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Quick Draft M21 27.januar 2021

27 January 10:59 - danrubenach 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (14)
2 Goblin Arsonist image
1 Terror of the Peaks image
2 Spellgorger Weird image
1 Concordia Pegasus image
1 Pitchburn Devils image
1 Battle-Rattle Shaman image
1 Alpine Watchdog image
1 Kinetic Augur image
1 Rambunctious Mutt image
1 Selfless Savior image
2 Anointed Chorister image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
1 Shock image
1 Scorching Dragonfire image
1 Angelic Ascension image
2 Defiant Strike image
1 Thrill of Possibility image
2 Goblin Wizardry image
1 Turn to Slag image
Land (17)
8 Plains image
9 Mountain image
Sideboard
1 Daybreak Charger image
1 Rambunctious Mutt image
1 Warded Battlements image
1 Staunch Shieldmate image
1 Onakke Ogre image
1 Celestial Enforcer image
1 Defiant Strike image
2 Burn Bright image
1 Thrill of Possibility image
1 Revitalize image
2 Life Goes On image
1 Unleash Fury image
1 Meteorite image
1 Destructive Tampering image
1 Short Sword image
1 Infernal Scarring image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Terror of the Peaks
Terror of the Peaks image 5.0 Well, this is a bomb. You can really tell because when you chop up the card, it is still really good. Take away any of the three abilities it has, and it would still be incredibly good! But it has all of them -- including a highly efficient evasive body, an effect that punishes opponents if they kill it, and the last ability which really pushes it into insane territory, which lets you turn every creature you play into a removal or burn spell. I like that even if they kill it before you get to untap and go crazy, they are at least taking 3 damage, too.
Thrashing Brontodon image 3.5 This creature has nice stats, and it has some nice utility, being able to blow up Artifacts and Enchantments. This lets you play a way to hate on those in your deck without playing a card that is horrible in situations where you aren’t up against those permanent types.
Rewind image 1.0 4 mana for a counterspell is a ton, and while this is “free” in a sense, that fact won’t matter in the vast majority of Limited games. You just won’t have another instant or activated ability to spend that untapped mana on most of the time, so you’re just looking at what is basically a 4-mana hard counter, and that’s something that you don’t want to play in Limited. Your opponent playing around it is pretty devastating, and it is a lot harder to do well tempo-wise with a 4-mana counter. I can see decks coming together sometimes that are loaded up with instants and/or activated abilities, in which case it becomes a little better, but I think you steer clear most of the time.
Obsessive Stitcher image 4.0 Looting is always really good in Limited, especially when its free. It just allows you to drastically improve your card quality, and over the course of the game it can really play a role in who wins and who doesn’t. Then, the fact this comes with a reasonably costed reanimation effect is nice too -- and you can do it at instant speed! Obviously because she’s a creature, you aren’t going ot be surprising anyone when you reanimate something, but the fact that you can do it at the end of the turn and attack with your reanimated creature is great. Basically, the Sticher lets you dig through your library for your past cards, and when necessary can give herself up to give you another chance with one of your best creatures -- that’s powerful. She is just really well-positioned in this format, where she is a key part of Teferi’s Tutleage decks as well as reanimator decks.
Titanic Growth image 2.0 This is a stat boost that will allow your creature to win almost all combats, and that’s the kind of trick most aggro decks feel okay about running.
Skyscanner image 2.5 Casting this always feels pretty decent. It replaces itself and then gives you a body that you can do something with – whether that’s attacking, trading, chump blocking, or being sacrificed for an effect, it all feel likes gravy at that point.
Finishing Blow image 3.5 This is a little bit expensive, but it can kill pretty much everything and it does at Instant speed, so the 5 mana is well worth it.
Warded Battlements image 1.5 This is weird because it is a payoff for go-wide aggro decks, where the boost will be the most effective – but also weird because it has Defender, and that’s not usually what you’re looking for in an aggro deck. The Battlements are probably actually at their best in the UW skies deck – those decks usually need blockers on the ground while they attack in the air, and +1/+0 on a bunch of flyers is pretty nice. Still, you don’t even always run it in those decks.
Trufflesnout image 3.0 This is a nice little card. Either option is a card you’d probably play. Having an option to choose which of those is ideal makes this a nice Common, and one that has synergy for some of the life gain payoffs in the format, as well as the +1/+1 counter payoffs.
Gnarled Sage image 2.0 This has some decent stats and keywords, and sometimes it gets bigger. It is a surprisingly good road block for decks in this format.
Teferi's Protege image 2.5 Looting is nice because it helps you get through your library and gives you nice card selection. This looter also comes with reasonable stats for the investment as a ⅔. It is somewhat limited as a looter since it asks for two mana every time you do it, but that’s ok -- it is a good place to be spending your mana as the game goes long, and it will definitely have a positive impact on the outcome of long games. This is a solid Blue common.
Pitchburn Devils image 1.5 This has terrible stats, but it has a death trigger which allows it to trade for things with 6 power, or – even better, can sometimes allow you to get a 2-for-1. That said, it is hard to overcome the inefficiency here.
Capture Sphere image 3.0 This is always pretty good removal for Blue. It doesn’t shut off static abilities, but it does pretty much everything else you’d like from your removal spells.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Kinetic Augur
Canopy Stalker image 2.5 Creatures who force your opponent to block them are pretty nice, as they really complicate combat for an opponent. Life gain being attached to this is kind of nice too. But still, stats aren’t great here, and your opponent will frequently just put a 2/X in front of it and be fine. I think this is a solid playable, but not much more.
Kinetic Augur image 3.0 This gives you some nice card selection and in a spell deck can often actually represent a pretty real threat, too. It is a little bit awkward alongside the UR signpost, which returns instants or sorceries to your hand, which is a bit of a nonbo alongside the Augur, but I still like it.
Quirion Dryad image 1.0 // 3.0 So, a two-mana 1/1 isn’t good, but it is a two mana 1/1 that gets a +1/+1 counter any time you play a spell that isn’t Green. Now, achieving that can be a bit awkward in Limited -- because, theoretically, if you’re playing a two-drop like the Dryad, you’re probably a base-Green deck -- but the good news is that Green in most Limited formats has really good fixing, so you can definitely end up in a deck that is base Green, but a pretty big chunk of your spells are capable of growing the Dryad. Keep in mind too, that it can work a bit like Prowess -- where you can do stuff at Instant speed to grow her, and sometimes manufacture blowouts when you do. At this early stage of spoilers, I am really hoping there is a GX Multi-color archetype, and that the Dryad is a signpost uncommon -- if that’s the case, she could very well turn into a card that takes over games in that type of deck.
Capture Sphere image 3.0 This is always pretty good removal for Blue. It doesn’t shut off static abilities, but it does pretty much everything else you’d like from your removal spells.
Daybreak Charger image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive two drop. It starts with reasonable enough stats and then has a very real ETB ability. Giving something +2/+0 is often enough to enable attack that you didn’t have before, and giving the boost to a creature token or an evasive creature feels particularly satisfying. This is a premiere two-drop for White aggressive decks.
Crash Through image 1.0 // 2.0 This is nice in the spells deck, since it triggers a bunch of stuff and replaces itself, but pretty much unplayable everywhere else.
Skeleton Archer image 2.5 There are lots of X/1s in this format, so this really overperforms. Doesn’t hurt that it can go after the opponent too sometimes.
Pridemalkin image 3.5 So, worst case scenario you have a 3-mana 3/2 with Trample here. That’s acceptable, but luckily it does even more! For one thing, you can put the counter anywhere -- like on a larger creature who will benefit more from Trample. For another, it gives Trample to any other creatures you control with +1/+1 counters too, so this will often come down and shake up the board. The fact that it can add something to the board right away, no matter what, is always attractive too. +1/+1-adding creatures who are reasonably efficient have always been good in Limited, and that’s what we have here -- in addition to some nice synergy.
Feat of Resistance image 3.0 Protection is just really powerful – the obvious way to use this is to win combat one way or another, by making your creature big enough and also giving it protection from whatever it is in combat with – but you can also use it in response to removal to save a creature, or if your opponent has only blockers of one color and you need evasion for lethal, it can do that too. Not to mention, it puts a +1/+1 counter on the creature, and there is synergy for that in this set. Now, your opponent can still respond to Feat with removal to 2-for-1 you, but the flexibility and upside is real enough that I don’t see a reason to cut the first couple of copies of this in most White decks.
Onakke Ogre image 1.5 3-mana 4/2s are borderline playables, and this set has various payoffs for 4 power, so you’ll play this a little more than you might think.
Pitchburn Devils image 1.5 This has terrible stats, but it has a death trigger which allows it to trade for things with 6 power, or – even better, can sometimes allow you to get a 2-for-1. That said, it is hard to overcome the inefficiency here.
Hunter's Edge image 3.5 We see cards like this a lot, and they’re always pretty good removal spells for Green decks. They come with the downside of usually being pretty clunky and risking a 2-for-1, so be careful when you cast it. The good news here is that this straight up does damage and isn’t a fight effect, so you don’t need to end up with a creature just the right size to survive fighting something else. It also means that the creature you use it on will be able to attack right away more easily, since it won’t have taken any damage.
Trufflesnout image 3.0 This is a nice little card. Either option is a card you’d probably play. Having an option to choose which of those is ideal makes this a nice Common, and one that has synergy for some of the life gain payoffs in the format, as well as the +1/+1 counter payoffs.
