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Premier Draft RNA 12.januar 2021

12 January 04:18 - matteosmith 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
1 Mortify image
1 Orzhov Locket image
2 Lawmage's Binding image
1 Summary Judgment image
1 Sky Tether image
1 Slimebind image
2 Sphinx's Insight image
Creature (14)
1 Hero of Precinct One image
1 Azorius Skyguard image
1 Impassioned Orator image
2 Haazda Officer image
1 Senate Griffin image
2 Sage's Row Savant image
1 Chillbringer image
1 Senate Courier image
1 Windstorm Drake image
1 Teysa Karlov image
1 Pteramander image
1 Vizkopa Vampire image
Land (17)
6 Plains image
7 Island image
2 Swamp image
2 Orzhov Guildgate image
Sideboard
1 Grasping Thrull image
2 Skitter Eel image
1 Watchful Giant image
1 Scuttlegator image
1 Bloodmist Infiltrator image
1 Carrion Imp image
1 Biomancer's Familiar image
1 Priest of Forgotten Gods image
1 Undercity Scavenger image
1 Knight of Sorrows image
1 Emergency Powers image
1 Slimebind image
2 Orzhov Locket image
1 Bring to Trial image
1 Ill-Gotten Inheritance image
1 Screaming Shield image
1 Swirling Torrent image
1 Simic Guildgate image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Hero of Precinct One
Hero of Precinct One image 4.5 There are a ton of multicolored cards in this format, so it really isn’t that hard to build a deck where Hero of Precinct One feels like Young Pyromancer in Modern or Legacy. It will spit out a ton of tokens in no time. Even just getting one feels great, and it will frequently do far more than that!
Gates Ablaze image 1.0 // 3.5 Gate control decks are definitely a thing in this format, and this is a card that can enable them, since it can often sweep the board in the early game, allowing you to get to the point where you can cast your Archway Angels and the like.
Sphinx of New Prahv image 3.5 This has nice stats that can win the game on its own, and it is a little harder to kill than it looks at first glance thanks to its ability.
Sunder Shaman image 3.5 This is hard to block effectively, and this format has enough artifacts and enchantments around that its ability to threaten those is a pretty big deal.
Senate Courier image 2.0 This has decent stats, and the ability to gain vigilance actually comes up in the later part of games.
Axebane Beast image 1.5 This has sort of passable stats. If you need a reasonably efficient medium-sized body, this is it.
Burning-Tree Vandal image 2.0 Rummaging when it attacks is fine, and because of Riot it can do it for you right away sometimes. The option of also making it a 3/2 is pretty sweet.
Rubblebelt Runner image 2.5 This has decent stats and evasion that actually comes up sometimes.
Stony Strength image 1.5 This kind of trick is almost never worth it. That’s even true in a set with some +1/+1 counter stuff going on. The stats boost isn’t enough, even if it is permanent.
Rubble Reading image 0.5 People play some ambitious mana bases in this format, but even then, this isn’t a great sideboard card.
Rakdos Trumpeter image 2.5 This little creature can be a real menace for your opponent to deal with. It doesn’t pump itself efficiently, but in the late game it is a pretty nice attacker that your opponent will really hate blocking, and obviously it is hard to block early too – though it doesn’t exactly hit hard.
Bring to Trial image 1.5 As usual, there aren’t really enough big creatures in this format for this to be anything special. Its not a disaster if you run one, but it is definitely better out of the sideboard.
Gruul Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Impassioned Orator image 2.5 The incidental life gain this provides really adds up over the course of a game, and is nice upside to have on a 2-mana 2/2.
Rakdos Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Lawmage's Binding
Rampage of the Clans image 0.0 This is the kind of card that was designed with EDH in mind. It isn’t here for Limited players. You have way too little control over what this ends up doing.
Clan Guildmage image 3.0 This guildmage might be the most underwhelming of the group, but its still pretty good! One problem is that both of the abilities kind of do the same thing, so it isn’t as flexible as the others. Turning off a blocker can really allow you to get in for huge damage, and animating a land for a turn can do that too.
Bankrupt in Blood image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures around, this is pretty spicy, but it isn’t something that all decks can take advantage of.
Haazda Officer image 2.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice. 10 – Haazda Officer – 2.0 This adds a reasonable body to the board while buffing a creature, theoretically allowing you to attack more effectively the turn it comes down. That said, +1/+1 isn’t always enough to make that happen.
Skitter Eel image 2.0 You’ll play this in decks that can really take advantage of +1/+1 counter synergy, but it isn’t that great in other decks, where its just inefficient – both before and after adapting.
Gravel-Hide Goblin image 2.5 This has decent starting stats and an ability that can allow it to attack pretty much all game long, even if the ability is a little costly.
Goblin Gathering image 1.0 // 3.0 If you just have one of these, it is playable – but just barely. Once you have multiples, though, it can be a pretty impressive way to go wide.
Axebane Beast image 1.5 This has sort of passable stats. If you need a reasonably efficient medium-sized body, this is it.
Bladebrand image 2.5 This lets any creature trade with anything, while drawing you a card, so you don’t 2-for-1 yourself in the end. Of course, you’re still only 1-for-1ing, and using a kind of risky card. If your opponent destroys the creature you target it can be especially devastating.
Shimmer of Possibility image 1.5 If you’re in the spell deck, this can be worth playing, otherwise casting this isn’t very impactful.
Lawmage's Binding image 4.0 This is an excellent Common that lets you completely shut down just about any creature in the format, and Flash means you can do it at instant speed!
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Justiciar's Portal image 0.5 As usual, this kind of card is a little too situational to be worth using. Blinking just doesn’t do enough often enough, even when you add first strike to the mix.
Simic Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Emergency Powers
Emergency Powers image 1.5 This is a really interesting design, though it isn’t particularly good! You have two options here. You can use this on your opponent’s end phase to reload both of your hands, and then get the first chance at playing some of the new cards you draw when you untap. That can feel pretty good, and is honestly sometimes better that going the Addendum route here. Getting one 7 mana permanent into play for free is nice of course, but then your opponent gets to untap and play everything in their hand. Either way, the card is pretty awkward if you’re already behind, and isn’t really guaranteed to get you ahead at parity either.
Combine Guildmage image 3.5 There are a whole lot of counters in this set, so both abilities on the Guildmage end up coming up a lot in the mid-to-late game, and its pretty powerful to threaten to move counters around, or add additional counters to your creatures.
High Alert image 0.0 // 3.0 Obviously enough, this is a build around, but it is one that its possible to make work in the format. There are enough defensive creatures in the format, and this combines particularly well with the unblockable 2/5 with Vigilance. It is going to be terrible in most Azorius decks, though.
Twilight Panther image 2.5 If you’re in Black/White, this plays like most one mana death touchers. It can trade for anything, and that’s always nice.
Dead Revels image 2.5 As usual, this type of card is something you want one of most of the time in Black. Returning two things to your hand late is a good way to keep the gas going, and because you can get Spectacle going on this, you’ll sometimes even be able to cast the things you bring back right away!
Goblin Gathering image 1.0 // 3.0 If you just have one of these, it is playable – but just barely. Once you have multiples, though, it can be a pretty impressive way to go wide.
