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Quick Draft MOM 31 August 2023

31 August 02:21 - JPMG24 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (6)
1 Phyrexian Awakening image
1 Realmbreaker's Grasp image
1 Final Flourish image
1 Collective Nightmare image
1 Deadly Derision image
1 Sunder the Gateway image
Creature (15)
1 Grafted Butcher image
1 Tarkir Duneshaper // Burnished Dunestomper image
2 Seraph of New Capenna // Seraph of New Phyrexia image
1 Aetherblade Agent // Gitaxian Mindstinger image
2 Compleated Huntmaster image
2 Ichor Shade image
1 Tiller of Flesh image
1 Sun-Blessed Guardian // Furnace-Blessed Conqueror image
1 Phyrexian Censor image
1 Ichor Drinker image
1 Alabaster Host Intercessor image
1 Etched Familiar image
Other (3)
2 Sculpted Perfection image
1 Invasion of New Capenna // Holy Frazzle-Cannon image
Land (16)
8 Plains image
8 Swamp image
Sideboard
2 Ichor Shade image
1 Tarkir Duneshaper image
1 Firja, Judge of Valor image
1 Infected Defector image
1 Akki Scrapchomper image
1 Tiller of Flesh image
1 Enduring Bondwarden image
1 Bladed Battle-Fan image
1 Render Inert image
1 Corrupted Conviction image
1 Seed of Hope image
2 Kor Halberd image
1 Burning Sun's Fury image
1 Urn of Godfire image
2 Mirrodin Avenged image
1 Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree image
1 Inspired Charge image
1 Scrollshift image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Phyrexian Awakening
Baral, Chief of Compliance image 3.0 Decreasing the cost of spells is nice, and there are a couple of playable counterspells in the set.
Inga and Esika image 4.0 This 4-mana 4/4 comes with substantial upside! Giving your board vigilance and the ability to tap for mana is pretty awesome, and you’re also going to be able to draw cards with it sometimes.
Harried Artisan image 3.0 A three mana ⅔ Haste isn’t terrible, and this can transform into a ¾ flyer for a relatively cheap cost. Obviously, in terms of efficiency it isn’t amazing, but it is a nice mana sink to have around.
Invasion of Moag image 4.0 The Invasion will often significantly upgrade your board – which in turn means you can go after this Battle right away in lots of situations, and don’t forget that GW is into +1/+1 counters, so there is definitely some extra value to be had! The creature you get after you do that is going to continue to offer a nice upgrade to your board every turn.
Scrappy Bruiser image 1.5 This can definitely make something else – or itself – into a much better attacker, but I actually don’t love that it makes you return the thing you target to your hand. Sometimes you’ll get some sweet value as a result of that, like if you return something with Backup, but the tempo you lose is a big deal.
Phyrexian Awakening image 3.0 On its own, you get a 5-mana 4/4 with Vigilance, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not a bad deal, especially when this can also give some of your other creatures Vigilance. Vigilance seems pretty well positioned in the format too, because creatures with it can attack battles and defend them at the same time.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Disturbing Conversion image 2.0 Blue-Black is interested in milling both players, so this seems like a decent card for that type of deck. Only lowering a creature’s power is pretty far from actually removing that creature, but this does enable your other graveyard stuff reasonably well.
Blighted Burgeoning image 2.0 If you play this on an untapped land, you can immediately transform the Incubator, and that’s nice – it means you can actually add something to the board when you play this, and the problem with most cards like this is they don’t do that. This also does a pretty good job of fixing and ramping your mana.
Kitesail image 2.0 This offers a reasonable boost for how much it takes to Equip. Adding Flying to creatures is a nice upgrade.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 2: Grafted Butcher
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image 3.0 On its own, Daxos is a 2/2, and it will often have higher toughness than that – plus all the incidental life gain is nice. That said, this format doesn’t have a life gain deck in it – nor does it really have an Enchantment deck, nor does it have very many other cards that care about Devotion. So, it doesn’t do
Grafted Butcher image 4.0 There are lots of Phyrexians in this set, including all the Incubate tokens, so a Phyrexian lord is already fairly well positioned! Offering +1/+1 and one turn of menace to your Phyrexians is going to have a big impact on a lot of boards, and the Butcher doesn’t stay dead either!
Artistic Refusal image 2.0 Paying six for this is in no way worth it, but with Convoke around you can really discount this – heck, if your board is wide enough this can effectively be a free counterspell that gives you some card selection! Still, the set up cost is real – this is pretty bad in the early stages of the game when you can’t get your board set up, and counterspells are inherently quite narrow in Limited. Still, the option to make the cost much lower and the fact you can even just choose the draw two discard 1 option in a pinch makes it at least a solid card.
Zhalfirin Lancer image 3.5 This will often be able to attack as a 4/4 with Vigilance which is pretty nice. Lots of cards make Knight tokens too, so it may get buffed more than once! It has a very reasonable floor too, so it is a quality card.
Invasion of Regatha image 3.5 Doing some direct damage with this is pretty nice, and it will feel really good when you can also pick off a small creature and/or defeat a Battle. As with most of these, the creature when you transform this is pretty amazing.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
War Historian image 2.5 A 3-mana 3/3 with Reach is a C these days, and when it attacks a battle your opponent is going to be in a world of hurt, since you just have a free attack any time you do it.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Furnace Host Charger image 3.0 A 6-mana 5/5 Haster is definitely medium, but it is definitely relevant on most board states, and if you draw it early and would rather have a land drop, it has you covered.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Blighted Burgeoning image 2.0 If you play this on an untapped land, you can immediately transform the Incubator, and that’s nice – it means you can actually add something to the board when you play this, and the problem with most cards like this is they don’t do that. This also does a pretty good job of fixing and ramping your mana.
Tranquil Cove image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Tarkir Duneshaper
Juri, Master of the Revue image 3.5 Again, sacrifice decks in this format look legit, so this is an incredibly nice payoff for that deck. Even if it never grows, the fail case is a two mana 1/1 that pings something when it dies. That isn’t great, but that’s the fail case, and this becomes more and more of a problem as the game goes on.
