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Premier Draft WOE 12 November 2023

12 November 11:35 - stretchwheel 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (20)
1 Mosswood Dreadknight image
3 Ferocious Werefox image
3 Sweettooth Witch image
1 Gumdrop Poisoner image
2 Tough Cookie image
1 Faerie Dreamthief image
1 Spiteful Hexmage image
1 Tanglespan Lookout image
1 Scream Puff image
2 Redtooth Genealogist image
1 Redtooth Vanguard image
1 Sentinel of Lost Lore image
1 Hamlet Glutton image
1 Conceited Witch image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (4)
1 Lord Skitter's Blessing image
1 Graceful Takedown image
1 Candy Trail image
1 Prophetic Prism image
Land (17)
8 Swamp image
9 Forest image
Sideboard
3 Verdant Outrider image
1 Icewrought Sentry image
1 Territorial Witchstalker image
1 Rimefur Reindeer image
1 Twining Twins image
2 Callous Sell-Sword image
1 Tuinvale Guide image
1 Forced Fruition image
1 Bestial Bloodline image
1 Three Bowls of Porridge image
1 Not Dead After All image
2 Titanic Growth image
1 The Apprentice's Folly image
1 Plunge into Winter image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Mosswood Dreadknight
Forced Fruition image 0.0 The idea is to make your opponent mill themselves out before they can beat you with their overwhelming card advantage. The problem with that is if you ever play this when you’re behind or at parity, you’re probably going to lose. If you play it when you’re ahead your opponent probably can’t dig themselves out of milling themselves before they stabilize, but that still means this is a pretty big dud most of the time.
Mosswood Dreadknight image 5.0 The Adventure side gives you a full card, and the creature side usually will too. Sometimes more, because if you trade and get to cast an Adventure we’re talking about a 3-for-1 here. I can’t imagine you normally want to play this on turn two, as a creature, although I suppose if you’ve got a really nasty curve out it can do the trick. But even treating this as a 4-mana 3/2 that draws you a card sounds really good, and you can obviously divide up when you cast the two halves to make it feel even better and if you always have the mana available when it dies, it will just keep coming back
Troyan, Gutsy Explorer image 4.0 Playing this on turn three will often let you power out a 5 or even 6 drop on turn four, which is no joke. The loot effect is nice too, because it means when you don’t have something to power out with the mana Troyan produces, you can start digging for exactly that. And, looting for one mana is a pretty nice effect in Limited anyway
Twisted Fealty image 1.5 This format doesn’t really have a sacrifice deck, and that’s usually the place for a Threaten effect. It isn’t unplayable, though. It will have a home in some really aggressive decks
Stroke of Midnight image 3.0 We’ve seen cards like this a lot, and this kind of effect is generally worse than it looks in Limited. Destroying anything for three is nice and all, but in a lot of ways, you can look at this as an Aura that makes a nonland permanent into a 1/1 with no abilities. When you look at it that way, it is much less impressive. Sure, that’s almost always going to downgrade something, and it doesn’t make this card bad, but it also isn’t premium removal for that reason
Charmed Clothier image 2.5 A 5-mana 3/3 flyer is not a good rate. Getting a role token does make a difference, and a card like this also triggers Celebration, so it does some nice stuff for a couple different decks in the format.
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Quick Study image 2.0 Instant speed Divination isn’t too shabby, though it doesn’t add to the board and that can always be a problem in Limited.
Brave the Wilds image 2.0 One green mana to search up a basic land is a borderline playable, especially if you’re playing more than two colors. The upside of animating a land means it can add to the board sometimes too
Hopeless Nightmare image 2.5 One mana to make your opponent discard and lose 2 life is an acceptable rate, and after that point the Nightmare is great fodder for cards with Bargain. It’s definitely a role-player, but something you probably want one of in Black if you have a few cards that Bargain
Minecart Daredevil image 3.5 I like this a lot because it resembles some of the Adventures from last Eldraine that were huge overperformers. Yes, you’ve got a medicore trick on one side and a mediocre vanilla creature on the other, but you get both on one card, and both halves of this card can conceivably trade with something and that means you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Sugar Rush image 1.5 This replaces itself, but the buff is highly unlikely to be that useful in combat. Sure, it probably lets you kill something, but most of the time whatever you cast this on will die two. Drawing the card does keep you from getting 2-for-1’d, but it doesn’t really make up for the tempo you lose. It does get a little better with Rat tokens, but I’d still steer clear of it most of the time
Bestial Bloodline image 1.0 +2/+2 is a nice boost for the cost, but you still set yourself up for an ugly 2-for-1, and even though this can come back from your graveyard the cost is so high that it is only something you do when you have absolutely nothing else you can do. And even then, it isn’t going to feel great
Redcap Thief image 2.5 This offers some nice fixing and ramp and can trigger celebration all on its own. That seems like something worth doing in Red decks in this format
Pack 1 Pick 2: Lord Skitter's Blessing
Utopia Sprawl image 3.0 This offers nice fixing and ramp at a very efficient rate. It lets you play three mana things on turn two which is always nice. It does only Enchant forests, which comes up sometimes, but this is still a pretty great way to get a mana advantage early. It does get worse later in the game when mana is less meaningful, but that early game upside is enough for this to be pretty good
Lord Skitter's Blessing image 3.5 This gives you a lot of value for two mana, that’s for sure. Two mana for just the Role token isn’t great, but if you can keep it or another Aura around, this starts doing the Phyrexian Arena thing. There are enough role tokens in Black for this to be pretty effective
Stroke of Midnight image 3.0 We’ve seen cards like this a lot, and this kind of effect is generally worse than it looks in Limited. Destroying anything for three is nice and all, but in a lot of ways, you can look at this as an Aura that makes a nonland permanent into a 1/1 with no abilities. When you look at it that way, it is much less impressive. Sure, that’s almost always going to downgrade something, and it doesn’t make this card bad, but it also isn’t premium removal for that reason
Obyra, Dreaming Duelist image 4.0 A two mana 2/2 with Flash and Flying always makes the cut, so the fact that this will also chip in and make your opponent lose life while you play out other Faeries is nice, especially because so many Faeries are evasive that chipping in for one damage here and there makes it a lot easier for them to do lethal
Succumb to the Cold image 1.5 This can be a nice tempo card that you can use to close out your opponent, and that’s especially true in Blue/White, which can get some extra value from the tapping. Still, it is fairly situational – if you can’t use it to finish your opponent off, or you have to use it defensively, it feels pretty bad
Troublemaker Ouphe image 2.5 This feels like a two drop you want one of in every Green deck, simply because it provides main deck hate against permanent types that are very common in this format. You won’t always have something to get Bargain going, but at least the fail case is a Bear
Armory Mice image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is usually acceptable, and this will be a 3/3 some percentage of the time. I’m giving this a 2.
Ferocious Werefox image 3.5 Buffing a creature at instant speed earlier and getting a reasonable 4-drop later means this delivers some serious value for a Common
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Prophetic Prism image 2.0 This is pretty solid every time we see it. It’s not going to be as good here as it would be an artifact-heavy set, but it replaces itself and does an okay job of fixing your mana
Savior of the Sleeping image 2.5 As we’ve seen there are a decent number of ways to get enchantments in the graveyard, so it isn’t that unreasonable to think getting a counter or two on this is doable
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Kindled Heroism image 1.5 We’ve seen this trick many times before and it’s always kind of okay. The boost can allow your creature to win a decent number of combats, and when you can make that happen for only one mana it feels pretty amazing. Still, it is a combat trick and one that isn’t always very impactful
Pack 1 Pick 3: Ferocious Werefox
Spreading Seas image 0.0 This doesn’t do much in Limited. Sure, if your opponent happens to only have one land that can produce one of their colors and you stick this on it, it can be pretty hilarious, but most of the time that’s not going to happen to them. Replacing itself just isn’t’ enough these days, it needs to actually…do something too, and this just won’t
Rotisserie Elemental image 1.5 If you play this on turn one, it has an opportunity to do some significant damage and then give itself up with a couple of rotisserie counters on it. That will feel pretty good. But if you play it at any point thereafter…it gets a lot less good, because it just won’t be able to get in
Tempest Hart image 3.5 Faithless looting for two mana is a really nice adventure to have. That kind of card selection can be huge, especially if you have nothing else to do on turn two. The creature side of this is decidedly less impressive because it starts inefficiently and asks you to do something that even in Blue-Green you’re not going to do so often that the Hart will just become absolutely massive. Even in a ramp deck you can only have so many cards in your deck with a mana value high enough to trigger it
Icewrought Sentry image 3.0 This looks pretty good to me. Tapping opposing blockers is always really good, and while paying mana for it isn’t ideal the fact that the Sentry becomes a 4/4 when you do it helps offset that downside. Blue-White has some other cards that involve tapping and getting paid off for it too, making paying that mana all the more appealing. It also doesn’t hurt that simply the threat of activation makes your opponent play the game differently. They have to account for the Sentry when thinking about how they are going to attack on their own turn.
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Warehouse Tabby image 1.5 Take away the Enchantment part of this card and it’s…pretty bad. A one mana 1/1 with death touch is usually pretty solid, as it can trade for anything. This has the capacity to do that, but because you have to have mana up to do it and because you spend extra mana to make it do it, it is way worse than a one mana 1/1 that always has death touch. The fact it cranks out a few 1/1s is nice, but even in this format I don’t imagine this just giving you 1/1 after 1/1.
Archon's Glory image 2.0 One mana for +2/+2 generally makes for a decent trick that will allow a creature to win combat fairly often – and at a very low cost, and the added bargain upside here will come up sometimes. It sort of gives it a mode where you can send a creature into the air to do lethal.
Return Triumphant image 2.0 This is a lot like recommission from The Brothers’ War. That card ended up being find, but nothing special. Both let you reanimate a mana value 3 or less card and then buff it when you do. The idea is that you increase your chances of reanimating something that is worth the mana thanks to the buff, but the card still requires enough set up that I’m not super excited about it
Ferocious Werefox image 3.5 Buffing a creature at instant speed earlier and getting a reasonable 4-drop later means this delivers some serious value for a Common
Beluna's Gatekeeper image 2.5 A restricted Sorcery speed bounce effect isn’t amazing, but you’ll usually have something you can bounce with this early. Usually, a bounce effect is card disadvantage, but because you get a big vanilla creature out of this later, that isn’t really the case. While it doesn’t quite deliver the two cards of value that make some adventures really strong, this does do a whole lot for a single card
Eriette's Whisper image 1.5 4 mana to Mind Rot isn’t great, even if you do get a Role out of the deal. Spending this much and adding minimally to the board is just something you want to do in most formats.
