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Quick Draft THB 10.mars 2021

10 March 03:36 - AliasV 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
1 Furious Rise image
1 Satyr's Cunning image
1 Setessan Training image
3 Warbriar Blessing image
1 Fateful End image
1 Omen of the Forge image
Creature (16)
1 Skophos Maze-Warden image
1 Careless Celebrant image
1 Warden of the Chained image
1 Underworld Rage-Hound image
1 Nessian Hornbeetle image
1 Renata, Called to the Hunt image
1 Ilysian Caryatid image
2 Nylea's Forerunner image
1 Nyx Herald image
2 Moss Viper image
1 Gallia of the Endless Dance image
2 Voracious Typhon image
1 Hyrax Tower Scout image
Land (16)
7 Mountain image
9 Forest image
Sideboard
1 Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image
1 Reverent Hoplite image
3 Setessan Skirmisher image
1 Ilysian Caryatid image
1 Hero of the Games image
1 Hyrax Tower Scout image
1 Irreverent Revelers image
1 Nylea's Forerunner image
1 Final Flare image
2 Altar of the Pantheon image
1 Relentless Pursuit image
1 Sleep of the Dead image
1 Plummet image
2 Wings of Hubris image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Warbriar Blessing
Temple of Abandon image 3.0 These give great fixing while also improving your draw a little bit. That makes it well worth the fact it comes into play tapped.
Dreamshaper Shaman image 1.0 So, as usual, let’s start with the stats – 6 mana 5/4 is not good. But of course, this guy has a huge block of text, which allows you to sacrifice a permanent at each of your end steps, and then it does a typical Red chaotic thing – you get to put the top nonland card in your library on to the battlefield. Note, by the way, that he can sacrifice himself to the effect – that might come up in some scenarios. Anyway, how good is this type of effect? I don’t love it, mostly because of how random it is. Sure, you could get something awesome – but if you sacrifice a creature and pay 3 mana and get like, a medium Common, that’s not going to feel too good. Remember, when thinking about whether or not you’re getting a discount on getting something into play, you should be adding the CMC of the permanent you sacrifice and the 3 mana – and that just means it will be hard to make this work. Now, there are times when it could – namely, if your deck can make creature tokens, or if it has creatures that have nice abilities that trigger when they die, or even creatures with Escape. But still, I think it will be very difficult to come out ahead with this thing.
Hero of the Nyxborn image 3.5 This gives you a 2/2 and a 1/1 for three mana, and then pays you off for going wide with its “Heroic” trigger. That’s a pretty good deal overall, especially in a deck going wide.
Sea God's Scorn image 1.5 This kind of card always seems to disappoint. Don’t get me wrong, what it does is pretty powerful – it can completely reshape the board, and it will be especially nice to bounce things that cost more than 6 mana total, so you’re coming out ahead mana-wise. The problem is, it is pretty impossible to come out ahead card-wise. Sure, your opponent has to recast everything, but if you can’t win the game quickly after casting the Scorn, you’re in trouble. The other problem a card like this always has, is, most Blue decks probably aren’t that interested in an effect like this. This will mostly only be good in more aggressive decks, who can get the opening they want after casting this. Problem is, it costs 6 mana, and most aggressive decks don’t really want to go there. In a mid-rangey or control deck, it is less appealing, since setting up a situation where it wins you the game will be a little more challenging. Also worth noting that you can bounce your own stuff with this, and sometimes that’s the right thing to do.
Infuriate image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll play it sometimes in aggro decks.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Triton Waverider image 2.0 It is tempting to look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, and it isn’t that hard to trigger Constellation, but the key is triggering it consistently, and at a time when a 3/3 Flyer matters, and it seems like that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you’d hope.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Discordant Piper image 2.5 This starts as a two-mana 2/1, which is fine, and making an additional body is always a nice upgrade, even if the body is as irrelevant as a 0/1 goat. That is still a useful resource – either because you can use it to chump block, or maybe you can sacrifice it to something for value.
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Hero of the Pride image 2.0 A bear with a decent upside.
Warbriar Blessing image 3.5 This gives a large enough boost to toughness that this enables a number of creatures to fight and survive than would have been able to without it. This often feels like a removal spell that leaves behind a permanent stats boost for one of your creatures, and that tends to feel pretty good – though it does have the usual downsides that Fight spells do – if you’re not careful, you might get 2-for-1’d.
Skola Grovedancer image 2.0 This is a decent enough two-drop. None of its text is especially impressive, but at least it has a man sink ability that can help fuel your Escape.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Careless Celebrant
Careless Celebrant image 3.5 A two mana 2/1 that is relevant all game long is always nice, and that’s what we have here. You can set up two-for-ones pretty easily with this, and that’s the ideal situation, but even if you can’t do that, you can just trade up with it – since it can take down anything with 4 toughness all on its own! Situations will be created where your opponent’s attacks just don’t work for them because of this two drop, and that’s going to feel pretty good.
Whirlwind Denial image 1.5 This is a neat design for a counterspell that we haven’t really seen before. Most of the time in Limited, your opponent will just be controlling one spell or ability, so this is basically just a fancy Convolute, and that isn’t an amazing place to be. On occasion, you may be able to get more than just the one spell, but it isn’t that easy to make it happen.
Underworld Fires image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card. It just doesn’t kill enough in this format to really make it worth it in the main deck.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Ichthyomorphosis image 2.5 Blue always get a solid, but unexciting, removal spell that transforms a creature into something else. The downside with all of them is that the creature can still do stuff, even if it is shrunk. At best, this tends to mean the creature can still chump block, and at worst it means the creature can still be sizable thanks to Auras, +1/+1 counters, and Equipment.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Revoke Existence image 2.5 So, your first instinct might be to think that this is just a sideboard card -- but in this set, where tons of creatures also happen to be enchantments, and there are just more Enchantments than usual in most sets, this is a reasonable card to play one of in your deck.
Incendiary Oracle image 3.0 This has nice stats and some really significant text. Pumping power is nice, because it allows it to threaten to hit hard when you have all your mana open, and can trade for lots of stuff, and the exile clause also comes up in this graveyard-heavy format.
Pharika's Libation image 2.0 Because you can choose what this Edict hits, you can often choose an option that takes out a pretty good permanent. It still has the downside of all Edicts – the bigger the board, the worse it gets.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Daxos, Blessed by the Sun
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image 3.0 On his own, with no help, he is a 2-mana 2/2 with a nice lifegain ability. With just a few more White symbols lying around on your board, he becomes a fairly reasonable blocker who can also do some attacking if he needs to. Meanwhile, he is also gaining you a bit of life here and there. That’s all nice value on a two-drop, even if he does cost double White.
