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Premier Draft MKM 24 February 2024

24 February 08:22 - hisamaru 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (19)
1 Izoni, Center of the Web image
1 Flourishing Bloom-Kin image
1 Nervous Gardener image
2 Undercity Eliminator image
2 Repeat Offender image
2 Nightdrinker Moroii image
1 Kraul Whipcracker image
1 Rakish Scoundrel image
1 Leering Onlooker image
1 Slimy Dualleech image
1 Sanitation Automaton image
1 Faerie Snoop image
1 Homicide Investigator image
1 Unscrupulous Agent image
1 Persuasive Interrogators image
1 Sanguine Savior image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (4)
1 Slice from the Shadows image
1 Macabre Reconstruction image
1 Murder image
1 Long Goodbye image
Land (17)
1 Hedge Maze image
10 Swamp image
6 Forest image
Sideboard
2 Undercover Crocodelf image
1 Crimestopper Sprite image
1 Tolsimir, Midnight's Light image
1 The Pride of Hull Clade image
1 Rubblebelt Braggart image
1 Judith, Carnage Connoisseur image
1 Shady Informant image
1 Rot Farm Mortipede image
1 Projektor Inspector image
2 Chalk Outline image
1 Convenient Target image
1 Suspicious Detonation image
1 Public Thoroughfare image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Izoni, Center of the Web
Izoni, Center of the Web image 5 This reminds me of Ishkanah, and that’s good company to keep. In black green, this will be a 6 mana 5/4 with Menace thar makes two 2/1s with Menace and reach more often than it isn't, and on rate alone that's a bomb. Throw in the ability to make more spiders every time it attacks, and the ability to give up tokens for value, and this might just be the biggest bomb in the set.
Pompous Gadabout image 2.5 This can't be blocked by disguised creatures, and you can use tricks on it without any fear of interaction.
Torch the Witness image 4 It’s always going to feel like very efficient removal, and it scales all game long and it’s likely to let you investigate in most situations, so you even get a 2-for-1!
Magnetic Snuffler image 2.5 This set does have some Equipment that sacrifice themselves and draw you a card, and that’s kind of what it’s supposed to interact with. There’s also a decent amount of self-mill in the format. But…I still wouldn’t count on triggering that ETB all that often. When you can, it will feel nice. I think most of the value of the Snuffler comes from the fact that it grows when you sacrifice clues or other artifacts – but, the fact it starts out so inefficiently makes it hard for me to really feel great about this card.
Thinking Cap image 2 If this were always 1 to Equip, it would probably be a 2.5, just because that’s a fairly efficient boost – one that’s easy to move around. Detectives are plentiful enough in this format that this still looks solid.
Innocent Bystander image 1.5 A two mana 2/1 that always gives you a clue when it dies is probably a C, but obviously enough this doesn’t always do it. In fact, in a lot of situations where it takes three, your opponent’s creature probably survives. That means this will often just be trading with another two drop or, worse – a 1/1 token.
Tunnel Tipster image 4 A two mana 1/1 that can tap for green is already a C-level card, and this has legitimate potential to grow throughout the game, which means it can stay more relevant than most mana dorks. Of course, if you draw it late it isn’t the most impressive thing ever, but playing this on turn two and playing a couple of Disguise creatures seems like a super common play pattern. This Common looks quite good.
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Macabre Reconstruction image 2.5 Paying two for this is very doable, and when you do that it feels great. You probably don't want more than one, though.
Projektor Inspector image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 that loots on ETB is decent, and looting with this more than once isn’t impossible.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
Rot Farm Mortipede image 3 The boost that the Mortipede gets is legit, as a 4/4 menace lifelinker is far better than a ¾. Getting stuff to leave your graveyard isn’t a huge ask in the format either, as the entire “Collect Evidence” mechanic is all about doing that. Putting cards from your graveyard to your hand and all of that will trigger this too. I think most Black decks will realistically be able to trigger this once or twice a game, and that’s really all you need for this to pull its weight.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Chalk Outline
Repeat Offender image 2 This has an almost-passable baseline and ability that will make for a good mana sink in the later stages of the game. I like that you can use it at instant speed, so threat of activation will be pretty real. 
Reenact the Crime image 1 This is mana intensive and only works in a very narrow window. Those two things combine for a Limited card you won't be able to cast very often.
Hustle image
Lumbering Laundry image 2 We’ve seen in past sets with Morph that being able to look at your opponent’s face-down cards isn’t really worth spending mana. Sure, the information is nice, and there’s worse things you could sink your mana into, but until you reach a point where you have literally nothing else you can do, you’re not going to be using this ability. So, what you’re left with is a pretty medium creature with a bit of Disguise upside.
Reckless Detective image 2.5 It’s nice that you have two different ways to make this a ⅔, and both options are pretty reasonable. If you discard, you’re rummaging, which itself isn’t a bad effect, and if you have an expendable artifact it will feel more like you’re netting a card. It won’t be able to attack effectively all game, but playing this on two seems pretty good, and it isn’t like it can be completely ignored in the mid-to-late game either.
Chalk Outline image 0.0 / 3.5 The idea here is to play cards with Collect Evidence alongside this, and if you have enough of that going on – and enough creatures in your deck – this has the potential to be a fairly absurd engine, since it effectively gives you 2 cards every time you Collect Evidence. The problem is that this does absolutely nothing up front. Still, the upside is kind of insane, and I think accessible enough in some decks for this to get a buildaround grade. 
Gadget Technician image 3.5 Playing this face up gives you a pretty nice rate, and the Disguise option is pretty nice too. This looks like a really good common.
Public Thoroughfare image 2.5 This is another nice source of fixing, even if it does require you to jump through a few hoops. Being able to only tap a Clue or something once when you play it is nice.
Defenestrated Phantom image 2 No matter how you cast this, you’re really not getting a very good deal. You do still have the upside of having this big ol’ flyer you can cast in the early game, but like I said, it’s never going to feel that good. It isn’t terrible either. I’m giving it a C-. 
Airtight Alibi image 2 When you can use this correctly, it can be an absolute beating. It can work as a decent trick that leaves the buff behind, and it can blank removal. Turning off Suspect will usually be more upside than downside, too. Still, it's tricky to leave up this much mana.
Gearbane Orangutan image 1.5 If you can either destroy an opposing artifact, or give up an expendable artifact when you play this, it’ll be fine. Ideally of course, you give up a clue. Still, I think there are going to be enough situations where neither mode is useful and this is a miserable card when that happens.
Macabre Reconstruction image 2.5 Paying two for this is very doable, and when you do that it feels great. You probably don't want more than one, though.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Flourishing Bloom-Kin
Case of the Uneaten Feast image 0.0 // 3.0 Solving this gives you an incredible payoff. The only problem is this format doesn’t have a major life gain theme, and the Feast doesn’t gain you enough life on its own to get it done. It’s not going to be impossible to solve this and start casting stuff from your graveyard, but this does need a build around grade. This life gain effect just doesn’t do enough when that’s all your card is doing. But, if you have a few ways to gain life, and maybe a few cards that make multiple bodies, you’re going to end up being able to make this work, though I think the chances of doing that are unfortunately kind of low.
Call a Surprise Witness image 2.5 We’ve seen two mana spells that reanimate small creatures and give them a little buff work out reasonably well of late, and I think this is another one of those. It does take set up, and a deck made up of the right composition, but I don’t think it will be hard to feel like you’re getting a good deal when you can cast this.
Flourishing Bloom-Kin image 3 This is best in a heavy green deck, but even outside of that, it helps you ramp your mana and will be a reasonable size.
Neighborhood Guardian image 2.5 The boost is nice and all but…it’s not amazing when you have to jump through some pretty specific hoops to make it happen. And sure, there’s lots of Diguise in this set that will trigger this, not to mention creature tokens and the like, but this still seems pretty medium. 
Repeat Offender image 2 This has an almost-passable baseline and ability that will make for a good mana sink in the later stages of the game. I like that you can use it at instant speed, so threat of activation will be pretty real. 
Demand Answers image 2.5 We’ve come a long way since Tormenting Voice. This is an Instant and you can choose to sacrifice an artifact or discard a card as an additional cost. That’s actually a pretty big deal, because this format has so many Clues.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Jaded Analyst image 1.5 It feels like every single one of these creatures that has defender but loses defender when X happens has been really unimpressive, and I kind of thing this is too. I get it, you can give up a clue and attack with it, but by the time you can set that up, it isn’t like a 3/2 is going to light the world on fire. Most of the time this type of card is a 3/3, so at least it is a reasonable blocker, but a 3/2 is substantially worse.