Watchful Giant image 1.0 This doesn’t really give you enough for the mana you spend on it. The two bodies are nice I guess, but neither of them is that significant.
Stony Strength image 1.5 This kind of trick is almost never worth it. That’s even true in a set with some +1/+1 counter stuff going on. The stats boost isn’t enough, even if it is permanent.
Gateway Plaza image 2.5 This comes with the “Gate” type, which means you’ll want it in many decks, and it also does a decent job of fixing.
Act of Treason image 1.0 // 3.0 As usually, if you’re in a deck with enough Sacrifice outlets, this is really sweet. Stealing an opposing creature, attacking them with it, and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest feelings there is! But you are going to need to have a few different cards that allow you to cheaply sacrifice a creatures to make it worth it, and it isn’t something you really want in any other deck.
Senate Griffin image 2.5 This is a nice little flyer. The stats are fine, and Scrying is always a good way to smooth out your draws.
Undercity's Embrace image 1.5 Edict effects are always pretty underwhelming in Limited, since board states tend to be pretty clogged up, especially in this format. If you really need removal, and have a decent number of creatures with 4 or more power, it is a decent card, but it is basically never more than that.
Azorius Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Grasping Thrull
Carnival image 2.5 There are enough X/1s in the format that Carnival can do some stuff. Carnage can be pretty nice when your opponent has the cards to hit with it.
Scrabbling Claws image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card to bring in against graveyard decks, and there aren’t really that many of those in this format anyway.
Consign to the Pit image 2.5 Its expensive, but it does answer everything, and the two damage you get out of it is decent upside.
Imperious Oligarch image 3.5 This has nice base stats and comes with the very nice Afterlife mechanic. Two mana for a 2/1 with Vigilance and a 1/1 Flyer is a pretty great deal, even if you aren’t getting them both at the same time.
Rubblebelt Runner image 2.5 This has decent stats and evasion that actually comes up sometimes.
Spikewheel Acrobat image 1.5 The idea here is that this can set up your cards that have Spectacle. And, it can do that for sure, but its body is otherwise a pretty big liability, and the Rakdos decks don’t have that hard of a time of making sure Spectacle is online anyway. If your deck is really leading hard into the mechanic, Spear Spewer is a worthy inclusion, but it is by no means a necessity for those types of decks. 118 - Spikewheel Acrobat – 1.5 This really only feels worth it if you get the Spectacle going, and even then it isn’t exactly amazing, as most 2 drops in the set can still trade for it.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Gateway Plaza image 2.5 This comes with the “Gate” type, which means you’ll want it in many decks, and it also does a decent job of fixing.
Prying Eyes image 1.5 This is way overcosted for a card that only nets you two cards, but it does dig you pretty deep, and if your deck is controlling enough, you can run a copy.
Rakdos Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Grasping Thrull image 3.5 This is a really great common for Orzhov decks. It is sort of a mini-Siege Rhino with Flying. And yeah, obviously it isn’t quite that good, but it is a very real flyer that immediately generates a 4-point life swing, and it turns out that’s a big deal.
Gruul Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Azorius Skyguard
Syndicate Guildmage image 3.5 This has two pretty nice abilities! The cheaper one can shut down big boys, which you can use either defensively or offensively. The second ability is the sort of thing you can use in the late game when the board is clogged up, and it can really help you get there.
Tin Street Dodger image 2.5 This is a decent creature for a few reasons. First, if you’re in Rakdos, it is a good spectacle enabler. Second, if you’re in Gruul, it’s a nice play to put +1/+1 counters because it is usually unblockable. It is a nice enabler/payoff for each of those decks.
Azorius Skyguard image 3.0 This has mediocre stats for the cost, even with First Strike in the mix, but its ability does have an immediate impact on the board, sometimes even making your attacks better, and usually making it harder for your opponent to attack you on their turn. There is one pretty big downside here, though – the Skyguard dies to a whole lot of very cheap removal in the format. Its not uncommon to pay 6 for this and have it blanked by something that costs 3 or less.
Gift of Strength image 1.5 This trick is always fine. It allows a creature to win combat, but like all tricks it is a bit too situational.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Get the Point image 3.5 This is great removal, kills everything no questions asked, and increases the chance that the card you’re going to draw will be what you want!
Humongulus image 1.5 You mostly only play this if you can really take advantage of Hexproof. You can do this with +1/+1 counters and Auras and stuff like that. Otherwise, it is just sort of an inefficient blocker.
Root Snare image 0.0 As usual, fogs are bad in Limited.
Justiciar's Portal image 0.5 As usual, this kind of card is a little too situational to be worth using. Blinking just doesn’t do enough often enough, even when you add first strike to the mix.
Rakdos Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Skitter Eel
Bloodmist Infiltrator image 3.0 This is one of the better sacrifice outlets around, as 3 unblockable damage a turn can really add up. It does die to…pretty much everything, but if your deck is capable of producing fodder for it, it is a pretty formidable creature.
Stony Strength image 1.5 This kind of trick is almost never worth it. That’s even true in a set with some +1/+1 counter stuff going on. The stats boost isn’t enough, even if it is permanent.
Gateway Plaza image 2.5 This comes with the “Gate” type, which means you’ll want it in many decks, and it also does a decent job of fixing.
Plague Wight image 2.5 This is a solid little two-drop that is pretty hard for your opponent to block effectively in the early game.
Bring to Trial image 1.5 As usual, there aren’t really enough big creatures in this format for this to be anything special. Its not a disaster if you run one, but it is definitely better out of the sideboard.
Territorial Boar image 3.0 This ends up attacking as a 3/3 with Vigilance pretty often, and while that’s not the kind of size that is relevant all game long, it end sup being able to attack effectively for quite a while in most decks.
Goblin Gathering image 1.0 // 3.0 If you just have one of these, it is playable – but just barely. Once you have multiples, though, it can be a pretty impressive way to go wide.
Skitter Eel image 2.0 You’ll play this in decks that can really take advantage of +1/+1 counter synergy, but it isn’t that great in other decks, where its just inefficient – both before and after adapting.
Burn Bright image 1.0 // 2.0 If you’re really going wide, this isn’t a terrible inclusion, but only the most aggressive decks are going to be interested in this.
Azorius Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Impassioned Orator
Spear Spewer image 1.5 The idea here is that this can set up your cards that have Spectacle. And, it can do that for sure, but its body is otherwise a pretty big liability, and the Rakdos decks don’t have that hard of a time of making sure Spectacle is online anyway. If your deck is really leading hard into the mechanic, Spear Spewer is a worthy inclusion, but it is by no means a necessity for those types of decks.
Faerie Duelist image 3.0 This is a big overperformer. It can really alter combat in your favor, both during your turn and your opponents, while adding a pretty decent body to the board. It’s a great common.
Root Snare image 0.0 As usual, fogs are bad in Limited.
Impassioned Orator image 2.5 The incidental life gain this provides really adds up over the course of a game, and is nice upside to have on a 2-mana 2/2.
Ill-Gotten Inheritance image 2.5 This card is a major overperformer, and another card that can really help control decks do their thing in this format. It looks like an Enchantment that doesn’t do enough up front, but the life drain it provides really makes it hard for your opponent to take you down. Basically, it will help you stabilize, and then gradually turn into your win condition in many games. Now, sometimes not adding to the board can be a real reliability against aggro decks, but this still does good work most of the time.
