value too of course, and is value that is more easily accessible, but it is decidedly less. Making something indestructible for a couple of turns is usually going to have at least some impact on the game, whether it allows you to attack or block more effectively, and lifelink can help alter a race. However, if you aren’t able to reanimate something reasonable with Chapter II, this is going to feel pretty bad overall. I think that really limits just how good this Saga can be. Sometimes it will feel amazing, when you reanimate a bomb or something – other times it will have two medium effects that don’t really get close to being worth the mana.
Fire of Orthanc image 1.0 Demolish is almost never worth it in Limited, and tacking on this unblockable angle doesn’t do enough to change that.
Snarling Warg image 2.5 A 4-mana ¾ Menace isn’t the worst stat-line, and this will be a 4/4 sometimes
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Brandywine Farmer image 2.0 The stat-line is horrendous, but getting two foods out of one card is a nice thing in Green, and especially in Green-White, where you can find many uses for Food
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Orcish Medicine
Lothlórien Lookout image 1.5 This card’s pretty awkward, because 1/3 doesn’t exactly scream “Attack with me!” While Scrying is definitely important for Green decks in the format, there are lots of better ways to do it, so I don’t think this will usually make the cut unless you’re desperate for the synergy or two drops
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Orcish Medicine image 1.5 This trick isn’t that likely to help your creature win combat, but it does blank an attack and gain you some life at worst, and the fact it blanks most removal isn’t too bad either. Add Amass to the mix and I think you have a card that makes the cut in your deck sometimes, but for a trick to really be worthwhile it does need to be more useful in combat than this is
Pack 1 Pick 11: Gwaihir the Windlord
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
Chance-Met Elves image 3.0 This looks like another quality Scry payoff. Starting as a 3/2 obviously isn’t very good, but there’s definitely a critical mass of Scry in the set, so this will do a good job of accumulating counters throughout the game.
Mirkwood Spider image 2.5 One mana 1/1 deathtouchers are pretty much always playable, since they are relevant all game long thanks to their ability to trade with anything. Sometimes this will also be able to grant a problematic legendary creature death touch, and that’s some nice additional upside
Shire Scarecrow image 1.5 A two mana 0/3 defender doesn’t tend to be very good, but this does a reasonable job of filtering your mana
Pack 1 Pick 12: Lembas
Lembas image 2.5 This seems pretty solid. Scry 1 + Draw 1 when it ETBs is nice, and it is nice that it is Food – not only because it can gain you life, but because the format has lots of payoffs for Food – as well as things like Historic and Artifacts more generally, which it helps you with. The Scry and the extra draw also works well with decks in the format
Grey Havens Navigator image 2.0 We’ve seen three mana 3/2s with Flash that Scry a lot lately, and they haven’t been that good – but in the other sets there wasn’t a Scry deck like there is in this one. That probably does enough for this to be solid
Nimble Hobbit image 2.0 Tapping opposing creatures tends to be pretty good in aggro decks, but paying three for the effect is kind of rough. Giving up a Food is more appealing, but you’re still attacking with a 1/3, and there’s a pretty good chance that even when you tap down an opposing creature with this, your opponent can easily take it down in combat, especially after the early stages of the game.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Gwaihir the Windlord
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
Mirkwood Spider image 2.5 One mana 1/1 deathtouchers are pretty much always playable, since they are relevant all game long thanks to their ability to trade with anything. Sometimes this will also be able to grant a problematic legendary creature death touch, and that’s some nice additional upside
Pack 1 Pick 14: Rush the Room
Rush the Room image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike can help a creature win a decent number of combats, but not so many that I’m super excited about this as a trick. The extra Goblin/Orc upside is good, and occasionally giving something Haste will make a difference, but this seems pretty weak overall
Pack 2 Pick 1: Oath of the Grey Host
Flame of Anor image 4.0 This card would be awesome even without the Wizard upside. Three mana to do 5 damage to a creature is premium, and it offers additional options! If you do have a Wizard it can feel truly insane, as drawing 2 and killing a creature, or destroying an artifact for three mana is nuts!
Gandalf, Friend of the Shire image 3.5 A 4-mana 2/4 with Flash and the ability to turn your sorceries into Instants isn’t too bad, but what really makes this impressive is the fact that you get to draw a card every time you choose a non-Gandalf creature as your ringbearer. That’s some massive value, and even if you only draw 1 card with Gandalf, that’s going to feel amazing.
Rise of the Witch-king image 2.0 4 mana is a lot for a symmetrical edict, but the ability to return any permanent to the battlefield makes up for that some. Since it lets you get any permanent, you have a better chance than usual of having something worth bringing back, although the best thing to bring back is usually still going to be a creature. It does also take something away from your opponent, but it will frequently not be a very meaningful creature
Oath of the Grey Host image 2.5 I don’t love giving my opponent a Food token, but the end result of this card is very efficient. You get three 1/1 Flyers, a treasure token, your opponent loses 3 life, and you get a Food – though that part is kind of a wash because your opponent does too. So, its kind of slow, but each chapter does deliver real value, and getting those 1/1s at the end is going to feel great. They do enter tapped, which makes this a lot clunkier than it would otherwise be, but I still think this looks pretty nice
Gimli's Fury image 1.5 +3/+2 is a decent boost for two mana, but you do need to be getting trample out of this pretty often for it to be worth it.
Glorious Gale image 2.5 This is a strictly better Essence Scatter, and Essence Scatter is always decent in Limited. It is cheap and counters the most common type of spell in your typical game.
Morgul-Knife Wound image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. I know it looks like a really cheap removal spell, but it has some serious problems. It is basically a Black version of the kind of removal spell Blue usually gets that makes a creature into a 0/2 or whatever, and those are always pretty underwhelming. So, let’s go through this card’s problems: The biggest thing is that it it doesn’t entirely remove a creature on its own. That effectively means you’re going down a card, and not taking a full card from your opponent.. Just lowering a creature’s power means that it can still block – perhaps even really effectively since its toughness is unaffected. It can also use all of its abilities. And heck, if it has high enough power it might still be a decent attacker! All of that is bad news. Additionally, giving your opponent an option about whether to pay life or exile the creature is way worse than it looks, because your opponent can always choose whichever option doesn’t really matter for them, and most of the time – neither of them will matter. Basically, even when this does operate as removal it isn’t going to give you a full card of value, and there will be plenty of times where it is far worse than that
Took Reaper image 2.0 This has mediocre stats that would make it a 1.0 at best these days. Getting tempted by the ring is nice upside, and does mean you’ll come out ahead in most trades, but it also isn’t the type of upside to get that excited over.
The Torment of Gollum image 2.5 So, the last time we saw Amass, there was an Amass discard spell that really overperformed. It only amassed one and cost one less mana, so the cards aren’t identical, but I am reasonably confident in saying that this is going to be a nice Common. This can net you a 2-for-1 in lots of situations. Just imagine this was a 4-mana 2/2 that lets you go after your opponents hand…because that’s basically what this is. It does feel a little less good when you just put two counters on something, but that’s still not a bad deal
Wose Pathfinder image 3.0 This is fragile and inefficient when it comes to stats, but it also fixes and ramps your mana, and in the extreme late game it has an effect that isn’t a terrible one to sink your mana into
Birthday Escape image 2.5 This seems like a nice deal for only a single Blue mana. Most of the time getting two effects for one mana ends up being pretty nice, and I think that’s the case here.
Revive the Shire image 1.5 This type of effect usually isn’t anything special, as 9 times out of 10 you’d rather just be adding to the board, and the fact that this is almost a blank card in the early game is an issue. Using it to get back a bomb or some other powerful permanent is definitely nice, and the Food makes it a little more attractive, but this seems like the kind of card that just doesn’t make the cut most of the time because it doesn’t usually do enough
Arwen's Gift image 2.0 Having two legendary creatures in play is very doable in this set, but you also shouldn’t always expect to be able to cast this for three. At four mana it is definitely a little bit clunky, but at least you can see up to 4 cards – which is a ton in Limited.