Marketwatch Phantom image 3 This feels like a very important common for aggressive White decks. That type of deck will have tons of cards that trigger this. It doesn't seem like it will be rare for this to crack in as a flyer on turns 3 and 4.
Topiary Panther image 2.5 This fixes your mana well and sets up Collect Evidence 6 in the early game, and in the late game it's a passable creature.
Unauthorized Exit image 2 This card is always pretty decent. You go down a card in most cases, but you get some nice tempo, and Surveil 1 can improve your next draw and/or load your graveyard. It is hurt a little bit by the absence of a dedicated spell deck in the format.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Slice from the Shadows
Vengeful Creeper image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/5 is pretty beefy, and this one has some Disenchant upside. Feels like most Green decks will want one of these. 
Case of the Shattered Pact image 2.5 A colorless source of fixing is a nice thing to have around, and this format has enough multicolored stuff going on that solving this isn’t impossible, and obviously the Case itself increases your chances of having a deck that lets you solve this, but I still think this will be hard enough to solve that most of the value just comes from its ability to fix your mana, with some occasional late-game upside.
Clandestine Meddler image 3 A three mana 3/2 that makes one of your creatures gain menace is something in the market for, even if that creature also can’t block. Especially because getting to Surveil 1 when a suspect attacks is pretty relevant. Frequently, you’ll get that Surveil trigger the turn you play it too. This seems like it gives you some impressive value for the cost.
Nightdrinker Moroii image 3 A 4 mana 4/2 flyer that makes you lose 3 is probably a C. The stat-line is aggressive enough to be worth the downside. So, the fact you can play it face down first and then turn it face up - without losing that life, is pretty nice. It ends up costing one more, but you pay in installments, and it also means that if you happen to be at very low life, this card won't mean the end of you.
Mass Hysteria image
Unauthorized Exit image 2 This card is always pretty decent. You go down a card in most cases, but you get some nice tempo, and Surveil 1 can improve your next draw and/or load your graveyard. It is hurt a little bit by the absence of a dedicated spell deck in the format.
Seasoned Consultant image 2 This will feel pretty nice attacking as a 3/3, but it probably won’t be doing that until turn 4 at the earliest, so it isn’t going to be lighting the world on fire either.
Slice from the Shadows image 3.5 Uncounterability actually matters in this set because of all the Disguise creatures with Ward. –X/-X is never going to feel super efficient, but it’s an instant and it scales all game, so I think it’s premium.
Public Thoroughfare image 2.5 This is another nice source of fixing, even if it does require you to jump through a few hoops. Being able to only tap a Clue or something once when you play it is nice.
Dog Walker image 3.5 Obviously, you get the most value out of just casting it face down and turning it face up – at which point you paid 5 mana for a 3/1 Vigilance and two 1/1s, and paying it in installments will make it feel more efficient than that. But, the fact you can just slam it on turn two if you’re more interested in curving out is pretty nice.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Nervous Gardener
Case of the Gorgon's Kiss image 2.5 If you can solve this the value is insane, and it can certainly set that up for you. On the flip side, it also the potential to do absolutely nothing.
Concealed Weapon image 1.5 +3/+0 can make just about any creature into a better attacker, but the lack of a toughness boost limits just how useful it can be, unless you’re equipping an evasive creature. Adding Disguise to the mix is important, because the worst thing in the world is drawing Equipment when you have nothing worth equipping it too, so this gives you a decent fail case, and can even work as a combat trick later in the game. 
Nervous Gardener image 3 A two mana 2/2 isn’t what it used to be, but that’s the fail case here, and this has the upside of fixing your mana. Note, by the way, that it can grab this format’s dual lands, should you pick one up.
Shock image 3.5 Shock is a 3.5 as it usual is. It’s definitely premium because you can spend only a single mana to kill significantly more expensive creatures – and you can do it at instant speed! Plus, it can even finish off your opponent.
Marketwatch Phantom image 3 This feels like a very important common for aggressive White decks. That type of deck will have tons of cards that trigger this. It doesn't seem like it will be rare for this to crack in as a flyer on turns 3 and 4.
Basilica Stalker image 2.5 It's never going to feel like you’re getting great value with the Stalker, whether you disguise it first or otherwise. But it probably won't feel bad either.
Crimestopper Sprite image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 flyer isn’t too bad, and one that stuns something on ETB is probably a 3.0, it’s just a great tempo play to add to the board while getting a creature out of the way. This won’t always stun stuff, and isn’t that likely to do it on turn three, but I think it will do it often enough.
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Undercover Crocodelf
Cold Case Cracker image 3 A 4-mana 3/3 Flyer isn’t what it once was, but it’s not a bad stat-line, and this one replaces itself with a valuable Clue and it has a useful creature type.
Doorkeeper Thrull image 2.5 Your deck is pretty likely to have effects that this shuts down, so you have to be careful about when you play it. That said, you do get to decide when you play it, and casting it in response to a creature with an ETB or something is likely to feel pretty good. Especially with the reasonable stat-line.
Branch of Vitu-Ghazi image 2.5 If you just need the mana right away, you can play it, but this has two other really nice functions. First, it's flood insurance. The last thing you want to do in the late game is draw a land - but thud one can be a creature when that's the case. And in the mid-game, when you might need the fixing, you can turn it face up. Remember you can do weird stuff like assign this to block and turn it face up, at which point you get the mana and the creature it blocked is still considered blocked, but you don't lose the land.
Granite Witness image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/2 with Flying and Vigilance is sort of passable, so the Disguise upside here is a nice thing to have around. Tapping or untapping things isn’t always gonna be useful, but when it is, it can be pretty awesome.
Person of Interest image 3.5 4-mana for a 2/2 and a 2/2 Menace that can’t block is a pretty amazing rate. Not much more to say there, but this is a really good Common.
Toxin Analysis image 1.5 This is really cheap, and cheap tricks are often real good for their ability to punch above their weight class – and this one even gives you a clue! But…there’s a problem. It doesn’t offer anything that can help your creature survive combat. Sure, your creature can always trade thanks to this, but it’s still going to feel close enough to a 2-for-1 to sting when you have to use it that way. It does work nicely with Suspect, but I don't think that's enough.
Out Cold image 2 I’m not always a huge fan of cards that just Stun things, as it often doesn’t feel like they do enough to be worth a card. Sure, you can get two creatures out of the way for two attacks and two blocks, but if you don’t have the game in-hand by the time they untap, you’re going to be in trouble.  But because this gives you a Clue, it gives you that card back. I still don’t really think you want more than one, but this looks like a pretty good version of this effect. It can even hit Disguised creatures without you having to worry about Ward.
Undercover Crocodelf image 2 So…without Disguise this wouldn’t be very good. A 6-mana 5/5 just doesn’t move the needle, especially one that can only do something if it hits your opponent. Disguise does enough to make this playable, though, because you can get it on the board much earlier of course, but you can also find a way to sneak it in and get that clue more easily.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Undercity Eliminator
Bolrac-Clan Basher image 2.5 The Basher is a case where you’re most frequently want to play it face down, because turning it face up for 5 is a much better deal, and a double-striking trampler is the exact creature you want to surprise your opponent with. It can take down almost anything, and it can frequently survive while it does and chip in for some serious damage. This also makes it more likely the Basher does some work before going down, unlike if you play it face up.
Vengeful Tracker image 2.5 This has a solid baseline, and against some opponents relying on Clues it can be really punishing.
Undercity Eliminator image 3.5 If you can exile a creature with this, it’s gonna feel pretty awesome – but only if you’re giving up something expendable. The ideal thing to give up is a clue, but there are other things around worth sacrificing. It isn’t going to work amazingly in every deck, but I think this will feel close enough to Ravenous Chupacabra often enough.
Toxin Analysis image 1.5 This is really cheap, and cheap tricks are often real good for their ability to punch above their weight class – and this one even gives you a clue! But…there’s a problem. It doesn’t offer anything that can help your creature survive combat. Sure, your creature can always trade thanks to this, but it’s still going to feel close enough to a 2-for-1 to sting when you have to use it that way. It does work nicely with Suspect, but I don't think that's enough.