Heliod's Punishment image 3.5 This is a very efficient removal spell, capable of completely shutting down a creature – at least for a few turns. Obviously it would be better if your opponent couldn’t eventually get rid of it, but it takes them time to remove those task counters, and generally a creature being out of commission for 3+ turns will be worth the mana here.
Blood Aspirant image 3.0 He gets bigger when you sacrifice permanents, and also gives you a way to do that. His ability to ping a creature and make it unable to block is pretty powerful, especially because he will be getting bigger at the same time. He will often make your attacks look much better, if yo’ure willing to give up a creature or an Enchantment. There will of course be times where you just can’t get things going with the Aspirant, and that will hurt -- but there will also be games where activating his ability twice will just win you the game.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Omen of the Sea image 2.5 Two mana to Scry 2 and draw a card at instant speed is already kind of a reasonable thing -- compare it to Anticipate. Here, the fact that you can use it to Scry later on in the game, and the fact that it will be right at home in a few different decks in this format -- both those interested in Enchantments, and those interested in doing stuff on the opponent’s turn -- is enough for this to be a solid playable.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Nyxborn Courser image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with reasonable stats and the Enchantment type, as well as two White mana its cost for Devotion. You’ll play it sometimes when you need one or all of those things.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Revoke Existence image 2.5 So, your first instinct might be to think that this is just a sideboard card -- but in this set, where tons of creatures also happen to be enchantments, and there are just more Enchantments than usual in most sets, this is a reasonable card to play one of in your deck.
Incendiary Oracle image 3.0 This has nice stats and some really significant text. Pumping power is nice, because it allows it to threaten to hit hard when you have all your mana open, and can trade for lots of stuff, and the exile clause also comes up in this graveyard-heavy format.
Inspire Awe image 0.0 Fogs are unplayable in Limited 99% of the time. You use up a card for no real effect. This is not the 1% where that’s not true.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Reverent Hoplite
Hydra's Growth image 1.5 This comes with all the downside of Auras – it can lead to card disadvantage from those 2-for-1s and so forth, and the initial boost it gives for three mana is not worth that risk. A single +1/+1 counter just isn’t enough – and I don’t think two is enough either to offset the risk. This means there are two turns where your investment looks ugly, which gives your opponent extra time to get rid of this before you’ve gotten a reasonable amount of value out of it. Once it has added 4 counters you’re probably getting there, but that just takes so long.
Reverent Hoplite image 2.5 So the fail case here is a 5-mana ½ that makes a 1/1. So, what does your devotion need to be for this to stop being unplayable? 2 devotion still won’t feel so good, but it is probably passable. I think at 3, where you are getting ⅘ worth of power spread across 4 bodies for 5 mana, you feel like you’re doing alright and obviously the ceiling here can go even higher. It does bother me that the fail case here is so bad -- the best Devotion cards are the ones where the fail case is semi-reasonable, but that isn’t what we have here. Still, if your deck has a decent amount of White in it, this will be better than the fail case most of the time, especially because you play it so late.
Blood Aspirant image 3.0 He gets bigger when you sacrifice permanents, and also gives you a way to do that. His ability to ping a creature and make it unable to block is pretty powerful, especially because he will be getting bigger at the same time. He will often make your attacks look much better, if yo’ure willing to give up a creature or an Enchantment. There will of course be times where you just can’t get things going with the Aspirant, and that will hurt -- but there will also be games where activating his ability twice will just win you the game.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Vexing Gull image 2.5 Three mana for a 2/2 flyer used to sort of be the quintessential common for Blue, and these days, as creatures continue to get stronger, that stat-line isn’t quite as impressive – but by adding Flash to the mix here, you have a pretty nice card. Flash creatures can of course be used to come into play and ambush an attacker, but a 2/2 isn’t going to be doing that a ton. Still, being able to play this at Instant speed has its bonuses – the most obvious one being that this set’s UR archetype is all about playing stuff on your opponent’s turn. It also doesn’t hurt that you can flash this in at the end of your opponent’s turn, and, if they are tapped out, you can put an Aura on it on your turn. Then of course, Flash just makes it so you can leave up instants and activated abilities without really taking a hit on tempo, and all of that’s pretty nice!
Omen of the Sea image 2.5 Two mana to Scry 2 and draw a card at instant speed is already kind of a reasonable thing -- compare it to Anticipate. Here, the fact that you can use it to Scry later on in the game, and the fact that it will be right at home in a few different decks in this format -- both those interested in Enchantments, and those interested in doing stuff on the opponent’s turn -- is enough for this to be a solid playable.
Arena Trickster image 2.0 Red, and especially Red-Blue, has several payoffs for playing stuff on your opponent’s turn, and Arena Trickster is one of those – and he seems like he will be a solid card in that type of deck. Even getting one counter on this is pretty nice, and anything beyond that you start to feel really good about things. It also doesn’t hurt that you make it bigger at Instant speed, as sometimes that will really allow you to manufacture a blow out. Still, the UR deck doesn’t come together often enough for this to be great.
Ilysian Caryatid image 3.0 This gives you some nice fixing that gets better if you have a big guy around. It is super vulnerable and dies to every removal in the set, which is especially painful when your opponent spend only one mana to kill it, but it is still a high quality common.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Underworld Rage-Hound image 3.0 This is a key common for Red aggro decks in this format. It has reasonably aggressive stats and doesn’t tend to stay dead, and can really represent inevitability.
Nyxborn Courser image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with reasonable stats and the Enchantment type, as well as two White mana its cost for Devotion. You’ll play it sometimes when you need one or all of those things.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Warden of the Chained
Enemy of Enlightenment image 1.5 It is tempting to look at this as a potential finisher in your deck, but it is harder to consistently have it be a threatening presence than you might think, and you also have to contend with the symmetrical discard, which narrows the window in which you can play it. That said, it can be a finisher, but it isn’t a great one.
Warden of the Chained image 3.0 This signpost uncommon feels a bit underwhelming to me. Sure, the guy is efficient and he has trample, but I feel like I should be getting a little something else to make up for the downside here. Sure, even if you don’t have a big enough creature, the Warden is a good blocker, and sure – RG is the color pair all about having high power – but still, just not that impressed here. Will you play him in all your RG decks? Absolutely. But he shouldn’t be the card that pulls you into the color pair.
