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Quick Draft LCI 28 November 2023

28 November 08:44 - FUCH 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (10)
1 Breeches, Eager Pillager image
1 Sinuous Benthisaur image
1 Attentive Sunscribe image
1 Council of Echoes image
1 Kitesail Larcenist image
2 Waterwind Scout image
1 Warden of the Inner Sky image
1 Oltec Cloud Guard image
1 Oaken Siren image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (13)
1 Clay-Fired Bricks // Cosmium Kiln image
1 Petrify image
2 Sunbird Standard // Sunbird Effigy image
1 Inverted Iceberg // Iceberg Titan image
2 Self-Reflection image
2 Spring-Loaded Sawblades // Bladewheel Chariot image
2 Dusk Rose Reliquary image
1 Out of Air image
1 Bat Colony image
Land (17)
2 Hidden Cataract image
1 Captivating Cave image
1 Hidden Courtyard image
2 Promising Vein image
1 Hidden Volcano image
5 Plains image
4 Island image
1 Mountain image
Sideboard
2 Nurturing Bristleback image
2 Cartographer's Companion image
1 Ironpaw Aspirant image
1 Vanguard of the Rose image
1 Oteclan Landmark image
1 Zoyowa's Justice image
1 Acrobatic Leap image
1 Mephitic Draught image
1 Ancestral Reminiscence image
2 Pirate Hat image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Breeches, Eager Pillager
Breeches, Eager Pillager image 5.0 A three mana 3/3 with First Strike is already a 3.5, and this has massive upside. You may even be able to access that upside the turn it comes down, provided you have a Pirate in play who can attack. And even when you don’t have other pirates, Breeches can get these triggers on his own, and they are all pretty great
Spelunking image 1.0 // 2.5 You really need to be playing a Cave for this to feel worth it most of the time, because you're gonna need to gain life to offset the downside of playing something that doesn't impact the board at all. It is kind of passable if you can't, but if you don’t have at least 3 caves, you probably shouldn't play it
Self-Reflection image 2.5 Paying 6 to copy a creature is pretty rough. Hard to consistently get your man's worth there. However, with Flashback in the mix this has 2-for-1 potential, and Blue mills itself enough for this to give you nice value out of the graveyard
Mischievous Pup image 2.5 This can save a creature from removal or rebuy an ETB, and it can ambush stuff too.
Dowsing Device image 2.0 Playing an artifact creature to trigger this is best, because then you can guarantee that the Haste part matters, so you get the most value. Transforming this seems very doable, and the land is obviously relevant if you managed to transform it in the first place
Glorifier of Suffering image 2.5 Putting a counter on TWO separate creatures is a pretty nice payoff for throwing away a gnome token or a map token, and can really make an attack far more formidable. It can also put a counter on itself, which is nice. This seems like a quality payoff for the aggressive sacrifice decks in the format.
Basking Capybara image 2.5 This seems like a solid two drop. Obviously a 1/3 isn’t where you want to be, but a two mana 4/3 is some serious business, and Green is good enough at getting there on Descend that you can expect this to have a very relevant body by the mid game
Rampaging Spiketail image 2.5 We recently saw cards with landcycling for two really underperform, but they have some advantages in this format. Like all land cyclers, this has the upside of getting you a land when you draw it early, and being a reasonably relevant card in the later stages of the game. And in this case, the Spiketail is likely to enable a pretty good attack when you cast it. But the extra value of land cyclers comes as a result of this format’s graveyard-heavy theme. Cycling this counts as descending, and it also makes it more likely you get to Descend 4 or 8, and you can also exile it from your graveyard for Craft
Ancestors' Aid image 2.0 +2/+0 and First Strike is going to win combat a huge percentage of the time, and in addition to the value treasure normally gives you in the form of mana, there’s lots of other stuff you can do with it in the format
Disturbed Slumber image 0.0 This effect is basically never worth it. I get it, you can ambush your opponent’s attacker with a land, or suddenly do 4 out of nowhere, but the times where that’s actually worth a card are infrequent. I’d rather have something that permanently adds to the board
River Herald Scout image 3.0 You would happily play a two mana 2/3 with Surveil one, and you’d happily play a two mana ½ that draws you a card, and you’re getting one of those every time you cast it
Shipwreck Sentry image 2.0 We see two mana 3/3s with Defender that can only attack when X happens in a turn, and they always end up being decent. Even when they can’t attack, they have nice bodies that your opponent usually can’t just attack into, and on the turns they can rumble, they are pretty good at that too
Armored Kincaller image 3.0 This will gain you three pretty often in Green, and that’s a pretty good ETB to have on a three mana 3/3
Oaken Siren image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Flying and Vigilance that happens to be an artifact would probably be borderline playable in this format, so I think adding in the mana for artifact stuff does enough to make it a card that will make the cut in many Blue decks
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Clay-Fired Bricks
Deeproot Pilgrimage image 1.0 This has the potential to help you go wide in a hurry, that’s for sure. But…I worry a little bit about the many situations where you can’t really effectively tap your merfolk to get it going – and those are definitely going to come up. I’m not sure that it isn’t just better to play some random two mana 2/2 than it is to play this, since you will immediately add to the board if you go the other route, as opposed to this which has you jump through some hoops. So, I’m pretty skeptical about this to start the format
Scampering Surveyor image 3.5 Skittering Surveyor has a friend, I guess. And it looks pretty good! Ramping your mana, fixing your mana, and even helping you set up cave stuff seems like a pretty good deal when it comes attached to a 4-mana 3/2
Glowcap Lantern image 1.5 I like exploring repeatedly, but this doesn’t do much to improve the creature up front
Kinjalli's Dawnrunner image 3.0 As with all the good Explore creatures, this one feels great no matter what happens. A 3-mana 1/1 with double strike that draws you a card is good, and a three mana 2/2 with double strike that gives you some card selection is probably even better!
Clay-Fired Bricks image 4.0 Hitting a land drop and gaining two life isn't bad, and it also has a very relevant card type. Then in the late game it has a massive impact on the board. Like, the kind of impact that drastically improves your chances of winning.
Tectonic Hazard image 0.5 This is sideboard material, your opponent has to have a ton of X/1s for this to be worth it.
Primordial Gnawer image 2.0 This is an ugly stat-line, but it does make sure you get a 2-for-1. Still…the stat-line is bad enough that I don’t think this ends up always making the cut.
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Plundering Pirate image 3.0 Creatures that make treasures on ETB virtually always over perform, and the stat-line here is a bit better than what we usually see. Treasure brings extra value in an artifact format too. I think this is one of Red’s better commons
Soaring Sandwing image 1.5 So, the landyclers in Blue, Black, and Green all really interest me because of the descent mechanic. White doesn’t really have that going on, though you might be able to use it with craft at least. Still… I think that makes this a little less useful. You can throw this away early to hit a land drop, and in the late game if you gives you a beefy creature that can gain you life, which can sometimes help you stabilize
Disturbed Slumber image 0.0 This effect is basically never worth it. I get it, you can ambush your opponent’s attacker with a land, or suddenly do 4 out of nowhere, but the times where that’s actually worth a card are infrequent. I’d rather have something that permanently adds to the board
Marauding Brinefang image 2.5 The common landcyclers feel like they will be extra good in the graveyard decks in the format, and Blue is definitely interested in the graveyard. This is because you can get extra value out of landycling these early – as it puts a permanent into your graveyard. Then, like usual with landcyclers, in the later stage of the game you get a beefy creature
Miner's Guidewing image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a great card on its own, but getting to explore when it dies is pretty sweet. You do need another creature around for that part to matter, though.
Hidden Cataract image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 3: Sinuous Benthisaur
Sinuous Benthisaur image 0.0 // 4.0 This has some insane potential. Even if you just have two caves, this is a 6-mana 4/4 that draws you two cards. That’s really amazing, and even with one cave it’s a passible card. Now…if there are no Caves around it’s awful, but if your deck has 4 or more caves in it, you’re going to be happy to play this most of the time
Gargantuan Leech image 0.0 // 3.0 This is very much a build around. You want to cast this for five or less, or it won't feel good. It's unplayable in a deck with 2 or fewer caves, mediocre with 3, and probably only solid with five or more
Zoyowa's Justice image 0.0 I'm not interested in this kind of justice. I get it, you can use it an attempt to get yourself a better card, or downgrade an opposing one, but too much is left up to chance. You have no idea how it will go, and it will backfire far too often
Oteclan Landmark image 3.0 One mana to scry 2 isn’t very good, even in a format where you can sacrifice or tap this for value. But…this is way more than that, because crafting it isn’t a hug challenge, and the creature you get is a legitimate threat, because giving flying to your other attackers makes for a powerful effect. Between the format’s artifact synergy, and this card’s upside, this looks like a really nice Common to me
Rampaging Spiketail image 2.5 We recently saw cards with landcycling for two really underperform, but they have some advantages in this format. Like all land cyclers, this has the upside of getting you a land when you draw it early, and being a reasonably relevant card in the later stages of the game. And in this case, the Spiketail is likely to enable a pretty good attack when you cast it. But the extra value of land cyclers comes as a result of this format’s graveyard-heavy theme. Cycling this counts as descending, and it also makes it more likely you get to Descend 4 or 8, and you can also exile it from your graveyard for Craft
Oaken Siren image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Flying and Vigilance that happens to be an artifact would probably be borderline playable in this format, so I think adding in the mana for artifact stuff does enough to make it a card that will make the cut in many Blue decks
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Vito's Inquisitor image 3.0 The starting stat-line is bad, but growing this and making it evasive seems doable enough for this to perform reasonably well. Especially because you can do it at instant speed and whenever you want
Miner's Guidewing image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a great card on its own, but getting to explore when it dies is pretty sweet. You do need another creature around for that part to matter, though.