Unauthorized Exit image 2 This card is always pretty decent. You go down a card in most cases, but you get some nice tempo, and Surveil 1 can improve your next draw and/or load your graveyard. It is hurt a little bit by the absence of a dedicated spell deck in the format.
Cold Case Cracker image 3 A 4-mana 3/3 Flyer isn’t what it once was, but it’s not a bad stat-line, and this one replaces itself with a valuable Clue and it has a useful creature type.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Undercover Crocodelf
Candlestick image 2.5 The Cluequipments in Blue and Red might just be the best since the Blue-Red deck is so into sacrificing artifacts, but lots of decks in the format like Clues too, and this one can help set up collect evidence.
Cornered Crook image 4 There are no shortage of Clues in the format, and even giving up a full card for the bolt effect is going to be worthwhile a big chunk of the time. This will feel like a 2-for-1 when you can give up a clue, and you’ll still come out ahead most of the time if you have to give up something else.
Behind the Mask image 1 This type of card rarely works out in Limited, and I think even at one mana I’m not super interested in this. It’s easy to look at this and see it as a trick with multiple modes – and that is what it is, but reducing a creature to 1/1 or growing a creature to 4/3, or turning a clue into a 4/3, while possibilities is only useful situationally. You need stat-lines to line up just right, and if you’re turning your 2/2 or something into a 4/3 it’s really not worth it. Furthermore, shrinking an opposing creature to a 1/1 is only relevant or useful when your opponent attacks with the right creature that you actually want to remove. Basically, this is too situational to do something worthwhile very often.
Undercover Crocodelf image 2 So…without Disguise this wouldn’t be very good. A 6-mana 5/5 just doesn’t move the needle, especially one that can only do something if it hits your opponent. Disguise does enough to make this playable, though, because you can get it on the board much earlier of course, but you can also find a way to sneak it in and get that clue more easily.
Deduce image 2.5 This is a nice little card draw spell, because it ultimately gives you a 2-for-1, and there’s lots of additional upside for making Clue tokens in the format. You probably don’t want too many of these because they don’t really add to the board.
Granite Witness image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/2 with Flying and Vigilance is sort of passable, so the Disguise upside here is a nice thing to have around. Tapping or untapping things isn’t always gonna be useful, but when it is, it can be pretty awesome.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Macabre Reconstruction
Macabre Reconstruction image 2.5 Paying two for this is very doable, and when you do that it feels great. You probably don't want more than one, though.
Magnetic Snuffler image 2.5 This set does have some Equipment that sacrifice themselves and draw you a card, and that’s kind of what it’s supposed to interact with. There’s also a decent amount of self-mill in the format. But…I still wouldn’t count on triggering that ETB all that often. When you can, it will feel nice. I think most of the value of the Snuffler comes from the fact that it grows when you sacrifice clues or other artifacts – but, the fact it starts out so inefficiently makes it hard for me to really feel great about this card.
Thinking Cap image 2 If this were always 1 to Equip, it would probably be a 2.5, just because that’s a fairly efficient boost – one that’s easy to move around. Detectives are plentiful enough in this format that this still looks solid.
Projektor Inspector image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 that loots on ETB is decent, and looting with this more than once isn’t impossible.
Rot Farm Mortipede image 3 The boost that the Mortipede gets is legit, as a 4/4 menace lifelinker is far better than a ¾. Getting stuff to leave your graveyard isn’t a huge ask in the format either, as the entire “Collect Evidence” mechanic is all about doing that. Putting cards from your graveyard to your hand and all of that will trigger this too. I think most Black decks will realistically be able to trigger this once or twice a game, and that’s really all you need for this to pull its weight.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Repeat Offender
Repeat Offender image 2 This has an almost-passable baseline and ability that will make for a good mana sink in the later stages of the game. I like that you can use it at instant speed, so threat of activation will be pretty real. 
Lumbering Laundry image 2 We’ve seen in past sets with Morph that being able to look at your opponent’s face-down cards isn’t really worth spending mana. Sure, the information is nice, and there’s worse things you could sink your mana into, but until you reach a point where you have literally nothing else you can do, you’re not going to be using this ability. So, what you’re left with is a pretty medium creature with a bit of Disguise upside.
Airtight Alibi image 2 When you can use this correctly, it can be an absolute beating. It can work as a decent trick that leaves the buff behind, and it can blank removal. Turning off Suspect will usually be more upside than downside, too. Still, it's tricky to leave up this much mana.
Macabre Reconstruction image 2.5 Paying two for this is very doable, and when you do that it feels great. You probably don't want more than one, though.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Repeat Offender
Case of the Uneaten Feast image 0.0 // 3.0 Solving this gives you an incredible payoff. The only problem is this format doesn’t have a major life gain theme, and the Feast doesn’t gain you enough life on its own to get it done. It’s not going to be impossible to solve this and start casting stuff from your graveyard, but this does need a build around grade. This life gain effect just doesn’t do enough when that’s all your card is doing. But, if you have a few ways to gain life, and maybe a few cards that make multiple bodies, you’re going to end up being able to make this work, though I think the chances of doing that are unfortunately kind of low.
Repeat Offender image 2 This has an almost-passable baseline and ability that will make for a good mana sink in the later stages of the game. I like that you can use it at instant speed, so threat of activation will be pretty real. 
Jaded Analyst image 1.5 It feels like every single one of these creatures that has defender but loses defender when X happens has been really unimpressive, and I kind of thing this is too. I get it, you can give up a clue and attack with it, but by the time you can set that up, it isn’t like a 3/2 is going to light the world on fire. Most of the time this type of card is a 3/3, so at least it is a reasonable blocker, but a 3/2 is substantially worse.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Nightdrinker Moroii
Case of the Shattered Pact image 2.5 A colorless source of fixing is a nice thing to have around, and this format has enough multicolored stuff going on that solving this isn’t impossible, and obviously the Case itself increases your chances of having a deck that lets you solve this, but I still think this will be hard enough to solve that most of the value just comes from its ability to fix your mana, with some occasional late-game upside.
Nightdrinker Moroii image 3 A 4 mana 4/2 flyer that makes you lose 3 is probably a C. The stat-line is aggressive enough to be worth the downside. So, the fact you can play it face down first and then turn it face up - without losing that life, is pretty nice. It ends up costing one more, but you pay in installments, and it also means that if you happen to be at very low life, this card won't mean the end of you.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Crimestopper Sprite
Crimestopper Sprite image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 flyer isn’t too bad, and one that stuns something on ETB is probably a 3.0, it’s just a great tempo play to add to the board while getting a creature out of the way. This won’t always stun stuff, and isn’t that likely to do it on turn three, but I think it will do it often enough.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Hedge Maze
Gearbane Orangutan image 1.5 If you can either destroy an opposing artifact, or give up an expendable artifact when you play this, it’ll be fine. Ideally of course, you give up a clue. Still, I think there are going to be enough situations where neither mode is useful and this is a miserable card when that happens.
Unyielding Gatekeeper image 3.5 The best thing to do with this when you turn it face up is to help your creature dodge removal, but just rebuying ETBs, flipping disguised creatures, or getting rid of a problematic nonland permanent an opponent controls and giving them a detective instead makes this into a bit of a swiss army knife.
Hedge Maze image
Lead Pipe image 2 One to play and two to equip isn’t a complete disaster for +2/+0. You can use it to really give you a better attack than you would otherwise have, and the life loss effect gives you some inevitability. That said, if the card ended there I’m not sure I’d think it was worth playing very often. It just doesn’t feel like it would have enough of an impact to be worth a card, even as cheap as it is. However, by giving you the ability to sacrifice the Pipe to draw a card, you’re really mitigating against that problem. Your Equipment can be pretty bad if you run out of creatures, or if you really need something more impactful, you can just throw it away. I’m still not ultra impressed here, but I think if you’ve got lots of creatures in a black deck, playing this seems fine.
Leering Onlooker image 3.5 I’m reasonably happy with a two mana ⅓ Flyer, and this one gives you a couple bodies out of the graveyard. This means that if you’re milling yourself it still gives you value, and just casting it normally and getting the bodies back later is a nice feeling too.