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Omen of the Sun image 2.0 If we just pretended like Omen of the Sun were an Instant – that created two 1/1 soldiers and gained you 2 life, it would be in the lower range of playable – probably something you cut more often than not. The nice thing about making the tokens at Instant speed is that sometimes you can ambush an opponent’s 3/1 or something, at which point you’re really coming out ahead. But obviously, Omen of the Sun has more going on than just that – since it can be cashed in for Scry later in the game, and it is also an Enchantment in a set where that’s important.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Vexing Gull image 2.5 Three mana for a 2/2 flyer used to sort of be the quintessential common for Blue, and these days, as creatures continue to get stronger, that stat-line isn’t quite as impressive – but by adding Flash to the mix here, you have a pretty nice card. Flash creatures can of course be used to come into play and ambush an attacker, but a 2/2 isn’t going to be doing that a ton. Still, being able to play this at Instant speed has its bonuses – the most obvious one being that this set’s UR archetype is all about playing stuff on your opponent’s turn. It also doesn’t hurt that you can flash this in at the end of your opponent’s turn, and, if they are tapped out, you can put an Aura on it on your turn. Then of course, Flash just makes it so you can leave up instants and activated abilities without really taking a hit on tempo, and all of that’s pretty nice!
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Ichthyomorphosis image 2.5 Blue always get a solid, but unexciting, removal spell that transforms a creature into something else. The downside with all of them is that the creature can still do stuff, even if it is shrunk. At best, this tends to mean the creature can still chump block, and at worst it means the creature can still be sizable thanks to Auras, +1/+1 counters, and Equipment.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Warbriar Blessing
Underworld Dreams image 1.0 Devotion is generally not a big enough theme in this set for Underworld Dreams to be worth it. It is too hard to cast and too slow for such a lame effect.
Arena Trickster image 2.0 Red, and especially Red-Blue, has several payoffs for playing stuff on your opponent’s turn, and Arena Trickster is one of those – and he seems like he will be a solid card in that type of deck. Even getting one counter on this is pretty nice, and anything beyond that you start to feel really good about things. It also doesn’t hurt that you make it bigger at Instant speed, as sometimes that will really allow you to manufacture a blow out. Still, the UR deck doesn’t come together often enough for this to be great.
Warbriar Blessing image 3.5 This gives a large enough boost to toughness that this enables a number of creatures to fight and survive than would have been able to without it. This often feels like a removal spell that leaves behind a permanent stats boost for one of your creatures, and that tends to feel pretty good – though it does have the usual downsides that Fight spells do – if you’re not careful, you might get 2-for-1’d.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Soulreaper of Mogis image 2.0 This has decent stats and an okay mana sink ability. The ability does feel pretty clunky, especially when there are cheaper sacrifice outlets around, like the Lampad.
Skola Grovedancer image 2.0 This is a decent enough two-drop. None of its text is especially impressive, but at least it has a man sink ability that can help fuel your Escape.
Hero of the Pride image 2.0 A bear with a decent upside.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Fateful End
Fateful End image 3.5 Well, it isn’t Lightning Bolt, or even Lightning Strike – but that’s ok, this is still premium removal. . It can kill stuff in response to Auras – which will be extra good in this format, as well as in response to combat tricks and other shenanigans, and it can kill the majority of creatures you’re going to see in this format, frequently trading up. Scry 1 might just seem like small value, and I guess it kind of is, but adding a little bit of card selection to a great removal spell is nice.
Pious Wayfarer image 2.5 This is a pretty nice one-drop. In the early going, it can pump itself with its Constellation trigger, but in the later part of the game he can start pumping more meaningful creatures – the kind that can attack as a result of the stats boost they receive. That helps keep him relevant all game long.
Elite Instructor image 1.5 This has bad stats but a decent ETB ability. Looting does mean that it does something kind of relevant all game long, although it isn’t the most impressive thing.
Funeral Rites image 2.5 This is Black’s solid-but-unexciting draw spell in this format. It is nice it adds three cards to the graveyard for Escape.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
Nylea's Forerunner image 2.5 This is a solid creature that is especially good in the 4-power deck, as giving Trample to everybody is likely to have an immediate impact in a deck with enough larger creatures, and of course the Forerunner packs more than 4 power itself!
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Relentless Pursuit
Whirlwind Denial image 1.5 This is a neat design for a counterspell that we haven’t really seen before. Most of the time in Limited, your opponent will just be controlling one spell or ability, so this is basically just a fancy Convolute, and that isn’t an amazing place to be. On occasion, you may be able to get more than just the one spell, but it isn’t that easy to make it happen.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Arena Trickster image 2.0 Red, and especially Red-Blue, has several payoffs for playing stuff on your opponent’s turn, and Arena Trickster is one of those – and he seems like he will be a solid card in that type of deck. Even getting one counter on this is pretty nice, and anything beyond that you start to feel really good about things. It also doesn’t hurt that you make it bigger at Instant speed, as sometimes that will really allow you to manufacture a blow out. Still, the UR deck doesn’t come together often enough for this to be great.
Eidolon of Philosophy image 1.5 A one mana ½ just isn’t worth the card most of the time, but having the ability to draw 3 cards in the late game is kind of nice It is also an Enchantment, which certainly will matter in this format. Most decks won’t be interested in this, but if you have a sweet control deck, playing one of those won’t be too bad.
Triton Waverider image 2.0 It is tempting to look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, and it isn’t that hard to trigger Constellation, but the key is triggering it consistently, and at a time when a 3/3 Flyer matters, and it seems like that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you’d hope.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Relentless Pursuit image 2.0 This is a solid draw spell for Green, and it is nice that it puts at least three cards in the graveyard when you use it, because that will help you fuel Escape.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Altar of the Pantheon
Infuriate image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll play it sometimes in aggro decks.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Triton Waverider image 2.0 It is tempting to look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, and it isn’t that hard to trigger Constellation, but the key is triggering it consistently, and at a time when a 3/3 Flyer matters, and it seems like that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you’d hope.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Skola Grovedancer image 2.0 This is a decent enough two-drop. None of its text is especially impressive, but at least it has a man sink ability that can help fuel your Escape.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Final Flare
Underworld Fires image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card. It just doesn’t kill enough in this format to really make it worth it in the main deck.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Setessan Skirmisher
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Inspire Awe image 0.0 Fogs are unplayable in Limited 99% of the time. You use up a card for no real effect. This is not the 1% where that’s not true.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Underworld Rage-Hound
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Underworld Rage-Hound image 3.0 This is a key common for Red aggro decks in this format. It has reasonably aggressive stats and doesn’t tend to stay dead, and can really represent inevitability.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Setessan Skirmisher
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Sleep of the Dead
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Nessian Hornbeetle
Treacherous Blessing image 3.0 I’m always a big fan of Phyrexian Arena type cards, and that’s what this reminds me of. Three mana to draw 3 cards is incredibly strong, and it gives you the kind of card advantage that might just win you the game on its own. Sure, it comes with a significant downside, but I think that downside is almost always going to be worth it, as the cards that you net from this will often allow you to put your opponent away before the downside really matters. It is also nice that it comes with a bit of an escape clause, giving you a way to get rid of it if you have the right cards.