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Poison Dart Frog image 3.0 This fixes your mana, ramps you, and can even trade for anything. That last part is nice, because mana dorks have diminishing returns the longer the game goes, but this one will also do something
Seismic Monstrosaur image 2.0 This probably isn’t as good as the land cyclers in Blue, Black, and Green, as those are the colors that are best with the graveyard, but Red isn’t completely uninterested in the ‘yard, and the creature you get here isn’t the most inefficient thing either. The ability to throw away lands late when you’re flooding out comes in handy too
Hidden Necropolis image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 4: Petrify
Synapse Necromage image 3.5 The stat-line is bad, but this replaces itself with two bodies which are really valuable in this format, even if they can’t block. There’s just so much you can do with them in the format, with sacrificing the most notable. I think this ends up giving you a ton for the mana you invest
Zoyowa's Justice image 0.0 I'm not interested in this kind of justice. I get it, you can use it an attempt to get yourself a better card, or downgrade an opposing one, but too much is left up to chance. You have no idea how it will go, and it will backfire far too often
Canonized in Blood image 3.0 You probably need at least two counters before this feels like it’s worth it, and I think that’s definitely doable. It’s great that in the late game, you also have the ability to put a very real flyer into play too, while also triggering your other descent stuff. This seems like a very nice payoff for the various descending strategies – which, keep in mind can include self mill, sacrifice, and more
Jade Seedstones image 4.0 The initial effect isn’t the worst for four mana, as it really does impact the board most of the time, and then later in the game you’re getting a huge artifact creature that’s likely to gain you some life. It’s going to be pretty hard for you to lose the game when you craft this, and the floor is a nice enough card
Waylaying Pirates image 3.0 I love creatures that ETB and stun something, and while this makes you jump through a hoop – I think that hoop is pretty easy to jump through in Blue. Adding a decent body to the board and getting a blocker out of the way at the same time is going to be pretty strong. If you’re in the Pirate-Artifact deck, and you just curve out and play this on turn four, your opponent is going to be in serious trouble.
Petrify image 2.0 They really are giving Pacifism upside these days! This one can shut off abilities and hit artifacts too! The problem with this card in this format is that there is a prominent sacrifice theme, and even an entire mechanic – in Craft – that lets you exile permanents you control, there’s also a bunch of cards that let you tap your creatures and artifacts for value, and so on. In other words, Petrify will have a hard time giving you a full card of value consistently, because your opponent will still be able to do enough stuff with their permanents that this doesn’t shut the card down entirely
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Thousand Moons Crackshot image 1.5 Sometimes you’ll be able to attack with this and really open the floodgates on your opponent by getting their best blocker out of the way, but three mana is a lot, and your opponent also always knows this is coming, making it a lot less useful. You’re rarely going to use this ability early, and by the late game it has some diminishing returns.
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Didact Echo image 3.0 A 5-mana 3/2 that draws you a card is already kind of passable – after all, it can generate a 2-for-1. But..if this always had Flying? It would be an amazing Common. While it having flying won't be that automatic, Descend 4 does seem fairly achievable by turn 5 for Blue decks in this format
Orazca Puzzle-Door image 2.5 It’s an artifact, which some Blue decks care about, and it puts two cards into your graveyard all on its own, something other Blue decks care about. Mix that in with the fact that what this does for the cost is kind of passable anyway, and I think we’re talking about a solid playable
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 5: Sunbird Standard
Helping Hand image 1.5 This feels reasonably efficient when you get back a three mana creature, and there is certainly graveyard stuff in the set, but this is still a card that feels a bit too situational to be anything special. It feels pretty bad in your opening hand, for example. Entering tapped definitely hurts too.
Sunbird Standard image 2.0 We’ve seen time and time again, a three mana artifact that taps for mana of any color isn’t playable in Limited. It’s just too slow, and a mana boost like this just isn’t worth a card most of the time. However…this obviously has some real upside, since it can turn into a creature. And it can do it fairly flexibly, since it can exile any permanent type. That said, it is usually going to be a 2/2 Flyer that can tap for two mana – which is nice, but the set up cost of getting there is pretty significant. It takes quite the mana investment, even if the Standard itself can be used
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Vito's Inquisitor image 3.0 The starting stat-line is bad, but growing this and making it evasive seems doable enough for this to perform reasonably well. Especially because you can do it at instant speed and whenever you want
Acrobatic Leap image 1.5 One mana tricks that give +1/+3 are rarely worthwhile in Limited. The boost is enough to save a creature in combat, but not enough to help it win combat often enough. The flying and untap angle here do make it so you can both punch in for lethal in the air or ambush a flyer, but those use cases are all much too frequent for this to be something that makes the cut in all your white aggro decks.
Brackish Blunder image 2.0 Just the bounce part of the card is usually a passable card, so getting a map token if the creature is tapped makes this pretty appealing. Now…not being a permanent in Blue does hurt a card a little bit because of Descent stuff, but the fact this gives you a Map helps check some boxes for artifact decks.
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Cosmium Blast image 2.5 We see a card like this in most sets, and as usual – it’s efficient, but situational enough that it definitely isn’t premium. It’s far better when you’re not an aggro deck, since in that type of deck you want removal that lets you get rid of a creature before they ever get to block.
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Brazen Blademaster image 2.0 The starting stats are rough, but it seems like this will attack as a reasonably often
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 6: Attentive Sunscribe
Zoyowa's Justice image 0.0 I'm not interested in this kind of justice. I get it, you can use it an attempt to get yourself a better card, or downgrade an opposing one, but too much is left up to chance. You have no idea how it will go, and it will backfire far too often
Kaslem's Stonetree image 1.5 The front side of this isn’t great, although the fact it can hit any land means it can help you dig for Caves if you’re interested in doing that – and you probably are, because the Stonetree crafts with Caves! Later, it can become a beefy enough creature. Overall…I’m not actually that impressed here. It doesn’t add to the board on the front side, and crafting with Caves is challenging enough that you can’t really count on getting the 5/5. There are just so many better cave payoffs in the set, that this isn’t really the one you’re desperate for
Soaring Sandwing image 1.5 So, the landyclers in Blue, Black, and Green all really interest me because of the descent mechanic. White doesn’t really have that going on, though you might be able to use it with craft at least. Still… I think that makes this a little less useful. You can throw this away early to hit a land drop, and in the late game if you gives you a beefy creature that can gain you life, which can sometimes help you stabilize
Attentive Sunscribe image 2.5 There are some vehicles in the set, in addition to many White cards that like it when you tap your stuff. This adds a decent bonus to those effects, while also being an early artifact to get those kinds of things going.
Waylaying Pirates image 3.0 I love creatures that ETB and stun something, and while this makes you jump through a hoop – I think that hoop is pretty easy to jump through in Blue. Adding a decent body to the board and getting a blocker out of the way at the same time is going to be pretty strong. If you’re in the Pirate-Artifact deck, and you just curve out and play this on turn four, your opponent is going to be in serious trouble.
Frilled Cave-Wurm image 2.0 A 4-mana 2/5 is mediocre, but there are definitely worst stat-lines. The Descend upgrade here is a big one too, as it suddenly makes the Cave-Wurm into a formidable attacker. That said, this is never going to feel like anything special. The floor is a very inefficient creature and the ceiling is one with slightly above-rate stats
Primordial Gnawer image 2.0 This is an ugly stat-line, but it does make sure you get a 2-for-1. Still…the stat-line is bad enough that I don’t think this ends up always making the cut.
Ironpaw Aspirant image 2.5 We see two mana 1/1s with this ETB all the time, and they tend to be solid or better. So, getting a ½ instead is amazing. This makes it a 2/3 with nothing else around, which makes for a great two turn play, and then in the later game you can put the counter somewhere more meaningful. Obviously, this works well with the Green-White theme of having higher base power, too. I think this a great Common.