Wrench image 2.5 All of these Cluequipments are solid or better, because they offer a decent effect, while also having the ability to be thrown away for something else when the Equipment doesn’t do enough. The stats boost here isn’t the most efficient thing ever, and the tap effect is expensive, but it certainly isn’t a bad mana sink – and the fact you can swing with something, keep it untapped, and leave mana up for the effect is nice.
Person of Interest image 3.5 4-mana for a 2/2 and a 2/2 Menace that can’t block is a pretty amazing rate. Not much more to say there, but this is a really good Common.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
Sanitation Automaton image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a mediocre ETB.
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Rakish Scoundrel image 2 A 4-mana 3/3 death touch is probably a 1.5. It can trade for anything, but that’s really only exciting on cheap death touchers, and this definitely isn’t one. And sure, this can grant indestructibility when it enters, or can do it at instant speed if you have the mana for disguise – which means that it will kill whatever blocks it and survive thanks to death touch and indestructibility, but it seems like you’re just paying too much mana for this no matter how you deploy it.
Gadget Technician image 3.5 Playing this face up gives you a pretty nice rate, and the Disguise option is pretty nice too. This looks like a really good common.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Tolsimir, Midnight's Light
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Tolsimir, Midnight's Light image 5 5 mana for a 3/2 lifelink and a 5/5 trampler is an incredible rate. Tolsimir's ability to make stuff block the wolf can be pretty nasty too, but this card gets most of its value from giving you two very real bodies for a very low cost.
Sumala Sentry image 4 Two counters is a big deal, and the fact you can turn them face up at instant speed can really make this a beating.
Case of the Gorgon's Kiss image 2.5 If you can solve this the value is insane, and it can certainly set that up for you. On the flip side, it also the potential to do absolutely nothing.
Aftermath Analyst image 2.5 This is a great early game enabler for Collect Evidence decks that I would already be interested in playing if it just had the ETB. So, the fact it can also snag you some lands out of your graveyard is nice too, especially because lands don’t help you collect evidence anyway.
Case File Auditor image 2.5 So, if can consistently get a hit with this ETB, it’s going to be plenty good. This format has enough Enchantments – including cases – for that to happen a decent chunk of the time. If you have like 5 Enchantments, I think you’ll hit often enough for it to work, and obviously you’re going to need Cases to get the full value out of this, but they aren’t so plentiful that that’s always going to be easy.
Rubblebelt Maverick image 3.5 These days, they give us lots of Common one drops that do a whole bunch of little things, and almost all of them have been impressive in Limited – I think this is another one of those. A one mana 1/1 with Surveil 2 is probably playable to begin with, especially if you’re a graveyard deck. Add to that the ability to put a counter on something, and this card just feels like it will do a ton of work.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Sanguine Savior image 3 A three mana 2/1 with Flying and Lifelink is pretty solid. It won’t always be able to get in there, but it will fairly often, and evasive lifelinkers are pretty sweet because they really shift a race in your favor. So, the fact that you can also play it first down first and give something else lifelink too is nice upside.
Dramatic Accusation image 2.5 Three mana Blue Auras that tap a creature down usually aren’t anything special. The problem is that they don’t entirely remove the creature in all situations, so abilities are still relevant, and if your opponent has a way to sacrifice or otherwise utilize the tapped down creature you end up feeling like you’re really far behind. The Accusation’s activated ability adds an interesting wrinkle to this, since now you can get rid of the creature if it has problematic abilities and everything. The downside is your opponent might draw it again later.
Gadget Technician image 3.5 Playing this face up gives you a pretty nice rate, and the Disguise option is pretty nice too. This looks like a really good common.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Kraul Whipcracker
Snarling Gorehound image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 Menace feels pretty nice on turn one, and this is likely to give you some card selection and graveyard synergy throughout the game. Seems like nice value for one mana.
Case of the Ransacked Lab image 0 If you don't solve this, it's unplayable. And you're not solving it.
Kraul Whipcracker image 2.5 There are lots of tokens in this set for sure, but destroying most of them isn't typically worth a card, and this won't have a target that often on turn two. The stat-line isn't really above rate these days either.
Forum Familiar image 2.5 This is a Disguise creature that you’re going to want to play face down about 99% of the time., since if you don’t, it’s just a vanilla one mana 1/1 and those tend to get irrelevant quickly. However, if you play this face down it’s going to be pretty darn relevant thanks to its ability to bounce your permanents. You can do this to rebuy ETBs or help a creature dodge removal and stuff like that, but you can even just return a land if you just want the Familiar to be a 2/2. Obviously that’s not optimal, but it’s something. I think this will lie in wait and have big impacts on many games. This also gives us back-to-back white Disguise creatures who can turn face up and blank removal, so that’s something your’e going to have to keep in mind.
Case of the Shattered Pact image 2.5 A colorless source of fixing is a nice thing to have around, and this format has enough multicolored stuff going on that solving this isn’t impossible, and obviously the Case itself increases your chances of having a deck that lets you solve this, but I still think this will be hard enough to solve that most of the value just comes from its ability to fix your mana, with some occasional late-game upside.
Public Thoroughfare image 2.5 This is another nice source of fixing, even if it does require you to jump through a few hoops. Being able to only tap a Clue or something once when you play it is nice.
Benthic Criminologists image 2.5 These are some medium stats, but giving up Clues or other artifacts to draw cards is certainly worthwhile. And this can do it a couple of times in most cases.
Vitu-Ghazi Inspector image 2.5 You're not usually going to be able to unlock this cards full power on turn two, and while a ⅓ with reach isn't a disaster for two mana, it isn't remotely close to good either. The good news is that the ETB is useful pretty much all game long.
Seasoned Consultant image 2 This will feel pretty nice attacking as a 3/3, but it probably won’t be doing that until turn 4 at the earliest, so it isn’t going to be lighting the world on fire either.
Crowd-Control Warden image 3 It’ll be at least a 5/5 in most cases, and other times it will be absolutely massive! The whole Disguise thing is a big deal too, when the creature has the potential of being this big.
Alley Assailant image 2.5 Both modes seem fairly acceptable here, and I think the design is actually really interesting. Most of the time on turn 3 you’re probably just going to want to play it as a 3-mana 3/3 that enters tapped, but sometimes you’re in a spot where you really need to be able to block, and you can play it Disguised when that’s the case, and draining 3 life from your opponent is a pretty real effect.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Rakish Scoundrel
Alley Assailant image 2.5 Both modes seem fairly acceptable here, and I think the design is actually really interesting. Most of the time on turn 3 you’re probably just going to want to play it as a 3-mana 3/3 that enters tapped, but sometimes you’re in a spot where you really need to be able to block, and you can play it Disguised when that’s the case, and draining 3 life from your opponent is a pretty real effect.
Reckless Detective image 2.5 It’s nice that you have two different ways to make this a ⅔, and both options are pretty reasonable. If you discard, you’re rummaging, which itself isn’t a bad effect, and if you have an expendable artifact it will feel more like you’re netting a card. It won’t be able to attack effectively all game, but playing this on two seems pretty good, and it isn’t like it can be completely ignored in the mid-to-late game either.
Insidious Roots image 0.0 // 3.0 You’re likely to have a few tokens around sometimes in Black-Green, but you’re really going to need to be able to get the Plant stuff going on Insidious Roots for it to be worthwhile. The good news is, Black-Green has a critical mass of “Collect Evidence” cards which will trigger Insidious Roots, but this still kind of asks a lot of you. You need a stocked graveyard, you need the things in your graveyard to be creatures, and you need to collect evidence. I think that’s doable, but still hard enough that this probably needs a build around grade.
Bubble Smuggler image 2 If you need to play a two drop well…it is one. A pretty bad one, but one nonetheless. Then if you need something on three you can disguise it, and then in the late game it can become a big monster. Now, this card isn’t ever going to make you feel like you’re doing something busted, as it’s kind of medium at all three points in the game, but the fact it can do all those things is enough for it to be fine.
Rakish Scoundrel image 2 A 4-mana 3/3 death touch is probably a 1.5. It can trade for anything, but that’s really only exciting on cheap death touchers, and this definitely isn’t one. And sure, this can grant indestructibility when it enters, or can do it at instant speed if you have the mana for disguise – which means that it will kill whatever blocks it and survive thanks to death touch and indestructibility, but it seems like you’re just paying too much mana for this no matter how you deploy it.