Render Inert image 1.5 You can use this to “defeat” a battle, which is probably the strongest thing you can do with it – and you can also use it to get rid of an incubator token in most cases, and there are a variety of other random uses in the format too. The fact it replaces itself is nice, but I still feel like this is probably too narrow to make the cut very often.
Mirror-Shield Hoplite image 3.5 Red/White is a Backup Aggro deck, so doubling Backup abilities is massively powerful, especially when attached to a creature with solid stats
Tangled Skyline image 3.0 This looks like a nice card for helping higher-curve Green decks stabilize against aggro. It is effectively a 7-mana 5/5 with Reach that gains you 5 on ETB, except it is a little better because you don’t have to pay all that mana in the same turn. Giving Phyrexians Reach isn’t exactly the most impressive upside, I think the best part of this card is just that it gives you a beefy body and gains you some life, though Reach does mean you can stabilize against flying creatures too.
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Flitting Guerilla image 1.5 Wind Drakes aren’t what they used to be, and this ability is something you’ll only use a small percentage of the time.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Redcap Heelslasher image 3.0 A 4-mana ¾ with First Strike performs reasonably well, and having the ability to offer +1/+1 and temporary first strike to something already in play will usually mean that creature can attack far more effectively that turn.
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Negate image 1.5 In most formats, this is something that should stay in your sideboard, because there just aren’t enough targets. This format does have a new non-creature card type in Battle, and I think that’s enough for this to be a little more playable, though it is probably still better as a sideboard card.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Sculpted Perfection
Invasion of Muraganda image 3.5 A 5-mana fight spell that gives you a +1/+1 counter isn’t bad, and it also means this is another Battle that increases your chances of being able to attack right away. With 6 defense it might take some time, but the creature you eventually get is pretty nice! Mostly you will lose it to buff your stuff, but the upside of sometimes taking away opposing abilities is definitely nice.
Wicked Slumber image 3.0 As usual, the best way to use this sort of thing is to tap your opponent’s stuff during their turn so that you get two attacks where those creatures are out of commission. This can often win you the game on its own, and the fact you can convoke this means casting it will be extra easy. Its also nice that you can choose a couple of different ways to use this. It always taps two creatures, but you can put one stun counter on each creature, or two on one creature if that’s better.
Sculpted Perfection image 3.0 BW is a Phyrexia Tribal deck, with special focus on the Incubator tokens. Most creatures in Black and White are Phyrexians in the set, so this ends up feeling like an anthem a decent chunk of the time – and one that brings a creature along for the ride, even if that creature is kind of inefficient
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Expedition Lookout image 2.5 This is a two drop that lots of creatures can’t attack through, and eventually it becomes an unblockable 2/3. That’s pretty nice, because it might take awhile before you get there – since it can’t be blocked, it will be relevant on any board.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Tidal Terror image 3.0 This 6-mana 5/6 plays well with all the token stuff going on in Blue/white, as it can sometimes be unblockable. Islandcycling is a great thing to have, as it allows you to throw this away in the early game so that you hit your land drop, and if you play it late, it isn’t a bad threat to have.
Wildwood Escort image 3.0 I like this. It is a built-in 2-for-1, and the first copy of this is going to be something you virtually always want in Green.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Mirran Banesplitter image 1.5 The fact this Equips for free the first time is nice, and definitely has the ability to make just about anything into a much better attacker. With Flash, you may even find a way to trade a smaller creature for something larger. The fact it costs three to Equip thereafter is rough.
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 5: Seraph of New Capenna
Storm the Seedcore image 3.0 Granting a big stats boost to a few creatures, and giving all creatures Vigilance and Trample seems like a nice deal. This lets you really upgrade your board without sacrificing the ability to block on the following turn, and that can really help turn a race around. As usual, this type of card has the downside of being very mediocre if you don’t have a well-developed board, but even then the fail case isn’t the worst.
Seraph of New Capenna image 3.5 A three mana 2/2 Flyer isn’t what it used to be, but when it is the baseline for a card with big upside, it still feels pretty good – and that’s certainly what we have here! The Seraph of New Phyrexia can attack really hard.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Realmbreaker's Grasp image 3.5 White’s usual premium Common removal spell Is here! It shuts down most creatures entirely, though as usual cards with static ability, sacrifice effects, and bounce effects hurt when you play this card – and those things are in this set, of course.
Searing Barb image 2.0 Three mana for 2 damage at Sorcery speed isn’t very good, but you can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 2/2 that does 2 damage to something. Which…well, still isn’t that good. Still, it does have 2-for-1 potential and can hit battles.
Redcap Heelslasher image 3.0 A 4-mana ¾ with First Strike performs reasonably well, and having the ability to offer +1/+1 and temporary first strike to something already in play will usually mean that creature can attack far more effectively that turn.
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Portent Tracker image 2.5 This is an ugly stat-line, but between ramping your mana and messing with Battles, this seems like it has some pretty real utility. Some mana dorks are all but useless late, but because this can do things with Battles, that’s less likely.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 6: Aetherblade Agent
Invasion of Eldraine image 2.0 Overcosted Mind Rot is not a good starting point. It will feel nice if you play it early and you get that 2-for-1, but not adding to the board is definitely a problem, as is how bad this is as a top deck in many situations. It does synergize with itself though, because once transformed it punishes the opponent for having too few cards in hand. Still, I don’t see the front side delivering enough value, or assisting enough in transforming it, that I see this as being something great. Obviously, if you always got the creature and the effect for 4 mana it would be nuts, but I have some doubts that can be accomplished.
Aetherblade Agent image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with deathtouch is a little bit below rate, but it does trade for anything, and the creature this can become late is a big problem for your opponent.
Attentive Skywarden image 2.5 This has passable base stats, and sometimes it will let you transform an incubator for free.
Iridescent Blademaster image 1.5 This is a bear that can buff itself when you have some extra mana lying around. We’ve seen many cards like this in recent years, and most of them haven’t been especially impressive. You just don’t find yourself with a bunch of mana lying around until the later stages of the game, so this is often irrelevant between about turn 2 and turn 10, and that’s a problem.