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 7: Inverted Iceberg
Inverted Iceberg image 3.5 The front side of the card has a useful card type, loads your graveyard, and replaces itself. It would probably be a C all on its own. And in the late game you can transform it into a creature that your opponent is going to have to do something about. Even if it doesn’t impact the board on turn two, I think it does enough for the cost and the upside is big
Miner's Guidewing image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a great card on its own, but getting to explore when it dies is pretty sweet. You do need another creature around for that part to matter, though.
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Ironpaw Aspirant image 2.5 We see two mana 1/1s with this ETB all the time, and they tend to be solid or better. So, getting a ½ instead is amazing. This makes it a 2/3 with nothing else around, which makes for a great two turn play, and then in the later game you can put the counter somewhere more meaningful. Obviously, this works well with the Green-White theme of having higher base power, too. I think this a great Common.
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Malamet Brawler image 2.0 The awkward thing about this card is that by the time you can attack with something else that is worth giving trample to, your Brawler is probably not going to uh…brawl very well. I mean, it’s a fine two drop, but not one I’m excited about
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Hidden Cataract image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 8: Council of Echoes
Council of Echoes image 3.0 When this bounces something, it will feel pretty good. Adding a big flier and subtracting from the opposing board feels great. When this doesn't bounce something…it will feel way inefficient and overcosted. Seems to me getting Descend 4 going by the time you cast this is a reasonable expectation, though
Soulcoil Viper image 2.5 This has almost passable stats, and an ability with huge upside. Loading your graveyard is quite doable in the format, and I especially like the idea of playing this alongside land cyclers. Basically, the floor is reasonable, and the ceiling is high
Idol of the Deep King image 3.0 The front side of this is a playable, albeit inefficient removal spell. It’s nice it can hit the opponent too! The thing it transforms into…is….very mediocre, though. The free equip is nice, but +2/+0 isn’t much to write home about, and this won’t quite feel like a 2-for-1 most of the time, because the Equipment side just isn’t worth a card. Still, it’s removal with some real upside
Brackish Blunder image 2.0 Just the bounce part of the card is usually a passable card, so getting a map token if the creature is tapped makes this pretty appealing. Now…not being a permanent in Blue does hurt a card a little bit because of Descent stuff, but the fact this gives you a Map helps check some boxes for artifact decks.
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Buried Treasure image 1.5 Paying two mana for a treasure is terrible, but this can at least give you an actual card from out of the graveyard, and that certainly matters in this format, where this is likely to get milled or sacrificed for value. I’m still not sure I really want to be playing this on turn two, basically ever, so maybe you mostly want to mill it. For now, I’m not very interested in this
Primordial Gnawer image 2.0 This is an ugly stat-line, but it does make sure you get a 2-for-1. Still…the stat-line is bad enough that I don’t think this ends up always making the cut.
Hidden Necropolis image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 9: Self-Reflection
Spelunking image 1.0 // 2.5 You really need to be playing a Cave for this to feel worth it most of the time, because you're gonna need to gain life to offset the downside of playing something that doesn't impact the board at all. It is kind of passable if you can't, but if you don’t have at least 3 caves, you probably shouldn't play it
Self-Reflection image 2.5 Paying 6 to copy a creature is pretty rough. Hard to consistently get your man's worth there. However, with Flashback in the mix this has 2-for-1 potential, and Blue mills itself enough for this to give you nice value out of the graveyard
Disturbed Slumber image 0.0 This effect is basically never worth it. I get it, you can ambush your opponent’s attacker with a land, or suddenly do 4 out of nowhere, but the times where that’s actually worth a card are infrequent. I’d rather have something that permanently adds to the board
River Herald Scout image 3.0 You would happily play a two mana 2/3 with Surveil one, and you’d happily play a two mana ½ that draws you a card, and you’re getting one of those every time you cast it
Shipwreck Sentry image 2.0 We see two mana 3/3s with Defender that can only attack when X happens in a turn, and they always end up being decent. Even when they can’t attack, they have nice bodies that your opponent usually can’t just attack into, and on the turns they can rumble, they are pretty good at that too
Armored Kincaller image 3.0 This will gain you three pretty often in Green, and that’s a pretty good ETB to have on a three mana 3/3
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Hidden Cataract
Tectonic Hazard image 0.5 This is sideboard material, your opponent has to have a ton of X/1s for this to be worth it.
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Soaring Sandwing image 1.5 So, the landyclers in Blue, Black, and Green all really interest me because of the descent mechanic. White doesn’t really have that going on, though you might be able to use it with craft at least. Still… I think that makes this a little less useful. You can throw this away early to hit a land drop, and in the late game if you gives you a beefy creature that can gain you life, which can sometimes help you stabilize
Disturbed Slumber image 0.0 This effect is basically never worth it. I get it, you can ambush your opponent’s attacker with a land, or suddenly do 4 out of nowhere, but the times where that’s actually worth a card are infrequent. I’d rather have something that permanently adds to the board
Miner's Guidewing image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a great card on its own, but getting to explore when it dies is pretty sweet. You do need another creature around for that part to matter, though.
Hidden Cataract image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 1 Pick 11: Oteclan Landmark
Zoyowa's Justice image 0.0 I'm not interested in this kind of justice. I get it, you can use it an attempt to get yourself a better card, or downgrade an opposing one, but too much is left up to chance. You have no idea how it will go, and it will backfire far too often
Oteclan Landmark image 3.0 One mana to scry 2 isn’t very good, even in a format where you can sacrifice or tap this for value. But…this is way more than that, because crafting it isn’t a hug challenge, and the creature you get is a legitimate threat, because giving flying to your other attackers makes for a powerful effect. Between the format’s artifact synergy, and this card’s upside, this looks like a really nice Common to me
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Vito's Inquisitor image 3.0 The starting stat-line is bad, but growing this and making it evasive seems doable enough for this to perform reasonably well. Especially because you can do it at instant speed and whenever you want
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Pack 1 Pick 12: Zoyowa's Justice
Zoyowa's Justice image 0.0 I'm not interested in this kind of justice. I get it, you can use it an attempt to get yourself a better card, or downgrade an opposing one, but too much is left up to chance. You have no idea how it will go, and it will backfire far too often
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 13: Acrobatic Leap
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Acrobatic Leap image 1.5 One mana tricks that give +1/+3 are rarely worthwhile in Limited. The boost is enough to save a creature in combat, but not enough to help it win combat often enough. The flying and untap angle here do make it so you can both punch in for lethal in the air or ambush a flyer, but those use cases are all much too frequent for this to be something that makes the cut in all your white aggro decks.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 14: Nurturing Bristleback
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 15: Mephitic Draught
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Kitesail Larcenist
Kitesail Larcenist image 4.0 I don't normally love removal that turns something into a treasure, because it’s yet another form of Blue removal that doesn’t entirely deal with something. But when stapled to a creature it is pretty awesome, especially one this efficient. You even have the option of turning something of yours into a treasure too, which sometimes will be the right call
Dreadmaw's Ire image 3.0 This is a high-quality combat trick. One mana for +2/+2 and trample tends to play quite well on its own when we see it. It helps many a creature efficiently win combat while inflicting some damage on the opponent, and in this case you’ve even got a great shot at destroying a random artifact. It will feel truly busted when you can pull that off, and it also means it has sort of an alternate mode where you turn it into Shatter sometimes when your creature goes unblocked. I can’t imagine you ever cut this trick from any aggressive Red deck, and I think I even want to take it fairly early. This just does so much for one mana
Scampering Surveyor image 3.5 Skittering Surveyor has a friend, I guess. And it looks pretty good! Ramping your mana, fixing your mana, and even helping you set up cave stuff seems like a pretty good deal when it comes attached to a 4-mana 3/2
Captain Storm, Cosmium Raider image 3.0 This is a great Artifact payoff in a format with lots of artifacts, and she counts herself, so you’ll always have somewhere to put a counter
Grasping Shadows image 2.0 4 mana is kind of a lot for something that just gives a couple of keywords to a creature, and it only gives it to them when the creature attacks alone. That said, deathtouch + lifelink tends to make it so you can attack with something on most turns, and sometimes it offers a really serious boost. Shadows’ Lair drawing you some cards after all that is pretty sweet too, but this does seem rough on board states where you’re not the beat down. I mean…sometimes you just can’t attack, and this will feel blank when that’s the case
Staggering Size image 2.0 This offers a big enough boost to make a creature win combat pretty often, and trample can result in some pretty serious damage to your opponent too. I think you’ll play one of these in lots of aggressive Green decks
Song of Stupefaction image 1.5 Lowering a creature’s power just isn’t enough to be worth a card most of the time, although I do think milling gives you enough value itself in this format that this isn’t unplayable, but I think you’ll be able to find better enablers and payoffs for milling yourself than this thing
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Tectonic Hazard image 0.5 This is sideboard material, your opponent has to have a ton of X/1s for this to be worth it.