Mountain image
Pack 1 Pick 3: Angelic Ascension
Carrion Grub image 2.5 So, how high does the power need to be here for you to feel like you’re doing alright? Well, honestly, a 4-mana ⅖ is a decent enough deal -- especially when it mills you four cards and enables ograveyard strategies like this can, and I think most of the time you won’t have a problem getting this to be a ⅖, and it will often be larger. It doesn’t have evasion or anything, but the self-mill and good blocker -- which can later become a better attacker potentially too -- is pretty nice. I like that they decided to let its power continue to change while it is in play, instead of simply having it check what the highest power is when it comes down, too. This may have some potential combat-trick-esque effect -- say, if you can sacrifice a creature or discard a card or mill yourself at instant speed, and suddenly bump its power up.
Angelic Ascension image 2.0 People always overrate this kind of card. It can do a lot of stuff for sure -- you can use it to downgrade one of your opponent’s creature, or to upgrade one of yours -- the latter is more frequently going to be the plan, because a 4/4 Angel won’t be much of a downgrade most of the time. The ideal thing to do with this is going to be to use it at instant speed somehow -- either on a creature that is going to die to removal anyway, or in response to an opponent attacking, so you can turn your smaller creature into a 4/4 that can block more effectively. All that said, this kind of card pretty much always underperforms. It is exciting to think about turning your one drop into a 4/4 angel -- but you are effectively 2-for-1ing yourself to pull that off, which is a bit dangerous. It can win you the game if your opponent doesn’t have an answer, but if they do – you are going to be in trouble tempo-wise. This is just a solid playable, and not much more.
Mistral Singer image 3.5 Wind Drake stats + Prowess = a very good Common for Blue. It will attack well and be a pain to interact with thanks to that Prowess.
Goblin Arsonist image 2.0 So, this is a one mana creature that can trade up for X/2s, and even threaten 2-for-1s when your opponent has two X/1s in play. It can also just ping the opponent for one when that is going to be meaningful. It also has a little bit of extra value in the Sacrifice deck, since it will give you some sort of value in addition to whatever the sacrifice effect gives you.
Rookie Mistake image 1.0 It is hard to line this up in an advantageous way, it is just so weird. However, it is cheap, and this format has spell payoffs, so that saves it from being completely unplayable.
Legion's Judgment image 1.5 This being Sorcery speed is kind of sad, because sometimes when it is an Instant, you can use it after combat tricks and things resolve, which can really blow people out. It can kill big stuff, and most people have enough targets that it is a reasonable main deck card, but it is nowhere near premium removal with its major limitations.
Masked Blackguard image 1.5 This is something you play sometimes, it is a two-drop that maintains some relevancy all game long because of its ability, even if the creature itself and its ability are pretty darn inefficient.
Snarespinner image 2.0 This blocks flyers well, outright killing many of them. Green often needs something like this to combat flyers, and the first copy makes the cut reasonably often.
Alpine Watchdog image 1.5 So, a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance is pretty passable. This guy does have some small additional synergies as a result of being a card that the RW signpost uncommon can search up, and that does increase his value for sure.
Run Afoul image 0.5 This is mostly just a sideboard card. An edict for only flyers is a dead card too often, and even as a sideboard card it leaves a lot to be desired.
Burn Bright image 1.0 I never love this kind of mass pump effect in Limited. I like to get a toughness boost too, because that makes it far more flexible. If your creature was dead when your opponent blocked, it still will be even if you use this, and that means that this is really only worthwhile when you can do straight up lethal, really limiting its prospects.
Spined Megalodon image 1.5 // 2.5 Big hexproof guys like this usually can find a place in Limited. They are at their best in more controlling decks, as it provides a large Blocker who your opponent just can’t interact with. Hexproof creatures also tend to be good places to put Auras, since getting 2-for-1’d when you put it on a hexproof creature is so unlikely. It is a nice bit of additional value that this Scries when you attack with it, too. UB Reanimator is a very real deck in this format, and this is one of the Commons that you’re pretty happy to play there.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 4: Selfless Savior
Selfless Savior image 2.5 One-mana 1/1s are often not very good in Limited because their board presence is so negligible, and they quickly become irrelevant. This Dog comes with an extra ability that is pretty nice though. He can do a bad Mother of Runes impression, in that your opponent always has to contend with the fact that while the Dog is in play, it can be used to really mess up lots of things -- like combat and removal spells.
Palladium Myr image 3.0 The mana boost this gives you is really nice, and while that sort of thing tends to only matter in the early game, this format does have some mana sinks around that can keep it relevant for longer. It does die to pretty much everything, but if you can just tap it for mana once I don’t think you care.
Traitorous Greed image 1.0 Threaten effects need a lot of work to be good in Limited, and I don’t see the necessary pieces here, even if this does make you treasure. You have to win the game when you cast them or they are virtually useless, and that’s just too narrow.
Feat of Resistance image 3.0 Protection is just really powerful – the obvious way to use this is to win combat one way or another, by making your creature big enough and also giving it protection from whatever it is in combat with – but you can also use it in response to removal to save a creature, or if your opponent has only blockers of one color and you need evasion for lethal, it can do that too. Not to mention, it puts a +1/+1 counter on the creature, and there is synergy for that in this set. Now, your opponent can still respond to Feat with removal to 2-for-1 you, but the flexibility and upside is real enough that I don’t see a reason to cut the first couple of copies of this in most White decks.
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
Frantic Inventory image 0.5 // 3.0 I actually enjoy these “Collect ‘em All” type cards in Limited, as they make for interesting decisions even later on in packs. Obviously, you don’t want to play this if you only have 1, it is woefully inefficient -- and even 2 isn’t really where you should be playing it. I think you need to get at least 3 before you start playing it, and any more than that and it becomes increasingly impressive. It doesn’t hurt that UG has payoffs for drawing cards, and UR has payoffs for spells either. Keep in mind, by the way -- in Limited you can play as many copies of something as you can get your hands on, so you can go higher than 4.
Staunch Shieldmate image 0.5 Well, those are some impressive stats on a one mana creature – we’ve never seen a one mana 1/3 with no downsides at all. That said, while he might do well on the vanilla test, he still isn’t all that impressive in Limited. He is quickly outclassed without some help, and you’ll only play him if you really need a one drop for a super aggro deck.
Capture Sphere image 3.0 This is always pretty good removal for Blue. It doesn’t shut off static abilities, but it does pretty much everything else you’d like from your removal spells.
Celestial Enforcer image 2.5 If you don’t have fliers, you probably hope you don’t play this, but as long as you have 4 or 5 Flyers, this probably gets into the playable range, and that isn’t a crazy thing to achieve. Tap down effects are always nice in Limited, and even a situational one like this is well worth playing.
Garruk's Gorehorn image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with huge power and low toughness, and I’m not really looking to play that most of the time.
Burn Bright image 1.0 I never love this kind of mass pump effect in Limited. I like to get a toughness boost too, because that makes it far more flexible. If your creature was dead when your opponent blocked, it still will be even if you use this, and that means that this is really only worthwhile when you can do straight up lethal, really limiting its prospects.
Mountain image
Pack 1 Pick 5: Goblin Wizardry
Meteorite image 1.5 This is an expensive mana rock, but it is fixing, and it can even Shock something, so that helps make it a little more reasonable to play.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.0 This does a good job of supporting both the go-wide deck and the +1/+1 counter deck. But it isn’t stellar – a 3-mana 3/2 won’t be surviving more attacks, and while a 4/3 has a better shot – it isn’t exactly a juggernaut either.
Wishcoin Crab image 1.0 This has stats that line up reasonably well against early attackers, and if you’re in the market for that, you’ll probably play it.
Daybreak Charger image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive two drop. It starts with reasonable enough stats and then has a very real ETB ability. Giving something +2/+0 is often enough to enable attack that you didn’t have before, and giving the boost to a creature token or an evasive creature feels particularly satisfying. This is a premiere two-drop for White aggressive decks.
Dub image 2.5 This Aura gives a big enough stats boost and a good enough keyword ability that it is worth the risk of getting 2-for-1’d. It is especially nice on lifelinkers or flyers. Aggro decks will virtually always play the first copy.
Opt image 2.0 This is always pretty decent, especially in formats that have spell payoffs, and this one does.
Gloom Sower image 1.0 // 2.0 This card is mostly not very good – it has low toughness for the cost and is very easy to take down. However, it does slot reasonably well into the UB reanimator deck, and that helps make it a more appealing card.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Goblin Wizardry image 2.5 This slots in nicely into the spell deck, because it IS a spell that will trigger your spell payoffs, and it creates two tokens who are spell payoffs too.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Anointed Chorister
Kitesail Freebooter image 3.0 This is a nice disruptive creature that also comes with some reasonable French Vanilla stats. Even though they get the creature back if they kill him, he will usually have disrupted their plan enough to really cause them problems, while also still getting traded for 1-for-1.
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
Concordia Pegasus image 1.5 This can attack early, but doesn’t exactly do anything super meaningful most of the time. This format does have +1/+1 counters and a flying archetype, and does help make it better. You will play this for sure, but you’ll also cut it a decent chunk of the time.
Staunch Shieldmate image 0.5 Well, those are some impressive stats on a one mana creature – we’ve never seen a one mana 1/3 with no downsides at all. That said, while he might do well on the vanilla test, he still isn’t all that impressive in Limited. He is quickly outclassed without some help, and you’ll only play him if you really need a one drop for a super aggro deck.
Village Rites image 1.5 I think it is fair to compare this to Tormenting Voice. Both cost you two cards to get you two cards. And yes, there are some differences -- the Rite needs a creature in play and it is an Instant, but I think this will serve a similar purpose. If you have lots of creature tokens, or use it in response to removal, or sacrifice a creature shut down by an Aura, it is going to feel pretty good -- and if you have sacrifice synergies it will be a little better to, but I think that it only makes the cut in your deck about half of the time, and usually just barely as a 23rd or 24th card.
