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Quick Draft MKM 17 July 2024

17 July 08:21 - lozada85 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (10)
1 Outrageous Robbery image
2 Push // Pull image
2 They Went This Way image
1 Deduce image
1 A Killer Among Us image
1 Case of the Trampled Garden image
1 Insidious Roots image
1 Extract a Confession image
Creature (14)
1 Evidence Examiner image
1 Novice Inspector image
1 Crowd-Control Warden image
1 Wispdrinker Vampire image
1 Coveted Falcon image
1 Etrata, Deadly Fugitive image
1 Projektor Inspector image
1 Greenbelt Radical image
1 Kraul Whipcracker image
3 Loxodon Eavesdropper image
1 Granite Witness image
1 Topiary Panther image
Land (17)
2 Escape Tunnel image
1 Public Thoroughfare image
2 Plains image
3 Island image
5 Swamp image
4 Forest image
Sideboard
1 Harried Dronesmith image
1 Magnetic Snuffler image
2 Rubblebelt Maverick image
1 Vitu-Ghazi Inspector image
1 Conspiracy Unraveler image
1 They Went This Way image
1 Case of the Pilfered Proof image
1 Case of the Gorgon's Kiss image
2 Pick Your Poison image
1 Cerebral Confiscation image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Outrageous Robbery
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.
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.
Outrageous Robbery image 4 So, this is effectively an X draw spell, except you get to steal your opponents stuff instead. I wouldn’t count on milling your opponent out with it, but there is a chance of it. Because it’s an Instant you can exile a bunch of stuff and then start playing it on your turn. Obviously it doesn’t add to the board and its expensive to really get there with it, but I think it’s powerful enough to be a 4.0
Soul Search image 1.5 This hits a wide enough variety of things to not to be an entirely useless discard spell, and the fact that sometimes you can get a token is pretty sweet.
Krovod Haunch image 2.5 One to play and two to equip for +2/+0 is kind of alright, and when it isn’t meaningful enough for you, this basically becomes 4 mana to make two 1/1 tokens and gain you three life. Neither mode is crazy of course, but the modality this gives you makes it a decent inclusion. I’m giving it a C. 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Makeshift Binding image 4 This is an excellent Common. Even if it didn’t gain you 2 life, it’d be premium removal, and once you tack on that life gain we’re talking about arguably the best White Common in the set. Removing something and gaining life a the same time is one of the best ways to get back ahead from behind.
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 1 Pick 2: Harried Dronesmith
Krovod Haunch image 2.5 One to play and two to equip for +2/+0 is kind of alright, and when it isn’t meaningful enough for you, this basically becomes 4 mana to make two 1/1 tokens and gain you three life. Neither mode is crazy of course, but the modality this gives you makes it a decent inclusion. I’m giving it a C. 
Reenact the Crime image 1 This is mana intensive and only works in a very narrow window. Those two things combine for a Limited card you won't be able to cast very often.
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.
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.
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.
Glint Weaver image 2.5 Here’s this format big ol’ green creature that gains you life, which can help you stabilize from behind. If the Weaver is alone, it’s a 7-mana 6/6 with Reach that gains you 6 life – that’s not amazing, but it’s passable – and because you can distribute the counters in any number of ways, it’s often going to be better than that. This is because you’ll be able to put it on creatures who can already attack and/or gain even more life than 6. Still, this is a 7-drop, something that gives me a little pause in today’s limited formats. I do think it’s the right kind of 7-drop because it gives you value on board almost no matter what and gains you life.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
Gravestone Strider image 2.5 When one mana filtering is attached to a creature, it has performed pretty well, and this even comes with the addition of graveyard hate, something that certainly matters in the format.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Push
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.
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.
Push image 4 The Push half is where you’re going to get about 90% of the value here, as it’s a solid removal spell. But…having the Pull half is definitely upside, because in the right situation it can just end the game.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Museum Nightwatch image 2.5 Spending 4 mana to get a 3/2 and a 2/2 is decent, and you can Disguise this to keep your opponent from knowing that it will leave value behind.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Evidence Examiner
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.