Dreg Recycler image 2.5 Life drain does a great job of helping you stay alive while also pressuring your opponent, and it even has passable stats.
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Eyes of Gitaxias image 2.0 You can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 3/3 that draws you a card, and you can pay for it in installments. That’s not too bad, but it isn’t exactly something special either.
Aerial Boost image 2.0 This is the kind of trick you always need to keep in mind, because your opponent will be able to cast this even with no lands untapped! It offers a reasonable boost and the upside of sometimes just letting a creature get in there because of Flying.
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 7: Compleated Huntmaster
Valduk, Keeper of the Flame image 1.5 // 3.0 I don’t think every Red deck will automatically have the things it needs for this to spit out a Spark elemental every turn, and its pretty bad when you’re not doing that.
Invasion of Moag image 4.0 The Invasion will often significantly upgrade your board – which in turn means you can go after this Battle right away in lots of situations, and don’t forget that GW is into +1/+1 counters, so there is definitely some extra value to be had! The creature you get after you do that is going to continue to offer a nice upgrade to your board every turn.
Compleated Huntmaster image 3.5 You can sort of look at this as paying 3 mana, sacrificing something, and getting a 3/3 – that wouldn’t be a bad deal, and this is better because you can pay for the Incubator on a separate turn. This doesn’t have the worst stats for a card with this strong of an ability, either. Cards like this really make it feel like the sacrifice deck in this format is going to have some legs
Iridescent Blademaster image 1.5 This is a bear that can buff itself when you have some extra mana lying around. We’ve seen many cards like this in recent years, and most of them haven’t been especially impressive. You just don’t find yourself with a bunch of mana lying around until the later stages of the game, so this is often irrelevant between about turn 2 and turn 10, and that’s a problem.
Alabaster Host Sanctifier image 2.5 We have seen quite a few two mana 2/2s with Lifelink at this point, and they’re always fine. The set almost prominently features a +1/+1 mechanic in White, which might even make it a little better than usual.
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Tenured Oilcaster image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/4 Menace isn’t too bad, so if you add in the fact it mills you and pays you off for milling is pretty nice. The times when this is a 5/4 menace for 4 will feel pretty nice!
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Firja, Judge of Valor
Firja, Judge of Valor image 3.5 This has decent base stats, and it will net you cards sometimes. It even loads your graveyard if you’re interested in that.
Herbology Instructor image 3.5 A two mana ⅓ that gains 3 on ETB is usually a 2.5, so the fact this has late game upside that turns it into a 3/3 that will kill something is pretty nice.
Invasion of Ulgrotha image 3.5 5 mana to do 3 to anything and gain 3 is already playable, so like most of the Battles this has a decent enough baseline. Keep in mind this can even hit other battles! If you transform this, you end up a fairly imposing creature, though on some boards she won’t exactly feel insane.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Atraxa's Fall image 0.5 One thing to keep in mind is that destroying a battle doesn’t let you cast it transformed. A battle has to be “defeated” for that to happen, and the only way to make that happen is to remove the counters on it one way or another. This simply puts in the graveyard. In other words, you want to use this on a battle you are defending. This targets a whole bunch of stuff, but I’m still pretty skeptical it will find something useful to do on a regular basis, so I’m starting it in the sideboard.
Knight of the New Coalition image 3.0 4-mana for two 2/2s with Vigilance is an excellent rate – this helps you go wide like the RW deck wants you to do, while also producing two bodies with a very useful creature type. I think this looks like a very good Common.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 9: Bladed Battle-Fan
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Blighted Burgeoning image 2.0 If you play this on an untapped land, you can immediately transform the Incubator, and that’s nice – it means you can actually add something to the board when you play this, and the problem with most cards like this is they don’t do that. This also does a pretty good job of fixing and ramping your mana.
Kitesail image 2.0 This offers a reasonable boost for how much it takes to Equip. Adding Flying to creatures is a nice upgrade.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 10: Ichor Shade
Zhalfirin Lancer image 3.5 This will often be able to attack as a 4/4 with Vigilance which is pretty nice. Lots of cards make Knight tokens too, so it may get buffed more than once! It has a very reasonable floor too, so it is a quality card.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Blighted Burgeoning image 2.0 If you play this on an untapped land, you can immediately transform the Incubator, and that’s nice – it means you can actually add something to the board when you play this, and the problem with most cards like this is they don’t do that. This also does a pretty good job of fixing and ramping your mana.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Render Inert
Juri, Master of the Revue image 3.5 Again, sacrifice decks in this format look legit, so this is an incredibly nice payoff for that deck. Even if it never grows, the fail case is a two mana 1/1 that pings something when it dies. That isn’t great, but that’s the fail case, and this becomes more and more of a problem as the game goes on.
Render Inert image 1.5 You can use this to “defeat” a battle, which is probably the strongest thing you can do with it – and you can also use it to get rid of an incubator token in most cases, and there are a variety of other random uses in the format too. The fact it replaces itself is nice, but I still feel like this is probably too narrow to make the cut very often.
Flitting Guerilla image 1.5 Wind Drakes aren’t what they used to be, and this ability is something you’ll only use a small percentage of the time.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Negate image 1.5 In most formats, this is something that should stay in your sideboard, because there just aren’t enough targets. This format does have a new non-creature card type in Battle, and I think that’s enough for this to be a little more playable, though it is probably still better as a sideboard card.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Corrupted Conviction
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 13: Realmbreaker's Grasp
Realmbreaker's Grasp image 3.5 White’s usual premium Common removal spell Is here! It shuts down most creatures entirely, though as usual cards with static ability, sacrifice effects, and bounce effects hurt when you play this card – and those things are in this set, of course.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 14: Seed of Hope
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 15: Kor Halberd
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Final Flourish
Kwende, Pride of Femeref image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/2 with Double Strike isn’t a complete disaster, and this does upgrade a few other cards. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many First Strikers in this set.
