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Quick Draft ELD 05.april 2021

5 April 11:50 - goodjobphil 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
1 Run Away Together image
1 Turn into a Pumpkin image
2 Outflank image
1 Opt image
1 Trapped in the Tower image
1 Unexplained Vision image
1 Glass Casket image
1 Witching Well image
Creature (14)
1 Faerie Guidemother image
1 Lonesome Unicorn image
1 Harmonious Archon image
1 Moonlit Scavengers image
1 Tome Raider image
3 Vantress Paladin image
2 Queen of Ice image
1 Overwhelmed Apprentice image
1 Prized Griffin image
1 Charming Prince image
1 Animating Faerie image
Land (17)
7 Plains image
10 Island image
Sideboard
1 Merfolk Secretkeeper image
2 Mistford River Turtle image
1 Ogre Errant image
2 Knight of the Keep image
1 Overwhelmed Apprentice image
1 Silverflame Squire image
2 Corridor Monitor image
1 Mad Ratter image
1 Didn't Say Please image
1 Crystal Slipper image
2 Redcap Melee image
1 Silverflame Ritual image
1 Barge In image
1 Tall as a Beanstalk image
1 Memory Theft image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Harmonious Archon
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Garenbrig Carver image 3.5 This often ends up netting you a 2-for-1. The Trick Adventure helps you run over a blocker, and then you get a 3/2 in play who can trade. This is a very good Common.
Dwarven Mine image 2.0 If your deck has 10+ Mountains in it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting a 1/1 token.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This is reasonably mainboardable in this format, as it often has a target. Still an easy cut, though, and better in your sideboard.
Outflank image 2.5 This is a very conditional removal spell. Not only does the creature have to be attacking or blocking, you also have to have enough creatures in play to kill it. That will not always be a possibility. This can also be interfered with relatively easily, namely by killing one of your creatures, so that the damage this does drops to the point it doesn’t kill your target anymore And sure, it does only cost a single White mana, and it will probably feel nice when you’re the beat down, but with all the conditions it requires, it isn’t the kind of removal spell you take very early at all.
Eye Collector image 1.5 In general, one mana 1/1 flyers that don’t do anything else – and this mostly doesn’t do anything else – aren’t that good. This is sort of reasonable in the mill deck, but that’s about it.
Shining Armor image 1.5 This is an equipment with Flash that attaches itself to Knights for free when it comes down, but the bonus it gives isn’t anything special. Good combat tricks pump your creatures power, so that it can take down creatures in combat it couldn’t before – this one doesn’t. And sure, it does stick around and give your guy Vigilance, and that’s ok I guess – but once you have to start paying 3 mana to put this on stuff, it is really going to hurt.
Steelgaze Griffin image 2.0 Yet another payoff for drawing an extra card each turn, Steelgaze Griffin has some pretty bad base stats as a 5-mana 2/4 with Flying. But the upside it comes with is nice – becoming a 4/4 on turns you draw an extra card is pretty serious. A 5-mana 4/4 with Flying – you know, like Air elemental – is usually in the lower part of the B range. Obviously, this is worse because it won’t always be a 4/4, but it seems like a reasonable payoff for drawing extra cards in the UR deck.
Blow Your House Down image 1.0 This is the kind of effect hyper aggressive decks will be able to end the game with. The problem with a card like this, though, is that it is only good in a specific situation – one where you can deal lethal, basically, and mediocre at all other times. It is sort of nice it can blow up Walls – there are a few playable ones in this format (we’re about to see one shortly, actually), but still, this is the kind of corner-case cards that only the most aggro decks around will want to play.
Malevolent Noble image 2.5 This guy is a serious underperformer. He isn’t BAD per se, but looking at him at first, I thought he would be a pretty powerful common. Being able to sacrifice your food or creatures to make him bigger seemed nice! And he starts out as a two-mana 2/2, so that’s not too bad! Problem is, having the mana and resources around to use his ability a lot just doesn’t happen much. He’s still fine, but he isn’t even close to one of Black’s best commons.
Wandermare image 3.5 A 3-mana 3/3 as a base level is already good, and if you can put even one +1/+1 counter on this, I think you’ll be pretty happy. Anything more than that and things get silly. Keep in mind, too, that like most Adventure build arounds in this set, it doesn’t matter whether or not the creature has gone on its Adventure to trigger this – you can just cast a creature that has an Adventure option, even if you never used the Adventure half, and Wandermare will be getting a +1/+1 counter. GW will have no problems getting cards with Adventure, I don’t think it is unreasonable to assume 5-7 is kind of a guarantee.
Belle of the Brawl image 3.5 3-mana 3/2s with Menace always play well on their own and Belle of the Brawl also happens to make your other Knights bigger when she attacks, and that is significant upside, since this set is loaded up with knights in the Mardu colors.
Oakhame Ranger image 3.5 4 mana for two 1/1 Humans isn’t the most efficient thing in the world, but sometimes you need two bodies. Then, the creature side of the card synergizes well with going wide – which this helps you do, since it can pump your whole team by tapping. This is going to be a great card in decks really looking to go wide, but I don’t think it is so powerful you end up moving into GW just because you see this, and that holds it to a 3.5.
Harmonious Archon image 4.5 This costs 6 mana and gives you 10 power, 4 of which has Flying. And that is certainly true. Sometimes it will play even better than that -- if you have a bunch of creatures in play. Other times it will play worse -- if your opponent has a bunch of creatures i play. I think you will be ahead enough of the time when you play this -- since it is one card that gives you 3 pretty sizable bodies -- that it will feel like a bomb most of the time.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Merfolk Secretkeeper
Crashing Drawbridge image 1.5 I never like walls that try to do aggressive things, and that’s what this is. You’ll play it in some aggro decks, but the fact that you’re playing a creature who can’t attack in your aggro deck is annoying.
Scorching Dragonfire image 4.0 We see two mana to do 3 a lot, and it is always a premium removal spell. It is cheap enough and kills big enough creatures that you usually are going to break even or come out ahead with your opponent in terms of mana. It is also an Instant, so you’ll be able to get some blowouts to happen in a world of combat tricks and Auras. Exiling stuff it kills is nice additional upside.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Beloved Princess image 1.5 A one mana 1/1 with lifelink that is kind of evasive doesn’t really do it for me. Sure, big creatures can’t block it, but it is small and dies to basically any blocker. And if you pump her things might get interesting, but mostly it doesn’t seem worth it.
Mistford River Turtle image 1.0 This guy has mediocre stats and a mediocre ability. Even as a 1/5, you’ll find it hard to want to attack with this just to make something else you have unblockable. Sometimes it works out, but it is actually a pretty real cost to have to attack with the Turtle too, especially if they can just block it with three 2/2s.
Merfolk Secretkeeper image 3.0 This is a key Common in this set, and it really enables mill strategies. The adventure mills a hefty 4 cards, and the creature itself can come down and block and protect you. If you can get multiple secretkeepers, you are in business – especially if you also have bounce to use them repeatedly. It is a weird card, though, in the sense that it is pretty terrible everywhere else. Still, value these highly early, as they can be a very real path to victory.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This is reasonably mainboardable in this format, as it often has a target. Still an easy cut, though, and better in your sideboard.
Rosethorn Halberd image 2.0 I think this seems decent. One mana for +2/+1 stats boost, provided you have a non-human in play – is a pretty nice rate. BUT your deck has to have enough non-humans around for this to be worth it, and man – after that first creature, the Equip cost is super steep.
Fell the Pheasant image 0.5 This is mostly just sideboard hate to bring in against someone who has a lot of flyers.
Youthful Knight image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strikers tend to play really well in aggressive decks -- but they really aren’t bad in less aggressive ones, as they are great blockers against smaller creatures. There is a lot of Equipment in this set too, and obviously it plays well with a creature with first strike. Definitely matters that this has a useful creature type too!
Mystical Dispute image 1.5 A 3-mana Mana Leak is close to unplayable in Limited. Having to leave up 3 mana for a counterspell is a big ask, especially when your counter isn’t a hard counter. The later the game goes, the weaker something like this gets, and it is way easier to play around this type of counterspell than a hard counter. Still, I think you can get away with mainboarding this, because a one-mana Mana Leak is pretty solid, and that’s what it will be sometimes. I think in an ideal world it starts in your sideboard, though.
Flaxen Intruder image 1.5 I am not super impressed by this card, as both halves seem rather underwhelming. 7 mana for 3 2/2 Bears isn’t a great deal, and a ½ that can Naturalize stuff when she hits the opponent isn’t either. Now, it is cool that Adventure might allow you to do both of these things with the one card, but paying 8 mana for three 2/2 bears and the ½ still doesn’t feel that good to me. I don’t really see myself wanting to play this in most situations.
Cauldron Familiar image 0.0 // 2.5 So, a one mana 1/1 that just drains life probably isn’t playable. This one is an interesting food build around, though, and if your deck can make a critical mass of Food, you have a Cat that won’t stay dead, and drains your opponent one life over and over again. This is a build around, one you should avoid unless you have like 6 or more ways to make Food.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Turn into a Pumpkin
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Festive Funeral image 2.0 This is a conditional removal spell that will almost never be efficient. But hey, it IS still removal.
Brimstone Trebuchet image 2.5 Any time we have a creature like this they turn out being pretty good – look at cards like Nettle Drone and Thermo-Alchemist. Now, this is more specific than either of those, but it will still be nice. A 3-mana 1/3 with Reach that does damage to your opponent one at a time isn’t incredible – but is close to solid. Most Red decks will probably have a few knights no matter what, and obviously it gets even better when you have a ton.
Flutterfox image 3.0 This is a nice two drop. 2-mana 2/2s are nothing special these days, but the fact that this can gain flying -- and do it relatively easily in this format -- makes it a two drop that is relevant all game long.
Idyllic Grange image 2.0 If your deck has 10+ Plains it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting a +1/+1 counter.
Golden Egg image 1.5 So, we’ve seen cards a lot like this before, and they’re always alright. Mana filtering that replaces itself isn’t a bad thing to have a round, since it can help you splash, and you don’t end up using a whole card for it since it draws you one. If you don’t need the fixing during your game, it can also gain you life I guess, but that isn’t so good. Note also that it is technically “Food” so any cards that interact with Food tokens will make this better. I think this is an easy-to-cut last card in your deck.
Witch's Cottage image 2.5 If your deck has 10+ Swamps, you’ll run this so you can get back powerful creatures from your graveyard.