Evidence Examiner image 2.5 So, if you’ve got some spare stuff in your graveyard, this can turn it into cards, and it gives you a repeatable way to collect evidence, something that seems particularly useful for payoffs that give you something when cards leave your graveyard. Still, I do wish this was both an enabler and a payoff for collecting evidence. As is, it doesn’t feel strong enough to pull me into the color pair.
Soul Search image 1.5 This hits a wide enough variety of things to not to be an entirely useless discard spell, and the fact that sometimes you can get a token is pretty sweet.
Chalk Outline image 0.0 / 3.5 The idea here is to play cards with Collect Evidence alongside this, and if you have enough of that going on – and enough creatures in your deck – this has the potential to be a fairly absurd engine, since it effectively gives you 2 cards every time you Collect Evidence. The problem is that this does absolutely nothing up front. Still, the upside is kind of insane, and I think accessible enough in some decks for this to get a buildaround grade. 
Clandestine Meddler image 3 A three mana 3/2 that makes one of your creatures gain menace is something in the market for, even if that creature also can’t block. Especially because getting to Surveil 1 when a suspect attacks is pretty relevant. Frequently, you’ll get that Surveil trigger the turn you play it too. This seems like it gives you some impressive value for the cost.
Museum Nightwatch image 2.5 Spending 4 mana to get a 3/2 and a 2/2 is decent, and you can Disguise this to keep your opponent from knowing that it will leave value behind.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Novice Inspector
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-. 
Clandestine Meddler image 3 A three mana 3/2 that makes one of your creatures gain menace is something in the market for, even if that creature also can’t block. Especially because getting to Surveil 1 when a suspect attacks is pretty relevant. Frequently, you’ll get that Surveil trigger the turn you play it too. This seems like it gives you some impressive value for the cost.
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.
Gleaming Geardrake image 4 I’m on-board with a two mana 1/1 Flyer that makes a Clue, and this thing will become a pretty real threat if it’s left unchecked, as this format is replete with Clue tokens, not to mention other ways to sacrifice stuff. In short, this card has a nice fail case, and an amazing ceiling.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Crowd-Control Warden
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.
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.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 1 Pick 7: Wispdrinker Vampire
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.
Wispdrinker Vampire image 4 This has respectable stats, and the life drain effect is going to be easier than normal trigger in this format because of Disguise creatures. I like that it has an ability for the extreme late-game too.
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.
Curious Cadaver image 3 A 4-mana 3/1 Flyer is kind of a liability. Sure, it can hit the opponent reasonably hard for the cost, but it also dies to everything, including lots of cheap removal and creature ETB abilities. This offsets that a little bit because it can come back from your graveyard, but don’t underestimate how much of a pain it is that you have to keep recasting it every time. Still, it’s an evasive creature with reasonably high power that just doesn’t stay dead, and overall that’s something I’m interested in. I could see this underwhelming in the end if that 1 toughness is extra easy to deal with in this format.
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.
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.
The Chase Is On image 2 This is expensive for a trick, but your creature is likely to win combat and you even get a 2-for-1 in the long run.
Pack 1 Pick 8: They Went This Way
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.
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.
Goblin Warchief image 0.5 Don’t let this card fool you. Goblins are not well-supported in this format. This will basically just be a 3-mana 2/2 with Haste most of the time, and that isn’t worth it.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Deduce
Soul Search image 1.5 This hits a wide enough variety of things to not to be an entirely useless discard spell, and the fact that sometimes you can get a token is pretty sweet.
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.
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.
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 1 Pick 10: They Went This Way
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.
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.
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.