Zephyr Singer image 5.0 This looks great. It has a nice baseline as a 4-mana ¾ with Flying and Vigilance, and the upside of sometimes costing less mana and giving flying to things is pretty amazing. It also means it will often leave value behind on the board even if it is killed right away.
Lithomantic Barrage image 1.5 I think you can play this in your main deck and have it perform reasonably well. There are enough X/1s that it can target in typical decks, and against Blue/White it is utterly absurd. What it does to Blue or White creatures will make it feel like a 4.0 and against everyone else it is going to feel like a 1.0 – but I think that makes this a 1.5 overall, if you have enough playables it is probably still better to start in your sideboard.
Khenra Spellspear image 4.0 I would already play a two mana 2/2 with Prowess and nothing else and be pretty happy with it. That card is probably a 3.0. So, adding Trample and the ability to transform into an even more imposing creature to the mix makes this absolutely incredible. It can even transform the turn after you play it, which is great. The double prowess on the transformed size is going to be a real beating, and the fact that Ward makes it harder to kill is great too.
Invasion of Pyrulea image 3.0 Two mana for a Scry 3 that is likely to draw you a card isn’t a terrible rate, and while this doesn’t directly help you add to the board, it is a passable rate. If you find yourself in a situation where you can attack the Invasion, you’re going to get yourself a very impressive creature too, especially because UG is the color pair the most interested in transformed creatures, so there’s lots of synergy there.
Xerex Strobe-Knight image 4.0 This has an excellent baseline as a Vigilance Wind Drake, and you’ll be able to spit a token out with it often enough for this to deliver some impressive value.
Final Flourish image 3.0 This is a nice removal spell. The base card is probably a C, but the kicker upside here is massive. As we’ve seen, Black has good sacrifice outlets and lots of other good reasons to sacrifice creatures, so this card will be right at home in that type of deck. That said, this will probably only be capable of -2/-2 a little too often to be an amazing removal spell.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Infected Defector image 2.0 This has some pretty bad stats for the cost, but getting an Incubator when it dies makes this a solid playable.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Furnace Host Charger image 3.0 A 6-mana 5/5 Haster is definitely medium, but it is definitely relevant on most board states, and if you draw it early and would rather have a land drop, it has you covered.
Zhalfirin Shapecraft image 2.0 This is a nice trick, not too different from Suit Up, a Blue trick that performed really well in the past. It probably isn’t quite as good – that cost one more mana but made the creature a 4/5, and that was a size that could win combat with almost everything, where as a 4/3 can sometimes be a little too small to survive combat – and that’s what you really want here to get a sweet 2-for-1. Still, it is relatively cheap, can create 2-for-1s, and plays well with +1/+1 counters which this set certainly has.
Wary Thespian image 2.5 Two mana for a 3/1 and a couple of Surveil triggers seems like a solid deal. That is some very nice card selection to come attached to a creature that is already close to playable based on its statline.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Jungle Hollow image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Tiller of Flesh
Radha, Coalition Warlord image 2.0 Radha isn’t going to be as good in this format as she was in Dominaria United. That format was well set up for you to get multiple land types in play. This one’s not. So she is mostly a Hill Giant that offers +2/+2 when she attacks.
Tiller of Flesh image 2.5 The stats aren’t great, but the trigger is pretty good. However, I’m not sure you’ll be targeting things enough in this format for this to really go wild. Notably, it only counts spells that target, and not abilities like Backup. If you have a critical mass of removal and combat tricks this can do a pretty good job, but the floor is pretty bad.
Invasion of New Capenna image 3.0 I don’t love that this does stone nothing on turn two a lot of the time. It would be nice to set this up on turn two and get a little something, which is what a lot of the cheap Battles do – but this one is far more situational. That said, the thing that it can do is certainly powerful, especially if you have some expendable bodies around, which isn’t a huge ask if you’re in Black-White, since that’s the color pair the most interested in Incubating. This also means that the Equipment you ultimately get can do a pretty nice job of enhancing your board.
Lithomantic Barrage image 1.5 I think you can play this in your main deck and have it perform reasonably well. There are enough X/1s that it can target in typical decks, and against Blue/White it is utterly absurd. What it does to Blue or White creatures will make it feel like a 4.0 and against everyone else it is going to feel like a 1.0 – but I think that makes this a 1.5 overall, if you have enough playables it is probably still better to start in your sideboard.
Aetherblade Agent image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with deathtouch is a little bit below rate, but it does trade for anything, and the creature this can become late is a big problem for your opponent.
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Overgrown Pest image 1.5 Early, the fact this hits a land will feel pretty good. In the later game you won’t really want a land, and if you don’t have enough double-faced cards it will feel especially bad. There aren’t any DFCs at Common either, so actually getting a critical mass where this hits consistently is a challenge.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
War-Trained Slasher image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/3 with Menace is probably a 2.0, so the fact this swings with eight power when it goes after battle is pretty awesome. It really puts your opponent in a horrible spot on a lot of boards, and they are likely to get 2-for-1’d at best.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 3: Ichor Shade
Invasion of Kaladesh image 3.0 While a two mana 1/1 Flyer isn’t the best deal, it does mean this Battle gives you an evasive creature that can help you transform this into a solid Vehicle. It will at least be a ¼ Flyer with Crew 1, and that’s not too bad – and sometimes it will be a much bigger problem than that.
Zhalfirin Lancer image 3.5 This will often be able to attack as a 4/4 with Vigilance which is pretty nice. Lots of cards make Knight tokens too, so it may get buffed more than once! It has a very reasonable floor too, so it is a quality card.
Joyful Stormsculptor image 3.5 A 5-mana ⅔ that makes two 1/1s is pretty nice, and that’s especially true when the UR archetype is about Convoke! The fact this damages Battles and players is some nice additional value that can make a real difference. The question will be whether or not there are enough Convoke spells in the format to support this, but I would guess it will work out.
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Protocol Knight image 1.5 // 3.5 The baseline here is a little bit below rate, but a creature that comes down and stuns something usually plays quite well in Limited, since you add to the board and really downgrade your opponent’s board. If you’re in Blue-White setting this up so it does that is going to feel great. It will feel well above rate when you can pull that off. I I think the gap in how good this is wide enough that I’m going to give it a build around grade.
