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Premier Draft WAR 14.mars 2021

14 March 04:16 - Hulyo_ds 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (14)
1 Pollenbright Druid image
1 Charity Extractor image
1 Augur of Bolas image
1 Eternal Skylord image
1 Leyline Prowler image
1 Kiora's Dambreaker image
1 Merfolk Skydiver image
2 Herald of the Dreadhorde image
1 Wall of Runes image
1 Lazotep Reaver image
1 Soul Diviner image
1 Flux Channeler image
1 Thundering Ceratok image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
1 Jace's Triumph image
1 Finale of Devastation image
2 No Escape image
1 Enter the God-Eternals image
1 Casualties of War image
1 Lazotep Plating image
1 Deathsprout image
Planeswalker (1)
1 Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor image
Land (17)
6 Island image
5 Swamp image
6 Forest image
Sideboard
1 Rising Populace image
1 Law-Rune Enforcer image
1 War Screecher image
1 Kronch Wrangler image
1 Vampire Opportunist image
1 Spark Reaper image
1 Tenth District Legionnaire image
1 No Escape image
2 Crush Dissent image
2 Relentless Advance image
1 Tamiyo's Epiphany image
1 Price of Betrayal image
1 Chandra's Pyrohelix image
2 Demolish image
1 Sorin's Thirst image
1 Forced Landing image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Finale of Devastation
Finale of Devastation image 1.5 So, a 3-mana 3/2 is usually not that great, and something you only include when desperate – but this obviously brings more than that to the table. Landfall for Proliferate seems pretty nice, especially because Green seems interested in +1/+1 counters, and obviously all decks will have planeswalkers. This becomes a serious value engine if it isn’t dealt with, at least in a deck that takes advantage by having lots of counters to proliferate.
Despark image 3.0 When it can kill things, it does it really efficiently. It can’t always though, and it being as situational as it is can be a bummer.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner image 2.5 That is a lot of starting loyalty! Kiora seems to be all about playing big dudes. Her static ability pays you off for doing so, and her -1 ability can help you ramp. Worth noting, also, that her -1 may help you protect her because it can let you untap a creature to block. I think the additional value she can give you by untapping permanents, especially lands, makes her pretty solid in just about any deck, though nothing special.
Tyrant's Scorn image 3.0 This has nice flexibility – it can kill smaller creatures, and it can bounce the ones it can’t kill. That’s a pretty good deal, and allows it to have at least some impact on virtually every creature in the set.
Guild Globe image 1.5 This replaces itself and gives you some fixing. If you’re interested in splashing something this can help you do it.
Giant Growth image 2.0 We don’t see combat tricks like this very often anymore. A single mana giving such a massive P/T boost is great, and will make a creature capable of winning almost any combat. The opportunity cost of leaving up one Green mana is really low, and the upside here is very high. It is still a combat trick, so it has some issues of being situational and easy to get blown out on.
Davriel's Shadowfugue image 1.0 4 mana to make the opponent discard 2 and lose 2 life just isn’t a good deal. Mind Rot, which makes the opponent discard 2 for 3 mana is often not good enough for Limited, and this costs one more and adds a negligible effect.
Loxodon Sergeant image 2.0 This starts out with reasonablish stats, and it also has a useful ability. Obviously, Vigilance for your whole team when this comes down is decent, but it is the kind of ETB ability that I would guess won't matter about 50% of the time. Don't get me wrong, it makes a difference, but I don't feel like enough of one. I think this is a card that you don't feel bad about having in your deck, but you probably don't want more than one.
Forced Landing image 0.5 This is an interesting version of the Green flyer hate sideboard card that every set has. Instead of just straight Plummet, this lets you put the creature on the bottom of their library – which is sometimes better, like if the creature has a death trigger or your opponent has ways to get stuff back from their graveyard. Still, this is mostly likely a sideboard card.
Crush Dissent image 1.5 As good as Amass is in this format, I don’t like this card a whole lot. Counters that let your opponent pay mana to ignore them have to be really efficient in Limited, since they will become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Now, the fail case here is that you still get to Amass, and that keeps it from being unplayable.
Wanderer's Strike image 3.5 5 mana is a lot, but killing something no question asked is a pretty good return at that investment. Being at Sorcery speed hurts a little, but adding Populate in a set that seems to have a plethora of reasons to Populate is nice.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Saheeli's Silverwing image 1.5 There isn’t enough of an artifact sub-theme in the set that you want to play sub-par cards just because they are artifacts, and that’s what this is. 4 mana for a 2/3 flyer is not a good rate, and the ETB ability it has is not the most relevant. It gives you some minor information, and that’s not enough to overcome these bad stats.
Centaur Nurturer image 3.0 Decent stats, vanilla test wise, gains you life when it comes down and blocks reasonably – and it provides fixing and ramp? I’m all over that for my Green decks.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor
Emergence Zone image 0.0 Don’t play this. It damages your mana base and it doesn’t have an ability that makes that worthwhile.
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor image 4.0 This is one of the best uncommon walkers in the set. 4 mana for a 2/2 that loots would already be kind of a passable card. I mean it wouldn’t be great, probably a D, but the point is that’s what this card is at its worse, and it obviously can do way more. I think getting two 2/2s and looting twice is a great deal for 4 mana, and adding the static ability is sort of just an extra bonus.
Rescuer Sphinx image 3.5 4-mana 3/2 with Flying isn’t a terrible place to start, and this does more than that! Returning one of your permanents to your hand can give you some value – either by making an Aura-based removal spell fall off, or by taking advantage of an ETB ability. In this set, you can also add Planeswalkers to the list, who you can bounce when they are low on loyalty. Plus, the Sphinx gets a +1/+1 counter out of the deal if it does that.
Thunder Drake image 2.5 You generally want to be able to consistently get this up to ¾ for it to be worth it, and that’s fairly doable. Sometimes you will get the Drake late and be in top deck mode and that’s not so good, but it seems solid enough to me.
Aid the Fallen image 2.0 To play this, you want to be consistently getting back both a creature and a planeswalker. The good news is, that isn’t super hard to do in this format. This is the kind of card that is terrible early but really good late, and most Black decks want one copy of this to help them have that nice late game.
Jaya's Greeting image 4.0 Two mana to do 3 to something at Instant speed is already premium, so adding Scry is just icing on the cake.
Kiora's Dambreaker image 2.0 A 6-mana 5/6 isn’t great, but it is passable stats, especially in Blue. Add Proliferate to that and it certainly gets better – especially in a set whose cup runneth over with various types of counters.
Enforcer Griffin image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying might not seem great, but it has just the right size in this format, outclassing most of the non-rare Flyers in the set. It isn’t anything special, but it is better than it looks.
Arlinn's Wolf image 2.0 A 3-mana 3/2 that can’t be blocked by smaller creatures is nice. Sometimes your 3/2 gets in trouble against a couple of 1/3s or something, and this prevents that. It isn’t anything special, but it is definitely a 3-drop you’ll play without feeling bad about.
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Relentless Advance image 1.5 You have two possibilities here: one is that you just paid 4 to put 3 +1/+1 counters onto a Zombie Army token you already have, the other is that you paid 4 mana for a 3/3 – in other words, a Hill Giant. Sure, it has some synergy with populate and other cards with Amass, but neither of those deals would be a particularly attractive card in Limited.
New Horizons image 2.5 This type of mana-fixing/ramping Auras always feels good when it also does something to impact the board. Making one of your creatures a little better isn’t too shabby. This can help you splash double-colored cards too, which I like!
Goblin Assailant image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. You’ll only play it if you’re desperate for a two drop.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Augur of Bolas
Gideon's Triumph image 3.0 This is situational, but efficient. Keep in mind, by the way, that you can wait to use this until after combat is over – like if your opponent double blocks and you can only kill one of their creatures in combat, if you use this after the one creature died in combat, you can also get the second creature. Generally, your opponent will be attacking with and blocking with their largest creature, so I think overall this will do what you need it to.
Augur of Bolas image 1.5 // 3.0 You need to be drawing a card with this like half the time for it to be worth. In other words, you need way more instants and sorceries than most decks are gonna have – which is like, 4 or 5. Now, it isn’t like the fail case for this card is abysmal, since it is still a two-mana 1/3, so it is passable even if you don’t get there, but obviously it is way better in a deck with lots of spells.
Blindblast image 1.5 Adding a card-draw effect to a card always makes it way more attractive, and I think that is certainly the case here. This can kill some small creatures, in which case you get a straight-up two-for-one, but my guess is that you'll usually just use this to make your opponent's best creature unable to block. That kind of effect is quite strong in aggressive Red decks, as sometimes you go from not being able to attack at all, to being able to attack with everything after a problem creature is removed from the equation. It still isn’t something you probably ever want more than one of, and you don’t want it all if you aren’t aggressive.
Enforcer Griffin image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying might not seem great, but it has just the right size in this format, outclassing most of the non-rare Flyers in the set. It isn’t anything special, but it is better than it looks.
Chandra's Pyrohelix image 3.5 We’ve seen this exact card and others like it a few times, and it is always good. Being able to kill an X/2 is nice, being able to go to your opponent’s face is nice too when it will finish them off. Most formats also have enough X/1s in them that you can get a 2-for-1 with this a decent chunk of the time. I think that for me, this gets into the lower range of “premium removal,” and is first pickable in some weaker packs.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Tithebearer Giant image 3.0 Because this is fairly expensive and has mediocre stats you don’t normally want more than one of these, but the first copy is pretty nice. Because it draws you a card and has a reasonable body, you’re virtually always going to get a 2-for-1 out of this, and 2-for-1s go a long way towards helping you win.
