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Premier Draft WAR 25.mars 2021

25 March 04:44 - daisymtg 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (15)
1 Vampire Opportunist image
1 Herald of the Dreadhorde image
2 Aven Eternal image
2 Eternal Skylord image
1 Ashiok's Skulker image
1 Wall of Runes image
2 Gleaming Overseer image
1 Leyline Prowler image
1 Spellkeeper Weird image
1 God-Eternal Kefnet image
1 Lazotep Reaver image
1 Vraska's Finisher image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
1 Deathsprout image
1 Tyrant's Scorn image
1 Spark Harvest image
1 Sorin's Thirst image
1 Relentless Advance image
1 Unlikely Aid image
1 Commence the Endgame image
1 Band Together image
Land (17)
7 Island image
6 Swamp image
4 Forest image
Sideboard
2 Ashiok's Skulker image
1 Wall of Runes image
1 Soul Diviner image
1 Lazotep Reaver image
1 Ahn-Crop Invader image
1 Naga Eternal image
1 Kronch Wrangler image
1 Toll of the Invasion image
1 Kaya's Ghostform image
1 Band Together image
1 Relentless Advance image
1 Stealth Mission image
1 Aid the Fallen image
1 Davriel's Shadowfugue image
1 Neoform image
1 Totally Lost image
1 Courage in Crisis image
1 Defiant Strike image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Aven Eternal
Bolas's Citadel image 2.0 This is difficult to make work in Limited. There is a sacrifice deck in this format and all, but having the permanents to sacrifice and the life to pay to play cards off the top of your deck is far from guaranteed.
Bond of Passion image 1.5 So, this is expensive and clunky, but I don’t think you’ll hate yourself if you run one in your Red decks. In a lot of situations, it will result in a huge damage turn for you. Between killing a small creature and stealing your opponent’s best creature, this should do a lot of work. But it is pretty expensive and doesn’t always do as much as you’d like.
Angrath, Captain of Chaos image 2.5 Menace to your whole team for 4 mana isn’t awesome, but I feel like you’ll feel alright if you can use the loyalty ability twice to get a 4/4 or two 2/2s out of the deal as well.
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.
Raging Kronch image 1.5 Usually when we see creatures who can’t attack alone they have more impressive stats than this. That said, usually creatures who can’t attack alone can’t block alone either – but this Kronch can. Obviously a fine card in an aggressive deck, and it cheaply triggers all the “ferocious” pay offs in the set.
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.
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.
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!
Aven Eternal image 3.5 3-mana 2/2 flyers tend to be playable if that’s all they are. Adding Amass here is great, and will give you a great deal whether you put a counter on an Army already in play or you make a token.
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.
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.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
Burning Prophet image 2.0 I love scrying, and I always love the UR spell deck, and this does both! Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t incredible at all – but this is pretty close to Prowess, and a 2-mana 1/3 with Prowess is usually a solid, if unexciting, card.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Deathsprout
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Vraska's Finisher image 3.0 This type of card does not normally impress me, but Vraska’s Finisher really does well in this format. With all the planeswalkers around, Vraska’s ability to destroy the ones that have been damaged on your turn is pretty great, especially because people often let through damage on a planeswalker if it doesn’t kill it. When you do that, you don’t end up using up a card to kill the walker. Generally, if you are using this to kill a creature, you do use up another card to make it get damaged, but still, sometimes that’s worth doing.
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.
Bulwark Giant image 1.5 Well, this is the kind of card that really stabilize you against an aggressive deck. 5 life is huge against decks intent on ending the game quickly, and a 3/6 is no small roadblock. Obviously, this is primarily a defensive card, and not something every White deck is after.
Sarkhan's Catharsis image 1.0 Even in a set with this many Planeswalkers I’m not very interested in a Lava Axe variant.
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.
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.
Aven Eternal image 3.5 3-mana 2/2 flyers tend to be playable if that’s all they are. Adding Amass here is great, and will give you a great deal whether you put a counter on an Army already in play or you make a token.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Toll of the Invasion
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.
Sunblade Angel image 2.5 This is like a mini-Akroma. Packed full of keyword abilities that all work well together – Flying and First Strike make it hard to block, meaning it will get in for damage frequently and gain you life with lifelink which makes it incredibly difficult for your opponent to race you. Meanwhile, Vigilance make sure that she can hang back to block, and as a 3 power hexproof creature she will be pretty good at that. The one thing she doesn’t have going for her is her low toughness, meaning lots of cheap removal spells can take her down.