Ral's Reinforcements image 2.5 Going wide and Convoke are two of Red’s big themes in the set, so this seems to do exactly what you want to be doing in Red.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Sun-Blessed Guardian
Render Inert image 1.5 You can use this to “defeat” a battle, which is probably the strongest thing you can do with it – and you can also use it to get rid of an incubator token in most cases, and there are a variety of other random uses in the format too. The fact it replaces itself is nice, but I still feel like this is probably too narrow to make the cut very often.
Sun-Blessed Guardian image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 is underwhelming these days, but this transforms into a creature who can be a major problem, and the fact it requires Phyrexian mana means you can end up only paying 5 for it – and you can do it even if you never have Red. The base form of the card is underwhelming enough that this isn’t amazing, but it isn’t really a two drop you’ll ever cut either.
Astral Wingspan image 3.0 Auras can be really dangerous to use when they don’t give you some sort of value like that, because if your opponent can deal with the creature you put it on, you just got 2-for-1’d and there’s a good chance you’re going to lose. Now, you still have to be careful about when you use this, since they can still respond by removing the creature you target, but as long as you pick the right spot, this is going to feel pretty nice. +2/+2 and Flying is a boost that makes almost any creature into a problem, and Convoke makes casting this even easier.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Zhalfirin Shapecraft image 2.0 This is a nice trick, not too different from Suit Up, a Blue trick that performed really well in the past. It probably isn’t quite as good – that cost one more mana but made the creature a 4/5, and that was a size that could win combat with almost everything, where as a 4/3 can sometimes be a little too small to survive combat – and that’s what you really want here to get a sweet 2-for-1. Still, it is relatively cheap, can create 2-for-1s, and plays well with +1/+1 counters which this set certainly has.
Ral's Reinforcements image 2.5 Going wide and Convoke are two of Red’s big themes in the set, so this seems to do exactly what you want to be doing in Red.
Infected Defector image 2.0 This has some pretty bad stats for the cost, but getting an Incubator when it dies makes this a solid playable.
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Preening Champion image 3.5 This helps you do Convoke stuff in addition to having the Knight creature type, and it is just a really good rate in general. This is one of Blue’s best Commons.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Invasion of New Capenna
Elvish Vatkeeper image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that makes an Incubator is sweet – if you have five mana available you can just do it all, and pay 5 for a 3/3 and a 2/2, which is a nice deal! The other ability is fairly expensive, but if you have the mana to sink into it, it certainly makes your Incubator a lot scarier.
Zhalfirin Lancer image 3.5 This will often be able to attack as a 4/4 with Vigilance which is pretty nice. Lots of cards make Knight tokens too, so it may get buffed more than once! It has a very reasonable floor too, so it is a quality card.
Invasion of New Capenna image 3.0 I don’t love that this does stone nothing on turn two a lot of the time. It would be nice to set this up on turn two and get a little something, which is what a lot of the cheap Battles do – but this one is far more situational. That said, the thing that it can do is certainly powerful, especially if you have some expendable bodies around, which isn’t a huge ask if you’re in Black-White, since that’s the color pair the most interested in Incubating. This also means that the Equipment you ultimately get can do a pretty nice job of enhancing your board.
War-Trained Slasher image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/3 with Menace is probably a 2.0, so the fact this swings with eight power when it goes after battle is pretty awesome. It really puts your opponent in a horrible spot on a lot of boards, and they are likely to get 2-for-1’d at best.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Mountain image
Pack 2 Pick 6: Phyrexian Censor
Yargle, Glutton of Urborg image 1.0 If you want a big vanilla creature, Yargle does the job. But…you really shouldn’t want that. The low toughness makes him a real liability.
Phyrexian Censor image 2.5 This has decent base stats, and you’ll be able to make this effect one-sided enough, especially in Black-White, that this seems like a solid card.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Portent Tracker image 2.5 This is an ugly stat-line, but between ramping your mana and messing with Battles, this seems like it has some pretty real utility. Some mana dorks are all but useless late, but because this can do things with Battles, that’s less likely.
Traumatic Revelation image 1.5 Hitting creatures and battles means you can hit most nonlands in your opponent’s deck, and if you wiff you sort of end up with a Hill Giant. While that’s not awesome, the main problem with discard spells is how weak they are when you get them late or you wiff, and the consolation prize is enough here for this to be a 1.5. Basically you get the upside discard spells offer with very minimal downside.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Wind-Scarred Crag image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Ichor Drinker
Invasion of Mercadia image 3.5 This is basically Tormenting Voice with a bunch of upside, and that certainly seems solid. Once transformed, you get a creature that is pretty insane, as churning out elementals, buffing your board and giving it haste is amazing.
Copper Host Crusher image 1.0 This is a big hard-to-kill monster, but it also costs 8 mana which simply isn’t an amount of mana you get to very consistently in Limited.
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Furnace Host Charger image 3.0 A 6-mana 5/5 Haster is definitely medium, but it is definitely relevant on most board states, and if you draw it early and would rather have a land drop, it has you covered.
Ichor Drinker image 2.5 This one drop brings a lot of value. A one mana 1/1 with Lifelink isn’t amazing, but in a format with +1/+1 counters around, among other ways to augment your creatures, it will probably play a little better than it looks. Additionally, if you mill this thing in your Blue-Black deck, or it ends up in your graveyard in any other way, it does deliver some real value in the format of the incubate token. One drops lately have pretty much all overperformed, and I think this is another one that will. It is really cheap and does stuff that all the decks in the format can take advantage of.
Knight of the New Coalition image 3.0 4-mana for two 2/2s with Vigilance is an excellent rate – this helps you go wide like the RW deck wants you to do, while also producing two bodies with a very useful creature type. I think this looks like a very good Common.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Tarkir Duneshaper
Valduk, Keeper of the Flame image 1.5 // 3.0 I don’t think every Red deck will automatically have the things it needs for this to spit out a Spark elemental every turn, and its pretty bad when you’re not doing that.
