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Quick Draft IKO 24 May 2021

24 May 10:18 - FallenDown 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (15)
1 Trumpeting Gnarr image
1 Mosscoat Goriak image
1 Almighty Brushwagg image
1 Voracious Greatshark image
1 Titanoth Rex image
2 Humble Naturalist image
1 Fertilid image
1 Flycatcher Giraffid image
2 Greater Sandwurm image
1 Thieving Otter image
2 Migratory Greathorn image
1 Parcelbeast image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
1 Shark Typhoon image
1 Ram Through image
1 Zagoth Crystal image
1 Capture Sphere image
1 Of One Mind image
1 Primal Empathy image
1 Sleeper Dart image
1 Migration Path image
Land (17)
8 Forest image
8 Island image
1 Evolving Wilds image
Sideboard
1 Sanctuary Smasher image
1 Lava Serpent image
1 Bushmeat Poacher image
1 Drannith Magistrate image
1 Quartzwood Crasher image
1 Death's Oasis image
2 Barrier Breach image
1 Eerie Ultimatum image
1 Easy Prey image
2 Survivors' Bond image
2 Light of Hope image
1 Escape Protocol image
2 Unlikely Aid image
1 Solid Footing image
1 Raking Claws image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Voracious Greatshark
Voracious Greatshark image 4.5 This seems pretty great to me -- with the caveat that I always love creatures who can counter spells. They set themselves up to be nice 2-for-1s, and it is hard to say no to that. Nice thing here is, even if your opponent does not play something you can counter, you can still find a 2-for-1 by having it flash in and eat something smaller so that it survives. Then you have a 5/4 who can easily trade with something else, while also threatening some pretty hard attacks. And sure, it can’t counter everything -- but the vast majority of the spells in Limited decks are creatures, so it will be able to counter the majority of most decks, so I wouldn’t worry about that. Especially because if your opponent plays around it you still have the fail-case of just Flashing it in.
Majestic Auricorn image 2.5 A 5-mana 4/4 with Vigilance isn’t great, but it would make the cut sometimes. If you’re playing this for its Mutate cost on turn 4, you’re probably upgrading one of your creatures to a 4/4 vigilance and gaining 4 life. Other times, you’ll be paying 4 to give something bigger vigilance and gain 4 life. While that’s decent, the reward you get for the risk here isn’t amazing.
Porcuparrot image 2.5 Mutating this on to your two drop and turning it into a pinger sounds pretty nice. And yeah, this is part of the cycle of mutate creatures that really pays you off for going tall with Mutate, but that seems pretty dangerous here -- though the idea of being able to do 2+ damage to things with this ability is pretty awesome. Still though, I have a hard time being super high on any of the Mutate creatures who don’t mitigate against the 2-for-1 for you -- this can sort of do it, if you pick off some 1/1s, but that still won’t feel amazing or anything.
Jubilant Skybonder image 3.0 This has wind drake stats and makes your flyers – including itself – harder to kill. That’s not a bad deal.
Serrated Scorpion image 2.0 As a ½, it can block the human tokens in this set, and with the death ability it has, it creates a 4 point swing in life. That’s not insignificant. This is not a bad thing to sacrifice to various effects, nor is it a bad thing to mutate on to. But it isn’t exactly amazing in either of those cases either.
Survivors' Bond image 2.0 If you can set this up reliably to get two cards back from your graveyard, it is a decent thing to have a singleton copy of, since in the late game it can really pull you ahead.
Gloom Pangolin image 1.0 A ⅕ for 3 might be something you play in slower more controlling decks sometimes -- it can block pretty effectively, but I think most of the time you won’t REALLY want this, and you’ll play it when you’re desperate for creatures, and that’s about it.
Frost Lynx image 3.5 This type of tempo creature is always great for Blue. You get to add a 2/2 to your board while significantly impacting the board state. Tapping something down could mean that you suddenly have really good attacks. It could also mean that you buy yourself some time against an aggro deck.