Rising Populace image 1.5 This sort of creature always seems to disappoint. 3-mana 2/2 is not a stat line you want to have, but it does slowly get bigger the longer the game goes on.
New Horizons image 2.5 This type of mana-fixing/ramping Auras always feels good when it also does something to impact the board. Making one of your creatures a little better isn’t too shabby. This can help you splash double-colored cards too, which I like!
Wall of Runes image 1.5 If you’re a defensive deck, you’ll play this and it will be passable. If you’re not defensive, don’t play it.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This hates on enough things that it is worth playing in your main deck sometimes, though this format does not have a ton of Artifacts.
War Screecher image 1.5 2-mana 1/3 flyers are usually alright, and this can pump your whole team in the late game. It is decent filler.
Pack 1 Pick 4: No Escape
Eternal Taskmaster image 3.0 Two mana for a 2/3 is a nice deal, even coming into play tapped, and the fact that this guy can bring creatures back to your hand from your graveyard is really nice too, and something that gives him usefulness all game long.
Tithebearer Giant image 3.0 Because this is fairly expensive and has mediocre stats you don’t normally want more than one of these, but the first copy is pretty nice. Because it draws you a card and has a reasonable body, you’re virtually always going to get a 2-for-1 out of this, and 2-for-1s go a long way towards helping you win.
Chandra's Pyrohelix image 3.5 We’ve seen this exact card and others like it a few times, and it is always good. Being able to kill an X/2 is nice, being able to go to your opponent’s face is nice too when it will finish them off. Most formats also have enough X/1s in them that you can get a 2-for-1 with this a decent chunk of the time. I think that for me, this gets into the lower range of “premium removal,” and is first pickable in some weaker packs.
Ashiok's Skulker image 1.5 2-mana 1/3 flyers are usually alright, and this can pump your whole team in the late game. It is decent filler.
Topple the Statue image 1.5 So, when we see 3 mana to tap something and draw a card at instant speed isn’t all that great. It does replace itself, and have a somewhat flexible effect, so that does save it from being completely terrible.
Totally Lost image 1.5 We've seen this card a lot, and it is always kind of ok. Putting something on top of your library is better than just bouncing something, because it means you are replacing your opponent's draw, meaning you are trading one card for one card -- which is not the guess with regular bounce spells. Still, at 5 mana this is a bit clunky, though it can enable some nice blowouts in response to combat tricks and will be nice against Amass tokens.
Aid the Fallen image 2.0 To play this, you want to be consistently getting back both a creature and a planeswalker. The good news is, that isn’t super hard to do in this format. This is the kind of card that is terrible early but really good late, and most Black decks want one copy of this to help them have that nice late game.
Prismite image 1.0 This is a creature with bad stats that also doesn’t filter mana very well. If your deck is desperately in need of a two drop AND some mana fixing, it can do those things, but again – it doesn’t do either of them well.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.5 You’ll play this in an aggressive deck, but for the most part that type of deck isn’t great in this format. It just won’t always be easy to send in two additional creatures into combat, and it won’t be worth risking trades so much either since the payoff is just a +1/+1 counter. I’m not saying this is bad, just not something you should be excited about.
Kronch Wrangler image 2.5 So a 2-mana 2/1 with trample is not very good. Add this other text to it, though and it obviously gets a good deal better. Obviously best suited to RG, where there are the most “ferocious” pay offs, but the fact that this gets bigger in the late game is nice when coupled with the fact that it can do some damage or trade early.
No Escape image 3.0 This is a pretty good counterspell. Creatures and planeswalkers together are going to make up three quarters or more of most decks, so this has plenty of targets. And it’s a hard counter! And it exiles the things it counters. All of that makes me want to play the first copy of this in most Blue decks.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Eternal Skylord
Cyclops Electromancer image 1.0 // 3.5 So, I think this is the kind of card that needs two grades. If you are playing a deck that has a fairly standard 2-4 instants or sorceries in it, this is going to be almost unplayable. Basically, I think you want to have at least 2 instants and sorceries in your graveyard when you play this, as that gives you a good chance to kill a creature -- it needs to be doing that, because 5 for a 4/2 is obviously not so good. If you end up in a spell-heavy deck, which it looks like UR wants to be in this format, though, this will be one of the best cards in your deck, and will do an impressive Flame-Tongue Kavu impression.
Eternal Skylord image 4.0 So, you pay 5 mana here to always get 5/5 worth of stats, and 2/2 of that will have flying. If you already have an Army in play, it getting flying and +2/+2 right away is great. You can play this and have it be great in a deck with 0 other ways to make Armies, too, because it is just efficient on its own. Because of all that, this is one of the better uncommons in the set.
Trusted Pegasus image 3.5 This is a nice aggressive card. It has good base stats, and then can bring another creature to the sky with it, which can really lead to you doing a ton of damage.
Goblin Assault Team image 1.5 So, a 4-mana 4/1 with Haste would normally not be so good -- maybe it can get in for 4 once or something, but then it dies to literally everything. However, because this also leaves a +1/+1 counter behind, it helps you get around that downside. There is also additional upside here in the fact that it can trade for a ton of stuff with 4 power -- any time you can trade for something decently sized with this and get the counter, you're going to feel ok about things. I'm not sure you'll ever want more than one of these, but the first of these seems like a reasonable inclusion in most Red decks.
Lazotep Behemoth image 1.0 A 5-mana 5/4 is some ok stats. Better than some vanilla stat lines. But you still mostly wont play this.
Aid the Fallen image 2.0 To play this, you want to be consistently getting back both a creature and a planeswalker. The good news is, that isn’t super hard to do in this format. This is the kind of card that is terrible early but really good late, and most Black decks want one copy of this to help them have that nice late game.
Kiora's Dambreaker image 2.0 A 6-mana 5/6 isn’t great, but it is passable stats, especially in Blue. Add Proliferate to that and it certainly gets better – especially in a set whose cup runneth over with various types of counters.
Centaur Nurturer image 3.0 Decent stats, vanilla test wise, gains you life when it comes down and blocks reasonably – and it provides fixing and ramp? I’m all over that for my Green decks.
Saheeli's Silverwing image 1.5 There isn’t enough of an artifact sub-theme in the set that you want to play sub-par cards just because they are artifacts, and that’s what this is. 4 mana for a 2/3 flyer is not a good rate, and the ETB ability it has is not the most relevant. It gives you some minor information, and that’s not enough to overcome these bad stats.
Chandra's Pyrohelix image 3.5 We’ve seen this exact card and others like it a few times, and it is always good. Being able to kill an X/2 is nice, being able to go to your opponent’s face is nice too when it will finish them off. Most formats also have enough X/1s in them that you can get a 2-for-1 with this a decent chunk of the time. I think that for me, this gets into the lower range of “premium removal,” and is first pickable in some weaker packs.
Pack 1 Pick 6: No Escape
Cruel Celebrant image 3.0 We have seen a lot of creatures that drain the opponent for 1 every time something dies, and they’re always pretty nice. Having one at 2 mana will probably be pretty similar to Zulaport Cutthroat, which was a pretty good card in its format.
No Escape image 3.0 This is a pretty good counterspell. Creatures and planeswalkers together are going to make up three quarters or more of most decks, so this has plenty of targets. And it’s a hard counter! And it exiles the things it counters. All of that makes me want to play the first copy of this in most Blue decks.
Vampire Opportunist image 1.5 This starts with some mediocre stats, and it has a late game ability that is pretty expensive. That said, it isn’t the worst mana sink to have, as it can really close out a game in tight situations.
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Teyo's Lightshield image 2.5 A 3-mana ¼ is an ok deal, and a 3-mana 0/3 that puts a counter on something a little more meaningful is even better.
Loxodon Sergeant image 2.0 This starts out with reasonablish stats, and it also has a useful ability. Obviously, Vigilance for your whole team when this comes down is decent, but it is the kind of ETB ability that I would guess won't matter about 50% of the time. Don't get me wrong, it makes a difference, but I don't feel like enough of one. I think this is a card that you don't feel bad about having in your deck, but you probably don't want more than one.
Spellkeeper Weird image 2.0 A 3-mana ¼ has some not entirely horrendous defensive stats, and this one comes with the ability to get back key spells – with removal spells being the most interesting. While I think this will probably be best in a UR spells deck, I think most Blue decks in this format will probably run enough instants and sorceries for the Weird to be a solid inclusion in the deck.
Tithebearer Giant image 3.0 Because this is fairly expensive and has mediocre stats you don’t normally want more than one of these, but the first copy is pretty nice. Because it draws you a card and has a reasonable body, you’re virtually always going to get a 2-for-1 out of this, and 2-for-1s go a long way towards helping you win.
Jaya's Greeting image 4.0 Two mana to do 3 to something at Instant speed is already premium, so adding Scry is just icing on the cake.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Rising Populace
Dreadmalkin image 2.0 This can get pretty big, which is pretty nice with Menace. Even just attacking with it with some mana up will sometimes give your opponent a headache. The sacrifice effect is pretty steep, but the goods is with Amass it will have plenty of tokens to gobble up if it wants them. Still, this kind of “eggs in one basket” strategy can easily backfire in Limited.
Lazotep Behemoth image 1.0 A 5-mana 5/4 is some ok stats. Better than some vanilla stat lines. But you still mostly wont play this.