Coral Commando image 1.0 This is an unimpressive vanilla creature that you’ll really only run if you’re desperate.
Carrion Imp image 2.0 This gives you enough value with the ETB that paying 4 for it generally feels pretty decent. Its too bad it doesn’t drain your opponent like some other versions of this card we’ve seen over the years.
Growth Spiral image 2.0 This is nice in Limited, but not the busted thing it is in constructed. You won’t always be able to take advantage of the extra land effect after the early game, but that still means it’s a cantrip, which isn’t too shabby.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Simic Guildgate
Sagittars' Volley image 0.5 This is a solid sideboard card, but there aren’t really enough flyers to justify sticking this in your main deck.
Rubblebelt Recluse image 2.0 This is pretty big for the cost. And…well, yeah that’s pretty much all it has going for it! But that kind of size is a decent thing to have around in some decks.
Aeromunculus image 3.5 This starts with solid stats, so the fact that the amplify ability only grants a single counter isn’t a big deal. It has a great baseline and comes with the upside of getting bigger later in the game.
Thirsting Shade image 1.5 This thing demands a ton of mana to be relevant, and it isn’t usually going to be worth it. It can pump itself, but on most boards it just isn’t able to attack.
Quench image 1.5 This can feel okay in the early game, but because your opponent is more likely to have mana around in the later part of the game, it has a pretty steep drop off.
Burning-Tree Vandal image 2.0 Rummaging when it attacks is fine, and because of Riot it can do it for you right away sometimes. The option of also making it a 3/2 is pretty sweet.
Saruli Caretaker image 1.5 The cost of tapping both the Caretaker and another creature for mana ends up being pretty real, but if you are interested in fixing and ramp, this can certainly do it.
Simic Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Bring to Trial
Axebane Beast image 1.5 This has sort of passable stats. If you need a reasonably efficient medium-sized body, this is it.
Stony Strength image 1.5 This kind of trick is almost never worth it. That’s even true in a set with some +1/+1 counter stuff going on. The stats boost isn’t enough, even if it is permanent.
Rubble Reading image 0.5 People play some ambitious mana bases in this format, but even then, this isn’t a great sideboard card.
Rakdos Trumpeter image 2.5 This little creature can be a real menace for your opponent to deal with. It doesn’t pump itself efficiently, but in the late game it is a pretty nice attacker that your opponent will really hate blocking, and obviously it is hard to block early too – though it doesn’t exactly hit hard.
Bring to Trial image 1.5 As usual, there aren’t really enough big creatures in this format for this to be anything special. Its not a disaster if you run one, but it is definitely better out of the sideboard.
Gruul Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Rakdos Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Haazda Officer
Haazda Officer image 2.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice. 10 – Haazda Officer – 2.0 This adds a reasonable body to the board while buffing a creature, theoretically allowing you to attack more effectively the turn it comes down. That said, +1/+1 isn’t always enough to make that happen.
Skitter Eel image 2.0 You’ll play this in decks that can really take advantage of +1/+1 counter synergy, but it isn’t that great in other decks, where its just inefficient – both before and after adapting.
Bladebrand image 2.5 This lets any creature trade with anything, while drawing you a card, so you don’t 2-for-1 yourself in the end. Of course, you’re still only 1-for-1ing, and using a kind of risky card. If your opponent destroys the creature you target it can be especially devastating.
Shimmer of Possibility image 1.5 If you’re in the spell deck, this can be worth playing, otherwise casting this isn’t very impactful.
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Justiciar's Portal image 0.5 As usual, this kind of card is a little too situational to be worth using. Blinking just doesn’t do enough often enough, even when you add first strike to the mix.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Senate Griffin
Twilight Panther image 2.5 If you’re in Black/White, this plays like most one mana death touchers. It can trade for anything, and that’s always nice.
Watchful Giant image 1.0 This doesn’t really give you enough for the mana you spend on it. The two bodies are nice I guess, but neither of them is that significant.
Gateway Plaza image 2.5 This comes with the “Gate” type, which means you’ll want it in many decks, and it also does a decent job of fixing.
Senate Griffin image 2.5 This is a nice little flyer. The stats are fine, and Scrying is always a good way to smooth out your draws.
Azorius Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Scuttlegator
Scrabbling Claws image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card to bring in against graveyard decks, and there aren’t really that many of those in this format anyway.
Consign to the Pit image 2.5 Its expensive, but it does answer everything, and the two damage you get out of it is decent upside.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Rakdos Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Sage's Row Savant
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Root Snare image 0.0 As usual, fogs are bad in Limited.
Rakdos Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Bloodmist Infiltrator
Bloodmist Infiltrator image 3.0 This is one of the better sacrifice outlets around, as 3 unblockable damage a turn can really add up. It does die to…pretty much everything, but if your deck is capable of producing fodder for it, it is a pretty formidable creature.
Stony Strength image 1.5 This kind of trick is almost never worth it. That’s even true in a set with some +1/+1 counter stuff going on. The stats boost isn’t enough, even if it is permanent.
Pack 1 Pick 15: Carrion Imp
Carrion Imp image 2.0 This gives you enough value with the ETB that paying 4 for it generally feels pretty decent. Its too bad it doesn’t drain your opponent like some other versions of this card we’ve seen over the years.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Lawmage's Binding
Thrash image 4.0 This is great. The Thrash side is the best side, as its just a great removal spell. But the downside with that type of removal is that you need to have a creature – and if you don’t have one of those, you can get a 4-mana 4/4 with Trample which isn’t bad either.
Sentinel's Mark image 2.5 This thing really overperforms. If you can flash it in and use it like a combat trick, that tends to feel pretty good, and if you play it during your main phase for Addendum, it also feels pretty nice.
Gatebreaker Ram image 1.5 // 4.0 This is one of the premier Gate payoffs in the format. If you end up with a critical mass of Gates, it will regularly be massive, evasive, and good at both attacking and blocking. Even if your deck has only 5 or so gates, it is a reasonable inclusion. While it is definitely a build around, it is a strong enough one that it is worth taking very highly.
Screaming Shield image 0.0 Mill sometimes work as a strategy in this format, but this is a really clunky way to go about it.
Get the Point image 3.5 This is great removal, kills everything no questions asked, and increases the chance that the card you’re going to draw will be what you want!
Scorchmark image 2.5 Two mana for two damage at instant speed isn’t quite premium removal – but it is solid -- and the fact that this can exile stuff does come up sometimes.
Tenth District Veteran image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a pretty mediocre ability. Untapping one of your other creatures just doesn’t make a huge difference most of the time.
Vizkopa Vampire image 2.0 This often just ends up trading for something and gaining you some life, which is fine, but not exactly exciting either.
Lawmage's Binding image 4.0 This is an excellent Common that lets you completely shut down just about any creature in the format, and Flash means you can do it at instant speed!
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Undercity's Embrace image 1.5 Edict effects are always pretty underwhelming in Limited, since board states tend to be pretty clogged up, especially in this format. If you really need removal, and have a decent number of creatures with 4 or more power, it is a decent card, but it is basically never more than that.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Act of Treason image 1.0 // 3.0 As usually, if you’re in a deck with enough Sacrifice outlets, this is really sweet. Stealing an opposing creature, attacking them with it, and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest feelings there is! But you are going to need to have a few different cards that allow you to cheaply sacrifice a creatures to make it worth it, and it isn’t something you really want in any other deck.