Storm the Citadel image 1.0 I am not a big fan of this in Limited. 5 for +2/+2 at sorcery speed for your whole team is nothing special – an evasive ability like trample, or something like vigilance added to it would make it a lot better. As it is, I don’t see the combat damage trigger on this card mattering in most games. Yeah, I’m just not impressed, even if your deck can go wide, you hopefully have some better ways to take advantage of it than this.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gateway Plaza image 2.0 This is pretty good fixing, even if it does make you basically pay a mana for it.
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.
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.
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.
Toll of the Invasion image 3.5 This card is an overperformer. Most discard spells in Limited aren’t super impressive, but you have to look at this one as a 3-mana 1/1 that lets you get rid of your opponents best non land card. This format has lots of powerful expensive cards, which means people have cards in hand even late, and the disruption this offers – while also adding to the board – is pretty nice.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Tyrant's Scorn
Silent Submersible image 1.5 This thing is pretty disappointing. It isn’t good at getting in for damage at all between its small size and lack of evasion. Sometimes you can get it going, and that will feel pretty nice, but most of the time it will just sit on the table doing nothing.
Neoform image 0.0 This “Birthing Pod” effect is hard to make work in Limited, just because your deck can’t really be constructed around it effectively. It is just difficult to make it actually worth trading one card for another in most scenarios, and in this case – you actually have to 2-for-1 yourself by using Neoform, so I think it is worse. I don’t think adding the counter to the creature makes it much better.
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.
Contentious Plan image 2.0 A cantrip with Proliferate is nice in this format. You’ll just almost always have something to put more counters on, and that will feel great since this just replaces itself.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Duskmantle Operative image 1.5 This is a bear with some reasonable but unexciting upside.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Aven Eternal
Heartwarming Redemption image 1.0 Sometimes an effect like this can be a nice way to reload your hand, but it is also super awkward. Any time I look at a card and see that it is completely useless if you’re in top deck mode, it makes me really uninterested in playing it, especially because even in an ideal situation where you’re flooding and you use this to get out of that flood, it still isn’t going to feel like it is doing something that impressive.
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.
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.
Aven Eternal image 3.5 3-mana 2/2 flyers tend to be playable if that’s all they are. Adding Amass here is great, and will give you a great deal whether you put a counter on an Army already in play or you make a token.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Snarespinner image 1.5 This blocks fliers really well for a two-drop, but it isn’t that great at anything else.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Eternal Skylord
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Spark Harvest
Deliver Unto Evil image 2.0 3 mana to get two cards back from the graveyard will normally be what you get with this. That’s not bad, but the fact your opponent gets to choose will sometimes be pretty rough. It will get better the later the game goes and the more powerful options you have in your graveyard.
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.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
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.
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.
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.
Spark Harvest image 3.5 This kills a bunch of cards in this format, and it can only cost one mana if you are willing to sacrifice something. Obviously killing walkers matters more in this format than in any other we have ever seen, and the ability to sacrifice a walker matters more too. A lot of the uncommon walkers eventually tick down to 1 loyalty, so turning them into fodder for this seems nice. It is made a lot better by the fact that you can also straight up pay 5 to destroy a creature or planeswalker.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Kaya's Ghostform
Rubblebelt Rioters image 3.0 This can often attack pretty hard right away, but it also becomes less relevant as the game goes long as a result of not really having any evasion.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Sorin's Thirst
Bond of Passion image 1.5 So, this is expensive and clunky, but I don’t think you’ll hate yourself if you run one in your Red decks. In a lot of situations, it will result in a huge damage turn for you. Between killing a small creature and stealing your opponent’s best creature, this should do a lot of work. But it is pretty expensive and doesn’t always do as much as you’d like.
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.
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.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
Burning Prophet image 2.0 I love scrying, and I always love the UR spell deck, and this does both! Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t incredible at all – but this is pretty close to Prowess, and a 2-mana 1/3 with Prowess is usually a solid, if unexciting, card.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Ashiok's Skulker
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.
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.