Easterling Vanguard image 2.0 You get three 3/2 worth of stats for two mana here. And sure, you don’t get it all at the same time, but this still looks like a solid two drop.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Rise of the Witch-king
Press the Enemy image 2.5 The ability to bounce a spell off of the stack or a nonland permanent is decent, but not great for 4 mana. This is because you’re usually going to be going down a card, and because this costs 4 mana, you also aren’t that likely to get that much tempo. The flexibility makes up for that some, but for this to really feel good you need to be casting something from your hand for free. Keep in mind, even when you do that you aren’t gaining a card of value, though you are generating some extra tempo. The bad news is, you won’t always be able to pull that off, especially because it is restricted to instants and sorceries. So overall, this seems pretty underwhelming for Limited, at least for a Rare.
Rise of the Witch-king image 2.0 4 mana is a lot for a symmetrical edict, but the ability to return any permanent to the battlefield makes up for that some. Since it lets you get any permanent, you have a better chance than usual of having something worth bringing back, although the best thing to bring back is usually still going to be a creature. It does also take something away from your opponent, but it will frequently not be a very meaningful creature
Horses of the Bruinen image 1.0 You usually go down a card when you cast this without taking any cards away from your opponent. You might get some tempo, provided you bounce things that are expensive enough, but that is far from guaranteed. This can bounce Armies, which might feel pretty good when the Army is particularly large, but overall this doesn’t feel like it can consistently give you what it needs to when you’re spending 5 mana and using up a card.
Nimrodel Watcher image 3.0 This is a nice Common payoff for scrying. There seems to be a critical mass of Scry at lower rarities, so imagining that you can get in with this an unblockable 3/1 a couple of times isn’t a pipe dream. Sometimes it will be a very real win condition.
The Black Breath image 0.5 A one-sided -1/-1 effect can be good in the right match-up, but I mostly think this needs a sideboard grade. If you’re not able to take down creatures with it consistently it just isn’t going to be worth it, as the Ring tempts you alone just won’t be enough for the cost.
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Arwen's Gift image 2.0 Having two legendary creatures in play is very doable in this set, but you also shouldn’t always expect to be able to cast this for three. At four mana it is definitely a little bit clunky, but at least you can see up to 4 cards – which is a ton in Limited.
East-Mark Cavalier image 1.5 This has passable stats as a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance, but the other upside it has is very underwhelming. There will be some occasions where it lines up nicely since it can trade with a larger Goblin or Orc, but a lot of the time the ability doesn’t matter, and even when your opponent does have a creature with one of those types, they are often already just going to trade with the cavalier.
Mirrormere Guardian image 2.5 3-mana 4/2s tend to be reasonable, and in this set there are several cards that like it when you have a creature with 4 or more power, and this is one of the earliest ways you can meet that requirement. The ring tempting you when it dies is some very nice additional upside, too
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Swarming of Moria image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 that gives you a treasure is decent, as is a three mana spell that puts two counters on something and gives you a Treasure. It is always nice having fixing and ramp in Red, as it doesn’t always have access to it
Shire Terrace image 2.5 This can’t grab you a land for no mana the way Evolving Wilds can, but the fact it can tap for mana in the mean time makes up for that.
Dúnedain Blade image 2.5 If you are paying three to equip this, it is basically unplayable. If you’re paying one to equip it enough of the time, it becomes a solid playable. There are certainly enough Humans in White, as well as some equipment synergies in the set.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Fear, Fire, Foes!
Glóin, Dwarf Emissary image 3.5 This has solid base stats, and getting a treasure or two out of him seems pretty likely! Goading creatures is pretty nice too, as it is surprisingly flexible. You can use it to force a small creature to attack into your larger creatures, or you can just use it to get a blocker out of the way on your next turn. This all means Gloin has a real impact on the board all game long
Grond, the Gatebreaker image 2.0 If your deck can’t make an Army, this doesn’t look especially good. Crew 3 is higher than you might think, and the payoff – while certainly a large creature, isn’t exactly amazing. Even if you do have an Army, the absolute ceiling of this card is a 4-mana 5/5 Trampler – and that’s certainly efficient, but you have to keep in mind the times where you won’t be able to crew it and you don’t have an army. And, trust me, those times will come.
Legolas, Counter of Kills image 2.5 His ability to untap is reasonably easy to trigger in Blue-Green, but also not the most exciting thing ever. His ability to grow is where the real value is, but Green/blue is awkwardly a color pair that isn’t that good at killing things outside of combat, which limits just how good this can be. Additionally, his base stats are not remotely impressive
Fear, Fire, Foes! image 3.0 Red X spells are basically never an efficient form of removal, and this particular one can’t hit players, which is a little sad. But still, it is a removal spell that scales as the game goes on, just as your opponents creatures are also getting larger, so it works out okay. Also, the fact this can pick off an X/1 or 2 on top of the other creature you kill is pretty awesome, and depending on how many of those are around, this would actually feel efficient.
Lembas image 2.5 This seems pretty solid. Scry 1 + Draw 1 when it ETBs is nice, and it is nice that it is Food – not only because it can gain you life, but because the format has lots of payoffs for Food – as well as things like Historic and Artifacts more generally, which it helps you with. The Scry and the extra draw also works well with decks in the format
Nasty End image 1.5 This type of spell is never amazing, but it does often find a niche. If you have a legendary creature that is worth sacrificing this can feel particularly good, but the problem with this kind of card is always that you don’t always have something worth giving up. Using it in response to removal is often the ideal situation, and that can potentially be quite impressive. However, it still ends up being too situational to be anything special.
Quarrel's End image 1.5 This is an interesting take on the obligatory Tormenting Voice effect. It costs one more, but you also get to add something to the board, and I think that’s pretty nice. Still, it is the kind of card that gets cut a lot as it doesn’t actually do that much
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Isolation at Orthanc image 3.0 This is nice removal. You always trade 1-for-1 with it, and because it is an Instant, sometimes you’ll be able to really get your opponent if you cast it in response to a trick or something.
Grey Havens Navigator image 2.0 We’ve seen three mana 3/2s with Flash that Scry a lot lately, and they haven’t been that good – but in the other sets there wasn’t a Scry deck like there is in this one. That probably does enough for this to be solid
Esquire of the King image 1.5 This ability costing only three mana is pretty sweet, especially if you’ve gone wide enough – and doing that in White certainly seems doable. The bad news is, as a one mana 1/1 it is pretty irrelevant up until the point it can use its ability, and paying 5 for that ability isn’t nearly as appealing.
Mirkwood Bats image 3.0 This stat-line is well below rate these days, but this ability has the potential to be fairly strong, especially if you have some Food or Treasure tokens around since they are tokens that you create with built-in sacrifice effects
Pack 2 Pick 4: Bitter Downfall
Rangers of Ithilien image 4.5 Mind Control effects are always insanely strong, even one like this one that’s a little restrictive. If you pay 4 mana and get this 3/3, steal a 2/2, and the Ring Tempts you, you’re going to be getting a lot of impressive value. Sure, you don’t necessarily keep the creature forever, but the turn you play this it will do a ton, and if your opponent can’t deal with the Rangers quickly they probably lose.
Bitter Downfall image 3.5 If this always cost 4 mana, it would be a good removal spell, so the upside of destroying a damaged creature for a lot less mana is nice. That said, most of the time I imagine you’ll be firing this off for the full four mana, but that’s perfectly fine.
Tale of Tinúviel image 2.0 This has a pretty high ceiling, mostly as a result of Chapter II. If you can set it up to reanimate something nice, that’s going to be great. Chapter I and III deliver some value too of course, and is value that is more easily accessible, but it is decidedly less. Making something indestructible for a couple of turns is usually going to have at least some impact on the game, whether it allows you to attack or block more effectively, and lifelink can help alter a race. However, if you aren’t able to reanimate something reasonable with Chapter II, this is going to feel pretty bad overall. I think that really limits just how good this Saga can be. Sometimes it will feel amazing, when you reanimate a bomb or something – other times it will have two medium effects that don’t really get close to being worth the mana.