Soaring Sandwing image 1.5 So, the landyclers in Blue, Black, and Green all really interest me because of the descent mechanic. White doesn’t really have that going on, though you might be able to use it with craft at least. Still… I think that makes this a little less useful. You can throw this away early to hit a land drop, and in the late game if you gives you a beefy creature that can gain you life, which can sometimes help you stabilize
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Plundering Pirate image 3.0 Creatures that make treasures on ETB virtually always over perform, and the stat-line here is a bit better than what we usually see. Treasure brings extra value in an artifact format too. I think this is one of Red’s better commons
Child of the Volcano image 2.0 Hill Giant statlines have been bad lately. But, if this can consistently come down as a 4/4, it will feel pretty nice, and that seems doable. After all, all that needs to happen is you attack and your opponent decides to trade, things like that. Then, it has the potential to grow easily on subsequent turns too, especially when paired with the more graveyard-oriented colors like Black and Blue
Acolyte of Aclazotz image 2.5 There are plenty of expendable artifacts and creatures to be had in Black, and this also works well with Descend stuff. Draining 1 life at a time might sound small, but it really can keep you alive while pressuring your opponent
Hidden Nursery image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 2: Captivating Cave
Goldfury Strider image 2.0 The base stats here are very underwhelming, and the idea here is that you can use some combination of artifacts and creature tokens that are available in the set to make this a 5/5 trampler, in which case you’re talking about something significantly more impressive. It is a pretty big bummer that you have to do it at sorcery speed, as the threat of activation here would make it a lot better. You’re just…not always going to have the extra stuff around to buff this, and even when you do, I don’t think you’re going to feel like you’re doing something all that impressive.
Gargantuan Leech image 0.0 // 3.0 This is very much a build around. You want to cast this for five or less, or it won't feel good. It's unplayable in a deck with 2 or fewer caves, mediocre with 3, and probably only solid with five or more
Geological Appraiser image 4.5 This isn’t that far from being Bloodbraid Elf, and that card is absolutely absurd. Sure, the creature you cast isn’t the most efficient, but you’re always getting a 2-for-1 when you cast this, and you’ll always feel like you’re getting 4 mana or more worth of value too. That’s just insane
Grasping Shadows image 2.0 4 mana is kind of a lot for something that just gives a couple of keywords to a creature, and it only gives it to them when the creature attacks alone. That said, deathtouch + lifelink tends to make it so you can attack with something on most turns, and sometimes it offers a really serious boost. Shadows’ Lair drawing you some cards after all that is pretty sweet too, but this does seem rough on board states where you’re not the beat down. I mean…sometimes you just can’t attack, and this will feel blank when that’s the case
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Waterwind Scout image 3.5 Wind Drake + Map token for three mana seems like a quality Common to me. Explore and artifacts both matter in Blue, and this helps you do both of those. This looks like a pretty good deal
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Volatile Wanderglyph image 2.0 This will let you rummage when you attack or crew a vehicle, but perhaps most importantly, it lets you do it when you tap it using one of the many cards in this format that lets you tap artifacts and creatures for value. It doesn’t seem essential for that type of deck, but it certainly seems useful.
Basking Capybara image 2.5 This seems like a solid two drop. Obviously a 1/3 isn’t where you want to be, but a two mana 4/3 is some serious business, and Green is good enough at getting there on Descend that you can expect this to have a very relevant body by the mid game
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Seismic Monstrosaur image 2.0 This probably isn’t as good as the land cyclers in Blue, Black, and Green, as those are the colors that are best with the graveyard, but Red isn’t completely uninterested in the ‘yard, and the creature you get here isn’t the most inefficient thing either. The ability to throw away lands late when you’re flooding out comes in handy too
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Captivating Cave image 2.0 Filter lands have been performing better, of late, at least in sets with multicolor themes, and while this set one doesn’t have a strong one of those, the fact this has a useful sub type and can be used to put some counters on stuff, while also setting up Descend, probably means it’s decent enough
Pack 2 Pick 3: Hidden Courtyard
Abyssal Gorestalker image 1.0 This looks a little too awkward. There are too many situations where it hurts you more than your opponent. Sure, there are also the times where it's amazing, but there aren't enough of those to offset the downside.
Swashbuckler's Whip image 1.5 So, one to play and one to equip to give a creature this tap effect for two mana seems…kind of alright. I’d like to pay one to tap things, but still. It is…kind of weird it also gives Reach. I guess that’s mostly a flavor thing, because the creature you put this on will often tap something before your opponent goes to combat, in which case Reach doesn’t matter. But anyway, this can tap things down for awhile, and then in the late game can just start Discovering, which is nice. Keep in mind, most of the time when you discover 10 for 8 mana, you’re going to get something worth far less, so it won’t ever feel efficient, but it’s a decent late game mana sink. Still…the whole package here seems passable, no matter what stage of the game it is
Oteclan Landmark image 3.0 One mana to scry 2 isn’t very good, even in a format where you can sacrifice or tap this for value. But…this is way more than that, because crafting it isn’t a hug challenge, and the creature you get is a legitimate threat, because giving flying to your other attackers makes for a powerful effect. Between the format’s artifact synergy, and this card’s upside, this looks like a really nice Common to me
Pathfinding Axejaw image 3.5 This will either be a 4-mana 5/4 with Surveil 1, or a 4-mana 4/3 that draws you a card. Both of those are pretty nice for the cost.
Malamet Brawler image 2.0 The awkward thing about this card is that by the time you can attack with something else that is worth giving trample to, your Brawler is probably not going to uh…brawl very well. I mean, it’s a fine two drop, but not one I’m excited about
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Child of the Volcano image 2.0 Hill Giant statlines have been bad lately. But, if this can consistently come down as a 4/4, it will feel pretty nice, and that seems doable. After all, all that needs to happen is you attack and your opponent decides to trade, things like that. Then, it has the potential to grow easily on subsequent turns too, especially when paired with the more graveyard-oriented colors like Black and Blue
Pirate Hat image 2.5 If you can Equip this for one consistently, it looks pretty solid to me. The stats boost isn’t the best thing ever, but if you’re sticking it on things for 1 mana it will feel plenty good, especially because artifacts and loot triggers are better than normal in this format
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Skullcap Snail image 2.5 It’s important than this exile instead of letting the opponent discard, as you don’t want to be helping your opponent get Descend stuff going. As usual, a two mana 1/1 with this effect is solid
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Hidden Courtyard image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 4: Waterwind Scout
Contested Game Ball image 0.0 You always pay that first two mana and you play this card, so you always end up kind of behind when it comes to cards and how much mana you spend to draw cards
Hurl into History image 2.0 5 mana for something that can't even counter everything is sort of brutal. But this set has fewer instants and sorceries than normal, and also getting to Discover means you're getting a 2 for 1
Kaslem's Stonetree image 1.5 The front side of this isn’t great, although the fact it can hit any land means it can help you dig for Caves if you’re interested in doing that – and you probably are, because the Stonetree crafts with Caves! Later, it can become a beefy enough creature. Overall…I’m not actually that impressed here. It doesn’t add to the board on the front side, and crafting with Caves is challenging enough that you can’t really count on getting the 5/5. There are just so many better cave payoffs in the set, that this isn’t really the one you’re desperate for
Plundering Pirate image 3.0 Creatures that make treasures on ETB virtually always over perform, and the stat-line here is a bit better than what we usually see. Treasure brings extra value in an artifact format too. I think this is one of Red’s better commons
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Buried Treasure image 1.5 Paying two mana for a treasure is terrible, but this can at least give you an actual card from out of the graveyard, and that certainly matters in this format, where this is likely to get milled or sacrificed for value. I’m still not sure I really want to be playing this on turn two, basically ever, so maybe you mostly want to mill it. For now, I’m not very interested in this
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Waterwind Scout image 3.5 Wind Drake + Map token for three mana seems like a quality Common to me. Explore and artifacts both matter in Blue, and this helps you do both of those. This looks like a pretty good deal
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Thousand Moons Crackshot image 1.5 Sometimes you’ll be able to attack with this and really open the floodgates on your opponent by getting their best blocker out of the way, but three mana is a lot, and your opponent also always knows this is coming, making it a lot less useful. You’re rarely going to use this ability early, and by the late game it has some diminishing returns.
Mountain image
Pack 2 Pick 5: Spring-Loaded Sawblades
Goldfury Strider image 2.0 The base stats here are very underwhelming, and the idea here is that you can use some combination of artifacts and creature tokens that are available in the set to make this a 5/5 trampler, in which case you’re talking about something significantly more impressive. It is a pretty big bummer that you have to do it at sorcery speed, as the threat of activation here would make it a lot better. You’re just…not always going to have the extra stuff around to buff this, and even when you do, I don’t think you’re going to feel like you’re doing something all that impressive.