Hero of the Nyxborn image 3.5 This gives you a 2/2 and a 1/1 for three mana, and then pays you off for going wide with its “Heroic” trigger. That’s a pretty good deal overall, especially in a deck going wide.
Nessian Hornbeetle image 3.5 This is a great payoff for the 4-power deck, as it will often grow in size quickly enough to represent a real problem for your opponent, and it starts with decent stats to begin with!
Mystic Repeal image 3.5 This can tuck a huge number of permanents in this set and it does it really efficiently, basically amounting to being premium removal.
Incendiary Oracle image 3.0 This has nice stats and some really significant text. Pumping power is nice, because it allows it to threaten to hit hard when you have all your mana open, and can trade for lots of stuff, and the exile clause also comes up in this graveyard-heavy format.
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Return to Nature image 2.5 You can main deck this pretty easily in this format – there are Enchantments everywhere, and sometimes exiling an Escape creature is worth it.
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
Infuriate image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll play it sometimes in aggro decks.
Grim Physician image 1.0 This can trade for X/2s, or threaten a 2-for-1 against two X/1s. It isn’t a terrible thing to sacrifice. But you mostly won’t play it.
Nyxborn Seaguard image 1.5 This is a vanilla creature with the Enchantment type and it also contributes to your devotion. The stats here aren’t too shabby, so you’ll play it sometimes.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Warbriar Blessing
Sea God's Scorn image 1.5 This kind of card always seems to disappoint. Don’t get me wrong, what it does is pretty powerful – it can completely reshape the board, and it will be especially nice to bounce things that cost more than 6 mana total, so you’re coming out ahead mana-wise. The problem is, it is pretty impossible to come out ahead card-wise. Sure, your opponent has to recast everything, but if you can’t win the game quickly after casting the Scorn, you’re in trouble. The other problem a card like this always has, is, most Blue decks probably aren’t that interested in an effect like this. This will mostly only be good in more aggressive decks, who can get the opening they want after casting this. Problem is, it costs 6 mana, and most aggressive decks don’t really want to go there. In a mid-rangey or control deck, it is less appealing, since setting up a situation where it wins you the game will be a little more challenging. Also worth noting that you can bounce your own stuff with this, and sometimes that’s the right thing to do.
Threnody Singer image 3.0 This can often lower an attacking creature’s power by a significant amount, and its arrival on the board increases the chances you will have of setting up a block that kills whatever it is you decided to weaken. It really isn’t that hard to find a way to make Threnody Singer and the rest of your board kill a creature, and even when you don’t, you are getting a reasonable creature.
Lagonna-Band Storyteller image 2.5 This ETB trigger is pretty nice! There are lots of good Enchantments in this set, including Sagas which throw themselves in the graveyard, so getting something back with the Storyteller isn’t that hard to set up. People often overrate how good putting something on top of your library is – keep in mind that it is just card selection, and not card advantage. That doesn’t make the Storyteller bad, just not as good as some might think.
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Mire's Grasp image 3.5 This is premium removal. Two mana for -3/-3 is a good deal, and while I would probably prefer it to be an Instant rather than an Enchantment, the fact that you can only cast it at Sorcery speed is made up for, at least a little bit, by having the useful Enchantment type.
Warbriar Blessing image 3.5 This gives a large enough boost to toughness that this enables a number of creatures to fight and survive than would have been able to without it. This often feels like a removal spell that leaves behind a permanent stats boost for one of your creatures, and that tends to feel pretty good – though it does have the usual downsides that Fight spells do – if you’re not careful, you might get 2-for-1’d.
Inspire Awe image 0.0 Fogs are unplayable in Limited 99% of the time. You use up a card for no real effect. This is not the 1% where that’s not true.
Thirst for Meaning image 2.5 This is a decent draw spell. Sometimes giving up an Enchantment will be worth it, but don’t just do it automatically. Sometimes giving up a couple of lands will just be better.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Blight-Breath Catoblepas image 3.0 This typically lets you add to the board while subtracting from your opponents – even just killing a 2/2 with it, which it will always be able to do, is reasonable, and if you get your devotion higher it can be even more potent. That said, you don’t usually want more than one copy of this because its so expensive.
Soulreaper of Mogis image 2.0 This has decent stats and an okay mana sink ability. The ability does feel pretty clunky, especially when there are cheaper sacrifice outlets around, like the Lampad.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Renata, Called to the Hunt
Renata, Called to the Hunt image 4.0 At worst she is a 4-mana 2/3 that makes your creatures come down with an additional counter – and that’s a card you would pretty much always play. But, the higher your devotion, the higher the power, and the more impressive she becomes.
Destiny Spinner image 4.0 This little two drop is good all game long. It has good stats, and it can animate your lands into pretty scary attackers in the late game, when it can often take over.
Slaughter-Priest of Mogis image 3.5 This is a nice payoff for Sacrifing and a sacrifice outlet itself! I always like when payoffs can synergize with themselves, as that makes them a lot less risky. This is a very difficult creature to block, and at the same time sometimes you can’t just take it because it can kill you. That makes him a challenging thing to face down.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Grim Physician image 1.0 This can trade for X/2s, or threaten a 2-for-1 against two X/1s. It isn’t a terrible thing to sacrifice. But you mostly won’t play it.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Nylea's Forerunner image 2.5 This is a solid creature that is especially good in the 4-power deck, as giving Trample to everybody is likely to have an immediate impact in a deck with enough larger creatures, and of course the Forerunner packs more than 4 power itself!
