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Quick Draft MKM 25 March 2024

25 March 04:31 - ChaosEmperorMC 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
1 Assassin's Trophy image
1 Soul Enervation image
1 Macabre Reconstruction image
1 Case of the Gorgon's Kiss image
1 Insidious Roots image
1 Extract a Confession image
1 Murder image
1 It Doesn't Add Up image
1 Long Goodbye image
Creature (14)
1 Nightdrinker Moroii image
1 Festerleech image
3 Rubblebelt Maverick image
1 Aftermath Analyst image
1 Undercity Eliminator image
1 Rot Farm Mortipede image
1 Hedge Whisperer image
1 Flourishing Bloom-Kin image
1 Nyx Weaver image
1 Alley Assailant image
1 Basilica Stalker image
1 Tunnel Tipster image
Land (17)
1 Escape Tunnel image
8 Forest image
8 Swamp image
Sideboard
1 Pompous Gadabout image
1 Lumbering Laundry image
1 Festerleech image
1 Vitu-Ghazi Inspector image
1 Unscrupulous Agent image
1 Vengeful Creeper image
1 Repeat Offender image
1 Rot Farm Mortipede image
1 Agency Coroner image
1 Alley Assailant image
1 Pick Your Poison image
1 Toxin Analysis image
1 Out Cold image
1 Hard-Hitting Question image
1 Cerebral Confiscation image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Assassin's Trophy
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.
Assassin's Trophy image 3 This deals with anything, but is dangerous enough to play in the early game that it isn't incredible.
Thundering Falls image
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.
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.
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries image 3.0 So, in Limited, this Jace is mostly just a way to draw cards. It doesn’t protect itself and its static ability is hard to make work. So yeah, you’re usually just going to be using his +1 as long as he can stay alive, but that’s not too shabby.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
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.
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.
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.
Novice Inspector image 3.5 This is a functional reprint of Thraben Inspector, which was amazing. Two pieces of material for one mana is awesome.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Soul Enervation
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.
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.
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.
Surveillance Monitor image 3.5 If this was just straight up a 4-mana 3/3 that made a 1/1 Flyer, it’d be a 4.0. That’s just a great rate and a card you’d take very highly. This won’t always do it up front, but it’ll do it pretty often – and then it’s likely to crank out a few more Thopters if it’s left alone.
Soul Enervation image 4 This is a good removal spell, even without the creatures leaving your graveyard upside, and that means even if your deck has absolutely 0 ways to remove creatures from your graveyard, this will perform well enough to be included. And, most Black decks will be able to trigger the drain life effect on this at least a couple of times a game, and once you’ve done that you’re going to feel like you’ve really gotten there.
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.
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.
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-. 
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Tunnel Tipster
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.
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.
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.
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.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
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.
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.
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.
Sanitation Automaton image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a mediocre ETB.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Nightdrinker Moroii
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Loxodon Eavesdropper image 2.5 5 mana for three 1/1s isn't great, but you can attack with all three tokens the next turn and really give your opponent a headache. At that point, you are definitely getting your mana's worth.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Festerleech
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.
Buried in the Garden image 4 Its an Oblivion Ring stapled to a mana ramp Aura. 'Nuff said.
Festerleech image 3 This is going to feel quite nice on turn one, especially because if you’re in Black you’re probably a graveyard deck, and this certainly enables things early. You’re almost guaranteed an attack on turn two, since even if your opponent played their own one drop, they aren’t going to be able to block this when you have two mana up, and a 3/3 can stay relevant pretty much all game long, though it does have somewhat diminishing returns the later the game goes.
Fae Flight image 3 This Aura looks quite good. Obviously, the ideal situation is to cast it in response to removal, in which case you’re left with a buffed evasive creature, and you’ve already taken a card of value away from your opponent. But this also has the upside all Flying auras do, w hich is that you can just…slap it on some big monster and quickly win the game.
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.
They Went This Way image 2 I like that this can ultimately give you a 2-for-1. I don’t like that it’s a Sorcery that doesn’t add to the board in any meaningful way. It definitely fixes your mana, and in games that go long enough that Clue is gonna feel pretty nice, but not doing anything to add to the board on turn three has been a liability in most formats of late. I kind of hope this is a format where you can do stuff like this, but I’m going to err on the side of caution.
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.
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.
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 6: Festerleech
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.