Gift of Strength image 1.5 This trick is always fine. It allows a creature to win combat, but like all tricks it is a bit too situational.
Gruul Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Summary Judgment
Verity Circle image 2.0 This thing is clunky, but it is also a pretty insane late-game value engine, which you can use to lock down opposing creatures and draw a card every turn. It gets even spicier if you combine it with some other tap effects. That said, it is pretty terrible early, and even late the amount of mana it demands can be a little bit too much.
Gyre Engineer image 3.0 This is incredibly fragile, and you’ll find it often dies to a very cheap removal spell before you untap with it. But if you do untap, you get a pretty nice mana boost.
Regenesis image 1.5 Getting two things back from your graveyard can be nice, but 5 mana is a big cost to pay, even at Instant speed.
Angelic Exaltation image 1.0 This costs a lot of mana for something that doesn’t add a body to the board, and while it does effect it as soon you attack alone with something, it requires further set up beyond that to really be relevant.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Grotesque Demise image 3.5 This efficiently deals with a whole lot of creatures in the format, and with many of them, you even get to trade up.
Knight of Sorrows image 1.5 Afterlife is always nice, but this has such inefficient stats when it comes down that it still feels incredibly clunky.
Spikewheel Acrobat image 1.5 The idea here is that this can set up your cards that have Spectacle. And, it can do that for sure, but its body is otherwise a pretty big liability, and the Rakdos decks don’t have that hard of a time of making sure Spectacle is online anyway. If your deck is really leading hard into the mechanic, Spear Spewer is a worthy inclusion, but it is by no means a necessity for those types of decks. 118 - Spikewheel Acrobat – 1.5 This really only feels worth it if you get the Spectacle going, and even then it isn’t exactly amazing, as most 2 drops in the set can still trade for it.
Thirsting Shade image 1.5 This thing demands a ton of mana to be relevant, and it isn’t usually going to be worth it. It can pump itself, but on most boards it just isn’t able to attack.
Slimebind image 1.5 As always, this kind of removal is super underwhelming. It doesn’t do enough to actually remove a creature, only downgrading it, and it often doesn’t give you a card’s worth of value. If you’re really desperate you’ll play it, though.
Clear the Mind image 0.0 // 2.5 This card would be an F in most formats, but this format actually has real enough control decks that you can end up in a deck where Clear the Mind is sort of your win condition, since it keeps you from milling yourself out, while your opponent won’t be so lucky. You do generally need at least two of them to keep things going, but you’d be surprised how real of a strategy it is in this format.
Summary Judgment image 2.5 Its conditional, but its also pretty efficient. Its more efficient if you use it during your main phase, but if you can kill a creature before it hits you with the 3 damage, that’s obviously a little bit better.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Simic Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Sky Tether
Rumbling Ruin image 3.5 If you’re in Gruul, this 6-mana 6/6 can often come down and turn off a number of blockers, which will often allow your creatures who already in play to get in for some significant damage. It won’t always get to do its thing, but this has a floor of a vanilla 6-mana 6/6 and a very impressive ceiling.
Fireblade Artist image 4.0 This is one of the most aggressive cards in the format, and it can generate massive amounts of damage. A lot of the decks in the format are very slow, and this can really devastate most of those decks if it comes down early. Rakdos has enough sacrifice fodder that this can really work out, and it of course also gets Spectacle going.
Sky Tether image 2.5 If your deck has a lot of fliers this can be pretty good. If it doesn’t, it can be pretty mediocre, because the creature you put it on can still do everything apart from attack.
Gravel-Hide Goblin image 2.5 This has decent starting stats and an ability that can allow it to attack pretty much all game long, even if the ability is a little costly.
Scorchmark image 2.5 Two mana for two damage at instant speed isn’t quite premium removal – but it is solid -- and the fact that this can exile stuff does come up sometimes.
Savage Smash image 3.5 The stats boost plus the Fight is massive, especially in situations where you can use this to kill a blocker and swing the thing you fought with. As always with Fight spells, you need to be a little bit cautious about when you cast it, since your opponent doing something in response often wrecks you.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Bladebrand image 2.5 This lets any creature trade with anything, while drawing you a card, so you don’t 2-for-1 yourself in the end. Of course, you’re still only 1-for-1ing, and using a kind of risky card. If your opponent destroys the creature you target it can be especially devastating.
Prying Eyes image 1.5 This is way overcosted for a card that only nets you two cards, but it does dig you pretty deep, and if your deck is controlling enough, you can run a copy.
Impassioned Orator image 2.5 The incidental life gain this provides really adds up over the course of a game, and is nice upside to have on a 2-mana 2/2.
Open the Gates image 2.5 This can be some pretty nice fixing if you’re in the market for that, and you often are in this format because the mana – and the Gate decks – are so good.
Haazda Officer image 2.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice. 10 – Haazda Officer – 2.0 This adds a reasonable body to the board while buffing a creature, theoretically allowing you to attack more effectively the turn it comes down. That said, +1/+1 isn’t always enough to make that happen.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Orzhov Guildgate
Gateway Sneak image 3.0 Gate decks are real in this format, and this is a pretty powerful payoff, as getting in with this just nets you so much value. If you’re drawing more cards, you’re also more likely to find more Gates, too, which is likely to power many of your other cards.
Light Up the Stage image 3.5 This jus tends up feeling like a one mana Divination a huge chunk of the time, and even casting it for three isn’t a disaster. The card advantage it grants you is just great.
Slimebind image 1.5 As always, this kind of removal is super underwhelming. It doesn’t do enough to actually remove a creature, only downgrading it, and it often doesn’t give you a card’s worth of value. If you’re really desperate you’ll play it, though.
Burn Bright image 1.0 // 2.0 If you’re really going wide, this isn’t a terrible inclusion, but only the most aggressive decks are going to be interested in this.
Feral Maaka image 1.0 If you need a two drop well..that’s what this is, but you’ll only be playing this in an emergency.
Prowling Caracal image 1.5 This is a vanilla 2-mana 3/1. If you’re in an aggro deck and don’t have enough two drops, you’ll probably play it.
Bladebrand image 2.5 This lets any creature trade with anything, while drawing you a card, so you don’t 2-for-1 yourself in the end. Of course, you’re still only 1-for-1ing, and using a kind of risky card. If your opponent destroys the creature you target it can be especially devastating.
Saruli Caretaker image 1.5 The cost of tapping both the Caretaker and another creature for mana ends up being pretty real, but if you are interested in fixing and ramp, this can certainly do it.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Savage Smash image 3.5 The stats boost plus the Fight is massive, especially in situations where you can use this to kill a blocker and swing the thing you fought with. As always with Fight spells, you need to be a little bit cautious about when you cast it, since your opponent doing something in response often wrecks you.
Noxious Groodion image 2.0 This trades with everything as most death touchers do. Costing three mana does mean it is harder to trade up with it consistently, but it can still trade with everything.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Biomancer's Familiar
Biomancer's Familiar image 2.5 You will actually end up being able to set this up to use its abilities on occasion, but not nearly often enough for this to be anything more than solid.