Bulwark Giant image 1.5 Well, this is the kind of card that really stabilize you against an aggressive deck. 5 life is huge against decks intent on ending the game quickly, and a 3/6 is no small roadblock. Obviously, this is primarily a defensive card, and not something every White deck is after.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Ashiok's Skulker
Storm the Citadel image 1.0 I am not a big fan of this in Limited. 5 for +2/+2 at sorcery speed for your whole team is nothing special – an evasive ability like trample, or something like vigilance added to it would make it a lot better. As it is, I don’t see the combat damage trigger on this card mattering in most games. Yeah, I’m just not impressed, even if your deck can go wide, you hopefully have some better ways to take advantage of it than this.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Neoform
Neoform image 0.0 This “Birthing Pod” effect is hard to make work in Limited, just because your deck can’t really be constructed around it effectively. It is just difficult to make it actually worth trading one card for another in most scenarios, and in this case – you actually have to 2-for-1 yourself by using Neoform, so I think it is worse. I don’t think adding the counter to the creature makes it much better.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Wall of Runes
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Ahn-Crop Invader
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.
Pack 2 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.
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.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer image 2.0 // 4.0 This is one of the better spell payoffs in the whole set! Saheeli is one of the few walkers in this set where most of the value actually comes from her static ability, and not her loyalty ability. Making a 1/1 Servo every time you play a noncreature spell is really good, as it suddenly makes all those spells add to the board in addition to doing whatever else they are doing. Obviously she is a build around, but she is a really powerful one.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Vraska's Finisher image 3.0 This type of card does not normally impress me, but Vraska’s Finisher really does well in this format. With all the planeswalkers around, Vraska’s ability to destroy the ones that have been damaged on your turn is pretty great, especially because people often let through damage on a planeswalker if it doesn’t kill it. When you do that, you don’t end up using up a card to kill the walker. Generally, if you are using this to kill a creature, you do use up another card to make it get damaged, but still, sometimes that’s worth doing.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Gleaming Overseer
Rally of Wings image 1.0 // 2.5 Obviously you need a ton of flyers for this to work out, but I think the UW will be pretty flier filled. You probably need at least 7 flyers for this to be worth it, and more would probably be better. It is flexible, in that you can use it to do lethal, but you can also use it to get larger flyers out of your way and keep your creatures alive. You can also use it to untap all your flyers to eat your opponent’s creatures. Most of the time, going aggressive with it will be best, but having the other options doesn’t hurt.
Gleaming Overseer image 3.0 So, here’s a card to pay you off for amassing a massive Army on your side of the battlefield. One of the big weaknesses of this Army tokens has to be that they can be removed or bounced relatively easily, at which point dumping a bunch of resources into making one huge creature can feel pretty bad. The other problem they have is they aren’t evasive at all, just big dumb huge creatures. Well, Gleaming Overseer takes care of that, turning your Army into a very difficult to kill creature with Menace! And it helps add to the fun too, either giving you a 1/1 token or making your Army bigger. If we just look at this in a vacuum – as a 3-mana ¼ that makes a 1/1 with hexproof and menace, I’m already in on this being a pretty good card.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Banehound image 1.0 This is the kind of card new players will overrate because on the surface it seems like a pretty great deal. I mean, a one mana 1/1 with two keyword abilities is somewhat tempting, right? Well, not really. That’s because these two particular keyword abilities, lifelink and haste, aren’t particularly useful on a 1/1. For both of those to be at their best, you want a bit more power, so the returns on having those two keyword abilities really doesn’t make this all that much better than having a vanilla 1-mana 1/1.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
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!
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.
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 2 Pick 3: Gleaming Overseer
Bioessence Hydra image 4.0 On its own this is a 5-mana 4/4 trampler, which is okayish. I think it is safe to say that most decks will have 3+ planeswalkers in this format too, so it will frequently be larger! And it synergizes really well with Proliferate, allowing to even more impressively grow in size.
Gleaming Overseer image 3.0 So, here’s a card to pay you off for amassing a massive Army on your side of the battlefield. One of the big weaknesses of this Army tokens has to be that they can be removed or bounced relatively easily, at which point dumping a bunch of resources into making one huge creature can feel pretty bad. The other problem they have is they aren’t evasive at all, just big dumb huge creatures. Well, Gleaming Overseer takes care of that, turning your Army into a very difficult to kill creature with Menace! And it helps add to the fun too, either giving you a 1/1 token or making your Army bigger. If we just look at this in a vacuum – as a 3-mana ¼ that makes a 1/1 with hexproof and menace, I’m already in on this being a pretty good card.