Stingblade Assassin image 1.5 This ETB ability almost always underperforms. It’s just hard to consistently find a way to do damage to a creature without using up some resource you didn’t really want to use up. It might be interesting with Rat tokens, because your opponent is going to be willing to block those a lot with their 2/2s or whatever, but this probably doesn’t end up being able to destroy something often enough for this to be very good
Pack 1 Pick 4: Graceful Takedown
Raid Bombardment image 0.0 // 2.5 Another Enchantment that rewards you for having lots of small creatures – things might get interesting if you can get your hands on impact tremors and goblin bombardment along with this. Anyway, like those this probably needs a specific deck – one that makes lots of Rats seems the most appealing. But if you can do that, you can quickly damage your opponent. It’s probably an F in most decks, and a C in a deck that got there on small stuff
Graceful Takedown image 3.5 So, this is another Green removal spell that doesn’t result in your creatures taking damage. Even if you have 0 enchanted creatures, you can have one thing take part in the effect, and if you do have enchanted creatures, you’ll be able to take down almost anything. It also puts you in less danger if you are able to choose multiple creatures, because a blow out is a lot harder for your opponent to produce when multiple creatures are doing the biting
Eerie Interference image 0.0 Fog effects are almost always bad in Limited, even when they become one-sided. The problem is that they have far too narrow of a use-case
Frolicking Familiar image 4.0 You’ll often be able to pick off something small with the Adventure, and that means you’re talking about a potential 2-for-1. Then you get a 2/2 Flyer that can become a real problem of an attacker, especially when you leave your mana up, because your opponent has no idea exactly how big the Familiar is going to be
Witch's Mark image 2.0 This is a nice Tormenting Voice variant. Even without the Role token this card is usually in the D+ or C- range, especially in a format with some graveyard stuff and a spell deck, and that’s true in this format. Actually adding to the board while digging deeper into your deck is going to feel pretty nice. You probably don’t desperately want more than one of these, although perhaps if you’re in the spell deck going deeper than that first copy might be worth it
Conceited Witch image 3.0 A 3 mana ⅔ with Menace is passable, and you can augment one of your creatures with this on an earlier turn – or the same turn, if you have happen to have four mana. It just seems like plenty of value to get out of a single card, and it even seems reasonably efficient
Territorial Witchstalker image 1.5 A two mana 2/3 with defender isn’t great, but in a defensive deck it isn’t unplayable, but the ceiling on this card just isn’t very high, and neither is the floor.
Charmed Clothier image 2.5 A 5-mana 3/3 flyer is not a good rate. Getting a role token does make a difference, and a card like this also triggers Celebration, so it does some nice stuff for a couple different decks in the format.
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Mocking Sprite image 2.5 This has almost reasonable stats, and reducing the costs of spells has some extra weight in this format thanks to Adventures, in addition to the fact that it just plays well in any Blue/Red deck.
Ratcatcher Trainee image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 with first strike when it attacks is a great aggressive creature in Limited, and this one can make you a couple of 1/1s too. It is a bit odd as far as adventures go, because this is one where you probably cast it fairly often without ever using the Adventure part, where with most of them it makes a lot of sense to try to get the full value. Here, you’re not going to do that as often, but it still has big upside because if you draw it late you can get the tokens and the 2/1 all in a single turn. The Adventure side can also get celebration going all on its own
Pack 1 Pick 5: Ferocious Werefox
Compulsion image 1.0 This is pretty bad. Sure, rummaging can be nice, but having to pay mana to do it is a big downside, and even though this can replace itself you have to invest 4 mana to get there.
Ruby, Daring Tracker image 3.5 It can ramp your mana quite effectively, and that makes it more likely that you can get a creature with power 4 or great into play quickly, at which point Ruby herself becomes a significantly better attacker. There will also be times in the mid to late game when you draw her and can already trigger her ability, in which case she becomes a two mana ¾ with Haste, which is going to feel pretty good
Diminisher Witch image 2.5 Cursing an opposing creature isn’t the most powerful thing in the world, but when you Bargain this does upgrade your board and downgrade your opponents reasonably effectively.
Protective Parents image 2.5 This has passable stats and a decent death trigger.
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Skybeast Tracker image 1.5 A 4-mana 2/4 with Reach is not very good these days, though you could do worse if you need something defensive. This will make some food sometimes, which certainly has its uses in the format
Commune with Nature image 1.5 We’ve seen this a lot. It usually lets you draw a card for one mana, and you see a huge chunk of your deck in Limited. But it just doesn’t always make the cut, you only have so much room for cards that don’t impact the board
Ferocious Werefox image 3.5 Buffing a creature at instant speed earlier and getting a reasonable 4-drop later means this delivers some serious value for a Common
Stormkeld Prowler image 1.5 Two +1/+1 counters is pretty nice! But a two-mana 2/1…isn’t, and by the time you play your 5-drop and make this a 4/3, it isn’t like it will be unbeatable. There will also be times where you can’t grow until well beyond that turn.
Verdant Outrider image 2.0 A three mana 4/2 usually has the big problem of dying to 2 power creatures, but obviously enough, Verdant Outrider can get around that. You won’t always have the time or mana to use that ability of course, but it definitely does enough for this to be solid filler
Pack 1 Pick 6: Sweettooth Witch
Rest in Peace image 0.0 Even though this replaces itself, there isn’t enough of a reason to hate on the graveyard in this format to ever make this matter
Gadwick's First Duel image 1.5 // 3.5 Just getting a Cursed token for two mana isn’t terrible…though certainly not good either. It is very easy for your opponent to move the Cursed Role since all they have to do is use an effect that lets them put a role on one of their creatures. So, it’s a good thing it does some other stuff. Scry 2 helps set up chapter III in theory, and if you can copy something like a removal spell with chapter III this card is going to feel pretty insane, especially for two mana! Not all decks will do that consistently, though
Frantic Firebolt image 3.5 The base form of this card is mediocre, but if you can just get it to do 3 damage you’re talking about premium removal. That’s not a huge ask at all, especially in Red decks in the format, and that also means it has a really high ceiling. Basically, this has a bad floor, but it will almost never be that bad, and I think that means it does enough to be premium removal you take highly
Armory Mice image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is usually acceptable, and this will be a 3/3 some percentage of the time. I’m giving this a 2.
Bespoke Battlegarb image 0.0 This doesn’t look good. Two mana to play and two to equip for +2/+0 just…isn’t where you want to be. The Celebration trigger on it will let you equip it for free, but even when that’s the case I’m not especially interested
Stormkeld Prowler image 1.5 Two +1/+1 counters is pretty nice! But a two-mana 2/1…isn’t, and by the time you play your 5-drop and make this a 4/3, it isn’t like it will be unbeatable. There will also be times where you can’t grow until well beyond that turn.
Sweettooth Witch image 3.0 Giving up food to hurt your opponent can definitely have a place, and even be a win condition, and the base line of the card as a three mana 3/2 that makes a food isn’t a disaster
Scream Puff image 2.0 This is pretty beefy, although I think it would be much better if it made the food on ETB. That would allow it to be one of these big creatures that helps slower decks stabilize. It can still help you do that of course, but having to rumble with it in order to get food makes the card a little bit awkward
Rimefur Reindeer image 2.5 This has some serious potential, as tapping down just one thing a turn is often pretty great at allowing your aggressive deck to rumble, and that’s especially true if the enchantment augmented one of your creatures. But, when you aren’t triggering this regularly, it is a well below rate creature.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Candy Trail
Intruder Alarm image 0.0 This would be kind of interesting if this format had any creatures who can tap and make a free creature token, because obviously that lets you go infinite. There aren’t any of those, though, so mostly what you get out of this is pseudo-vigilance and a pseudo-lock down effect, but you don’t have any actual control over either. So, this isn’t really worth a card
Diminisher Witch image 2.5 Cursing an opposing creature isn’t the most powerful thing in the world, but when you Bargain this does upgrade your board and downgrade your opponents reasonably effectively.
Minecart Daredevil image 3.5 I like this a lot because it resembles some of the Adventures from last Eldraine that were huge overperformers. Yes, you’ve got a medicore trick on one side and a mediocre vanilla creature on the other, but you get both on one card, and both halves of this card can conceivably trade with something and that means you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Candy Trail image 1.5 Scry 2 on turn one doesn’t sound like a bad idea in a lot of situations, although using up a whole card to do it definitely isn’t appealing. However, the fact you can cash this in for a card and life later means you don’t use up a whole card. Still, in a format without a big artifact theme, these artifacts that have tiny effects have been fairly underwhelming
Plunge into Winter image 1.5 I think you end up with a decent rate when you cast this card, one that means you won’t feel bad about playing it. Tapping doesn’t always matter, but you do always get Scry 1 draw a card, and when tapping does matter – or even better – when you have a tap payoff in play – this gets significantly better.
Troublemaker Ouphe image 2.5 This feels like a two drop you want one of in every Green deck, simply because it provides main deck hate against permanent types that are very common in this format. You won’t always have something to get Bargain going, but at least the fail case is a Bear
Hopeful Vigil image 2.5 You get a reasonable body up front, and then you can sacrifice this to Bargain or other sacrifice effects. That does seem pretty doable, and the fact that you get a decent creature up front really makes this intriguing as far as two drops go. It also happens to trigger Celebration on its own.
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Pack 1 Pick 8: Verdant Outrider
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Freeze in Place image 2.0 While it isn’t quite removal, stunning a creature for three turns will feel like it is sometimes. Scry 2 combines nicely too, because you can use it to find whatever it is you desperately need, now that you bought yourself some time. The Blue/White deck in the format likes tapping things too, so getting some additional value here isn’t impossible.
Plunge into Winter image 1.5 I think you end up with a decent rate when you cast this card, one that means you won’t feel bad about playing it. Tapping doesn’t always matter, but you do always get Scry 1 draw a card, and when tapping does matter – or even better – when you have a tap payoff in play – this gets significantly better.