Keep Safe image 1.5 There will be times where this feel amazing -- you counter the spell that targets one of your creatures and draw a card -- that’s a 2-for-1! But unfortunately, that actually lining up is far from guaranteed. Still, in this format with mutate creatures, you’re a little more interested in this than you would be in other formats, since you are often taking a big risk to mutate, and this can help protect your creature. Still, you won’t play this most of the time.
Sleeper Dart image 1.0 This isn’t great, and is basically only the kind of card you run when you don’t have enough playables. It replaces itself, but the effect it has is really negligible.
Spelleater Wolverine image 2.5 This is a nice little aggressive creature in this format, and it slots quite nicely into UR spells, but also into RW Cycling decks, since they tend to throw all kinds of cards with Cycling into the graveyard, including a bunch of instants and sorceries! Basically, it is way easier to get double strike online here than it looks.
Divine Arrow image 3.0 This is certainly situational, but also fairly efficient. You’re going to be spending only two mana to kill something, which will usually be less than your opponent paid for their creature. It might fall a little short of premium, but it is a nice removal spell.
Pacifism image 4.0 Pacifism is a great card every time we see it in Limited -- which is a lot! Two mana to take away what are normally the two most important things creatures can do Limited -- attacking and blocking -- is just amazing efficiency, and it makes Pacifism a premium removal spell.
Evolving Wilds image 3.0 As always, this provides excellent fixing. It lets you splash a card off of only a single basic land, and that’s great consistency. Even in a two color deck, the impact it has on your mana is substantial.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 2: Sanctuary Smasher
Sanctuary Smasher image 4.0 A 6-mana 6/4 First Strike is already a pretty nice creature in Limited -- it is hard for opponent’s to set up advantageous blocks on this, and even if you’re behind, First Strike allows this thing to block pretty effectiely too! Then you add the Cycling ability -- which even if it did nothing else would be a nice thing to add to this creature, since you could get rid of it if you were desperate for a land drop and nowhere near the six mana -- but this Cycling ability actually does something, and it is something that can completely alter combat. Giving First Strike to something at Instant speed is nice, especially when it is attached to a creature who can be a scary attacker in the late game. So yeah, I think this is pretty awesome, and definitely worth a first pick.
Barrier Breach image 2.5 This is another situational card that would normally be unplayable, but Cycling means that you’ll play it a decent amount of the time.
Cunning Nightbonder image 3.0 So I would feel fine about playing a two mana 2/2 with Flash anyway -- can occasionally ambush a more expensive creature with 2 toughness, or a creature with less than two power, and it has fine stats. But, reducing the cost of spells with Flash is nice too, especially because there seems to be a decent amount of it in this set.
Of One Mind image 3.0 I am usually interested in running one Divination in most Limited formats, and this is a strictly better one since its cost can be reduced. If you are consistently casting this for one, it will be absolutely silly -- but the requirement it asks for, while doable, isn’t the kind of thing that will just always be the case.
Cloudpiercer image 2.5 5-mana for a 5/4 Reach is fairly passable, and adding a rummage mutate effect is fine.
Cavern Whisperer image 2.5 So, a 5-mana 4/4 with Menace would make the cut a significant amount of the time. This also has a solid Mutate trigger, albeit one of the less exciting ones around, especially because its efficacy decreases as the game goes on. But hey, it can also lend Menace to a creature it Mutates on to! Or you can use it as the creature on top to make a 4/4 menace out of one of your creatures’. Still, costing 5 to mutate for an underwhelming trigger isn’t great, even if you’re upgrading a creature at the same time.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Go for Blood image 4.0 Two mana for Instant speed Fight is already a card that would make the cut, and adding Cycling 1 to this makes it way better!
Pyroceratops image 3.0 This is a nice spell payoff that can big in a hurry, which feels good when you have Trample along for the ride.
Gust of Wind image 3.0 Even if this always cost 4, it would be a decent card. Bouncing something and drawing a card feels pretty great tempo-wise! But the great news is, this will often cost 2, and you don’t even have to try that hard to make that happen, since you’re playing blue.