Gyre Engineer image 3.0 This is incredibly fragile, and you’ll find it often dies to a very cheap removal spell before you untap with it. But if you do untap, you get a pretty nice mana boost.
Wrecking Beast image 2.0 This is some fine top-curve to have in both Simic and Gruul decks. It hits hard whichever option you choose.
Gift of Strength image 1.5 This trick is always fine. It allows a creature to win combat, but like all tricks it is a bit too situational.
Haazda Officer image 2.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice. 10 – Haazda Officer – 2.0 This adds a reasonable body to the board while buffing a creature, theoretically allowing you to attack more effectively the turn it comes down. That said, +1/+1 isn’t always enough to make that happen.
Carrion Imp image 2.0 This gives you enough value with the ETB that paying 4 for it generally feels pretty decent. Its too bad it doesn’t drain your opponent like some other versions of this card we’ve seen over the years.
Coral Commando image 1.0 This is an unimpressive vanilla creature that you’ll really only run if you’re desperate.
Impassioned Orator image 2.5 The incidental life gain this provides really adds up over the course of a game, and is nice upside to have on a 2-mana 2/2.
Simic Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Prowling Caracal image 1.5 This is a vanilla 2-mana 3/1. If you’re in an aggro deck and don’t have enough two drops, you’ll probably play it.
Simic Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Sphinx's Insight
Windstorm Drake image 2.5 A 5-mana 3/3 Flyer isn’t great, but this does buff your other flyers, and that does enough to make this a pretty reasonable playable in most Blue decks.
Slimebind image 1.5 As always, this kind of removal is super underwhelming. It doesn’t do enough to actually remove a creature, only downgrading it, and it often doesn’t give you a card’s worth of value. If you’re really desperate you’ll play it, though.
Vizkopa Vampire image 2.0 This often just ends up trading for something and gaining you some life, which is fine, but not exactly exciting either.
Sphinx's Insight image 2.5 Both options on this have their place. Sometimes you want to cast it during your opponents turn so that you can untap and play the new things you drew, but sometimes that additional life is great.
Clear the Mind image 0.0 // 2.5 This card would be an F in most formats, but this format actually has real enough control decks that you can end up in a deck where Clear the Mind is sort of your win condition, since it keeps you from milling yourself out, while your opponent won’t be so lucky. You do generally need at least two of them to keep things going, but you’d be surprised how real of a strategy it is in this format.
Stony Strength image 1.5 This kind of trick is almost never worth it. That’s even true in a set with some +1/+1 counter stuff going on. The stats boost isn’t enough, even if it is permanent.
Rubble Reading image 0.5 People play some ambitious mana bases in this format, but even then, this isn’t a great sideboard card.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Aeromunculus image 3.5 This starts with solid stats, so the fact that the amplify ability only grants a single counter isn’t a big deal. It has a great baseline and comes with the upside of getting bigger later in the game.
Rakdos Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Chillbringer
Simic Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Persistent Petitioners image 1.0 You’ll play this if you need a two-mana 1/3, but you aren’t going to assemble a mill deck with this thing.
Chillbringer image 3.5 Creatures that come down and have an immediate effect on the board are great, and Chillbringer freezes a creature down while giving you a pretty real flying body. This is an excellent Common, even as a five drop, you’d be happy to play as many as four of these. They just tend to swing the common in your favor way more often than your typical Common.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Saruli Caretaker image 1.5 The cost of tapping both the Caretaker and another creature for mana ends up being pretty real, but if you are interested in fixing and ramp, this can certainly do it.
Goblin Gathering image 1.0 // 3.0 If you just have one of these, it is playable – but just barely. Once you have multiples, though, it can be a pretty impressive way to go wide.
Syndicate Messenger image 2.5 This has almost-passable stats, so adding Afterlife 1 to the card is pretty nice! Like a lot of them, it can trade and then leave behind a token, which feels pretty good.
Titanic Brawl image 3.5 Your creature doesn’t get any sort of boost out of Titanic Brawl, but the fact that you can play this for only a single Green is pretty nice – especially because both Simic and Gruul are so into +1/+1 counters that already increase the size of your creatures anyway.
Consign to the Pit image 2.5 Its expensive, but it does answer everything, and the two damage you get out of it is decent upside.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Senate Courier
Catacomb Crocodile image 1.0 If you need a defensive vanilla creature…I guess you can have this card, but I’m not sure why you would ever need one of those.
Clear the Mind image 0.0 // 2.5 This card would be an F in most formats, but this format actually has real enough control decks that you can end up in a deck where Clear the Mind is sort of your win condition, since it keeps you from milling yourself out, while your opponent won’t be so lucky. You do generally need at least two of them to keep things going, but you’d be surprised how real of a strategy it is in this format.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Twilight Panther image 2.5 If you’re in Black/White, this plays like most one mana death touchers. It can trade for anything, and that’s always nice.
Open the Gates image 2.5 This can be some pretty nice fixing if you’re in the market for that, and you often are in this format because the mana – and the Gate decks – are so good.
Senate Courier image 2.0 This has decent stats, and the ability to gain vigilance actually comes up in the later part of games.
Civic Stalwart image 2.5 A Hill Giant that pumps your whole board is always pretty decent, as it allows you to add to the board and also significantly improve your attacks.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Screaming Shield
Screaming Shield image 0.0 Mill sometimes work as a strategy in this format, but this is a really clunky way to go about it.
Tenth District Veteran image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and a pretty mediocre ability. Untapping one of your other creatures just doesn’t make a huge difference most of the time.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Undercity's Embrace image 1.5 Edict effects are always pretty underwhelming in Limited, since board states tend to be pretty clogged up, especially in this format. If you really need removal, and have a decent number of creatures with 4 or more power, it is a decent card, but it is basically never more than that.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Gift of Strength image 1.5 This trick is always fine. It allows a creature to win combat, but like all tricks it is a bit too situational.
Gruul Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Slimebind
Gyre Engineer image 3.0 This is incredibly fragile, and you’ll find it often dies to a very cheap removal spell before you untap with it. But if you do untap, you get a pretty nice mana boost.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Knight of Sorrows image 1.5 Afterlife is always nice, but this has such inefficient stats when it comes down that it still feels incredibly clunky.
Thirsting Shade image 1.5 This thing demands a ton of mana to be relevant, and it isn’t usually going to be worth it. It can pump itself, but on most boards it just isn’t able to attack.
Slimebind image 1.5 As always, this kind of removal is super underwhelming. It doesn’t do enough to actually remove a creature, only downgrading it, and it often doesn’t give you a card’s worth of value. If you’re really desperate you’ll play it, though.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Orzhov Locket
Rumbling Ruin image 3.5 If you’re in Gruul, this 6-mana 6/6 can often come down and turn off a number of blockers, which will often allow your creatures who already in play to get in for some significant damage. It won’t always get to do its thing, but this has a floor of a vanilla 6-mana 6/6 and a very impressive ceiling.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Bladebrand image 2.5 This lets any creature trade with anything, while drawing you a card, so you don’t 2-for-1 yourself in the end. Of course, you’re still only 1-for-1ing, and using a kind of risky card. If your opponent destroys the creature you target it can be especially devastating.