Domri's Ambush image 3.5 This is pretty great! Any time there are spells that let a creature deal damage equal to its power to another creature, they tend to be pretty darn good. Keep in mind that this isn’t a “fight,” your opponent’s creature does not do damage to yours. RG for this effect would already be a pretty solid card, but adding a +1/+1 counter to the mix, along with the ability to talk planesawlkers, and we are definitely in the realm of premium removal. Sure, it is somewhat situational in that you have to have a creature, and you have to be careful when you cast it so you don’t get blown out – and the fact that it is a Sorcery does make it a little harder to find an ideal opening, but it is still pretty good.
Band Together image 3.0 Just up front: note this does not let you target two different creatures of your opponent's. Instead, you target two of your creatures, who then do damage equal to their power to one creature your opponent controls. Now that that's clear -- this is still an excellent common for Green. We have seen instant speed versions of this effect before, and they all only allowed you to target one creature on your side to do the damage -- this lets you do even more damage, allowing your two smallish creatures to take down one of your opponent's much larger creatures.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Courage in Crisis image 2.0 If this was just 3-mana to put a counter on something at Sorcery speed, it would be an F or close to it. But you add proliferate to the mix and things get more interesting. Basically, at its worse, this gives you two +1/+1 counters at sorcery speed, and there will be plenty of times where it will add counters some other places too. That said, it does come with some pretty huge risk in that it can open you up to a 2-for-1 if you're not careful.
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.
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.
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 2 Pick 4: Band Together
Planewide Celebration image 3.5 This is expensive, but it has nice effects and you can customize it whatever way is optimal for you, so you usually get some pretty reasonable action for the 7 mana.
Dovin's Veto image 0.5 This is definitely a card that was printed with constructed in mind. Negate is usually pretty nice in constructed, it is not nearly as nice in Limited. Your typical Limited deck will only have about 5 cards that this can counter, and that’s not nearly enough for you to ever want to play this in your main 40 cards.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Band Together image 3.0 Just up front: note this does not let you target two different creatures of your opponent's. Instead, you target two of your creatures, who then do damage equal to their power to one creature your opponent controls. Now that that's clear -- this is still an excellent common for Green. We have seen instant speed versions of this effect before, and they all only allowed you to target one creature on your side to do the damage -- this lets you do even more damage, allowing your two smallish creatures to take down one of your opponent's much larger creatures.
Raging Kronch image 1.5 Usually when we see creatures who can’t attack alone they have more impressive stats than this. That said, usually creatures who can’t attack alone can’t block alone either – but this Kronch can. Obviously a fine card in an aggressive deck, and it cheaply triggers all the “ferocious” pay offs in the set.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Leyline Prowler
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.
Nahiri, Storm of Stone image 3.0 Her static ability is nice, since it can enable so many attacks that weren't possible otherwise -- first strike can be a real game changer. But her value comes from the fact that she's also a reasonable removal spell. For 4 mana, she can take down tapped creatures with up to SIX toughness. And sure, killing something that is tapped usually means it hit you first, and that's never great, but when it comes with the additional upside of perhaps being able to kill 2 or 3 creatures, and First Strike for your team, that’s not too bad.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
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.
Aven Eternal image 3.5 3-mana 2/2 flyers tend to be playable if that’s all they are. Adding Amass here is great, and will give you a great deal whether you put a counter on an Army already in play or you make a token.
Contentious Plan image 2.0 A cantrip with Proliferate is nice in this format. You’ll just almost always have something to put more counters on, and that will feel great since this just replaces itself.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Spellkeeper Weird
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Pack 2 Pick 7: Relentless Advance
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.
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.
Snarespinner image 1.5 This blocks fliers really well for a two-drop, but it isn’t that great at anything else.
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.
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.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Totally Lost
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Unlikely Aid
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Stealth Mission
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.
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.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
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.
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 2 Pick 11: Courage in Crisis
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.
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.
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.
Courage in Crisis image 2.0 If this was just 3-mana to put a counter on something at Sorcery speed, it would be an F or close to it. But you add proliferate to the mix and things get more interesting. Basically, at its worse, this gives you two +1/+1 counters at sorcery speed, and there will be plenty of times where it will add counters some other places too. That said, it does come with some pretty huge risk in that it can open you up to a 2-for-1 if you're not careful.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Wall of Runes
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.
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.
Raging Kronch image 1.5 Usually when we see creatures who can’t attack alone they have more impressive stats than this. That said, usually creatures who can’t attack alone can’t block alone either – but this Kronch can. Obviously a fine card in an aggressive deck, and it cheaply triggers all the “ferocious” pay offs in the set.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Ashiok's Skulker
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Defiant Strike
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.