Tall as a Beanstalk image 0.0 Lately, they have been printing Auras that are actually playable because of their efficiency, or their ability to mitigate against a 2-for-1. But this isn’t either of those. 4 mana for +3/+3 and Reach really isn’t the most amazing deal in the world, and it leaves you wide open to 2-for-1s that will also get huge tempo on you because of the total mana you spend on the creature and this Aura. Don’t play this.
Memory Theft image 1.0 Coercion usually isn’t a very good card in Limited – you pay a significant amount of mana and don’t impact the board at all. This does come with the ability to get rid of creatures sitting around in the Adventure Zone, and when you can do that it will almost feel like a 2-for-1, but there’s no guarantee it will line up that way.
Opt image 2.0 Opt is pretty much the definition of a fine but easily cuttable Limited card. It gives you some card selection, but doesn’t impact the board or give you card advantage. This set doesn’t really have a spell theme, or it would be a little better.
Turn into a Pumpkin image 3.0 A 4-mana bounce any permanent that draws you a card is usually pretty good anyway – this is because you actually don’t go down a card like you do with most bounc spell, and you still get to get some tempo. Now, the fact it costs 4 means you aren’t going to have as many targets that really make you feel good about bouncing them – unlike with two mana versions of the effect – but yeah, I’m willing to pay 2 more mana to draw a card. Then, with Adamant, you might also get a Food token, and that’s a nice additional effect.
Belle of the Brawl image 3.5 3-mana 3/2s with Menace always play well on their own and Belle of the Brawl also happens to make your other Knights bigger when she attacks, and that is significant upside, since this set is loaded up with knights in the Mardu colors.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Didn't Say Please
Seven Dwarves image 1.0 // 2.5 A vanilla two mana 2/2 doesn’t usually make your deck these days unless you are desperate for a two-drop. Obviously though, the more of these you get, the better they are. Getting 7 of this probably won’t be that easy, but I think with 3-5 -- which is more realistic, you’re looking at a decent card.
Knight of the Keep image 1.0 A vanilla 3 mana 3/2 just isn’t really what you want to be doing. There are just so many better things you can do with 3 mana. You’ll only play it begrudgingly, if you need a 3 drop, or more knights in your deck, or you are way too short on creatures in your deck.
Festive Funeral image 2.0 This is a conditional removal spell that will almost never be efficient. But hey, it IS still removal.
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Didn't Say Please image 1.5 I’m never a big fan of Cancel variants, unless they bring something big to the table. The good news for Didn’t Say Please is that there is a legit mill deck in this format, so its effect is actually kind of useful. The problem with a 3 mana counter spell is that you find yourself having to leave up a considerably percentage of your mana to be able to use it. I think sometimes people make the mistake of thinking of a counterspell like a removal spell, but in a lot of ways, they are worse, at least in Limited. This is because you have a smaller window to use this card where it will actually get rid of something -- you HAVE to have the mana up when they play whatever it is you want to get rid of. With removal spells, it doesn’t matter when you cast it, so you have a much wider window to use them. This means that top-decking removal tends to be way better, for example. You’ll play this in your controlling mill decks, but not anywhere else.
Scalding Cauldron image 1.0 You’ll only play this if you have artifact synergies and/or you are short on removal. It just isn’t efficient at all.
Lost Legion image 2.5 I always like this kind of creature. Sure, it doesn’t do well on the vanilla test as a 3-mana ⅔ -- even being one that is kind of hard to cast, BUT Scry 2 is some serious value, and goes a long way towards ensuring your draws are better for a little while. And, it is also has a useful creature type. I think all of this combines to make it a solid playable for Black decks.
Roving Keep image 1.0 I mean, if you really need a finisher in your defensive control deck, I guess this does the job? You really need to find something better, though.
Crystal Slipper image 1.5 The initial cost of the card – 2 to play and 1 to equip is pretty steep. That said, being able to sort of pay a kicker on your creatures of one mana to give them +1/+0 and Haste seems alright. I think you probably play one of these in aggro decks sometimes, but I feel like you’ll cut it pretty regularly too.
Clockwork Servant image 3.0 This will draw you a card pretty often, and while that’s ideal, you can also play it as a reasonably efficient creature.
Venerable Knight image 2.5 A one mana 2/1 with some upside is nice, mostly because it can trade up with lots of creatures, even those with mana costs of 3 or 4, and it attacks really well early. This comes with some additional value too, since it can put a +1/+1 counter on another Knight when it dies. That’s a pretty solid package.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Moonlit Scavengers
Mantle of Tides image 1.0 I don’t think I like this very much. Sure, equipping it to stuff for free, especially at Instant speed seems nice. But that “ideal” situation isn’t going to come up as often as we would like – you need to have creatures of the right size, and instant speed ways to draw an extra card.
Brimstone Trebuchet image 2.5 Any time we have a creature like this they turn out being pretty good – look at cards like Nettle Drone and Thermo-Alchemist. Now, this is more specific than either of those, but it will still be nice. A 3-mana 1/3 with Reach that does damage to your opponent one at a time isn’t incredible – but is close to solid. Most Red decks will probably have a few knights no matter what, and obviously it gets even better when you have a ton.
Silverflame Squire image 3.5 All of these adventure creatures with a trick on one side and a reasonably costed creature on the other are pretty darn good. You can use the trick half to help a creature win combat, and then play the creature side on a later turn, which can get you a 2-for-1 in many cases.
Sporecap Spider image 1.5 Aggressive Green decks won’t really want this, but all the other Green decks should feel fine about playing the first of these. They are good at blocking flyers.
Smitten Swordmaster image 2.5 If your deck has lots of Knights in it, his Adventure can be absolutely devastating – and this becomes even more true because you don’t even use up a card to do it! Effects like that often aren’t awesome, because if you aren’t killing your opponent with them, you are going down a card to not have a direct effect on the board – but this guy can come down as a 2-mana 2/1 with Lifelink, which is already a pretty decent card – especially with the Knight creature type. I mean, if we think of this as a 3-mana 2/1 with lifelink that does 1 to the opponent for each Knight – that would be a pretty high quality card, and this is better than that in some ways!
Moonlit Scavengers image 2.5 I am always a fan of Man-O’-Wars, and this is a pretty beefy one. Bouncing opponent’s creatures with your own creature tends to feel pretty great in Limited, because you simultaneously add to your board while taking something away from your opponent. This does have some hoops to jump through to make that happen – but it isn’t that difficult on turn 6 to have an Artifact or Enchantment in this format. I mean, sure, if your deck has very little in the way of those types of permanents, you can’t really play this – but keep in mind Food counts towards that.
Ogre Errant image 2.0 This is harder to get going than you might think, and even when it does, it finds itself on boards where it still doesn’t have a good attack.
Lonesome Unicorn image 3.0 Neither half of this card is particularly efficient. A sorcery that was 3 mana for a 2/2 token with Vigilance isn’t something you’d play and neither, and a 5-mana 3/3 with Vigilance.. BUT -- this card can do both of those things, and that’s the beauty of Adventures. Becuase it can make both of those things happen, and that can allow for a 2-for-1 without too much effort. Ideally you want to be doing both halves of this, and sometimes you will just need to cast the 3/3 Unicorn, which won’t feel too good, but I still think this is a really nice common for White.
Oakhame Ranger image 3.5 4 mana for two 1/1 Humans isn’t the most efficient thing in the world, but sometimes you need two bodies. Then, the creature side of the card synergizes well with going wide – which this helps you do, since it can pump your whole team by tapping. This is going to be a great card in decks really looking to go wide, but I don’t think it is so powerful you end up moving into GW just because you see this, and that holds it to a 3.5.
Gingerbread Cabin image 2.5 If your deck has 10+ Forests in it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting Food, which might actually synergize more broadly with your deck.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Tome Raider
Tome Raider image 2.5 This card overperforms in this format. Netting you a card right away is great, and then it can also attack in the air reasonably well.
Wishful Merfolk image 2.0 One mana to Scry 2 isn’t the worst deal ever, Scrying 2 is pretty close to drawing a card – and then, the fact that you can sacrifice it later in the game to draw 2 cards is nice. Sometimes, you’ll pay 5 mana for this and Scry 2 and then draw 2 cards right away – and that’s not a bad place to be, really.
True Love's Kiss image 1.0 This set has enough targets for this that you can main deck it sometimes. It gives you a 2-for-1 when you have a target, which is pretty nice. It is probably still better out of your sideboard, though.
Curious Pair image 2.5 This is solid. Food has a lot of synergy in this set, and the Adventure is very reasonably costed. Similarly, the stats for the Pair are just fine.
Knight of the Keep image 1.0 A vanilla 3 mana 3/2 just isn’t really what you want to be doing. There are just so many better things you can do with 3 mana. You’ll only play it begrudgingly, if you need a 3 drop, or more knights in your deck, or you are way too short on creatures in your deck.
Mantle of Tides image 1.0 I don’t think I like this very much. Sure, equipping it to stuff for free, especially at Instant speed seems nice. But that “ideal” situation isn’t going to come up as often as we would like – you need to have creatures of the right size, and instant speed ways to draw an extra card.
Malevolent Noble image 2.5 This guy is a serious underperformer. He isn’t BAD per se, but looking at him at first, I thought he would be a pretty powerful common. Being able to sacrifice your food or creatures to make him bigger seemed nice! And he starts out as a two-mana 2/2, so that’s not too bad! Problem is, having the mana and resources around to use his ability a lot just doesn’t happen much. He’s still fine, but he isn’t even close to one of Black’s best commons.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Once and Future image 1.5 So, 4 to return a card to your hand, and improve card selection isn’t too bad. If you can get the Adamant going on this it gets to be super good, as 4 mana to return any two cards from your graveyard to your hand is pretty nice. It will feel a lot like Black effects that let you return creatures, though, even if it is more flexible. You’re just not always going to have two things in your graveyard worth getting -- like in the early game.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Mistford River Turtle
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Giant's Skewer image 2.0 This Equipment gives a fairly efficient boost, and the fact that it can give you Food is pretty nice. While that’s not quite lifelink, it does feel that way sometimes.
Wishful Merfolk image 2.0 One mana to Scry 2 isn’t the worst deal ever, Scrying 2 is pretty close to drawing a card – and then, the fact that you can sacrifice it later in the game to draw 2 cards is nice. Sometimes, you’ll pay 5 mana for this and Scry 2 and then draw 2 cards right away – and that’s not a bad place to be, really.
Redcap Raiders image 2.5 Frequently you won’t have an untapped non-human creature for the buff, and even if you do, it isn’t like it makes this creature into a world beater. A 4/3 with trample is nice, but not a major problem.