Arboreal Grazer image 1.0 This kind of card tends to be pretty terrible in Limited. Getting to put a land in play will feel pretty good in the early game, but you aren’t actually netting a card there. It might get you ahead in the short-term, but it isn’t nearly as good as having a creature that is a mana dork, or one that searches up a land, its way worse. Then, in the late game, it is entirely useless! Mostly, don’t play this.
Topple the Statue image 1.5 So, when we see 3 mana to tap something and draw a card at instant speed isn’t all that great. It does replace itself, and have a somewhat flexible effect, so that does save it from being completely terrible.
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Erratic Visionary image 1.5 This has a decent body and it loots. Looting can improve your draws in the late game, and that’s nice.
Rising Populace image 1.5 This sort of creature always seems to disappoint. 3-mana 2/2 is not a stat line you want to have, but it does slowly get bigger the longer the game goes on.
Grim Initiate image 3.0 Like all these cards with Amass, you have to look at this as having one of two possibilities. One is that, when this dies, it makes a 1/1 token that has synergy with Amass payoffs and Proliferate. The other is that it makes your Army bigger. I think both of those options are pretty nice when attached to a one-drop with First Strike, and means that it has at least some usefulness all game long, even if that usefulness is never going to be earthshattering. It is also great if you are interested in sacrificing stuff, since it gives you two bodies.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Law-Rune Enforcer
Goblin Assault Team image 1.5 So, a 4-mana 4/1 with Haste would normally not be so good -- maybe it can get in for 4 once or something, but then it dies to literally everything. However, because this also leaves a +1/+1 counter behind, it helps you get around that downside. There is also additional upside here in the fact that it can trade for a ton of stuff with 4 power -- any time you can trade for something decently sized with this and get the counter, you're going to feel ok about things. I'm not sure you'll ever want more than one of these, but the first of these seems like a reasonable inclusion in most Red decks.
No Escape image 3.0 This is a pretty good counterspell. Creatures and planeswalkers together are going to make up three quarters or more of most decks, so this has plenty of targets. And it’s a hard counter! And it exiles the things it counters. All of that makes me want to play the first copy of this in most Blue decks.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Lazotep Behemoth image 1.0 A 5-mana 5/4 is some ok stats. Better than some vanilla stat lines. But you still mostly wont play this.
Law-Rune Enforcer image 4.0 Any time we have seen master decoy around, it has been great – and in some ways, this is even better. For one thing, it is one fewer mana to cast for the same stats, and it only asks for colorless mana to tap things. Of course, the original Master Decoy can tap any creature – but tapping things with CMC 2 or greater is what you do with this kind of card any way, so that isn’t a huge downgrade. Being able to lock down your opponent’s best creature, or get problem blockers out of the way is huge, and in a lot of ways a card like Law-Rune Enforcer becomes a removal spell. This is an absolutely excellent common.
Turret Ogre image 2.5 This has decent stats + Reach, and an ETB ability that will trigger a good chunk of the time. That is a solid playable.
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Pack 1 Pick 9: Crush Dissent
Davriel's Shadowfugue image 1.0 4 mana to make the opponent discard 2 and lose 2 life just isn’t a good deal. Mind Rot, which makes the opponent discard 2 for 3 mana is often not good enough for Limited, and this costs one more and adds a negligible effect.
Loxodon Sergeant image 2.0 This starts out with reasonablish stats, and it also has a useful ability. Obviously, Vigilance for your whole team when this comes down is decent, but it is the kind of ETB ability that I would guess won't matter about 50% of the time. Don't get me wrong, it makes a difference, but I don't feel like enough of one. I think this is a card that you don't feel bad about having in your deck, but you probably don't want more than one.
Forced Landing image 0.5 This is an interesting version of the Green flyer hate sideboard card that every set has. Instead of just straight Plummet, this lets you put the creature on the bottom of their library – which is sometimes better, like if the creature has a death trigger or your opponent has ways to get stuff back from their graveyard. Still, this is mostly likely a sideboard card.
Crush Dissent image 1.5 As good as Amass is in this format, I don’t like this card a whole lot. Counters that let your opponent pay mana to ignore them have to be really efficient in Limited, since they will become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Now, the fail case here is that you still get to Amass, and that keeps it from being unplayable.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Saheeli's Silverwing image 1.5 There isn’t enough of an artifact sub-theme in the set that you want to play sub-par cards just because they are artifacts, and that’s what this is. 4 mana for a 2/3 flyer is not a good rate, and the ETB ability it has is not the most relevant. It gives you some minor information, and that’s not enough to overcome these bad stats.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Relentless Advance
Emergence Zone image 0.0 Don’t play this. It damages your mana base and it doesn’t have an ability that makes that worthwhile.
Arlinn's Wolf image 2.0 A 3-mana 3/2 that can’t be blocked by smaller creatures is nice. Sometimes your 3/2 gets in trouble against a couple of 1/3s or something, and this prevents that. It isn’t anything special, but it is definitely a 3-drop you’ll play without feeling bad about.
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Relentless Advance image 1.5 You have two possibilities here: one is that you just paid 4 to put 3 +1/+1 counters onto a Zombie Army token you already have, the other is that you paid 4 mana for a 3/3 – in other words, a Hill Giant. Sure, it has some synergy with populate and other cards with Amass, but neither of those deals would be a particularly attractive card in Limited.
Goblin Assailant image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. You’ll only play it if you’re desperate for a two drop.
Pack 1 Pick 11: War Screecher
Blindblast image 1.5 Adding a card-draw effect to a card always makes it way more attractive, and I think that is certainly the case here. This can kill some small creatures, in which case you get a straight-up two-for-one, but my guess is that you'll usually just use this to make your opponent's best creature unable to block. That kind of effect is quite strong in aggressive Red decks, as sometimes you go from not being able to attack at all, to being able to attack with everything after a problem creature is removed from the equation. It still isn’t something you probably ever want more than one of, and you don’t want it all if you aren’t aggressive.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This hates on enough things that it is worth playing in your main deck sometimes, though this format does not have a ton of Artifacts.
War Screecher image 1.5 2-mana 1/3 flyers are usually alright, and this can pump your whole team in the late game. It is decent filler.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Kronch Wrangler
Tithebearer Giant image 3.0 Because this is fairly expensive and has mediocre stats you don’t normally want more than one of these, but the first copy is pretty nice. Because it draws you a card and has a reasonable body, you’re virtually always going to get a 2-for-1 out of this, and 2-for-1s go a long way towards helping you win.
Totally Lost image 1.5 We've seen this card a lot, and it is always kind of ok. Putting something on top of your library is better than just bouncing something, because it means you are replacing your opponent's draw, meaning you are trading one card for one card -- which is not the guess with regular bounce spells. Still, at 5 mana this is a bit clunky, though it can enable some nice blowouts in response to combat tricks and will be nice against Amass tokens.
Kronch Wrangler image 2.5 So a 2-mana 2/1 with trample is not very good. Add this other text to it, though and it obviously gets a good deal better. Obviously best suited to RG, where there are the most “ferocious” pay offs, but the fact that this gets bigger in the late game is nice when coupled with the fact that it can do some damage or trade early.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Chandra's Pyrohelix
Lazotep Behemoth image 1.0 A 5-mana 5/4 is some ok stats. Better than some vanilla stat lines. But you still mostly wont play this.
Chandra's Pyrohelix image 3.5 We’ve seen this exact card and others like it a few times, and it is always good. Being able to kill an X/2 is nice, being able to go to your opponent’s face is nice too when it will finish them off. Most formats also have enough X/1s in them that you can get a 2-for-1 with this a decent chunk of the time. I think that for me, this gets into the lower range of “premium removal,” and is first pickable in some weaker packs.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Demolish
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Pack 2 Pick 1: Enter the God-Eternals
Enter the God-Eternals image 4.5 This is really, really strong. Like most cards with Amass, we can kind of look at it as a creature with an ETB ability. In this case, you are playing a 5-mana 4/4 that kills something and gains you 4 life, while also milling 4 cards. That’s an insanely good play in Limited, as adding to your board while also subtracting from your opponents can really turn a game around.
Price of Betrayal image 0.5 Even in a set that has a ton of counters, it is pretty hard to consistently use Price of Betrayal to get rid of an opponents’ card. You’ll find yourself downgrading or weakening a card more often, and that just isn’t worth it.
Vraska, Swarm's Eminence image 3.5 So, obviously, a 4-mana 1/1 with deathtouch isn’t incredible in any way – but hey, it does serve to protect her quite well, since it can kill anything that tries to get to her, so on board states lacking evasive creatures, she’ll probably get a chance to make that second deathtoucher too. Her static ability might actually come up sometimes, and it gives Vraska a way to be really annoying on offense too, since you will be faced with the decision of letting the creature hit you and get bigger, or just trade one of your creatures for it. I think that many boardstates involving Vraska will result in her getting you a 2-for-1 because of the pesky deathtouch creatures she makes.
Dreadmalkin image 2.0 This can get pretty big, which is pretty nice with Menace. Even just attacking with it with some mana up will sometimes give your opponent a headache. The sacrifice effect is pretty steep, but the goods is with Amass it will have plenty of tokens to gobble up if it wants them. Still, this kind of “eggs in one basket” strategy can easily backfire in Limited.
Erratic Visionary image 1.5 This has a decent body and it loots. Looting can improve your draws in the late game, and that’s nice.
Herald of the Dreadhorde image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 isn’t great, but hey – it can trade with plenty of 4 drops, and if you’re trading with this your’e probably going to come out ahead, because it comes with Amass 2. Whether this makes you a 2/2 creature or makes your Army a bigger, it is a good deal, since it is coming in addition to a trade.