Misleading Motes image 3.0 We just saw this card but with a Lord of the Ringsy name, and it ended up being solid. It’s a 4 mana instant that removes…pretty much any creature. Keep in mind it is your opponent who decides where the creature goes
Verdant Outrider image 2.0 A three mana 4/2 usually has the big problem of dying to 2 power creatures, but obviously enough, Verdant Outrider can get around that. You won’t always have the time or mana to use that ability of course, but it definitely does enough for this to be solid filler
Sleight of Hand image 2.0 Seeing two cards for one mana tends to be a nice rate, and this will be especially good in this format’s spell deck, but running the first copy of this seems decent in most Blue decks. It is true that you only have so much space for cards that don’t impact the board, but this is efficient enough that it will make the cut a decent chunk of the time.
Diminisher Witch image 2.5 Cursing an opposing creature isn’t the most powerful thing in the world, but when you Bargain this does upgrade your board and downgrade your opponents reasonably effectively.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Forced Fruition
Forced Fruition image 0.0 The idea is to make your opponent mill themselves out before they can beat you with their overwhelming card advantage. The problem with that is if you ever play this when you’re behind or at parity, you’re probably going to lose. If you play it when you’re ahead your opponent probably can’t dig themselves out of milling themselves before they stabilize, but that still means this is a pretty big dud most of the time.
Charmed Clothier image 2.5 A 5-mana 3/3 flyer is not a good rate. Getting a role token does make a difference, and a card like this also triggers Celebration, so it does some nice stuff for a couple different decks in the format.
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Quick Study image 2.0 Instant speed Divination isn’t too shabby, though it doesn’t add to the board and that can always be a problem in Limited.
Bestial Bloodline image 1.0 +2/+2 is a nice boost for the cost, but you still set yourself up for an ugly 2-for-1, and even though this can come back from your graveyard the cost is so high that it is only something you do when you have absolutely nothing else you can do. And even then, it isn’t going to feel great
Redcap Thief image 2.5 This offers some nice fixing and ramp and can trigger celebration all on its own. That seems like something worth doing in Red decks in this format
Pack 1 Pick 10: Prophetic Prism
Succumb to the Cold image 1.5 This can be a nice tempo card that you can use to close out your opponent, and that’s especially true in Blue/White, which can get some extra value from the tapping. Still, it is fairly situational – if you can’t use it to finish your opponent off, or you have to use it defensively, it feels pretty bad
Prophetic Prism image 2.0 This is pretty solid every time we see it. It’s not going to be as good here as it would be an artifact-heavy set, but it replaces itself and does an okay job of fixing your mana
Savior of the Sleeping image 2.5 As we’ve seen there are a decent number of ways to get enchantments in the graveyard, so it isn’t that unreasonable to think getting a counter or two on this is doable
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Kindled Heroism image 1.5 We’ve seen this trick many times before and it’s always kind of okay. The boost can allow your creature to win a decent number of combats, and when you can make that happen for only one mana it feels pretty amazing. Still, it is a combat trick and one that isn’t always very impactful
Pack 1 Pick 11: Icewrought Sentry
Spreading Seas image 0.0 This doesn’t do much in Limited. Sure, if your opponent happens to only have one land that can produce one of their colors and you stick this on it, it can be pretty hilarious, but most of the time that’s not going to happen to them. Replacing itself just isn’t’ enough these days, it needs to actually…do something too, and this just won’t
Icewrought Sentry image 3.0 This looks pretty good to me. Tapping opposing blockers is always really good, and while paying mana for it isn’t ideal the fact that the Sentry becomes a 4/4 when you do it helps offset that downside. Blue-White has some other cards that involve tapping and getting paid off for it too, making paying that mana all the more appealing. It also doesn’t hurt that simply the threat of activation makes your opponent play the game differently. They have to account for the Sentry when thinking about how they are going to attack on their own turn.
Warehouse Tabby image 1.5 Take away the Enchantment part of this card and it’s…pretty bad. A one mana 1/1 with death touch is usually pretty solid, as it can trade for anything. This has the capacity to do that, but because you have to have mana up to do it and because you spend extra mana to make it do it, it is way worse than a one mana 1/1 that always has death touch. The fact it cranks out a few 1/1s is nice, but even in this format I don’t imagine this just giving you 1/1 after 1/1.
Eriette's Whisper image 1.5 4 mana to Mind Rot isn’t great, even if you do get a Role out of the deal. Spending this much and adding minimally to the board is just something you want to do in most formats.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Territorial Witchstalker
Eerie Interference image 0.0 Fog effects are almost always bad in Limited, even when they become one-sided. The problem is that they have far too narrow of a use-case
Territorial Witchstalker image 1.5 A two mana 2/3 with defender isn’t great, but in a defensive deck it isn’t unplayable, but the ceiling on this card just isn’t very high, and neither is the floor.
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Pack 1 Pick 13: Verdant Outrider
Commune with Nature image 1.5 We’ve seen this a lot. It usually lets you draw a card for one mana, and you see a huge chunk of your deck in Limited. But it just doesn’t always make the cut, you only have so much room for cards that don’t impact the board
Verdant Outrider image 2.0 A three mana 4/2 usually has the big problem of dying to 2 power creatures, but obviously enough, Verdant Outrider can get around that. You won’t always have the time or mana to use that ability of course, but it definitely does enough for this to be solid filler
Pack 1 Pick 14: Rimefur Reindeer
Rimefur Reindeer image 2.5 This has some serious potential, as tapping down just one thing a turn is often pretty great at allowing your aggressive deck to rumble, and that’s especially true if the enchantment augmented one of your creatures. But, when you aren’t triggering this regularly, it is a well below rate creature.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Gumdrop Poisoner
Stab Wound image 3.0 This has been a nice Limited card every time we’ve seen it. It feels good to outright kill something with it, but it feels even better to put it on a creature that doesn’t die because the Aura usually does enough to make that creature irrelevant while it also starts quickly pressuring your opponent’s life
Gumdrop Poisoner image 4.5 Obviously, the idea is that her food token can help set her up later in the game, and the format has plenty of other Food around too – so, casting the Poisoner and giving something -2/-2 until end of turn really isn’t going to be that difficult. You do need to spend extra mana to gain that life usually, but that type of turn is still going to feel powerful.
Frolicking Familiar image 4.0 You’ll often be able to pick off something small with the Adventure, and that means you’re talking about a potential 2-for-1. Then you get a 2/2 Flyer that can become a real problem of an attacker, especially when you leave your mana up, because your opponent has no idea exactly how big the Familiar is going to be
Tempest Hart image 3.5 Faithless looting for two mana is a really nice adventure to have. That kind of card selection can be huge, especially if you have nothing else to do on turn two. The creature side of this is decidedly less impressive because it starts inefficiently and asks you to do something that even in Blue-Green you’re not going to do so often that the Hart will just become absolutely massive. Even in a ramp deck you can only have so many cards in your deck with a mana value high enough to trigger it
Gadwick's First Duel image 1.5 // 3.5 Just getting a Cursed token for two mana isn’t terrible…though certainly not good either. It is very easy for your opponent to move the Cursed Role since all they have to do is use an effect that lets them put a role on one of their creatures. So, it’s a good thing it does some other stuff. Scry 2 helps set up chapter III in theory, and if you can copy something like a removal spell with chapter III this card is going to feel pretty insane, especially for two mana! Not all decks will do that consistently, though
Vantress Transmuter image 3.0 This doesn’t quite give you two cards, but I think it gets close enough, even with Croaking Curse being Sorcery speed. It lets you downgrade a creature and up your ability to attack, and then you get a decent creature on a future turn
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Brave the Wilds image 2.0 One green mana to search up a basic land is a borderline playable, especially if you’re playing more than two colors. The upside of animating a land means it can add to the board sometimes too
Kindled Heroism image 1.5 We’ve seen this trick many times before and it’s always kind of okay. The boost can allow your creature to win a decent number of combats, and when you can make that happen for only one mana it feels pretty amazing. Still, it is a combat trick and one that isn’t always very impactful
Bellowing Bruiser image 2.0 I’m high on most of the Adventure creatures in the set – this one doesn’t seem quite as good as the others. This is because it doesn’t really generate 2-for-1 type value or even close to it. It isn’t bad by any means, but the Adventure side is a highly situational card. It can be powerful in the right spot of course, and if you ever 8 mana to cast both halves that will feel pretty awesome, but overall, I don’t see Beat a Path being that impressive, and the same is true of a 5-mana 4/4 Haste. It’s still a solid card that will make the cut a decent chunk of the time – but most of the adventures in this set are a little better than that
Mocking Sprite image 2.5 This has almost reasonable stats, and reducing the costs of spells has some extra weight in this format thanks to Adventures, in addition to the fact that it just plays well in any Blue/Red deck.
Scream Puff image 2.0 This is pretty beefy, although I think it would be much better if it made the food on ETB. That would allow it to be one of these big creatures that helps slower decks stabilize. It can still help you do that of course, but having to rumble with it in order to get food makes the card a little bit awkward
Armory Mice image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is usually acceptable, and this will be a 3/3 some percentage of the time. I’m giving this a 2.
Kellan's Lightblades image 2.5 This kind of removal is never amazing, since it is as restrictive as it is. For example, if you’re trying to be aggressive, something that can only target an attacker of blocker is a lot worse. And that’s definitely true here. The Bargain upside is nice, as it makes it less restrictive. It can only kill attackers or blockers, but at least it can take down those with more than three toughness. Still, this isn’t premium removal, though it does get closer to being that in a slower deck
Pack 2 Pick 2: Twining Twins
Impact Tremors image 0.0 // 2.5 Like Goblin Bombardment, if your deck can make a lot of bodies, this does represent a pretty big problem for your opponent, although it is a very awkward top deck unlike Bombardment. Bombardment rewards you for already having things in play, Impact Tremors doesn’t
Twining Twins image 4.5 The Adventure side of this isn’t always going to be super useful, but it is more flexible than most versions of the effect that we see. It can go after opposing creatures, which means that in addition to helping you blink your own stuff, you can use it to temporarily get rid of a blocker. Then, the creature side is incredibly imposing and can take over the game all on its own
Tenacious Tomeseeker image 3.5 I like this. Getting a spell to your hand when you play a creature with passable stats sounds really good, and there are enough expendable things around in this format for that to work out pretty well. I will say Blue is probably lighter on expendable things to Bargain than any other color – it doesn’t have much in the way of treasure or food, and it even has fewer role tokens, so this won’t work out quite as well as some other Bargain cards in other colors. That said, you won’t be playing monoblue, so you may have access to that stuff anyway, and when you give up something like that, Tenacious Tomeseeker is going to be a 2-for-1
Embereth Veteran image 3.0 A one mana 2/1 can get in for decent damage on the first couple of turns, but tends to become irrelevant fairly quickly. This helps overcome that by letting you put a Young Hero Role on something, and while it’s not the most amazing of the Roles, since it requires the creature to be small to get a buff from it, it does mean the Veteran can significantly augment your creatures in some situations
Cheeky House-Mouse image 3.0 You can look at this as a two mana 2/1 with the Adventure side as an ETB ability, and that makes for a pretty nice card. Especially because it’s far more flexible than it would be if it was just a two drop.