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Omen of the Sun image 2.0 If we just pretended like Omen of the Sun were an Instant – that created two 1/1 soldiers and gained you 2 life, it would be in the lower range of playable – probably something you cut more often than not. The nice thing about making the tokens at Instant speed is that sometimes you can ambush an opponent’s 3/1 or something, at which point you’re really coming out ahead. But obviously, Omen of the Sun has more going on than just that – since it can be cashed in for Scry later in the game, and it is also an Enchantment in a set where that’s important.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Ilysian Caryatid
Elspeth's Nightmare image 3.5 This can kill a large percentage of the creatures in the format with chapter I, and chapter II going after a card is some nice additional value. Chapter III is the one that really overperforms here because of the context of the format. Exiling a whole graveyard is a big deal, because there are a lot of graveyard things in this format. This is actually really good both early and late – early because it basically guarantees a 2-for-1, and late because it will kill something and then nuke the graveyard.
Alseid of Life's Bounty image 3.0 This one drop has an ability that keeps it relevant all game long. Early on, it can attack and get in for some damage, and it has lifelink so putting Auras on it feels pretty good! But once it can no longer attack effectively, its ability to give Protection to thinks will be a huge boon. You can use it to help a creature get in lethal, wreak havoc on combat, or save a creature from removal.
The Binding of the Titans image 1.0 This is a super slow Green Anticipate, and I’m not that interested in that.
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Omen of the Dead image 2.0 This is nice and cheap, which is good news for Constellation. That said, unlike the other Omens, which can largely be played at any time for decent value, Omen of the Dead demands you have a creature in your graveyard, which means it can be a dead card for the first several turns. Like the other Omens, it can cash in and Scry, which isn’t too bad.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Eidolon of Philosophy image 1.5 A one mana ½ just isn’t worth the card most of the time, but having the ability to draw 3 cards in the late game is kind of nice It is also an Enchantment, which certainly will matter in this format. Most decks won’t be interested in this, but if you have a sweet control deck, playing one of those won’t be too bad.
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Traveler's Amulet image 2.5 This is always nice in every format we see it in. It gives you serious fixing, and if your curve is low enough you can count it as a land in your deck, allowing you to play more meaningful cards.
Ilysian Caryatid image 3.0 This gives you some nice fixing that gets better if you have a big guy around. It is super vulnerable and dies to every removal in the set, which is especially painful when your opponent spend only one mana to kill it, but it is still a high quality common.
Soulreaper of Mogis image 2.0 This has decent stats and an okay mana sink ability. The ability does feel pretty clunky, especially when there are cheaper sacrifice outlets around, like the Lampad.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Nylea's Forerunner
Pharika's Spawn image 4.0 If you can trade using that ¾ body, and then later in the game pay 6 mana and helps this Escape from your graveyard, you end up with a ⅚ body that has an edict effect. One nice thing here is that because the Spawn is a Gorgon itself, if it is your only creature, you won’t have to sacrifice anything. The Spawn also asks for less cards to be exiled than most cards with Escape, so it doesn’t require as much additional effort to load the graveyard as many of these do. So, look -- if this was just a 4-mana ¾ that you could get back in the late game as a 6-mana ⅚, that would be a very playable card. While neither side is efficient, the fact that you get TWO creatures out of one card is some real value. And, obviously enough, this comes with the addition of an Edict effect.
Hero of the Winds image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¼ with flying is not a playable card most of the time, but this comes with significant upside -- however, for that upside to really be obtained, you need two things: a deck that can go wide, and a deck with lots of cards that target your creatures -- this, of course, includes Auras. And while those things will happen in enough White decks, I don’t think the set up or the payoff here is so good that you take it all that early.
Devourer of Memory image 3.5 As a two mana 2/1, it doesn’t do so well on the vanilla test, but this set is loaded up with self-mill cards, especially in Blue and Black, and that will make it a 3/2 unblockable on your turn a lot of the time, especially because it comes with a built-in way to start milling yourself, which is not a bad place to sink mana in the later part of the game. The Devourer can represent some serious inevitability, and I am definitely interested in that.
Nyxborn Courser image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with reasonable stats and the Enchantment type, as well as two White mana its cost for Devotion. You’ll play it sometimes when you need one or all of those things.
Mogis's Favor image 2.5 This is surprisingly useful for a one mana card! You can use it to kill X/1s, and its relatively cheap Escape cost means you can threaten X/1s with it all game long. You can also put it on one of your evasive creatures as a way of doing significantly more damage.
Underworld Rage-Hound image 3.0 This is a key common for Red aggro decks in this format. It has reasonably aggressive stats and doesn’t tend to stay dead, and can really represent inevitability.
Nyxborn Seaguard image 1.5 This is a vanilla creature with the Enchantment type and it also contributes to your devotion. The stats here aren’t too shabby, so you’ll play it sometimes.
Underworld Charger image 2.5 This is a fairly efficient aggressive creature who refuses to stay dead, and when it comes back it does so quite large! You can’t really play this anywhere but an aggro deck since it can’t block, but it works out pretty nicely there.
Nylea's Forerunner image 2.5 This is a solid creature that is especially good in the 4-power deck, as giving Trample to everybody is likely to have an immediate impact in a deck with enough larger creatures, and of course the Forerunner packs more than 4 power itself!
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Pack 2 Pick 6: Ilysian Caryatid
Cling to Dust image 0.0 This isn’t worth a slot in your deck. The Escape cost is too high – in both mana and cards you have to exile – so ever being able to use this repeatedly is unlikely.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Unknown Shores image 1.0 Filterlands that don’t do anything else tend to be pretty bad, but you’ll run this if you’re desperate for fixing.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Grim Physician image 1.0 This can trade for X/2s, or threaten a 2-for-1 against two X/1s. It isn’t a terrible thing to sacrifice. But you mostly won’t play it.
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Ilysian Caryatid image 3.0 This gives you some nice fixing that gets better if you have a big guy around. It is super vulnerable and dies to every removal in the set, which is especially painful when your opponent spend only one mana to kill it, but it is still a high quality common.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Setessan Skirmisher
Enemy of Enlightenment image 1.5 It is tempting to look at this as a potential finisher in your deck, but it is harder to consistently have it be a threatening presence than you might think, and you also have to contend with the symmetrical discard, which narrows the window in which you can play it. That said, it can be a finisher, but it isn’t a great one.
Agonizing Remorse image 3.0 This is a great discard spell. It allows you to really disrupt your opponent early, and in the late game it can still do something – like exile a creature from Escape from their graveyard. That gets pretty close to still being a 1-for-1 late, and that’s what allows this to be a discard spell you actually feel good about in Limited – it does something all game long.