Contested Game Ball image 0.0 You always pay that first two mana and you play this card, so you always end up kind of behind when it comes to cards and how much mana you spend to draw cards
Spring-Loaded Sawblades image 4.0 Let’s set “Craft” aside for a moment. Two mana for 5 damage to a tapped creature at instant speed is a pretty decent rate. Sure, it’s fairly restrictive – and not really the kind of removal spell an aggro deck is excited about, but it can definitely trade up in many situations, and even produce blow outs when combat tricks are involved. I think that card alone would be about a C+ – with the caveat that you don’t really play it in aggro. But this comes with the upside of Crafting later, and when it does, you get a pretty beefy vehicle. A 5/5 vehicle with Crew 1 is formidable, and if you happen to have some other artifacts lying around - like Map tokens, you can animate it without having to Crew at all. It definitely takes some work to transform it, and you can’t count on always pulling it off, but because the front is already a nice card.
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Deconstruction Hammer image 3.0 One to play and one to equip for +1/+1 is a borderline playable, and this set has more than enough targets for the disenchant effect for this to turn into a removal spell. I think this will be a surprisingly good Common, because it can destroy so many permanents in the format.
Vito's Inquisitor image 3.0 The starting stat-line is bad, but growing this and making it evasive seems doable enough for this to perform reasonably well. Especially because you can do it at instant speed and whenever you want
Acolyte of Aclazotz image 2.5 There are plenty of expendable artifacts and creatures to be had in Black, and this also works well with Descend stuff. Draining 1 life at a time might sound small, but it really can keep you alive while pressuring your opponent
Song of Stupefaction image 1.5 Lowering a creature’s power just isn’t enough to be worth a card most of the time, although I do think milling gives you enough value itself in this format that this isn’t unplayable, but I think you’ll be able to find better enablers and payoffs for milling yourself than this thing
Tectonic Hazard image 0.5 This is sideboard material, your opponent has to have a ton of X/1s for this to be worth it.
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Dusk Rose Reliquary
Dusk Rose Reliquary image 3.5 Oblivion Rings are usually great in Limited, and this one is crazy efficient! But obviously, having to sacrifice something really lowers the power level. Still, White has lots of map and gnome tokens, so giving up something that doesn't matter seems doable enough for this to be pretty good. Adding Ward to the mix certainly matters too. I'm a bit skeptical this will grade out as premium removal, as the set up is very real.
Canonized in Blood image 3.0 You probably need at least two counters before this feels like it’s worth it, and I think that’s definitely doable. It’s great that in the late game, you also have the ability to put a very real flyer into play too, while also triggering your other descent stuff. This seems like a very nice payoff for the various descending strategies – which, keep in mind can include self mill, sacrifice, and more
Bartolomé del Presidio image 3.0 Gobbling up expendable creatures and map tokens to get bigger is pretty nice. The best thing about this card is that it doesn’t have the restrictions we often see on this kind of effect these days – you can use it as many times a turn as you want, and it doesn’t cost any mana. This means just attacking with Bartolome is going to give your opponent a headache, as things could go very wrong no matter what they decide to do. Sacrificing to this also triggers things that care about descend
Deconstruction Hammer image 3.0 One to play and one to equip for +1/+1 is a borderline playable, and this set has more than enough targets for the disenchant effect for this to turn into a removal spell. I think this will be a surprisingly good Common, because it can destroy so many permanents in the format.
Oaken Siren image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Flying and Vigilance that happens to be an artifact would probably be borderline playable in this format, so I think adding in the mana for artifact stuff does enough to make it a card that will make the cut in many Blue decks
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 8: Ancestral Reminiscence
Soulcoil Viper image 2.5 This has almost passable stats, and an ability with huge upside. Loading your graveyard is quite doable in the format, and I especially like the idea of playing this alongside land cyclers. Basically, the floor is reasonable, and the ceiling is high
Deep Goblin Skulltaker image 2.0 The Gray Ogre statline is ugly, even with Menace, but this can grow without a ton of effort, and obviously the bigger it gets, the better Menace feels
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Child of the Volcano image 2.0 Hill Giant statlines have been bad lately. But, if this can consistently come down as a 4/4, it will feel pretty nice, and that seems doable. After all, all that needs to happen is you attack and your opponent decides to trade, things like that. Then, it has the potential to grow easily on subsequent turns too, especially when paired with the more graveyard-oriented colors like Black and Blue
Armored Kincaller image 3.0 This will gain you three pretty often in Green, and that’s a pretty good ETB to have on a three mana 3/3
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Island image
Pack 2 Pick 9: Cartographer's Companion
Song of Stupefaction image 1.5 Lowering a creature’s power just isn’t enough to be worth a card most of the time, although I do think milling gives you enough value itself in this format that this isn’t unplayable, but I think you’ll be able to find better enablers and payoffs for milling yourself than this thing
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Tectonic Hazard image 0.5 This is sideboard material, your opponent has to have a ton of X/1s for this to be worth it.
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Child of the Volcano image 2.0 Hill Giant statlines have been bad lately. But, if this can consistently come down as a 4/4, it will feel pretty nice, and that seems doable. After all, all that needs to happen is you attack and your opponent decides to trade, things like that. Then, it has the potential to grow easily on subsequent turns too, especially when paired with the more graveyard-oriented colors like Black and Blue
Acolyte of Aclazotz image 2.5 There are plenty of expendable artifacts and creatures to be had in Black, and this also works well with Descend stuff. Draining 1 life at a time might sound small, but it really can keep you alive while pressuring your opponent
Hidden Nursery image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 2 Pick 10: Cartographer's Companion
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Volatile Wanderglyph image 2.0 This will let you rummage when you attack or crew a vehicle, but perhaps most importantly, it lets you do it when you tap it using one of the many cards in this format that lets you tap artifacts and creatures for value. It doesn’t seem essential for that type of deck, but it certainly seems useful.
Basking Capybara image 2.5 This seems like a solid two drop. Obviously a 1/3 isn’t where you want to be, but a two mana 4/3 is some serious business, and Green is good enough at getting there on Descend that you can expect this to have a very relevant body by the mid game
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Echo of Dusk image 2.0 It’s fine on turn two, and Black decks will get it to 3/3 and lifelink pretty often, and once it’s there there’s a good chance it has at least some relevance on just about any board
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Pack 2 Pick 11: Pirate Hat
Oteclan Landmark image 3.0 One mana to scry 2 isn’t very good, even in a format where you can sacrifice or tap this for value. But…this is way more than that, because crafting it isn’t a hug challenge, and the creature you get is a legitimate threat, because giving flying to your other attackers makes for a powerful effect. Between the format’s artifact synergy, and this card’s upside, this looks like a really nice Common to me
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Pirate Hat image 2.5 If you can Equip this for one consistently, it looks pretty solid to me. The stats boost isn’t the best thing ever, but if you’re sticking it on things for 1 mana it will feel plenty good, especially because artifacts and loot triggers are better than normal in this format
Hunter's Blowgun image 1.0 While I like that this gives you two different keywords depending on whether you’re being defensive or aggressive, they are also keywords that really only matter on the right creature. I think you end up not playing this most of the time, it’s just hard to get a full card of value here
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Pack 2 Pick 12: Nurturing Bristleback
Family Reunion image 2.0 I like this take on a mass pump effect. White can go wide, as usual, in this format, so buffing everything is a big game sometimes, but having the hexproof option attached is nice too, as it makes this useful in a wider variety of situations – namely, at times when your opponent tries to remove one of your creatures. The total package is a solid card you’re going to want one of in a lot of your White creature-heavy decks.
Walk with the Ancestors image 2.0 5 mana to return a permanent to your hand is rough, but getting to cast something else while you do helps soften that blow
Nurturing Bristleback image 3.0 This adds a very real presence to the board at 7 mana, and cycling is extra good in a set with Descend
Mountain image
Pack 2 Pick 13: Promising Vein
Tectonic Hazard image 0.5 This is sideboard material, your opponent has to have a ton of X/1s for this to be worth it.
Cartographer's Companion image 2.0 This doesn’t feel like a great rate to me. You can sort of look at it as a 4-mana 2/1 that draws you a card or a 4-mana 3/2 with some card selection, and neither of those is very good…but there are some decks in the format that want cards that make two artifacts, as well as decks that want to explore and so forth, so it’s probably not terrible
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Ironpaw Aspirant
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Ironpaw Aspirant image 2.5 We see two mana 1/1s with this ETB all the time, and they tend to be solid or better. So, getting a ½ instead is amazing. This makes it a 2/3 with nothing else around, which makes for a great two turn play, and then in the later game you can put the counter somewhere more meaningful. Obviously, this works well with the Green-White theme of having higher base power, too. I think this a great Common.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Swamp
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 1: Warden of the Inner Sky
Warden of the Inner Sky image 2.5 If you can buff this a bunch, it becomes a very real problem for your opponent, but tapping three artifacts and/or creatures at a time, and at Sorcery speed, is a really big ask
Tendril of the Mycotyrant image 3.5 This feels fine on turn two, and then in the late game it is an insane mana sink that will add a massive body to the board. It’s tough to beat at that stage
Kinjalli's Dawnrunner image 3.0 As with all the good Explore creatures, this one feels great no matter what happens. A 3-mana 1/1 with double strike that draws you a card is good, and a three mana 2/2 with double strike that gives you some card selection is probably even better!