Festerleech image 3 This is going to feel quite nice on turn one, especially because if you’re in Black you’re probably a graveyard deck, and this certainly enables things early. You’re almost guaranteed an attack on turn two, since even if your opponent played their own one drop, they aren’t going to be able to block this when you have two mana up, and a 3/3 can stay relevant pretty much all game long, though it does have somewhat diminishing returns the later the game goes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 1 Pick 7: Vitu-Ghazi Inspector
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 Pilfered Proof image 1.5 I don't think this is very good. You have to play it ahead of your detectives to get the counters, and there’s where most of the value is, because getting an extra clue here and there isn’t the most impressive payoff.
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.
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. 
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.
Fanatical Strength image 3 We’ve seen Run Amok in the past, and it has a strictly worse text box because it can only target attacking creatures, and Run Amok was an absolute beating in aggro decks. I think this will be too. The stats boost + trample can just wreck combat in so many ways, and make damage lethal out of nowhere. The boost is enough to save a creature from some removal spells in a pinch too.  You’re going to want to keep this card in the back of your mind any time you’re playing someone who is in Green.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Macabre Reconstruction
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. 
Break Out image 3 This is a two mana card selection spell that gives you an option of adding to the board, and that's pretty awesome.
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.
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.
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.
Fanatical Strength image 3 We’ve seen Run Amok in the past, and it has a strictly worse text box because it can only target attacking creatures, and Run Amok was an absolute beating in aggro decks. I think this will be too. The stats boost + trample can just wreck combat in so many ways, and make damage lethal out of nowhere. The boost is enough to save a creature from some removal spells in a pinch too.  You’re going to want to keep this card in the back of your mind any time you’re playing someone who is in Green.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Rubblebelt Maverick
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.
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.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Aftermath Analyst
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Pompous Gadabout
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.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
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 1 Pick 12: Lumbering Laundry
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Pick Your Poison
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 2 Pick 1: Undercity Eliminator
Hide in Plain Sight image 4 4-mana for two 2/2s is a pretty nice deal, especially because it’s likely you grabbed a couple of cards that won’t be 2/2s for long.
A Killer Among Us image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/3 that makes a Clue is fine, and this will be a 4/4 Vigilance from time to time.
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.
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.
Fuss image 3.5 The Fuss mode can be pretty darn strong if you’re going wide and you’re the beat down. Meanwhile, Bother is less efficient, but also less situational. 6-mana for three 1/1 flyers and surveil 2 isn’t amazing, but you’re also fairly unlikely to die after you cast it thanks to those three bodies, and surveil 2 makes it likely you’re going to draw something meaningful.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Case of the Gorgon's Kiss
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.
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.
Burden of Proof image 2.5 This is a very interesting version of this “Frogify”-type effect. Lately it seems like they are doing their darnedest to design one that’s actually solid in Limited, and they’ve had some success with that lately. I think they’ve done it again here. The usual problem with this type of card is that you don’t really entirely remove a creature when you turn it into a 1/1, so you’re often coming out behind. However, this adds a couple of important wrinkles. First, it has Flash – so you can turn something into a 1/1 at instant speed, which all-but-guarantees that it’s going down. Second, if your creature is a detective, this is a powerful combat trick. It’s also really nice that they made it only buff detectives you control, otherwise this card would be super frustrating.
Case of the Gateway Express image 4 The ETB will be a reasonable removal spell most of the time, and sometimes a really good one – and this case is easier to solve than most. The reward isn’t exactly game-breaking, but it’s certainly relevant, especially because it’s effectively stapled to a solid removal spell.
Essence of Antiquity image 2.5 A 5-mana 1/10 is…kind of okay. It can block for days, although the lower power will make it unable to kill stuff all that often. The Disguise part is pretty sweet here, though. You’re usually going to play this face down and have it lie in wait as a 2/2, up until you reach a point where transforming it is advantageous. This will most frequently be when you can use it to blank a removal spell, but turning it into a 1/10 can be valuable all on its own, and untapping your whole board can have benefits too.
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.
Riftburst Hellion image 2.5 This isn’t going to feel amazing either way you get the 6/7 with Reach, but the fact that it IS a huge creature with the upside of being castable as a three mana 2/2 Ward 2 makes it worthwhile.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
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.