Heartfire image 1.5 Two mana to do 4 to anything at Instant speed would be premium removal. This asks you to do a little more work than that though, wanting you to sacrifice a creature or planeswalker to use it. Now, it looks like the RB deck is going to be interested in doing some sacrificing, and will also have creatures that are good to sacrifice, so maybe that's the best place for it. But either way, I think this is an alright card -- what saves it from being outright bad is the fact that it is an Instant, and the fact it can go to your opponent' face. As an Instant, it can be used in situations where losing the creature isn't as much of a downside -- like after you block something first, then sacrifice the creature to kill something else. The most attractive time to use this is in response to your opponent's removal of course. But still, even in those "ideal" situations, you're not really getting a 2-for-1. To do that you'll need to be giving up tokens.
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Iron Bully image 2.5 This card really overperforms thanks to all the Proliferate in the set. Even if it just puts its counter on itself, it doesn’t tend to only be a 2/2 with Menace for very long!
Spark Reaper image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/3 has somewhat passable stats, and this has a pretty nice activated ability. The fact that you can use it at Instant speed – which we don’t always get with effects like this is what really makes it worthwhile, since you can use it in response to removal or declare a block and then use it, getting some serious value. This is a decent late-game mana sink.
Mana Geode image 1.5 If you need fixing you could do worse than playing this.
Wall of Runes image 1.5 If you’re a defensive deck, you’ll play this and it will be passable. If you’re not defensive, don’t play it.
Snarespinner image 1.5 This blocks fliers really well for a two-drop, but it isn’t that great at anything else.
Davriel's Shadowfugue image 1.0 4 mana to make the opponent discard 2 and lose 2 life just isn’t a good deal. Mind Rot, which makes the opponent discard 2 for 3 mana is often not good enough for Limited, and this costs one more and adds a negligible effect.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Casualties of War
Casualties of War image 4.0 So, 6 mana to destroy 5 permanents is a pretty awesome deal. Obviously, that’s not always what this will do. I would guess on average, you probably get to destroy somewhere between 2 and 3 permanents with it, and yeah – if you’re just getting a creature and a land you’re not exactly pumped about it, but that’s not the worst deal for 6 mana. Once you add a third permanent you’re feeling pretty good, and if you do 4 or more? Well, you’re really in business.
Ajani's Pridemate image 3.5 This is good every time we’ve seen it. A 2-mana 2/2 as a fail case makes it so that it has a very reasonable floor, and this format has enough life gain to make sure that the Pridemate won’t normally stay a 2/2 for very long.
Cyclops Electromancer image 1.0 // 3.5 So, I think this is the kind of card that needs two grades. If you are playing a deck that has a fairly standard 2-4 instants or sorceries in it, this is going to be almost unplayable. Basically, I think you want to have at least 2 instants and sorceries in your graveyard when you play this, as that gives you a good chance to kill a creature -- it needs to be doing that, because 5 for a 4/2 is obviously not so good. If you end up in a spell-heavy deck, which it looks like UR wants to be in this format, though, this will be one of the best cards in your deck, and will do an impressive Flame-Tongue Kavu impression.
Pouncing Lynx image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strike is pretty darn good, and yeah – this can only do it when it attacks, but that’s still pretty great. This is a difficult creature to deal with in the early game, and first strike can even pose problems later in games for your opponent. This can be especially good in conjunction with combat tricks.
Spellkeeper Weird image 2.0 A 3-mana ¼ has some not entirely horrendous defensive stats, and this one comes with the ability to get back key spells – with removal spells being the most interesting. While I think this will probably be best in a UR spells deck, I think most Blue decks in this format will probably run enough instants and sorceries for the Weird to be a solid inclusion in the deck.
Spellgorger Weird image 1.0 // 3.5 I do think this needs two grades, as you need a critical mass of instants and sorceries to really get there. Sure, if you get it to 3/3 you’re doing alright, but obviously you want a deck with 7+ instants and sorceries to fully take advantage of this thing. Doesn’t hurt that it has synergy with proliferate either!
Kraul Stinger image 1.5 This can trade with anything, but being a 3-mana 2/2 isn’t so good. One mana 1/1 death touchers are way better, because you can always trade up.
Nahiri's Stoneblades image 0.0 I don't like tricks that don't help my creature survive combat. Only bumping power with no keyword added just isn’t worth it, even if you can pump two creatures.
Turret Ogre image 2.5 This has decent stats + Reach, and an ETB ability that will trigger a good chunk of the time. That is a solid playable.
Invading Manticore image 2.5 Whether or not you already have an army, you are paying 6 mana to add 6/7 to the battlefield, and that's not a bad thing to have at the top of your curve.
Wall of Runes image 1.5 If you’re a defensive deck, you’ll play this and it will be passable. If you’re not defensive, don’t play it.
Spark Reaper image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/3 has somewhat passable stats, and this has a pretty nice activated ability. The fact that you can use it at Instant speed – which we don’t always get with effects like this is what really makes it worthwhile, since you can use it in response to removal or declare a block and then use it, getting some serious value. This is a decent late-game mana sink.
Herald of the Dreadhorde image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 isn’t great, but hey – it can trade with plenty of 4 drops, and if you’re trading with this your’e probably going to come out ahead, because it comes with Amass 2. Whether this makes you a 2/2 creature or makes your Army a bigger, it is a good deal, since it is coming in addition to a trade.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Leyline Prowler
Interplanar Beacon image 1.0 Filter lands are always only worth playing if you’re utterly desperate to splash something. And this one only lets you do it for planeswalkers! If you are splashing a planeswalker or two you might play it, but you mostly shouldn’t.
Leyline Prowler image 4.0 A 3-mana 2/3 with Lifelink and Deathtouch is something I'd already be in on. Those are two great keyword abilities -- being able to trade with anything and gain you life is a good deal, and obviously it stonewalls smaller creatures. Then, they made it so that this not only ramps but also fixes your mana! This is a really great uncommon.
Vraska, Swarm's Eminence image 3.5 So, obviously, a 4-mana 1/1 with deathtouch isn’t incredible in any way – but hey, it does serve to protect her quite well, since it can kill anything that tries to get to her, so on board states lacking evasive creatures, she’ll probably get a chance to make that second deathtoucher too. Her static ability might actually come up sometimes, and it gives Vraska a way to be really annoying on offense too, since you will be faced with the decision of letting the creature hit you and get bigger, or just trade one of your creatures for it. I think that many boardstates involving Vraska will result in her getting you a 2-for-1 because of the pesky deathtouch creatures she makes.
Davriel's Shadowfugue image 1.0 4 mana to make the opponent discard 2 and lose 2 life just isn’t a good deal. Mind Rot, which makes the opponent discard 2 for 3 mana is often not good enough for Limited, and this costs one more and adds a negligible effect.
Giant Growth image 2.0 We don’t see combat tricks like this very often anymore. A single mana giving such a massive P/T boost is great, and will make a creature capable of winning almost any combat. The opportunity cost of leaving up one Green mana is really low, and the upside here is very high. It is still a combat trick, so it has some issues of being situational and easy to get blown out on.
Blindblast image 1.5 Adding a card-draw effect to a card always makes it way more attractive, and I think that is certainly the case here. This can kill some small creatures, in which case you get a straight-up two-for-one, but my guess is that you'll usually just use this to make your opponent's best creature unable to block. That kind of effect is quite strong in aggressive Red decks, as sometimes you go from not being able to attack at all, to being able to attack with everything after a problem creature is removed from the equation. It still isn’t something you probably ever want more than one of, and you don’t want it all if you aren’t aggressive.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Martyr for the Cause image 3.0 This guy adds proliferate to a Grizzly Bear body, which means that he has some late-game relevance, even if he can just block and add a couple counters to your permanents that’s going to do something.
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Lazotep Reaver image 3.0 This is a nice two drop. Two mana for 2/3 of stats divided across two bodies is a great deal, and it stays relevant all game long.
Prismite image 1.0 This is a creature with bad stats that also doesn’t filter mana very well. If your deck is desperately in need of a two drop AND some mana fixing, it can do those things, but again – it doesn’t do either of them well.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Kiora's Dambreaker
Prison Realm image 4.0 This is excellent removal, taking down any creature or planeswalker no questions asked. Adding Scry to the equation is nice too. And yeah, if it gets blown up your opponent gets their thing back, but the efficiency, power, and flexibility it offers makes that a worthwhile risk.
Charity Extractor image 1.5 This is a pretty good defensive card, and not a bad place to counters thanks to lifelink. But you’ll cut it a lot. It just doesn’t do enough.
Mana Geode image 1.5 If you need fixing you could do worse than playing this.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Charmed Stray image 1.0 // 2.5 This is only going to be worth it if you end up with 3+ of them, as a one -mana 1/1 with lifelink just doesn’t do enough to be worth a card. If you do have multiple copies, they do get better – but I’d advise not going after them hard, and just picking them up late in packs.
Wardscale Crocodile image 2.0 Hexproof on a common is pretty nice. I mean sure, it can die in combat pretty easily, but because it has hexproof you can make sure that it only dies in combat when it is beneficial for you—like killing a creature with 5 toughness. Then, there is the usual upside that Hexproof creatures bring – risky spells, like Fight cards, or auras and the like become a lot better, because you know your opponent won’t be able to easily 2-for-1 you.
Ahn-Crop Invader image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive creature. Because it has First Strike, your opponent will often just not be willing to block it when you attack with it when you have mana up, since it is likely to win most combat even if you just sacrifice one thing to it. It pairs particularly well with Amass tokens.