Treason of Isengard image 2.0 A three mana 2/2 that puts a spell on top of your library is an okay card. This is an effect players often overrate, as they imagine getting back a really great spell – and when you can do that it is pretty good. However, the fact you have to wait to draw that card really makes it significantly worse
Cast into the Fire image 0.5 This has two modes that aren’t useful often enough, and while the fact that you can choose between them helps offset how narrow each effect is, we’re still looking at a card that won’t do anything meaningful far too often. This feels like sideboard material.
Quarrel's End image 1.5 This is an interesting take on the obligatory Tormenting Voice effect. It costs one more, but you also get to add something to the board, and I think that’s pretty nice. Still, it is the kind of card that gets cut a lot as it doesn’t actually do that much
Many Partings image 2.5 This offers some quality fixing while also helping you up your deck’s Food count, something that certainly matters in Green
Mordor Muster image 3.0 Two mana 1/1s that draw you a card are always solid in Limited, and that’s certainly the case here, especially because the format has extra Orc and Army synergy all over the place
Improvised Club image 1.5 Giving up a real creature for this is not very good, as you end up 2-for-1ing yourself, but if you have a treasure or food, or expendable body to sacrifice, this will do a decent job. Its nice that it can go after the opponent, and that will sometimes close out games. Still, it takes enough set up to actually be worthwhile that you’re not always going to play it
Dúnedain Blade image 2.5 If you are paying three to equip this, it is basically unplayable. If you’re paying one to equip it enough of the time, it becomes a solid playable. There are certainly enough Humans in White, as well as some equipment synergies in the set.
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Pack 2 Pick 5: Gandalf the Grey
Gandalf the Grey image 4.0 These effects are all pretty nice things to tack on to instants and sorceries – especially the ability to copy a spell. 3 damage to the opponent and tapping or untapping something isn’t quite as exciting, but I’ll take it. Eventually, you can bounce Gandalf to the top of your deck and reset everything – and you can also protect him from removal when you use that effect
Shadowfax, Lord of Horses image 2.5 This is nothing fancy, but it is a pretty amazing rate. They do enter tapped, which matters – as this will feel pretty miserable when you’re behind. Playing this on turn two will apply some serious pressure on your opponent, though
Soothing of Sméagol image 2.0 Two mana to bounce a nontoken creature isn’t an amazing deal these days. Remember, you’re only getting tempo and are actually going down a card. Still, this does allow you to impact the board and getting tempted by the ring is never a bad thing.
Nimble Hobbit image 2.0 Tapping opposing creatures tends to be pretty good in aggro decks, but paying three for the effect is kind of rough. Giving up a Food is more appealing, but you’re still attacking with a 1/3, and there’s a pretty good chance that even when you tap down an opposing creature with this, your opponent can easily take it down in combat, especially after the early stages of the game.
Troll of Khazad-dûm image 2.0 This 6/5 is pretty tough to block and can alter combat even in the later stages of the game, and if you draw it early and you need a land, it can fetch one for you
Great Hall of the Citadel image 1.5 This can certainly help you splash some powerful legendary creatures, but I’m a little skeptical. Most of these lands that normally only produce colorless, but can produce colored mana for a certain type of card end up not being worth it. Producing only colorless for the majority of cards in your deck can be a liability for your mana base, so it ends up sort of canceling out any upside you might get out of it when you have your legendaries around. You’re going to want to go after different fixing than this most of the time
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Isolation at Orthanc image 3.0 This is nice removal. You always trade 1-for-1 with it, and because it is an Instant, sometimes you’ll be able to really get your opponent if you cast it in response to a trick or something.
Bewitching Leechcraft image 3.0 Obviously, this doesn’t work super well against Armies, since they will have counters to remove that allows this to untap, and there are other +1/+1 counters in the set too. However, I do think this will effectively lock down most creatures in the set, and it isn’t like if they have +1/+1 counters this goes away entirely anyway, because they have to keep removing counters from it to untap it. Obviously you want to use it on things that don’t have those counters at all, I’m just saying that even in the worst case it can be a problem for your opponent. I think this actually gets pretty close to being premium removal because it is so cheap, but even ignoring the whole +1/+1 counter part of the card, this doesn’t ever fully deal with a creature.
Haradrim Spearmaster image 2.0 It is a little sad it can’t buff itself, as that would have made it significantly better, but offering +1/+0 to something every turn does do enough to improve combat for you often enough for this to be fine
Pack 2 Pick 6: Relentless Rohirrim
Legolas, Counter of Kills image 2.5 His ability to untap is reasonably easy to trigger in Blue-Green, but also not the most exciting thing ever. His ability to grow is where the real value is, but Green/blue is awkwardly a color pair that isn’t that good at killing things outside of combat, which limits just how good this can be. Additionally, his base stats are not remotely impressive
Hobbit's Sting image 3.0 White has a decent amount of food and lots of cards that help it go wide, so this will often have no problem doing at leas three damage. There are of course the awkward times where your board isn’t where it needs to be to take full advantage, and that probably prevents this from being premium removal.
Bewitching Leechcraft image 3.0 Obviously, this doesn’t work super well against Armies, since they will have counters to remove that allows this to untap, and there are other +1/+1 counters in the set too. However, I do think this will effectively lock down most creatures in the set, and it isn’t like if they have +1/+1 counters this goes away entirely anyway, because they have to keep removing counters from it to untap it. Obviously you want to use it on things that don’t have those counters at all, I’m just saying that even in the worst case it can be a problem for your opponent. I think this actually gets pretty close to being premium removal because it is so cheap, but even ignoring the whole +1/+1 counter part of the card, this doesn’t ever fully deal with a creature.
Haunt of the Dead Marshes image 2.0 Having a legendary creature isn’t a guarantee in this format, but it is easier than normal because of both the Ring Tempts You and a large number of legendary creatures in general. I like that you get to Scry 1 every time too!
Haradrim Spearmaster image 2.0 It is a little sad it can’t buff itself, as that would have made it significantly better, but offering +1/+0 to something every turn does do enough to improve combat for you often enough for this to be fine
Soothing of Sméagol image 2.0 Two mana to bounce a nontoken creature isn’t an amazing deal these days. Remember, you’re only getting tempo and are actually going down a card. Still, this does allow you to impact the board and getting tempted by the ring is never a bad thing.
Willow-Wind image 3.0 The last time we saw a 5-mana ¾ Flyer that Scried 2 on ETB it really over-performed, and that wasn’t even in a set with a Scry deck. This is probably one of Blue’s best Commons.
Relentless Rohirrim image 2.5 These aren’t great stats these days, but because the ring tempts you on ETB you are at worst going to give this one extra ability – although if it’s the first time the ring has tempted you it isn’t going to feel very good. If it is the second time or later though, the Rohirrim will feel like a solid card
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Sam's Desperate Rescue
Ringsight image 0.0 Three mana tutors don’t tend to be very good in Limited. After all, the average power level of the cards in your deck isn’t all that high, and you don’t end up netting any cards – you just go down a card and get one back and that doesn’t tend to be worth three mana. Because the ring tempts you, as long as you have a creature, this will tutor for something since your ringbearer becomes legendary, but this still looks really rough
Rise of the Witch-king image 2.0 4 mana is a lot for a symmetrical edict, but the ability to return any permanent to the battlefield makes up for that some. Since it lets you get any permanent, you have a better chance than usual of having something worth bringing back, although the best thing to bring back is usually still going to be a creature. It does also take something away from your opponent, but it will frequently not be a very meaningful creature
Sam's Desperate Rescue image 2.0 One mana to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand is a passable card, though I’d usually pay three mana to get two things back, as that gives you a more significant advantage by the later stages of the game. That said, paying one will often mean you can play the thing you get back right away, and getting tempted by the ring even makes this have a decent fail case if you don’t have something in your graveyard
Fire of Orthanc image 1.0 Demolish is almost never worth it in Limited, and tacking on this unblockable angle doesn’t do enough to change that.