Make Your Move image 2 We see this type of removal that only hits big creatures all the time, and it’s usually pretty mediocre, simply because its too narrow. They usually don’t even make the cut in your main deck. But, stapling Disenchant to it is a pretty big upgrade, especially in a set that has a fair number of both, probably makes this into a solid playable, and I think it even has a shot at being better than that.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Insidious Roots
Anzrag's Rampage image 0.5 I actually think this has some applications, albeit mostly as a sideboard card. If you’re up against a Blue-Red deck especially, they are likely to have a ton of Artifacts because that’s what the color pair is all about. Against them, this will destroy 3 things and probably grab you a random creature, which is well worth 5 mana. At that point the game is over. Even though this format has a lot of Clues, they aren’t plentiful enough in all the color pairs for this to be main deck material though.
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.
Fae Flight image 3 This Aura looks quite good. Obviously, the ideal situation is to cast it in response to removal, in which case you’re left with a buffed evasive creature, and you’ve already taken a card of value away from your opponent. But this also has the upside all Flying auras do, w hich is that you can just…slap it on some big monster and quickly win the game.
Hedge Whisperer image 2.5 This ability is reasonably powerful once you get there, but in the meantime you’ve got a one mana 0/3, something that just isn’t relevant on most boards. It’s also a little annoying the ability is as expensive as it is, and you can still only have one animated land at a time. You have to jump through some very real hoops and play an otherwise sub-par creature.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 2 Pick 4: Hard-Hitting Question
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.
Vengeful Tracker image 2.5 This has a solid baseline, and against some opponents relying on Clues it can be really punishing.
Hard-Hitting Question image 3.5 They have really been pushing these punch effects lately. There once was a time where one mana for a straight up fight effect was a nice Limited card, but now we get a one-sided fight for the same cost! Obviously, it’s pretty darn good. You do need to have a sizable enough creature around to make it do its thing the best, and you have to pick your spots because removal is an utter blowout, but we’re still talking about a one mana removal spell…this’ll feel like a Green Swords to Plowshares pretty often.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Rubblebelt Maverick
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. 
It Doesn't Add Up image 2 This lets you reanimated something at instant speed. Of course…because you are forces to suspect the creature, it can't ambush block stuff, and that’s a big part of what would make this sweet. As is, it's an expensive removal spell with an effect that has just as mich downside as upside, and this kind of thing even with upside isn't always useful. That doesn't add up to a very good grade.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bite Down on Crime image 3.5 If you aren't collecting evidence, this is pretty darn clunky. And clunky is dangerous on a removal spell like this, since your opponent interacting can 2-for-1 you. Still, if you choose your spot carefully, this is likely to kill most opposing stuff, and the stats boost might also really improve your attacks. Combine that with the Evidence upside and I think this manages to just sneak into “premium removal” range.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Extract a Confession
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.
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.
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.
Flotsam image 2.5 The Flotsam side helps you set up graveyard shenanigans and replaces itself, and the Jetsam side gives you a free spell. Neither are going to feel like the most efficient thing in the world in most cases – You have to pay 4 total mana to mill three and draw a card with Flotsam, and Jetsam isn’t usually going to give you back the mana you spent, and if either of this card was only one or the other it would be too narrow and mediocre. But, having both makes a big difference – that’s what is great about split cards. Both plays might be kind of meh, but the fact remains you have a card that does something useful and something early late, and most cards don’t have that kind of flexibility.
Extract a Confession image 3.5 This looks like a great common. Edicts tend to be at their best when your opponent has the fewest creatures. That usually means the early game. But thanks to collevt evidence here, this stays pretty good by the mid to late game, as getting rid of your opponents highest power creature will also mean their best creature loke 80 percent of the time.
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.
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.
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 7: Vengeful Creeper
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.
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.
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-. 
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. 
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 8: 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.
Case of the Trampled Garden image 3 What this gives you up front is fairly acceptable, and Green decks will certainly be capable of solving this. Once you do, buffing an attacking creature every turn is going to feel pretty good. Still, it doesn’t do a ton up front.
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.
Offender at Large image 2 Just playing this face up is going to be the play more often than not, and when you do it has a reasonable shot at giving you an attack you didn’t have before. This is the type of disguise creature you probably only play face down when you’ve got nothing else going on on turn three. Either way, this card looks like it will have trouble making the cut sometimes.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Toxin Analysis
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Rot Farm Mortipede
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.