Bloodhaze Wolverine image 2.5 A two-mana 2/1 isn’t so good these days, but it is the kind of card you’ll run when you really need a two-drop. But this does something extra – gaining +1/+1 and First Strike is no joke, it makes the Wolverine go from an easy card to block, to being a creature that it is hard to block profitably in any way. If you have something like Opt, you can even do it at Instant speed, making for a pretty nasty trick.
Beloved Princess image 1.5 A one mana 1/1 with lifelink that is kind of evasive doesn’t really do it for me. Sure, big creatures can’t block it, but it is small and dies to basically any blocker. And if you pump her things might get interesting, but mostly it doesn’t seem worth it.
Mistford River Turtle image 1.0 This guy has mediocre stats and a mediocre ability. Even as a 1/5, you’ll find it hard to want to attack with this just to make something else you have unblockable. Sometimes it works out, but it is actually a pretty real cost to have to attack with the Turtle too, especially if they can just block it with three 2/2s.
All That Glitters image 1.0 The UW deck in this format is focused on having artifacts and enchantments which is nice and all, but this doesn’t seem like the payoff you want. It has the downside of most auras, in that it opens you up to a bad 2-for-1, and in addition to that, it isn’t going to be very good in the early game, even if you ARE an artifact/enchantment deck. Sometimes Auras that are ultra aggressive early can be good, because they make your creature do so much extra damage that it doesn’t matter when you get 2-for-1’d. This won’t be one of those most of the time.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Outflank
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Bloodhaze Wolverine image 2.5 A two-mana 2/1 isn’t so good these days, but it is the kind of card you’ll run when you really need a two-drop. But this does something extra – gaining +1/+1 and First Strike is no joke, it makes the Wolverine go from an easy card to block, to being a creature that it is hard to block profitably in any way. If you have something like Opt, you can even do it at Instant speed, making for a pretty nasty trick.
Locthwain Gargoyle image 1.0 A one mana 0/3 can block sort of decently in the early going, and this isn’t a terrible mana sink in the late game, when the Gargoyle can start threatening the opponent in the air. This format also has some artifact synergy going around, especially in UW, so having one of these in that deck seems fine. Still, I don’t think you play this unless you’re in desperation mode for early creature or artifacts.
Outflank image 2.5 This is a very conditional removal spell. Not only does the creature have to be attacking or blocking, you also have to have enough creatures in play to kill it. That will not always be a possibility. This can also be interfered with relatively easily, namely by killing one of your creatures, so that the damage this does drops to the point it doesn’t kill your target anymore And sure, it does only cost a single White mana, and it will probably feel nice when you’re the beat down, but with all the conditions it requires, it isn’t the kind of removal spell you take very early at all.
Signpost Scarecrow image 2.0 This isn’t efficient as a creature or as mana fixing.
Wildwood Tracker image 2.0 In the early game, this can be a nice attacker. I the later parts of the game it just won’t matter much that it becomes a 2/2.
Idyllic Grange image 2.0 If your deck has 10+ Plains it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting a +1/+1 counter.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Outflank
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Dwarven Mine image 2.0 If your deck has 10+ Mountains in it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting a 1/1 token.
Outflank image 2.5 This is a very conditional removal spell. Not only does the creature have to be attacking or blocking, you also have to have enough creatures in play to kill it. That will not always be a possibility. This can also be interfered with relatively easily, namely by killing one of your creatures, so that the damage this does drops to the point it doesn’t kill your target anymore And sure, it does only cost a single White mana, and it will probably feel nice when you’re the beat down, but with all the conditions it requires, it isn’t the kind of removal spell you take very early at all.
Eye Collector image 1.5 In general, one mana 1/1 flyers that don’t do anything else – and this mostly doesn’t do anything else – aren’t that good. This is sort of reasonable in the mill deck, but that’s about it.
Shining Armor image 1.5 This is an equipment with Flash that attaches itself to Knights for free when it comes down, but the bonus it gives isn’t anything special. Good combat tricks pump your creatures power, so that it can take down creatures in combat it couldn’t before – this one doesn’t. And sure, it does stick around and give your guy Vigilance, and that’s ok I guess – but once you have to start paying 3 mana to put this on stuff, it is really going to hurt.
Blow Your House Down image 1.0 This is the kind of effect hyper aggressive decks will be able to end the game with. The problem with a card like this, though, is that it is only good in a specific situation – one where you can deal lethal, basically, and mediocre at all other times. It is sort of nice it can blow up Walls – there are a few playable ones in this format (we’re about to see one shortly, actually), but still, this is the kind of corner-case cards that only the most aggro decks around will want to play.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Mistford River Turtle
Crashing Drawbridge image 1.5 I never like walls that try to do aggressive things, and that’s what this is. You’ll play it in some aggro decks, but the fact that you’re playing a creature who can’t attack in your aggro deck is annoying.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Beloved Princess image 1.5 A one mana 1/1 with lifelink that is kind of evasive doesn’t really do it for me. Sure, big creatures can’t block it, but it is small and dies to basically any blocker. And if you pump her things might get interesting, but mostly it doesn’t seem worth it.
Mistford River Turtle image 1.0 This guy has mediocre stats and a mediocre ability. Even as a 1/5, you’ll find it hard to want to attack with this just to make something else you have unblockable. Sometimes it works out, but it is actually a pretty real cost to have to attack with the Turtle too, especially if they can just block it with three 2/2s.
Rosethorn Halberd image 2.0 I think this seems decent. One mana for +2/+1 stats boost, provided you have a non-human in play – is a pretty nice rate. BUT your deck has to have enough non-humans around for this to be worth it, and man – after that first creature, the Equip cost is super steep.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Opt
Festive Funeral image 2.0 This is a conditional removal spell that will almost never be efficient. But hey, it IS still removal.
Tall as a Beanstalk image 0.0 Lately, they have been printing Auras that are actually playable because of their efficiency, or their ability to mitigate against a 2-for-1. But this isn’t either of those. 4 mana for +3/+3 and Reach really isn’t the most amazing deal in the world, and it leaves you wide open to 2-for-1s that will also get huge tempo on you because of the total mana you spend on the creature and this Aura. Don’t play this.
Memory Theft image 1.0 Coercion usually isn’t a very good card in Limited – you pay a significant amount of mana and don’t impact the board at all. This does come with the ability to get rid of creatures sitting around in the Adventure Zone, and when you can do that it will almost feel like a 2-for-1, but there’s no guarantee it will line up that way.
Opt image 2.0 Opt is pretty much the definition of a fine but easily cuttable Limited card. It gives you some card selection, but doesn’t impact the board or give you card advantage. This set doesn’t really have a spell theme, or it would be a little better.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Crystal Slipper
Festive Funeral image 2.0 This is a conditional removal spell that will almost never be efficient. But hey, it IS still removal.
Roving Keep image 1.0 I mean, if you really need a finisher in your defensive control deck, I guess this does the job? You really need to find something better, though.
Crystal Slipper image 1.5 The initial cost of the card – 2 to play and 1 to equip is pretty steep. That said, being able to sort of pay a kicker on your creatures of one mana to give them +1/+0 and Haste seems alright. I think you probably play one of these in aggro decks sometimes, but I feel like you’ll cut it pretty regularly too.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Ogre Errant
Mantle of Tides image 1.0 I don’t think I like this very much. Sure, equipping it to stuff for free, especially at Instant speed seems nice. But that “ideal” situation isn’t going to come up as often as we would like – you need to have creatures of the right size, and instant speed ways to draw an extra card.
Ogre Errant image 2.0 This is harder to get going than you might think, and even when it does, it finds itself on boards where it still doesn’t have a good attack.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Knight of the Keep
Knight of the Keep image 1.0 A vanilla 3 mana 3/2 just isn’t really what you want to be doing. There are just so many better things you can do with 3 mana. You’ll only play it begrudgingly, if you need a 3 drop, or more knights in your deck, or you are way too short on creatures in your deck.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Trapped in the Tower
Malevolent Noble image 2.5 This guy is a serious underperformer. He isn’t BAD per se, but looking at him at first, I thought he would be a pretty powerful common. Being able to sacrifice your food or creatures to make him bigger seemed nice! And he starts out as a two-mana 2/2, so that’s not too bad! Problem is, having the mana and resources around to use his ability a lot just doesn’t happen much. He’s still fine, but he isn’t even close to one of Black’s best commons.
Trapped in the Tower image 4.0 It is a little annoying that this can’t hit flyers, but the fact that it both Pacifies and Arrests a ground creature helps me get over that. This is premium removal.
Brimstone Trebuchet image 2.5 Any time we have a creature like this they turn out being pretty good – look at cards like Nettle Drone and Thermo-Alchemist. Now, this is more specific than either of those, but it will still be nice. A 3-mana 1/3 with Reach that does damage to your opponent one at a time isn’t incredible – but is close to solid. Most Red decks will probably have a few knights no matter what, and obviously it gets even better when you have a ton.
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Didn't Say Please image 1.5 I’m never a big fan of Cancel variants, unless they bring something big to the table. The good news for Didn’t Say Please is that there is a legit mill deck in this format, so its effect is actually kind of useful. The problem with a 3 mana counter spell is that you find yourself having to leave up a considerably percentage of your mana to be able to use it. I think sometimes people make the mistake of thinking of a counterspell like a removal spell, but in a lot of ways, they are worse, at least in Limited. This is because you have a smaller window to use this card where it will actually get rid of something -- you HAVE to have the mana up when they play whatever it is you want to get rid of. With removal spells, it doesn’t matter when you cast it, so you have a much wider window to use them. This means that top-decking removal tends to be way better, for example. You’ll play this in your controlling mill decks, but not anywhere else.
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Wicked Guardian image 2.0 So, a 4-mana 4/2 that damages one of your guys and draws you a card is sort of an interesting design. Sure, it might kill your guy, but I think a 4-mana 4/2 that sacrifices a creature and draws you a card would be a solid card, and this is better than that, because sometimes it won’t actually kill your creature at all, in which case you’re just netting a straight-up 2-for-1.
Prized Griffin image 2.5 5-mana ¾ flyers have played pretty well lately. Obviously it isn’t a great rate for those stats, but we have seen several of these lately, and they have always been reasonable 5-drops.
Rosethorn Acolyte image 2.5 So, the Acolyte’s Adventure effect is one of the more underwhelming ones around, essentially just letting you filter mana. But hey, sometimes that does matter. Most of the time though you’re going to get value out of it being a creature, as a 3-mana 2/3 that fixes and ramps for you is a pretty nice thing to have around.
Prophet of the Peak image 1.5 This isn’t great, but if you need top curve, you could do worse.