Gravestone Strider image 2.5 When one mana filtering is attached to a creature, it has performed pretty well, and this even comes with the addition of graveyard hate, something that certainly matters in the format.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Magnetic Snuffler
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.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Behind the Mask image 1 This type of card rarely works out in Limited, and I think even at one mana I’m not super interested in this. It’s easy to look at this and see it as a trick with multiple modes – and that is what it is, but reducing a creature to 1/1 or growing a creature to 4/3, or turning a clue into a 4/3, while possibilities is only useful situationally. You need stat-lines to line up just right, and if you’re turning your 2/2 or something into a 4/3 it’s really not worth it. Furthermore, shrinking an opposing creature to a 1/1 is only relevant or useful when your opponent attacks with the right creature that you actually want to remove. Basically, this is too situational to do something worthwhile very often.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Rubblebelt Maverick
Soul Search image 1.5 This hits a wide enough variety of things to not to be an entirely useless discard spell, and the fact that sometimes you can get a token is pretty sweet.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 13: They Went This Way
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.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Coveted Falcon
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.
Coveted Falcon image 4 The most common play is going to be to turn it face up, give your opponent one of your permanents, and then attack with the Falcon to get it back right away. That way you draw a card without any real downside. But…the late game upside is interesting here, because by that stage giving your opponent lands often doesn’t matter, and at that point you can draw a ton of cards. It’ll also be sort of funny to give your opponent creatures that they removed using Auras and stuff like that. And…in addition to all of that, a three mana ¼ flyer is fine. Basically, it’s solid in the early and mid game, and game-breaking late.
Coerced to Kill image 4 This is pretty great. Mind Control effects are incredibly strong, and even though this one weakenes the creature in most cases, you still remove an opposing creature and get a 1/1 death touch. I mean, imagine this was a 5-mana Sorcery that gives you a 1/1 death touch and destroys a creature – that’s basically what this is, and that’s amazing. The creature actually keeps any abilities it has too, so sometimes it will be better! Importantly, this can get you back ahead from behind.
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.
Case of the Filched Falcon image 3 It’s nice you get a clue up front, and if your deck has enough artifacts in it, you can definitely end up animating that clue or something else into a 4/4 flyer. Blue is adept enough at making clues that I don’t think this needs a build around grade.
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. 
Dog Walker image 3.5 Obviously, you get the most value out of just casting it face down and turning it face up – at which point you paid 5 mana for a 3/1 Vigilance and two 1/1s, and paying it in installments will make it feel more efficient than that. But, the fact you can just slam it on turn two if you’re more interested in curving out is pretty nice.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nervous Gardener image 3 A two mana 2/2 isn’t what it used to be, but that’s the fail case here, and this has the upside of fixing your mana. Note, by the way, that it can grab this format’s dual lands, should you pick one up.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Etrata, Deadly Fugitive
Etrata, Deadly Fugitive image 4 A ¼ death touch for three is a nice starting point, and her abilities are really interesting. Basically when she (or another assassin) hits an opponent, you make the top card of your opponent’s deck into a 2/2 with ward 2. That’s already something I love – but beyond that, you can actually turn those cards face up! And you can even cast them when they aren’t creatures! Basically, it’s like she gives you a token when that’s what you need, and a card in your hand when that’s what you need, and the combination is great.
Underground Mortuary image
Case of the Filched Falcon image 3 It’s nice you get a clue up front, and if your deck has enough artifacts in it, you can definitely end up animating that clue or something else into a 4/4 flyer. Blue is adept enough at making clues that I don’t think this needs a build around grade.
Presumed Dead image 2.5 This type of trick always performs fairly well, as it does enough to make a creature punch above it’s weight class, yet it still survives. It even works well against removal, and it gets particularly interesting with creatures that have ETB abilities. Suspect won’t always feel like upside, but I think it will more often than not.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Push
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.
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.
Push image 4 The Push half is where you’re going to get about 90% of the value here, as it’s a solid removal spell. But…having the Pull half is definitely upside, because in the right situation it can just end the game.
Sample Collector image 2.5 This can be put the counter on itself, and it attacking as a ¾ on turn four doesn’t seem impossible but…it’s also not incredible. The ability to put the counter elsewhere does give you some nice flexibility, but the base stat-line here is mediocre and that’s kind of a problem for a creature that has to attack to be something more than a vanilla creature. Especially because you also need to set this up a bit.