Anointed Chorister image 2.5 So, a one mana 1/1 with lifelink is generally not a card worth playing – it just won’t be relevant for very long, but adding an activated ability here makes things interesting. It is by no means an efficient way to pump the chorister, but if you are flooding out it gives you a reasonable mana sink, one that can turn the Chorister into quite the scary attacker in the later part of the game. This format also has life gain payoffs, and that matters too!
Setessan Training image 2.0 This gives a reasonable enough boost and replaces itself. It isn’t as good here as it was in Theros, where Enchantments came with a lot of upsides, but its still a fine card.
Vodalian Arcanist image 2.0 This two-mana 1/3 does a good job of blocking early, and then gives you some nice extra mana to utilize.
Wall of Runes image 1.0 This is a decent inclusion if you’re really defensive, but even there it isn’t great.
Plains image
Pack 1 Pick 7: Concordia Pegasus
Skyway Sniper image 1.0 This can pick off small flyers which is nice, but that doesn’t happen as often as you’d think in this format.
Sanctum of Calm Waters image 1.0 // 3.0 This Sanctum is kind of passable if you don’t have other Sanctums – or at least that’s true if you’re in a reanimator or Teferi’s Tutelage deck, both of which like the repeatable draw effect. It obviously gets significantly better if you’re packing some other Sanctums.
Staunch Shieldmate image 0.5 Well, those are some impressive stats on a one mana creature – we’ve never seen a one mana 1/3 with no downsides at all. That said, while he might do well on the vanilla test, he still isn’t all that impressive in Limited. He is quickly outclassed without some help, and you’ll only play him if you really need a one drop for a super aggro deck.
Ornery Dilophosaur image 1.5 This card’s main downfall is that it costs 4 and frequently only has two toughness, which makes it die to a whole lot, and you’re usually losing tempo when it happens. It does have Deathtouch, which allows it to trade with whatever, but costing 4 makes that a lot less impressive. Becoming a 4/4 when it attacks is nice additional upside, but it isn’t that impressive, really.
Caged Zombie image 1.5 It seems like this ability would be a nice way to close out games, and it is sometimes, but it is more challenging to set up than it looks at first, since you need a creature to die and you need to have mana available to use the ability.
Opt image 2.0 This is always pretty decent, especially in formats that have spell payoffs, and this one does.
Concordia Pegasus image 1.5 This can attack early, but doesn’t exactly do anything super meaningful most of the time. This format does have +1/+1 counters and a flying archetype, and does help make it better. You will play this for sure, but you’ll also cut it a decent chunk of the time.
Frost Breath image 1.0 I am never a huge fan of this type of situational effect. Sure, you can use it offensive, to get some attacks in, or defensively, to make a creature miss two rounds of attacks, but there are too many situations where it doesn’t do anything. For these effects to be worth it they usually need something else going on.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 8: Defiant Strike
Wishcoin Crab image 1.0 This has stats that line up reasonably well against early attackers, and if you’re in the market for that, you’ll probably play it.
Alpine Watchdog image 1.5 So, a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance is pretty passable. This guy does have some small additional synergies as a result of being a card that the RW signpost uncommon can search up, and that does increase his value for sure.
Burn Bright image 1.0 I never love this kind of mass pump effect in Limited. I like to get a toughness boost too, because that makes it far more flexible. If your creature was dead when your opponent blocked, it still will be even if you use this, and that means that this is really only worthwhile when you can do straight up lethal, really limiting its prospects.
Garruk's Gorehorn image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with huge power and low toughness, and I’m not really looking to play that most of the time.
Defiant Strike image 0.5 If White doesn’t have some sort of theme built around spells or combat tricks, this card is usually not very good. Sure, it does replace itself, but the stats boost is meaningless or may as well be far too often for me to play this most of the time.
Rookie Mistake image 1.0 It is hard to line this up in an advantageous way, it is just so weird. However, it is cheap, and this format has spell payoffs, so that saves it from being completely unplayable.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Rugged Highlands image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Warded Battlements
Rewind image 1.0 4 mana for a counterspell is a ton, and while this is “free” in a sense, that fact won’t matter in the vast majority of Limited games. You just won’t have another instant or activated ability to spend that untapped mana on most of the time, so you’re just looking at what is basically a 4-mana hard counter, and that’s something that you don’t want to play in Limited. Your opponent playing around it is pretty devastating, and it is a lot harder to do well tempo-wise with a 4-mana counter. I can see decks coming together sometimes that are loaded up with instants and/or activated abilities, in which case it becomes a little better, but I think you steer clear most of the time.
Titanic Growth image 2.0 This is a stat boost that will allow your creature to win almost all combats, and that’s the kind of trick most aggro decks feel okay about running.
Warded Battlements image 1.5 This is weird because it is a payoff for go-wide aggro decks, where the boost will be the most effective – but also weird because it has Defender, and that’s not usually what you’re looking for in an aggro deck. The Battlements are probably actually at their best in the UW skies deck – those decks usually need blockers on the ground while they attack in the air, and +1/+0 on a bunch of flyers is pretty nice. Still, you don’t even always run it in those decks.
Gnarled Sage image 2.0 This has some decent stats and keywords, and sometimes it gets bigger. It is a surprisingly good road block for decks in this format.
Teferi's Protege image 2.5 Looting is nice because it helps you get through your library and gives you nice card selection. This looter also comes with reasonable stats for the investment as a ⅔. It is somewhat limited as a looter since it asks for two mana every time you do it, but that’s ok -- it is a good place to be spending your mana as the game goes long, and it will definitely have a positive impact on the outcome of long games. This is a solid Blue common.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Pitchburn Devils
Canopy Stalker image 2.5 Creatures who force your opponent to block them are pretty nice, as they really complicate combat for an opponent. Life gain being attached to this is kind of nice too. But still, stats aren’t great here, and your opponent will frequently just put a 2/X in front of it and be fine. I think this is a solid playable, but not much more.
Crash Through image 1.0 // 2.0 This is nice in the spells deck, since it triggers a bunch of stuff and replaces itself, but pretty much unplayable everywhere else.
Onakke Ogre image 1.5 3-mana 4/2s are borderline playables, and this set has various payoffs for 4 power, so you’ll play this a little more than you might think.
Pitchburn Devils image 1.5 This has terrible stats, but it has a death trigger which allows it to trade for things with 6 power, or – even better, can sometimes allow you to get a 2-for-1. That said, it is hard to overcome the inefficiency here.
Trufflesnout image 3.0 This is a nice little card. Either option is a card you’d probably play. Having an option to choose which of those is ideal makes this a nice Common, and one that has synergy for some of the life gain payoffs in the format, as well as the +1/+1 counter payoffs.
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Pack 1 Pick 11: Alpine Watchdog
Rookie Mistake image 1.0 It is hard to line this up in an advantageous way, it is just so weird. However, it is cheap, and this format has spell payoffs, so that saves it from being completely unplayable.
Alpine Watchdog image 1.5 So, a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance is pretty passable. This guy does have some small additional synergies as a result of being a card that the RW signpost uncommon can search up, and that does increase his value for sure.
Run Afoul image 0.5 This is mostly just a sideboard card. An edict for only flyers is a dead card too often, and even as a sideboard card it leaves a lot to be desired.
Burn Bright image 1.0 I never love this kind of mass pump effect in Limited. I like to get a toughness boost too, because that makes it far more flexible. If your creature was dead when your opponent blocked, it still will be even if you use this, and that means that this is really only worthwhile when you can do straight up lethal, really limiting its prospects.
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Pack 1 Pick 12: Burn Bright
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
Staunch Shieldmate image 0.5 Well, those are some impressive stats on a one mana creature – we’ve never seen a one mana 1/3 with no downsides at all. That said, while he might do well on the vanilla test, he still isn’t all that impressive in Limited. He is quickly outclassed without some help, and you’ll only play him if you really need a one drop for a super aggro deck.
Burn Bright image 1.0 I never love this kind of mass pump effect in Limited. I like to get a toughness boost too, because that makes it far more flexible. If your creature was dead when your opponent blocked, it still will be even if you use this, and that means that this is really only worthwhile when you can do straight up lethal, really limiting its prospects.
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Pack 1 Pick 13: Meteorite
Meteorite image 1.5 This is an expensive mana rock, but it is fixing, and it can even Shock something, so that helps make it a little more reasonable to play.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Wishcoin Crab image 1.0 This has stats that line up reasonably well against early attackers, and if you’re in the market for that, you’ll probably play it.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Staunch Shieldmate
Staunch Shieldmate image 0.5 Well, those are some impressive stats on a one mana creature – we’ve never seen a one mana 1/3 with no downsides at all. That said, while he might do well on the vanilla test, he still isn’t all that impressive in Limited. He is quickly outclassed without some help, and you’ll only play him if you really need a one drop for a super aggro deck.
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Pack 1 Pick 15: Forest
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Pack 2 Pick 1: Scorching Dragonfire
Fabled Passage image 3.0 This gives you really good fixing, something that every Limited deck wants, since Limited mana bases tend to be so bad, even in two-color decks!
Light of Promise image 0.0 I would advise against play this. If you’re new to my set reviews, you may not know that I absolutely hate Auras that don’t give me some kind of value that actually adds to the board. This is an Aura that does absolutely nothing on its own. You have to have life gain around -- and even though the BW deck in this format is about gaining life, I’m still not interested in an Aura that makes me do extra work to get a bonus. Putting it on something with lifelink is tempting, but I’m going to resist that temptation. I realize that the creature gets absolutely huge as you gain more life, since it gets a counter for every single point of life you gain, but the investment here is huge, risky, and requires some serious help to be worth it. I’m not interested in all of that when I’m putting a 2-for-1 on the line.