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Indomitable Will image 1.5 This is basically a combat trick that sticks around, and if you can use it to kill an opponent’s creature and keep yours alive, you are out of 2-for-1 territory. Now, it is still risky -- your opponent can kill your creature in response and then you’re the one getting 2-for-1’d -- but if you play this wisely, it seems like it is a reasonable inclusion in a creature-based deck.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Memory Drain image 0.5 This counterspell costs way too much mana, and adding Scry doesn’t really help that.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Glory Bearers image 1.5 This has kind of okay stats and a kind of okay ability. Pumping toughness on attacks isn’t a huge deal, but it makes a difference sometimes.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Nyx Herald
Nyx Herald image 3.5 On its own, this is a 3-mana ¾ with Trample, and in most ways it is better than that, because it can spread that stats boost and keyword ability to other creatures.
Chainweb Aracnir image 3.5 Like most Escape creatures, Aracnir tends to give you some pretty nice card advantage. Early it isn’t the most impressive creature, but even just chump blocking with it feels pretty good, since it can come back in the late game and knock a flyer out of the sky as a 4/5.
Pious Wayfarer image 2.5 This is a pretty nice one-drop. In the early going, it can pump itself with its Constellation trigger, but in the later part of the game he can start pumping more meaningful creatures – the kind that can attack as a result of the stats boost they receive. That helps keep him relevant all game long.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Moss Viper
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Return to Nature image 2.5 You can main deck this pretty easily in this format – there are Enchantments everywhere, and sometimes exiling an Escape creature is worth it.
Grim Physician image 1.0 This can trade for X/2s, or threaten a 2-for-1 against two X/1s. It isn’t a terrible thing to sacrifice. But you mostly won’t play it.
Nyxborn Seaguard image 1.5 This is a vanilla creature with the Enchantment type and it also contributes to your devotion. The stats here aren’t too shabby, so you’ll play it sometimes.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Hero of the Games
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Inspire Awe image 0.0 Fogs are unplayable in Limited 99% of the time. You use up a card for no real effect. This is not the 1% where that’s not true.
Soulreaper of Mogis image 2.0 This has decent stats and an okay mana sink ability. The ability does feel pretty clunky, especially when there are cheaper sacrifice outlets around, like the Lampad.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Nylea's Forerunner
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Nylea's Forerunner image 2.5 This is a solid creature that is especially good in the 4-power deck, as giving Trample to everybody is likely to have an immediate impact in a deck with enough larger creatures, and of course the Forerunner packs more than 4 power itself!
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Irreverent Revelers
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Eidolon of Philosophy image 1.5 A one mana ½ just isn’t worth the card most of the time, but having the ability to draw 3 cards in the late game is kind of nice It is also an Enchantment, which certainly will matter in this format. Most decks won’t be interested in this, but if you have a sweet control deck, playing one of those won’t be too bad.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Altar of the Pantheon
Hero of the Winds image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¼ with flying is not a playable card most of the time, but this comes with significant upside -- however, for that upside to really be obtained, you need two things: a deck that can go wide, and a deck with lots of cards that target your creatures -- this, of course, includes Auras. And while those things will happen in enough White decks, I don’t think the set up or the payoff here is so good that you take it all that early.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Pack 2 Pick 14: Wings of Hubris
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Moss Viper
Taranika, Akroan Veteran image 3.5 She has good stats and the ability to make one of your other creatures into a really problematic attacker for your opponent. Relatively early on, she does get to the point where she probably dies on the attack, but she generally will give you enough value by just sending an indestructible creature, that that isn’t too shabby.
Reverent Hoplite image 2.5 So the fail case here is a 5-mana ½ that makes a 1/1. So, what does your devotion need to be for this to stop being unplayable? 2 devotion still won’t feel so good, but it is probably passable. I think at 3, where you are getting ⅘ worth of power spread across 4 bodies for 5 mana, you feel like you’re doing alright and obviously the ceiling here can go even higher. It does bother me that the fail case here is so bad -- the best Devotion cards are the ones where the fail case is semi-reasonable, but that isn’t what we have here. Still, if your deck has a decent amount of White in it, this will be better than the fail case most of the time, especially because you play it so late.
The Triumph of Anax image 1.0 first three chapters help make it so your creatures can attack harder and give them trample, and if you play this on turn 3 and your opponent has an empty board you can start doing a ton of damage. But, that’s the kind of ability that normally won’t scale very well as the game goes on -- sure, if you have creatures who are challenging to block it gets more interesting, but the boost to only power and Trample just isn’t something I’m that interested in. I feel like most aggro decks would rather just play a 3-mana creature than this. Now, the fourth chapter of this Saga is the most interesting one, since it gives you a fight effect -- but the fact your opponent KNOWS it is coming, means they can play around it to some extent -- it just takes so long for you to get to chapter 4 too.
Archon of Falling Stars image 3.0 A 6-mana 4/4 flyer isn’t great but putting an Enchantment from your graveyard on the battlefield when it dies Is pretty nice. One thing I really like about that is that it is ANY Enchantment -- several cards in this set focus on Auras, but not the Archon, who is able to bring back any sort of Enchantment -- including Enchantment creatures. When you do that, you’re usually going to be getting a 2-for-1, and those go a long way towards shifting games in your favor.
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Ichthyomorphosis image 2.5 Blue always get a solid, but unexciting, removal spell that transforms a creature into something else. The downside with all of them is that the creature can still do stuff, even if it is shrunk. At best, this tends to mean the creature can still chump block, and at worst it means the creature can still be sizable thanks to Auras, +1/+1 counters, and Equipment.
Funeral Rites image 2.5 This is Black’s solid-but-unexciting draw spell in this format. It is nice it adds three cards to the graveyard for Escape.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Hyrax Tower Scout image 1.5 This has solid stats, and its ETB ability will occasionally do something, though not usually anything especially meaningful.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive decks.
Thirst for Meaning image 2.5 This is a decent draw spell. Sometimes giving up an Enchantment will be worth it, but don’t just do it automatically. Sometimes giving up a couple of lands will just be better.
Karametra's Blessing image 1.5 This is a decent trick with nice Enchantment upside – it IS still a trick though, and you’ll only play it in the most aggressive of decks.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Gallia of the Endless Dance
Gallia of the Endless Dance image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 with Haste that might pump some of the creatures in your deck wouldn’t be that exciting most of the time -- but if your deck is aggressive, the ability to discard a random card and draw two is super powerful. It is the kind of thing that can keep a really aggressive deck from running out of steam, as they sometimes can. Note, by the way, that Gallia doesn’t need to do the attacking for that effect to happen -- it can be any three creatures, so you can keep her back so you can continue to get value out of the ability, instead of her dying in combat.