Enterprising Scallywag image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 that makes a treasure every end step is close to a 3.5, especially in a format with lots of artifact stuff going on. This doesn’t quite do that of course, but I think it will spit out treasure reasonably often
Sunbird Standard image 2.0 We’ve seen time and time again, a three mana artifact that taps for mana of any color isn’t playable in Limited. It’s just too slow, and a mana boost like this just isn’t worth a card most of the time. However…this obviously has some real upside, since it can turn into a creature. And it can do it fairly flexibly, since it can exile any permanent type. That said, it is usually going to be a 2/2 Flyer that can tap for two mana – which is nice, but the set up cost of getting there is pretty significant. It takes quite the mana investment, even if the Standard itself can be used
Petrify image 2.0 They really are giving Pacifism upside these days! This one can shut off abilities and hit artifacts too! The problem with this card in this format is that there is a prominent sacrifice theme, and even an entire mechanic – in Craft – that lets you exile permanents you control, there’s also a bunch of cards that let you tap your creatures and artifacts for value, and so on. In other words, Petrify will have a hard time giving you a full card of value consistently, because your opponent will still be able to do enough stuff with their permanents that this doesn’t shut the card down entirely
Waylaying Pirates image 3.0 I love creatures that ETB and stun something, and while this makes you jump through a hoop – I think that hoop is pretty easy to jump through in Blue. Adding a decent body to the board and getting a blocker out of the way at the same time is going to be pretty strong. If you’re in the Pirate-Artifact deck, and you just curve out and play this on turn four, your opponent is going to be in serious trouble.
Huatli's Final Strike image 3.5 We see this kind of effect all the time at Common in Green, and it’s always one of Green’s must commons. It’s great removal that has occasional 2-for-1 upside thanks to the stats boost. You always have to be a little careful, in case your opponent can respond to you casting it, but the fact it’s an instant means you can find a nice window more often than not
Adaptive Gemguard image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have not performed well of late. The fact aggro decks can just attack into them with their two and three drops while they hold up a combat trick has been a real problem. This one can get bigger if you have artifacts and creatures lying around, and that’s certainly doable. It even counts itself for the effect.
Ray of Ruin image 2.0 We always get a super clunky Black Sorcery removal spell at Common, and they are always kind of meh. It can deal with a lot of things, but it will basically never do it efficiently, and Scry 1 being tacked on isn’t exciting enough for this to rise above a 2.0
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Etali's Favor image 1.0 You just don’t want to pay for that stats boost when you’re seriously risking getting 2-for-1’d. The Discover part does mean that this makes sure to give you back a card, but the card you get back won’t be impressive enough to offset this card’s weak effect, at least not enough for this to be the kind of Red card you’re interesting in playing consistently
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Burning Sun Cavalry image 2.5 I like that this triggers when you’re a blocker too, as it makes the card far better when you’re behind
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 2: Spring-Loaded Sawblades
Soulcoil Viper image 2.5 This has almost passable stats, and an ability with huge upside. Loading your graveyard is quite doable in the format, and I especially like the idea of playing this alongside land cyclers. Basically, the floor is reasonable, and the ceiling is high
Self-Reflection image 2.5 Paying 6 to copy a creature is pretty rough. Hard to consistently get your man's worth there. However, with Flashback in the mix this has 2-for-1 potential, and Blue mills itself enough for this to give you nice value out of the graveyard
Staunch Crewmate image 3.5 I think this will be a two mana 2/1 that draws you a card pretty darn often in Blue, and that’s a great card
Spring-Loaded Sawblades image 4.0 Let’s set “Craft” aside for a moment. Two mana for 5 damage to a tapped creature at instant speed is a pretty decent rate. Sure, it’s fairly restrictive – and not really the kind of removal spell an aggro deck is excited about, but it can definitely trade up in many situations, and even produce blow outs when combat tricks are involved. I think that card alone would be about a C+ – with the caveat that you don’t really play it in aggro. But this comes with the upside of Crafting later, and when it does, you get a pretty beefy vehicle. A 5/5 vehicle with Crew 1 is formidable, and if you happen to have some other artifacts lying around - like Map tokens, you can animate it without having to Crew at all. It definitely takes some work to transform it, and you can’t count on always pulling it off, but because the front is already a nice card.
Acolyte of Aclazotz image 2.5 There are plenty of expendable artifacts and creatures to be had in Black, and this also works well with Descend stuff. Draining 1 life at a time might sound small, but it really can keep you alive while pressuring your opponent
Basking Capybara image 2.5 This seems like a solid two drop. Obviously a 1/3 isn’t where you want to be, but a two mana 4/3 is some serious business, and Green is good enough at getting there on Descend that you can expect this to have a very relevant body by the mid game
Cogwork Wrestler image 2.5 This can Flash in and kill just about any X/1, which tends to feel pretty good.. If you can combine it with some other creatures, it can even take down bigger things. You do need to have that mode work out more often than not to make it worth it, because just using this to blank a couple of damage isn’t nearly as good, but that’s not the worst fail case either.
Over the Edge image 2.5 There are enough artifacts and enchantments in this set and – importantly – enough artifact creatures for this to work pretty well as a removal spell. The double Explore mode isn’t too bad either.
Oltec Archaeologists image 2.5 I love that they gave this a mode where it does something even if you don’t have an artifact to get back, as this type of card can be pretty bad when you can’t do something with the ETB, and Scry 3 is pretty big, it really improves your next couple of draws. Meanwhile, if you can get an artifact back we’re talking about a two-for-one. This inefficient stat-line definitely holds it back some, but I think most White decks will play the first copy of this.
Hotfoot Gnome image 2.0 A three mana 3/1 with Haste with a useful card type in Artifact is probably a 1.5, but it’s nice this can tap to give things haste. Once it isn’t a very good attacker on its own – which will be often – it can at least make your other creatures into better attackers. Still, this isn’t nearly as good as one mana 1/1s with this ability that we’ve seen in the recent past
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
River Herald Scout image 3.0 You would happily play a two mana 2/3 with Surveil one, and you’d happily play a two mana ½ that draws you a card, and you’re getting one of those every time you cast it
Orazca Puzzle-Door image 2.5 It’s an artifact, which some Blue decks care about, and it puts two cards into your graveyard all on its own, something other Blue decks care about. Mix that in with the fact that what this does for the cost is kind of passable anyway, and I think we’re talking about a solid playable
Plains image
Pack 3 Pick 3: Waterwind Scout
Vanguard of the Rose image 3.0 This has solid aggro stats to start with, and any time you have 1 mana and an artifact or creature available, attacking with it is going to drive your opponent nuts. Especially if you can give up something expendable
Diamond Pick-Axe image 2.5 It looks a lot like Goldvein Pick, a piece of equipment that really overperformed in Kaldheim. The stats boost is modest, but generating treasure is a huge deal, especially in decks that care about artifacts, but it isn’t hard to find uses for them in any deck
Kaslem's Stonetree image 1.5 The front side of this isn’t great, although the fact it can hit any land means it can help you dig for Caves if you’re interested in doing that – and you probably are, because the Stonetree crafts with Caves! Later, it can become a beefy enough creature. Overall…I’m not actually that impressed here. It doesn’t add to the board on the front side, and crafting with Caves is challenging enough that you can’t really count on getting the 5/5. There are just so many better cave payoffs in the set, that this isn’t really the one you’re desperate for
Attentive Sunscribe image 2.5 There are some vehicles in the set, in addition to many White cards that like it when you tap your stuff. This adds a decent bonus to those effects, while also being an early artifact to get those kinds of things going.
Staggering Size image 2.0 This offers a big enough boost to make a creature win combat pretty often, and trample can result in some pretty serious damage to your opponent too. I think you’ll play one of these in lots of aggressive Green decks
Oaken Siren image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Flying and Vigilance that happens to be an artifact would probably be borderline playable in this format, so I think adding in the mana for artifact stuff does enough to make it a card that will make the cut in many Blue decks
Plundering Pirate image 3.0 Creatures that make treasures on ETB virtually always over perform, and the stat-line here is a bit better than what we usually see. Treasure brings extra value in an artifact format too. I think this is one of Red’s better commons
Skullcap Snail image 2.5 It’s important than this exile instead of letting the opponent discard, as you don’t want to be helping your opponent get Descend stuff going. As usual, a two mana 1/1 with this effect is solid
Goblin Tomb Raider image 2.0 This will be a one mana 2/2 with Haste fairly frequently, especially in the mid-to-late game, and that kind of body matters surpsingly often, even at that stage of the game. It’s also a solid enough play on turn one.