Witch's Mark image 2.0 This is a nice Tormenting Voice variant. Even without the Role token this card is usually in the D+ or C- range, especially in a format with some graveyard stuff and a spell deck, and that’s true in this format. Actually adding to the board while digging deeper into your deck is going to feel pretty nice. You probably don’t desperately want more than one of these, although perhaps if you’re in the spell deck going deeper than that first copy might be worth it
Unassuming Sage image 2.0 Neither of these modes is a model of efficiency, but the second mode does at least get synergy going for Celebration and Aura decks
Territorial Witchstalker image 1.5 A two mana 2/3 with defender isn’t great, but in a defensive deck it isn’t unplayable, but the ceiling on this card just isn’t very high, and neither is the floor.
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Aquatic Alchemist image 1.5 Unfortunately, putting an instant or sorcery on top of your library from your graveyard isn’t a great effect all on its own. In fact, it’s card disadvantage. You go down a card and don’t get one back. This makes up for that some by also giving you a creature, I’m not really blown away by it either. We’ve seen cards with this same instant or sorcery trigger do pretty well, but most of the time they don’t have a restriction on how many times they can get buffed in a turn. Basically, both sides of this are fairly weak and not very impactful
Minecart Daredevil image 3.5 I like this a lot because it resembles some of the Adventures from last Eldraine that were huge overperformers. Yes, you’ve got a medicore trick on one side and a mediocre vanilla creature on the other, but you get both on one card, and both halves of this card can conceivably trade with something and that means you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Grabby Giant image 2.0 This offers you some decent ramp early, and a mediocre body with an expensive activated ability late. Notably, he can ramp into himself, if you cast the adventure and then him and a 4/3 with Reach on turn three isn’t too bad.
Bestial Bloodline image 1.0 +2/+2 is a nice boost for the cost, but you still set yourself up for an ugly 2-for-1, and even though this can come back from your graveyard the cost is so high that it is only something you do when you have absolutely nothing else you can do. And even then, it isn’t going to feel great
Pack 2 Pick 3: Sweettooth Witch
Talion's Messenger image 5.0 This is really strong, even on its own. Looting on attack is a powerful thing as we just saw in Lord of the Rings, and this also feels kind of like Connive, another strong mechanic from the recent past. Basically, this improves your card quality while growing on its own, and then there’s the fact that it lends the ability to other Faeries too. I think you’ll have another Faerie in play often enough when you play the Messenger that it will have an immediate impact on the board, and that combined with it’s ability to snowball makes it a bomb
Three Bowls of Porridge image 1.5 None of these modes is going to feel very efficient, but they do all do…something. Picking of a small creature will probably feel the best, but tapping things is certainly nice on the right board state, especially if you have a payoff for tapping something. Then it can of course do the Food thing. Still, the ability is expensive enough that having the mana around to actually use it isn’t guaranteed, and it isn’t like any of these modes is really going to make you feel like you’re getting there
Twisted Fealty image 1.5 This format doesn’t really have a sacrifice deck, and that’s usually the place for a Threaten effect. It isn’t unplayable, though. It will have a home in some really aggressive decks
Frolicking Familiar image 4.0 You’ll often be able to pick off something small with the Adventure, and that means you’re talking about a potential 2-for-1. Then you get a 2/2 Flyer that can become a real problem of an attacker, especially when you leave your mana up, because your opponent has no idea exactly how big the Familiar is going to be
Flick a Coin image 2.0 Each thing this does individually isn’t that impressive but getting them all for three mana seems like a decent enough deal, especially if you’re in the market for fixing. Still, it’s a fairly low impact card that probably won’t always make the cut.
Stockpiling Celebrant image 1.5 This can be used to rebuy ETBs and Adventures, which is cool. But if it’s not doing not doing that? Well, you’re playing an inefficient creature
Spider Food image 0.5 This format has a lot of targets for this, but there are also two lower rarity ways to Naturalize stuff in this format that are way better in the main deck. So, this is a sideboard card but one you probably won’t use very often
Tuinvale Guide image 2.5 This is mediocre without Celebration, and pretty nice when it is a 3/3 flying lifelinker. Triggering celebration is something you can do, but not so often that this will be anything special
Diminisher Witch image 2.5 Cursing an opposing creature isn’t the most powerful thing in the world, but when you Bargain this does upgrade your board and downgrade your opponents reasonably effectively.
Sweettooth Witch image 3.0 Giving up food to hurt your opponent can definitely have a place, and even be a win condition, and the base line of the card as a three mana 3/2 that makes a food isn’t a disaster
Frantic Firebolt image 3.5 The base form of this card is mediocre, but if you can just get it to do 3 damage you’re talking about premium removal. That’s not a huge ask at all, especially in Red decks in the format, and that also means it has a really high ceiling. Basically, this has a bad floor, but it will almost never be that bad, and I think that means it does enough to be premium removal you take highly
Grand Ball Guest image 2.0 A vanilla two mana 2/2 is probably a 1.0 these days, and while I think triggering celebration is doable, it isn’t going to happen so much that this will be a 3/3 with trample every turn or anything
Pack 2 Pick 4: Tough Cookie
Stormkeld Vanguard image 4.0 Speaking of main deck ways to destroy artifacts and enchantments….this card looks great. It’s very easy to hit something with Bear Down, and in the case of this card even hitting a token of some kind is acceptable, because you don’t use up an entire card to do it, since later in the game you get an efficient creature that is hard to block. This will generate 2-for-1s a decent chunk of the time too
Tough Cookie image 4.0 A two mana 2/2 that makes a Food on ETB is already a solid playable – especially because this happens to be a Food itself, giving it even more upside and synergy. The activated ability will not be something you are always able to find the time to use, but there will also be turns where this thing animates a couple of foods and really makes your opponent’s life difficult. Note, by the way, it can animate other noncreature artifacts too. While Food is going to be the most typical thing it will animate, there are some other cards in the format it can turn into 4/4s too
Korvold and the Noble Thief image 1.0 The turn you play this is going to feel really rough, because paying FOUR and not getting anything meaningful on the board is a pain. Especially because the next chapter does the same thing! But chapter III is a pretty nice payoff. You can use all that treasure to up your chances of playing your opponent’s stuff. It is a bit of a bummer that if you don’t make sure to hold on to that treasure, and your opponent is in different colors than you, you’re going to be out of luck when it comes to casting off-color things. Overall…I’m kind of skeptical here. I love the value Chapter III can generate, but it’s really slow, and I think that will make this a liability
Prophetic Prism image 2.0 This is pretty solid every time we see it. It’s not going to be as good here as it would be an artifact-heavy set, but it replaces itself and does an okay job of fixing your mana
Kellan's Lightblades image 2.5 This kind of removal is never amazing, since it is as restrictive as it is. For example, if you’re trying to be aggressive, something that can only target an attacker of blocker is a lot worse. And that’s definitely true here. The Bargain upside is nice, as it makes it less restrictive. It can only kill attackers or blockers, but at least it can take down those with more than three toughness. Still, this isn’t premium removal, though it does get closer to being that in a slower deck
Fell Horseman image 3.0 Like most of the Common adventure creatures, both sides of this look super underwhelming, but they do in fact often result in a 2-for-1, so it’s better than it looks
Mocking Sprite image 2.5 This has almost reasonable stats, and reducing the costs of spells has some extra weight in this format thanks to Adventures, in addition to the fact that it just plays well in any Blue/Red deck.
Sweettooth Witch image 3.0 Giving up food to hurt your opponent can definitely have a place, and even be a win condition, and the base line of the card as a three mana 3/2 that makes a food isn’t a disaster
Tuinvale Guide image 2.5 This is mediocre without Celebration, and pretty nice when it is a 3/3 flying lifelinker. Triggering celebration is something you can do, but not so often that this will be anything special
Gnawing Crescendo image 1.0 // 2.5 These effects don’t usually pan out that well in Limited. That said, this format looks like it can go wide in both Black/Red and Red/White, meaning this might have some more uses than usual. It is nice that you get something even if your creatures die, but the 1/1s that can’t block aren’t exactly going to help you on the back swing
Redtooth Genealogist image 3.0 This looks like a very good rate to me – it is basically a better version of a three mana 2/3 that puts a +1/+1 counter somewhere, and that card is usually quite good in Limited. I think this is one of Green’s best Commons
Pack 2 Pick 5: Faerie Dreamthief
Dark Tutelage image 1.5 Drawing extra cards is good, but mana values get high enough in most Limited decks that this might be a problem. If you have a really low curve this can end up being quite the card advantage engine, but I’m skeptical you’ll end up in a deck like that very often
A Tale for the Ages image 1.0 Even with all the Auras in this format, I have a hard time getting behind a card that does nothing but buff those Enchanted creatures. This is because it does nothing to add to the board on its own, making for a pretty miserable fail-case – one that is likely to come up pretty often
Faerie Dreamthief image 3.5 think I’m already in on a one mana 1/1 flyer that Surveils 1. So, the fact this can cash itself in from the graveyard and give you back a whole card is nice
Ice Out image 2.0 This is Cancel when you don’t Bargain it, and Counterspell when you do. 1 mana may not seem like much, but the chasm between those two cards is massive. The fact this has double blue in the cost really matters too, as Limited mana bases aren’t good enough for you to consistently be able to leave up two Blue mana for this.