Joust image 2.5 too – it isn’t like Rabid Bites and other cards we’ve recently seen. Two mana to fight at Sorcery speed is not something that impressive, but it is certainly good enough to have a copy or two in your deck. One of the problems that Fight effects have is that it will only be good with your larger creatures. This helps mitigate against that a bit, since it makes your Knight larger too, so a larger percentage of your deck will be good with this than normal. It also has all the downsides cards like this have – your opponent can kill your creature in response to you targeting it, blowing you out, so you have to be careful. I think this is a going to be fine in a typical Red deck – which will have enough larger creatures and Knights without trying real hard.
Clockwork Servant image 3.0 This will draw you a card pretty often, and while that’s ideal, you can also play it as a reasonably efficient creature.
Revenge of Ravens image 2.5 This card is kind of weird. It is good against a lot of the field in this format, as gaining all that life and damaging them makes it pretty impossible for them to race you. HOWEVER, there are two decks in this format that can basically ignore Revenge of Ravens. The food deck, because it can gain a ton of life, and the mill deck, which doesn’t really plan on attacking you anyway.
Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig image 3.5 The Payoff here is real enough that I think you can first pick this despite the commitments it asks of you -- the upside is just too high not to. A 3 mana 4/4 is already nice, but one that constantly gets bigger if you play Green creatures is even better. He will be capable of just taking the cam over thanks to sheer size and efficiency.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Vantress Paladin
Youthful Knight image 3.0 Two mana 2/1 first strikers tend to play really well in aggressive decks -- but they really aren’t bad in less aggressive ones, as they are great blockers against smaller creatures. There is a lot of Equipment in this set too, and obviously it plays well with a creature with first strike. Definitely matters that this has a useful creature type too!
Fortifying Provisions image 1.0 Adding toughness to your creatures is a lot worse than adding power in most cases, and also getting Food out of the deal doesn’t make this seem any better to me. It is nice that it us a card that gives you both an artifact and enchantment, making it a bit more interesting in a UW deck that cares about having both of those in play.
Opt image 2.0 Opt is pretty much the definition of a fine but easily cuttable Limited card. It gives you some card selection, but doesn’t impact the board or give you card advantage. This set doesn’t really have a spell theme, or it would be a little better.
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This is an always alright but also always replaceable card. It gets a little better in this format because it lets you trigger “draw 2” payoffs on your opponents’ turn.
Insatiable Appetite image 0.5 This is an ok trick, but this set has Adventure creatures who are tricks at Common, and they are just way better.
Smitten Swordmaster image 2.5 If your deck has lots of Knights in it, his Adventure can be absolutely devastating – and this becomes even more true because you don’t even use up a card to do it! Effects like that often aren’t awesome, because if you aren’t killing your opponent with them, you are going down a card to not have a direct effect on the board – but this guy can come down as a 2-mana 2/1 with Lifelink, which is already a pretty decent card – especially with the Knight creature type. I mean, if we think of this as a 3-mana 2/1 with lifelink that does 1 to the opponent for each Knight – that would be a pretty high quality card, and this is better than that in some ways!
Gingerbrute image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 with Haste is usually not anything special, but this one can also make itself unblockable, which means it stays relevant late. It can also sacrifice to gain you life, and counts as Food. I think all of that makes this a reasonable inclusion in your deck, especially if you’re aggressive and have ways to make him bigger.
Memory Theft image 1.0 Coercion usually isn’t a very good card in Limited – you pay a significant amount of mana and don’t impact the board at all. This does come with the ability to get rid of creatures sitting around in the Adventure Zone, and when you can do that it will almost feel like a 2-for-1, but there’s no guarantee it will line up that way.
Seven Dwarves image 1.0 // 2.5 A vanilla two mana 2/2 doesn’t usually make your deck these days unless you are desperate for a two-drop. Obviously though, the more of these you get, the better they are. Getting 7 of this probably won’t be that easy, but I think with 3-5 -- which is more realistic, you’re looking at a decent card.
Belle of the Brawl image 3.5 3-mana 3/2s with Menace always play well on their own and Belle of the Brawl also happens to make your other Knights bigger when she attacks, and that is significant upside, since this set is loaded up with knights in the Mardu colors.
Righteousness image 0.5 I think a lot of people will see the one mana for +7/+7 here and overrate this. That is indeed a huge stats boost, but the fact that it only works on blocked creatures is a huge limitation. Combat tricks are usually used the most by aggressive players, this one wants you to be defensive. I think I’m going to avoid playing this most of the time, just because you can’t guarantee it will always be useful – there are plenty of games where being defensive never really makes sense.
Redcap Melee image 3.5 So, I think this is pretty good – even if you are sacrificing a land for it. One mana to do 4 at Instant speed is incredibly efficiency, and not the kind of thing we see very often. I will gladly sacrifice a land for that type of efficiency. I think even without the clause that makes it better against Red permanents it is already premium removal.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Queen of Ice
Forever Young image 2.0 This is kind of like a Black Anticipate. For two mana you aren’t really gaining card advantage, but you will be improving your future draws, and you will draw one of the cards you put on top right away. Sometimes it will feel amazing because of cards in your graveyard, other times it won’t do much – but hey, you get to draw the card either way so the fail case could be worse. This is the kind of effect people frequently overrate, because their mind immediately goes to the scenario where you put your bomb back on top of your deck – but there will certainly be times you have this and nothing in your graveyard is worth putting on top.
Queen of Ice image 2.5 This is no Frost Lynx, but it can do a pretty good impression. Like with all ADventures, you have lots of different ways you can use this. You can cast each half on separate turns, or -- if you get it later in the game, you can play this as a 5-mana ⅔ that taps down one of your opponent’s creatures for a turn. That’s not awesome, but it is nice that it can work that way late. She also makes sure to give you some value, even when she chump blocks, since she’ll lock that creature down for a turn at least.
Garenbrig Squire image 2.0 This is not the most exciting Adventure payoff around, but hey -- it is a Grizzly Bears with upside that will allow it to attack as a 3/3 sometimes. These days a vanilla Grizzly bear is a C- at best, and a D+ in a lot of formats, but the upside here is nice. Most Green decks will have at least 4 or 5 adventures without trying too hard, and that’s plenty for him to be worth playing. In most formats, decks need a few two drops, and this one seems like a solid option.
Embereth Paladin image 1.5 A 4-mana 4/1 with Haste isn’t anything special these days – you have to find the right opening for it to do something significant, or risk it just being traded with by a much cheaper creature. Even when you add Adamant to the mix, you’re getting a 5/2 with Haste for 4, which if that’s what this was 100% of the time would be solid, but it just won’t be.
Prized Griffin image 2.5 5-mana ¾ flyers have played pretty well lately. Obviously it isn’t a great rate for those stats, but we have seen several of these lately, and they have always been reasonable 5-drops.
Raging Redcap image 2.0 So, a 3-mana ½ with Double Strike is an ok deal. This set also has a pretty heavy theme of auras and equipment, and he is a good place to put those.
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Weapon Rack image 1.0 You might think this isn’t bad in an aggro deck, as it ends up making your creatures better attackers, but if you played it instead of playing a creature, you’re also hurting your chances as an aggro deck.
Jousting Dummy image 2.0 Two mana 2/1s are barely playable these days, but this has a useful creature type and it can pump its power, which is enough to make it a reasonable inclusion in some decks.
Locthwain Paladin image 2.0 4-mana for a 3/2 with Menace isn’t a great rate but is almost passable. Obviousy, though, this comes with additional upside thanks to Adamant – and a 4-mana 4/3 with Menace is some serious business.
Mad Ratter image 0.0 // 3.0 4 mana for a ½ Is horrible, so you just aren’t running this unless you get enough ways to draw extra cards that you get to make the Rat tokens. It will be pretty nice in a deck that gets there, but I think it is still hard for it to be incredible because of how small it is and how much mana it costs. Still, it is one of the better common or uncommon payoffs in the set for drawing extra cards.
Redcap Melee image 3.5 So, I think this is pretty good – even if you are sacrificing a land for it. One mana to do 4 at Instant speed is incredibly efficiency, and not the kind of thing we see very often. I will gladly sacrifice a land for that type of efficiency. I think even without the clause that makes it better against Red permanents it is already premium removal.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Overwhelmed Apprentice
Ardenvale Paladin image 2.0 Honestly a 4-mana ⅖ does pretty well on the Vanilla test, and will be capable of blocking the vast majority of the creatures in this format and surviving. If you throw in Adamant, which will give you a 4-mana 3/6 a decent chunk of the time -- or, you know -- all the time, if you happen to be in mono-white -- and you have a much more attractive card.
Queen of Ice image 2.5 This is no Frost Lynx, but it can do a pretty good impression. Like with all ADventures, you have lots of different ways you can use this. You can cast each half on separate turns, or -- if you get it later in the game, you can play this as a 5-mana ⅔ that taps down one of your opponent’s creatures for a turn. That’s not awesome, but it is nice that it can work that way late. She also makes sure to give you some value, even when she chump blocks, since she’ll lock that creature down for a turn at least.
Fell the Pheasant image 0.5 This is mostly just sideboard hate to bring in against someone who has a lot of flyers.
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Tuinvale Treefolk image 2.5 Like a lot of these adventure cards at common, if we look at each part of the card and imagine it as JUST that, neither half is very good. But, like all of these, it has the potential to do both of those things, and that’s not a bad way to be spending your mana. Getting a full two cards worth of value out of this single card seems very doable, and I think this will be a nice big boy to have at the top of your curve, since it can make your guys bigger too.
Malevolent Noble image 2.5 This guy is a serious underperformer. He isn’t BAD per se, but looking at him at first, I thought he would be a pretty powerful common. Being able to sacrifice your food or creatures to make him bigger seemed nice! And he starts out as a two-mana 2/2, so that’s not too bad! Problem is, having the mana and resources around to use his ability a lot just doesn’t happen much. He’s still fine, but he isn’t even close to one of Black’s best commons.
Fortifying Provisions image 1.0 Adding toughness to your creatures is a lot worse than adding power in most cases, and also getting Food out of the deal doesn’t make this seem any better to me. It is nice that it us a card that gives you both an artifact and enchantment, making it a bit more interesting in a UW deck that cares about having both of those in play.
Overwhelmed Apprentice image 2.5 This sort of reminds me of Thraben Inspector, in that it is a one mana ½ that brings considerably additional value. It smooths out your draws and also mills your opponent, and that feels pretty good all game long.
Mystic Sanctuary image 2.5 If your deck has 10+ Islands in it, you’ll run this so that you can put removal back on top of your library.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Unexplained Vision
Raging Redcap image 2.0 So, a 3-mana ½ with Double Strike is an ok deal. This set also has a pretty heavy theme of auras and equipment, and he is a good place to put those.