Pack 3 Pick 1: God-Eternal Kefnet
God-Eternal Kefnet image 4.0 In a lot of decks all Kefnet will be is a 4-mana 4/5 flyer that it is difficult to make stay dead, which is already pretty good. Unfortunately, Kefnet’s main ability is very reliant on instants and sorceries, and not hitting those types of cards with it is pretty darn likely. Still, if you can even copy one spell with Kefnet you’re getting a pretty good deal, and because it doesn’t usually stay dead, you’ll get more cracks at it.
Mowu, Loyal Companion image 1.5 // 3.5 Like his owner, Mowu is a +1/+1 counter build around. He gets silly when you can put counters on him, and is super underwhelming when you can’t.
Arlinn, Voice of the Pack image 3.5 For 6-mana, she gives immediately makes a 2/2 wolf token – with a counter, so basically a 3/3. That definitely protects her a bit, and may even make it so that she can make 3 of these 3/3s. But in general, I feel like if you manage to make 2 with her, you’re probably feeling alright about your situation, and she of course also has some synergy with other wolves – you know, like the one we just talked about – and she also has some synergy with proliferate because of the +1/+1 counters.
Dovin's Veto image 0.5 This is definitely a card that was printed with constructed in mind. Negate is usually pretty nice in constructed, it is not nearly as nice in Limited. Your typical Limited deck will only have about 5 cards that this can counter, and that’s not nearly enough for you to ever want to play this in your main 40 cards.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Duskmantle Operative image 1.5 This is a bear with some reasonable but unexciting upside.
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.
Aven Eternal image 3.5 3-mana 2/2 flyers tend to be playable if that’s all they are. Adding Amass here is great, and will give you a great deal whether you put a counter on an Army already in play or you make a token.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Eternal Skylord
Teferi, Time Raveler image 4.0 His static ability will probably hurt your opponent a little bit, and his +1 isn’t the most exciting, but I’m pretty interested in that -3. If this were 1WU for a sorcery that bounced an artifact, creature, or enchantment and drew you a card, it would probably be pretty good because that’s a great deal – it has flexibility and replaces itself, so you don’t only get tempo, you get a new card.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ob Nixilis's Cruelty image 4.0 This is is Black’s obligatory premium common removal spell. 3 mana for -5/-5 is a great deal, especially at instant speed, and especially with the exile clause attached to it. The great thing about this kind of card too, is that it doesn’t have to outright kill a creature to give you value, sometimes, you can set up a block and use it to make your opponent’s creature smaller so yours survives in combat. Granted, -5/-5 is going to do the job on its own most of the time, but -X/-X Black removal spells always come with that bit of upside. This is probably the best Common in the set.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Commence the Endgame
Commence the Endgame image 3.5 At 6-mana you draw 2 and create a 2/2 token (or put two counters on an Army). Especially at Instant speed, that can really be a 3-for-1. That 3-for-1 is basically the ceiling, but it becomes increasingly likely the more cards you have in hand. It might be bit expensive, but I can’t imagine not wanting to play one of these in any Blue deck in the format.
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.
Sunblade Angel image 2.5 This is like a mini-Akroma. Packed full of keyword abilities that all work well together – Flying and First Strike make it hard to block, meaning it will get in for damage frequently and gain you life with lifelink which makes it incredibly difficult for your opponent to race you. Meanwhile, Vigilance make sure that she can hang back to block, and as a 3 power hexproof creature she will be pretty good at that. The one thing she doesn’t have going for her is her low toughness, meaning lots of cheap removal spells can take her down.
Duskmantle Operative image 1.5 This is a bear with some reasonable but unexciting upside.
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.
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.
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.
Band Together image 3.0 Just up front: note this does not let you target two different creatures of your opponent's. Instead, you target two of your creatures, who then do damage equal to their power to one creature your opponent controls. Now that that's clear -- this is still an excellent common for Green. We have seen instant speed versions of this effect before, and they all only allowed you to target one creature on your side to do the damage -- this lets you do even more damage, allowing your two smallish creatures to take down one of your opponent's much larger creatures.
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.
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.
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.
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 4: Band Together
Dreadhorde Arcanist image 1.0 It is difficult to make this consistently do anything other than be a bad creature in Limited. Sometimes you’ll end up with the right build that has enough cheap spells, but not usually.