Scarecrow Guide image 2.0 This is another way to fix your mana that is solid, but certainly not exciting
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Snaremaster Sprite image 3.0 Three mana for a 1/1 flyer that stuns something is probably already a playable card – especially in a format with a Faerie deck and some payoffs for tapping things, so the fact that you also have the option of just playing this on turn one makes this a nice Common
Beanstalk Wurm image 2.0 Extra land effects rarely play well in Limited, especially when not accompanied by a way to draw cards, so the adventure here is often not going to be good. If you have it on turn two and have nothing else to do, it might help you ramp a bit. Even then it isn’t guaranteed though, as a missed land drop makes that advantage disintegrates and by the later stages of the game it is increasingly meaningless, and if you don’t have the extra land to begin with it’s always meaningless. The other side is a passable creature, but I think the overall package here is underwhelming
Obyra's Attendants image 3.5 This has two-for-one potential, though it isn’t always going to be accessible. You need a board of some sort to turn Desperate Parry into a full card, but there are a number of ways you can. For example, you can triple block something and then use the Parry to make it so all your stuff survives and they lose their creature. Then you get a serviceable flyer later
Witch's Mark image 2.0 This is a nice Tormenting Voice variant. Even without the Role token this card is usually in the D+ or C- range, especially in a format with some graveyard stuff and a spell deck, and that’s true in this format. Actually adding to the board while digging deeper into your deck is going to feel pretty nice. You probably don’t desperately want more than one of these, although perhaps if you’re in the spell deck going deeper than that first copy might be worth it
Pack 2 Pick 6: Spiteful Hexmage
Spiteful Hexmage image 3.0 On its own this is effectively a one mana 1/1 – but getting rid of that Curse isn’t that hard. You can simply find a way to put another role on the hexmage, or you can sacrifice it to bargain. So chances are pretty good you can find a way to get value out of the Curse. You of course also have the option later in the game to put the curse somewhere else – like on a creature that is already incapacitated in one way or another, and a 3/2 body is imposing enough that the Hexmage is likely to usually matter. Basically, I think you can get enough mileage out of the Curse and this efficient body for this to play out reasonably well
Tempest Hart image 3.5 Faithless looting for two mana is a really nice adventure to have. That kind of card selection can be huge, especially if you have nothing else to do on turn two. The creature side of this is decidedly less impressive because it starts inefficiently and asks you to do something that even in Blue-Green you’re not going to do so often that the Hart will just become absolutely massive. Even in a ramp deck you can only have so many cards in your deck with a mana value high enough to trigger it
Living Lectern image 3.0 It feels like giving this up for a card and a Sorcerer role is going to generate some serious value, and the fact it can sit around as a reasonable blocker until you feel like doing that seems pretty good
Merfolk Coralsmith image 2.0 Creatures who can modulate their power always play a little better than they look, as that flexibility lets them do a wide range of things. This can trade with things that have as much as 4 toughness and hit pretty hard when you want it to. The Scry trigger is a nice additional effect too
Fell Horseman image 3.0 Like most of the Common adventure creatures, both sides of this look super underwhelming, but they do in fact often result in a 2-for-1, so it’s better than it looks
Titanic Growth image 2.0 We’ve seen this a ton and it’s always a playable trick. It makes it so most creatures can win combat against most other creatures, and the stats boost is even good against some removal
Toadstool Admirer image 0.0 This doesn’t seem very good to me. A one mana 1/1 with Ward 2 just…doesn’t matter, and even though this can eventually put counters on itself, it only does so in the extreme late game, and it will take it way too long for it to ever be relevant
Tuinvale Guide image 2.5 This is mediocre without Celebration, and pretty nice when it is a 3/3 flying lifelinker. Triggering celebration is something you can do, but not so often that this will be anything special
Aquatic Alchemist image 1.5 Unfortunately, putting an instant or sorcery on top of your library from your graveyard isn’t a great effect all on its own. In fact, it’s card disadvantage. You go down a card and don’t get one back. This makes up for that some by also giving you a creature, I’m not really blown away by it either. We’ve seen cards with this same instant or sorcery trigger do pretty well, but most of the time they don’t have a restriction on how many times they can get buffed in a turn. Basically, both sides of this are fairly weak and not very impactful
Pack 2 Pick 7: Callous Sell-Sword
Callous Sell-Sword image 2.5 The Adventure side of this is…not good on it’s own, since it’s would be a 2-for-1. It’s basically a worse version of Bone Splinters, and it isn’t like Bone Splinters is an amazing card. Obviously, it does get better being attached to a two mana 2/2 with upside, and if you did use Burn Together to kill something that turn, it will be a 3/3. I will say that the Sell-Sword side of this is going to be harder than it looks to get counters on. We’ve seen creatures like this before – including some with Flash – and it is surprisingly difficult to manufacture situations where you end up with a sizable creature
Soul-Guide Lantern image 0.5 This can hate on the graveyard quite effectively, and in a pinch it can replace itself. It’s a sideboard card.
Minecart Daredevil image 3.5 I like this a lot because it resembles some of the Adventures from last Eldraine that were huge overperformers. Yes, you’ve got a medicore trick on one side and a mediocre vanilla creature on the other, but you get both on one card, and both halves of this card can conceivably trade with something and that means you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Diminisher Witch image 2.5 Cursing an opposing creature isn’t the most powerful thing in the world, but when you Bargain this does upgrade your board and downgrade your opponents reasonably effectively.
Unassuming Sage image 2.0 Neither of these modes is a model of efficiency, but the second mode does at least get synergy going for Celebration and Aura decks
Sugar Rush image 1.5 This replaces itself, but the buff is highly unlikely to be that useful in combat. Sure, it probably lets you kill something, but most of the time whatever you cast this on will die two. Drawing the card does keep you from getting 2-for-1’d, but it doesn’t really make up for the tempo you lose. It does get a little better with Rat tokens, but I’d still steer clear of it most of the time
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Ice Out image 2.0 This is Cancel when you don’t Bargain it, and Counterspell when you do. 1 mana may not seem like much, but the chasm between those two cards is massive. The fact this has double blue in the cost really matters too, as Limited mana bases aren’t good enough for you to consistently be able to leave up two Blue mana for this.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Tanglespan Lookout
Season of Growth image 2.0 The Scry effect alone isn’t enough to run this, but the good news is there are several green cards in the set that will trigger this, even at lower rarities. They are combat tricks of course, but this also works pretty well with all the fight and bite spells, as it will make them into 2-for-1s, which is actually pretty nuts. So, I think you can actually play one of these in most Green decks and have it do something, and in some of them it might be really nuts
Tanglespan Lookout image 3.5 An Enchantress effect is looking pretty good in this format, even on a card that specifically cares about Auras. One of the big mechanics in the set just makes Aura tokens, so the Lookout is going ot be able to drw you a card pretty often. It’s also nice that it is a ⅔, as I feel like often times we’d get a 2/2 with this text box. That 3rd toughness makes a pretty huge difference in making the card’s baseline a lot less miserable
Frostbridge Guard image 1.5 This has somewhat passable stats, and it has an ability that is useful, albeit expensive. Tapping things does bring some extra value in this format, but three for the effect is kind of brutal. I miss the days of Master Decoy
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Beanstalk Wurm image 2.0 Extra land effects rarely play well in Limited, especially when not accompanied by a way to draw cards, so the adventure here is often not going to be good. If you have it on turn two and have nothing else to do, it might help you ramp a bit. Even then it isn’t guaranteed though, as a missed land drop makes that advantage disintegrates and by the later stages of the game it is increasingly meaningless, and if you don’t have the extra land to begin with it’s always meaningless. The other side is a passable creature, but I think the overall package here is underwhelming
Brave the Wilds image 2.0 One green mana to search up a basic land is a borderline playable, especially if you’re playing more than two colors. The upside of animating a land means it can add to the board sometimes too
Sugar Rush image 1.5 This replaces itself, but the buff is highly unlikely to be that useful in combat. Sure, it probably lets you kill something, but most of the time whatever you cast this on will die two. Drawing the card does keep you from getting 2-for-1’d, but it doesn’t really make up for the tempo you lose. It does get a little better with Rat tokens, but I’d still steer clear of it most of the time
Pack 2 Pick 9: Scream Puff
Tempest Hart image 3.5 Faithless looting for two mana is a really nice adventure to have. That kind of card selection can be huge, especially if you have nothing else to do on turn two. The creature side of this is decidedly less impressive because it starts inefficiently and asks you to do something that even in Blue-Green you’re not going to do so often that the Hart will just become absolutely massive. Even in a ramp deck you can only have so many cards in your deck with a mana value high enough to trigger it
Gadwick's First Duel image 1.5 // 3.5 Just getting a Cursed token for two mana isn’t terrible…though certainly not good either. It is very easy for your opponent to move the Cursed Role since all they have to do is use an effect that lets them put a role on one of their creatures. So, it’s a good thing it does some other stuff. Scry 2 helps set up chapter III in theory, and if you can copy something like a removal spell with chapter III this card is going to feel pretty insane, especially for two mana! Not all decks will do that consistently, though
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Brave the Wilds image 2.0 One green mana to search up a basic land is a borderline playable, especially if you’re playing more than two colors. The upside of animating a land means it can add to the board sometimes too
Kindled Heroism image 1.5 We’ve seen this trick many times before and it’s always kind of okay. The boost can allow your creature to win a decent number of combats, and when you can make that happen for only one mana it feels pretty amazing. Still, it is a combat trick and one that isn’t always very impactful
Scream Puff image 2.0 This is pretty beefy, although I think it would be much better if it made the food on ETB. That would allow it to be one of these big creatures that helps slower decks stabilize. It can still help you do that of course, but having to rumble with it in order to get food makes the card a little bit awkward
Pack 2 Pick 10: Bestial Bloodline
Impact Tremors image 0.0 // 2.5 Like Goblin Bombardment, if your deck can make a lot of bodies, this does represent a pretty big problem for your opponent, although it is a very awkward top deck unlike Bombardment. Bombardment rewards you for already having things in play, Impact Tremors doesn’t
Witch's Mark image 2.0 This is a nice Tormenting Voice variant. Even without the Role token this card is usually in the D+ or C- range, especially in a format with some graveyard stuff and a spell deck, and that’s true in this format. Actually adding to the board while digging deeper into your deck is going to feel pretty nice. You probably don’t desperately want more than one of these, although perhaps if you’re in the spell deck going deeper than that first copy might be worth it
Unassuming Sage image 2.0 Neither of these modes is a model of efficiency, but the second mode does at least get synergy going for Celebration and Aura decks
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Bestial Bloodline image 1.0 +2/+2 is a nice boost for the cost, but you still set yourself up for an ugly 2-for-1, and even though this can come back from your graveyard the cost is so high that it is only something you do when you have absolutely nothing else you can do. And even then, it isn’t going to feel great
Pack 2 Pick 11: Three Bowls of Porridge
Three Bowls of Porridge image 1.5 None of these modes is going to feel very efficient, but they do all do…something. Picking of a small creature will probably feel the best, but tapping things is certainly nice on the right board state, especially if you have a payoff for tapping something. Then it can of course do the Food thing. Still, the ability is expensive enough that having the mana around to actually use it isn’t guaranteed, and it isn’t like any of these modes is really going to make you feel like you’re getting there
Twisted Fealty image 1.5 This format doesn’t really have a sacrifice deck, and that’s usually the place for a Threaten effect. It isn’t unplayable, though. It will have a home in some really aggressive decks
Flick a Coin image 2.0 Each thing this does individually isn’t that impressive but getting them all for three mana seems like a decent enough deal, especially if you’re in the market for fixing. Still, it’s a fairly low impact card that probably won’t always make the cut.