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
Furnace Host Charger image 3.0 A 6-mana 5/5 Haster is definitely medium, but it is definitely relevant on most board states, and if you draw it early and would rather have a land drop, it has you covered.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
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Pack 2 Pick 9: Infected Defector
Lithomantic Barrage image 1.5 I think you can play this in your main deck and have it perform reasonably well. There are enough X/1s that it can target in typical decks, and against Blue/White it is utterly absurd. What it does to Blue or White creatures will make it feel like a 4.0 and against everyone else it is going to feel like a 1.0 – but I think that makes this a 1.5 overall, if you have enough playables it is probably still better to start in your sideboard.
Khenra Spellspear image 4.0 I would already play a two mana 2/2 with Prowess and nothing else and be pretty happy with it. That card is probably a 3.0. So, adding Trample and the ability to transform into an even more imposing creature to the mix makes this absolutely incredible. It can even transform the turn after you play it, which is great. The double prowess on the transformed size is going to be a real beating, and the fact that Ward makes it harder to kill is great too.
Infected Defector image 2.0 This has some pretty bad stats for the cost, but getting an Incubator when it dies makes this a solid playable.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Furnace Host Charger image 3.0 A 6-mana 5/5 Haster is definitely medium, but it is definitely relevant on most board states, and if you draw it early and would rather have a land drop, it has you covered.
Zhalfirin Shapecraft image 2.0 This is a nice trick, not too different from Suit Up, a Blue trick that performed really well in the past. It probably isn’t quite as good – that cost one more mana but made the creature a 4/5, and that was a size that could win combat with almost everything, where as a 4/3 can sometimes be a little too small to survive combat – and that’s what you really want here to get a sweet 2-for-1. Still, it is relatively cheap, can create 2-for-1s, and plays well with +1/+1 counters which this set certainly has.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Mirrodin Avenged
Radha, Coalition Warlord image 2.0 Radha isn’t going to be as good in this format as she was in Dominaria United. That format was well set up for you to get multiple land types in play. This one’s not. So she is mostly a Hill Giant that offers +2/+2 when she attacks.
Lithomantic Barrage image 1.5 I think you can play this in your main deck and have it perform reasonably well. There are enough X/1s that it can target in typical decks, and against Blue/White it is utterly absurd. What it does to Blue or White creatures will make it feel like a 4.0 and against everyone else it is going to feel like a 1.0 – but I think that makes this a 1.5 overall, if you have enough playables it is probably still better to start in your sideboard.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
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Pack 2 Pick 11: Akki Scrapchomper
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Ral's Reinforcements image 2.5 Going wide and Convoke are two of Red’s big themes in the set, so this seems to do exactly what you want to be doing in Red.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Ichor Shade
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Infected Defector image 2.0 This has some pretty bad stats for the cost, but getting an Incubator when it dies makes this a solid playable.
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Mirrodin Avenged
War-Trained Slasher image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/3 with Menace is probably a 2.0, so the fact this swings with eight power when it goes after battle is pretty awesome. It really puts your opponent in a horrible spot on a lot of boards, and they are likely to get 2-for-1’d at best.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
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Pack 2 Pick 14: Urn of Godfire
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Seed of Hope image 1.0 Green isn’t that into milling in this format, otherwise this would be a little more interesting. As is, it has a fairly small effect, and since it is restricted only to the two cards you mill, you’re just going to wiff sometimes or get something very underwhelming.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Burning Sun's Fury
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree
Kaheera, the Orphanguard image 2.5 You’re not meeting this requirement, and you just won’t have that many creatures that Kaheera buffs.
Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree image 1.0 This is one of those really cool cards that has applications in other formats, but really wasn’t designed for Limited. Sure, you can use the ability to mill your opponent and ramp, but I think its too slow and clunky at doing it. As usual, you should probably be adding to the board in a more meaningful way, and paying 5 total mana to cast this and then mill probably isn’t where you want to be. Obviously, the second activated ability is all but useless in Limited!
Khenra Spellspear image 4.0 I would already play a two mana 2/2 with Prowess and nothing else and be pretty happy with it. That card is probably a 3.0. So, adding Trample and the ability to transform into an even more imposing creature to the mix makes this absolutely incredible. It can even transform the turn after you play it, which is great. The double prowess on the transformed size is going to be a real beating, and the fact that Ward makes it harder to kill is great too.
Invasion of Eldraine image 2.0 Overcosted Mind Rot is not a good starting point. It will feel nice if you play it early and you get that 2-for-1, but not adding to the board is definitely a problem, as is how bad this is as a top deck in many situations. It does synergize with itself though, because once transformed it punishes the opponent for having too few cards in hand. Still, I don’t see the front side delivering enough value, or assisting enough in transforming it, that I see this as being something great. Obviously, if you always got the creature and the effect for 4 mana it would be nuts, but I have some doubts that can be accomplished.
Tiller of Flesh image 2.5 The stats aren’t great, but the trigger is pretty good. However, I’m not sure you’ll be targeting things enough in this format for this to really go wild. Notably, it only counts spells that target, and not abilities like Backup. If you have a critical mass of removal and combat tricks this can do a pretty good job, but the floor is pretty bad.
Stormclaw Rager image 4.0 This is a powerful sacrifice outlet, even limited to Sorcery speed only! You get a card back, so it is hard not to get nice value out of this, especially if you’re sacrificing something really expendable. There’s also a cheap Threaten effect in the format that is going to combo absurdly with this, but in general, there’s plenty to sacrifice to this, making it another great signpost
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Redcap Heelslasher image 3.0 A 4-mana ¾ with First Strike performs reasonably well, and having the ability to offer +1/+1 and temporary first strike to something already in play will usually mean that creature can attack far more effectively that turn.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Preening Champion image 3.5 This helps you do Convoke stuff in addition to having the Knight creature type, and it is just a really good rate in general. This is one of Blue’s best Commons.
Bloodfell Caves image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Alabaster Host Intercessor
Firesong and Sunspeaker image 2.5 This gets nice with damaging spells, and there are of course many of those in Red – and even one in White in this set. Gaining life off of all of that is pretty powerful.