True Love's Kiss image 1.0 This set has enough targets for this that you can main deck it sometimes. It gives you a 2-for-1 when you have a target, which is pretty nice. It is probably still better out of your sideboard, though.
Moonlit Scavengers image 2.5 I am always a fan of Man-O’-Wars, and this is a pretty beefy one. Bouncing opponent’s creatures with your own creature tends to feel pretty great in Limited, because you simultaneously add to your board while taking something away from your opponent. This does have some hoops to jump through to make that happen – but it isn’t that difficult on turn 6 to have an Artifact or Enchantment in this format. I mean, sure, if your deck has very little in the way of those types of permanents, you can’t really play this – but keep in mind Food counts towards that.
Insatiable Appetite image 0.5 This is an ok trick, but this set has Adventure creatures who are tricks at Common, and they are just way better.
Unexplained Vision image 2.0 This is the kind of card that Blue control decks will be interested in having one of. After they manage to stabilize the board, casting something like this allows them to really pull ahead -- one card getting them three cards is no joke, and would already be an okayish card if that’s all it was. If you can get Adamant with this and add Scry 3 you’re really doing something interesting, as you’re seeing up to 6 cards in your deck, which is a huge number in Limited.
Gingerbrute image 2.5 A one mana 1/1 with Haste is usually not anything special, but this one can also make itself unblockable, which means it stays relevant late. It can also sacrifice to gain you life, and counts as Food. I think all of that makes this a reasonable inclusion in your deck, especially if you’re aggressive and have ways to make him bigger.
Tempting Witch image 2.5 She seems alright to me. A 3-mana ⅓ is pretty abyssmal on the vanilla test, but since she also gives you Food, AND is a food payoff, I can let that slide. She can give your deck some nice reach in the late game if you have food laying around, and she represents a nice clock for Food decks.
Flutterfox image 3.0 This is a nice two drop. 2-mana 2/2s are nothing special these days, but the fact that this can gain flying -- and do it relatively easily in this format -- makes it a two drop that is relevant all game long.
Festive Funeral image 2.0 This is a conditional removal spell that will almost never be efficient. But hey, it IS still removal.
Mad Ratter image 0.0 // 3.0 4 mana for a ½ Is horrible, so you just aren’t running this unless you get enough ways to draw extra cards that you get to make the Rat tokens. It will be pretty nice in a deck that gets there, but I think it is still hard for it to be incredible because of how small it is and how much mana it costs. Still, it is one of the better common or uncommon payoffs in the set for drawing extra cards.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Vantress Paladin
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Didn't Say Please image 1.5 I’m never a big fan of Cancel variants, unless they bring something big to the table. The good news for Didn’t Say Please is that there is a legit mill deck in this format, so its effect is actually kind of useful. The problem with a 3 mana counter spell is that you find yourself having to leave up a considerably percentage of your mana to be able to use it. I think sometimes people make the mistake of thinking of a counterspell like a removal spell, but in a lot of ways, they are worse, at least in Limited. This is because you have a smaller window to use this card where it will actually get rid of something -- you HAVE to have the mana up when they play whatever it is you want to get rid of. With removal spells, it doesn’t matter when you cast it, so you have a much wider window to use them. This means that top-decking removal tends to be way better, for example. You’ll play this in your controlling mill decks, but not anywhere else.
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Silverflame Ritual image 1.5 If you have like 6 White cards in your deck, you’re not going to be getting the adamant part here. That said, this card on its own, without Adamant would already be kind of playable. Sure, you need some set up, and you have to be going wide, but that seems doable in this set. Giving Vigilance with Adamant is very real upside, because it means that you can attack with everyone, and still leave blockers behind – turns like that can really turn the tide in games. But yeah, it is a little clunky at 4 mana, and it won’t always be giving your guys Vigilance unless you’re mono-colored.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Scalding Cauldron image 1.0 You’ll only play this if you have artifact synergies and/or you are short on removal. It just isn’t efficient at all.
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Tall as a Beanstalk image 0.0 Lately, they have been printing Auras that are actually playable because of their efficiency, or their ability to mitigate against a 2-for-1. But this isn’t either of those. 4 mana for +3/+3 and Reach really isn’t the most amazing deal in the world, and it leaves you wide open to 2-for-1s that will also get huge tempo on you because of the total mana you spend on the creature and this Aura. Don’t play this.
Bartered Cow image 1.0 4-mana 3/3s are not very good, so how much should we value the fact that this can give you Food? I mean, it is a little valuable, especially because there are food payoffs. It is also interesting that you can discard this and still get Food. I think those two things combined make this better – but you’ll still almost never play this.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Silverflame Squire
Wildwood Tracker image 2.0 In the early game, this can be a nice attacker. I the later parts of the game it just won’t matter much that it becomes a 2/2.
Forever Young image 2.0 This is kind of like a Black Anticipate. For two mana you aren’t really gaining card advantage, but you will be improving your future draws, and you will draw one of the cards you put on top right away. Sometimes it will feel amazing because of cards in your graveyard, other times it won’t do much – but hey, you get to draw the card either way so the fail case could be worse. This is the kind of effect people frequently overrate, because their mind immediately goes to the scenario where you put your bomb back on top of your deck – but there will certainly be times you have this and nothing in your graveyard is worth putting on top.
Roving Keep image 1.0 I mean, if you really need a finisher in your defensive control deck, I guess this does the job? You really need to find something better, though.
Ogre Errant image 2.0 This is harder to get going than you might think, and even when it does, it finds itself on boards where it still doesn’t have a good attack.
Ardenvale Paladin image 2.0 Honestly a 4-mana ⅖ does pretty well on the Vanilla test, and will be capable of blocking the vast majority of the creatures in this format and surviving. If you throw in Adamant, which will give you a 4-mana 3/6 a decent chunk of the time -- or, you know -- all the time, if you happen to be in mono-white -- and you have a much more attractive card.
Silverflame Squire image 3.5 All of these adventure creatures with a trick on one side and a reasonably costed creature on the other are pretty darn good. You can use the trick half to help a creature win combat, and then play the creature side on a later turn, which can get you a 2-for-1 in many cases.
Burning-Yard Trainer image 3.0 A 5-mana 3/3 with Trample and Haste isn’t good. He can maybe come down and give you lethal right away thanks to Haste, but yeah – not that good. However, if he can come down and pump one of your other creatures and give it those keywords, you’re going to be in serious business. If you can do that, he adds 5 evasive power to the board that attacks right away, and that’s a good deal for 5 mana.
Redcap Melee image 3.5 So, I think this is pretty good – even if you are sacrificing a land for it. One mana to do 4 at Instant speed is incredibly efficiency, and not the kind of thing we see very often. I will gladly sacrifice a land for that type of efficiency. I think even without the clause that makes it better against Red permanents it is already premium removal.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Queen of Ice
Brimstone Trebuchet image 2.5 Any time we have a creature like this they turn out being pretty good – look at cards like Nettle Drone and Thermo-Alchemist. Now, this is more specific than either of those, but it will still be nice. A 3-mana 1/3 with Reach that does damage to your opponent one at a time isn’t incredible – but is close to solid. Most Red decks will probably have a few knights no matter what, and obviously it gets even better when you have a ton.
Eye Collector image 1.5 In general, one mana 1/1 flyers that don’t do anything else – and this mostly doesn’t do anything else – aren’t that good. This is sort of reasonable in the mill deck, but that’s about it.
Queen of Ice image 2.5 This is no Frost Lynx, but it can do a pretty good impression. Like with all ADventures, you have lots of different ways you can use this. You can cast each half on separate turns, or -- if you get it later in the game, you can play this as a 5-mana ⅔ that taps down one of your opponent’s creatures for a turn. That’s not awesome, but it is nice that it can work that way late. She also makes sure to give you some value, even when she chump blocks, since she’ll lock that creature down for a turn at least.
Weapon Rack image 1.0 You might think this isn’t bad in an aggro deck, as it ends up making your creatures better attackers, but if you played it instead of playing a creature, you’re also hurting your chances as an aggro deck.
Shining Armor image 1.5 This is an equipment with Flash that attaches itself to Knights for free when it comes down, but the bonus it gives isn’t anything special. Good combat tricks pump your creatures power, so that it can take down creatures in combat it couldn’t before – this one doesn’t. And sure, it does stick around and give your guy Vigilance, and that’s ok I guess – but once you have to start paying 3 mana to put this on stuff, it is really going to hurt.
Searing Barrage image 2.5 This is solid removal for Red, but like to Reduce to Ashes and command the Storm before that, it isn’t premium. Costing 5 is a ton, and most of the time it is going to feel a little clunky. It will frequently cost more mana than whatever you kill with it, and that does put you behind the eight ball a little bit.
Roving Keep image 1.0 I mean, if you really need a finisher in your defensive control deck, I guess this does the job? You really need to find something better, though.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Prized Griffin
Brimstone Trebuchet image 2.5 Any time we have a creature like this they turn out being pretty good – look at cards like Nettle Drone and Thermo-Alchemist. Now, this is more specific than either of those, but it will still be nice. A 3-mana 1/3 with Reach that does damage to your opponent one at a time isn’t incredible – but is close to solid. Most Red decks will probably have a few knights no matter what, and obviously it gets even better when you have a ton.
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Prized Griffin image 2.5 5-mana ¾ flyers have played pretty well lately. Obviously it isn’t a great rate for those stats, but we have seen several of these lately, and they have always been reasonable 5-drops.
Prophet of the Peak image 1.5 This isn’t great, but if you need top curve, you could do worse.
Joust image 2.5 too – it isn’t like Rabid Bites and other cards we’ve recently seen. Two mana to fight at Sorcery speed is not something that impressive, but it is certainly good enough to have a copy or two in your deck. One of the problems that Fight effects have is that it will only be good with your larger creatures. This helps mitigate against that a bit, since it makes your Knight larger too, so a larger percentage of your deck will be good with this than normal. It also has all the downsides cards like this have – your opponent can kill your creature in response to you targeting it, blowing you out, so you have to be careful. I think this is a going to be fine in a typical Red deck – which will have enough larger creatures and Knights without trying real hard.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Redcap Melee
Fortifying Provisions image 1.0 Adding toughness to your creatures is a lot worse than adding power in most cases, and also getting Food out of the deal doesn’t make this seem any better to me. It is nice that it us a card that gives you both an artifact and enchantment, making it a bit more interesting in a UW deck that cares about having both of those in play.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This is an always alright but also always replaceable card. It gets a little better in this format because it lets you trigger “draw 2” payoffs on your opponents’ turn.