Malefic Scythe image 4.0 A two mana Equipment that costs 1 to equip and gives +1/+1 would be a card that is already a borderline playable, and this thing just keeps getting better and more efficient as the game goes on.
Dire Fleet Warmonger image 3.5 So, this really pushes you in the direction of being a sacrifice deck, and he is pretty great for sacrificing things. On the surface, a 3-mana 3/3 is a good deal, and the fact you can cash in a creature every turn to make him a 5/5 with trample means that he is imposing on many board states. This Sacrifice effect doesn’t cost any mana either, so it can be particularly devastating to steal your opponent’s creature before combat and then sacrifice it to the Warbringer.
Scorching Dragonfire image 3.5 This is really efficient removal, and the exile clause is nice. This is definitely premium.
Teferi's Protege image 2.5 Looting is nice because it helps you get through your library and gives you nice card selection. This looter also comes with reasonable stats for the investment as a ⅔. It is somewhat limited as a looter since it asks for two mana every time you do it, but that’s ok -- it is a good place to be spending your mana as the game goes long, and it will definitely have a positive impact on the outcome of long games. This is a solid Blue common.
Alchemist's Gift image 1.5 This is a decent trick, if you choose the deathtouch option you will be virtually guaranteeing that you kill the other creature, and that can be particularly spicy against a double block. You’ll choose the lifelink option if you just need the stats boost to win combat.
Defiant Strike image 0.5 If White doesn’t have some sort of theme built around spells or combat tricks, this card is usually not very good. Sure, it does replace itself, but the stats boost is meaningless or may as well be far too often for me to play this most of the time.
Anointed Chorister image 2.5 So, a one mana 1/1 with lifelink is generally not a card worth playing – it just won’t be relevant for very long, but adding an activated ability here makes things interesting. It is by no means an efficient way to pump the chorister, but if you are flooding out it gives you a reasonable mana sink, one that can turn the Chorister into quite the scary attacker in the later part of the game. This format also has life gain payoffs, and that matters too!
Colossal Dreadmaw image 2.0 Look, its the Dreadmaw! I’m not sure we’ve ever seen THIS card before. But if I had to guess, I’d say that a 6-mana 6/6 with Trample is a reasonable die, and a fine thing to top your curve with.
Track Down image 1.0 This is Green Sorcery-Speed Anticipate, and it is a pretty darn replaceable card. You’d rather be playing something that adds to the board than getting some card selection in most decks.
Onakke Ogre image 1.5 3-mana 4/2s are borderline playables, and this set has various payoffs for 4 power, so you’ll play this a little more than you might think.
Vodalian Arcanist image 2.0 This two-mana 1/3 does a good job of blocking early, and then gives you some nice extra mana to utilize.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
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Pack 2 Pick 2: Goblin Wizardry
Bad Deal image 0.5 This card is exactly what its name is. It is tempting to imagine the 4-for-1 this gives you in ideal scenarios, but it just doesn’t happen. It is mostly just a bad draw spell.
Pestilent Haze image 1.5 This kind of card is usually not ultra impressive in Limited. It is hard to find situations where this really works -- you need it to impact your opponent’s side of the board more or it just isn’t worth it. And while the loyalty counters thing is a nice additional option, it won’t come up much in Limited.
Furious Rise image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a nice 4-power payoff. It effectively draws you an extra card every turn, and that’s the kind of advantage that will win you the game after you trigger it a few times -- it is just hard for your opponent to keep up with that. It is obviously a build around -- an aggressive Red deck that doesn’t have creatures with high power won’t play this, and it is unlikely a UR spells type deck would either -- this is mostly here for the RG deck, which is all about 4 or more power.
Defiant Strike image 0.5 If White doesn’t have some sort of theme built around spells or combat tricks, this card is usually not very good. Sure, it does replace itself, but the stats boost is meaningless or may as well be far too often for me to play this most of the time.
Run Afoul image 0.5 This is mostly just a sideboard card. An edict for only flyers is a dead card too often, and even as a sideboard card it leaves a lot to be desired.
Gloom Sower image 1.0 // 2.0 This card is mostly not very good – it has low toughness for the cost and is very easy to take down. However, it does slot reasonably well into the UB reanimator deck, and that helps make it a more appealing card.
Legion's Judgment image 1.5 This being Sorcery speed is kind of sad, because sometimes when it is an Instant, you can use it after combat tricks and things resolve, which can really blow people out. It can kill big stuff, and most people have enough targets that it is a reasonable main deck card, but it is nowhere near premium removal with its major limitations.
Daybreak Charger image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive two drop. It starts with reasonable enough stats and then has a very real ETB ability. Giving something +2/+0 is often enough to enable attack that you didn’t have before, and giving the boost to a creature token or an evasive creature feels particularly satisfying. This is a premiere two-drop for White aggressive decks.
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
Goblin Wizardry image 2.5 This slots in nicely into the spell deck, because it IS a spell that will trigger your spell payoffs, and it creates two tokens who are spell payoffs too.
Mistral Singer image 3.5 Wind Drake stats + Prowess = a very good Common for Blue. It will attack well and be a pain to interact with thanks to that Prowess.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Liliana's Steward image 1.0 I don’t like this very much. Sure, it is a one drop that can kind of stay relevant all game, but its relevance is basically always very small. A one mana ½ is quickly outclassed in Limited, and giving this up to make your opponent discard a card of their choice doesn’t seem great to me either.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Spellgorger Weird
Battle-Rattle Shaman image 2.5 This type of effect is easy to underrate, I think -- but don’t make that mistake! +2/+0 to a creature every combat makes creatures able to attack that could not have attacked before! This is especially spicy with creature tokens, who are pretty expendable, but turning them into 3/1s makes them into more of a problem for your opponent. Note by the way, in a pinch, the Shaman can also target himself, making the fail case of the card less miserable than it would have been otherwise. I’m not saying I think you should take this super early or anything -- after all, the creature has a pretty weak body for 4 mana, even if it can be a 4/2 on your turn -- but it is a serviceable card for Red decks that will really help them find ways to send in attackers in a way they couldn’t before.
Riddleform image 2.5 The fail case here is not very good -- an Enchantment that lets you pay 3 mana to Scry 1 is not worth playing. The question becomes: how many times does this have to become a Sphinx to be worth while? And I feel like the answer is: at least twice. And that is perfectly doable within a spells deck, but this card really isn’t going to be the kind of payoff that takes over games for you. It is just a solid payoff you’ll include in your deck.
Bad Deal image 0.5 This card is exactly what its name is. It is tempting to imagine the 4-for-1 this gives you in ideal scenarios, but it just doesn’t happen. It is mostly just a bad draw spell.
Concordia Pegasus image 1.5 This can attack early, but doesn’t exactly do anything super meaningful most of the time. This format does have +1/+1 counters and a flying archetype, and does help make it better. You will play this for sure, but you’ll also cut it a decent chunk of the time.
Frantic Inventory image 0.5 // 3.0 I actually enjoy these “Collect ‘em All” type cards in Limited, as they make for interesting decisions even later on in packs. Obviously, you don’t want to play this if you only have 1, it is woefully inefficient -- and even 2 isn’t really where you should be playing it. I think you need to get at least 3 before you start playing it, and any more than that and it becomes increasingly impressive. It doesn’t hurt that UG has payoffs for drawing cards, and UR has payoffs for spells either. Keep in mind, by the way -- in Limited you can play as many copies of something as you can get your hands on, so you can go higher than 4.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Masked Blackguard image 1.5 This is something you play sometimes, it is a two-drop that maintains some relevancy all game long because of its ability, even if the creature itself and its ability are pretty darn inefficient.
Spellgorger Weird image 1.5 // 3.5 This is definitely a build around. Most decks can get away with playing it, but it will really only be the UR deck that can take full advantage, turning into a full-fledged win condition.
Ranger's Guile image 2.0 This is a fairly decent combat trick for Limited. The stats boost isn’t hte mos impressive for the cost -- but Hexproof is where this gets some extra power, since it means you can no tonly use Guile to win combat, you can use it to save your creature.
Titanic Growth image 2.0 This is a stat boost that will allow your creature to win almost all combats, and that’s the kind of trick most aggro decks feel okay about running.
Walking Corpse image 1.0 This is a vanilla two drop that you’ll play only out of desperation.
Keen Glidemaster image 2.5 Its nice that this is a two-drop who can stay relevant all game long, since flying definitely allows that.
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Pack 2 Pick 4: Spellgorger Weird
Twinblade Assassins image 3.5 This can turn into a card-drawing engine, and definitely will cause problems for your opponent. The idea of chump blocking or even trading becomes a lot less palatable when they know you’re going to just draw a card at the end of your turn. It also has some pretty nice stats on top of all of that!
Griffin Aerie image 0.0 // 3.0 Turning life gain into actual cards feels great, and a 2/2 flyer is definitely a real card -- especially if you can get more than one of them out of this -- even the first one is given to you at a pretty good rate, so if this really starts churning them out things could get interesting. Obviously, you have to have a deck that can not only gain life -- but gain 3 or more life a turn at least a few times a game for this to be worth it, and as a result of that I think we do have to go with a buildaround here. It is stone unplayable in many decks. But in a deck that can really get things going with it, it is going to be one of the best payoffs in your deck, since it provides you with a very real win condition.
Lorescale Coatl image 3.0 I always like this card when it gets printed! A 3-mana 2/2 that grows progressively larger as the game goes on is nice, especially because you don’t have to contribute any resources to it getting larger. The Coatl gets better the more card draw you have, but even just a +1/+1 counter every turn is pretty nice. Now, the Coatl is pretty inefficient initially, and there will definitely be times where you play this and your opponent can kill it for 1-2 mana, and that’s going to be pretty rough.