Oracle of Tragedy image 2.5 The loot ETB will be useful the most often, but it doesn’t hurt to have the other option. Either way, this isn’t much more than filler.
Compleated Huntmaster image 3.5 You can sort of look at this as paying 3 mana, sacrificing something, and getting a 3/3 – that wouldn’t be a bad deal, and this is better because you can pay for the Incubator on a separate turn. This doesn’t have the worst stats for a card with this strong of an ability, either. Cards like this really make it feel like the sacrifice deck in this format is going to have some legs
Sun-Blessed Guardian image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 is underwhelming these days, but this transforms into a creature who can be a major problem, and the fact it requires Phyrexian mana means you can end up only paying 5 for it – and you can do it even if you never have Red. The base form of the card is underwhelming enough that this isn’t amazing, but it isn’t really a two drop you’ll ever cut either.
Invasion of Moag image 4.0 The Invasion will often significantly upgrade your board – which in turn means you can go after this Battle right away in lots of situations, and don’t forget that GW is into +1/+1 counters, so there is definitely some extra value to be had! The creature you get after you do that is going to continue to offer a nice upgrade to your board every turn.
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Alabaster Host Intercessor image 3.5 This is a large version of Banisher Priest, and while it isn’t the most efficient thing ever, that’s still a strong effect. What makes it especially nice, though, is that it has Plainscycling. This means if you draw this early when you are really far from casting it, you can get rid of it and search up a land. This really offsets the downside of this being a 6-mana card. Basically, this gets a land when you need it, and if you have the mana to cast it, it is going to have a big impact on the board. I think this is one of White’s best Commons.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Cosmic Hunger image 3.5 We have seen this card before, only without the battle part, and it is always premium removal for Green because it can deal with things so efficiently. You always run the risk of getting 2-for-1’d when you cast it if you aren’t careful, but because this is an Instant, finding a spot where your opponent can’t respond is relatively easy.
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Pack 3 Pick 3: Collective Nightmare
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image 3.0 On its own, Daxos is a 2/2, and it will often have higher toughness than that – plus all the incidental life gain is nice. That said, this format doesn’t have a life gain deck in it – nor does it really have an Enchantment deck, nor does it have very many other cards that care about Devotion. So, it doesn’t do
Stoke the Flames image 4.0 Even without Convoke, this would be great. But sometimes you will be able to cast this without any mana up, or at least for a lot less than 4 mana, and that upside is crazy, especially because it can hit any target. This is premium removal and then some.
Invasion of Kamigawa image 3.5 Stunning something for a turn is a nice effect, especially when it can help you more quickly get Rooftop Saboteurs on the battlefield. Once you’ve done that, you have a great creature that will net you impressive card advantage.
Collective Nightmare image 4.0 This is a great deal whichever way you cast it. Without Convoke this would be good. With it, its great.
Copper Host Crusher image 1.0 This is a big hard-to-kill monster, but it also costs 8 mana which simply isn’t an amount of mana you get to very consistently in Limited.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Infected Defector image 2.0 This has some pretty bad stats for the cost, but getting an Incubator when it dies makes this a solid playable.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Sunder the Gateway image 1.5 So at worst, this is a two mana 2/2, and sometimes you’ll have another Incubator around who is bigger, and you’ll choose to turn that one into a creature. That’s probably usually what this will do, because there aren’t a boatload of targets for this in the format. When you do get to kill an artifact or Enchantment with this it will feel like a pretty sweet 2-for-1, and I think the baseline is solid. Having Artifact and Enchantment hate in your main deck is nice too.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Swiftwater Cliffs image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Deadly Derision
Shanna, Sisay's Legacy image 3.0 In most cases, she scales as the game goes on, and the fact she can’t be targeted by abilities comes up sometimes too.
Joyful Stormsculptor image 3.5 A 5-mana ⅔ that makes two 1/1s is pretty nice, and that’s especially true when the UR archetype is about Convoke! The fact this damages Battles and players is some nice additional value that can make a real difference. The question will be whether or not there are enough Convoke spells in the format to support this, but I would guess it will work out.
Invasion of Dominaria image 3.0 Three mana for 4 life and a card isn’t the worst deal ever, and you have the potential to get a Serra Angel. Obviously that’s insane value for the investment, but I do think it will take some work to transform this.
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Zhalfirin Shapecraft image 2.0 This is a nice trick, not too different from Suit Up, a Blue trick that performed really well in the past. It probably isn’t quite as good – that cost one more mana but made the creature a 4/5, and that was a size that could win combat with almost everything, where as a 4/3 can sometimes be a little too small to survive combat – and that’s what you really want here to get a sweet 2-for-1. Still, it is relatively cheap, can create 2-for-1s, and plays well with +1/+1 counters which this set certainly has.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 5: Enduring Bondwarden
Reyav, Master Smith image 3.0 There’s a decent amount of Auras and Equipment in the set, but not so many that this is going to be super easy to trigger.
Change the Equation image 0.5 The base level of this card isn’t very good, since most opponents won’t really have enough spells this can counter. Obviously, against Red and/or Green opponents it is great, but the floor is pretty bad.
Wrenn's Resolve image 2.5 This is Reckless Impulse with a different name, and that was a quality draw spell in Innistrad: Crimson Vow. You’re almost always going to be able to play both cards that you hit with this before the end of your next turn, and this ends up being a two mana draw two most of the time.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Thunderhead Squadron image 2.5 Even if you only tap one creature to help you cast this, you’re getting a passable deal. If you can cast this for significantly less, it will feel even better.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Tidal Terror image 3.0 This 6-mana 5/6 plays well with all the token stuff going on in Blue/white, as it can sometimes be unblockable. Islandcycling is a great thing to have, as it allows you to throw this away in the early game so that you hit your land drop, and if you play it late, it isn’t a bad threat to have.
Plains image
Pack 3 Pick 6: Sculpted Perfection
Dina, Soul Steeper image 2.5 Life gain is not a huge theme in the format, which really limits how good Dina can be. There is incidental life gain around that she certainly takes advantage of, and her ability to buff herself can be useful sometimes too.