Spelleater Wolverine image 2.5 This is a nice little aggressive creature in this format, and it slots quite nicely into UR spells, but also into RW Cycling decks, since they tend to throw all kinds of cards with Cycling into the graveyard, including a bunch of instants and sorceries! Basically, it is way easier to get double strike online here than it looks.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Daysquad Marshal image 2.5 This gives you two bodies with one card, and 4/4 worth of stats. In most sets that a solid card, and that’s what it is here.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 3: Death's Oasis
Death's Oasis image 0.0 You won’t end up in a deck where you can make this work.
Regal Leosaur image 3.0 So the mutate trigger here doesn’t technically help you avoid a 2-for-1 most of the time, but it is powerful. Still, it is kind of an awkward card, since Mutate by its very nature does not help you go wide, so board pump on Mutate definitely feels weird. Still, it will frequently have a very real impact on the board state.
Zagoth Mamba image 3.0 The fail case of being a one mana 1/1 is pretty ugly, so you definitely need to be able to do some Mutating to make it worth while. The good news is, there is plenty of Mutate in this set, and when you do get this trigger -- which will frequently let you pick off small creatures, or even larger ones if you do it after combat -- when you do get that trigger it will be pretty nice, and offset some of the risks of Mutating.
Keep Safe image 1.5 There will be times where this feel amazing -- you counter the spell that targets one of your creatures and draw a card -- that’s a 2-for-1! But unfortunately, that actually lining up is far from guaranteed. Still, in this format with mutate creatures, you’re a little more interested in this than you would be in other formats, since you are often taking a big risk to mutate, and this can help protect your creature. Still, you won’t play this most of the time.
Fertilid image 3.0 A three mana 2/2 isn’t especially good, but the fixing Fertilid provides for you is quite nice. Green usually gets nice commons for Splashing or going three colors, and that’s what this is. It has the ability to grab a couple of land over a few turns, and that is nice -- helps mitigate against mana screw, helps you find your colors, etc., If you don’t really need to fix when you play it, it also makes a good creature to mutate on to.
Bushmeat Poacher image 3.0 This is a very nice activated ability. Cashing in creatures for cards is always a nice thing to have in Limited, because it isn’t unusual for some of your early creatures to become kind of useless as the game wears on, and this gives you something really nice to do with them -- gaining life and drawing a card is great. Any time those two are put together I’m pretty happy, because the life you gain makes it more likely you’ll be able to use that extra card you drew before you die. You can also use it in response to removal, or on a creature who has been shut down by an Aura. This can also be used to sacrifice creatures who are blocking and would die anyway. A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t even the worst stats ever, and overall this is pretty nice in slower Black decks.
Mutual Destruction image 1.5 So, this is Bone Splinters that has flash on occasion. Bone Splinters is never great, but it is passable when you need removal, especially in a deck with lots of expendable bodies. If you can give this Flash it does get significantly better, because then you can do it in response to removal and stuff like that. Still, it isn’t that easy to set that up.
Blazing Volley image 0.5 This is a sideboard card. There just aren’t enough things this kills for it to be a main deck card in this format.
Tentative Connection image 2.0 There are a couple of things going on here that make this a little better than most Threaten effects. First, when you can discount this because you have a Menace creature, it will feel pretty good – especially because Menace creatures already pair well with a Threaten effect. The other thing is, there are some efficient ways to sacrifice creatures in this format, and that means stealing an opposing creature and sacrificing it is pretty doable.
Almighty Brushwagg image 2.5 This card is a real overperformer. A one-mana 1/1 with Trample is pretty laughable, but the ability is surprisingly effective, and you end up in situations where you can use it twice more often than you’d think! The Brushwagg is also great for mutating on to, since Trample and that ability are much better served on a larger creature.
Mosscoat Goriak image 2.0 This is some decent stats for three mana, especially because with Vigilance, he will often be able to attack on boards where he also happens to be a good blocker, and Vigilance lets him do both.
Coordinated Charge image 2.5 All the cards with Cycling in this set are way better than they look. They are functionally split cards that you can just cycle when what they do doesn’t matter. Plus, if you’re in RW you’re really looking for a critical mass of these and will just jam all of them into your deck. And..yeah, sometimes this effect doesn’t matter, since you need to be going wide. But you can just cycle it away! Then, when it does matter, it will feel pretty great.