Seven Dwarves image 1.0 // 2.5 A vanilla two mana 2/2 doesn’t usually make your deck these days unless you are desperate for a two-drop. Obviously though, the more of these you get, the better they are. Getting 7 of this probably won’t be that easy, but I think with 3-5 -- which is more realistic, you’re looking at a decent card.
Righteousness image 0.5 I think a lot of people will see the one mana for +7/+7 here and overrate this. That is indeed a huge stats boost, but the fact that it only works on blocked creatures is a huge limitation. Combat tricks are usually used the most by aggressive players, this one wants you to be defensive. I think I’m going to avoid playing this most of the time, just because you can’t guarantee it will always be useful – there are plenty of games where being defensive never really makes sense.
Redcap Melee image 3.5 So, I think this is pretty good – even if you are sacrificing a land for it. One mana to do 4 at Instant speed is incredibly efficiency, and not the kind of thing we see very often. I will gladly sacrifice a land for that type of efficiency. I think even without the clause that makes it better against Red permanents it is already premium removal.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Redcap Melee
Embereth Paladin image 1.5 A 4-mana 4/1 with Haste isn’t anything special these days – you have to find the right opening for it to do something significant, or risk it just being traded with by a much cheaper creature. Even when you add Adamant to the mix, you’re getting a 5/2 with Haste for 4, which if that’s what this was 100% of the time would be solid, but it just won’t be.
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Mad Ratter image 0.0 // 3.0 4 mana for a ½ Is horrible, so you just aren’t running this unless you get enough ways to draw extra cards that you get to make the Rat tokens. It will be pretty nice in a deck that gets there, but I think it is still hard for it to be incredible because of how small it is and how much mana it costs. Still, it is one of the better common or uncommon payoffs in the set for drawing extra cards.
Redcap Melee image 3.5 So, I think this is pretty good – even if you are sacrificing a land for it. One mana to do 4 at Instant speed is incredibly efficiency, and not the kind of thing we see very often. I will gladly sacrifice a land for that type of efficiency. I think even without the clause that makes it better against Red permanents it is already premium removal.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Corridor Monitor
Fell the Pheasant image 0.5 This is mostly just sideboard hate to bring in against someone who has a lot of flyers.
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Mad Ratter
Moonlit Scavengers image 2.5 I am always a fan of Man-O’-Wars, and this is a pretty beefy one. Bouncing opponent’s creatures with your own creature tends to feel pretty great in Limited, because you simultaneously add to your board while taking something away from your opponent. This does have some hoops to jump through to make that happen – but it isn’t that difficult on turn 6 to have an Artifact or Enchantment in this format. I mean, sure, if your deck has very little in the way of those types of permanents, you can’t really play this – but keep in mind Food counts towards that.
Mad Ratter image 0.0 // 3.0 4 mana for a ½ Is horrible, so you just aren’t running this unless you get enough ways to draw extra cards that you get to make the Rat tokens. It will be pretty nice in a deck that gets there, but I think it is still hard for it to be incredible because of how small it is and how much mana it costs. Still, it is one of the better common or uncommon payoffs in the set for drawing extra cards.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Barge In
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Glass Casket
Jousting Dummy image 2.0 Two mana 2/1s are barely playable these days, but this has a useful creature type and it can pump its power, which is enough to make it a reasonable inclusion in some decks.
Ogre Errant image 2.0 This is harder to get going than you might think, and even when it does, it finds itself on boards where it still doesn’t have a good attack.
Curious Pair image 2.5 This is solid. Food has a lot of synergy in this set, and the Adventure is very reasonably costed. Similarly, the stats for the Pair are just fine.
Scorching Dragonfire image 4.0 We see two mana to do 3 a lot, and it is always a premium removal spell. It is cheap enough and kills big enough creatures that you usually are going to break even or come out ahead with your opponent in terms of mana. It is also an Instant, so you’ll be able to get some blowouts to happen in a world of combat tricks and Auras. Exiling stuff it kills is nice additional upside.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Opt image 2.0 Opt is pretty much the definition of a fine but easily cuttable Limited card. It gives you some card selection, but doesn’t impact the board or give you card advantage. This set doesn’t really have a spell theme, or it would be a little better.
Fortifying Provisions image 1.0 Adding toughness to your creatures is a lot worse than adding power in most cases, and also getting Food out of the deal doesn’t make this seem any better to me. It is nice that it us a card that gives you both an artifact and enchantment, making it a bit more interesting in a UW deck that cares about having both of those in play.
Reave Soul image 3.0 This is always a nice removal spell when we see it. Two mana to kill something is a good deal, and because this looks at power, it won’t be that hard to trade up with it either. I think it is in the lower range of “premium” removal.
Prized Griffin image 2.5 5-mana ¾ flyers have played pretty well lately. Obviously it isn’t a great rate for those stats, but we have seen several of these lately, and they have always been reasonable 5-drops.
Inquisitive Puppet image 1.0 This has a lot of text, but doesn’t really do enough to be worth a card.
Glass Casket image 3.5 Sure, it only kills smaller guys, but that’s fine because it does it so efficiently. This is in the lower range of premium removal.
Inspiring Veteran image 3.0 RW is about knights. This is a Knight lord. It is one of the better Knight payoffs in the set, and you’ll always play it in RW, but I don’t think it does enough on its own to be the kind of signpost uncommon that pulls you into its color.
Robber of the Rich image 3.5 This is a powerful two drop, the kind that can potential run away with the game, since it can give you so much card advantage. Even in a worst case scenario, you can send this in kamikaze-style and still essentially draw a card from your opponent’s library. Now, keep in mind, this isn’t the version of this effect that lets you play lands, it has to be spells, so you’re going to whiff a decent chunk of the time.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Charming Prince
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This is an always alright but also always replaceable card. It gets a little better in this format because it lets you trigger “draw 2” payoffs on your opponents’ turn.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Tempting Witch image 2.5 She seems alright to me. A 3-mana ⅓ is pretty abyssmal on the vanilla test, but since she also gives you Food, AND is a food payoff, I can let that slide. She can give your deck some nice reach in the late game if you have food laying around, and she represents a nice clock for Food decks.
Prized Griffin image 2.5 5-mana ¾ flyers have played pretty well lately. Obviously it isn’t a great rate for those stats, but we have seen several of these lately, and they have always been reasonable 5-drops.
Opt image 2.0 Opt is pretty much the definition of a fine but easily cuttable Limited card. It gives you some card selection, but doesn’t impact the board or give you card advantage. This set doesn’t really have a spell theme, or it would be a little better.
Maraleaf Rider image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is fine, and this comes with some decent upside. It isn’t the most exciting Food payoff, but being able to make your opponenet’s X/3 have to block this when you know you’re going to trade up doesn’t hurt.
Silverflame Ritual image 1.5 If you have like 6 White cards in your deck, you’re not going to be getting the adamant part here. That said, this card on its own, without Adamant would already be kind of playable. Sure, you need some set up, and you have to be going wide, but that seems doable in this set. Giving Vigilance with Adamant is very real upside, because it means that you can attack with everyone, and still leave blockers behind – turns like that can really turn the tide in games. But yeah, it is a little clunky at 4 mana, and it won’t always be giving your guys Vigilance unless you’re mono-colored.
Merchant of the Vale image 2.0 Both halves of this card are pretty underwhelming. Rummaging can be nice in the late game, when you have some excess lands, so the fact he can do that over and over again as a mana sink when he is a creature isn’t too bad, especially since it is a reasonable 2/3 for 3. One mana to discard card a card and rummage would be a pretty bad card honestly, since you’re actually going down two cards. This does get around that sort of by the fact that it is a creature later on, but still – the Adventure half here isn’t very good.
Trapped in the Tower image 4.0 It is a little annoying that this can’t hit flyers, but the fact that it both Pacifies and Arrests a ground creature helps me get over that. This is premium removal.
Weaselback Redcap image 1.5 I’m not usually interested in cards like this. Sure, it is a one mana 1/1 with upside, but the upside it has isn’t especially good. People often overrate cards like this – but what makes it not so good is that literally any creature blocking it kills it, and you might think you can trade up with this, but in most cases, the total mana you spend on your Weaselback Redcap to take down a creature with more than one toughness will almost always be more than your opponent spent on that creature, so really – in most scenarios you’re coming out behind.
Fireborn Knight image 3.0 This is some serious business, making attacking really hard thanks to double strike, and letting you sink mana into it so it can attack even harder. This set also has some legit Equipment that also make something with double strike even better.
Specter's Shriek image 0.5 Specter’s Shriek, while efficient, is going to be god awful against people not playing Black. One mana and a whole card are not worth taking away a card from your opponent in most scenarios. That’s 2-for-1ing yourself, and you’re doing it for something that doesn’t even affect the board! Now, I do think against opponent’s playing Black, it is reasonable to side in, especially if they are the kind of deck holding on to a bunch of cards.
Charming Prince image 3.5 One of these effects will always be useful, they’re all pretty good in the right situation. It is still just a 2 mana 2/2, but one that lets you smooth out your draws, gains you some life, or lets you blink a creature for some value is pretty nice.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Animating Faerie
Fierce Witchstalker image 3.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Trample is a great rate in Limited. Then, this makes Food too, something that is heavily supported in this format -- especially in BG, and you have a very good Common.
Bake into a Pie image 4.0 This is a premium. 4 mana instant speed removal is already in the premium range, and the fact that this makes a Food token is some nice additional value. You can use that token to gain some life on a later turn, or use it with a card that takes advantage of the tokens in some other way.
Didn't Say Please image 1.5 I’m never a big fan of Cancel variants, unless they bring something big to the table. The good news for Didn’t Say Please is that there is a legit mill deck in this format, so its effect is actually kind of useful. The problem with a 3 mana counter spell is that you find yourself having to leave up a considerably percentage of your mana to be able to use it. I think sometimes people make the mistake of thinking of a counterspell like a removal spell, but in a lot of ways, they are worse, at least in Limited. This is because you have a smaller window to use this card where it will actually get rid of something -- you HAVE to have the mana up when they play whatever it is you want to get rid of. With removal spells, it doesn’t matter when you cast it, so you have a much wider window to use them. This means that top-decking removal tends to be way better, for example. You’ll play this in your controlling mill decks, but not anywhere else.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Scorching Dragonfire image 4.0 We see two mana to do 3 a lot, and it is always a premium removal spell. It is cheap enough and kills big enough creatures that you usually are going to break even or come out ahead with your opponent in terms of mana. It is also an Instant, so you’ll be able to get some blowouts to happen in a world of combat tricks and Auras. Exiling stuff it kills is nice additional upside.