Burden of Proof image 2.5 This is a very interesting version of this “Frogify”-type effect. Lately it seems like they are doing their darnedest to design one that’s actually solid in Limited, and they’ve had some success with that lately. I think they’ve done it again here. The usual problem with this type of card is that you don’t really entirely remove a creature when you turn it into a 1/1, so you’re often coming out behind. However, this adds a couple of important wrinkles. First, it has Flash – so you can turn something into a 1/1 at instant speed, which all-but-guarantees that it’s going down. Second, if your creature is a detective, this is a powerful combat trick. It’s also really nice that they made it only buff detectives you control, otherwise this card would be super frustrating.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
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 2 Pick 11: Hedge Whisperer
Fae Flight image 3 This Aura looks quite good. Obviously, the ideal situation is to cast it in response to removal, in which case you’re left with a buffed evasive creature, and you’ve already taken a card of value away from your opponent. But this also has the upside all Flying auras do, w hich is that you can just…slap it on some big monster and quickly win the game.
Hedge Whisperer image 2.5 This ability is reasonably powerful once you get there, but in the meantime you’ve got a one mana 0/3, something that just isn’t relevant on most boards. It’s also a little annoying the ability is as expensive as it is, and you can still only have one animated land at a time. You have to jump through some very real hoops and play an otherwise sub-par creature.
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 2 Pick 12: 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. 
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.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Out Cold
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.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Murder
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.
Drag the Canal image 3.5 If this always made a 2/2, gained you 2, surveiled 2, and investigated for 2, it would probably be a B+. That’s just crazy value for the cost! Obviously it isn’t always going to line up that way, though. Still, the fail case is two mana for a 2/2 flash with a useful creature type, and if you can find a way to make something die before you cast it, it’s going to give you some awesome value.
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.
Lightning Helix image 4 This is a pretty sweet reprint, and an incredibly powerful removal spell. Don’t underestimate just how good it is to simultaneously remove a creature and gain life. That can alter a game in your favor in a big way, and it can even go after the opponent. It’s certainly premium removal.
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. 
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.
Inside Source image 3.5 Three mana for a 2/2 and a 1/1 is always a pretty good rate in Limited, so when you tack on this card’s ability to buff your detectives – albeit inefficiently – I think we’re talking about a very nice Common.
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.
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.
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.
They Went This Way image 2 I like that this can ultimately give you a 2-for-1. I don’t like that it’s a Sorcery that doesn’t add to the board in any meaningful way. It definitely fixes your mana, and in games that go long enough that Clue is gonna feel pretty nice, but not doing anything to add to the board on turn three has been a liability in most formats of late. I kind of hope this is a format where you can do stuff like this, but I’m going to err on the side of caution.
Offender at Large image 2 Just playing this face up is going to be the play more often than not, and when you do it has a reasonable shot at giving you an attack you didn’t have before. This is the type of disguise creature you probably only play face down when you’ve got nothing else going on on turn three. Either way, this card looks like it will have trouble making the cut sometimes.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Flourishing Bloom-Kin
Break Out image 3 This is a two mana card selection spell that gives you an option of adding to the board, and that's pretty awesome.
Relive the Past image 3 So, in theory you end up with three 5/5s that have additional upside when you cast this. In practice…getting more than one sounds like a bit of a challenge, especially because Green-White isn’t exactly graveyard-centric in this format. While Artifacts and Enchantments aren’t around, they aren’t everywhere in this set – artifacts will be especially hard to find in Green/White. But…I think you’ll be able to get two 5/5s out of this often enough, and occasionally get the full three, for it to be a card worth playing at the top of your curve. But, it is expensive and takes some work.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Escape Tunnel
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.
Rune-Brand Juggler image 3.5 Suspecting your creature might mean you get a good attack right away, and if nothing else the Juggler can suspect itself. It is nice that it’s a “may” trigger, if you’re in a spot where you need to block. The activated ability is pretty good, especially if you’re making tokens into suspects, something that doesn’t seem particularly far-fetched. It won’t feel quite as good to give up real creatures with that ability, but that’s not a bad fail-case either. If you have a Suspect in play and mana up, your opponent is going to be in a nightmare scenario.
Curious Inquiry image 2.5 Auras that cost one blue and give a creature +1/+1 and the ability to draw you a card when they hit your opponent have a pretty good track record in Limited. This is because it can allow you to ensure that you’re going to at least break even on cards even by hitting your opponent once, and the card advantage can quickly bury your opponent. Getting a clue is a bit worse than drawing a card straight up, even in a format with clue payoffs, but this still looks like a nice card, especially in decks that have cheap evasive creatures.