Teferi's Time Twist image 1.0 This can do a variety of things, but most of the time they won’t be worth doing. Because this is an Instant, if your opponent tries to take down a planeswalker, you can use the Time Twist, both saving it and setting its loyalty back to what it was when it came into play. On top of that, Teferi’s Time Twist is also good with ETB creatures, can help your creature dodge a removal spell, and so on. I still am not very interested in playing it.
Herald of the Dreadhorde image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 isn’t great, but hey – it can trade with plenty of 4 drops, and if you’re trading with this your’e probably going to come out ahead, because it comes with Amass 2. Whether this makes you a 2/2 creature or makes your Army a bigger, it is a good deal, since it is coming in addition to a trade.
Vivien's Grizzly image 2.0 Like her Arkbow, her Grizzly also is a nice manasink, though less reliable than the legendary artifacts. But still, this is basically a really bad Duskwatch Recruiter – but the Recruiter was an absurd limited card, so being a bad version of it doesn’t mean the card itself is bad. It has alright stats and the ability to draw you cards sometimes in the late game.
Kiora's Dambreaker image 2.0 A 6-mana 5/6 isn’t great, but it is passable stats, especially in Blue. Add Proliferate to that and it certainly gets better – especially in a set whose cup runneth over with various types of counters.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Merfolk Skydiver
Merfolk Skydiver image 3.5 This can be a two-mana 2/2 flyer, or you can put the counter somewhere else if that’s more impactful – but either way, that’s a good deal, much like Pollenbright Druid. What pushes this past the Druid is that it can Proliferate repeatedly, which even in a worst case scenario will mean you are Proliferating the +1/+1 counter of this thing over and over, and in most scenarios you will have +1/+1 counters or Loyalty counters elsewhere too. It is a great late game manasink.
Enforcer Griffin image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying might not seem great, but it has just the right size in this format, outclassing most of the non-rare Flyers in the set. It isn’t anything special, but it is better than it looks.
Tithebearer Giant image 3.0 Because this is fairly expensive and has mediocre stats you don’t normally want more than one of these, but the first copy is pretty nice. Because it draws you a card and has a reasonable body, you’re virtually always going to get a 2-for-1 out of this, and 2-for-1s go a long way towards helping you win.
Teferi's Time Twist image 1.0 This can do a variety of things, but most of the time they won’t be worth doing. Because this is an Instant, if your opponent tries to take down a planeswalker, you can use the Time Twist, both saving it and setting its loyalty back to what it was when it came into play. On top of that, Teferi’s Time Twist is also good with ETB creatures, can help your creature dodge a removal spell, and so on. I still am not very interested in playing it.
Trusted Pegasus image 3.5 This is a nice aggressive card. It has good base stats, and then can bring another creature to the sky with it, which can really lead to you doing a ton of damage.
Heartfire image 1.5 Two mana to do 4 to anything at Instant speed would be premium removal. This asks you to do a little more work than that though, wanting you to sacrifice a creature or planeswalker to use it. Now, it looks like the RB deck is going to be interested in doing some sacrificing, and will also have creatures that are good to sacrifice, so maybe that's the best place for it. But either way, I think this is an alright card -- what saves it from being outright bad is the fact that it is an Instant, and the fact it can go to your opponent' face. As an Instant, it can be used in situations where losing the creature isn't as much of a downside -- like after you block something first, then sacrifice the creature to kill something else. The most attractive time to use this is in response to your opponent's removal of course. But still, even in those "ideal" situations, you're not really getting a 2-for-1. To do that you'll need to be giving up tokens.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Wanderer's Strike image 3.5 5 mana is a lot, but killing something no question asked is a pretty good return at that investment. Being at Sorcery speed hurts a little, but adding Populate in a set that seems to have a plethora of reasons to Populate is nice.
Crush Dissent image 1.5 As good as Amass is in this format, I don’t like this card a whole lot. Counters that let your opponent pay mana to ignore them have to be really efficient in Limited, since they will become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Now, the fail case here is that you still get to Amass, and that keeps it from being unplayable.
Thundering Ceratok image 2.0 So a 5-mana 4/5 with Trample is already passable, it is a body big enough that trample really means something. Making it so this also gives trample to your whole team is nice, though it is worth noting that I would guess that around 50% of the time you play this, that won’t matter. There will also be plenty of times when it does, just don’t expect it to be a huge play all the time, and don’t value it that way, because it won’t.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Herald of the Dreadhorde
Bond of Revival image 2.0 These types of effects tend to underperform, at least 5 mana. It is nice that this one gives Haste to your creature, so maybe you get in for some damage right away. But frequently you’ll have this and all you can do is bring back a 2-drop or a 3-drop that doesn’t make a huge impact. Or worse you will draw it early when it isn’t really going to be worth it. Of course, the upside can be massive, and it certainly gets better in decks with a couple really powerful creatures – something this set has no shortage of.
Sky Theater Strix image 1.5 This is a two mana ½ Flyer that will sometimes attack for two. Not great, but not bad either.
Topple the Statue image 1.5 So, when we see 3 mana to tap something and draw a card at instant speed isn’t all that great. It does replace itself, and have a somewhat flexible effect, so that does save it from being completely terrible.
Bloom Hulk image 3.5 This has good stats and it proliferates. You’ll usually feel like you’re getting more than 4 mana’s worth of value out of this. This is one of Green’s best commons.
Herald of the Dreadhorde image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 isn’t great, but hey – it can trade with plenty of 4 drops, and if you’re trading with this your’e probably going to come out ahead, because it comes with Amass 2. Whether this makes you a 2/2 creature or makes your Army a bigger, it is a good deal, since it is coming in addition to a trade.
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Battlefield Promotion image 1.0 Even though this set has a long of payoffs for +1/+1 counters, and a few for gaining life, I’m normally not interested in this. This is a relatively grindy format, and combat tricks like this just don’t work like you’d hope they would in other formats. You should mostly avoid this.
Centaur Nurturer image 3.0 Decent stats, vanilla test wise, gains you life when it comes down and blocks reasonably – and it provides fixing and ramp? I’m all over that for my Green decks.
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Pack 2 Pick 7: Lazotep Plating
Pledge of Unity image 3.5 So, this is a nice signpost uncommon for GW, where you want to be both going wide and making +1/+1 counters, and obviously this helps on both fronts! This, plus Proliferate is pretty crazy!
Lazotep Plating image 1.5 There are a few cards in this set that seem to have been printed with the intent of taking away the downside Amass has -- that is, that you can put at on of resources into one of those tokens and have it get bounced or destroyed and really not feel so good about the situation. Overall, I think this is actually a pretty nice card. Sometimes we see these hexproof effects and they are hard to want to actually play, but since this one coems with Amass, it does more than just blank a removal spell. I also think the special synergy with Amass will make this pretty solid. Still, it is highly situational -- against some opponents it wont' really matter -- but hey, at least you can Amass 1 in those matches, I guess?
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Steady Aim image 1.0 This will make your creature survive combat frequently, and can be used in response to damage-based removal. What I don’t love is that it isn’t that exciting offensively, and generally you want your combat tricks to produce blowouts on the attack, like blowing up double blocks – which this won’t do as often. I think it is an ok trick, but I don’t want more than one in an ideal world.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This hates on enough things that it is worth playing in your main deck sometimes, though this format does not have a ton of Artifacts.
Grim Initiate image 3.0 Like all these cards with Amass, you have to look at this as having one of two possibilities. One is that, when this dies, it makes a 1/1 token that has synergy with Amass payoffs and Proliferate. The other is that it makes your Army bigger. I think both of those options are pretty nice when attached to a one-drop with First Strike, and means that it has at least some usefulness all game long, even if that usefulness is never going to be earthshattering. It is also great if you are interested in sacrificing stuff, since it gives you two bodies.
Prismite image 1.0 This is a creature with bad stats that also doesn’t filter mana very well. If your deck is desperately in need of a two drop AND some mana fixing, it can do those things, but again – it doesn’t do either of them well.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Tamiyo's Epiphany
Price of Betrayal image 0.5 Even in a set that has a ton of counters, it is pretty hard to consistently use Price of Betrayal to get rid of an opponents’ card. You’ll find yourself downgrading or weakening a card more often, and that just isn’t worth it.
Chainwhip Cyclops image 1.5 This guy is decent. There are tons of board states where an ability like that really opens the flood gates – get that one problem blocker out of the way, and now the best your opponent can do is chump or trade! It does cost a lot of mana here, at 4, and it comes on an inefficient creature as a 5-mana 4/4, but that effect can be a good mana sink.
Blindblast image 1.5 Adding a card-draw effect to a card always makes it way more attractive, and I think that is certainly the case here. This can kill some small creatures, in which case you get a straight-up two-for-one, but my guess is that you'll usually just use this to make your opponent's best creature unable to block. That kind of effect is quite strong in aggressive Red decks, as sometimes you go from not being able to attack at all, to being able to attack with everything after a problem creature is removed from the equation. It still isn’t something you probably ever want more than one of, and you don’t want it all if you aren’t aggressive.
Tamiyo's Epiphany image 3.0 This lets you see up to SIX cards in your deck for only 4 mana. That’s some pretty serious card selection, and not usually the kind we see at Common. Now, it is a Sorcery, which will sometimes make it really awkward. Like, you know, if you are getting beat down you don’t really want to be drawing the Epiphany. Still, I think the upside makes it worth playing one copy of in virtually every Blue deck. Going beyond one copy is probably a little dangerous.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Charity Extractor image 1.5 This is a pretty good defensive card, and not a bad place to counters thanks to lifelink. But you’ll cut it a lot. It just doesn’t do enough.