Weapon Rack image 1.0 You might think this isn’t bad in an aggro deck, as it ends up making your creatures better attackers, but if you played it instead of playing a creature, you’re also hurting your chances as an aggro deck.
Mystic Sanctuary image 2.5 If your deck has 10+ Islands in it, you’ll run this so that you can put removal back on top of your library.
Faerie Guidemother image 3.5 The Adventure side of this lets you get in for some damage in the air, something that can be pretty nice early, and something that can close out games late. Then, it can come down as a 1/1 flyer itself. The whole package here ends up being pretty good in aggro decks.
Flaxen Intruder image 1.5 I am not super impressed by this card, as both halves seem rather underwhelming. 7 mana for 3 2/2 Bears isn’t a great deal, and a ½ that can Naturalize stuff when she hits the opponent isn’t either. Now, it is cool that Adventure might allow you to do both of these things with the one card, but paying 8 mana for three 2/2 bears and the ½ still doesn’t feel that good to me. I don’t really see myself wanting to play this in most situations.
Animating Faerie image 3.5 Wind Drake is usually pretty decent in most formats, and that’s what you get when you cast the creature side of ithis Obviously though, the Adventure part adds some significant upside. You are going to need artifacts in your deck to make this be at its best, but that won’t be all that hard thanks to Food. Three mana to make a food token into a 4/4 is pretty nice, especially because if you go that route, you also have the Wind Drake part of the card to cast on a future turn. This card is nice because you can take it and you know you’ll play it, even if you have 0 artifacts, and if you do end up with them, it gets some nice additional value.
Syr Carah, the Bold image 3.5 A 5-mana 3/3 that can ping anything any time it wants is already playable pretty decent. Then, you add the fact that if this pings your opponent – you basically get to draw a card. Yeah, it isn’t EXACTLY draw a card, but it is close – you can even play lands off of this. So basically, you have a source of damage that draws you extra cards, and once you get 2 or 3 cards out of this, your opponent is going to have a hard time coming back. And that’s even if your deck has ZERO ways to do damage to the opponent with instants and sorceries, Syr Carah can do it all on her own. She also has the useful Knight creature type! The one downside she has is the fact that she is kind of small for 5 mana, and is still in range of lots of removal in this format, but the upside here is insane.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Overwhelmed Apprentice
True Love's Kiss image 1.0 This set has enough targets for this that you can main deck it sometimes. It gives you a 2-for-1 when you have a target, which is pretty nice. It is probably still better out of your sideboard, though.
Didn't Say Please image 1.5 I’m never a big fan of Cancel variants, unless they bring something big to the table. The good news for Didn’t Say Please is that there is a legit mill deck in this format, so its effect is actually kind of useful. The problem with a 3 mana counter spell is that you find yourself having to leave up a considerably percentage of your mana to be able to use it. I think sometimes people make the mistake of thinking of a counterspell like a removal spell, but in a lot of ways, they are worse, at least in Limited. This is because you have a smaller window to use this card where it will actually get rid of something -- you HAVE to have the mana up when they play whatever it is you want to get rid of. With removal spells, it doesn’t matter when you cast it, so you have a much wider window to use them. This means that top-decking removal tends to be way better, for example. You’ll play this in your controlling mill decks, but not anywhere else.
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Tempting Witch image 2.5 She seems alright to me. A 3-mana ⅓ is pretty abyssmal on the vanilla test, but since she also gives you Food, AND is a food payoff, I can let that slide. She can give your deck some nice reach in the late game if you have food laying around, and she represents a nice clock for Food decks.
Tall as a Beanstalk image 0.0 Lately, they have been printing Auras that are actually playable because of their efficiency, or their ability to mitigate against a 2-for-1. But this isn’t either of those. 4 mana for +3/+3 and Reach really isn’t the most amazing deal in the world, and it leaves you wide open to 2-for-1s that will also get huge tempo on you because of the total mana you spend on the creature and this Aura. Don’t play this.
Henge Walker image 1.0 This won’t be a 3/3 often enough to be worth it in most decks, unless you’re close to monocolored.
Fell the Pheasant image 0.5 This is mostly just sideboard hate to bring in against someone who has a lot of flyers.
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Crystal Slipper image 1.5 The initial cost of the card – 2 to play and 1 to equip is pretty steep. That said, being able to sort of pay a kicker on your creatures of one mana to give them +1/+0 and Haste seems alright. I think you probably play one of these in aggro decks sometimes, but I feel like you’ll cut it pretty regularly too.
Loch Dragon image 4.0 This card is pretty nice, a 4-mana 3/2 Flyer is always a playable card in Limited, though not exciting. Then, you add the fact that you get to rummage with it when it comes into play and when it attacks, and you’re looking at a card that can not only beat your opponent down in the sky, but you’re looking at one that can also help you drastically improve your draws throughout the game.
Overwhelmed Apprentice image 2.5 This sort of reminds me of Thraben Inspector, in that it is a one mana ½ that brings considerably additional value. It smooths out your draws and also mills your opponent, and that feels pretty good all game long.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Lonesome Unicorn
Memory Theft image 1.0 Coercion usually isn’t a very good card in Limited – you pay a significant amount of mana and don’t impact the board at all. This does come with the ability to get rid of creatures sitting around in the Adventure Zone, and when you can do that it will almost feel like a 2-for-1, but there’s no guarantee it will line up that way.
Ogre Errant image 2.0 This is harder to get going than you might think, and even when it does, it finds itself on boards where it still doesn’t have a good attack.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This is an always alright but also always replaceable card. It gets a little better in this format because it lets you trigger “draw 2” payoffs on your opponents’ turn.
Queen of Ice image 2.5 This is no Frost Lynx, but it can do a pretty good impression. Like with all ADventures, you have lots of different ways you can use this. You can cast each half on separate turns, or -- if you get it later in the game, you can play this as a 5-mana ⅔ that taps down one of your opponent’s creatures for a turn. That’s not awesome, but it is nice that it can work that way late. She also makes sure to give you some value, even when she chump blocks, since she’ll lock that creature down for a turn at least.
Lonesome Unicorn image 3.0 Neither half of this card is particularly efficient. A sorcery that was 3 mana for a 2/2 token with Vigilance isn’t something you’d play and neither, and a 5-mana 3/3 with Vigilance.. BUT -- this card can do both of those things, and that’s the beauty of Adventures. Becuase it can make both of those things happen, and that can allow for a 2-for-1 without too much effort. Ideally you want to be doing both halves of this, and sometimes you will just need to cast the 3/3 Unicorn, which won’t feel too good, but I still think this is a really nice common for White.
Wolf's Quarry image 0.5 This is just too expensive for what it does. The Boars might give you food, but that doesn’t help this card out very much.
Insatiable Appetite image 0.5 This is an ok trick, but this set has Adventure creatures who are tricks at Common, and they are just way better.
Smitten Swordmaster image 2.5 If your deck has lots of Knights in it, his Adventure can be absolutely devastating – and this becomes even more true because you don’t even use up a card to do it! Effects like that often aren’t awesome, because if you aren’t killing your opponent with them, you are going down a card to not have a direct effect on the board – but this guy can come down as a 2-mana 2/1 with Lifelink, which is already a pretty decent card – especially with the Knight creature type. I mean, if we think of this as a 3-mana 2/1 with lifelink that does 1 to the opponent for each Knight – that would be a pretty high quality card, and this is better than that in some ways!
Shepherd of the Flock image 3.0 A two-mana 3/1 is usually alright, and this comes with some additional value thanks to the Adventure half. This isn’t a card where the Adventure half will always become useful at some point in the game -- and most of the time this will just be a two mana 3/1. But, there is some real upside in returning your own stuff to your hand. There’s the usual stuff -- getting rid of your opponent’s aura-based removal, doing it in response to a removal spell, and abusing ETB abilities. But, in this set, you can also use it to get another use out of an Adventure, and all of that together seems like solid upside to me.
Cauldron Familiar image 0.0 // 2.5 So, a one mana 1/1 that just drains life probably isn’t playable. This one is an interesting food build around, though, and if your deck can make a critical mass of Food, you have a Cat that won’t stay dead, and drains your opponent one life over and over again. This is a build around, one you should avoid unless you have like 6 or more ways to make Food.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Vantress Paladin
Knight of the Keep image 1.0 A vanilla 3 mana 3/2 just isn’t really what you want to be doing. There are just so many better things you can do with 3 mana. You’ll only play it begrudgingly, if you need a 3 drop, or more knights in your deck, or you are way too short on creatures in your deck.
Tempting Witch image 2.5 She seems alright to me. A 3-mana ⅓ is pretty abyssmal on the vanilla test, but since she also gives you Food, AND is a food payoff, I can let that slide. She can give your deck some nice reach in the late game if you have food laying around, and she represents a nice clock for Food decks.
Unexplained Vision image 2.0 This is the kind of card that Blue control decks will be interested in having one of. After they manage to stabilize the board, casting something like this allows them to really pull ahead -- one card getting them three cards is no joke, and would already be an okayish card if that’s all it was. If you can get Adamant with this and add Scry 3 you’re really doing something interesting, as you’re seeing up to 6 cards in your deck, which is a huge number in Limited.
Prized Griffin image 2.5 5-mana ¾ flyers have played pretty well lately. Obviously it isn’t a great rate for those stats, but we have seen several of these lately, and they have always been reasonable 5-drops.
Raging Redcap image 2.0 So, a 3-mana ½ with Double Strike is an ok deal. This set also has a pretty heavy theme of auras and equipment, and he is a good place to put those.
Lonesome Unicorn image 3.0 Neither half of this card is particularly efficient. A sorcery that was 3 mana for a 2/2 token with Vigilance isn’t something you’d play and neither, and a 5-mana 3/3 with Vigilance.. BUT -- this card can do both of those things, and that’s the beauty of Adventures. Becuase it can make both of those things happen, and that can allow for a 2-for-1 without too much effort. Ideally you want to be doing both halves of this, and sometimes you will just need to cast the 3/3 Unicorn, which won’t feel too good, but I still think this is a really nice common for White.
Vantress Paladin image 2.5 The difference between a 4-mana 2/2 flyer and a 4-mana 3/3 flyer is pretty big in terms of efficiency. This is a card that will be awesome in a deck that is mostly Blue, and a card that will be kind of ok in a deck that is at least half Blue.