Spellgorger Weird image 1.5 // 3.5 This is definitely a build around. Most decks can get away with playing it, but it will really only be the UR deck that can take full advantage, turning into a full-fledged win condition.
Rambunctious Mutt image 1.5 He’s just not very efficient if he isn’t taking down an Artifact or Enchantment, and while this format has a decent number of those, it doesn’t have so many that this guy always makes the cut.
Forgotten Sentinel image 1.0 This has bad stats and a textbox that is just downside, but it does have 4 power, and some decks care about that.
Duress image 0.5 This is too narrow of a discard spell to every play in your main deck.
Sure Strike image 2.0 This trick virtually always allows your creature to win combat, and that’s the kind of trick that aggressive decks are after.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Turn to Slag image 2.5 This is clunky as heck, but it does kill most things, and there is enough good Equipment in this format that you’ll even blow up some Equipment sometimes. It isn’t premium removal, but it is serviceable.
Read the Tides image 1.5 This has two modes, and while it doesn’t do either thing very efficiently, it is nice that it gives you options. Sometimes the bounce effect can win you the game, and when it can’t, you can use this to draw some cards. Now, if you’re behind your opponent it probably won’t help you much, but at parity of if you’re ahead, it is pretty nice.
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Daybreak Charger
Furious Rise image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a nice 4-power payoff. It effectively draws you an extra card every turn, and that’s the kind of advantage that will win you the game after you trigger it a few times -- it is just hard for your opponent to keep up with that. It is obviously a build around -- an aggressive Red deck that doesn’t have creatures with high power won’t play this, and it is unlikely a UR spells type deck would either -- this is mostly here for the RG deck, which is all about 4 or more power.
Fierce Empath image 2.0 So, to some extent, we can compare this to Elvish Visionary, a card that is always a solid Limited playable. The Visionary is a two mana 1/1 that draws you a card -- the Empath is a 3-mana 1/1 that draws you a card. Obviously the main difference there is that the Visionary draws you a random card from your deck, while the Empath searches up a big ol’ creature. Additionally, there are some real pros and cons there -- with the Empath, if you don’t have something to find, you’re going to be really sad with what you have -- while the Visionary always does something, but it isn’t guaranteed to draw you a big creature the way the Empath is. So, where does the Empath fall with all that said? Well, I think most Green decks will have 3 or so targets for this, and if that’s the case, the Empath is a solid playable. Grabbing your best big creature with this is going to feel good a lot of the time -- I mean, that’s often what you’re hoping you draw with extra draws in the late game anyway, right? But the downsides of the card do keep it from being more than just a solid playable for me.
Daybreak Charger image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive two drop. It starts with reasonable enough stats and then has a very real ETB ability. Giving something +2/+0 is often enough to enable attack that you didn’t have before, and giving the boost to a creature token or an evasive creature feels particularly satisfying. This is a premiere two-drop for White aggressive decks.
Rise Again image 3.0 5-mana to reanimate is not usually very good in Limited, but this format is the exception to that rule. There is a very real and well-supported reanimation deck, and this Common is one of the key cards for it.
Village Rites image 1.5 I think it is fair to compare this to Tormenting Voice. Both cost you two cards to get you two cards. And yes, there are some differences -- the Rite needs a creature in play and it is an Instant, but I think this will serve a similar purpose. If you have lots of creature tokens, or use it in response to removal, or sacrifice a creature shut down by an Aura, it is going to feel pretty good -- and if you have sacrifice synergies it will be a little better to, but I think that it only makes the cut in your deck about half of the time, and usually just barely as a 23rd or 24th card.
Igneous Cur image 1.5 This thing is a borderline playable on its own, but it can be fetched by the RW signpost uncommon, increasing its value a little bit.
Warded Battlements image 1.5 This is weird because it is a payoff for go-wide aggro decks, where the boost will be the most effective – but also weird because it has Defender, and that’s not usually what you’re looking for in an aggro deck. The Battlements are probably actually at their best in the UW skies deck – those decks usually need blockers on the ground while they attack in the air, and +1/+0 on a bunch of flyers is pretty nice. Still, you don’t even always run it in those decks.
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Prismite image 1.0 This has bad stats and it is bad at fixing mana. If you’re desperate for a two drop or fixing you’ll play it, but that’s it.
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 6: Thrill of Possibility
Invigorating Surge image 2.0 On its own this is 3-mana for two +1/+1 counters at Instant speed, which is sort of okay. Obviously it gets better when you have other counters around.
Dub image 2.5 This Aura gives a big enough stats boost and a good enough keyword ability that it is worth the risk of getting 2-for-1’d. It is especially nice on lifelinkers or flyers. Aggro decks will virtually always play the first copy.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.0 This does a good job of supporting both the go-wide deck and the +1/+1 counter deck. But it isn’t stellar – a 3-mana 3/2 won’t be surviving more attacks, and while a 4/3 has a better shot – it isn’t exactly a juggernaut either.
Goblin Arsonist image 2.0 So, this is a one mana creature that can trade up for X/2s, and even threaten 2-for-1s when your opponent has two X/1s in play. It can also just ping the opponent for one when that is going to be meaningful. It also has a little bit of extra value in the Sacrifice deck, since it will give you some sort of value in addition to whatever the sacrifice effect gives you.
Tome Anima image 1.0 This card seems like it would be solid, but it just isn’t. It has mediocre stats that make it a liability as a blocker in many situations, and even as an unblockable attacker it doesn’t really feel that great.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Frost Breath image 1.0 I am never a huge fan of this type of situational effect. Sure, you can use it offensive, to get some attacks in, or defensively, to make a creature miss two rounds of attacks, but there are too many situations where it doesn’t do anything. For these effects to be worth it they usually need something else going on.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is an upgraded Tormenting Voice, and I’m all for that in a format with lots of spell payoffs! This lets you dig deeper into your deck and improve your card quality, so you’ll play that first copy a decent chunk of the time.
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 7: Defiant Strike
Sanctum of Tranquil Light image 0.5 // 2.0 Decks with 3+ Sanctums are a real thing in this format, but this is one of the more underwhelming ones, even when you get your Sanctum stuff going. Tapping stuff down is a good way to prolong the game, and sometimes helps you enable attacks, but the other Sanctums are all better than this one. You’re really only going to play it in a Sanctum deck.
Meteorite image 1.5 This is an expensive mana rock, but it is fixing, and it can even Shock something, so that helps make it a little more reasonable to play.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is an upgraded Tormenting Voice, and I’m all for that in a format with lots of spell payoffs! This lets you dig deeper into your deck and improve your card quality, so you’ll play that first copy a decent chunk of the time.
Village Rites image 1.5 I think it is fair to compare this to Tormenting Voice. Both cost you two cards to get you two cards. And yes, there are some differences -- the Rite needs a creature in play and it is an Instant, but I think this will serve a similar purpose. If you have lots of creature tokens, or use it in response to removal, or sacrifice a creature shut down by an Aura, it is going to feel pretty good -- and if you have sacrifice synergies it will be a little better to, but I think that it only makes the cut in your deck about half of the time, and usually just barely as a 23rd or 24th card.
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.0 This does a good job of supporting both the go-wide deck and the +1/+1 counter deck. But it isn’t stellar – a 3-mana 3/2 won’t be surviving more attacks, and while a 4/3 has a better shot – it isn’t exactly a juggernaut either.
Pridemalkin image 3.5 So, worst case scenario you have a 3-mana 3/2 with Trample here. That’s acceptable, but luckily it does even more! For one thing, you can put the counter anywhere -- like on a larger creature who will benefit more from Trample. For another, it gives Trample to any other creatures you control with +1/+1 counters too, so this will often come down and shake up the board. The fact that it can add something to the board right away, no matter what, is always attractive too. +1/+1-adding creatures who are reasonably efficient have always been good in Limited, and that’s what we have here -- in addition to some nice synergy.
Defiant Strike image 0.5 If White doesn’t have some sort of theme built around spells or combat tricks, this card is usually not very good. Sure, it does replace itself, but the stats boost is meaningless or may as well be far too often for me to play this most of the time.
Bloodfell Caves image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Revitalize
Revitalize image 0.5 // 2.0 This card is normally not worth it. However, this does gain you 3 life, which several cards in this set check for, and if you’re in a deck with several of those payoffs, it is probably going to make the cut a reasonable chunk of the time.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Bone Pit Brute image 1.5 This isn’t terrible to have at the top of your curve. His own stats aren’t great, but at least he has Menace! The fact he gives +4/+0 to something when he comes down is what keeps him from being completely terrible, though. That will often make an attack happen that just couldn’t before.
Furor of the Bitten image 1.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, but probably not quite enough to be worth the risk of a 2-for-1, especially because you can end up setting yourself up for the 2-for-1 just by playing this, since it forces your creature to attack. It can also be used to force an opposing creature to attack, but that additional use still doesn’t make it very good.
Turret Ogre image 2.5 This has decent stats to begin with, and then it is a nice 4-power payoff that has 4-power itself, making it slot quite nicely into the RG deck especially.
Keen Glidemaster image 2.5 Its nice that this is a two-drop who can stay relevant all game long, since flying definitely allows that.
Rambunctious Mutt image 1.5 He’s just not very efficient if he isn’t taking down an Artifact or Enchantment, and while this format has a decent number of those, it doesn’t have so many that this guy always makes the cut.
Rugged Highlands image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Onakke Ogre
Alchemist's Gift image 1.5 This is a decent trick, if you choose the deathtouch option you will be virtually guaranteeing that you kill the other creature, and that can be particularly spicy against a double block. You’ll choose the lifelink option if you just need the stats boost to win combat.