Bloodfell Caves image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Lava Serpent
Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor image 1.5 // 3.5 So, you probably need at least two instants and sorceries in your graveyard for this to feel like it is worth it, and once you get 3 or more you will really be in business. The fact it exiles stuff isn’t going to be HUGE in this format, but it will matter sometimes. So, the problem with a card like this is usually that it is effectively blank, or almost blank for much of the early game, and that can be a pretty big problem! I also think you really need to be a spell-heavy deck to really take advantage of it, because those decks will make it stop being a blank card more consistently and earlier in most cases. I don’t think it is a foregone conclusion that Red decks will have the necessary 7+ Instants and Sorceries to make Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor make sense, and I think that your average deck that probably has 3-5 instants and sorceries will probably not be getting the best out of it.
Lead the Stampede image 2.0 Most of the time, this will just be Green Divination, which is fine, but not amazing. Sometimes it will draw you more – but sometimes it will also draw you less.
Springjaw Trap image 1.5 You’ll play this if you end up with enough flash in UB, or if you’re desperate for removal, OR if you have Lurrus. But that’s pretty much it.
Flycatcher Giraffid image 2.0 Neither option here is great, but neither is bad, either.
Gloom Pangolin image 1.0 A ⅕ for 3 might be something you play in slower more controlling decks sometimes -- it can block pretty effectively, but I think most of the time you won’t REALLY want this, and you’ll play it when you’re desperate for creatures, and that’s about it.
Lava Serpent image 3.5 A 6-mana 5/5 with Haste would make the cut some of the time, and this has Cycling, giving it a huge upgrade in a format that really cares about Cycling. You can just throw it away if you get it early, and then in the late game it can be a problem for your opponent.
Frost Lynx image 3.5 This type of tempo creature is always great for Blue. You get to add a 2/2 to your board while significantly impacting the board state. Tapping something down could mean that you suddenly have really good attacks. It could also mean that you buy yourself some time against an aggro deck.
Farfinder image 3.5 We have seen cards like Skittering Surveyor and Pilgrim’s Eye be really nice sources of fixing in the past. And this set is a wedge set, where splashing a third color and even straight up playing a third color will happen a decent chunk of the time. On top of that, this is not the worst thing to Mutate on top of, since it at least gives your new monster the Vigilance keyword.
Savai Sabertooth image 2.0 Two mana 3/1s tend to be fine two drops for aggressive decks.
Thieving Otter image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card when it hits the opponent would probably normally be kind of alright. It has a great ability, but actually getting in to draw you that card is difficult pretty much all game. But, this isn’t an ordinary format. There are keyword counters all over the place, and of course there is mutate. Playing this on turn 3, and then mutating something on to it later that has more size and/or abilities is going to feel pretty good. You still are dealing with a kind of ugly fail case on this little guy, but I think the upside is real enough that you end up playing this in most of your Blue decks, and it may even be better than that if you have enough Mutate going on. One combo with a couple of Commons is to play Otter turn 3, and then mutate the Heron onto it on turn 4 -- suddenly you have a ¾ flyer that draws you a card when it mutates and when it hits the opponent. This will happen a lot in this format.
Gust of Wind image 3.0 Even if this always cost 4, it would be a decent card. Bouncing something and drawing a card feels pretty great tempo-wise! But the great news is, this will often cost 2, and you don’t even have to try that hard to make that happen, since you’re playing blue.
Swiftwater Cliffs image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Titanoth Rex
Huntmaster Liger image 2.5 A 4-mana ¾ with some Mutate upside is what this is in its most basic form, and that’s fine -- especially because the Mutate upside is pretty powerful, pumping your whole team. Now, it is sort of an awkward card in that Mutate expressly asks you not to go wide, so you’re not always going to be able to get a huge boost out of Mutate here, but it still does enough to make the cut most of the time.