Heartwarming Redemption image 1.0 Sometimes an effect like this can be a nice way to reload your hand, but it is also super awkward. Any time I look at a card and see that it is completely useless if you’re in top deck mode, it makes me really uninterested in playing it, especially because even in an ideal situation where you’re flooding and you use this to get out of that flood, it still isn’t going to feel like it is doing something that impressive.
Teyo, the Shieldmage image 2.0 Basically, you are paying 3 for a 0/3 wall, and maybe he makes you a second one too. With most of these walkers, if you get to use their ability the second time, they sound pretty good. In this case? Not so much. 3 mana for two 0/3s is something, but not anything special. It isn’t like 0/3s are even that hard to bust through in the long run.
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.
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.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Band Together image 3.0 Just up front: note this does not let you target two different creatures of your opponent's. Instead, you target two of your creatures, who then do damage equal to their power to one creature your opponent controls. Now that that's clear -- this is still an excellent common for Green. We have seen instant speed versions of this effect before, and they all only allowed you to target one creature on your side to do the damage -- this lets you do even more damage, allowing your two smallish creatures to take down one of your opponent's much larger creatures.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Lazotep Reaver
Feather, the Redeemed image 3.5 She has a difficult mana cost like this whole cycle of legends does, but she does some cool stuff. A 3-mana ¾ with flying is great for Limited, and the rest of her text might require a little building around – but I don’t think it will be that much, since there seem to be several RW cards in this set that incentivize playing combat tricks, so it isn’t like you are playing them just to abuse with Feather, there will be other ways to take advantage too. I think she is worth first picking, but probably only in some weaker packs. I’m taking premium removal over her.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 3 Pick 6: Aid the Fallen
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.
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Shriekdiver image 1.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying is kind of ok, and you can make this one into a 4-mana 2/1 with Flying and Haste which is…also ok.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 7: Davriel's Shadowfugue
Mowu, Loyal Companion image 1.5 // 3.5 Like his owner, Mowu is a +1/+1 counter build around. He gets silly when you can put counters on him, and is super underwhelming when you can’t.
God-Pharaoh's Statue image 0.0 You should pass on this one. I By the time you're at 6 mana, making your opponent pay 2 extra mana for spells will have a pretty negligible effect. And sure, I guess it can function as a win condition in a super controlling deck, but it is basically a super bad version of Ill-Gotten Inheritance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Vraska's Finisher
Vraska's Finisher image 3.0 This type of card does not normally impress me, but Vraska’s Finisher really does well in this format. With all the planeswalkers around, Vraska’s ability to destroy the ones that have been damaged on your turn is pretty great, especially because people often let through damage on a planeswalker if it doesn’t kill it. When you do that, you don’t end up using up a card to kill the walker. Generally, if you are using this to kill a creature, you do use up another card to make it get damaged, but still, sometimes that’s worth doing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bulwark Giant image 1.5 Well, this is the kind of card that really stabilize you against an aggressive deck. 5 life is huge against decks intent on ending the game quickly, and a 3/6 is no small roadblock. Obviously, this is primarily a defensive card, and not something every White deck is after.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Lazotep Reaver
Dovin's Veto image 0.5 This is definitely a card that was printed with constructed in mind. Negate is usually pretty nice in constructed, it is not nearly as nice in Limited. Your typical Limited deck will only have about 5 cards that this can counter, and that’s not nearly enough for you to ever want to play this in your main 40 cards.
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.
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.
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.
Duskmantle Operative image 1.5 This is a bear with some reasonable but unexciting upside.
Pack 3 Pick 10: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Kronch Wrangler
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.
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.
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.
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 12: Relentless Advance
Dreadhorde Arcanist image 1.0 It is difficult to make this consistently do anything other than be a bad creature in Limited. Sometimes you’ll end up with the right build that has enough cheap spells, but not usually.
Heartwarming Redemption image 1.0 Sometimes an effect like this can be a nice way to reload your hand, but it is also super awkward. Any time I look at a card and see that it is completely useless if you’re in top deck mode, it makes me really uninterested in playing it, especially because even in an ideal situation where you’re flooding and you use this to get out of that flood, it still isn’t going to feel like it is doing something that impressive.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Vampire Opportunist
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Naga Eternal
Naga Eternal image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with mediocre stats. That’s all.
Draft Pick Overview