Defiant Strike image 0.5 If White doesn’t have some sort of theme built around spells or combat tricks, this card is usually not very good. Sure, it does replace itself, but the stats boost is meaningless or may as well be far too often for me to play this most of the time.
Track Down image 1.0 This is Green Sorcery-Speed Anticipate, and it is a pretty darn replaceable card. You’d rather be playing something that adds to the board than getting some card selection in most decks.
Onakke Ogre image 1.5 3-mana 4/2s are borderline playables, and this set has various payoffs for 4 power, so you’ll play this a little more than you might think.
Vodalian Arcanist image 2.0 This two-mana 1/3 does a good job of blocking early, and then gives you some nice extra mana to utilize.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
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Pack 2 Pick 10: Defiant Strike
Defiant Strike image 0.5 If White doesn’t have some sort of theme built around spells or combat tricks, this card is usually not very good. Sure, it does replace itself, but the stats boost is meaningless or may as well be far too often for me to play this most of the time.
Run Afoul image 0.5 This is mostly just a sideboard card. An edict for only flyers is a dead card too often, and even as a sideboard card it leaves a lot to be desired.
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Liliana's Steward image 1.0 I don’t like this very much. Sure, it is a one drop that can kind of stay relevant all game, but its relevance is basically always very small. A one mana ½ is quickly outclassed in Limited, and giving this up to make your opponent discard a card of their choice doesn’t seem great to me either.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Mountain
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Ranger's Guile image 2.0 This is a fairly decent combat trick for Limited. The stats boost isn’t hte mos impressive for the cost -- but Hexproof is where this gets some extra power, since it means you can no tonly use Guile to win combat, you can use it to save your creature.
Titanic Growth image 2.0 This is a stat boost that will allow your creature to win almost all combats, and that’s the kind of trick most aggro decks feel okay about running.
Walking Corpse image 1.0 This is a vanilla two drop that you’ll play only out of desperation.
Mountain image
Pack 2 Pick 12: Rambunctious Mutt
Rambunctious Mutt image 1.5 He’s just not very efficient if he isn’t taking down an Artifact or Enchantment, and while this format has a decent number of those, it doesn’t have so many that this guy always makes the cut.
Forgotten Sentinel image 1.0 This has bad stats and a textbox that is just downside, but it does have 4 power, and some decks care about that.
Duress image 0.5 This is too narrow of a discard spell to every play in your main deck.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Swamp
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 14: Life Goes On
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
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Pack 2 Pick 15: Life Goes On
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Unleash Fury
Peer into the Abyss image 1.5 Well, this is pretty wacky, and definitely a “Greatness at any cost” card for Black decks. So, a lot of the time this will help you reload your hand, and not only that, but you’ll end up with some insane card selection, keeping whatever cards are the best in the top half of your deck. Keep in mind, if you are spending the 7 on this, you probably aren’t doing anything else on your turn, so you won’t get to hold on to all of those cards, you’ll have to discard down to 7. The fact that this doesn’t do anything to change the board is a bit of a concern, as if you’re behind you’re just going to end up even further behind after you cast this. Sure, if you get to untap you might be ok, but it will be hard to find the time to cast this -- and don’t forget you’re also lowering your life while you’re at it. It seems too expensive to really be something most decks want.
Jeskai Elder image 2.5 A two mana ½ with Prowess isn’t the most amazing -- we have seen a few different two mana 1/3s with Prowess in the past -- but the damage trigger here letting you loot is pretty nice. That said, a ½ can’t really threaten a whole lot of creatures as an attacker, even with Prowess, and the elder will rapidly become irrelevant on many board states, because it just isn’t big enough. It is pretty nice on turn two, but after that it isn’t all that impressive.
Shipwreck Dowser image 3.5 A 5-mana 3/3 that returns an instant or sorcery to your hand is already a pretty good card -- it can help you get back a powerful removal spell while also having a large enough body to trade with something -- and that’s a 2-for-1.. Adding Prowess to the mix makes it even more appealing, since it can become a 4/4 pretty easily, and usually at Instant speed. Now, there is a downside here -- if your deck doesn’t have a decent number of spells, and you are just playing this as a 5-mana 3/3 that’s not going to feel too good. However, I don’t think it is a stretch to say most decks will have 4 or 5 instants or soceries, and if that’s the case you’re looking at a pretty good card.
Unleash Fury image 1.0 This kind of card is pretty bad in Limited. It really only does something worthwhile if your creature goes unblocked and you can kill your opponent. It won’t workout especially well as more of a combat trick, because chances are good your creature is still gonna die. It gets a little better if you have some First Strikers and tramplers, but I still don’t like it very much.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Setessan Training image 2.0 This gives a reasonable enough boost and replaces itself. It isn’t as good here as it was in Theros, where Enchantments came with a lot of upsides, but its still a fine card.
Garruk's Gorehorn image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with huge power and low toughness, and I’m not really looking to play that most of the time.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Destructive Tampering image 0. 5 // 2.0 This is mostly a sideboard card, but if you’re in a really aggressive deck, consider playing one of them because they give you a way to win a game even if your opponent stabilizes.
Concordia Pegasus image 1.5 This can attack early, but doesn’t exactly do anything super meaningful most of the time. This format does have +1/+1 counters and a flying archetype, and does help make it better. You will play this for sure, but you’ll also cut it a decent chunk of the time.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.0 This does a good job of supporting both the go-wide deck and the +1/+1 counter deck. But it isn’t stellar – a 3-mana 3/2 won’t be surviving more attacks, and while a 4/3 has a better shot – it isn’t exactly a juggernaut either.
Igneous Cur image 1.5 This thing is a borderline playable on its own, but it can be fetched by the RW signpost uncommon, increasing its value a little bit.
Daybreak Charger image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive two drop. It starts with reasonable enough stats and then has a very real ETB ability. Giving something +2/+0 is often enough to enable attack that you didn’t have before, and giving the boost to a creature token or an evasive creature feels particularly satisfying. This is a premiere two-drop for White aggressive decks.
Spined Megalodon image 1.5 // 2.5 Big hexproof guys like this usually can find a place in Limited. They are at their best in more controlling decks, as it provides a large Blocker who your opponent just can’t interact with. Hexproof creatures also tend to be good places to put Auras, since getting 2-for-1’d when you put it on a hexproof creature is so unlikely. It is a nice bit of additional value that this Scries when you attack with it, too. UB Reanimator is a very real deck in this format, and this is one of the Commons that you’re pretty happy to play there.
Jungle Hollow image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Shock
Shipwreck Dowser image 3.5 A 5-mana 3/3 that returns an instant or sorcery to your hand is already a pretty good card -- it can help you get back a powerful removal spell while also having a large enough body to trade with something -- and that’s a 2-for-1.. Adding Prowess to the mix makes it even more appealing, since it can become a 4/4 pretty easily, and usually at Instant speed. Now, there is a downside here -- if your deck doesn’t have a decent number of spells, and you are just playing this as a 5-mana 3/3 that’s not going to feel too good. However, I don’t think it is a stretch to say most decks will have 4 or 5 instants or soceries, and if that’s the case you’re looking at a pretty good card.
Sanctum of Tranquil Light image 0.5 // 2.0 Decks with 3+ Sanctums are a real thing in this format, but this is one of the more underwhelming ones, even when you get your Sanctum stuff going. Tapping stuff down is a good way to prolong the game, and sometimes helps you enable attacks, but the other Sanctums are all better than this one. You’re really only going to play it in a Sanctum deck.
Leafkin Avenger image 3.5 I always like cards that are reasonably efficient, and have abilities that can be useful all game long, and that’s what the Leafkin does. It is the signpost uncommon for the RG deck, which is all about high power -- and both of its abilities are all about that -- and, you know, obviously it has 4 power itself. You don’t always need extra mana in the later part of the game, but if you have some mana sinks and some six drops, it will be relevant a decent chunk of the time. Oh, and this guy has a built in mana sink too! It might be expensive, but in the late game it will be an ability that puts your opponent on a quick clock -- and it can tap for mana and use the ability all in the same turn, which makes it a little more plausible you’ll be able to use it.
Wall of Runes image 1.0 This is a decent inclusion if you’re really defensive, but even there it isn’t great.
Vodalian Arcanist image 2.0 This two-mana 1/3 does a good job of blocking early, and then gives you some nice extra mana to utilize.
Valorous Steed image 3.0 This is a nice Common. 5-mana for 5/5 worth of Vigilance stats across two bodies is a nice deal, especially in a format with some nice go-wide payoffs. You probably don’t want more than two of these since they cost 5, but it will do some nice work for you in any deck.
Onakke Ogre image 1.5 3-mana 4/2s are borderline playables, and this set has various payoffs for 4 power, so you’ll play this a little more than you might think.
Goblin Arsonist image 2.0 So, this is a one mana creature that can trade up for X/2s, and even threaten 2-for-1s when your opponent has two X/1s in play. It can also just ping the opponent for one when that is going to be meaningful. It also has a little bit of extra value in the Sacrifice deck, since it will give you some sort of value in addition to whatever the sacrifice effect gives you.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Hunter's Edge image 3.5 We see cards like this a lot, and they’re always pretty good removal spells for Green decks. They come with the downside of usually being pretty clunky and risking a 2-for-1, so be careful when you cast it. The good news here is that this straight up does damage and isn’t a fight effect, so you don’t need to end up with a creature just the right size to survive fighting something else. It also means that the creature you use it on will be able to attack right away more easily, since it won’t have taken any damage.