Swarming of Moria image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 that gives you a treasure is decent, as is a three mana spell that puts two counters on something and gives you a Treasure. It is always nice having fixing and ramp in Red, as it doesn’t always have access to it
Knights of Dol Amroth image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before by a different name, and it was pretty underwhelming. Starting out as a Hill Giant is pretty rough these days, and even in a deck built around drawing extra cards, getting this to 4/4 isn’t always going to happen – and even if it does you don’t really feel like you’re getting there
Shelob's Ambush image 2.5 This is a really nice trick. Death touch and the toughness boost for only one mana means many creatures will be capable of taking down an opposing creature and surviving to tell the tale, and that’s likely to give you some pretty awesome tempo since it only costs a single mana. Its great that you also get some Food out of the deal!
Brandywine Farmer image 2.0 The stat-line is horrendous, but getting two foods out of one card is a nice thing in Green, and especially in Green-White, where you can find many uses for Food
Pack 2 Pick 8: Ioreth of the Healing House
Display of Power image 2.0 The concept here is pretty cool, but I’m not sure how well it will work in Limited. There just aren’t multiple instants and sorceries on the stack that often, so most of the time this will just be a three mana Fork. That’s not a terrible card, mind you, my only point is that you shouldn’t expect being able to copy more than one spell with this, and even that is fairly situational
Ioreth of the Healing House image 3.0 The best use for this is to ramp your mana, but the ability to untap permanents has lots of other upsides too, and I like that flexibility. A three mana ¼ isn’t amazing, but it isn’t too bad of a defensive body
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Gimli's Fury image 1.5 +3/+2 is a decent boost for two mana, but you do need to be getting trample out of this pretty often for it to be worth it.
Dúnedain Blade image 2.5 If you are paying three to equip this, it is basically unplayable. If you’re paying one to equip it enough of the time, it becomes a solid playable. There are certainly enough Humans in White, as well as some equipment synergies in the set.
Fire of Orthanc image 1.0 Demolish is almost never worth it in Limited, and tacking on this unblockable angle doesn’t do enough to change that.
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Pack 2 Pick 9: Birthday Escape
Gimli's Fury image 1.5 +3/+2 is a decent boost for two mana, but you do need to be getting trample out of this pretty often for it to be worth it.
Glorious Gale image 2.5 This is a strictly better Essence Scatter, and Essence Scatter is always decent in Limited. It is cheap and counters the most common type of spell in your typical game.
Morgul-Knife Wound image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. I know it looks like a really cheap removal spell, but it has some serious problems. It is basically a Black version of the kind of removal spell Blue usually gets that makes a creature into a 0/2 or whatever, and those are always pretty underwhelming. So, let’s go through this card’s problems: The biggest thing is that it it doesn’t entirely remove a creature on its own. That effectively means you’re going down a card, and not taking a full card from your opponent.. Just lowering a creature’s power means that it can still block – perhaps even really effectively since its toughness is unaffected. It can also use all of its abilities. And heck, if it has high enough power it might still be a decent attacker! All of that is bad news. Additionally, giving your opponent an option about whether to pay life or exile the creature is way worse than it looks, because your opponent can always choose whichever option doesn’t really matter for them, and most of the time – neither of them will matter. Basically, even when this does operate as removal it isn’t going to give you a full card of value, and there will be plenty of times where it is far worse than that
Birthday Escape image 2.5 This seems like a nice deal for only a single Blue mana. Most of the time getting two effects for one mana ends up being pretty nice, and I think that’s the case here.
Revive the Shire image 1.5 This type of effect usually isn’t anything special, as 9 times out of 10 you’d rather just be adding to the board, and the fact that this is almost a blank card in the early game is an issue. Using it to get back a bomb or some other powerful permanent is definitely nice, and the Food makes it a little more attractive, but this seems like the kind of card that just doesn’t make the cut most of the time because it doesn’t usually do enough
Arwen's Gift image 2.0 Having two legendary creatures in play is very doable in this set, but you also shouldn’t always expect to be able to cast this for three. At four mana it is definitely a little bit clunky, but at least you can see up to 4 cards – which is a ton in Limited.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Press the Enemy
Press the Enemy image 2.5 The ability to bounce a spell off of the stack or a nonland permanent is decent, but not great for 4 mana. This is because you’re usually going to be going down a card, and because this costs 4 mana, you also aren’t that likely to get that much tempo. The flexibility makes up for that some, but for this to really feel good you need to be casting something from your hand for free. Keep in mind, even when you do that you aren’t gaining a card of value, though you are generating some extra tempo. The bad news is, you won’t always be able to pull that off, especially because it is restricted to instants and sorceries. So overall, this seems pretty underwhelming for Limited, at least for a Rare.
Nimrodel Watcher image 3.0 This is a nice Common payoff for scrying. There seems to be a critical mass of Scry at lower rarities, so imagining that you can get in with this an unblockable 3/1 a couple of times isn’t a pipe dream. Sometimes it will be a very real win condition.
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Mirrormere Guardian image 2.5 3-mana 4/2s tend to be reasonable, and in this set there are several cards that like it when you have a creature with 4 or more power, and this is one of the earliest ways you can meet that requirement. The ring tempting you when it dies is some very nice additional upside, too
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Legolas, Counter of Kills
Legolas, Counter of Kills image 2.5 His ability to untap is reasonably easy to trigger in Blue-Green, but also not the most exciting thing ever. His ability to grow is where the real value is, but Green/blue is awkwardly a color pair that isn’t that good at killing things outside of combat, which limits just how good this can be. Additionally, his base stats are not remotely impressive
Lembas image 2.5 This seems pretty solid. Scry 1 + Draw 1 when it ETBs is nice, and it is nice that it is Food – not only because it can gain you life, but because the format has lots of payoffs for Food – as well as things like Historic and Artifacts more generally, which it helps you with. The Scry and the extra draw also works well with decks in the format
Galadhrim Guide image 2.0 Stats aren’t good, but there are enough Scry payoffs for the first copy of this to make the cut pretty often
Grey Havens Navigator image 2.0 We’ve seen three mana 3/2s with Flash that Scry a lot lately, and they haven’t been that good – but in the other sets there wasn’t a Scry deck like there is in this one. That probably does enough for this to be solid
Pack 2 Pick 12: Quarrel's End
Cast into the Fire image 0.5 This has two modes that aren’t useful often enough, and while the fact that you can choose between them helps offset how narrow each effect is, we’re still looking at a card that won’t do anything meaningful far too often. This feels like sideboard material.
Quarrel's End image 1.5 This is an interesting take on the obligatory Tormenting Voice effect. It costs one more, but you also get to add something to the board, and I think that’s pretty nice. Still, it is the kind of card that gets cut a lot as it doesn’t actually do that much
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Pack 2 Pick 13: Isolation at Orthanc
Isolation at Orthanc image 3.0 This is nice removal. You always trade 1-for-1 with it, and because it is an Instant, sometimes you’ll be able to really get your opponent if you cast it in response to a trick or something.