Thinking Cap image 2 If this were always 1 to Equip, it would probably be a 2.5, just because that’s a fairly efficient boost – one that’s easy to move around. Detectives are plentiful enough in this format that this still looks solid.
Faerie Snoop image 3 A three mana ¼ flyer isn’t a disaster, and the Disguise upside here is pretty real. Drawing a card is always nice, and there’s plenty of incentive for putting things in the graveyard too. These hybrid Disguise costs also mean these are going to be playable in a wider variety of decks than just Blue-Black.
Due Diligence image 2 Without the ETB this would be really bad. If you throw the ETB in the mix, it gets more interesting. There are going to be times where you cast this and end up with two great attacks as a result, and the Vigilance makes it so you don’t have to give up on defending yourself either, so chances are better than normal that those attacks are worth taking. Alternatively, making one thing get +4/+4 and Vigilance for a turn doesn’t sound bad either. You do need to be careful about casting this, as you do with most Auras, but this one does enough to be make the cut a decent chunk of the time.
Sanguine Savior image 3 A three mana 2/1 with Flying and Lifelink is pretty solid. It won’t always be able to get in there, but it will fairly often, and evasive lifelinkers are pretty sweet because they really shift a race in your favor. So, the fact that you can also play it first down first and give something else lifelink too is nice upside.
The Chase Is On image 2 This is expensive for a trick, but your creature is likely to win combat and you even get a 2-for-1 in the long run.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Murder
Innocent Bystander image 1.5 A two mana 2/1 that always gives you a clue when it dies is probably a C, but obviously enough this doesn’t always do it. In fact, in a lot of situations where it takes three, your opponent’s creature probably survives. That means this will often just be trading with another two drop or, worse – a 1/1 token.
Officious Interrogation image 3 Well…this doesn’t do anything but investigate, but as long as you’re getting two clues out of it you’re going to feel fine about that, and sometimes you’ll get a whole mountain of them for only two or four mana. Don’t forget you can target yourself, too. It’s a little slow perhaps, but this seems like it will also give you a ton of cards in the long run, so I like it a reasonable amount.
Furtive Courier image 2.5 This will be unblockable a decent chunk of the time in Blue decks with th and looting on every attack is pretty powerful.
Benthic Criminologists image 2.5 These are some medium stats, but giving up Clues or other artifacts to draw cards is certainly worthwhile. And this can do it a couple of times in most cases.
Gravestone Strider image 2.5 When one mana filtering is attached to a creature, it has performed pretty well, and this even comes with the addition of graveyard hate, something that certainly matters in the format.
Pick Your Poison image 0.5 Even at one mana and with all these modes, this still feels like it won't do enough far too often. I think it's a sideboard card.
Rubblebelt Braggart image 3 So, when this attacks you can choose to give it menace and make it unable to block, and a 5/5 menace isn’t something your opponent can just shrug about in most cases.
Murder image 3.5 Murder is still a pretty good Magic card in Limited. The double black can be a pain, but this is still premium.
Rakish Scoundrel image 2 A 4-mana 3/3 death touch is probably a 1.5. It can trade for anything, but that’s really only exciting on cheap death touchers, and this definitely isn’t one. And sure, this can grant indestructibility when it enters, or can do it at instant speed if you have the mana for disguise – which means that it will kill whatever blocks it and survive thanks to death touch and indestructibility, but it seems like you’re just paying too much mana for this no matter how you deploy it.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Leering Onlooker
Caught Red-Handed image 1 At first an instant speed threaten sounds really good, but because this one suspects the creature you grab, it can’t actually be used to block an opposing attacker or anything like that, so it being an instant isn’t a huge deal. 5 mana for a threaten just feels like too much, even if the creature does get menace. The “can’t be countered” line of text does mean you can go after Disguise creatures, but this format doesn’t even have that prominent of a creature sacrifice them.
Leering Onlooker image 3.5 I’m reasonably happy with a two mana ⅓ Flyer, and this one gives you a couple bodies out of the graveyard. This means that if you’re milling yourself it still gives you value, and just casting it normally and getting the bodies back later is a nice feeling too.
Soul Search image 1.5 This hits a wide enough variety of things to not to be an entirely useless discard spell, and the fact that sometimes you can get a token is pretty sweet.
Forensic Researcher image 3 The most useful thing this can do is ramp your mana, but untapping permanents has other uses too. Having access to the tap effect in the mid-to-late game is nice too, as it can start allowing you to really manufacture situations where you have great attacks no matter what your opponent is doing.
The Chase Is On image 2 This is expensive for a trick, but your creature is likely to win combat and you even get a 2-for-1 in the long run.
Macabre Reconstruction image 2.5 Paying two for this is very doable, and when you do that it feels great. You probably don't want more than one, though.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
Repeat Offender image 2 This has an almost-passable baseline and ability that will make for a good mana sink in the later stages of the game. I like that you can use it at instant speed, so threat of activation will be pretty real. 
Pack 2 Pick 7: The Pride of Hull Clade
Magnetic Snuffler image 2.5 This set does have some Equipment that sacrifice themselves and draw you a card, and that’s kind of what it’s supposed to interact with. There’s also a decent amount of self-mill in the format. But…I still wouldn’t count on triggering that ETB all that often. When you can, it will feel nice. I think most of the value of the Snuffler comes from the fact that it grows when you sacrifice clues or other artifacts – but, the fact it starts out so inefficiently makes it hard for me to really feel great about this card.
The Pride of Hull Clade image 2 This will be easy to cast sometimes, but a 2/15 honestly isn't that impressive, and the ability is only useful when you've got good attacks. Keep in mind that's you have to draw too, it isn't a may trigger.
Polygraph Orb image 1 We usually see this card draw effect at or even 3 mana, so paying five for it, and at Sorcery speed is rough. It does load your graveyard to set up Collect Evidence, which it itself has, but I’m not that impressed with the activated ability either. Giving your opponent three options on this kind of effect oftens amounts to them being able to choose one that just doesn’t do anything. Speaking of not doing anything, that’s what this card does when it comes to the board, so I think this is kind of a liability.
Sanctuary Wall image 1 The tap effect here isovercosted, even with a stun counter – especially because the wall stuns itself too! Still, if you use it on your opponent’s turn, you’re going to get rid of that stun counter first and the wall will be ready to go by the time your opponent’s stunned creature gets untapped again. Overall, though, I think this is too overcosted for what it is and the baseline isn’t impressive either. I don’t think this makes the cut very often.
Goblin Maskmaker image 2 So, if you get this on exactly turn one and you have some Disguise creatures in your hand, this can feel pretty good – as dropping a 2/2 Ward 2 on turn two – one that will have all kinds of upside – is pretty awesome. The problem is that this has diminishing returns as the game goes on, especially because it has to attack to give you that discount.
Unscrupulous Agent image 3 We see this card a lot lately, and it’s always pretty nice. Goes after a card in your opponents hand while adding to the board, and then you can sacrifice it or otherwise utilize it for other purposes, sometimes it even feels like you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Slimy Dualleech
Slimy Dualleech image 2.5 This can buff itself, and if you have tokens or disguise creatures to send in, you can put your opponent in a pretty bad spot.
Evidence Examiner image 2.5 So, if you’ve got some spare stuff in your graveyard, this can turn it into cards, and it gives you a repeatable way to collect evidence, something that seems particularly useful for payoffs that give you something when cards leave your graveyard. Still, I do wish this was both an enabler and a payoff for collecting evidence. As is, it doesn’t feel strong enough to pull me into the color pair.
Flotsam image
Felonious Rage image 2 We've seen this card before, more or less, and it’s a nice trick. The power boost lets your creature take down most stuff, and you come out ahead thanks to the token, and at only one mana it is really priced to move.
Crimestopper Sprite image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 flyer isn’t too bad, and one that stuns something on ETB is probably a 3.0, it’s just a great tempo play to add to the board while getting a creature out of the way. This won’t always stun stuff, and isn’t that likely to do it on turn three, but I think it will do it often enough.