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Wall of Runes
Price of Betrayal image 0.5 Even in a set that has a ton of counters, it is pretty hard to consistently use Price of Betrayal to get rid of an opponents’ card. You’ll find yourself downgrading or weakening a card more often, and that just isn’t worth it.
Dreadmalkin image 2.0 This can get pretty big, which is pretty nice with Menace. Even just attacking with it with some mana up will sometimes give your opponent a headache. The sacrifice effect is pretty steep, but the goods is with Amass it will have plenty of tokens to gobble up if it wants them. Still, this kind of “eggs in one basket” strategy can easily backfire in Limited.
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Spark Reaper image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/3 has somewhat passable stats, and this has a pretty nice activated ability. The fact that you can use it at Instant speed – which we don’t always get with effects like this is what really makes it worthwhile, since you can use it in response to removal or declare a block and then use it, getting some serious value. This is a decent late-game mana sink.
Wall of Runes image 1.5 If you’re a defensive deck, you’ll play this and it will be passable. If you’re not defensive, don’t play it.
Davriel's Shadowfugue image 1.0 4 mana to make the opponent discard 2 and lose 2 life just isn’t a good deal. Mind Rot, which makes the opponent discard 2 for 3 mana is often not good enough for Limited, and this costs one more and adds a negligible effect.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Spark Reaper
Pouncing Lynx image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strike is pretty darn good, and yeah – this can only do it when it attacks, but that’s still pretty great. This is a difficult creature to deal with in the early game, and first strike can even pose problems later in games for your opponent. This can be especially good in conjunction with combat tricks.
Nahiri's Stoneblades image 0.0 I don't like tricks that don't help my creature survive combat. Only bumping power with no keyword added just isn’t worth it, even if you can pump two creatures.
Turret Ogre image 2.5 This has decent stats + Reach, and an ETB ability that will trigger a good chunk of the time. That is a solid playable.
Invading Manticore image 2.5 Whether or not you already have an army, you are paying 6 mana to add 6/7 to the battlefield, and that's not a bad thing to have at the top of your curve.
Spark Reaper image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/3 has somewhat passable stats, and this has a pretty nice activated ability. The fact that you can use it at Instant speed – which we don’t always get with effects like this is what really makes it worthwhile, since you can use it in response to removal or declare a block and then use it, getting some serious value. This is a decent late-game mana sink.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Lazotep Reaver
Davriel's Shadowfugue image 1.0 4 mana to make the opponent discard 2 and lose 2 life just isn’t a good deal. Mind Rot, which makes the opponent discard 2 for 3 mana is often not good enough for Limited, and this costs one more and adds a negligible effect.
Gideon's Sacrifice image 0.0 This card is way too finnicky to be worth it in Limited. It is basically a fog that kills one of your creatures – it has a little more upside than Fog, but it just won’t be worth it very often. You have to 2-for-1 or 2-for-none yourself to use it, and I’m gonna pass on that.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Lazotep Reaver image 3.0 This is a nice two drop. Two mana for 2/3 of stats divided across two bodies is a great deal, and it stays relevant all game long.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Herald of the Dreadhorde
Charity Extractor image 1.5 This is a pretty good defensive card, and not a bad place to counters thanks to lifelink. But you’ll cut it a lot. It just doesn’t do enough.
Charmed Stray image 1.0 // 2.5 This is only going to be worth it if you end up with 3+ of them, as a one -mana 1/1 with lifelink just doesn’t do enough to be worth a card. If you do have multiple copies, they do get better – but I’d advise not going after them hard, and just picking them up late in packs.
Herald of the Dreadhorde image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 isn’t great, but hey – it can trade with plenty of 4 drops, and if you’re trading with this your’e probably going to come out ahead, because it comes with Amass 2. Whether this makes you a 2/2 creature or makes your Army a bigger, it is a good deal, since it is coming in addition to a trade.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Crush Dissent
Heartfire image 1.5 Two mana to do 4 to anything at Instant speed would be premium removal. This asks you to do a little more work than that though, wanting you to sacrifice a creature or planeswalker to use it. Now, it looks like the RB deck is going to be interested in doing some sacrificing, and will also have creatures that are good to sacrifice, so maybe that's the best place for it. But either way, I think this is an alright card -- what saves it from being outright bad is the fact that it is an Instant, and the fact it can go to your opponent' face. As an Instant, it can be used in situations where losing the creature isn't as much of a downside -- like after you block something first, then sacrifice the creature to kill something else. The most attractive time to use this is in response to your opponent's removal of course. But still, even in those "ideal" situations, you're not really getting a 2-for-1. To do that you'll need to be giving up tokens.
Crush Dissent image 1.5 As good as Amass is in this format, I don’t like this card a whole lot. Counters that let your opponent pay mana to ignore them have to be really efficient in Limited, since they will become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Now, the fail case here is that you still get to Amass, and that keeps it from being unplayable.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Demolish
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Pack 3 Pick 1: Soul Diviner
Soul Diviner image 3.5 This set is absolutely loaded with +1/+1 counters and loyalty counters, as well as proliferate, meaning even more counters. Being able to turn counters into cards is a great deal -- +1/+1 counters are nice, sure – but not usually worth a whole card, same with Loyalty counters in most cases – so being able to turn them into that is very strong. On top of all that, the Diviner is a 2-mana 2/3, which obviously holds up pretty well on the vanilla test. I think your average UB deck in this format probably has 4-5 cards that put a counter somewhere, and even if this only draws you the one card, you’re going to feel pretty good.
Tenth District Legionnaire image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 with Haste does some work already, but the fact this also has Heroic -- more or less -- and such a good trigger for when you target it makes it very interesting. Combat tricks will be even more powerful than usual on this guy, since he gets extra big and does so permanently. Same with auras! And Scry on top of all of that is very nice.
Tyrant's Scorn image 3.0 This has nice flexibility – it can kill smaller creatures, and it can bounce the ones it can’t kill. That’s a pretty good deal, and allows it to have at least some impact on virtually every creature in the set.
Dovin, Hand of Control image 2.0 The static ability here looks kind of nice, making your opponent pay more for stuff. Unfortunately, there are lots of games where that effect won’t make much of a difference, since most decks don’t run THAT many cards in those three categories – wish they had included planeswalkers too at least! His loyalty ability might be a nice way to slow down the game for control decks, and can help you find answers, but mostly he seems like he is a mediocre fog effect to me. Sometimes that’s something you want, but it isn’t anything special.
Centaur Nurturer image 3.0 Decent stats, vanilla test wise, gains you life when it comes down and blocks reasonably – and it provides fixing and ramp? I’m all over that for my Green decks.
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Relentless Advance image 1.5 You have two possibilities here: one is that you just paid 4 to put 3 +1/+1 counters onto a Zombie Army token you already have, the other is that you paid 4 mana for a 3/3 – in other words, a Hill Giant. Sure, it has some synergy with populate and other cards with Amass, but neither of those deals would be a particularly attractive card in Limited.
Battlefield Promotion image 1.0 Even though this set has a long of payoffs for +1/+1 counters, and a few for gaining life, I’m normally not interested in this. This is a relatively grindy format, and combat tricks like this just don’t work like you’d hope they would in other formats. You should mostly avoid this.
Sarkhan's Catharsis image 1.0 Even in a set with this many Planeswalkers I’m not very interested in a Lava Axe variant.
Jaya's Greeting image 4.0 Two mana to do 3 to something at Instant speed is already premium, so adding Scry is just icing on the cake.
Kraul Stinger image 1.5 This can trade with anything, but being a 3-mana 2/2 isn’t so good. One mana 1/1 death touchers are way better, because you can always trade up.
Kiora's Dambreaker image 2.0 A 6-mana 5/6 isn’t great, but it is passable stats, especially in Blue. Add Proliferate to that and it certainly gets better – especially in a set whose cup runneth over with various types of counters.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.5 You’ll play this in an aggressive deck, but for the most part that type of deck isn’t great in this format. It just won’t always be easy to send in two additional creatures into combat, and it won’t be worth risking trades so much either since the payoff is just a +1/+1 counter. I’m not saying this is bad, just not something you should be excited about.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Flux Channeler
Ugin's Conjurant image 3.0 X-costed creatures are nice because you can play them anywhere on your curve and they will be reasonably efficient. Now, this X-costed creature does shrink when it is damaged, but with all the Proliferate in this set, it is still a pretty good creature to have.
Firemind Vessel image 2.0 This set is not overflowing with fixing for non-Green decks, and this can really help fill that role. That said, I think you only pick it up if you’re interested in fixing or ramping. Playing this on turn 4 and doing nothing else can spell disaster for you, but if you can get past that, the advantage of it will be pretty nice.
Flux Channeler image 1.5 // 3.5 A 3-mana 2/2, which is a horrendous statline, and it doesn’t get to help you proliferate right away or anything, at least not most of the time. That said, as soon as you play noncreatures – including planeswalkers, being able to add counters to stuff as a repeatable effect seems pretty nice. This is sort of a double build around – you need lots of counters and lots of non-creature spells to make it work, but when you can, it is a pretty great engine.
Relentless Advance image 1.5 You have two possibilities here: one is that you just paid 4 to put 3 +1/+1 counters onto a Zombie Army token you already have, the other is that you paid 4 mana for a 3/3 – in other words, a Hill Giant. Sure, it has some synergy with populate and other cards with Amass, but neither of those deals would be a particularly attractive card in Limited.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Samut's Sprint image 1.5 This is just red’s obligatory solid combat trick that will be nice in aggro decks. +2/+1 is enough of a boost for a creature to win a lot of combats, and the additional Haste upside doesn’t hurt. Still, it IS a combat trick and it comes with all the inherent risks that combat tricks have they are inherently situational and come with the risk of a 2-for-1 that blows you out.