Titanoth Rex image 3.0 A 9-mana 11/11 trampler just wouldn’t be playable in most formats – but in this one, it is significantly better than just “playable”! That’s partly because it has Cycling, which means when you can’t cast it – which will most of the time – you can just cycle it away. This format also has a very real BG reanimator deck, and you don’t need me to tell you that getting this back for 5 or 6 mana is absolutely silly.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Coordinated Charge image 2.5 All the cards with Cycling in this set are way better than they look. They are functionally split cards that you can just cycle when what they do doesn’t matter. Plus, if you’re in RW you’re really looking for a critical mass of these and will just jam all of them into your deck. And..yeah, sometimes this effect doesn’t matter, since you need to be going wide. But you can just cycle it away! Then, when it does matter, it will feel pretty great.
Bushmeat Poacher image 3.0 This is a very nice activated ability. Cashing in creatures for cards is always a nice thing to have in Limited, because it isn’t unusual for some of your early creatures to become kind of useless as the game wears on, and this gives you something really nice to do with them -- gaining life and drawing a card is great. Any time those two are put together I’m pretty happy, because the life you gain makes it more likely you’ll be able to use that extra card you drew before you die. You can also use it in response to removal, or on a creature who has been shut down by an Aura. This can also be used to sacrifice creatures who are blocking and would die anyway. A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t even the worst stats ever, and overall this is pretty nice in slower Black decks.
Thieving Otter image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card when it hits the opponent would probably normally be kind of alright. It has a great ability, but actually getting in to draw you that card is difficult pretty much all game. But, this isn’t an ordinary format. There are keyword counters all over the place, and of course there is mutate. Playing this on turn 3, and then mutating something on to it later that has more size and/or abilities is going to feel pretty good. You still are dealing with a kind of ugly fail case on this little guy, but I think the upside is real enough that you end up playing this in most of your Blue decks, and it may even be better than that if you have enough Mutate going on. One combo with a couple of Commons is to play Otter turn 3, and then mutate the Heron onto it on turn 4 -- suddenly you have a ¾ flyer that draws you a card when it mutates and when it hits the opponent. This will happen a lot in this format.
Forbidden Friendship image 2.5 This is a reasonable deal for two bodies, and will help decks that want to go wide. It is a mostly better Krenko’s Command, since the dinosaur gets to have Haste, and that card is always just fine.
Maned Serval image 1.5 This is a reasonably efficient French Vanilla creature that it is okay to mutate on top of.
Hampering Snare image 2.5 Like all one-mana cyclers, this is much better than it looks! It has a very situational effect when you cast it as a spell – but the thing is, when you can take advantage of that effect it feels really good. When you can’t, you can just Cycle it away!
Serrated Scorpion image 2.0 As a ½, it can block the human tokens in this set, and with the death ability it has, it creates a 4 point swing in life. That’s not insignificant. This is not a bad thing to sacrifice to various effects, nor is it a bad thing to mutate on to. But it isn’t exactly amazing in either of those cases either.
Mountain image
Pack 1 Pick 6: Humble Naturalist
Channeled Force image 1.5 This is not especially easy to make work. It lets you rummage and then damage stuff, but the set up of having to have a bunch of cards in your hand just isn’t going to be worth that a lot of the time.
Keep Safe image 1.5 There will be times where this feel amazing -- you counter the spell that targets one of your creatures and draw a card -- that’s a 2-for-1! But unfortunately, that actually lining up is far from guaranteed. Still, in this format with mutate creatures, you’re a little more interested in this than you would be in other formats, since you are often taking a big risk to mutate, and this can help protect your creature. Still, you won’t play this most of the time.
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Humble Naturalist image 3.0 This is a mana creature with okay stats, and those always tend to be nice inclusions in Limited Green decks.
Patagia Tiger image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ Flyer is usually a serviceable card in Limited.. This brings some pretty real additional upside, in that it can pump humans. White and Black especially have a lot of humans, and in those decks this will be a nice common because it will frequently give one of your Humans an attack that wouldn’t have worked before the Tiger came down.