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.
Sanitation Automaton image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a mediocre ETB.
Makeshift Binding image 4 This is an excellent Common. Even if it didn’t gain you 2 life, it’d be premium removal, and once you tack on that life gain we’re talking about arguably the best White Common in the set. Removing something and gaining life a the same time is one of the best ways to get back ahead from behind.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Projektor Inspector
Projektor Inspector image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 that loots on ETB is decent, and looting with this more than once isn’t impossible.
Leyline of the Guildpact image 0 This effect isn’t worth a card in Limited, we’ve seen that with cards like Prismatic Omen – even if you put this into play for free, more often than not it’s going to feel like you’re mulliganing because the value it delivers is so minimal.
Kraul Whipcracker image 2.5 There are lots of tokens in this set for sure, but destroying most of them isn't typically worth a card, and this won't have a target that often on turn two. The stat-line isn't really above rate these days either.
Knife image 2 +1/+0 and first strike does make almost any creature into a decent attacker, but the fact this is irrelevant on your opponent's turn is a bummer. There are definitely payoffs for sacrificing artifacts though, and this triggers those while always doing something by drawing you a card. D138
The Chase Is On image 2 This is expensive for a trick, but your creature is likely to win combat and you even get a 2-for-1 in the long run.
Macabre Reconstruction image 2.5 Paying two for this is very doable, and when you do that it feels great. You probably don't want more than one, though.
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.
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.
Auspicious Arrival image 2 This is a solid trick – one that represents a 2-for-1 thanks to that Clue. +2/+2 for two isn’t the most impressive boost-to-cost ratio, but it’s enough.
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 2 Pick 5: A Killer Among Us
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.
Audience with Trostani image 1.5 At worst this is three mana for a 0/1 that draws you a card. That’s not good, but as a fail case it could be worse. This set does have a bunch of different creature tokens, but it still feels like drawing two with this is pretty medium, and expecting more than that is an unreasonable expectation. You can set it up sometimes, sure, but not often enough.
Candlestick image 2.5 The Cluequipments in Blue and Red might just be the best since the Blue-Red deck is so into sacrificing artifacts, but lots of decks in the format like Clues too, and this one can help set up collect evidence.
Culvert Ambusher image 2 This kind of effect doesn’t always play well. There just aren’t always situations where it matters. Still, when it does matter, it feels a bit like situational removal, and it’s stapled to a creature with okayish stats, not to mention Disguise upside.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Museum Nightwatch image 2.5 Spending 4 mana to get a 3/2 and a 2/2 is decent, and you can Disguise this to keep your opponent from knowing that it will leave value behind.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Escape Tunnel
Glint Weaver image 2.5 Here’s this format big ol’ green creature that gains you life, which can help you stabilize from behind. If the Weaver is alone, it’s a 7-mana 6/6 with Reach that gains you 6 life – that’s not amazing, but it’s passable – and because you can distribute the counters in any number of ways, it’s often going to be better than that. This is because you’ll be able to put it on creatures who can already attack and/or gain even more life than 6. Still, this is a 7-drop, something that gives me a little pause in today’s limited formats. I do think it’s the right kind of 7-drop because it gives you value on board almost no matter what and gains you life.
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.
Absolving Lammasu image 4 A 5-mana 4/3 flyer that gains 3 life when it dies is a card you’re already pretty happy with. This is because it pressures your opponent effectively, and the fail case is that it trades with a removal spell or a creature and gains you 3. So, the fact this also shuts of suspect across the board is pretty sweet. If you’re in White, you’re probably not using suspect a whole lot yourself, so if that ability it does something, it will usually power down the opposing board. Then, on top of all of that, the Lammasu also lets you suspect an opposing creature when it dies. Sure, there’s both upside and downside associated with that, but because you’re making the choice you can usually find an advantageous way to use it. This does a ton for the mana cost while sporting a fairly good stat-line – making it a very good uncommon.