Waterwind Scout image 3.5 Wind Drake + Map token for three mana seems like a quality Common to me. Explore and artifacts both matter in Blue, and this helps you do both of those. This looks like a pretty good deal
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Cogwork Wrestler image 2.5 This can Flash in and kill just about any X/1, which tends to feel pretty good.. If you can combine it with some other creatures, it can even take down bigger things. You do need to have that mode work out more often than not to make it worth it, because just using this to blank a couple of damage isn’t nearly as good, but that’s not the worst fail case either.
Hidden Volcano image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 3 Pick 4: Dusk Rose Reliquary
Hurl into History image 2.0 5 mana for something that can't even counter everything is sort of brutal. But this set has fewer instants and sorceries than normal, and also getting to Discover means you're getting a 2 for 1
Dusk Rose Reliquary image 3.5 Oblivion Rings are usually great in Limited, and this one is crazy efficient! But obviously, having to sacrifice something really lowers the power level. Still, White has lots of map and gnome tokens, so giving up something that doesn't matter seems doable enough for this to be pretty good. Adding Ward to the mix certainly matters too. I'm a bit skeptical this will grade out as premium removal, as the set up is very real.
Chart a Course image 3.0 It is two mana to draw two reasonably often, and that’s an insane deal. Even when you can’t quite make that happen, two mana to draw two and discard 1 isn’t a bad deal, especially in a format with graveyard stuff all over the place
Idol of the Deep King image 3.0 The front side of this is a playable, albeit inefficient removal spell. It’s nice it can hit the opponent too! The thing it transforms into…is….very mediocre, though. The free equip is nice, but +2/+0 isn’t much to write home about, and this won’t quite feel like a 2-for-1 most of the time, because the Equipment side just isn’t worth a card. Still, it’s removal with some real upside
Staggering Size image 2.0 This offers a big enough boost to make a creature win combat pretty often, and trample can result in some pretty serious damage to your opponent too. I think you’ll play one of these in lots of aggressive Green decks
In the Presence of Ages image 2.5 I think you’ll want one of these in most Green decks. It helps you load the yard while drawing you a couple of cards in most cases
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Soaring Sandwing image 1.5 So, the landyclers in Blue, Black, and Green all really interest me because of the descent mechanic. White doesn’t really have that going on, though you might be able to use it with craft at least. Still… I think that makes this a little less useful. You can throw this away early to hit a land drop, and in the late game if you gives you a beefy creature that can gain you life, which can sometimes help you stabilize
Marauding Brinefang image 2.5 The common landcyclers feel like they will be extra good in the graveyard decks in the format, and Blue is definitely interested in the graveyard. This is because you can get extra value out of landycling these early – as it puts a permanent into your graveyard. Then, like usual with landcyclers, in the later stage of the game you get a beefy creature
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Pathfinding Axejaw image 3.5 This will either be a 4-mana 5/4 with Surveil 1, or a 4-mana 4/3 that draws you a card. Both of those are pretty nice for the cost.
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Bat Colony
Bat Colony image 0.0 // 3.5 This is definitely a build around, since it does way too little in any deck that has too few caves. You kind of need at least one bat when you cast it, and then to get two counters to feel like you're getting there. That…doesn't sound easy. I think this is an unplayable in most White decks, but Cave decks do look legit enough for me to think this will have a home in that type of deck.
Merfolk Cave-Diver image 2.5 This has passable starting stats, and it's a great explore payoff. Gets especially spicy with repeatable explore
Helping Hand image 1.5 This feels reasonably efficient when you get back a three mana creature, and there is certainly graveyard stuff in the set, but this is still a card that feels a bit too situational to be anything special. It feels pretty bad in your opening hand, for example. Entering tapped definitely hurts too.
Dowsing Device image 2.0 Playing an artifact creature to trigger this is best, because then you can guarantee that the Haste part matters, so you get the most value. Transforming this seems very doable, and the land is obviously relevant if you managed to transform it in the first place
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Out of Air image 2.0 So, this is either a Harder-to-cast Essence Scatter, or a harder-to-cast Counterspell. I’m not super enthusiastic about either of those modes. Countermagic that costs double blue can be rough in Limited, because you are far from guaranteed to have it up when you need to. That’s sort of true of all counterspells, but one with more mana intensive requirements in a format where your mana just isn’t very good is extra hard to use
Attentive Sunscribe image 2.5 There are some vehicles in the set, in addition to many White cards that like it when you tap your stuff. This adds a decent bonus to those effects, while also being an early artifact to get those kinds of things going.
Didact Echo image 3.0 A 5-mana 3/2 that draws you a card is already kind of passable – after all, it can generate a 2-for-1. But..if this always had Flying? It would be an amazing Common. While it having flying won't be that automatic, Descend 4 does seem fairly achievable by turn 5 for Blue decks in this format
Basking Capybara image 2.5 This seems like a solid two drop. Obviously a 1/3 isn’t where you want to be, but a two mana 4/3 is some serious business, and Green is good enough at getting there on Descend that you can expect this to have a very relevant body by the mid game
Buried Treasure image 1.5 Paying two mana for a treasure is terrible, but this can at least give you an actual card from out of the graveyard, and that certainly matters in this format, where this is likely to get milled or sacrificed for value. I’m still not sure I really want to be playing this on turn two, basically ever, so maybe you mostly want to mill it. For now, I’m not very interested in this
Hidden Necropolis image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 3 Pick 6: Oltec Cloud Guard
Zoetic Glyph image 3.0 I like this. It reminds me of Mightstone’s Animation. While it doesn’t replace itself up front the way Animation did, this format has lots of random artifact tokens that this can animate into a very real creature, and the Glyph does replace itself if your opponent can ever deal with your creature, and they probably have to in one way or another, since a 5/4 isn’t really the kind of thing you can ignore. I do think drawing a card up front is better than Discovering when the Glyph goes to the graveyard, but this seems like it will be in a good spot in the format, just like Mightstone’s Animation was
Zoyowa Lava-Tongue image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 death touch is a solid enough starting point, so the fact that Zoyowa gives you such a huge bonus for descending is amazing. ESPECIALLY if you manage to start triggering him in the early game, which looks more than doable in the format. If your opponent can’t deal with him and you start making your opponent make these choices, none of them are going to feel very good. In the late game, they get a lot less impressive
Lodestone Needle image 1.0 If this were only the card on the front, it would be a 0.0. Spending a card to stun something for two turns…just isn’t worth it. But it does have another side! And it lets you explore on the cheap, which…I like. But I still feel like the front is so ineffectual, and crafting it takes enough work that I'm not very impressed.
Panicked Altisaur image 2.0 This seems solid for five mana. It’s hard to attack through, and it can chip away at your opponent in the late game
Pirate Hat image 2.5 If you can Equip this for one consistently, it looks pretty solid to me. The stats boost isn’t the best thing ever, but if you’re sticking it on things for 1 mana it will feel plenty good, especially because artifacts and loot triggers are better than normal in this format
Fungal Fortitude image 2.0 +2/+0 will help a creature win lots of combats, and it doesn’t matter that there isn’t also a toughness boost, because the creature’s coming back! It feels especially busted with ETB abilities. This also helps you trigger descend stuff
Seismic Monstrosaur image 2.0 This probably isn’t as good as the land cyclers in Blue, Black, and Green, as those are the colors that are best with the graveyard, but Red isn’t completely uninterested in the ‘yard, and the creature you get here isn’t the most inefficient thing either. The ability to throw away lands late when you’re flooding out comes in handy too
Oltec Cloud Guard image 3.5 This is a great rate for what you get, especially when you consider artifact synergy.
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Hidden Courtyard image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 3 Pick 7: Oaken Siren
Self-Reflection image 2.5 Paying 6 to copy a creature is pretty rough. Hard to consistently get your man's worth there. However, with Flashback in the mix this has 2-for-1 potential, and Blue mills itself enough for this to give you nice value out of the graveyard
Coati Scavenger image 3.5 This does a pretty good impression of Eternal Witness. You have to set it up of course, but when you do get a permanent back it will feel amazing, and if you have to play it on curve, you don’t feel too bad about things
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
River Herald Guide image 3.0 This is another Explore ETB creature that gives you a really good rate, regardless of which Explore thing happens
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Miner's Guidewing image 2.0 A one mana 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance isn’t a great card on its own, but getting to explore when it dies is pretty sweet. You do need another creature around for that part to matter, though.
Malamet Scythe image 2.0 When you use this as a combat trick, it’s going to feel pretty good. After all, it helps your creature win combat and keeps +2/+2 sticking around. After that initial equip, having to pay 4 at a time to move this will feel rough, but if you’ve already traded one-for-one, we’re just talking about upside at that point.