Prying Eyes image 1.5 This is way overcosted for a card that only nets you two cards, but it does dig you pretty deep, and if your deck is controlling enough, you can run a copy.
Haazda Officer image 2.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice. 10 – Haazda Officer – 2.0 This adds a reasonable body to the board while buffing a creature, theoretically allowing you to attack more effectively the turn it comes down. That said, +1/+1 isn’t always enough to make that happen.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Slimebind
Slimebind image 1.5 As always, this kind of removal is super underwhelming. It doesn’t do enough to actually remove a creature, only downgrading it, and it often doesn’t give you a card’s worth of value. If you’re really desperate you’ll play it, though.
Feral Maaka image 1.0 If you need a two drop well..that’s what this is, but you’ll only be playing this in an emergency.
Prowling Caracal image 1.5 This is a vanilla 2-mana 3/1. If you’re in an aggro deck and don’t have enough two drops, you’ll probably play it.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Haazda Officer
Haazda Officer image 2.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice. 10 – Haazda Officer – 2.0 This adds a reasonable body to the board while buffing a creature, theoretically allowing you to attack more effectively the turn it comes down. That said, +1/+1 isn’t always enough to make that happen.
Coral Commando image 1.0 This is an unimpressive vanilla creature that you’ll really only run if you’re desperate.
Simic Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Windstorm Drake
Windstorm Drake image 2.5 A 5-mana 3/3 Flyer isn’t great, but this does buff your other flyers, and that does enough to make this a pretty reasonable playable in most Blue decks.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Sage's Row Savant
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Mortify
Immolation Shaman image 3.0 This is a two mana 1/3 with some pretty nice upside. First, it punishes the opponent using activated abilities. That’s…not a huge deal, but it isn’t unusual for it to chip in 1-3 damage as a result. Its activated abilities is what really makes it interesting, because making it a 4/6 with Menace in the later part of the game is pretty nice.
Mortify image 4.0 This is obviously great, as it can very efficiently destroy two different permanent types.
Clamor Shaman image 3.5 This thing is incredible if you’re an aggro deck. As always, making something unable to block is a big deal, and can often really open the floodgates on your opponent. Because of Riot, the Shaman can swing right away, and really alter the race. If she can’t attack your opponent does get a window to kill her, but making her a 2/2 and swinging on the next turn still feels pretty good.
Orzhov Racketeers image 2.5 This has some bad starting stats for the cost, but it does have some nice stuff going on. On a base level, you can simply trade this for something and enjoy your 1/1 tokens. But you’ll find yourself in a situation sometimes where your opponent just has to take this, because they don’t really want to give you the flyers, and when they do take it, they have to lose a card, which is pretty nice.
Steeple Creeper image 2.5 This might be the best of this cycle of Commons. A 3-mana 4/2 is already almost passable, so the ability to gain flying in the mid-to-late game is pretty nice.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Get the Point image 3.5 This is great removal, kills everything no questions asked, and increases the chance that the card you’re going to draw will be what you want!
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Axebane Beast image 1.5 This has sort of passable stats. If you need a reasonably efficient medium-sized body, this is it.
Sylvan Brushstrider image 2.0 This is an alright 3-drop. The stats are pretty mediocre, but the 2 life helps off-set that a little bit.
Clear the Mind image 0.0 // 2.5 This card would be an F in most formats, but this format actually has real enough control decks that you can end up in a deck where Clear the Mind is sort of your win condition, since it keeps you from milling yourself out, while your opponent won’t be so lucky. You do generally need at least two of them to keep things going, but you’d be surprised how real of a strategy it is in this format.
Persistent Petitioners image 1.0 You’ll play this if you need a two-mana 1/3, but you aren’t going to assemble a mill deck with this thing.
Prowling Caracal image 1.5 This is a vanilla 2-mana 3/1. If you’re in an aggro deck and don’t have enough two drops, you’ll probably play it.
Rubblebelt Recluse image 2.0 This is pretty big for the cost. And…well, yeah that’s pretty much all it has going for it! But that kind of size is a decent thing to have around in some decks.
Rakdos Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Ill-Gotten Inheritance
Sharktocrab image 4.5 This is an Uncommon, but its also a bomb. You have a very efficient creature to start with, and then it comes with an incredible +1/+1 counter payoff – and it’s a payoff that it can generate all on its own thanks to Adapt. Freezing creatures down is a huge deal, especially when you have a big Fish Octopus Crab that can now get in there thanks to tapping something down. It gets really insane if you find a way to put counters on it even after you adapt!
Cry of the Carnarium image 0.5 // 3.0 In this format, you can end up in some pretty defensive and controlling decks, and in them, you don’t have very many creatures who die to this. If you’re one of those decks, this thing is a power house, as it can completely derail aggro decks in the early game, virtually guaranteeing you win. But there are lots of decks in this format that shouldn’t be interested in this in the main deck.
Incubation image 2.0 This isn’t as impressive as the rest of this cycle. Both sides can be nice in certain situations, but even when you have both options, neither ends up feeling too great a big chunk of the time. Paying one to get a bit of card selection isn’t great, and neither is paying 3 to kill something and give its controller a 3/3. This is certainly playable, but not remotely impressive.
Senate Courier image 2.0 This has decent stats, and the ability to gain vigilance actually comes up in the later part of games.
Saruli Caretaker image 1.5 The cost of tapping both the Caretaker and another creature for mana ends up being pretty real, but if you are interested in fixing and ramp, this can certainly do it.
Applied Biomancy image 2.5 This can generate some serious blowouts on occasions when both options are useful, and on most boards it is at least capable of doing something for you.
Bring to Trial image 1.5 As usual, there aren’t really enough big creatures in this format for this to be anything special. Its not a disaster if you run one, but it is definitely better out of the sideboard.
Goblin Gathering image 1.0 // 3.0 If you just have one of these, it is playable – but just barely. Once you have multiples, though, it can be a pretty impressive way to go wide.
Prowling Caracal image 1.5 This is a vanilla 2-mana 3/1. If you’re in an aggro deck and don’t have enough two drops, you’ll probably play it.
Burning-Tree Vandal image 2.0 Rummaging when it attacks is fine, and because of Riot it can do it for you right away sometimes. The option of also making it a 3/2 is pretty sweet.
Concordia Pegasus image 1.5 This is a French Vanilla flyer with decent stats. Most of the time you hope you don’t play it, but it isn’t a disaster if you do.
Ill-Gotten Inheritance image 2.5 This card is a major overperformer, and another card that can really help control decks do their thing in this format. It looks like an Enchantment that doesn’t do enough up front, but the life drain it provides really makes it hard for your opponent to take you down. Basically, it will help you stabilize, and then gradually turn into your win condition in many games. Now, sometimes not adding to the board can be a real reliability against aggro decks, but this still does good work most of the time.
Skitter Eel image 2.0 You’ll play this in decks that can really take advantage of +1/+1 counter synergy, but it isn’t that great in other decks, where its just inefficient – both before and after adapting.
Simic Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Orzhov Guildgate
Theater of Horrors image 4.5 This can generate a ton of card advantage, and can really allow you to snowball your opponent. It makes sure that your aggressive Rakdos decks will virtually never run out of gas, and it can even do damage to the opponent all on its own! Sometimes it ends up feeling like a bad draw when you can’t damage your opponent – but you were probably going to lose that game anyway!