Oakhame Ranger image 3.5 4 mana for two 1/1 Humans isn’t the most efficient thing in the world, but sometimes you need two bodies. Then, the creature side of the card synergizes well with going wide – which this helps you do, since it can pump your whole team by tapping. This is going to be a great card in decks really looking to go wide, but I don’t think it is so powerful you end up moving into GW just because you see this, and that holds it to a 3.5.
Claim the Firstborn image 0.5 This is cheaper than most Threaten effects we see – usually they cost 3 – but it is also not as flexible, since it can only target small creatures. I’m never overjoyed with effects like this one, unless I have two things going on – 1) I’m an aggro deck, and 2) I have creatures who can sacrifice other creatures. If you can steal your opponent’s dude and then kill it, that’s pretty great. Problem is, those two things don’t come together often enough for this to be very good, especially because it can only steal smaller creatures.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Witching Well
Brimstone Trebuchet image 2.5 Any time we have a creature like this they turn out being pretty good – look at cards like Nettle Drone and Thermo-Alchemist. Now, this is more specific than either of those, but it will still be nice. A 3-mana 1/3 with Reach that does damage to your opponent one at a time isn’t incredible – but is close to solid. Most Red decks will probably have a few knights no matter what, and obviously it gets even better when you have a ton.
Idyllic Grange image 2.0 If your deck has 10+ Plains it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting a +1/+1 counter.
Blow Your House Down image 1.0 This is the kind of effect hyper aggressive decks will be able to end the game with. The problem with a card like this, though, is that it is only good in a specific situation – one where you can deal lethal, basically, and mediocre at all other times. It is sort of nice it can blow up Walls – there are a few playable ones in this format (we’re about to see one shortly, actually), but still, this is the kind of corner-case cards that only the most aggro decks around will want to play.
Witching Well image 2.0 One mana to Scry 2 isn’t the worst deal ever, Scrying 2 is pretty close to drawing a card – and then, the fact that you can sacrifice it later in the game to draw 2 cards is nice. Sometimes, you’ll pay 5 mana for this and Scry 2 and then draw 2 cards right away – and that’s not a bad place to be, really.
Memory Theft image 1.0 Coercion usually isn’t a very good card in Limited – you pay a significant amount of mana and don’t impact the board at all. This does come with the ability to get rid of creatures sitting around in the Adventure Zone, and when you can do that it will almost feel like a 2-for-1, but there’s no guarantee it will line up that way.
Moonlit Scavengers image 2.5 I am always a fan of Man-O’-Wars, and this is a pretty beefy one. Bouncing opponent’s creatures with your own creature tends to feel pretty great in Limited, because you simultaneously add to your board while taking something away from your opponent. This does have some hoops to jump through to make that happen – but it isn’t that difficult on turn 6 to have an Artifact or Enchantment in this format. I mean, sure, if your deck has very little in the way of those types of permanents, you can’t really play this – but keep in mind Food counts towards that.
All That Glitters image 1.0 The UW deck in this format is focused on having artifacts and enchantments which is nice and all, but this doesn’t seem like the payoff you want. It has the downside of most auras, in that it opens you up to a bad 2-for-1, and in addition to that, it isn’t going to be very good in the early game, even if you ARE an artifact/enchantment deck. Sometimes Auras that are ultra aggressive early can be good, because they make your creature do so much extra damage that it doesn’t matter when you get 2-for-1’d. This won’t be one of those most of the time.
Cauldron's Gift image 2.0 5 mana to reanimate something with a +1/+1 counter isn’t awesome. And yeah, this helps you if you get Adamant going by milling some of your cards, which will make it better, but you’ll cut this a lot.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Run Away Together
Maraleaf Rider image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is fine, and this comes with some decent upside. It isn’t the most exciting Food payoff, but being able to make your opponenet’s X/3 have to block this when you know you’re going to trade up doesn’t hurt.
Tall as a Beanstalk image 0.0 Lately, they have been printing Auras that are actually playable because of their efficiency, or their ability to mitigate against a 2-for-1. But this isn’t either of those. 4 mana for +3/+3 and Reach really isn’t the most amazing deal in the world, and it leaves you wide open to 2-for-1s that will also get huge tempo on you because of the total mana you spend on the creature and this Aura. Don’t play this.
Lost Legion image 2.5 I always like this kind of creature. Sure, it doesn’t do well on the vanilla test as a 3-mana ⅔ -- even being one that is kind of hard to cast, BUT Scry 2 is some serious value, and goes a long way towards ensuring your draws are better for a little while. And, it is also has a useful creature type. I think all of this combines to make it a solid playable for Black decks.
Idyllic Grange image 2.0 If your deck has 10+ Plains it, you’ll run this for the upside of getting a +1/+1 counter.
Run Away Together image 1.0 This kind of weird symmetrical bounce effect is mostly not worth it. Bouncing something your opponent doesn’t want to be bounced and something of yours that you DO want to bounce can be good, but that is a little too situational.
Henge Walker image 1.0 This won’t be a 3/3 often enough to be worth it in most decks, unless you’re close to monocolored.
Ferocity of the Wilds image 1.0 We’ve seen a lot of effects over the years that only help your board out if you’re attacking, and they typically underperform if that’s literally all the card does – and htat’s what we’re looking at here. Why is that? Well, because they really only work out if you’re the beat down, meaning they are a big fat nothing in games where you’re behind. Even if you’re super aggro, you’re going to end up behind sometimes, and when you do, you’re going to wish you hadn’t drawn this. Do you play this in a super aggressive deck loaded up with non-humans? Probably – but even if those things align perfectly, you’ve got a card that is just so bad in so many situations.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Corridor Monitor
Jousting Dummy image 2.0 Two mana 2/1s are barely playable these days, but this has a useful creature type and it can pump its power, which is enough to make it a reasonable inclusion in some decks.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Corridor Monitor image 1.5 A two mana ¼ blocks fairly well early, and this one lets you untap a dude or artifact when you play it, which is some ok upside. However, it isn’t exactly impactful – even in the late game untapping something doesn’t always come with significant value.
Fortifying Provisions image 1.0 Adding toughness to your creatures is a lot worse than adding power in most cases, and also getting Food out of the deal doesn’t make this seem any better to me. It is nice that it us a card that gives you both an artifact and enchantment, making it a bit more interesting in a UW deck that cares about having both of those in play.
Inquisitive Puppet image 1.0 This has a lot of text, but doesn’t really do enough to be worth a card.
Inspiring Veteran image 3.0 RW is about knights. This is a Knight lord. It is one of the better Knight payoffs in the set, and you’ll always play it in RW, but I don’t think it does enough on its own to be the kind of signpost uncommon that pulls you into its color.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Silverflame Ritual
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This is an always alright but also always replaceable card. It gets a little better in this format because it lets you trigger “draw 2” payoffs on your opponents’ turn.
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Silverflame Ritual image 1.5 If you have like 6 White cards in your deck, you’re not going to be getting the adamant part here. That said, this card on its own, without Adamant would already be kind of playable. Sure, you need some set up, and you have to be going wide, but that seems doable in this set. Giving Vigilance with Adamant is very real upside, because it means that you can attack with everyone, and still leave blockers behind – turns like that can really turn the tide in games. But yeah, it is a little clunky at 4 mana, and it won’t always be giving your guys Vigilance unless you’re mono-colored.
Weaselback Redcap image 1.5 I’m not usually interested in cards like this. Sure, it is a one mana 1/1 with upside, but the upside it has isn’t especially good. People often overrate cards like this – but what makes it not so good is that literally any creature blocking it kills it, and you might think you can trade up with this, but in most cases, the total mana you spend on your Weaselback Redcap to take down a creature with more than one toughness will almost always be more than your opponent spent on that creature, so really – in most scenarios you’re coming out behind.
Specter's Shriek image 0.5 Specter’s Shriek, while efficient, is going to be god awful against people not playing Black. One mana and a whole card are not worth taking away a card from your opponent in most scenarios. That’s 2-for-1ing yourself, and you’re doing it for something that doesn’t even affect the board! Now, I do think against opponent’s playing Black, it is reasonable to side in, especially if they are the kind of deck holding on to a bunch of cards.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Faerie Guidemother
Lash of Thorns image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but this format has lots of tricks attached to creatures thanks to Adventures, and that’s way better than a card that is JUST a trick. For that reason, the Lash isn’t something you play very often.
Fling image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it doesn’t tend to be great without a super sacrifice sub-theme in a set.
Weapon Rack image 1.0 You might think this isn’t bad in an aggro deck, as it ends up making your creatures better attackers, but if you played it instead of playing a creature, you’re also hurting your chances as an aggro deck.
Faerie Guidemother image 3.5 The Adventure side of this lets you get in for some damage in the air, something that can be pretty nice early, and something that can close out games late. Then, it can come down as a 1/1 flyer itself. The whole package here ends up being pretty good in aggro decks.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Tall as a Beanstalk
Barge In image 2.0 This trick only works if you are attacking, which does hurt it a little bit, because losing the flexibility to save a creature from some removal spells, or using it when you’re blocking matters – but like 90% of the time you use a trick, you’re attacking anyway, so it isn’t a huge hit. And I think it mostly makes up for that problem with the fact that it can grant all your non-human creatures trample, which is a nice additional line of text to have.
Tall as a Beanstalk image 0.0 Lately, they have been printing Auras that are actually playable because of their efficiency, or their ability to mitigate against a 2-for-1. But this isn’t either of those. 4 mana for +3/+3 and Reach really isn’t the most amazing deal in the world, and it leaves you wide open to 2-for-1s that will also get huge tempo on you because of the total mana you spend on the creature and this Aura. Don’t play this.
Crystal Slipper image 1.5 The initial cost of the card – 2 to play and 1 to equip is pretty steep. That said, being able to sort of pay a kicker on your creatures of one mana to give them +1/+0 and Haste seems alright. I think you probably play one of these in aggro decks sometimes, but I feel like you’ll cut it pretty regularly too.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Memory Theft
Memory Theft image 1.0 Coercion usually isn’t a very good card in Limited – you pay a significant amount of mana and don’t impact the board at all. This does come with the ability to get rid of creatures sitting around in the Adventure Zone, and when you can do that it will almost feel like a 2-for-1, but there’s no guarantee it will line up that way.
Ogre Errant image 2.0 This is harder to get going than you might think, and even when it does, it finds itself on boards where it still doesn’t have a good attack.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Knight of the Keep
Knight of the Keep image 1.0 A vanilla 3 mana 3/2 just isn’t really what you want to be doing. There are just so many better things you can do with 3 mana. You’ll only play it begrudgingly, if you need a 3 drop, or more knights in your deck, or you are way too short on creatures in your deck.
Draft Pick Overview