Bewitching Leechcraft image 3.0 Obviously, this doesn’t work super well against Armies, since they will have counters to remove that allows this to untap, and there are other +1/+1 counters in the set too. However, I do think this will effectively lock down most creatures in the set, and it isn’t like if they have +1/+1 counters this goes away entirely anyway, because they have to keep removing counters from it to untap it. Obviously you want to use it on things that don’t have those counters at all, I’m just saying that even in the worst case it can be a problem for your opponent. I think this actually gets pretty close to being premium removal because it is so cheap, but even ignoring the whole +1/+1 counter part of the card, this doesn’t ever fully deal with a creature.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Willow-Wind
Willow-Wind image 3.0 The last time we saw a 5-mana ¾ Flyer that Scried 2 on ETB it really over-performed, and that wasn’t even in a set with a Scry deck. This is probably one of Blue’s best Commons.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Elven Chorus
Elven Chorus image 3.5 If your deck has a lot of creatures in it, this is going to be pretty good! Casting things from the top of your library is always pretty sweet, as it effectively gives you a larger hand and lets you draw cards. Chaining multiple creatures together is especially nasty! The fact this also fixes your mana is great, and the Blue-Green deck in the format is into Scrying, further augmenting just how good this can be. It doesn’t hurt that it gives you some fixing and mana either. It does cost 4 mana without any real immediate impact on the board, but I think this delivers enough value to be a fairly high pick
Entish Restoration image 3.0 We’ve seen cards like this before, and they tend to be pretty good at fixing your mana and ramping. What we haven’t seen before is the “power 4 or greater” upside. When you can trigger that, this will really be a nice way to ramp and fix, although a lot of the time by the time you have a creature with power 4 or greater you won’t be as interested in fixing anyway. This does look like the kind of fixing you’re going to want to pick up if you’re splashing a third color or going with more than two colors, but you probably don’t play it beyond that. Worth noting that this can even potentially help you splash cards with double-costed mana, which isn’t always the case
Stew the Coneys image 3.5 This is a great removal spell. Sure, you need to have a big enough Green creature, but that’s never a huge ask. Even without the Food this would be a very nice Uncommon.
The Grey Havens image 2.0 This seems like it will be able to add at least one color of mana to your mana pool by the middle stages of the game, and that’s not bad on a land that also Scries and has the potential upside of tapping for more colors. Still, there will be some awkward situations where you can only get colorless mana out of this, and that’s kind of rough
Ithilien Kingfisher image 3.0 This isn’t quite as good as a three mana 2/1 with Flying that draws when it enters the battlefield, but it is still quite good. It is a reasonable threat in the air, and it can deliver a two-for-one pretty often.
Breaking of the Fellowship image 1.5 We have seen cards like this before, and they are always surprisingly difficult to set up correctly. First your opponent needs to have two creatures, second one has to be able to kill the other. That sounds simple enough, but the stat-lines don’t always line up correctly. The fact this is a Sorcery makes it even harder to make it work. Basically, this is a removal spell that asks too much to be very good. Especially because you don’t have that much control over what its asking for
Hithlain Knots image 2.0 This does a bunch of little stuff that will play reasonably well in multiple decks in the format. Whether you’re interesting in drawing extra cards, casting spells, or Scrying, this has you covered!
Lash of the Balrog image 3.0 This is another nice removal spell for Black decks. This is Bone Splinters when that’s what you need, but having the option of paying 5 to kill something with it is nice, since it means in the later stages of the game you don’t need to give up a creature. Neither mode is super efficient of course – individually each of those cards is probably a 2.0 or a 2.5, but I think the modality – plus the presence of good sacrifice fodder makes it a 3.
Knights of Dol Amroth image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before by a different name, and it was pretty underwhelming. Starting out as a Hill Giant is pretty rough these days, and even in a deck built around drawing extra cards, getting this to 4/4 isn’t always going to happen – and even if it does you don’t really feel like you’re getting there
Warbeast of Gorgoroth image 2.0 On its own, this is a 5-mana 5/4 that Amasses 2 when it dies. That’s not bad, but not really anything to write home about either. Obviously, it does get better the more 4 power or more creatures you have, and it makes any trades you make with those creatures into a pretty decent deal, but its still expensive and has mediocre stats
Isolation at Orthanc image 3.0 This is nice removal. You always trade 1-for-1 with it, and because it is an Instant, sometimes you’ll be able to really get your opponent if you cast it in response to a trick or something.
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Swarming of Moria image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 that gives you a treasure is decent, as is a three mana spell that puts two counters on something and gives you a Treasure. It is always nice having fixing and ramp in Red, as it doesn’t always have access to it
Ent's Fury image 3.5 This looks like a nice removal spell for Green. +1/+1 + Fight for two mana is a good enough rate for this to be a nice card, so the 4 toughness or greater upside is enough to push this into “premium removal” range. You do always need to be careful with fight spells and choose a spot where you don’t risk getting completely blown out – like if your opponent removes your fighter in response – but there are plenty of windows where casting this will have a big impact
Pack 3 Pick 2: Bitter Downfall
Merry, Esquire of Rohan image 3.0 This seems like a nice card. Drawing a card with it and giving it First Strike are fairly obtainable things, even if they aren’t necessarily always going to happen, and a 2/2 Haste as the baseline isn’t bad
Grond, the Gatebreaker image 2.0 If your deck can’t make an Army, this doesn’t look especially good. Crew 3 is higher than you might think, and the payoff – while certainly a large creature, isn’t exactly amazing. Even if you do have an Army, the absolute ceiling of this card is a 4-mana 5/5 Trampler – and that’s certainly efficient, but you have to keep in mind the times where you won’t be able to crew it and you don’t have an army. And, trust me, those times will come.
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
The Black Breath image 0.5 A one-sided -1/-1 effect can be good in the right match-up, but I mostly think this needs a sideboard grade. If you’re not able to take down creatures with it consistently it just isn’t going to be worth it, as the Ring tempts you alone just won’t be enough for the cost.
Hithlain Knots image 2.0 This does a bunch of little stuff that will play reasonably well in multiple decks in the format. Whether you’re interesting in drawing extra cards, casting spells, or Scrying, this has you covered!
Protector of Gondor image 2.5 We see versions of this card a lot, and its always fine. It is pretty much exactly what you expect to get from a 4-mana Common – 4/4 of stats spread across two bodies.
Slip On the Ring image 1.0 This is cheaper than most versions of this effect that we see, but most versions of this effect also draw you a card, and The Ring Tempts You isn’t quite as good as that. Still, this will be effective in decks that end up with enough cards with ETBs. It is a bit of a bummer it can only hit creatures, as blinking Sagas can be particularly valuable. You can of course use it to help a creature dodge removal and stuff like that too. But Still, it seems like this type of card basically never makes the cut in Limited formats these days. It isn’t a disaster in the right deck, but actually generating a card of value with it is harder than you think. We’ve seen this be the case with basically every version of this effect in countless Limited formats at this point. While the list of situations where this is good seems long, the percentage of the time they come up just isn’t enough.
Eagles of the North image 2.5 The stat-line is ugly, but the ETB ability will often be enough to drastically alter combat. +1/+0 and First Strike together makes a whole lot of your board into effective attackers. Of course, you do need to have a significant board for it to really make a difference, but that’s not the biggest ask by the time you have six mana. The fact it has Plainscycling is really nice, because in the early game this is going to feel really bad in your opening hand, especially when you need to get your hands on some more land drops.
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Mushroom Watchdogs image 3.0 This is a pretty solid food payoff. The Watchdogs can quickly become a problem, and the fact that they gain Vigilance can really help out in a race. I’m giving this a 3.
Sam's Desperate Rescue image 2.0 One mana to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand is a passable card, though I’d usually pay three mana to get two things back, as that gives you a more significant advantage by the later stages of the game. That said, paying one will often mean you can play the thing you get back right away, and getting tempted by the ring even makes this have a decent fail case if you don’t have something in your graveyard
Pack 3 Pick 3: Grond, the Gatebreaker
Merry, Esquire of Rohan image 3.0 This seems like a nice card. Drawing a card with it and giving it First Strike are fairly obtainable things, even if they aren’t necessarily always going to happen, and a 2/2 Haste as the baseline isn’t bad
Grond, the Gatebreaker image 2.0 If your deck can’t make an Army, this doesn’t look especially good. Crew 3 is higher than you might think, and the payoff – while certainly a large creature, isn’t exactly amazing. Even if you do have an Army, the absolute ceiling of this card is a 4-mana 5/5 Trampler – and that’s certainly efficient, but you have to keep in mind the times where you won’t be able to crew it and you don’t have an army. And, trust me, those times will come.