Smelt-Ward Ignus image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and an ability that is just way too costly and narrow. But, it isn’t a complete disaster if you have to play it.
Cavalcade of Calamity image 0.0 This card is very sweet, but it is very difficult to consistently build around it in Limited. You just won’t have enough small creatures.
Burn Bright image 1.0 // 2.0 If you’re really going wide, this isn’t a terrible inclusion, but only the most aggressive decks are going to be interested in this.
Watchful Giant image 1.0 This doesn’t really give you enough for the mana you spend on it. The two bodies are nice I guess, but neither of them is that significant.
Humongulus image 1.5 You mostly only play this if you can really take advantage of Hexproof. You can do this with +1/+1 counters and Auras and stuff like that. Otherwise, it is just sort of an inefficient blocker.
Sylvan Brushstrider image 2.0 This is an alright 3-drop. The stats are pretty mediocre, but the 2 life helps off-set that a little bit.
Debtors' Transport image 2.0 While Afterlife 2 is pretty nice, the cost and base stats of this are bad enough that it isn’t that exciting. It can definitely trade and leave some bodies behind, which is fine, but it isn’t a very impressive card.
Prying Eyes image 1.5 This is way overcosted for a card that only nets you two cards, but it does dig you pretty deep, and if your deck is controlling enough, you can run a copy.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Aeromunculus image 3.5 This starts with solid stats, so the fact that the amplify ability only grants a single counter isn’t a big deal. It has a great baseline and comes with the upside of getting bigger later in the game.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Teysa Karlov
Teysa Karlov image 3.0 In this format, this mostly will just make your cards with Aferlife better – but that’s pretty nice, since you’re going to end up with several cards featuring the mechanic in just about any Orzhov deck. You can find some other ways to abuse Teysa’s two abilities too!
Swirling Torrent image 1.5 This can have a big effect sometimes, as it lets you return two things, but it is a very costly card, and the fact it costs so much makes it a lot harder to come out ahead tempo-wise. Its not a bad thing to have a one-of in some decks, as it can really break a game open for you late, but that’s only for more controlling decks.
Junktroller image 1.0 This format can do some grindy stuff, but Junktroller still isn’t something you should be interested in. The idea is that in the extreme late game you can choose what you draw every turn, but it just won’t work out that way very often.
Impassioned Orator image 2.5 The incidental life gain this provides really adds up over the course of a game, and is nice upside to have on a 2-mana 2/2.
Plague Wight image 2.5 This is a solid little two-drop that is pretty hard for your opponent to block effectively in the early game.
Rubble Slinger image 2.0 If you don’t have any good ways to block flyers – this can certainly do it, though it isn’t exactly efficient.
Sylvan Brushstrider image 2.0 This is an alright 3-drop. The stats are pretty mediocre, but the 2 life helps off-set that a little bit.
Faerie Duelist image 3.0 This is a big overperformer. It can really alter combat in your favor, both during your turn and your opponents, while adding a pretty decent body to the board. It’s a great common.
Footlight Fiend image 2.0 This can sometimes generate a 2-for-1, and at the very least it really makes life difficult for any opponent that has an X/1 in play. It is also pretty good sacrifice fodder, and gets Spectacle going. It is a surprisingly effective one drop!
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Rakdos Roustabout image 2.0 The upside this card has doesn’t really do enough to overcome the bad stat-line. It does help you get Spectacle going, but so does just attacking with a more efficient creature!
Simic Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Priest of Forgotten Gods
Priest of Forgotten Gods image 1.5 // 4.5 If you can get the right deck together, this feels like an absolute bomb. If you have enough creatures with Afterlife and other token makers/expendable creatures, this card just starts to snowball, as it gives you amazing value for giving up two creatures. Your opponent’s life goes down, they lose a creature, and you get mana, AND you draw a card. Even if you can only pull it off once, it is basically always going to be in your favor. However, if your deck doesn’t really end up with the means to activate this consistently, it isn’t very good.
Essence Capture image 2.0 Because this is two mana, it’s a pretty reasonable counterspell, even if it does only hit creatures. Limited decks have tons of creatures, so it works out, and adding the counter even has a bit of synergy within the Simic deck.
Bloodmist Infiltrator image 3.0 This is one of the better sacrifice outlets around, as 3 unblockable damage a turn can really add up. It does die to…pretty much everything, but if your deck is capable of producing fodder for it, it is a pretty formidable creature.
Rakdos Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Catacomb Crocodile image 1.0 If you need a defensive vanilla creature…I guess you can have this card, but I’m not sure why you would ever need one of those.
Civic Stalwart image 2.5 A Hill Giant that pumps your whole board is always pretty decent, as it allows you to add to the board and also significantly improve your attacks.
Dead Revels image 2.5 As usual, this type of card is something you want one of most of the time in Black. Returning two things to your hand late is a good way to keep the gas going, and because you can get Spectacle going on this, you’ll sometimes even be able to cast the things you bring back right away!
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Steeple Creeper image 2.5 This might be the best of this cycle of Commons. A 3-mana 4/2 is already almost passable, so the ability to gain flying in the mid-to-late game is pretty nice.
Orzhov Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Pteramander
Pteramander image 3.5 This starts out as a one mana 1/1 Flyer, which isn’t that exciting – but it does mean it’s a good attacker in the very early game, and then in the later game adapting it becomes increasingly easy, and at that point it basically becomes a dragon that can end the game quickly.
Smelt-Ward Ignus image 1.5 This has mediocre stats and an ability that is just way too costly and narrow. But, it isn’t a complete disaster if you have to play it.
Knight of Sorrows image 1.5 Afterlife is always nice, but this has such inefficient stats when it comes down that it still feels incredibly clunky.
Mammoth Spider image 2.0 This is a nice defensive creature if you’re in the market for one, and Green really does have a hard time with Flyers in this set, so having one of these around isn’t too bad.
Faerie Duelist image 3.0 This is a big overperformer. It can really alter combat in your favor, both during your turn and your opponents, while adding a pretty decent body to the board. It’s a great common.
Scuttlegator image 1.5 This isn’t very good. A 6-mana 6/6 with Defender can block pretty well, but you need your six drop to do more than that! It can eventually adapt into a huge creature that can attack, but it still feels too clunky most of the time.
Thought Collapse image 1.5 Cancel is never great in Limited, but the mill upside this gives you does matter a little bit in this format.
Act of Treason image 1.0 // 3.0 As usually, if you’re in a deck with enough Sacrifice outlets, this is really sweet. Stealing an opposing creature, attacking them with it, and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest feelings there is! But you are going to need to have a few different cards that allow you to cheaply sacrifice a creatures to make it worth it, and it isn’t something you really want in any other deck.
Humongulus image 1.5 You mostly only play this if you can really take advantage of Hexproof. You can do this with +1/+1 counters and Auras and stuff like that. Otherwise, it is just sort of an inefficient blocker.
Get the Point image 3.5 This is great removal, kills everything no questions asked, and increases the chance that the card you’re going to draw will be what you want!