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Blazing Volley image 0.5 This is a sideboard card. There just aren’t enough things this kills for it to be a main deck card in this format.
Dark Bargain image 1.5 We see this kind of card a lot, and it is always pretty medium. Even in a set with a graveyard deck, I’m not super pumped about this because of the cost.
Shredded Sails image 3.0 I like the modality this has. It has two very sideboardy effects -- you won’t always have an artifact of a creature with Flying to hit with it, but between both being on this card you have a decentish chance of your opponent having a few targets. On top of that, it has Cycling -- so if you end up with some sweet Cycling payoffs, it is even more likely to be useful for your deck.
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 7: Ram Through
Migration Path image 3.5 I really like the places they chose to put Cycling in this set -- and this is a great example of that. When you need to ramp or find mana of a specific color, this does the job really well. In fact, if you have a couple of these, it even potentially enables you splashing a double colored card. But one of the downsides of ramp spells like this, is that if you already have all the mana you need, casting it might not be the optimal thing to do. Instead, you can just Cycle it away and try to find something else. As I’ve been saying a lot -- this makes cards that have effects that have diminishing returns, or that have narrow effects, a lot better than they would be otherwise.
Escape Protocol image 0.0 You need to do way too much to make this work. It just won’t happen.
Facet Reader image 2.0 In a set with Cycling, this type of ability is much less impressive, since a lot of your cards will already be able to do this. It is still fine and will make the cut some, but less often than usual.
Cathartic Reunion image 1.5 This is a reprint, and one that would be better in a set that has more of a graveyard theme. In this set, it is mostly just a fine 23rd card, like Tormenting Voice effects often are. It is a nice way to dig deeper into your deck, even if you do have some considerable set up costs in discarding two cards.
Heightened Reflexes image 1.5 When tricks cost one mana, I start to get interested, as the pain of getting 2-for-1’s is no longer accompanied with a big tempo hit, and it is just easier to have the spare mana around. Still, this boost isn’t amazing -- +1/+0 and First Strike will win a fair number of combats, but it isn’t really a boost that makes it happen enough.
Honey Mammoth image 2.5 It isn’t exciting, but a 6-mana 6/6 that gains you 4 life can go a long way towards helping you stabilize against more aggressive decks.
Ram Through image 4.0 This is a great removal spell for Green. First, it is NOT a fight card, but a “punch” card – that is, your creature damages the opposing creature, but it doesn’t get damaged itself! That makes it much less risky, even if you do need to be a little careful, since if your creature that is Ramming Through gets killed in response, you get 2-for-1’d. But the upside here is well worth that! As an Instant, you will more easily find situations that aren’t risky, AND it has the Trample upside that will sometimes be crazy. This is premium removal.
Adaptive Shimmerer image 1.5 The idea here is that you mutate on top of this, giving +3/+3 to whatever stats your mutated creature has. It also has Flash, and there are a few cards that care about that. Still, as far as payoffs and enablers go, this is pretty darn inefficient.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 8: Zagoth Crystal
Weaponize the Monsters image 2.5 This is a surprisingly good way to cash in expendable bodies, including those you steal from your opponents! It also really lets you find lethal out of nowhere.
Zagoth Crystal image 2.5 The crystals all provide good fixing – something you want a lot of the time in this format – and they all have Cycling, which means when you draw one and don’t really need the fixing, you can just throw it away to draw another card.
Garrison Cat image 1.5 This is a one drop that replaces itself, which isn’t too bad. It is also something you can mutate on to very early, and still getting a 1/1 when your mutated creature dies is okay upside. You still won’t play this most of the time, but it can be passable.
Memory Leak image 3.5 This is a situational discard effect that becomes useless in the late game. However! It has Cycling 1, and that gives everything a big upgrade in this format – you can cycle it away when it doesn’t do a thing, and when it can do a thing it isn’t too shabby.
Anticipate image 1.5 This is always fine, but never much more than that. It is a very replaceable effect, gives you some reasonable card selection.