Pouncing Lynx image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strike is pretty darn good, and yeah – this can only do it when it attacks, but that’s still pretty great. This is a difficult creature to deal with in the early game, and first strike can even pose problems later in games for your opponent. This can be especially good in conjunction with combat tricks.
Aid the Fallen image 2.0 To play this, you want to be consistently getting back both a creature and a planeswalker. The good news is, that isn’t super hard to do in this format. This is the kind of card that is terrible early but really good late, and most Black decks want one copy of this to help them have that nice late game.
Kiora's Dambreaker image 2.0 A 6-mana 5/6 isn’t great, but it is passable stats, especially in Blue. Add Proliferate to that and it certainly gets better – especially in a set whose cup runneth over with various types of counters.
Sky Theater Strix image 1.5 This is a two mana ½ Flyer that will sometimes attack for two. Not great, but not bad either.
Giant Growth image 2.0 We don’t see combat tricks like this very often anymore. A single mana giving such a massive P/T boost is great, and will make a creature capable of winning almost any combat. The opportunity cost of leaving up one Green mana is really low, and the upside here is very high. It is still a combat trick, so it has some issues of being situational and easy to get blown out on.
Battlefield Promotion image 1.0 Even though this set has a long of payoffs for +1/+1 counters, and a few for gaining life, I’m normally not interested in this. This is a relatively grindy format, and combat tricks like this just don’t work like you’d hope they would in other formats. You should mostly avoid this.
Crush Dissent image 1.5 As good as Amass is in this format, I don’t like this card a whole lot. Counters that let your opponent pay mana to ignore them have to be really efficient in Limited, since they will become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Now, the fail case here is that you still get to Amass, and that keeps it from being unplayable.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Deathsprout
Deathsprout image 4.0 Killing a creature for 4 mana at instant speed AND fixing your mana is great. This is one of the best uncommons in the set.
Pledge of Unity image 3.5 So, this is a nice signpost uncommon for GW, where you want to be both going wide and making +1/+1 counters, and obviously this helps on both fronts! This, plus Proliferate is pretty crazy!
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Battlefield Promotion image 1.0 Even though this set has a long of payoffs for +1/+1 counters, and a few for gaining life, I’m normally not interested in this. This is a relatively grindy format, and combat tricks like this just don’t work like you’d hope they would in other formats. You should mostly avoid this.
Chainwhip Cyclops image 1.5 This guy is decent. There are tons of board states where an ability like that really opens the flood gates – get that one problem blocker out of the way, and now the best your opponent can do is chump or trade! It does cost a lot of mana here, at 4, and it comes on an inefficient creature as a 5-mana 4/4, but that effect can be a good mana sink.
Kasmina's Transmutation image 2.5 Removal that doesn’t really remove is always pretty underwhelming. I mean, sure, you do at least take away all of the creature’s abilities and make it a 1/1, but it can still block, and that’s a pretty big deal. This is still decent removal, just don’t treat it like one of the best common removal spells in the set.
Guild Globe image 1.5 This replaces itself and gives you some fixing. If you’re interested in splashing something this can help you do it.
Defiant Strike image 1.0 Last time we saw this card, it was surprisingly good because it was in Khans of Tarkir, and the Prowess mechanic was all over the place, including on White cards. Not the case here though. +1/+0 is the kind of stat boost that will have very little impact on combat the majority of the time, and normally you want your combat tricks to make it more likely your creature wins combat against larger creatures-- and sure, this cycles itself, and that's what keeps it from being unplayable, but it still isn't very good.
Trusted Pegasus image 3.5 This is a nice aggressive card. It has good base stats, and then can bring another creature to the sky with it, which can really lead to you doing a ton of damage.
Kraul Stinger image 1.5 This can trade with anything, but being a 3-mana 2/2 isn’t so good. One mana 1/1 death touchers are way better, because you can always trade up.
New Horizons image 2.5 This type of mana-fixing/ramping Auras always feels good when it also does something to impact the board. Making one of your creatures a little better isn’t too shabby. This can help you splash double-colored cards too, which I like!
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Jace's Triumph
Tomik, Distinguished Advokist image 2.5 I mean, a 2-mana 2/3 flyer is good and all, but the mana cost here isn’t the easiest, and your chances of actually playing it on turn 2 in Limited are not so good because of that. The rest of the textbox on this card is irrelevant in Limited.
Devouring Hellion image 2.0 This has a pretty abysmal floor, as a 3-mana 2/2, but with just one sacrificed creature or planeswalker, it is a 4/4, and it scales up from there. The ideal thing is to sacrifice something that isn’t worth having around anymore – like an uncommon Planeswalker with only 1 loyalty left, or a creature with a death trigger, or a creature token, or a creature with an aura-based removal spell on it. Problem is, you just won’t always be able to set that up, even in the most synergistic of decks there will be times where this just isn’t worth doing, and because of that I have a hard time thinking of it as anything more than a solid playable.
Jace's Triumph image 2.0 This is mostly just Divination. Having a Jace is possible, but not super likely. Divination is always a pretty decent card, and that’s what this is.
Goblin Assailant image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. You’ll only play it if you’re desperate for a two drop.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This hates on enough things that it is worth playing in your main deck sometimes, though this format does not have a ton of Artifacts.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Chainwhip Cyclops image 1.5 This guy is decent. There are tons of board states where an ability like that really opens the flood gates – get that one problem blocker out of the way, and now the best your opponent can do is chump or trade! It does cost a lot of mana here, at 4, and it comes on an inefficient creature as a 5-mana 4/4, but that effect can be a good mana sink.
Charity Extractor image 1.5 This is a pretty good defensive card, and not a bad place to counters thanks to lifelink. But you’ll cut it a lot. It just doesn’t do enough.
Primordial Wurm image 1.5 A 6-mana 7/6 is some pretty decent vanilla stats. I still would rather have Colossal Dreadmaw because Trample.
Aid the Fallen image 2.0 To play this, you want to be consistently getting back both a creature and a planeswalker. The good news is, that isn’t super hard to do in this format. This is the kind of card that is terrible early but really good late, and most Black decks want one copy of this to help them have that nice late game.
Forced Landing image 0.5 This is an interesting version of the Green flyer hate sideboard card that every set has. Instead of just straight Plummet, this lets you put the creature on the bottom of their library – which is sometimes better, like if the creature has a death trigger or your opponent has ways to get stuff back from their graveyard. Still, this is mostly likely a sideboard card.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Thundering Ceratok
Bond of Flourishing image 1.0 This reminds me a lot of cards like Adventurous Impulse and Anticipate – which means it is a fine card to include, can help dig you into whatever you really need, but it isn’t anything amazing. I do like that it gains you 3 life, so that if doing this means you are going behind on board a bit to dig, you at least gain some life to helps often that blow. And yeah, it can only hit permanents, but that’s MOST of your deck, so I think that’s fine.
Price of Betrayal image 0.5 Even in a set that has a ton of counters, it is pretty hard to consistently use Price of Betrayal to get rid of an opponents’ card. You’ll find yourself downgrading or weakening a card more often, and that just isn’t worth it.
Rising Populace image 1.5 This sort of creature always seems to disappoint. 3-mana 2/2 is not a stat line you want to have, but it does slowly get bigger the longer the game goes on.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Stealth Mission image 1.0 I don’t like most versions of this card we see. Sure, you get a free swing in, and sometimes that will win you the game. But a lot of the time it just doesn’t matter. And it is super risky because it opens you up to the dreaded 2-for-1 in many situations if you aren’t careful.
Duskmantle Operative image 1.5 This is a bear with some reasonable but unexciting upside.
Enforcer Griffin image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying might not seem great, but it has just the right size in this format, outclassing most of the non-rare Flyers in the set. It isn’t anything special, but it is better than it looks.
Thundering Ceratok image 2.0 So a 5-mana 4/5 with Trample is already passable, it is a body big enough that trample really means something. Making it so this also gives trample to your whole team is nice, though it is worth noting that I would guess that around 50% of the time you play this, that won’t matter. There will also be plenty of times when it does, just don’t expect it to be a huge play all the time, and don’t value it that way, because it won’t.
Teyo's Lightshield image 2.5 A 3-mana ¼ is an ok deal, and a 3-mana 0/3 that puts a counter on something a little more meaningful is even better.
Kaya's Ghostform image 1.0 This just isn’t useful. It is nice that it counts being exiled, because it seems like there is a lot of that going around in this set, but still. You open yourself up to a 2-for-1 when you cast it in the first place, and then when it sticks you do get something pretty nice – the creature comes back. But for that to really be worth it you probably need something awesome, or something with a death trigger or ETB trigger. If you can do that, maybe you play it, but mostly I think you should steer clear of this.
Pack 3 Pick 6: No Escape
Chandra's Triumph image 4.0 Two mana to do 3 to something at Instant speed is always a good removal spell. This isn’t quite lightning strike, because it doesn’t hit players, but it is still pretty good. The upside on it will happen on occasion, since Chandra is at Rare instead of Mythic Rare, but it still won’t be happening with any sort of regularity, so mostly – this is just a Lightning Strike that can’t hit players…which is still a really good card.