Spider Food image 0.5 This format has a lot of targets for this, but there are also two lower rarity ways to Naturalize stuff in this format that are way better in the main deck. So, this is a sideboard card but one you probably won’t use very often
Pack 2 Pick 12: Redtooth Genealogist
Fell Horseman image 3.0 Like most of the Common adventure creatures, both sides of this look super underwhelming, but they do in fact often result in a 2-for-1, so it’s better than it looks
Tuinvale Guide image 2.5 This is mediocre without Celebration, and pretty nice when it is a 3/3 flying lifelinker. Triggering celebration is something you can do, but not so often that this will be anything special
Redtooth Genealogist image 3.0 This looks like a very good rate to me – it is basically a better version of a three mana 2/3 that puts a +1/+1 counter somewhere, and that card is usually quite good in Limited. I think this is one of Green’s best Commons
Pack 2 Pick 13: Not Dead After All
Dark Tutelage image 1.5 Drawing extra cards is good, but mana values get high enough in most Limited decks that this might be a problem. If you have a really low curve this can end up being quite the card advantage engine, but I’m skeptical you’ll end up in a deck like that very often
Not Dead After All image 1.5 This is an interesting take on this type of effect since the creature gets to return with a buff. Unfortunately, when we see this effect completely absent of an upfront power boost, it hasn’t really played super well. It does work well against removal, but not working that well in combat is a an issue.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Titanic Growth
Titanic Growth image 2.0 We’ve seen this a ton and it’s always a playable trick. It makes it so most creatures can win combat against most other creatures, and the stats boost is even good against some removal
Pack 3 Pick 1: Redtooth Vanguard
Aggravated Assault image 0.0 Paying a total of 8 mana for an extra combat step a good way to lose. There will be times where you can use that extra combat step to great effect, but there will be more when you have neither the time nor the mana, nor the board state to actually make this matter
The Apprentice's Folly image 3.5 Those first two chapters can deliver some pretty absurd value, as making a hasty token copy of your best and then second-best creature can be a pretty serious beating. The first one will even get to attack twice! The bad news is, if you can’t take advantage of those tokens in time, you’re in trouble, because the Folly ultimately takes them away from you. Still, it seems like you should be able to get enough value out of those two tokens before the Folly goes away. Worth noting that you can sacrifice this to something with bargain before you reach chapter 3, in which case the downside goes away entirely. That’s where the power really is. It will feel pretty close to a bomb if you can do it consistently
Glass Casket image 3.5 This was in Eldraine the last time, and it was a card that just barely reached premium removal status. It can deal with lots of things efficiently, and the fact it exiles is usually upside
Redtooth Vanguard image 3.5 This 3/1 trampler is going to be able to come back from the graveyard a ton in this format, and while you won’t always have the mana to make it happen, bringing this back constantly does represent a major problem for your opponent, whether you’re behind or ahead. If you’re ahead it can attack for free in some decks, and when you’re behind it can block and trade forever. The fact it doesn’t enter tapped like some recursive creatures is a pretty big deal too
Boundary Lands Ranger image 2.5 This has solid base stats, and if you can get it to rummage every turn it will feel pretty impressive. A two mana 2/2 that just gave you the option of rummaging every combat would be nice. That’s some pretty great card selection that can really turn a game around for you. Obviously, this doesn’t quite get there, but it seems fine
Frostbridge Guard image 1.5 This has somewhat passable stats, and it has an ability that is useful, albeit expensive. Tapping things does bring some extra value in this format, but three for the effect is kind of brutal. I miss the days of Master Decoy
Kindled Heroism image 1.5 We’ve seen this trick many times before and it’s always kind of okay. The boost can allow your creature to win a decent number of combats, and when you can make that happen for only one mana it feels pretty amazing. Still, it is a combat trick and one that isn’t always very impactful
Spider Food image 0.5 This format has a lot of targets for this, but there are also two lower rarity ways to Naturalize stuff in this format that are way better in the main deck. So, this is a sideboard card but one you probably won’t use very often
Freeze in Place image 2.0 While it isn’t quite removal, stunning a creature for three turns will feel like it is sometimes. Scry 2 combines nicely too, because you can use it to find whatever it is you desperately need, now that you bought yourself some time. The Blue/White deck in the format likes tapping things too, so getting some additional value here isn’t impossible.
Hopeless Nightmare image 2.5 One mana to make your opponent discard and lose 2 life is an acceptable rate, and after that point the Nightmare is great fodder for cards with Bargain. It’s definitely a role-player, but something you probably want one of in Black if you have a few cards that Bargain
Ratcatcher Trainee image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 with first strike when it attacks is a great aggressive creature in Limited, and this one can make you a couple of 1/1s too. It is a bit odd as far as adventures go, because this is one where you probably cast it fairly often without ever using the Adventure part, where with most of them it makes a lot of sense to try to get the full value. Here, you’re not going to do that as often, but it still has big upside because if you draw it late you can get the tokens and the 2/1 all in a single turn. The Adventure side can also get celebration going all on its own
Grabby Giant image 2.0 This offers you some decent ramp early, and a mediocre body with an expensive activated ability late. Notably, he can ramp into himself, if you cast the adventure and then him and a 4/3 with Reach on turn three isn’t too bad.
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Prophetic Prism image 2.0 This is pretty solid every time we see it. It’s not going to be as good here as it would be an artifact-heavy set, but it replaces itself and does an okay job of fixing your mana
Pack 3 Pick 2: Ferocious Werefox
Griffin Aerie image 0.0 // 3.0 I think this has potential, at least in some decks. Food isn’t that readily available in White, but if you’re paired with Black or Green, you’re going to have food – and this basically adds “make a 2/2 flying token” to your food getting sacrificed and that’s honestly…kind of insane. There are other ways to gain life in White too of course, but that’s the one that immediately springs to mind when you see a card that has a threshold of 3 life for it to do something. It needs a build around grade, since not all White decks will trigger it enough, but I think this can make a whole lot of tokens in the right deck
Pollen-Shield Hare image 3.5 When it has a big enough friend around, it is going to be an intimidating attacker on any board – and that alone is enough for the Ruiner to be relevant almost all game long. This is a case where I think you probably do play this as a two drop when you have it on turn two, because while the Adventure is a nice bit of value to have, making sure you get it isn’t that important. Obviously, like a lot of these, it is fun how it synergizes with itself, as Stolen Goodies is likely to make one of your creatures have 4 or more power so that the Ruiner can do its thing. Basically, if you draw this later you’ll probably cast both halves, but if you have it early, you’re probably just playing it as a creature. Both of those options feel pretty good, though There are certainly creature tokens in this format, and Hare Raising will sometimes be an absolute beating. Both sides of this have a really high ceiling, but the floor is actually pretty nice too, as even on their own both halves actually do something. I mean, imagine this as a three mana 2/2 with Hare Raising as the ETB
Bitter Chill image 3.0 This effect at two mana is nice, especially because this comes with some nice insurance most versions of it don’t. One of the big downsides of Aura removal is that if your opponent sacrifices or bounces their thing, it feels horrible. In this case, if you have 1 mana up, it’s going to feel a lot less horrible. So, this really gets around that downside in a significant way, and it’s efficient – so overall, I think this is actually Blue premium removal. Something we don’t see a whole lot of
Collector's Vault image 1.5 This is probably a little too clunky to be worth it. Looting and treasure is nice of course, but the number of turns where you have the time and mana to activated this ability will be surprisingly limited
Bespoke Battlegarb image 0.0 This doesn’t look good. Two mana to play and two to equip for +2/+0 just…isn’t where you want to be. The Celebration trigger on it will let you equip it for free, but even when that’s the case I’m not especially interested
Gingerbrute image 2.5 He’s back! He wasn’t too bad as a beater last time around, and that will be pretty true here too with all of the Role tokens. Putting one on him and going to town with him is definitely going to be a way to close out a game
Leaping Ambush image 1.0 They put a trick like this in almost every format, and it is almost always bad. Tricks are at their best when you use them offensively, because your opponent is less likely to have mana up to blow you out – so a trick that gets like 2/3s of its value from being used defensively just isn’t worth it
Warehouse Tabby image 1.5 Take away the Enchantment part of this card and it’s…pretty bad. A one mana 1/1 with death touch is usually pretty solid, as it can trade for anything. This has the capacity to do that, but because you have to have mana up to do it and because you spend extra mana to make it do it, it is way worse than a one mana 1/1 that always has death touch. The fact it cranks out a few 1/1s is nice, but even in this format I don’t imagine this just giving you 1/1 after 1/1.
Merfolk Coralsmith image 2.0 Creatures who can modulate their power always play a little better than they look, as that flexibility lets them do a wide range of things. This can trade with things that have as much as 4 toughness and hit pretty hard when you want it to. The Scry trigger is a nice additional effect too
Redtooth Genealogist image 3.0 This looks like a very good rate to me – it is basically a better version of a three mana 2/3 that puts a +1/+1 counter somewhere, and that card is usually quite good in Limited. I think this is one of Green’s best Commons
Rimefur Reindeer image 2.5 This has some serious potential, as tapping down just one thing a turn is often pretty great at allowing your aggressive deck to rumble, and that’s especially true if the enchantment augmented one of your creatures. But, when you aren’t triggering this regularly, it is a well below rate creature.