Aegis Turtle image 1.0 Purely defensive creatures like this just aren’t worth it these days. Sure, it is an early non-Human you can Mutate on to in a hurry, but you’d much rather be Mutating on to something that gives you some sort of ability, instead of just being a vehicle on which to mutate.
Fully Grown image 1.5 I have a hard time liking 3-mana combat tricks in most situations. It makes the risk of a blowout even more painful because of the extra mana you’re paying. And sure, +3/+3 will frequently be enough to win combat, and it is nice that the creature permanently gets Trample, instead of just temporarily, but tricks are just so situational, that I really only like the idea of them at lower mana costs in most cases.
Scoured Barrens image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Evolving Wilds
Serrated Scorpion image 2.0 As a ½, it can block the human tokens in this set, and with the death ability it has, it creates a 4 point swing in life. That’s not insignificant. This is not a bad thing to sacrifice to various effects, nor is it a bad thing to mutate on to. But it isn’t exactly amazing in either of those cases either.
Survivors' Bond image 2.0 If you can set this up reliably to get two cards back from your graveyard, it is a decent thing to have a singleton copy of, since in the late game it can really pull you ahead.
Gloom Pangolin image 1.0 A ⅕ for 3 might be something you play in slower more controlling decks sometimes -- it can block pretty effectively, but I think most of the time you won’t REALLY want this, and you’ll play it when you’re desperate for creatures, and that’s about it.
Keep Safe image 1.5 There will be times where this feel amazing -- you counter the spell that targets one of your creatures and draw a card -- that’s a 2-for-1! But unfortunately, that actually lining up is far from guaranteed. Still, in this format with mutate creatures, you’re a little more interested in this than you would be in other formats, since you are often taking a big risk to mutate, and this can help protect your creature. Still, you won’t play this most of the time.
Sleeper Dart image 1.0 This isn’t great, and is basically only the kind of card you run when you don’t have enough playables. It replaces itself, but the effect it has is really negligible.
Evolving Wilds image 3.0 As always, this provides excellent fixing. It lets you splash a card off of only a single basic land, and that’s great consistency. Even in a two color deck, the impact it has on your mana is substantial.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 10: Barrier Breach
Barrier Breach image 2.5 This is another situational card that would normally be unplayable, but Cycling means that you’ll play it a decent amount of the time.
Cunning Nightbonder image 3.0 So I would feel fine about playing a two mana 2/2 with Flash anyway -- can occasionally ambush a more expensive creature with 2 toughness, or a creature with less than two power, and it has fine stats. But, reducing the cost of spells with Flash is nice too, especially because there seems to be a decent amount of it in this set.
Gust of Wind image 3.0 Even if this always cost 4, it would be a decent card. Bouncing something and drawing a card feels pretty great tempo-wise! But the great news is, this will often cost 2, and you don’t even have to try that hard to make that happen, since you’re playing blue.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Daysquad Marshal image 2.5 This gives you two bodies with one card, and 4/4 worth of stats. In most sets that a solid card, and that’s what it is here.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 11: Fertilid
Fertilid image 3.0 A three mana 2/2 isn’t especially good, but the fixing Fertilid provides for you is quite nice. Green usually gets nice commons for Splashing or going three colors, and that’s what this is. It has the ability to grab a couple of land over a few turns, and that is nice -- helps mitigate against mana screw, helps you find your colors, etc., If you don’t really need to fix when you play it, it also makes a good creature to mutate on to.
Bushmeat Poacher image 3.0 This is a very nice activated ability. Cashing in creatures for cards is always a nice thing to have in Limited, because it isn’t unusual for some of your early creatures to become kind of useless as the game wears on, and this gives you something really nice to do with them -- gaining life and drawing a card is great. Any time those two are put together I’m pretty happy, because the life you gain makes it more likely you’ll be able to use that extra card you drew before you die. You can also use it in response to removal, or on a creature who has been shut down by an Aura. This can also be used to sacrifice creatures who are blocking and would die anyway. A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t even the worst stats ever, and overall this is pretty nice in slower Black decks.