Sanitation Automaton image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a mediocre ETB.
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.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
Felonious Rage image 2 We've seen this card before, more or less, and it’s a nice trick. The power boost lets your creature take down most stuff, and you come out ahead thanks to the token, and at only one mana it is really priced to move.
Rot Farm Mortipede image 3 The boost that the Mortipede gets is legit, as a 4/4 menace lifelinker is far better than a ¾. Getting stuff to leave your graveyard isn’t a huge ask in the format either, as the entire “Collect Evidence” mechanic is all about doing that. Putting cards from your graveyard to your hand and all of that will trigger this too. I think most Black decks will realistically be able to trigger this once or twice a game, and that’s really all you need for this to pull its weight.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Greenbelt Radical
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. 
Greenbelt Radical image 4 4-mana for a 4/4 is still a decent stat-line, and then this has huge Diguise upside. Sure, you can’t access it until the late game, but having instant speed Overrun in the late game is going to be an absolute beating. Now, don’t expect to reach that stage of the game every time you play the Orator, but because the card has a solid fail-case and insane upside.
Get a Leg Up image 3 This trick gives +1/+1 as a floor, and it can give a way bigger boost than that. We've seen this card before without the Reach, and it's always a good trick.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Kraul Whipcracker
Culvert Ambusher image 2 This kind of effect doesn’t always play well. There just aren’t always situations where it matters. Still, when it does matter, it feels a bit like situational removal, and it’s stapled to a creature with okayish stats, not to mention Disguise upside.
Kraul Whipcracker image 2.5 There are lots of tokens in this set for sure, but destroying most of them isn't typically worth a card, and this won't have a target that often on turn two. The stat-line isn't really above rate these days either.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Case of the Trampled Garden
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.
Case of the Filched Falcon image 3 It’s nice you get a clue up front, and if your deck has enough artifacts in it, you can definitely end up animating that clue or something else into a 4/4 flyer. Blue is adept enough at making clues that I don’t think this needs a build around grade.
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. 
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.
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 2 Pick 10: Insidious Roots
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Rubblebelt Maverick
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Topiary Panther
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.
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 2 Pick 13: Vitu-Ghazi Inspector
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 3 Pick 1: Conspiracy Unraveler
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.
Conspiracy Unraveler image 2.5 So, if you have a well-stocked graveyard the turn you cast this, things can get pretty spicy, since you could cast the unraveler and then fire off a spell for free. Of course, as is usually the case for expensive cards that let you cast things from your hand for free, or put a permanent into play from your hand –  by the time you get to 7 mana you aren’t especially likely to have that many more cards in hand, and if you don’t have one the turn you play the Unraveler, you’re just playing an expensive flyer.
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.
Concealed Weapon image 1.5 +3/+0 can make just about any creature into a better attacker, but the lack of a toughness boost limits just how useful it can be, unless you’re equipping an evasive creature. Adding Disguise to the mix is important, because the worst thing in the world is drawing Equipment when you have nothing worth equipping it too, so this gives you a decent fail case, and can even work as a combat trick later in the game. 
Frantic Scapegoat image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 with Haste and Menace is going to feel pretty great on turn one, and this can lend its suspect-status to other creatures, helping it stay relevant all game long.
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.
Galvanize image 4 Two mana instant deal threes are always great, and this one will do 5 a chunk of the time.
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.
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.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
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.
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.
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 2: Loxodon Eavesdropper
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mistveil Plains image
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hotshot Investigators image 1 I’m not very impressed with this overall. It just doesn’t give you enough for 6 mana these days. It seems super clunky, no matter which mode you go with.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Granite Witness
Connecting the Dots image 1 This is a win-more card. If you can draw a lot of cards with this, you're probably winning. And, if you're behind, it doesn't do much.
Frantic Scapegoat image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 with Haste and Menace is going to feel pretty great on turn one, and this can lend its suspect-status to other creatures, helping it stay relevant all game long.