Ranger's Guile image 2.0 This is a fairly decent combat trick for Limited. The stats boost isn’t hte mos impressive for the cost -- but Hexproof is where this gets some extra power, since it means you can no tonly use Guile to win combat, you can use it to save your creature.
Shock image 3.5 This almost always trades up, and it can even do the last 2 damage to your opponent. This is premium removal.
Turn to Slag image 2.5 This is clunky as heck, but it does kill most things, and there is enough good Equipment in this format that you’ll even blow up some Equipment sometimes. It isn’t premium removal, but it is serviceable.
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 3: Turn to Slag
Light of Promise image 0.0 I would advise against play this. If you’re new to my set reviews, you may not know that I absolutely hate Auras that don’t give me some kind of value that actually adds to the board. This is an Aura that does absolutely nothing on its own. You have to have life gain around -- and even though the BW deck in this format is about gaining life, I’m still not interested in an Aura that makes me do extra work to get a bonus. Putting it on something with lifelink is tempting, but I’m going to resist that temptation. I realize that the creature gets absolutely huge as you gain more life, since it gets a counter for every single point of life you gain, but the investment here is huge, risky, and requires some serious help to be worth it. I’m not interested in all of that when I’m putting a 2-for-1 on the line.
Sanctum of Tranquil Light image 0.5 // 2.0 Decks with 3+ Sanctums are a real thing in this format, but this is one of the more underwhelming ones, even when you get your Sanctum stuff going. Tapping stuff down is a good way to prolong the game, and sometimes helps you enable attacks, but the other Sanctums are all better than this one. You’re really only going to play it in a Sanctum deck.
Sabertooth Mauler image 2.5 He starts with some pretty mediocre stats, but growing every time something dies means he will overcome that limitation pretty quickly. Note by the way, it will get that counter at the end of the turn whether it is your creature or your opponent’s who died. It tends to get quite large and is able to attack on most turns since it will untap in a lot of different scenarios.
Skyscanner image 2.5 Casting this always feels pretty decent. It replaces itself and then gives you a body that you can do something with – whether that’s attacking, trading, chump blocking, or being sacrificed for an effect, it all feel likes gravy at that point.
Village Rites image 1.5 I think it is fair to compare this to Tormenting Voice. Both cost you two cards to get you two cards. And yes, there are some differences -- the Rite needs a creature in play and it is an Instant, but I think this will serve a similar purpose. If you have lots of creature tokens, or use it in response to removal, or sacrifice a creature shut down by an Aura, it is going to feel pretty good -- and if you have sacrifice synergies it will be a little better to, but I think that it only makes the cut in your deck about half of the time, and usually just barely as a 23rd or 24th card.
Alchemist's Gift image 1.5 This is a decent trick, if you choose the deathtouch option you will be virtually guaranteeing that you kill the other creature, and that can be particularly spicy against a double block. You’ll choose the lifelink option if you just need the stats boost to win combat.
Daybreak Charger image 3.0 This is a nice aggressive two drop. It starts with reasonable enough stats and then has a very real ETB ability. Giving something +2/+0 is often enough to enable attack that you didn’t have before, and giving the boost to a creature token or an evasive creature feels particularly satisfying. This is a premiere two-drop for White aggressive decks.
Rambunctious Mutt image 1.5 He’s just not very efficient if he isn’t taking down an Artifact or Enchantment, and while this format has a decent number of those, it doesn’t have so many that this guy always makes the cut.
Spined Megalodon image 1.5 // 2.5 Big hexproof guys like this usually can find a place in Limited. They are at their best in more controlling decks, as it provides a large Blocker who your opponent just can’t interact with. Hexproof creatures also tend to be good places to put Auras, since getting 2-for-1’d when you put it on a hexproof creature is so unlikely. It is a nice bit of additional value that this Scries when you attack with it, too. UB Reanimator is a very real deck in this format, and this is one of the Commons that you’re pretty happy to play there.
Turn to Slag image 2.5 This is clunky as heck, but it does kill most things, and there is enough good Equipment in this format that you’ll even blow up some Equipment sometimes. It isn’t premium removal, but it is serviceable.
Ornery Dilophosaur image 1.5 This card’s main downfall is that it costs 4 and frequently only has two toughness, which makes it die to a whole lot, and you’re usually losing tempo when it happens. It does have Deathtouch, which allows it to trade with whatever, but costing 4 makes that a lot less impressive. Becoming a 4/4 when it attacks is nice additional upside, but it isn’t that impressive, really.
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
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Pack 3 Pick 4: Celestial Enforcer
Malefic Scythe image 4.0 A two mana Equipment that costs 1 to equip and gives +1/+1 would be a card that is already a borderline playable, and this thing just keeps getting better and more efficient as the game goes on.
Unsubstantiate image 2.5 Two mana to bounce a creature at Instant speed alone is usually playable, and this comes with the added upside of being able to target spells that are on the stack. This effectively allows you to counter things -- though, if your opponent has the mana to just play it again -- and they will sometimes -- it isn’t going to be worth it. You do go down a card just for tempo with a card like this, but that is often worth it.
Furious Rise image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a nice 4-power payoff. It effectively draws you an extra card every turn, and that’s the kind of advantage that will win you the game after you trigger it a few times -- it is just hard for your opponent to keep up with that. It is obviously a build around -- an aggressive Red deck that doesn’t have creatures with high power won’t play this, and it is unlikely a UR spells type deck would either -- this is mostly here for the RG deck, which is all about 4 or more power.
Library Larcenist image 2.5 This card is a real overperformer. Blue has enough ways to get creatures through for damage that this draws you a card way more often than you might think on paper.
Walking Corpse image 1.0 This is a vanilla two drop that you’ll play only out of desperation.
Celestial Enforcer image 2.5 If you don’t have fliers, you probably hope you don’t play this, but as long as you have 4 or 5 Flyers, this probably gets into the playable range, and that isn’t a crazy thing to achieve. Tap down effects are always nice in Limited, and even a situational one like this is well worth playing.
Alchemist's Gift image 1.5 This is a decent trick, if you choose the deathtouch option you will be virtually guaranteeing that you kill the other creature, and that can be particularly spicy against a double block. You’ll choose the lifelink option if you just need the stats boost to win combat.
Rookie Mistake image 1.0 It is hard to line this up in an advantageous way, it is just so weird. However, it is cheap, and this format has spell payoffs, so that saves it from being completely unplayable.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is an upgraded Tormenting Voice, and I’m all for that in a format with lots of spell payoffs! This lets you dig deeper into your deck and improve your card quality, so you’ll play that first copy a decent chunk of the time.
Dub image 2.5 This Aura gives a big enough stats boost and a good enough keyword ability that it is worth the risk of getting 2-for-1’d. It is especially nice on lifelinkers or flyers. Aggro decks will virtually always play the first copy.
Setessan Training image 2.0 This gives a reasonable enough boost and replaces itself. It isn’t as good here as it was in Theros, where Enchantments came with a lot of upsides, but its still a fine card.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Battle-Rattle Shaman
Bad Deal image 0.5 This card is exactly what its name is. It is tempting to imagine the 4-for-1 this gives you in ideal scenarios, but it just doesn’t happen. It is mostly just a bad draw spell.
Battle-Rattle Shaman image 2.5 This type of effect is easy to underrate, I think -- but don’t make that mistake! +2/+0 to a creature every combat makes creatures able to attack that could not have attacked before! This is especially spicy with creature tokens, who are pretty expendable, but turning them into 3/1s makes them into more of a problem for your opponent. Note by the way, in a pinch, the Shaman can also target himself, making the fail case of the card less miserable than it would have been otherwise. I’m not saying I think you should take this super early or anything -- after all, the creature has a pretty weak body for 4 mana, even if it can be a 4/2 on your turn -- but it is a serviceable card for Red decks that will really help them find ways to send in attackers in a way they couldn’t before.
Masked Blackguard image 1.5 This is something you play sometimes, it is a two-drop that maintains some relevancy all game long because of its ability, even if the creature itself and its ability are pretty darn inefficient.
Goblin Wizardry image 2.5 This slots in nicely into the spell deck, because it IS a spell that will trigger your spell payoffs, and it creates two tokens who are spell payoffs too.
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Feat of Resistance image 3.0 Protection is just really powerful – the obvious way to use this is to win combat one way or another, by making your creature big enough and also giving it protection from whatever it is in combat with – but you can also use it in response to removal to save a creature, or if your opponent has only blockers of one color and you need evasion for lethal, it can do that too. Not to mention, it puts a +1/+1 counter on the creature, and there is synergy for that in this set. Now, your opponent can still respond to Feat with removal to 2-for-1 you, but the flexibility and upside is real enough that I don’t see a reason to cut the first couple of copies of this in most White decks.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Celestial Enforcer image 2.5 If you don’t have fliers, you probably hope you don’t play this, but as long as you have 4 or 5 Flyers, this probably gets into the playable range, and that isn’t a crazy thing to achieve. Tap down effects are always nice in Limited, and even a situational one like this is well worth playing.
Deathbloom Thallid image 3.0 This is always a nice creature when we see it. It has decent stats for attacking, blocking, or trading, and then gives you a 1/1 when it dies, which is pretty good for the overall investment.
Teferi's Protege image 2.5 Looting is nice because it helps you get through your library and gives you nice card selection. This looter also comes with reasonable stats for the investment as a ⅔. It is somewhat limited as a looter since it asks for two mana every time you do it, but that’s ok -- it is a good place to be spending your mana as the game goes long, and it will definitely have a positive impact on the outcome of long games. This is a solid Blue common.
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 6: Anointed Chorister
Sanctum of Shattered Heights image 0.5 // 3.0 This is not very good unless you’re in a Sanctum deck, where it does two key things. First, it is removal, and second it gives you something to do with your duplicate sanctums.