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
The Black Breath image 0.5 A one-sided -1/-1 effect can be good in the right match-up, but I mostly think this needs a sideboard grade. If you’re not able to take down creatures with it consistently it just isn’t going to be worth it, as the Ring tempts you alone just won’t be enough for the cost.
Hithlain Knots image 2.0 This does a bunch of little stuff that will play reasonably well in multiple decks in the format. Whether you’re interesting in drawing extra cards, casting spells, or Scrying, this has you covered!
Protector of Gondor image 2.5 We see versions of this card a lot, and its always fine. It is pretty much exactly what you expect to get from a 4-mana Common – 4/4 of stats spread across two bodies.
Slip On the Ring image 1.0 This is cheaper than most versions of this effect that we see, but most versions of this effect also draw you a card, and The Ring Tempts You isn’t quite as good as that. Still, this will be effective in decks that end up with enough cards with ETBs. It is a bit of a bummer it can only hit creatures, as blinking Sagas can be particularly valuable. You can of course use it to help a creature dodge removal and stuff like that too. But Still, it seems like this type of card basically never makes the cut in Limited formats these days. It isn’t a disaster in the right deck, but actually generating a card of value with it is harder than you think. We’ve seen this be the case with basically every version of this effect in countless Limited formats at this point. While the list of situations where this is good seems long, the percentage of the time they come up just isn’t enough.
Eagles of the North image 2.5 The stat-line is ugly, but the ETB ability will often be enough to drastically alter combat. +1/+0 and First Strike together makes a whole lot of your board into effective attackers. Of course, you do need to have a significant board for it to really make a difference, but that’s not the biggest ask by the time you have six mana. The fact it has Plainscycling is really nice, because in the early game this is going to feel really bad in your opening hand, especially when you need to get your hands on some more land drops.
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Mushroom Watchdogs image 3.0 This is a pretty solid food payoff. The Watchdogs can quickly become a problem, and the fact that they gain Vigilance can really help out in a race. I’m giving this a 3.
Sam's Desperate Rescue image 2.0 One mana to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand is a passable card, though I’d usually pay three mana to get two things back, as that gives you a more significant advantage by the later stages of the game. That said, paying one will often mean you can play the thing you get back right away, and getting tempted by the ring even makes this have a decent fail case if you don’t have something in your graveyard
Pack 3 Pick 4: Mordor Muster
Long List of the Ents image 1.0 This is a really neat and flavorful design, and sometimes it will give you a ton of value. Imagine playing it on turn one with a hand that can curve out. Theoretically, if you name the right creatures, you can have all of those come down with extra counters. Of course, problem is, getting this late makes it pretty close to a dead card, and it will really only shine if you play it on turn one and have a hand full of creatures. That makes it too narrow
Friendly Rivalry image 3.5 This card would be awesome even without the Wizard upside. Three mana to do 5 damage to a creature is premium, and it offers additional options! If you do have a Wizard it can feel truly insane, as drawing 2 and killing a creature, or destroying an artifact for three mana is nuts!
Peregrin Took image 4.0 There are many ways to make tokens in this set, and lots of Food and Food payoffs, so Peregrin’s ability to give you more Food and cash in that food for cards is pretty impressive. The stats are underwhelming to be sure, but this is a very real value engine
Mordor Muster image 3.0 Two mana 1/1s that draw you a card are always solid in Limited, and that’s certainly the case here, especially because the format has extra Orc and Army synergy all over the place
Battle-Scarred Goblin image 2.5 This isn’t the most exciting upside, but it does mean it can trade with X/3s and it basically can’t be blocked at all by X/1s. It can also be kind of funny to pair with death touch. It also has a useful creature type, which matters.
Lembas image 2.5 This seems pretty solid. Scry 1 + Draw 1 when it ETBs is nice, and it is nice that it is Food – not only because it can gain you life, but because the format has lots of payoffs for Food – as well as things like Historic and Artifacts more generally, which it helps you with. The Scry and the extra draw also works well with decks in the format
Warbeast of Gorgoroth image 2.0 On its own, this is a 5-mana 5/4 that Amasses 2 when it dies. That’s not bad, but not really anything to write home about either. Obviously, it does get better the more 4 power or more creatures you have, and it makes any trades you make with those creatures into a pretty decent deal, but its still expensive and has mediocre stats
Esquire of the King image 1.5 This ability costing only three mana is pretty sweet, especially if you’ve gone wide enough – and doing that in White certainly seems doable. The bad news is, as a one mana 1/1 it is pretty irrelevant up until the point it can use its ability, and paying 5 for that ability isn’t nearly as appealing.
Revive the Shire image 1.5 This type of effect usually isn’t anything special, as 9 times out of 10 you’d rather just be adding to the board, and the fact that this is almost a blank card in the early game is an issue. Using it to get back a bomb or some other powerful permanent is definitely nice, and the Food makes it a little more attractive, but this seems like the kind of card that just doesn’t make the cut most of the time because it doesn’t usually do enough
Westfold Rider image 2.0 This has passable base stats and an ability that will actually do something sometimes. It is nice to be able to have a Disenchant in your main deck without having to pay much of a cost.
Nimrodel Watcher image 3.0 This is a nice Common payoff for scrying. There seems to be a critical mass of Scry at lower rarities, so imagining that you can get in with this an unblockable 3/1 a couple of times isn’t a pipe dream. Sometimes it will be a very real win condition.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Glorious Gale
War of the Last Alliance image 2.5 The first two chapters don’t really add to the board in a meaningful way, and paying 4 mana to tutor something up just isn’t a good rate – even if you do get two things out of it by chapter II. There are enough legendaries in the set that you should usually be able to make both of the first chapters actually get you cards, but it won’t just always line up that way either, making it an even bigger problem. Chapter III is where you finally get a nice effect, but it also demands that you have a significant board state to really matter, and that’s also far from guaranteed.
Dúnedain Rangers image 3.0 A 4-mana 4/4 is a solid stat-line, but the landfall trigger isn’t amazing. If it was just straight up you get tempted every time you play a land that would be awesome, but this only triggers if you don’t already have a Ringbearer. That said, getting The Ring going or offering a big upgrade to a creature if you already have been tempted a bunch is pretty big. Still, sometimes this landfall trigger is meaningless, and I don’t love that
Westfold Rider image 2.0 This has passable base stats and an ability that will actually do something sometimes. It is nice to be able to have a Disenchant in your main deck without having to pay much of a cost.
Dreadful as the Storm image 1.0 Lately, we’ve finally been seeing cards with this type of effect actually be playable, but that’s because they have drawn a card. Once that’s the case, a boost like this can be a 2-for-1 and that’s a big deal! The Ring tempting you isn’t nearly as good as drawing a card, so I don’t think this does enough. The problem with this type of boost is that you end up overpaying for it on most creatures – like a 3/3 that gets +2/+2 from this is not a good deal. Sure, on 1/1s it feels better, but that makes this overly situational
Bombadil's Song image 2.5 The stats boost here isn’t great, and that means there are a more narrow number of creatures who can win a previously unwinnable combat with the help of Bombadil’s Song. It makes up for that some by also being capable of blanking removal spells and tempting you with the ring, so in the end I think you get a reasonable return on your investment
East-Mark Cavalier image 1.5 This has passable stats as a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance, but the other upside it has is very underwhelming. There will be some occasions where it lines up nicely since it can trade with a larger Goblin or Orc, but a lot of the time the ability doesn’t matter, and even when your opponent does have a creature with one of those types, they are often already just going to trade with the cavalier.
Haunt of the Dead Marshes image 2.0 Having a legendary creature isn’t a guarantee in this format, but it is easier than normal because of both the Ring Tempts You and a large number of legendary creatures in general. I like that you get to Scry 1 every time too!