Toxin Analysis image 1.5 This is really cheap, and cheap tricks are often real good for their ability to punch above their weight class – and this one even gives you a clue! But…there’s a problem. It doesn’t offer anything that can help your creature survive combat. Sure, your creature can always trade thanks to this, but it’s still going to feel close enough to a 2-for-1 to sting when you have to use it that way. It does work nicely with Suspect, but I don't think that's enough.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Sanitation Automaton
Gearbane Orangutan image 1.5 If you can either destroy an opposing artifact, or give up an expendable artifact when you play this, it’ll be fine. Ideally of course, you give up a clue. Still, I think there are going to be enough situations where neither mode is useful and this is a miserable card when that happens.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
Sanitation Automaton image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a mediocre ETB.
Rakish Scoundrel image 2 A 4-mana 3/3 death touch is probably a 1.5. It can trade for anything, but that’s really only exciting on cheap death touchers, and this definitely isn’t one. And sure, this can grant indestructibility when it enters, or can do it at instant speed if you have the mana for disguise – which means that it will kill whatever blocks it and survive thanks to death touch and indestructibility, but it seems like you’re just paying too much mana for this no matter how you deploy it.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Sanguine Savior
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Sanguine Savior image 3 A three mana 2/1 with Flying and Lifelink is pretty solid. It won’t always be able to get in there, but it will fairly often, and evasive lifelinkers are pretty sweet because they really shift a race in your favor. So, the fact that you can also play it first down first and give something else lifelink too is nice upside.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Public Thoroughfare
Snarling Gorehound image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 Menace feels pretty nice on turn one, and this is likely to give you some card selection and graveyard synergy throughout the game. Seems like nice value for one mana.
Public Thoroughfare image 2.5 This is another nice source of fixing, even if it does require you to jump through a few hoops. Being able to only tap a Clue or something once when you play it is nice.
Vitu-Ghazi Inspector image 2.5 You're not usually going to be able to unlock this cards full power on turn two, and while a ⅓ with reach isn't a disaster for two mana, it isn't remotely close to good either. The good news is that the ETB is useful pretty much all game long.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Faerie Snoop
Bubble Smuggler image 2 If you need to play a two drop well…it is one. A pretty bad one, but one nonetheless. Then if you need something on three you can disguise it, and then in the late game it can become a big monster. Now, this card isn’t ever going to make you feel like you’re doing something busted, as it’s kind of medium at all three points in the game, but the fact it can do all those things is enough for it to be fine.
Faerie Snoop image 3 A three mana ¼ flyer isn’t a disaster, and the Disguise upside here is pretty real. Drawing a card is always nice, and there’s plenty of incentive for putting things in the graveyard too. These hybrid Disguise costs also mean these are going to be playable in a wider variety of decks than just Blue-Black.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Rubblebelt Braggart
Rubblebelt Braggart image 3 So, when this attacks you can choose to give it menace and make it unable to block, and a 5/5 menace isn’t something your opponent can just shrug about in most cases.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Homicide Investigator
Bubble Smuggler image 2 If you need to play a two drop well…it is one. A pretty bad one, but one nonetheless. Then if you need something on three you can disguise it, and then in the late game it can become a big monster. Now, this card isn’t ever going to make you feel like you’re doing something busted, as it’s kind of medium at all three points in the game, but the fact it can do all those things is enough for it to be fine.
Homicide Investigator image 3.5 Getting a clue when your stuff dies isn't as good as drawing a card, but it isn't  super far off either. It also counts itself, so playing this usually means you can count on a 2-for-1.
Lost in the Maze image 2.5 This sort of has two modes, and you can access both at the same time. You can use it to stun your opponent’s board, which can be useful when you’re trying to close out a game – but you can also use it to protect your creatures. It also just sticks around and gives your tapped creatures hexproof after that point. Still, those modes are all situational enough that this doesn’t seem amazing.
Convenient Target image 1.5 One red for +1/+1 and Menace isn't the worst, and because you can get this back it isn't going to 2-for-1 you. You can also use it to get a blocker out of the way in a pinch.
Detective's Satchel image 3 This gives you three artifacts which is great for the Blue-Red sacrifice deck, and then it gives you an amazing payoff for sacrificing those artifacts, since you’ll get a nice token out of the deal. I do’nt love that it doesn’t add meaningfully to the board the turn you play it, but the engine potential here is very real.
Mistway Spy image 3.5 Playing this on turn one is pretty acceptable, because it has evasion and a useful creature type – but the Disguise ability here is pretty impressive too. It counts every creature that hits your opponent, so you can get more than one clue. Obviously enough, because the Spy has evasion itself, you can turn it face up, crack in with it and get that Clue, which seems like a pretty normal play pattern.
Auspicious Arrival image 2 This is a solid trick – one that represents a 2-for-1 thanks to that Clue. +2/+2 for two isn’t the most impressive boost-to-cost ratio, but it’s enough.
Undercover Crocodelf image 2 So…without Disguise this wouldn’t be very good. A 6-mana 5/5 just doesn’t move the needle, especially one that can only do something if it hits your opponent. Disguise does enough to make this playable, though, because you can get it on the board much earlier of course, but you can also find a way to sneak it in and get that clue more easily.
Unscrupulous Agent image 3 We see this card a lot lately, and it’s always pretty nice. Goes after a card in your opponents hand while adding to the board, and then you can sacrifice it or otherwise utilize it for other purposes, sometimes it even feels like you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Innocent Bystander image 1.5 A two mana 2/1 that always gives you a clue when it dies is probably a C, but obviously enough this doesn’t always do it. In fact, in a lot of situations where it takes three, your opponent’s creature probably survives. That means this will often just be trading with another two drop or, worse – a 1/1 token.
Hotshot Investigators image 1 I’m not very impressed with this overall. It just doesn’t give you enough for 6 mana these days. It seems super clunky, no matter which mode you go with.
Nervous Gardener image 3 A two mana 2/2 isn’t what it used to be, but that’s the fail case here, and this has the upside of fixing your mana. Note, by the way, that it can grab this format’s dual lands, should you pick one up.
Marketwatch Phantom image 3 This feels like a very important common for aggressive White decks. That type of deck will have tons of cards that trigger this. It doesn't seem like it will be rare for this to crack in as a flyer on turns 3 and 4.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Long Goodbye
Long Goodbye image 3.5 The uncounterable part actually matters in limited, because it means this can hit Disguise creatures and you don’t have to worry about Ward. Apart from that, this can trade up for stuff in general. It’s premium removal.
Pompous Gadabout image 2.5 This can't be blocked by disguised creatures, and you can use tricks on it without any fear of interaction.
Living Conundrum image 2.5 A 5-mana ⅖ with Hexproof is pretty interesting, especially at Uncommon. As usual, pairing hexproof with Auras and other enhancements can be a real beating for your opponent. The rest of the card’s effect isn’t going to come up a ton in Limited, but Blue does have enough graveyard stuff going on that turning this into a 10/10 isn’t impossible, and obviously the hexproof keeps you from really getting punished for milling your whole library.
Gleaming Geardrake image 4 I’m on-board with a two mana 1/1 Flyer that makes a Clue, and this thing will become a pretty real threat if it’s left unchecked, as this format is replete with Clue tokens, not to mention other ways to sacrifice stuff. In short, this card has a nice fail case, and an amazing ceiling.
Branch of Vitu-Ghazi image 2.5 If you just need the mana right away, you can play it, but this has two other really nice functions. First, it's flood insurance. The last thing you want to do in the late game is draw a land - but thud one can be a creature when that's the case. And in the mid-game, when you might need the fixing, you can turn it face up. Remember you can do weird stuff like assign this to block and turn it face up, at which point you get the mana and the creature it blocked is still considered blocked, but you don't lose the land.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Airtight Alibi image 2 When you can use this correctly, it can be an absolute beating. It can work as a decent trick that leaves the buff behind, and it can blank removal. Turning off Suspect will usually be more upside than downside, too. Still, it's tricky to leave up this much mana.
On the Job image 1.5 // 3.0 As usual with Inspiring Charge effects, this is a build around. Red/White decks look the most well-positioned for this as they can go the widest, but you really need to be all in on curving out and going wide, or this isn’t worth it, even with the clue. It’s probably a D in your typical White deck, but a card you’re usually going to be happy with one of in your more aggressive decks.
Behind the Mask image 1 This type of card rarely works out in Limited, and I think even at one mana I’m not super interested in this. It’s easy to look at this and see it as a trick with multiple modes – and that is what it is, but reducing a creature to 1/1 or growing a creature to 4/3, or turning a clue into a 4/3, while possibilities is only useful situationally. You need stat-lines to line up just right, and if you’re turning your 2/2 or something into a 4/3 it’s really not worth it. Furthermore, shrinking an opposing creature to a 1/1 is only relevant or useful when your opponent attacks with the right creature that you actually want to remove. Basically, this is too situational to do something worthwhile very often.