Dawn Evangel image 2.5 The Evangel also helps you avoid the dreaded 2-for-1, since if one of your creatures with an Aura gets killed, you get something back that puts you and your opponent at parity in terms of cards. One kind of weird thing to note about this card, is it doesn’t matter whose creature with an Aura dies, either way, you get the opportunity to put a small creature back into your hand. All that said, I feel like there is a considerable chunk of the time where this is just a 3-mana 2/3.
Fateful End image 3.5 Well, it isn’t Lightning Bolt, or even Lightning Strike – but that’s ok, this is still premium removal. . It can kill stuff in response to Auras – which will be extra good in this format, as well as in response to combat tricks and other shenanigans, and it can kill the majority of creatures you’re going to see in this format, frequently trading up. Scry 1 might just seem like small value, and I guess it kind of is, but adding a little bit of card selection to a great removal spell is nice.
Furious Rise image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a powerful 4-power build around that basically draws you a card every turn when you meet the requirement. Your deck has to have the right composition, but when it does, this will win you games.
Iroas's Blessing image 3.5 This is a removal spell that also gives one of your creatures a stats boost, and that’s pretty nice. It isn’t the most efficient at removing things, but it is nice that it actually impacts your side of the board too, even if +1/+1 isn’t always going to be a major thing.
Pharika's Libation image 2.0 Because you can choose what this Edict hits, you can often choose an option that takes out a pretty good permanent. It still has the downside of all Edicts – the bigger the board, the worse it gets.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Loathsome Chimera image 3.0 Another nice Escape creature, the Chimera offers the ability to trade as a result of its high power, and then it can just keep coming back and threatening the opponent as a 5/2.
Elite Instructor image 1.5 This has bad stats but a decent ETB ability. Looting does mean that it does something kind of relevant all game long, although it isn’t the most impressive thing.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Scavenging Harpy image 2.0 Three mana 2/1 flyers are fine and this has some minor upside that will probably be a little bit less minor in this set -- since it has the ability to exile a card from the graveyard, so taking an Escape card seems pretty nice.
Incendiary Oracle image 3.0 This has nice stats and some really significant text. Pumping power is nice, because it allows it to threaten to hit hard when you have all your mana open, and can trade for lots of stuff, and the exile clause also comes up in this graveyard-heavy format.
Naiad of Hidden Coves image 2.5 Reducing the cost of your instants and cards with Flash is pretty nice – as it will enable you to trigger your other payoffs more easily, and cast more powerful spells sooner. The fact that this also comes with a semi-reasonable body is nice too – they could easily have printed this as a 2/2 and it still would have been decent, so I’m pretty happy with 2/3 here.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Voracious Typhon
Skophos Maze-Warden image 3.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ that can raise its power while lowering its toughness is probably already something you’d play a reasonable chunk of the time. That ability means it can trade with anything, and also that every time you attack with it, if your opponent doesn’t block, they could be about to eat 6 damage. But the Guardian also comes with the very specific upside of making your Labyrinth of Skophos way better, since the Minotaur will now fight anything you target with it. Now, the Labyrinth is a rare and this is an uncommon, so the chances of getting them both together are pretty low, but when you do, it will feel pretty good.
Nyx Herald image 3.5 On its own, this is a 3-mana ¾ with Trample, and in most ways it is better than that, because it can spread that stats boost and keyword ability to other creatures.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Voracious Typhon image 4.0 This is an excellent common. A 4-mana 4/4 virtually always makes the cut, but this one gets to come back in the late game much larger, guaranteeing you a 2-for-1, and sometimes just being a straight up win condition.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Scavenging Harpy image 2.0 Three mana 2/1 flyers are fine and this has some minor upside that will probably be a little bit less minor in this set -- since it has the ability to exile a card from the graveyard, so taking an Escape card seems pretty nice.
Aspect of Lamprey image 2.0 Lifelink + Mind Rot turns out to be a pretty decent combination in this set. This is another Discard spell that still does a thing in the late game, and that’s nice, because it gets around some significant downside.
Underworld Charger image 2.5 This is a fairly efficient aggressive creature who refuses to stay dead, and when it comes back it does so quite large! You can’t really play this anywhere but an aggro deck since it can’t block, but it works out pretty nicely there.
Karametra's Blessing image 1.5 This is a decent trick with nice Enchantment upside – it IS still a trick though, and you’ll only play it in the most aggressive of decks.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Voracious Typhon
Thassa's Oracle image 2.5 On its own, the Oracle is a two mana 1/3 that gives you some card selection. Oftentimes it will give you even better card selection, when your devotion is higher. Winning with this in Limited is unlikely, but the reasonable stats and ability to help you find what you need makes it a fine card.
Threnody Singer image 3.0 This can often lower an attacking creature’s power by a significant amount, and its arrival on the board increases the chances you will have of setting up a block that kills whatever it is you decided to weaken. It really isn’t that hard to find a way to make Threnody Singer and the rest of your board kill a creature, and even when you don’t, you are getting a reasonable creature.
Thundering Chariot image 2.5 This is pretty easy to crew, but not that easy to cast. It is a pretty good creature though when you can crew it.
Voracious Typhon image 4.0 This is an excellent common. A 4-mana 4/4 virtually always makes the cut, but this one gets to come back in the late game much larger, guaranteeing you a 2-for-1, and sometimes just being a straight up win condition.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Indomitable Will image 1.5 This is basically a combat trick that sticks around, and if you can use it to kill an opponent’s creature and keep yours alive, you are out of 2-for-1 territory. Now, it is still risky -- your opponent can kill your creature in response and then you’re the one getting 2-for-1’d -- but if you play this wisely, it seems like it is a reasonable inclusion in a creature-based deck.
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Discordant Piper image 2.5 This starts as a two-mana 2/1, which is fine, and making an additional body is always a nice upgrade, even if the body is as irrelevant as a 0/1 goat. That is still a useful resource – either because you can use it to chump block, or maybe you can sacrifice it to something for value.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Nylea's Forerunner
Underworld Dreams image 1.0 Devotion is generally not a big enough theme in this set for Underworld Dreams to be worth it. It is too hard to cast and too slow for such a lame effect.