Sculpted Perfection image 3.0 BW is a Phyrexia Tribal deck, with special focus on the Incubator tokens. Most creatures in Black and White are Phyrexians in the set, so this ends up feeling like an anthem a decent chunk of the time – and one that brings a creature along for the ride, even if that creature is kind of inefficient
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Seraph of New Capenna
Merciless Repurposing image 3.0 6 mana is a lot, even for removal – mostly because you end up paying more than your opponent did for their creature a lot of the time, and that tempo hit can be rough. However, this is an Instant, and it gives you something that will eventually be a creature. If you have 8 mana lying around, this will feel like an 8-mana 3/3 that exiles something on ETB, and the fact you can spread it out in two installments is nice.
Seraph of New Capenna image 3.5 A three mana 2/2 Flyer isn’t what it used to be, but when it is the baseline for a card with big upside, it still feels pretty good – and that’s certainly what we have here! The Seraph of New Phyrexia can attack really hard.
Traumatic Revelation image 1.5 Hitting creatures and battles means you can hit most nonlands in your opponent’s deck, and if you wiff you sort of end up with a Hill Giant. While that’s not awesome, the main problem with discard spells is how weak they are when you get them late or you wiff, and the consolation prize is enough here for this to be a 1.5. Basically you get the upside discard spells offer with very minimal downside.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Blighted Burgeoning image 2.0 If you play this on an untapped land, you can immediately transform the Incubator, and that’s nice – it means you can actually add something to the board when you play this, and the problem with most cards like this is they don’t do that. This also does a pretty good job of fixing and ramping your mana.
Rugged Highlands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Etched Familiar
Aegar, the Freezing Flame image 2.5 This was a powerhouse in Kaldheim Limited, pretty much an Uncommon bomb -- but that set had a heavy spell theme and Giant tribal all over the place. Blue-Red only has spells as a sub-theme this time around, and the set only has two Giants in it – and one of them is Mythic. Mostly in this format, we’re talking about a three mana 3/3 that draws you a card when you do excess damage with a spell.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Tidal Terror image 3.0 This 6-mana 5/6 plays well with all the token stuff going on in Blue/white, as it can sometimes be unblockable. Islandcycling is a great thing to have, as it allows you to throw this away in the early game so that you hit your land drop, and if you play it late, it isn’t a bad threat to have.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Etched Familiar image 2.5 Trading this off and draining 2 life from your opponent is going to feel like a good deal all the time, and it isn’t terrible sacrifice fodder either.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Tiller of Flesh
Invasion of Eldraine image 2.0 Overcosted Mind Rot is not a good starting point. It will feel nice if you play it early and you get that 2-for-1, but not adding to the board is definitely a problem, as is how bad this is as a top deck in many situations. It does synergize with itself though, because once transformed it punishes the opponent for having too few cards in hand. Still, I don’t see the front side delivering enough value, or assisting enough in transforming it, that I see this as being something great. Obviously, if you always got the creature and the effect for 4 mana it would be nuts, but I have some doubts that can be accomplished.
Tiller of Flesh image 2.5 The stats aren’t great, but the trigger is pretty good. However, I’m not sure you’ll be targeting things enough in this format for this to really go wild. Notably, it only counts spells that target, and not abilities like Backup. If you have a critical mass of removal and combat tricks this can do a pretty good job, but the floor is pretty bad.
Stormclaw Rager image 4.0 This is a powerful sacrifice outlet, even limited to Sorcery speed only! You get a card back, so it is hard not to get nice value out of this, especially if you’re sacrificing something really expendable. There’s also a cheap Threaten effect in the format that is going to combo absurdly with this, but in general, there’s plenty to sacrifice to this, making it another great signpost
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Redcap Heelslasher image 3.0 A 4-mana ¾ with First Strike performs reasonably well, and having the ability to offer +1/+1 and temporary first strike to something already in play will usually mean that creature can attack far more effectively that turn.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Compleated Huntmaster
Compleated Huntmaster image 3.5 You can sort of look at this as paying 3 mana, sacrificing something, and getting a 3/3 – that wouldn’t be a bad deal, and this is better because you can pay for the Incubator on a separate turn. This doesn’t have the worst stats for a card with this strong of an ability, either. Cards like this really make it feel like the sacrifice deck in this format is going to have some legs
Unseal the Necropolis image 3.0 Black usually gets a nice common that returns creatures from your graveyard to your hand, and this looks like a really good version of that to me. Milling three for both players gets your pretty close to meeting the “reverse threshold” type requirements that several cards have, and it also increases your chance of being able to get back two creatures. It is also an Instant which isn’t something we often see. This means you can use this on the end of your opponent’s turn, and then cast something you get back on your turn which is nice. You don’t usually want more than one of these, because they are so bad in the early game – but honestly, the first copy of this card looks like a must-have for most Black decks, and especially Black-Blue.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 11: Sunder the Gateway
Infected Defector image 2.0 This has some pretty bad stats for the cost, but getting an Incubator when it dies makes this a solid playable.
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Sunder the Gateway image 1.5 So at worst, this is a two mana 2/2, and sometimes you’ll have another Incubator around who is bigger, and you’ll choose to turn that one into a creature. That’s probably usually what this will do, because there aren’t a boatload of targets for this in the format. When you do get to kill an artifact or Enchantment with this it will feel like a pretty sweet 2-for-1, and I think the baseline is solid. Having Artifact and Enchantment hate in your main deck is nice too.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Kor Halberd
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 13: Inspired Charge
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Plains image
Pack 3 Pick 14: Scrollshift
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Pack 3 Pick 15: Ichor Shade
Ichor Shade image 2.0 Its nice that this looks at both graveyard, as sometimes when we see this sort of effect it only checks yours. This will gain a counter on a significant number of turns, especially if you’re a Sacrifice deck. It does have a pretty bad baseline, but I you can definitely hold this and then play it in second main phase after something dies, and it will quickly become a ¾, and things can go crazy from there.
Draft Pick Overview