Cruel Celebrant image 3.0 We have seen a lot of creatures that drain the opponent for 1 every time something dies, and they’re always pretty nice. Having one at 2 mana will probably be pretty similar to Zulaport Cutthroat, which was a pretty good card in its format.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Goblin Assault Team image 1.5 So, a 4-mana 4/1 with Haste would normally not be so good -- maybe it can get in for 4 once or something, but then it dies to literally everything. However, because this also leaves a +1/+1 counter behind, it helps you get around that downside. There is also additional upside here in the fact that it can trade for a ton of stuff with 4 power -- any time you can trade for something decently sized with this and get the counter, you're going to feel ok about things. I'm not sure you'll ever want more than one of these, but the first of these seems like a reasonable inclusion in most Red decks.
No Escape image 3.0 This is a pretty good counterspell. Creatures and planeswalkers together are going to make up three quarters or more of most decks, so this has plenty of targets. And it’s a hard counter! And it exiles the things it counters. All of that makes me want to play the first copy of this in most Blue decks.
Trusted Pegasus image 3.5 This is a nice aggressive card. It has good base stats, and then can bring another creature to the sky with it, which can really lead to you doing a ton of damage.
Charity Extractor image 1.5 This is a pretty good defensive card, and not a bad place to counters thanks to lifelink. But you’ll cut it a lot. It just doesn’t do enough.
Crush Dissent image 1.5 As good as Amass is in this format, I don’t like this card a whole lot. Counters that let your opponent pay mana to ignore them have to be really efficient in Limited, since they will become weaker and weaker as the game goes on. Now, the fail case here is that you still get to Amass, and that keeps it from being unplayable.
Forced Landing image 0.5 This is an interesting version of the Green flyer hate sideboard card that every set has. Instead of just straight Plummet, this lets you put the creature on the bottom of their library – which is sometimes better, like if the creature has a death trigger or your opponent has ways to get stuff back from their graveyard. Still, this is mostly likely a sideboard card.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Vampire Opportunist
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 This is a solid trick. The stats boost and indestructibility is going to be enough for your creature to win most combats, and you can even use it in response to (most) removal to save your creature. Now, it IS still a trick, which is something only aggro decks are really interested in, and it is a bit risky since your opponent interacting in response to it is really bad.
Ashiok's Skulker image 1.5 2-mana 1/3 flyers are usually alright, and this can pump your whole team in the late game. It is decent filler.
Vampire Opportunist image 1.5 This starts with some mediocre stats, and it has a late game ability that is pretty expensive. That said, it isn’t the worst mana sink to have, as it can really close out a game in tight situations.
Invading Manticore image 2.5 Whether or not you already have an army, you are paying 6 mana to add 6/7 to the battlefield, and that's not a bad thing to have at the top of your curve.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Tamiyo's Epiphany image 3.0 This lets you see up to SIX cards in your deck for only 4 mana. That’s some pretty serious card selection, and not usually the kind we see at Common. Now, it is a Sorcery, which will sometimes make it really awkward. Like, you know, if you are getting beat down you don’t really want to be drawing the Epiphany. Still, I think the upside makes it worth playing one copy of in virtually every Blue deck. Going beyond one copy is probably a little dangerous.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This hates on enough things that it is worth playing in your main deck sometimes, though this format does not have a ton of Artifacts.
Spellkeeper Weird image 2.0 A 3-mana ¼ has some not entirely horrendous defensive stats, and this one comes with the ability to get back key spells – with removal spells being the most interesting. While I think this will probably be best in a UR spells deck, I think most Blue decks in this format will probably run enough instants and sorceries for the Weird to be a solid inclusion in the deck.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Pollenbright Druid
Pouncing Lynx image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strike is pretty darn good, and yeah – this can only do it when it attacks, but that’s still pretty great. This is a difficult creature to deal with in the early game, and first strike can even pose problems later in games for your opponent. This can be especially good in conjunction with combat tricks.
Steady Aim image 1.0 This will make your creature survive combat frequently, and can be used in response to damage-based removal. What I don’t love is that it isn’t that exciting offensively, and generally you want your combat tricks to produce blowouts on the attack, like blowing up double blocks – which this won’t do as often. I think it is an ok trick, but I don’t want more than one in an ideal world.
Pollenbright Druid image 3.5 A 2-mana 1/1 that puts a counter anywhere – including on itself, is usually a pretty decent card already. At worst it is going to be a Grizzly Bears, and there are other times where putting the counter elsewhere makes a big deal, like on an evasive creature. But this has the additional ability to also just Proliferate, which you will be doing if you already have other counters in play. Either way, you’re going to get some value out of your 2 drop in the late game, and that’s not always easy to come by.
Teyo's Lightshield image 2.5 A 3-mana ¼ is an ok deal, and a 3-mana 0/3 that puts a counter on something a little more meaningful is even better.
Lazotep Reaver image 3.0 This is a nice two drop. Two mana for 2/3 of stats divided across two bodies is a great deal, and it stays relevant all game long.
Spark Reaper image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/3 has somewhat passable stats, and this has a pretty nice activated ability. The fact that you can use it at Instant speed – which we don’t always get with effects like this is what really makes it worthwhile, since you can use it in response to removal or declare a block and then use it, getting some serious value. This is a decent late-game mana sink.
Nahiri's Stoneblades image 0.0 I don't like tricks that don't help my creature survive combat. Only bumping power with no keyword added just isn’t worth it, even if you can pump two creatures.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Tenth District Legionnaire
Tenth District Legionnaire image 3.0 A two mana 2/2 with Haste does some work already, but the fact this also has Heroic -- more or less -- and such a good trigger for when you target it makes it very interesting. Combat tricks will be even more powerful than usual on this guy, since he gets extra big and does so permanently. Same with auras! And Scry on top of all of that is very nice.
Demolish image 0.0 I always try to give this a sideboard grade, but the reality is – you will never side this in in this set. There aren’t enough artifacts or problem lands, so most of the time this reads “Pay 4 mana, discard this and do almost nothing.”
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Battlefield Promotion image 1.0 Even though this set has a long of payoffs for +1/+1 counters, and a few for gaining life, I’m normally not interested in this. This is a relatively grindy format, and combat tricks like this just don’t work like you’d hope they would in other formats. You should mostly avoid this.
Sarkhan's Catharsis image 1.0 Even in a set with this many Planeswalkers I’m not very interested in a Lava Axe variant.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.5 You’ll play this in an aggressive deck, but for the most part that type of deck isn’t great in this format. It just won’t always be easy to send in two additional creatures into combat, and it won’t be worth risking trades so much either since the payoff is just a +1/+1 counter. I’m not saying this is bad, just not something you should be excited about.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Relentless Advance
Relentless Advance image 1.5 You have two possibilities here: one is that you just paid 4 to put 3 +1/+1 counters onto a Zombie Army token you already have, the other is that you paid 4 mana for a 3/3 – in other words, a Hill Giant. Sure, it has some synergy with populate and other cards with Amass, but neither of those deals would be a particularly attractive card in Limited.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Samut's Sprint image 1.5 This is just red’s obligatory solid combat trick that will be nice in aggro decks. +2/+1 is enough of a boost for a creature to win a lot of combats, and the additional Haste upside doesn’t hurt. Still, it IS a combat trick and it comes with all the inherent risks that combat tricks have they are inherently situational and come with the risk of a 2-for-1 that blows you out.
Pouncing Lynx image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strike is pretty darn good, and yeah – this can only do it when it attacks, but that’s still pretty great. This is a difficult creature to deal with in the early game, and first strike can even pose problems later in games for your opponent. This can be especially good in conjunction with combat tricks.
Battlefield Promotion image 1.0 Even though this set has a long of payoffs for +1/+1 counters, and a few for gaining life, I’m normally not interested in this. This is a relatively grindy format, and combat tricks like this just don’t work like you’d hope they would in other formats. You should mostly avoid this.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Sorin's Thirst
Sorin's Thirst image 2.5 These types of removal spells are always nice. Killing small creatures at Instant speed and gaining some life is a pretty good deal. It isn’t quite premium, but its close.
Defiant Strike image 1.0 Last time we saw this card, it was surprisingly good because it was in Khans of Tarkir, and the Prowess mechanic was all over the place, including on White cards. Not the case here though. +1/+0 is the kind of stat boost that will have very little impact on combat the majority of the time, and normally you want your combat tricks to make it more likely your creature wins combat against larger creatures-- and sure, this cycles itself, and that's what keeps it from being unplayable, but it still isn't very good.
Trusted Pegasus image 3.5 This is a nice aggressive card. It has good base stats, and then can bring another creature to the sky with it, which can really lead to you doing a ton of damage.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Charity Extractor
Goblin Assailant image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. You’ll only play it if you’re desperate for a two drop.
Ironclad Krovod image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with okayish stats. You hope you aren’t playing it.
Charity Extractor image 1.5 This is a pretty good defensive card, and not a bad place to counters thanks to lifelink. But you’ll cut it a lot. It just doesn’t do enough.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Price of Betrayal
Price of Betrayal image 0.5 Even in a set that has a ton of counters, it is pretty hard to consistently use Price of Betrayal to get rid of an opponents’ card. You’ll find yourself downgrading or weakening a card more often, and that just isn’t worth it.
Honor the God-Pharaoh image 2.0 Tormenting Voice + Amass isn’t too bad. You get to add to the board while improving card quality, and that seems fine.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Forced Landing
Forced Landing image 0.5 This is an interesting version of the Green flyer hate sideboard card that every set has. Instead of just straight Plummet, this lets you put the creature on the bottom of their library – which is sometimes better, like if the creature has a death trigger or your opponent has ways to get stuff back from their graveyard. Still, this is mostly likely a sideboard card.
Draft Pick Overview