Harried Dronesmith image 3.5 Pumping out a temporary 1/1 thopter every turn is plenty good. Remember to play the dronesmith in your first main phase so you can get the value of the trigger the turn you play it! Not only does it give you a way to chip in for damage, but Red – and especially Blue/Red has a boat load of payoffs for sacrificing artifacts too, and this will feel like an engine in that type of deck.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Loxodon Eavesdropper image 2.5 5 mana for three 1/1s isn't great, but you can attack with all three tokens the next turn and really give your opponent a headache. At that point, you are definitely getting your mana's worth.
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 4: Nyx Weaver
Surveillance Monitor image 3.5 If this was just straight up a 4-mana 3/3 that made a 1/1 Flyer, it’d be a 4.0. That’s just a great rate and a card you’d take very highly. This won’t always do it up front, but it’ll do it pretty often – and then it’s likely to crank out a few more Thopters if it’s left alone.
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.
Scene of the Crime image 3 This looks like a pretty solid source of fixing. You’re not always gonna want to tap your creatures to make mana, as that can be a very real cost, but at least this can also produce colorless mana normally, it has useful typing as both an artifact and a clue, and you can of course throw it away for a card. This means all your eggs aren’t in that mana-fixing basket, so it will almost never feel terrible, while still having the upside of shoring up your mana.
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.
Nyx Weaver image
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.
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.
Fanatical Strength image 3 We’ve seen Run Amok in the past, and it has a strictly worse text box because it can only target attacking creatures, and Run Amok was an absolute beating in aggro decks. I think this will be too. The stats boost + trample can just wreck combat in so many ways, and make damage lethal out of nowhere. The boost is enough to save a creature from some removal spells in a pinch too.  You’re going to want to keep this card in the back of your mind any time you’re playing someone who is in Green.
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.
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 5: Rubblebelt Maverick
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 6: It Doesn't Add Up
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.
It Doesn't Add Up image 2 This lets you reanimated something at instant speed. Of course…because you are forces to suspect the creature, it can't ambush block stuff, and that’s a big part of what would make this sweet. As is, it's an expensive removal spell with an effect that has just as mich downside as upside, and this kind of thing even with upside isn't always useful. That doesn't add up to a very good grade.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
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-. 
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.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Long Goodbye
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.
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.
Break Out image 3 This is a two mana card selection spell that gives you an option of adding to the board, and that's pretty awesome.
Griffnaut Tracker image 2 4-mana 3/2 flyers aren’t what they once were, but hating on the graveyard has value, and the stat-line isn’t a complete disaster. I’m giving this a C. 
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.
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.
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 3 Pick 8: Alley Assailant
Festerleech image 3 This is going to feel quite nice on turn one, especially because if you’re in Black you’re probably a graveyard deck, and this certainly enables things early. You’re almost guaranteed an attack on turn two, since even if your opponent played their own one drop, they aren’t going to be able to block this when you have two mana up, and a 3/3 can stay relevant pretty much all game long, though it does have somewhat diminishing returns the later the game goes.
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.
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.
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.
They Went This Way image 2 I like that this can ultimately give you a 2-for-1. I don’t like that it’s a Sorcery that doesn’t add to the board in any meaningful way. It definitely fixes your mana, and in games that go long enough that Clue is gonna feel pretty nice, but not doing anything to add to the board on turn three has been a liability in most formats of late. I kind of hope this is a format where you can do stuff like this, but I’m going to err on the side of caution.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Agency Coroner
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.
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.
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.
They Went This Way image 2 I like that this can ultimately give you a 2-for-1. I don’t like that it’s a Sorcery that doesn’t add to the board in any meaningful way. It definitely fixes your mana, and in games that go long enough that Clue is gonna feel pretty nice, but not doing anything to add to the board on turn three has been a liability in most formats of late. I kind of hope this is a format where you can do stuff like this, but I’m going to err on the side of caution.
Agency Coroner image 2 This is a lot of mana for the usual sacrifice a creature draw a card effect, but the fact you’ll sometimes draw two helps soften that blow.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Basilica Stalker
Break Out image 3 This is a two mana card selection spell that gives you an option of adding to the board, and that's pretty awesome.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Cerebral Confiscation
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.
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.
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 12: Alley Assailant
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.
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 3 Pick 13: Rot Farm Mortipede
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.
Draft Pick Overview