Slumbering Keepguard image 2.0 It is kind of nice that this is a one-drop that can threaten to get significantly larger late, as that means it maintains some relevance all game long. The incidental Scry you get doesn’t hurt either
Ferocious Werefox image 3.5 Buffing a creature at instant speed earlier and getting a reasonable 4-drop later means this delivers some serious value for a Common
Pack 3 Pick 3: Tough Cookie
Knightly Valor image 3.0 I’ve liked this Aura every time we’ve seen it. This is because it adds a body to the board in addition to offering a significant buff. Because of that body, this Aura helps get around the inherent downside they have, as it becomes much harder for you to get 2-for-1’d when the Aura gives you a token. It also triggers Celebration
Tough Cookie image 4.0 A two mana 2/2 that makes a Food on ETB is already a solid playable – especially because this happens to be a Food itself, giving it even more upside and synergy. The activated ability will not be something you are always able to find the time to use, but there will also be turns where this thing animates a couple of foods and really makes your opponent’s life difficult. Note, by the way, it can animate other noncreature artifacts too. While Food is going to be the most typical thing it will animate, there are some other cards in the format it can turn into 4/4s too
Eerie Interference image 0.0 Fog effects are almost always bad in Limited, even when they become one-sided. The problem is that they have far too narrow of a use-case
Ratcatcher Trainee image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 with first strike when it attacks is a great aggressive creature in Limited, and this one can make you a couple of 1/1s too. It is a bit odd as far as adventures go, because this is one where you probably cast it fairly often without ever using the Adventure part, where with most of them it makes a lot of sense to try to get the full value. Here, you’re not going to do that as often, but it still has big upside because if you draw it late you can get the tokens and the 2/1 all in a single turn. The Adventure side can also get celebration going all on its own
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Quick Study image 2.0 Instant speed Divination isn’t too shabby, though it doesn’t add to the board and that can always be a problem in Limited.
Tuinvale Guide image 2.5 This is mediocre without Celebration, and pretty nice when it is a 3/3 flying lifelinker. Triggering celebration is something you can do, but not so often that this will be anything special
Break the Spell image 2.0 This is probably going to be something that can stay in your main deck. There are many Enchantments in this set, including the Role tokens. Destroying those normally wouldn’t be that good, but because this draws you a card when you hit one, the effect is much better. The times where you hit a legitimate Enchantment are going to feel nice too. There are plenty of expendable enchantments around and sometimes you’ll just target one of yours for value too.
Johann's Stopgap image 2.5 4 mana to bounce something and draw a card is usually playable. It lets you break even on cards while setting your opponent back a little. With bargain in the mix, this moves up another notch – probably to the point where the first copy is something you feel decent about having in all of your Blue decks
Aquatic Alchemist image 1.5 Unfortunately, putting an instant or sorcery on top of your library from your graveyard isn’t a great effect all on its own. In fact, it’s card disadvantage. You go down a card and don’t get one back. This makes up for that some by also giving you a creature, I’m not really blown away by it either. We’ve seen cards with this same instant or sorcery trigger do pretty well, but most of the time they don’t have a restriction on how many times they can get buffed in a turn. Basically, both sides of this are fairly weak and not very impactful
Hamlet Glutton image 3.0 I always love a big ol’ green creature that gains me life when it ETBs, because it allows slower decks to stabilize. If this always cost 7 it would be overcosted, but because Bargaining this looks so doable, it will often cost 5 and you won’t have to give up much to make it happen. Red-Green and Blue-Green will both always want at least one copy of this
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Pack 3 Pick 4: Sentinel of Lost Lore
Impact Tremors image 0.0 // 2.5 Like Goblin Bombardment, if your deck can make a lot of bodies, this does represent a pretty big problem for your opponent, although it is a very awkward top deck unlike Bombardment. Bombardment rewards you for already having things in play, Impact Tremors doesn’t
Sentinel of Lost Lore image 3.5 You’ll usually be able to get some value out of two of the three ETB options, and you get a creature with great stats too
Disdainful Stroke image 0.5 This is a sideboard card. Most opponents won’t have enough things you can counter with this for it to be worth it.
Woodland Acolyte image 3.5 I would always play a three mana 2/2 that draws me a card, and this is a lot better than that. Because of the Adventure, you can really look at it as a potential 4-mana 2/2 that gets you a permanent back from your graveyard – and that is also a card I would probably always play. Even playing this in a deck that can never cast the Adventure sounds really good
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Unassuming Sage image 2.0 Neither of these modes is a model of efficiency, but the second mode does at least get synergy going for Celebration and Aura decks
Frantic Firebolt image 3.5 The base form of this card is mediocre, but if you can just get it to do 3 damage you’re talking about premium removal. That’s not a huge ask at all, especially in Red decks in the format, and that also means it has a really high ceiling. Basically, this has a bad floor, but it will almost never be that bad, and I think that means it does enough to be premium removal you take highly
Hamlet Glutton image 3.0 I always love a big ol’ green creature that gains me life when it ETBs, because it allows slower decks to stabilize. If this always cost 7 it would be overcosted, but because Bargaining this looks so doable, it will often cost 5 and you won’t have to give up much to make it happen. Red-Green and Blue-Green will both always want at least one copy of this
Bellowing Bruiser image 2.0 I’m high on most of the Adventure creatures in the set – this one doesn’t seem quite as good as the others. This is because it doesn’t really generate 2-for-1 type value or even close to it. It isn’t bad by any means, but the Adventure side is a highly situational card. It can be powerful in the right spot of course, and if you ever 8 mana to cast both halves that will feel pretty awesome, but overall, I don’t see Beat a Path being that impressive, and the same is true of a 5-mana 4/4 Haste. It’s still a solid card that will make the cut a decent chunk of the time – but most of the adventures in this set are a little better than that
Sugar Rush image 1.5 This replaces itself, but the buff is highly unlikely to be that useful in combat. Sure, it probably lets you kill something, but most of the time whatever you cast this on will die two. Drawing the card does keep you from getting 2-for-1’d, but it doesn’t really make up for the tempo you lose. It does get a little better with Rat tokens, but I’d still steer clear of it most of the time
Verdant Outrider image 2.0 A three mana 4/2 usually has the big problem of dying to 2 power creatures, but obviously enough, Verdant Outrider can get around that. You won’t always have the time or mana to use that ability of course, but it definitely does enough for this to be solid filler
Pack 3 Pick 5: Hamlet Glutton
Griffin Aerie image 0.0 // 3.0 I think this has potential, at least in some decks. Food isn’t that readily available in White, but if you’re paired with Black or Green, you’re going to have food – and this basically adds “make a 2/2 flying token” to your food getting sacrificed and that’s honestly…kind of insane. There are other ways to gain life in White too of course, but that’s the one that immediately springs to mind when you see a card that has a threshold of 3 life for it to do something. It needs a build around grade, since not all White decks will trigger it enough, but I think this can make a whole lot of tokens in the right deck
Tanglespan Lookout image 3.5 An Enchantress effect is looking pretty good in this format, even on a card that specifically cares about Auras. One of the big mechanics in the set just makes Aura tokens, so the Lookout is going ot be able to drw you a card pretty often. It’s also nice that it is a ⅔, as I feel like often times we’d get a 2/2 with this text box. That 3rd toughness makes a pretty huge difference in making the card’s baseline a lot less miserable
Gingerbrute image 2.5 He’s back! He wasn’t too bad as a beater last time around, and that will be pretty true here too with all of the Role tokens. Putting one on him and going to town with him is definitely going to be a way to close out a game
Sugar Rush image 1.5 This replaces itself, but the buff is highly unlikely to be that useful in combat. Sure, it probably lets you kill something, but most of the time whatever you cast this on will die two. Drawing the card does keep you from getting 2-for-1’d, but it doesn’t really make up for the tempo you lose. It does get a little better with Rat tokens, but I’d still steer clear of it most of the time
Plunge into Winter image 1.5 I think you end up with a decent rate when you cast this card, one that means you won’t feel bad about playing it. Tapping doesn’t always matter, but you do always get Scry 1 draw a card, and when tapping does matter – or even better – when you have a tap payoff in play – this gets significantly better.
Stormkeld Prowler image 1.5 Two +1/+1 counters is pretty nice! But a two-mana 2/1…isn’t, and by the time you play your 5-drop and make this a 4/3, it isn’t like it will be unbeatable. There will also be times where you can’t grow until well beyond that turn.
Harried Spearguard image 1.5 This is great in terms of sacrifice fodder, as it gives you two bodies for the price of 1. It also isn’t bad just based on the rate you get out of it. But it’s nothing special either. It will quickly get outclassed in most games and be relegated into chump block mode
Grabby Giant image 2.0 This offers you some decent ramp early, and a mediocre body with an expensive activated ability late. Notably, he can ramp into himself, if you cast the adventure and then him and a 4/3 with Reach on turn three isn’t too bad.
Hamlet Glutton image 3.0 I always love a big ol’ green creature that gains me life when it ETBs, because it allows slower decks to stabilize. If this always cost 7 it would be overcosted, but because Bargaining this looks so doable, it will often cost 5 and you won’t have to give up much to make it happen. Red-Green and Blue-Green will both always want at least one copy of this
Armory Mice image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is usually acceptable, and this will be a 3/3 some percentage of the time. I’m giving this a 2.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Sweettooth Witch
Compulsion image 1.0 This is pretty bad. Sure, rummaging can be nice, but having to pay mana to do it is a big downside, and even though this can replace itself you have to invest 4 mana to get there.
Johann, Apprentice Sorcerer image 3.5 This effect is really powerful, even when limited to once per turn. If your deck has enough instants and sorceries in it, this will end up drawing you an extra card on many turns and that’s just crazy. This gets even better if you use draw effects or other things to manipulate the top of your library, as you increase your chances of getting that card on top. I like the high toughness here too, as it means Johann is an engine that isn’t super easy to kill
Ruby, Daring Tracker image 3.5 It can ramp your mana quite effectively, and that makes it more likely that you can get a creature with power 4 or great into play quickly, at which point Ruby herself becomes a significantly better attacker. There will also be times in the mid to late game when you draw her and can already trigger her ability, in which case she becomes a two mana ¾ with Haste, which is going to feel pretty good
Hopeful Vigil image 2.5 You get a reasonable body up front, and then you can sacrifice this to Bargain or other sacrifice effects. That does seem pretty doable, and the fact that you get a decent creature up front really makes this intriguing as far as two drops go. It also happens to trigger Celebration on its own.