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.
Rope image 1.5 I think this is the worst card in this cycle. The buffs it offers are underwhelming, especially when you’re paying 3 to equip.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Granite Witness image 2.5 A 4-mana 3/2 with Flying and Vigilance is sort of passable, so the Disguise upside here is a nice thing to have around. Tapping or untapping things isn’t always gonna be useful, but when it is, it can be pretty awesome.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Loxodon Eavesdropper
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.
Sumala Sentry image 4 Two counters is a big deal, and the fact you can turn them face up at instant speed can really make this a beating.
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.
Case of the Burning Masks image 4 Even if it didn’t have anything after it’s ETB, it would be a very good card, so everything else is just gravy – and it’s pretty good gravy, too, since it ends up being a 2-for-1 if you manage to solve it – and solving this is easier than most of the Cases. Three sources of damage can just mean you attack with three creatures after all, and the turn you play this the Case will count as a source too. So, killing something and attacking with two creatures is enough to get you there. 
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.
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.
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.
Gravestone Strider image 2.5 When one mana filtering is attached to a creature, it has performed pretty well, and this even comes with the addition of graveyard hate, something that certainly matters in the format.
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.
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 3 Pick 5: Escape Tunnel
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.
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.
Perimeter Enforcer image 3.5 A two mana 1/1 with flying and lifelink is already pretty nice, and a great creature to enhance, and this will often enhance itself in a format with this many detectives.
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.
Crimestopper Sprite image 2.5 A three mana 2/2 flyer isn’t too bad, and one that stuns something on ETB is probably a 3.0, it’s just a great tempo play to add to the board while getting a creature out of the way. This won’t always stun stuff, and isn’t that likely to do it on turn three, but I think it will do it often enough.
Haazda Vigilante image 2.5 If you can get a counter of this, the rate on this will feel fine. Doing so doesn’t seem like a big stretch with all the Disguise creatures, either. It’s nice he does it on attacks too, so getting two counters of him is a real possibility.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
Escape Tunnel image 3 This is Evolving Wilds with upside, and that upside can allow you send in an unblockable Disguise creature.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Extract a Confession
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.
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.
Polygraph Orb image 1 We usually see this card draw effect at or even 3 mana, so paying five for it, and at Sorcery speed is rough. It does load your graveyard to set up Collect Evidence, which it itself has, but I’m not that impressed with the activated ability either. Giving your opponent three options on this kind of effect oftens amounts to them being able to choose one that just doesn’t do anything. Speaking of not doing anything, that’s what this card does when it comes to the board, so I think this is kind of a liability.
Magnifying Glass image 1 This is a bad mana rock that is way too slow at making Clues.
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.
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.
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.
Hotshot Investigators image 1 I’m not very impressed with this overall. It just doesn’t give you enough for 6 mana these days. It seems super clunky, no matter which mode you go with.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Public Thoroughfare
Vengeful Tracker image 2.5 This has a solid baseline, and against some opponents relying on Clues it can be really punishing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Loxodon Eavesdropper
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 3 Pick 9: Case of the Pilfered Proof
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.
Concealed Weapon image 1.5 +3/+0 can make just about any creature into a better attacker, but the lack of a toughness boost limits just how useful it can be, unless you’re equipping an evasive creature. Adding Disguise to the mix is important, because the worst thing in the world is drawing Equipment when you have nothing worth equipping it too, so this gives you a decent fail case, and can even work as a combat trick later in the game. 
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.
Slime Against Humanity image 0.0 // 3.0 You need at least three of these before they are worth playing, and 4 is better.
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 10: Case of the Gorgon's Kiss
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.
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.
Mistveil Plains image
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Pack 3 Pick 11: 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.
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.
Cerebral Confiscation image 1 So…this is either Mind Rot or Coercion, and neither of those is a great card these days, mostly because they don’t do anything in the late game and don’t add to the board.
Pack 3 Pick 12: 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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Cerebral Confiscation
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.
Draft Pick Overview