Enraged Huorn image 2.0 A 5-mana 4/5 Trample is probably a 1.5 these days, but the ring tempting you does mean that at the very least, you can give the Huorn some extra abilities – or do the same for some other creature
Improvised Club image 1.5 Giving up a real creature for this is not very good, as you end up 2-for-1ing yourself, but if you have a treasure or food, or expendable body to sacrifice, this will do a decent job. Its nice that it can go after the opponent, and that will sometimes close out games. Still, it takes enough set up to actually be worthwhile that you’re not always going to play it
Glorious Gale image 2.5 This is a strictly better Essence Scatter, and Essence Scatter is always decent in Limited. It is cheap and counters the most common type of spell in your typical game.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Lash of the Balrog
Pelargir Survivor image 2.0 Fixing and ramp for spells is alright, though even in a spell-heavy deck it always seems that this spell-specific ramp underperforms. The other ability is even less meaningful for the most part, as it costs a ton of mana and won’t do something meaningful most of the time.
Elven Farsight image 2.5 This is a surprisingly powerful draw spell for green. You get to see up to four cards and you should be able to make sure you draw a creature most of the time when you play it. On top of that, Scrying is something you’re going to want to do a lot of when you’re playing Green. It doesn’t effect the board, but this feels like it is going to do such a good job of making your draws smoother and more consistent for so little mana that I’m tempted to go all the way up to a 3
Wizard's Rockets image 1.5 If you need fixing, there are worse ways to do it. In total, you end up spending one more mana than you get back, but the fact that they replace themselves helps soften the blow. Still, it doesn’t really feel like this is a card that will make the cut in all of your decks or anything
Second Breakfast image 2.0 Sometimes this kind of trick can generate a 2-for-1, which is obviously great – but with a toughness boost of only one, more often than not at least one of the creatures is going to die. Three mana is a lot to spend on a trick too! It is nice it gives you some food at least.
Took Reaper image 2.0 This has mediocre stats that would make it a 1.0 at best these days. Getting tempted by the ring is nice upside, and does mean you’ll come out ahead in most trades, but it also isn’t the type of upside to get that excited over.
Treason of Isengard image 2.0 A three mana 2/2 that puts a spell on top of your library is an okay card. This is an effect players often overrate, as they imagine getting back a really great spell – and when you can do that it is pretty good. However, the fact you have to wait to draw that card really makes it significantly worse
Easterling Vanguard image 2.0 You get three 3/2 worth of stats for two mana here. And sure, you don’t get it all at the same time, but this still looks like a solid two drop.
Relentless Rohirrim image 2.5 These aren’t great stats these days, but because the ring tempts you on ETB you are at worst going to give this one extra ability – although if it’s the first time the ring has tempted you it isn’t going to feel very good. If it is the second time or later though, the Rohirrim will feel like a solid card
Lash of the Balrog image 3.0 This is another nice removal spell for Black decks. This is Bone Splinters when that’s what you need, but having the option of paying 5 to kill something with it is nice, since it means in the later stages of the game you don’t need to give up a creature. Neither mode is super efficient of course – individually each of those cards is probably a 2.0 or a 2.5, but I think the modality – plus the presence of good sacrifice fodder makes it a 3.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Shelob's Ambush
Borne Upon a Wind image 2.0 This replaces itself, so it is hard for it to be terrible, but paying two mana to give your spells Flash normally isn’t going to be that good in Limited. First, you need to cast this, and then, you have to have mana available to cast your non-instants for the effect to actually matter, and having that all line up consistently in Limited is going to be rare. Still, it does have upside, and the worst case is that you pay two to draw a card, so it is difficult for it to be terrible.
The Grey Havens image 2.0 This seems like it will be able to add at least one color of mana to your mana pool by the middle stages of the game, and that’s not bad on a land that also Scries and has the potential upside of tapping for more colors. Still, there will be some awkward situations where you can only get colorless mana out of this, and that’s kind of rough
Shire Scarecrow image 1.5 A two mana 0/3 defender doesn’t tend to be very good, but this does a reasonable job of filtering your mana
Shelob's Ambush image 2.5 This is a really nice trick. Death touch and the toughness boost for only one mana means many creatures will be capable of taking down an opposing creature and surviving to tell the tale, and that’s likely to give you some pretty awesome tempo since it only costs a single mana. Its great that you also get some Food out of the deal!
Morgul-Knife Wound image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. I know it looks like a really cheap removal spell, but it has some serious problems. It is basically a Black version of the kind of removal spell Blue usually gets that makes a creature into a 0/2 or whatever, and those are always pretty underwhelming. So, let’s go through this card’s problems: The biggest thing is that it it doesn’t entirely remove a creature on its own. That effectively means you’re going down a card, and not taking a full card from your opponent.. Just lowering a creature’s power means that it can still block – perhaps even really effectively since its toughness is unaffected. It can also use all of its abilities. And heck, if it has high enough power it might still be a decent attacker! All of that is bad news. Additionally, giving your opponent an option about whether to pay life or exile the creature is way worse than it looks, because your opponent can always choose whichever option doesn’t really matter for them, and most of the time – neither of them will matter. Basically, even when this does operate as removal it isn’t going to give you a full card of value, and there will be plenty of times where it is far worse than that
Soldier of the Grey Host image 2.0 This has what are well below-rate stats these days, and while the enter the battlefield ability can be useful, it also isn’t anything special. This does have Flash, so sometimes it can work like a combat trick, but a +2/+0 boost isn’t exactly the sort of thing that helps your creature survive combat a large percentage of the time.
Dreadful as the Storm image 1.0 Lately, we’ve finally been seeing cards with this type of effect actually be playable, but that’s because they have drawn a card. Once that’s the case, a boost like this can be a 2-for-1 and that’s a big deal! The Ring tempting you isn’t nearly as good as drawing a card, so I don’t think this does enough. The problem with this type of boost is that you end up overpaying for it on most creatures – like a 3/3 that gets +2/+2 from this is not a good deal. Sure, on 1/1s it feels better, but that makes this overly situational
Mirkwood Spider image 2.5 One mana 1/1 deathtouchers are pretty much always playable, since they are relevant all game long thanks to their ability to trade with anything. Sometimes this will also be able to grant a problematic legendary creature death touch, and that’s some nice additional upside
Pack 3 Pick 8: Glorious Gale
Glorious Gale image 2.5 This is a strictly better Essence Scatter, and Essence Scatter is always decent in Limited. It is cheap and counters the most common type of spell in your typical game.
Bombadil's Song image 2.5 The stats boost here isn’t great, and that means there are a more narrow number of creatures who can win a previously unwinnable combat with the help of Bombadil’s Song. It makes up for that some by also being capable of blanking removal spells and tempting you with the ring, so in the end I think you get a reasonable return on your investment
Morgul-Knife Wound image 0.0 I don’t think this is very good. I know it looks like a really cheap removal spell, but it has some serious problems. It is basically a Black version of the kind of removal spell Blue usually gets that makes a creature into a 0/2 or whatever, and those are always pretty underwhelming. So, let’s go through this card’s problems: The biggest thing is that it it doesn’t entirely remove a creature on its own. That effectively means you’re going down a card, and not taking a full card from your opponent.. Just lowering a creature’s power means that it can still block – perhaps even really effectively since its toughness is unaffected. It can also use all of its abilities. And heck, if it has high enough power it might still be a decent attacker! All of that is bad news. Additionally, giving your opponent an option about whether to pay life or exile the creature is way worse than it looks, because your opponent can always choose whichever option doesn’t really matter for them, and most of the time – neither of them will matter. Basically, even when this does operate as removal it isn’t going to give you a full card of value, and there will be plenty of times where it is far worse than that
Slip On the Ring image 1.0 This is cheaper than most versions of this effect that we see, but most versions of this effect also draw you a card, and The Ring Tempts You isn’t quite as good as that. Still, this will be effective in decks that end up with enough cards with ETBs. It is a bit of a bummer it can only hit creatures, as blinking Sagas can be particularly valuable. You can of course use it to help a creature dodge removal and stuff like that too. But Still, it seems like this type of card basically never makes the cut in Limited formats these days. It isn’t a disaster in the right deck, but actually generating a card of value with it is harder than you think. We’ve seen this be the case with basically every version of this effect in countless Limited formats at this point. While the list of situations where this is good seems long, the percentage of the time they come up just isn’t enough.