Oaken Siren image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Flying and Vigilance that happens to be an artifact would probably be borderline playable in this format, so I think adding in the mana for artifact stuff does enough to make it a card that will make the cut in many Blue decks
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 8: Hidden Cataract
Inverted Iceberg image 3.5 The front side of the card has a useful card type, loads your graveyard, and replaces itself. It would probably be a C all on its own. And in the late game you can transform it into a creature that your opponent is going to have to do something about. Even if it doesn’t impact the board on turn two, I think it does enough for the cost and the upside is big
Relic's Roar image 0.0 Normally, if we see this effect without card draw attached, it isn’t playable. This is because the stats boost you get for the cost often isn’t worth it, especially because if your creatures are large enough this doesn’t really offer a boost at all. But at one mana? Well…I still don’t think it’s very good. It’s just too variable as to how much of a boost it actually offers. It’s tempting to imagine buffing a 1/1 with it, because it will feel like a Blue giant growth, but the higher the base stats of your creature is, the worse this gets
Compass Gnome image 2.0 We’ve seen this card before, more or less, and its always kind of mediocre. Putting the land on top is miles away from putting it in your hand. This offers passable fixing, but I think it will be especially attractive to Cave decks. As we’ll see in just a little bit, the set has a lot of caves, but still, getting your hands on enough to make the various Cave payoffs work is a little tricky – something like Compass Gnome helps make that easier
Mephitic Draught image 1.5 // 3.0 This is another card that is great sacrifice fodder, but not really worth it if you’re not consistently available to get rid of it. When you can it feels awesome, because it gives you a very efficient 2-for-1. But there will be enough Black decks that aren’t that good at sacrificing that I think this needs a build around grade.
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Greedy Freebooter image 1.0 // 3.0 This is some amazing sacrifice fodder, especially because the sacrifice effects in this format let you sacrifice creature or artifacts, and this one card gives you two of those. It does get a lot worse in situations where you can’t sacrifice it easily, as it will be a little more difficult to get a card of value out of it. I think that probably makes it a build around
Adaptive Gemguard image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have not performed well of late. The fact aggro decks can just attack into them with their two and three drops while they hold up a combat trick has been a real problem. This one can get bigger if you have artifacts and creatures lying around, and that’s certainly doable. It even counts itself for the effect.
Hidden Cataract image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 3 Pick 9: Sunbird Standard
Tendril of the Mycotyrant image 3.5 This feels fine on turn two, and then in the late game it is an insane mana sink that will add a massive body to the board. It’s tough to beat at that stage
Sunbird Standard image 2.0 We’ve seen time and time again, a three mana artifact that taps for mana of any color isn’t playable in Limited. It’s just too slow, and a mana boost like this just isn’t worth a card most of the time. However…this obviously has some real upside, since it can turn into a creature. And it can do it fairly flexibly, since it can exile any permanent type. That said, it is usually going to be a 2/2 Flyer that can tap for two mana – which is nice, but the set up cost of getting there is pretty significant. It takes quite the mana investment, even if the Standard itself can be used
Waylaying Pirates image 3.0 I love creatures that ETB and stun something, and while this makes you jump through a hoop – I think that hoop is pretty easy to jump through in Blue. Adding a decent body to the board and getting a blocker out of the way at the same time is going to be pretty strong. If you’re in the Pirate-Artifact deck, and you just curve out and play this on turn four, your opponent is going to be in serious trouble.
Adaptive Gemguard image 2.5 4-mana 3/3s have not performed well of late. The fact aggro decks can just attack into them with their two and three drops while they hold up a combat trick has been a real problem. This one can get bigger if you have artifacts and creatures lying around, and that’s certainly doable. It even counts itself for the effect.
Disruptor Wanderglyph image 1.0 There’s enough graveyard hate in this format that you don’t need to run something this inefficient and slow
Thousand Moons Infantry image 2.0 A three mana 2/4 with kind-of sort-of vigilance is decent, and the idea here is to get multiple taps out of the Infantry for your cards that want you tap creatures or artifacts for effects. I can see this performing that role decently enough
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 10: Self-Reflection
Self-Reflection image 2.5 Paying 6 to copy a creature is pretty rough. Hard to consistently get your man's worth there. However, with Flashback in the mix this has 2-for-1 potential, and Blue mills itself enough for this to give you nice value out of the graveyard
Acolyte of Aclazotz image 2.5 There are plenty of expendable artifacts and creatures to be had in Black, and this also works well with Descend stuff. Draining 1 life at a time might sound small, but it really can keep you alive while pressuring your opponent
Cogwork Wrestler image 2.5 This can Flash in and kill just about any X/1, which tends to feel pretty good.. If you can combine it with some other creatures, it can even take down bigger things. You do need to have that mode work out more often than not to make it worth it, because just using this to blank a couple of damage isn’t nearly as good, but that’s not the worst fail case either.
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
River Herald Scout image 3.0 You would happily play a two mana 2/3 with Surveil one, and you’d happily play a two mana ½ that draws you a card, and you’re getting one of those every time you cast it
Plains image
Pack 3 Pick 11: Hidden Volcano
Kaslem's Stonetree image 1.5 The front side of this isn’t great, although the fact it can hit any land means it can help you dig for Caves if you’re interested in doing that – and you probably are, because the Stonetree crafts with Caves! Later, it can become a beefy enough creature. Overall…I’m not actually that impressed here. It doesn’t add to the board on the front side, and crafting with Caves is challenging enough that you can’t really count on getting the 5/5. There are just so many better cave payoffs in the set, that this isn’t really the one you’re desperate for
Staggering Size image 2.0 This offers a big enough boost to make a creature win combat pretty often, and trample can result in some pretty serious damage to your opponent too. I think you’ll play one of these in lots of aggressive Green decks
Goblin Tomb Raider image 2.0 This will be a one mana 2/2 with Haste fairly frequently, especially in the mid-to-late game, and that kind of body matters surpsingly often, even at that stage of the game. It’s also a solid enough play on turn one.
Cogwork Wrestler image 2.5 This can Flash in and kill just about any X/1, which tends to feel pretty good.. If you can combine it with some other creatures, it can even take down bigger things. You do need to have that mode work out more often than not to make it worth it, because just using this to blank a couple of damage isn’t nearly as good, but that’s not the worst fail case either.
Hidden Volcano image 2.5 Entering tapped is certainly a problem sometimes, but they more than make up for it by getting you a card back in the later game thanks to Discover. The Cave type matters some too! I think you’re pretty much always playing the first copy of one of these. Obviously, if you have a bunch of one drops you’ll be less interested in them
Pack 3 Pick 12: Promising Vein
Staggering Size image 2.0 This offers a big enough boost to make a creature win combat pretty often, and trample can result in some pretty serious damage to your opponent too. I think you’ll play one of these in lots of aggressive Green decks
Daring Discovery image 1.5 If you hit a two drop creature with this, it feels like a 5-mana 2/2 that makes three things unable to block. That’s not too shabby, and sometimes it will be better. Of course, sometimes you’ll also not get a creature at all. Additionally, this effect is highly situational, and not really worth using except in the situation where it allows you to win the game anyway, so I think we have to look at the Discover part almost as an alternate mode that you use when the creatures can’t block part is irrelevant, which will be often
Ancestral Reminiscence image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of Sift, which in the olden days of Limited was a pretty good card. But…paying 4 and not impacting the board with a Sorcery can be pretty rough, even if this helps with the graveyard. You might end up running one of these in control decks, but I don’t think it always makes the cut
Promising Vein image 2.5 In the Lord of the Rings set, we saw that an Evolving Wilds that can tap for mana, but costs 1 generic to sacrifice, was a pretty big downgrade from a traditional Evolving Wilds. Having to pay one just makes a world of difference. That said, it does have a useful subtype in this set, and that probably means it will be a bit more useful than its predecessor.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Out of Air
Merfolk Cave-Diver image 2.5 This has passable starting stats, and it's a great explore payoff. Gets especially spicy with repeatable explore
Out of Air image 2.0 So, this is either a Harder-to-cast Essence Scatter, or a harder-to-cast Counterspell. I’m not super enthusiastic about either of those modes. Countermagic that costs double blue can be rough in Limited, because you are far from guaranteed to have it up when you need to. That’s sort of true of all counterspells, but one with more mana intensive requirements in a format where your mana just isn’t very good is extra hard to use
Didact Echo image 3.0 A 5-mana 3/2 that draws you a card is already kind of passable – after all, it can generate a 2-for-1. But..if this always had Flying? It would be an amazing Common. While it having flying won't be that automatic, Descend 4 does seem fairly achievable by turn 5 for Blue decks in this format
Pack 3 Pick 14: Pirate Hat
Pirate Hat image 2.5 If you can Equip this for one consistently, it looks pretty solid to me. The stats boost isn’t the best thing ever, but if you’re sticking it on things for 1 mana it will feel plenty good, especially because artifacts and loot triggers are better than normal in this format
Seeker of Sunlight image 0.0 A one mana 1/1 just isn’t’ a stat-line that stays relevant, and while this has the ability to stay more relevant thanks to it’s activated ability, it’s costly enough and clunky enough at sorcery speed that it is only something you’re going to start using in the extreme late game. This is bad at virtually every other stage
Pack 3 Pick 15: Island
Island image
Draft Pick Overview