Red Herring image 1.5 This can do some serious work if you play it on turn two, and if you get it later in the game you can give it up to get a card. It’s an artifact and a clue, so it’s got some synergy in the format too, especially in Blue-Red. Still…the card’s fail case doesn’t exactly excite me. Paying 4 to draw a card, even in installments isn’t exactly awesome.
Rot Farm Mortipede image 3 The boost that the Mortipede gets is legit, as a 4/4 menace lifelinker is far better than a ¾. Getting stuff to leave your graveyard isn’t a huge ask in the format either, as the entire “Collect Evidence” mechanic is all about doing that. Putting cards from your graveyard to your hand and all of that will trigger this too. I think most Black decks will realistically be able to trigger this once or twice a game, and that’s really all you need for this to pull its weight.
Nervous Gardener image 3 A two mana 2/2 isn’t what it used to be, but that’s the fail case here, and this has the upside of fixing your mana. Note, by the way, that it can grab this format’s dual lands, should you pick one up.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Unscrupulous Agent
Unscrupulous Agent image 3 We see this card a lot lately, and it’s always pretty nice. Goes after a card in your opponents hand while adding to the board, and then you can sacrifice it or otherwise utilize it for other purposes, sometimes it even feels like you’re getting a 2-for-1.
Persuasive Interrogators image 2.5 There’s not enough poison in this format for the Interrogators to poison someone out very often. Obviously, you’re going to need a ton of Clues to get there. So, most of the card’s value is just being a 6-mana ⅚ that Investigates and that’s…passable, especially with the poison upside.
Sudden Setback image 3.5 We’ve seen a lot of 4 mana blue cards lately that let you get rid of a nonland permanent by giving your opponent the option of put it on top or bottom of the library, and they’ve fared pretty well. None of them have been amazing, but they let you trade 1-for-1 and you can do it at instant speed. So, add in the ability to also do this with spells on the stack, and I think we’re talking about a fairly high quality card.
Mistway Spy image 3.5 Playing this on turn one is pretty acceptable, because it has evasion and a useful creature type – but the Disguise ability here is pretty impressive too. It counts every creature that hits your opponent, so you can get more than one clue. Obviously enough, because the Spy has evasion itself, you can turn it face up, crack in with it and get that Clue, which seems like a pretty normal play pattern.
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Granite Witness image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/2 with Flying and Vigilance is sort of passable, so the Disguise upside here is a nice thing to have around. Tapping or untapping things isn’t always gonna be useful, but when it is, it can be pretty awesome.
Gravestone Strider image 2.5 When one mana filtering is attached to a creature, it has performed pretty well, and this even comes with the addition of graveyard hate, something that certainly matters in the format.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Vengeful Creeper image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/5 is pretty beefy, and this one has some Disenchant upside. Feels like most Green decks will want one of these. 
Suspicious Detonation image 2.5 If this was always 5 mana, it’d probably be a 1.5. That’s a really clunky Sorcery that usually can’t trade up. But, this will cost two fairly often in Red decks. Sacrificing a Clue is all you need to be able to do, and as we’ve seen there are otherwise to sacrifice artifacts too. It can also go after Disguised creatures since it can’t be countered.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Chalk Outline
Granite Witness image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/2 with Flying and Vigilance is sort of passable, so the Disguise upside here is a nice thing to have around. Tapping or untapping things isn’t always gonna be useful, but when it is, it can be pretty awesome.
Kylox, Visionary Inventor image 1.5 This asks way too much of you for a 7-mana card. You have to go behind on board in order to roll the dice and hope you get to cast some spells is a pretty bad idea. Menace, Ward, and Haste do mean you'll get this trigger pretty much every time you play Kylox, and there might be some decks that can get there without, but I don't think most will.
Hustle image
Clandestine Meddler image 3 A three mana 3/2 that makes one of your creatures gain menace is something in the market for, even if that creature also can’t block. Especially because getting to Surveil 1 when a suspect attacks is pretty relevant. Frequently, you’ll get that Surveil trigger the turn you play it too. This seems like it gives you some impressive value for the cost.
Chalk Outline image 0.0 / 3.5 The idea here is to play cards with Collect Evidence alongside this, and if you have enough of that going on – and enough creatures in your deck – this has the potential to be a fairly absurd engine, since it effectively gives you 2 cards every time you Collect Evidence. The problem is that this does absolutely nothing up front. Still, the upside is kind of insane, and I think accessible enough in some decks for this to get a buildaround grade. 
Snarling Gorehound image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 Menace feels pretty nice on turn one, and this is likely to give you some card selection and graveyard synergy throughout the game. Seems like nice value for one mana.
Makeshift Binding image 4 This is an excellent Common. Even if it didn’t gain you 2 life, it’d be premium removal, and once you tack on that life gain we’re talking about arguably the best White Common in the set. Removing something and gaining life a the same time is one of the best ways to get back ahead from behind.
The Chase Is On image 2 This is expensive for a trick, but your creature is likely to win combat and you even get a 2-for-1 in the long run.
Suspicious Detonation image 2.5 If this was always 5 mana, it’d probably be a 1.5. That’s a really clunky Sorcery that usually can’t trade up. But, this will cost two fairly often in Red decks. Sacrificing a Clue is all you need to be able to do, and as we’ve seen there are otherwise to sacrifice artifacts too. It can also go after Disguised creatures since it can’t be countered.
Rakish Scoundrel image 2 A 4-mana 3/3 death touch is probably a 1.5. It can trade for anything, but that’s really only exciting on cheap death touchers, and this definitely isn’t one. And sure, this can grant indestructibility when it enters, or can do it at instant speed if you have the mana for disguise – which means that it will kill whatever blocks it and survive thanks to death touch and indestructibility, but it seems like you’re just paying too much mana for this no matter how you deploy it.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Judith, Carnage Connoisseur
Judith, Carnage Connoisseur image 3.5 giving it death touch and lifelink doesn’t really matter. But if it does do damage
Clandestine Meddler image 3 A three mana 3/2 that makes one of your creatures gain menace is something in the market for, even if that creature also can’t block. Especially because getting to Surveil 1 when a suspect attacks is pretty relevant. Frequently, you’ll get that Surveil trigger the turn you play it too. This seems like it gives you some impressive value for the cost.
Agency Outfitter image 2.5 The idea here is that you search up these two cards and use the Glass to equip the Cap, in which case the Outfitter is effectively a 5/5 Flyer. The problem is that you need those cards in your deck to make it happen, and Magnifying Glass is pretty terrible to have in your deck.
Repulsive Mutation image 3 because leaving up mana and hoping your opponent plays into it can be a really serious problem. You have to be careful about using them.
Hotshot Investigators image 1 I’m not very impressed with this overall. It just doesn’t give you enough for 6 mana these days. It seems super clunky, no matter which mode you go with.
Red Herring image 1.5 This can do some serious work if you play it on turn two, and if you get it later in the game you can give it up to get a card. It’s an artifact and a clue, so it’s got some synergy in the format too, especially in Blue-Red. Still…the card’s fail case doesn’t exactly excite me. Paying 4 to draw a card, even in installments isn’t exactly awesome.
Jaded Analyst image 1.5 It feels like every single one of these creatures that has defender but loses defender when X happens has been really unimpressive, and I kind of thing this is too. I get it, you can give up a clue and attack with it, but by the time you can set that up, it isn’t like a 3/2 is going to light the world on fire. Most of the time this type of card is a 3/3, so at least it is a reasonable blocker, but a 3/2 is substantially worse.
Projektor Inspector image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 that loots on ETB is decent, and looting with this more than once isn’t impossible.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Shady Informant
Thinking Cap image 2 If this were always 1 to Equip, it would probably be a 2.5, just because that’s a fairly efficient boost – one that’s easy to move around. Detectives are plentiful enough in this format that this still looks solid.
Vengeful Tracker image 2.5 This has a solid baseline, and against some opponents relying on Clues it can be really punishing.