Breaking of the Fellowship image 1.5 We have seen cards like this before, and they are always surprisingly difficult to set up correctly. First your opponent needs to have two creatures, second one has to be able to kill the other. That sounds simple enough, but the stat-lines don’t always line up correctly. The fact this is a Sorcery makes it even harder to make it work. Basically, this is a removal spell that asks too much to be very good. Especially because you don’t have that much control over what its asking for
The Black Breath image 0.5 A one-sided -1/-1 effect can be good in the right match-up, but I mostly think this needs a sideboard grade. If you’re not able to take down creatures with it consistently it just isn’t going to be worth it, as the Ring tempts you alone just won’t be enough for the cost.
Grey Havens Navigator image 2.0 We’ve seen three mana 3/2s with Flash that Scry a lot lately, and they haven’t been that good – but in the other sets there wasn’t a Scry deck like there is in this one. That probably does enough for this to be solid
Pack 3 Pick 9: Ithilien Kingfisher
The Grey Havens image 2.0 This seems like it will be able to add at least one color of mana to your mana pool by the middle stages of the game, and that’s not bad on a land that also Scries and has the potential upside of tapping for more colors. Still, there will be some awkward situations where you can only get colorless mana out of this, and that’s kind of rough
Ithilien Kingfisher image 3.0 This isn’t quite as good as a three mana 2/1 with Flying that draws when it enters the battlefield, but it is still quite good. It is a reasonable threat in the air, and it can deliver a two-for-one pretty often.
Knights of Dol Amroth image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before by a different name, and it was pretty underwhelming. Starting out as a Hill Giant is pretty rough these days, and even in a deck built around drawing extra cards, getting this to 4/4 isn’t always going to happen – and even if it does you don’t really feel like you’re getting there
Warbeast of Gorgoroth image 2.0 On its own, this is a 5-mana 5/4 that Amasses 2 when it dies. That’s not bad, but not really anything to write home about either. Obviously, it does get better the more 4 power or more creatures you have, and it makes any trades you make with those creatures into a pretty decent deal, but its still expensive and has mediocre stats
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Ent's Fury image 3.5 This looks like a nice removal spell for Green. +1/+1 + Fight for two mana is a good enough rate for this to be a nice card, so the 4 toughness or greater upside is enough to push this into “premium removal” range. You do always need to be careful with fight spells and choose a spot where you don’t risk getting completely blown out – like if your opponent removes your fighter in response – but there are plenty of windows where casting this will have a big impact
Pack 3 Pick 10: Sauron's Ransom
Sauron's Ransom image 3.0 No matter what happens, the ring tempts you and get a 2-for-1, and its hard for that not to be good. That said, there’s always a chance you get two lands when you don’t want them, or expensive spells when you can’t cast them – but the fact is you still get significant card advantage coupled with very real upside
Ringsight image 0.0 Three mana tutors don’t tend to be very good in Limited. After all, the average power level of the cards in your deck isn’t all that high, and you don’t end up netting any cards – you just go down a card and get one back and that doesn’t tend to be worth three mana. Because the ring tempts you, as long as you have a creature, this will tutor for something since your ringbearer becomes legendary, but this still looks really rough
Quickbeam, Upstart Ent image 3.5 On its own, Quickbeam is a 6-mana 5/6 that can give two things +2/+2 and trample until end of turn. That’s enough to make the board a lot more favorable for you to attack. Even if Quickbeam hase bad base-stats, I think that ETB ability is enough to make this a nice card. One that gets even better if you have some more Treefolk
Mirrormere Guardian image 2.5 3-mana 4/2s tend to be reasonable, and in this set there are several cards that like it when you have a creature with 4 or more power, and this is one of the earliest ways you can meet that requirement. The ring tempting you when it dies is some very nice additional upside, too
Now for Wrath, Now for Ruin! image 1.0 // 3.0 This is a nice payoff for going wide. Vigilance is a great addition to the counters, because it makes it a lot easier for you to play offense and defense with your newly buffed board. The Ring Tempting you will usually also mean you get to upgrade one of your creatures too. This probably needs a build around grade. Because if you aren’t a deck playing tons of creatures and cards that make multiple bodies, you probably don’t play this most of the time, and if you are a deck that’s good at that, you probably always want the first copy of this.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Gwaihir the Windlord
Gwaihir the Windlord image 3.0 If this always costs 6 mana, it would probably be a 1.5. There are some other birds to give vigilance too, and a 6-mana 4/4 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a disaster, though it also isn’t something that will always make your deck. The good news is, paying 4 for this is pretty awesome, and that’s fairly easy to do in a Blue-White deck. The bad news is, you probably had to spend some extra mana to draw that extra card, so that probably still means this won’t be coming down on turn 4 all that often, instead, it will be something that helps you double spell on turn 6 or so. Your ringbearer may help you draw that extra card too
Protector of Gondor image 2.5 We see versions of this card a lot, and its always fine. It is pretty much exactly what you expect to get from a 4-mana Common – 4/4 of stats spread across two bodies.
Galadhrim Bow image 1.5 Thanks to Flash and the fact it attaches for free on ETB this can function as a trick. The bad news is, three mana for +1/+2, reach, and an untap normally isn’t very good. The good news is, that equation changes a bit when the +1/+2 and Reach, as well as an Equipment in general, sticks around.
Escape from Orthanc image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for only one mana, and the toughness means it will do enough to save it from a decent amount of removal too. The fact it gives Flying also means you can use this sometimes before you attack to get in for lethal. It is cheap and has enough different uses that it seems like a quality trick for white aggressive deck.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Long List of the Ents
Long List of the Ents image 1.0 This is a really neat and flavorful design, and sometimes it will give you a ton of value. Imagine playing it on turn one with a hand that can curve out. Theoretically, if you name the right creatures, you can have all of those come down with extra counters. Of course, problem is, getting this late makes it pretty close to a dead card, and it will really only shine if you play it on turn one and have a hand full of creatures. That makes it too narrow
Friendly Rivalry image 3.5 This card would be awesome even without the Wizard upside. Three mana to do 5 damage to a creature is premium, and it offers additional options! If you do have a Wizard it can feel truly insane, as drawing 2 and killing a creature, or destroying an artifact for three mana is nuts!
Lembas image 2.5 This seems pretty solid. Scry 1 + Draw 1 when it ETBs is nice, and it is nice that it is Food – not only because it can gain you life, but because the format has lots of payoffs for Food – as well as things like Historic and Artifacts more generally, which it helps you with. The Scry and the extra draw also works well with decks in the format
Pack 3 Pick 13: War of the Last Alliance
War of the Last Alliance image 2.5 The first two chapters don’t really add to the board in a meaningful way, and paying 4 mana to tutor something up just isn’t a good rate – even if you do get two things out of it by chapter II. There are enough legendaries in the set that you should usually be able to make both of the first chapters actually get you cards, but it won’t just always line up that way either, making it an even bigger problem. Chapter III is where you finally get a nice effect, but it also demands that you have a significant board state to really matter, and that’s also far from guaranteed.
Bombadil's Song image 2.5 The stats boost here isn’t great, and that means there are a more narrow number of creatures who can win a previously unwinnable combat with the help of Bombadil’s Song. It makes up for that some by also being capable of blanking removal spells and tempting you with the ring, so in the end I think you get a reasonable return on your investment
Pack 3 Pick 14: Second Breakfast
Second Breakfast image 2.0 Sometimes this kind of trick can generate a 2-for-1, which is obviously great – but with a toughness boost of only one, more often than not at least one of the creatures is going to die. Three mana is a lot to spend on a trick too! It is nice it gives you some food at least.
Draft Pick Overview