Pack 3 Pick 7: Vizkopa Vampire
Carnival image 2.5 There are enough X/1s in the format that Carnival can do some stuff. Carnage can be pretty nice when your opponent has the cards to hit with it.
Carrion Imp image 2.0 This gives you enough value with the ETB that paying 4 for it generally feels pretty decent. Its too bad it doesn’t drain your opponent like some other versions of this card we’ve seen over the years.
Vizkopa Vampire image 2.0 This often just ends up trading for something and gaining you some life, which is fine, but not exactly exciting either.
Sylvan Brushstrider image 2.0 This is an alright 3-drop. The stats are pretty mediocre, but the 2 life helps off-set that a little bit.
Steeple Creeper image 2.5 This might be the best of this cycle of Commons. A 3-mana 4/2 is already almost passable, so the ability to gain flying in the mid-to-late game is pretty nice.
Sage's Row Savant image 1.5 This has alright stats and an alright ETB ability, but you’re usually hoping you have a different two drop.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Growth Spiral image 2.0 This is nice in Limited, but not the busted thing it is in constructed. You won’t always be able to take advantage of the extra land effect after the early game, but that still means it’s a cantrip, which isn’t too shabby.
Impassioned Orator image 2.5 The incidental life gain this provides really adds up over the course of a game, and is nice upside to have on a 2-mana 2/2.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Sphinx's Insight
Spire Mangler image 2.5 You know, this card looks like it would do a ton, but it is significantly less impressive than it looks. It is a solid card for sure, but you don’t often find a way to really leverage that +2/+0 into much additional value. First, restricting it to flyers really hurts. Mostly, it helps you chip in for more damage, or make a 1-for-1 trade. Keep in mind it can target itself, so if you want to flash it in to kill an attacking X/4, it can do that.
Forbidding Spirit image 3.0 The ETB ability doesn’t always do something here, but its still a 3-mana 3/3 with upside, and the times where the ability does cause your opponent to have problems are pretty nice.
Justiciar's Portal image 0.5 As usual, this kind of card is a little too situational to be worth using. Blinking just doesn’t do enough often enough, even when you add first strike to the mix.
Footlight Fiend image 2.0 This can sometimes generate a 2-for-1, and at the very least it really makes life difficult for any opponent that has an X/1 in play. It is also pretty good sacrifice fodder, and gets Spectacle going. It is a surprisingly effective one drop!
Consign to the Pit image 2.5 Its expensive, but it does answer everything, and the two damage you get out of it is decent upside.
Sphinx's Insight image 2.5 Both options on this have their place. Sometimes you want to cast it during your opponents turn so that you can untap and play the new things you drew, but sometimes that additional life is great.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Arrester's Admonition image 3.0 Casting this with the Addendum feels pretty good, as you end up breaking even on cards and getting some pretty good tempo, and you can of course cast it without the Addendum in a pinch – like if your opponent is trying to use a combat trick or something.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Orzhov Locket
Steeple Creeper image 2.5 This might be the best of this cycle of Commons. A 3-mana 4/2 is already almost passable, so the ability to gain flying in the mid-to-late game is pretty nice.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Axebane Beast image 1.5 This has sort of passable stats. If you need a reasonably efficient medium-sized body, this is it.
Sylvan Brushstrider image 2.0 This is an alright 3-drop. The stats are pretty mediocre, but the 2 life helps off-set that a little bit.
Persistent Petitioners image 1.0 You’ll play this if you need a two-mana 1/3, but you aren’t going to assemble a mill deck with this thing.
Rakdos Guildgate image 2.5 These are pretty important in this format. As usual fixing is always nice, but this format also has a ton of excellent gate payoffs. Its kind of funny, but in this Limited format, the Gates are actually a little better than Shocklands, since the payoffs you can get for playing Gates are so good.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Skitter Eel
Incubation image 2.0 This isn’t as impressive as the rest of this cycle. Both sides can be nice in certain situations, but even when you have both options, neither ends up feeling too great a big chunk of the time. Paying one to get a bit of card selection isn’t great, and neither is paying 3 to kill something and give its controller a 3/3. This is certainly playable, but not remotely impressive.
Saruli Caretaker image 1.5 The cost of tapping both the Caretaker and another creature for mana ends up being pretty real, but if you are interested in fixing and ramp, this can certainly do it.
Bring to Trial image 1.5 As usual, there aren’t really enough big creatures in this format for this to be anything special. Its not a disaster if you run one, but it is definitely better out of the sideboard.
Goblin Gathering image 1.0 // 3.0 If you just have one of these, it is playable – but just barely. Once you have multiples, though, it can be a pretty impressive way to go wide.
Prowling Caracal image 1.5 This is a vanilla 2-mana 3/1. If you’re in an aggro deck and don’t have enough two drops, you’ll probably play it.
Skitter Eel image 2.0 You’ll play this in decks that can really take advantage of +1/+1 counter synergy, but it isn’t that great in other decks, where its just inefficient – both before and after adapting.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Watchful Giant
Cavalcade of Calamity image 0.0 This card is very sweet, but it is very difficult to consistently build around it in Limited. You just won’t have enough small creatures.
Watchful Giant image 1.0 This doesn’t really give you enough for the mana you spend on it. The two bodies are nice I guess, but neither of them is that significant.
Sylvan Brushstrider image 2.0 This is an alright 3-drop. The stats are pretty mediocre, but the 2 life helps off-set that a little bit.
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Swirling Torrent
Swirling Torrent image 1.5 This can have a big effect sometimes, as it lets you return two things, but it is a very costly card, and the fact it costs so much makes it a lot harder to come out ahead tempo-wise. Its not a bad thing to have a one-of in some decks, as it can really break a game open for you late, but that’s only for more controlling decks.
Junktroller image 1.0 This format can do some grindy stuff, but Junktroller still isn’t something you should be interested in. The idea is that in the extreme late game you can choose what you draw every turn, but it just won’t work out that way very often.
Storm Strike image 1.5 This is a decent trick if you’re in the market. +1/+0 and First Strike always plays pretty well in terms of helping a creature win combat, and its nice to have Scry 1 tacked on.
Rakdos Roustabout image 2.0 The upside this card has doesn’t really do enough to overcome the bad stat-line. It does help you get Spectacle going, but so does just attacking with a more efficient creature!
Pack 3 Pick 13: Orzhov Locket
Rakdos Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Catacomb Crocodile image 1.0 If you need a defensive vanilla creature…I guess you can have this card, but I’m not sure why you would ever need one of those.
Orzhov Locket image 2.0 If you need fixing, these are fine. Some mana rocks are pretty big duds once you have enough mana or the mana that you need, but its nice you can throw these away to get some cards.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Knight of Sorrows
Knight of Sorrows image 1.5 Afterlife is always nice, but this has such inefficient stats when it comes down that it still feels incredibly clunky.
Humongulus image 1.5 You mostly only play this if you can really take advantage of Hexproof. You can do this with +1/+1 counters and Auras and stuff like that. Otherwise, it is just sort of an inefficient blocker.
Pack 3 Pick 15: Undercity Scavenger
Undercity Scavenger image 2.0 This is a decent sacrifice outlet, as you end up with a 4-mana 5/5 that improves your next couple of draws. It isn’t that impressive, though, and you often won’t really feel like making the sacrifice is worth it.
Draft Pick Overview