Gnarled Sage image 2.0 This has some decent stats and keywords, and sometimes it gets bigger. It is a surprisingly good road block for decks in this format.
Spined Megalodon image 1.5 // 2.5 Big hexproof guys like this usually can find a place in Limited. They are at their best in more controlling decks, as it provides a large Blocker who your opponent just can’t interact with. Hexproof creatures also tend to be good places to put Auras, since getting 2-for-1’d when you put it on a hexproof creature is so unlikely. It is a nice bit of additional value that this Scries when you attack with it, too. UB Reanimator is a very real deck in this format, and this is one of the Commons that you’re pretty happy to play there.
Wall of Runes image 1.0 This is a decent inclusion if you’re really defensive, but even there it isn’t great.
Walking Corpse image 1.0 This is a vanilla two drop that you’ll play only out of desperation.
Anointed Chorister image 2.5 So, a one mana 1/1 with lifelink is generally not a card worth playing – it just won’t be relevant for very long, but adding an activated ability here makes things interesting. It is by no means an efficient way to pump the chorister, but if you are flooding out it gives you a reasonable mana sink, one that can turn the Chorister into quite the scary attacker in the later part of the game. This format also has life gain payoffs, and that matters too!
Skeleton Archer image 2.5 There are lots of X/1s in this format, so this really overperforms. Doesn’t hurt that it can go after the opponent too sometimes.
Infernal Scarring image 1.5 I generally don’t like this when we see it. It does replace itself if the creature dies, but it just gives such an underwhelming statsboost. You’ll play it in more aggressive decks, but even then it won’t always make the cut.
Sure Strike image 2.0 This trick virtually always allows your creature to win combat, and that’s the kind of trick that aggressive decks are after.
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Pack 3 Pick 7: Goblin Arsonist
Unleash Fury image 1.0 This kind of card is pretty bad in Limited. It really only does something worthwhile if your creature goes unblocked and you can kill your opponent. It won’t workout especially well as more of a combat trick, because chances are good your creature is still gonna die. It gets a little better if you have some First Strikers and tramplers, but I still don’t like it very much.
Blood Glutton image 2.0 This doesn’t have great stats, but trading with it and gaining some life is surprisingly decent, and it is a way to repeatedly gain life, something that the life gain decks really want.
Alpine Watchdog image 1.5 So, a two mana 2/2 with Vigilance is pretty passable. This guy does have some small additional synergies as a result of being a card that the RW signpost uncommon can search up, and that does increase his value for sure.
Wall of Runes image 1.0 This is a decent inclusion if you’re really defensive, but even there it isn’t great.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.0 This does a good job of supporting both the go-wide deck and the +1/+1 counter deck. But it isn’t stellar – a 3-mana 3/2 won’t be surviving more attacks, and while a 4/3 has a better shot – it isn’t exactly a juggernaut either.
Goblin Arsonist image 2.0 So, this is a one mana creature that can trade up for X/2s, and even threaten 2-for-1s when your opponent has two X/1s in play. It can also just ping the opponent for one when that is going to be meaningful. It also has a little bit of extra value in the Sacrifice deck, since it will give you some sort of value in addition to whatever the sacrifice effect gives you.
Secure the Scene image 1.5 The flexibility here is pretty nice. However, the mana cost and giving your opponent a 1/1 soldier aren’t so nice – it is especially clunky as a Sorcery. Removing something and then giving your opponent a creature, even a 1/1 creature, is just a huge downside. It really slows you down to not get a whole card of value out of this.
Life Goes On image 0.5 This gains you a bunch of life and that’s all. That’s not something you usually play in Limited. Maybe if you are GW and have some of the White life gain payoffs it can make it, but that won’t happen often.
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Pack 3 Pick 8: Burn Bright
Mind Rot image 1.0 This is always underwhelming. It can 2-for-1 your opponent early, but at the cost of you not developing the board, and then in the late game it often does nothing.
Staunch Shieldmate image 0.5 Well, those are some impressive stats on a one mana creature – we’ve never seen a one mana 1/3 with no downsides at all. That said, while he might do well on the vanilla test, he still isn’t all that impressive in Limited. He is quickly outclassed without some help, and you’ll only play him if you really need a one drop for a super aggro deck.
Opt image 2.0 This is always pretty decent, especially in formats that have spell payoffs, and this one does.
Ranger's Guile image 2.0 This is a fairly decent combat trick for Limited. The stats boost isn’t hte mos impressive for the cost -- but Hexproof is where this gets some extra power, since it means you can no tonly use Guile to win combat, you can use it to save your creature.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is an upgraded Tormenting Voice, and I’m all for that in a format with lots of spell payoffs! This lets you dig deeper into your deck and improve your card quality, so you’ll play that first copy a decent chunk of the time.
Lofty Denial image 1.0 // 2.0 This is pretty terrible if you don’t have a flier, and if you do have one it is pretty passable, but still not great. Counterspells have serious issues in Limited because of how difficult it is to leave mana up for them, and this isn’t even a hard counter.
Burn Bright image 1.0 I never love this kind of mass pump effect in Limited. I like to get a toughness boost too, because that makes it far more flexible. If your creature was dead when your opponent blocked, it still will be even if you use this, and that means that this is really only worthwhile when you can do straight up lethal, really limiting its prospects.
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Pack 3 Pick 9: Destructive Tampering
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
Garruk's Gorehorn image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with huge power and low toughness, and I’m not really looking to play that most of the time.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
Destructive Tampering image 0. 5 // 2.0 This is mostly a sideboard card, but if you’re in a really aggressive deck, consider playing one of them because they give you a way to win a game even if your opponent stabilizes.
Makeshift Battalion image 2.0 This does a good job of supporting both the go-wide deck and the +1/+1 counter deck. But it isn’t stellar – a 3-mana 3/2 won’t be surviving more attacks, and while a 4/3 has a better shot – it isn’t exactly a juggernaut either.
Igneous Cur image 1.5 This thing is a borderline playable on its own, but it can be fetched by the RW signpost uncommon, increasing its value a little bit.
Jungle Hollow image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Goblin Arsonist
Wall of Runes image 1.0 This is a decent inclusion if you’re really defensive, but even there it isn’t great.
Vodalian Arcanist image 2.0 This two-mana 1/3 does a good job of blocking early, and then gives you some nice extra mana to utilize.
Onakke Ogre image 1.5 3-mana 4/2s are borderline playables, and this set has various payoffs for 4 power, so you’ll play this a little more than you might think.
Goblin Arsonist image 2.0 So, this is a one mana creature that can trade up for X/2s, and even threaten 2-for-1s when your opponent has two X/1s in play. It can also just ping the opponent for one when that is going to be meaningful. It also has a little bit of extra value in the Sacrifice deck, since it will give you some sort of value in addition to whatever the sacrifice effect gives you.
Sanguine Indulgence image 2.0 Most Black decks are after the first copy of this, even if they can’t get life gain going. Paying 4 to get back two creatures is pretty reasonable, and the kind of thing that can help you win the long game.
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Pack 3 Pick 11: Rambunctious Mutt
Rambunctious Mutt image 1.5 He’s just not very efficient if he isn’t taking down an Artifact or Enchantment, and while this format has a decent number of those, it doesn’t have so many that this guy always makes the cut.
Spined Megalodon image 1.5 // 2.5 Big hexproof guys like this usually can find a place in Limited. They are at their best in more controlling decks, as it provides a large Blocker who your opponent just can’t interact with. Hexproof creatures also tend to be good places to put Auras, since getting 2-for-1’d when you put it on a hexproof creature is so unlikely. It is a nice bit of additional value that this Scries when you attack with it, too. UB Reanimator is a very real deck in this format, and this is one of the Commons that you’re pretty happy to play there.
Ornery Dilophosaur image 1.5 This card’s main downfall is that it costs 4 and frequently only has two toughness, which makes it die to a whole lot, and you’re usually losing tempo when it happens. It does have Deathtouch, which allows it to trade with whatever, but costing 4 makes that a lot less impressive. Becoming a 4/4 when it attacks is nice additional upside, but it isn’t that impressive, really.
Cancel image 1.0 This is a hard counter, but three mana is just too much for no other effect. Counterspells have the huge downside of you needing to have mana up at the exact right moment or they do nothing. In most games of Limited, you want to be adding to your board with your mana, and this doesn’t do that – and sometimes, it won’t do anything.
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Pack 3 Pick 12: Thrill of Possibility
Walking Corpse image 1.0 This is a vanilla two drop that you’ll play only out of desperation.
Rookie Mistake image 1.0 It is hard to line this up in an advantageous way, it is just so weird. However, it is cheap, and this format has spell payoffs, so that saves it from being completely unplayable.
Thrill of Possibility image 1.5 This is an upgraded Tormenting Voice, and I’m all for that in a format with lots of spell payoffs! This lets you dig deeper into your deck and improve your card quality, so you’ll play that first copy a decent chunk of the time.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 This give you nice fixing and even gain you some life! You should value these over most medium cards if they are in your color or you’re interested in fixing.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Short Sword
Return to Nature image 1.5 This does enough different stuff that you can maindeck it without really being disappointed about it, but it is still generally better to bring in out of the sideboard.
Short Sword image 2.0 This gives a reasonable boost for the cost, and in this format it really seems to overperform. It makes a lot of creatures get to 4 power for the RG deck for example.
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Pack 3 Pick 14: Infernal Scarring
Infernal Scarring image 1.5 I generally don’t like this when we see it. It does replace itself if the creature dies, but it just gives such an underwhelming statsboost. You’ll play it in more aggressive decks, but even then it won’t always make the cut.
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Pack 3 Pick 15: Mountain
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Draft Pick Overview