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Titanic Growth image 2.0 We’ve seen this a ton and it’s always a playable trick. It makes it so most creatures can win combat against most other creatures, and the stats boost is even good against some removal
Sweettooth Witch image 3.0 Giving up food to hurt your opponent can definitely have a place, and even be a win condition, and the base line of the card as a three mana 3/2 that makes a food isn’t a disaster
Skybeast Tracker image 1.5 A 4-mana 2/4 with Reach is not very good these days, though you could do worse if you need something defensive. This will make some food sometimes, which certainly has its uses in the format
Kellan's Lightblades image 2.5 This kind of removal is never amazing, since it is as restrictive as it is. For example, if you’re trying to be aggressive, something that can only target an attacker of blocker is a lot worse. And that’s definitely true here. The Bargain upside is nice, as it makes it less restrictive. It can only kill attackers or blockers, but at least it can take down those with more than three toughness. Still, this isn’t premium removal, though it does get closer to being that in a slower deck
Pack 3 Pick 7: Callous Sell-Sword
Season of Growth image 2.0 The Scry effect alone isn’t enough to run this, but the good news is there are several green cards in the set that will trigger this, even at lower rarities. They are combat tricks of course, but this also works pretty well with all the fight and bite spells, as it will make them into 2-for-1s, which is actually pretty nuts. So, I think you can actually play one of these in most Green decks and have it do something, and in some of them it might be really nuts
Food Fight image 0.0 So, this lets you sacrifice your artifacts to do 2 damage with them. That’s…could be good, but there aren’t really enough Artifacts in Red for this to really work out. If you pair with one of the food colors it might do a little more work, but it still seems really hard to build around this
Callous Sell-Sword image 2.5 The Adventure side of this is…not good on it’s own, since it’s would be a 2-for-1. It’s basically a worse version of Bone Splinters, and it isn’t like Bone Splinters is an amazing card. Obviously, it does get better being attached to a two mana 2/2 with upside, and if you did use Burn Together to kill something that turn, it will be a 3/3. I will say that the Sell-Sword side of this is going to be harder than it looks to get counters on. We’ve seen creatures like this before – including some with Flash – and it is surprisingly difficult to manufacture situations where you end up with a sizable creature
Harried Spearguard image 1.5 This is great in terms of sacrifice fodder, as it gives you two bodies for the price of 1. It also isn’t bad just based on the rate you get out of it. But it’s nothing special either. It will quickly get outclassed in most games and be relegated into chump block mode
Return from the Wilds image 2.0 A three mana 1/1 that rampant growths is a solid enough card, and ramping does look fairly viable in this format. This can also give you food when you reach the part of the game where more lands doesn’t do you any good
Armory Mice image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is usually acceptable, and this will be a 3/3 some percentage of the time. I’m giving this a 2.
Freeze in Place image 2.0 While it isn’t quite removal, stunning a creature for three turns will feel like it is sometimes. Scry 2 combines nicely too, because you can use it to find whatever it is you desperately need, now that you bought yourself some time. The Blue/White deck in the format likes tapping things too, so getting some additional value here isn’t impossible.
Diminisher Witch image 2.5 Cursing an opposing creature isn’t the most powerful thing in the world, but when you Bargain this does upgrade your board and downgrade your opponents reasonably effectively.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Conceited Witch
Callous Sell-Sword image 2.5 The Adventure side of this is…not good on it’s own, since it’s would be a 2-for-1. It’s basically a worse version of Bone Splinters, and it isn’t like Bone Splinters is an amazing card. Obviously, it does get better being attached to a two mana 2/2 with upside, and if you did use Burn Together to kill something that turn, it will be a 3/3. I will say that the Sell-Sword side of this is going to be harder than it looks to get counters on. We’ve seen creatures like this before – including some with Flash – and it is surprisingly difficult to manufacture situations where you end up with a sizable creature
Stockpiling Celebrant image 1.5 This can be used to rebuy ETBs and Adventures, which is cool. But if it’s not doing not doing that? Well, you’re playing an inefficient creature
Toadstool Admirer image 0.0 This doesn’t seem very good to me. A one mana 1/1 with Ward 2 just…doesn’t matter, and even though this can eventually put counters on itself, it only does so in the extreme late game, and it will take it way too long for it to ever be relevant
Unassuming Sage image 2.0 Neither of these modes is a model of efficiency, but the second mode does at least get synergy going for Celebration and Aura decks
Spider Food image 0.5 This format has a lot of targets for this, but there are also two lower rarity ways to Naturalize stuff in this format that are way better in the main deck. So, this is a sideboard card but one you probably won’t use very often
Mocking Sprite image 2.5 This has almost reasonable stats, and reducing the costs of spells has some extra weight in this format thanks to Adventures, in addition to the fact that it just plays well in any Blue/Red deck.
Conceited Witch image 3.0 A 3 mana ⅔ with Menace is passable, and you can augment one of your creatures with this on an earlier turn – or the same turn, if you have happen to have four mana. It just seems like plenty of value to get out of a single card, and it even seems reasonably efficient
Pack 3 Pick 9: The Apprentice's Folly
The Apprentice's Folly image 3.5 Those first two chapters can deliver some pretty absurd value, as making a hasty token copy of your best and then second-best creature can be a pretty serious beating. The first one will even get to attack twice! The bad news is, if you can’t take advantage of those tokens in time, you’re in trouble, because the Folly ultimately takes them away from you. Still, it seems like you should be able to get enough value out of those two tokens before the Folly goes away. Worth noting that you can sacrifice this to something with bargain before you reach chapter 3, in which case the downside goes away entirely. That’s where the power really is. It will feel pretty close to a bomb if you can do it consistently
Frostbridge Guard image 1.5 This has somewhat passable stats, and it has an ability that is useful, albeit expensive. Tapping things does bring some extra value in this format, but three for the effect is kind of brutal. I miss the days of Master Decoy
Kindled Heroism image 1.5 We’ve seen this trick many times before and it’s always kind of okay. The boost can allow your creature to win a decent number of combats, and when you can make that happen for only one mana it feels pretty amazing. Still, it is a combat trick and one that isn’t always very impactful
Spider Food image 0.5 This format has a lot of targets for this, but there are also two lower rarity ways to Naturalize stuff in this format that are way better in the main deck. So, this is a sideboard card but one you probably won’t use very often
Freeze in Place image 2.0 While it isn’t quite removal, stunning a creature for three turns will feel like it is sometimes. Scry 2 combines nicely too, because you can use it to find whatever it is you desperately need, now that you bought yourself some time. The Blue/White deck in the format likes tapping things too, so getting some additional value here isn’t impossible.
Skewer Slinger image 1.5 This makes X/1s pretty miserable as they can neither attack through it or block it effectively. Overall, it is definitely a defensive card more than anything, and that’s always a little awkward
Pack 3 Pick 10: Redtooth Genealogist
Gingerbrute image 2.5 He’s back! He wasn’t too bad as a beater last time around, and that will be pretty true here too with all of the Role tokens. Putting one on him and going to town with him is definitely going to be a way to close out a game
Leaping Ambush image 1.0 They put a trick like this in almost every format, and it is almost always bad. Tricks are at their best when you use them offensively, because your opponent is less likely to have mana up to blow you out – so a trick that gets like 2/3s of its value from being used defensively just isn’t worth it
Merfolk Coralsmith image 2.0 Creatures who can modulate their power always play a little better than they look, as that flexibility lets them do a wide range of things. This can trade with things that have as much as 4 toughness and hit pretty hard when you want it to. The Scry trigger is a nice additional effect too
Redtooth Genealogist image 3.0 This looks like a very good rate to me – it is basically a better version of a three mana 2/3 that puts a +1/+1 counter somewhere, and that card is usually quite good in Limited. I think this is one of Green’s best Commons
Rimefur Reindeer image 2.5 This has some serious potential, as tapping down just one thing a turn is often pretty great at allowing your aggressive deck to rumble, and that’s especially true if the enchantment augmented one of your creatures. But, when you aren’t triggering this regularly, it is a well below rate creature.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Tuinvale Guide
Eerie Interference image 0.0 Fog effects are almost always bad in Limited, even when they become one-sided. The problem is that they have far too narrow of a use-case
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Tuinvale Guide image 2.5 This is mediocre without Celebration, and pretty nice when it is a 3/3 flying lifelinker. Triggering celebration is something you can do, but not so often that this will be anything special
Wicked Visitor image 2.0 This has passable base stats and a passable payoff for the Black/White deck, which will be the most adept at putting enchantments in the graveyard
Pack 3 Pick 12: Verdant Outrider
Water Wings image 2.0 This looks like a solid trick. It gives a big enough buff that it will make your creature win most combats, and the hexproof part means it also works well against removal. Flying also gives it a third mode, where sometimes you can send a creature into the air to do lethal
Unassuming Sage image 2.0 Neither of these modes is a model of efficiency, but the second mode does at least get synergy going for Celebration and Aura decks
Verdant Outrider image 2.0 A three mana 4/2 usually has the big problem of dying to 2 power creatures, but obviously enough, Verdant Outrider can get around that. You won’t always have the time or mana to use that ability of course, but it definitely does enough for this to be solid filler
Pack 3 Pick 13: Plunge into Winter
Plunge into Winter image 1.5 I think you end up with a decent rate when you cast this card, one that means you won’t feel bad about playing it. Tapping doesn’t always matter, but you do always get Scry 1 draw a card, and when tapping does matter – or even better – when you have a tap payoff in play – this gets significantly better.
Stormkeld Prowler image 1.5 Two +1/+1 counters is pretty nice! But a two-mana 2/1…isn’t, and by the time you play your 5-drop and make this a 4/3, it isn’t like it will be unbeatable. There will also be times where you can’t grow until well beyond that turn.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Titanic Growth
Titanic Growth image 2.0 We’ve seen this a ton and it’s always a playable trick. It makes it so most creatures can win combat against most other creatures, and the stats boost is even good against some removal
Draft Pick Overview