Branch of Vitu-Ghazi image 2.5 If you just need the mana right away, you can play it, but this has two other really nice functions. First, it's flood insurance. The last thing you want to do in the late game is draw a land - but thud one can be a creature when that's the case. And in the mid-game, when you might need the fixing, you can turn it face up. Remember you can do weird stuff like assign this to block and turn it face up, at which point you get the mana and the creature it blocked is still considered blocked, but you don't lose the land.
Dog Walker image 3.5 Obviously, you get the most value out of just casting it face down and turning it face up – at which point you paid 5 mana for a 3/1 Vigilance and two 1/1s, and paying it in installments will make it feel more efficient than that. But, the fact you can just slam it on turn two if you’re more interested in curving out is pretty nice.
Museum Nightwatch image 2.5 Spending 4 mana to get a 3/2 and a 2/2 is decent, and you can Disguise this to keep your opponent from knowing that it will leave value behind.
Shady Informant image 2.5 If you could only play this face up, it would be a pretty nice card. It has high enough power to trade with a whole lot of stuff, and the death trigger is likely to let you kill something else too – and that’s a 2-for-1. So, the fact you can get it on the board earlier in the game without your opponent knowing it’s lurking there makes it even nicer.
Shock image 3.5 Shock is a 3.5 as it usual is. It’s definitely premium because you can spend only a single mana to kill significantly more expensive creatures – and you can do it at instant speed! Plus, it can even finish off your opponent.
Reasonable Doubt image 2 This can hit any type of spell, but your opponent can also ignore it with spare mana. As usual, that type of card is never amazing, although it can feel pretty nice in the early game.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Nightdrinker Moroii
Frantic Scapegoat image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 with Haste and Menace is going to feel pretty great on turn one, and this can lend its suspect-status to other creatures, helping it stay relevant all game long.
Crime Novelist image 3 It has a pretty ugly starting point, but if you have Clues and other artifacts and sacrifice stuff, this can get big. And because Clues draw you cards, the mana might actually matter too.
Nightdrinker Moroii image 3 A 4 mana 4/2 flyer that makes you lose 3 is probably a C. The stat-line is aggressive enough to be worth the downside. So, the fact you can play it face down first and then turn it face up - without losing that life, is pretty nice. It ends up costing one more, but you pay in installments, and it also means that if you happen to be at very low life, this card won't mean the end of you.
Crimestopper Sprite image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 flyer isn’t too bad, and one that stuns something on ETB is probably a 3.0, it’s just a great tempo play to add to the board while getting a creature out of the way. This won’t always stun stuff, and isn’t that likely to do it on turn three, but I think it will do it often enough.
Rubblebelt Braggart image 3 So, when this attacks you can choose to give it menace and make it unable to block, and a 5/5 menace isn’t something your opponent can just shrug about in most cases.
Alley Assailant image 2.5 Both modes seem fairly acceptable here, and I think the design is actually really interesting. Most of the time on turn 3 you’re probably just going to want to play it as a 3-mana 3/3 that enters tapped, but sometimes you’re in a spot where you really need to be able to block, and you can play it Disguised when that’s the case, and draining 3 life from your opponent is a pretty real effect.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Undercity Eliminator
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Undercity Eliminator image 3.5 If you can exile a creature with this, it’s gonna feel pretty awesome – but only if you’re giving up something expendable. The ideal thing to give up is a clue, but there are other things around worth sacrificing. It isn’t going to work amazingly in every deck, but I think this will feel close enough to Ravenous Chupacabra often enough.
Not on My Watch image 3 If you’re in the market for this kind of effect, it’s super efficient. The problem is, lots of decks aren’t really in on this kind of effect. If you’re an aggro deck, this isn’t very good, because you want removal that lets you get blockers out of the way. If you’re not aggressive, though, this ends up feeling like premium removal.
No More Lies image 2 A harder to cast mana leak, even with exile upside, isn't that good in Limited. It can hit some stuff early, but being able to leave up this mana is far from a guarantee. Then, the longer the game goes on, the less useful it is, because your opponent is more likely to be able to pay the tax.
Hotshot Investigators image 1 I’m not very impressed with this overall. It just doesn’t give you enough for 6 mana these days. It seems super clunky, no matter which mode you go with.
Pick Your Poison image 0.5 Even at one mana and with all these modes, this still feels like it won't do enough far too often. I think it's a sideboard card.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Convenient Target
Bubble Smuggler image 2 If you need to play a two drop well…it is one. A pretty bad one, but one nonetheless. Then if you need something on three you can disguise it, and then in the late game it can become a big monster. Now, this card isn’t ever going to make you feel like you’re doing something busted, as it’s kind of medium at all three points in the game, but the fact it can do all those things is enough for it to be fine.
Convenient Target image 1.5 One red for +1/+1 and Menace isn't the worst, and because you can get this back it isn't going to 2-for-1 you. You can also use it to get a blocker out of the way in a pinch.
Undercover Crocodelf image 2 So…without Disguise this wouldn’t be very good. A 6-mana 5/5 just doesn’t move the needle, especially one that can only do something if it hits your opponent. Disguise does enough to make this playable, though, because you can get it on the board much earlier of course, but you can also find a way to sneak it in and get that clue more easily.
Innocent Bystander image 1.5 A two mana 2/1 that always gives you a clue when it dies is probably a C, but obviously enough this doesn’t always do it. In fact, in a lot of situations where it takes three, your opponent’s creature probably survives. That means this will often just be trading with another two drop or, worse – a 1/1 token.
Hotshot Investigators image 1 I’m not very impressed with this overall. It just doesn’t give you enough for 6 mana these days. It seems super clunky, no matter which mode you go with.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Rot Farm Mortipede
Branch of Vitu-Ghazi image 2.5 If you just need the mana right away, you can play it, but this has two other really nice functions. First, it's flood insurance. The last thing you want to do in the late game is draw a land - but thud one can be a creature when that's the case. And in the mid-game, when you might need the fixing, you can turn it face up. Remember you can do weird stuff like assign this to block and turn it face up, at which point you get the mana and the creature it blocked is still considered blocked, but you don't lose the land.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Behind the Mask image 1 This type of card rarely works out in Limited, and I think even at one mana I’m not super interested in this. It’s easy to look at this and see it as a trick with multiple modes – and that is what it is, but reducing a creature to 1/1 or growing a creature to 4/3, or turning a clue into a 4/3, while possibilities is only useful situationally. You need stat-lines to line up just right, and if you’re turning your 2/2 or something into a 4/3 it’s really not worth it. Furthermore, shrinking an opposing creature to a 1/1 is only relevant or useful when your opponent attacks with the right creature that you actually want to remove. Basically, this is too situational to do something worthwhile very often.
Rot Farm Mortipede image 3 The boost that the Mortipede gets is legit, as a 4/4 menace lifelinker is far better than a ¾. Getting stuff to leave your graveyard isn’t a huge ask in the format either, as the entire “Collect Evidence” mechanic is all about doing that. Putting cards from your graveyard to your hand and all of that will trigger this too. I think most Black decks will realistically be able to trigger this once or twice a game, and that’s really all you need for this to pull its weight.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Persuasive Interrogators
Persuasive Interrogators image 2.5 There’s not enough poison in this format for the Interrogators to poison someone out very often. Obviously, you’re going to need a ton of Clues to get there. So, most of the card’s value is just being a 6-mana ⅚ that Investigates and that’s…passable, especially with the poison upside.
Sudden Setback image 3.5 We’ve seen a lot of 4 mana blue cards lately that let you get rid of a nonland permanent by giving your opponent the option of put it on top or bottom of the library, and they’ve fared pretty well. None of them have been amazing, but they let you trade 1-for-1 and you can do it at instant speed. So, add in the ability to also do this with spells on the stack, and I think we’re talking about a fairly high quality card.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Suspicious Detonation
The Chase Is On image 2 This is expensive for a trick, but your creature is likely to win combat and you even get a 2-for-1 in the long run.
Suspicious Detonation image 2.5 If this was always 5 mana, it’d probably be a 1.5. That’s a really clunky Sorcery that usually can’t trade up. But, this will cost two fairly often in Red decks. Sacrificing a Clue is all you need to be able to do, and as we’ve seen there are otherwise to sacrifice artifacts too. It can also go after Disguised creatures since it can’t be countered.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Projektor Inspector
Projektor Inspector image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 that loots on ETB is decent, and looting with this more than once isn’t impossible.
Draft Pick Overview