Escape Velocity image 2.0 This is a cheap Aura with Escape, and Escape really helps it get around the downside some Auras have – you won’t really be getting 2-for-1’d if they kill the creature you put this on, because it will keep coming back!
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
Discordant Piper image 2.5 This starts as a two-mana 2/1, which is fine, and making an additional body is always a nice upgrade, even if the body is as irrelevant as a 0/1 goat. That is still a useful resource – either because you can use it to chump block, or maybe you can sacrifice it to something for value.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Nylea's Forerunner image 2.5 This is a solid creature that is especially good in the 4-power deck, as giving Trample to everybody is likely to have an immediate impact in a deck with enough larger creatures, and of course the Forerunner packs more than 4 power itself!
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Omen of the Forge
Siona, Captain of the Pyleas image 3.5 Siona makes it clear that GW is all about Enchantments, and more specifically - Auras. It is going to be pretty hard to wiff entirely on Enchantments in your top 7 cards in this format, so generally Siona will at least be a 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card, something that is always solid. But then, it comes with the ability to make a creature token every time you put an Aura on one of your creatures, and that’s a nice payoff too. Auras can sometimes be risky because if your opponent has removal, you get 2-for-1’d -- but making a creature token every time you put an Aura on something helps soften the blow if that’s what happens, because at least you have a 1/1 left behind. Siona is going to draw you a card and make 1-2 creature tokens without a whole lot of help.
Scavenging Harpy image 2.0 Three mana 2/1 flyers are fine and this has some minor upside that will probably be a little bit less minor in this set -- since it has the ability to exile a card from the graveyard, so taking an Escape card seems pretty nice.
Omen of the Forge image 3.0 Two mana to do two to anything at Instant speed is usually a solid card, if not premium removal. Adding some scry to the later game doesn’t hurt either. Then this gets a little bonus for both being an Enchantment, and a card with Flash -- since there are decks in this format interested in both things. This is cheap enough too, that killing 3 and 4 mana creatures who have two toughness with it will happen a decent chunk of the time. Sometimes you’ll break even on it, but I think you’ll trade up enough that this will feel really good.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Vexing Gull image 2.5 Three mana for a 2/2 flyer used to sort of be the quintessential common for Blue, and these days, as creatures continue to get stronger, that stat-line isn’t quite as impressive – but by adding Flash to the mix here, you have a pretty nice card. Flash creatures can of course be used to come into play and ambush an attacker, but a 2/2 isn’t going to be doing that a ton. Still, being able to play this at Instant speed has its bonuses – the most obvious one being that this set’s UR archetype is all about playing stuff on your opponent’s turn. It also doesn’t hurt that you can flash this in at the end of your opponent’s turn, and, if they are tapped out, you can put an Aura on it on your turn. Then of course, Flash just makes it so you can leave up instants and activated abilities without really taking a hit on tempo, and all of that’s pretty nice!
Thaumaturge's Familiar image 1.0 This has bad stats for the cost, and Scry doesn’t really change that.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Hyrax Tower Scout
Stinging Lionfish image 2.0 Tapping down an opponent’s creature isn’t terrible, as it can both allow you to avoid an attack from your opponent’s best creature, and allow you to have better attacks on your turn. That said, the payoff here isn’t ultra impressive. UR is definitely going to be interested in having a bunch of Instants and cards with Flash, but I don’t think this will be one of the cards you really desperately want for that deck to work -- but it will be a solid roleplayer.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Hyrax Tower Scout image 1.5 This has solid stats, and its ETB ability will occasionally do something, though not usually anything especially meaningful.
Skola Grovedancer image 2.0 This is a decent enough two-drop. None of its text is especially impressive, but at least it has a man sink ability that can help fuel your Escape.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Skophos Warleader image 2.0 This is another cheap sacrifice outlet, which works quite well in the BR deck. It is pretty inefficient other than that, though.
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Setessan Training
Agonizing Remorse image 3.0 This is a great discard spell. It allows you to really disrupt your opponent early, and in the late game it can still do something – like exile a creature from Escape from their graveyard. That gets pretty close to still being a 1-for-1 late, and that’s what allows this to be a discard spell you actually feel good about in Limited – it does something all game long.
Setessan Training image 2.5 This replaces itself, and that’s quite nice. The +1/+0 and Trample boost probably wouldn’t have been enough, even in a format with Enchantmetn synergy, but because it draws you a card, you get to avoid the danger of a 2-for-1.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
Lampad of Death's Vigil image 3 This ended up being a key card in this format. Its cheap sacrifice effect made sacrifice decks a lot better than they would otherwise have been, and the fact it drains life often allows you to get to lethal a full turn or more before you would have had it otherwise.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Hyrax Tower Scout
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Hyrax Tower Scout image 1.5 This has solid stats, and its ETB ability will occasionally do something, though not usually anything especially meaningful.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive decks.
Karametra's Blessing image 1.5 This is a decent trick with nice Enchantment upside – it IS still a trick though, and you’ll only play it in the most aggressive of decks.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Furious Rise
Furious Rise image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a powerful 4-power build around that basically draws you a card every turn when you meet the requirement. Your deck has to have the right composition, but when it does, this will win you games.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Elite Instructor image 1.5 This has bad stats but a decent ETB ability. Looting does mean that it does something kind of relevant all game long, although it isn’t the most impressive thing.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Naiad of Hidden Coves image 2.5 Reducing the cost of your instants and cards with Flash is pretty nice – as it will enable you to trigger your other payoffs more easily, and cast more powerful spells sooner. The fact that this also comes with a semi-reasonable body is nice too – they could easily have printed this as a 2/2 and it still would have been decent, so I’m pretty happy with 2/3 here.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Skophos Maze-Warden
Skophos Maze-Warden image 3.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ that can raise its power while lowering its toughness is probably already something you’d play a reasonable chunk of the time. That ability means it can trade with anything, and also that every time you attack with it, if your opponent doesn’t block, they could be about to eat 6 damage. But the Guardian also comes with the very specific upside of making your Labyrinth of Skophos way better, since the Minotaur will now fight anything you target with it. Now, the Labyrinth is a rare and this is an uncommon, so the chances of getting them both together are pretty low, but when you do, it will feel pretty good.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Satyr's Cunning
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Wings of Hubris
Escape Velocity image 2.0 This is a cheap Aura with Escape, and Escape really helps it get around the downside some Auras have – you won’t really be getting 2-for-1’d if they kill the creature you put this on, because it will keep coming back!
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Plummet
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
Draft Pick Overview