Almighty Brushwagg image 2.5 This card is a real overperformer. A one-mana 1/1 with Trample is pretty laughable, but the ability is surprisingly effective, and you end up in situations where you can use it twice more often than you’d think! The Brushwagg is also great for mutating on to, since Trample and that ability are much better served on a larger creature.
Mosscoat Goriak image 2.0 This is some decent stats for three mana, especially because with Vigilance, he will often be able to attack on boards where he also happens to be a good blocker, and Vigilance lets him do both.
Bloodfell Caves image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Flycatcher Giraffid
Lead the Stampede image 2.0 Most of the time, this will just be Green Divination, which is fine, but not amazing. Sometimes it will draw you more – but sometimes it will also draw you less.
Flycatcher Giraffid image 2.0 Neither option here is great, but neither is bad, either.
Gloom Pangolin image 1.0 A ⅕ for 3 might be something you play in slower more controlling decks sometimes -- it can block pretty effectively, but I think most of the time you won’t REALLY want this, and you’ll play it when you’re desperate for creatures, and that’s about it.
Thieving Otter image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card when it hits the opponent would probably normally be kind of alright. It has a great ability, but actually getting in to draw you that card is difficult pretty much all game. But, this isn’t an ordinary format. There are keyword counters all over the place, and of course there is mutate. Playing this on turn 3, and then mutating something on to it later that has more size and/or abilities is going to feel pretty good. You still are dealing with a kind of ugly fail case on this little guy, but I think the upside is real enough that you end up playing this in most of your Blue decks, and it may even be better than that if you have enough Mutate going on. One combo with a couple of Commons is to play Otter turn 3, and then mutate the Heron onto it on turn 4 -- suddenly you have a ¾ flyer that draws you a card when it mutates and when it hits the opponent. This will happen a lot in this format.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Bushmeat Poacher
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Bushmeat Poacher image 3.0 This is a very nice activated ability. Cashing in creatures for cards is always a nice thing to have in Limited, because it isn’t unusual for some of your early creatures to become kind of useless as the game wears on, and this gives you something really nice to do with them -- gaining life and drawing a card is great. Any time those two are put together I’m pretty happy, because the life you gain makes it more likely you’ll be able to use that extra card you drew before you die. You can also use it in response to removal, or on a creature who has been shut down by an Aura. This can also be used to sacrifice creatures who are blocking and would die anyway. A 4-mana 2/4 isn’t even the worst stats ever, and overall this is pretty nice in slower Black decks.
Mountain image
Pack 1 Pick 14: Unlikely Aid
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Swamp image
Pack 1 Pick 15: Forest
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 1: Parcelbeast
Cubwarden image 4.0 This can just be a 4-mana ⅗ with lifelink, a pretty attractive card already.It also holds on to the Mutate upside even if you just cast it normally, so that if mutating ever happens in the future, you still get those Cat tokens. You can also cast it for the mutate cost, and either put it on top of or under another non-Human creature you control. If the creature is bigger than 3/5 you probably want to put the warden underneath it, effectively giving a big creature lifelink and making a couple of tokens. If it is smaller, you probably want to put it on top, making whatever it is into a ⅗ with lifelink, plus whatever abilities it had, and you also get those two 1/1 tokens. Either way, you’re getting a great deal.
Boon of the Wish-Giver image 3.5 If the Boon was just a 6-mana draw 4 it wouldn’t be great -- it would mean the only thing the card can do is tap you out for a turn, and while drawing 4 is awesome, not adding to the board is sometimes not an option. Basically this is a split card. The 6-mana sorcery, and a one-mana Instant that draws you a card. Both options will be nice sometimes – and of course, Cycling is extra good in this set because of all the payoffs.
Parcelbeast image 4.0 So, a 4-mana 2/4 with this ability would probably already be good. The ability only asks for a single mana and it draws you a card every turn, more or less -- whether it is putting a land on the table or actually drawing you that card. That’s just the kind of creature who can take a game over with the hand advantage it gives you. Then, of course, you can also Mutate with it, and it has a very low Mutate cost. Most of the time the 2/4 body won’t be all that desirable, but in the early game putting this on top for Mutate will probably be attractive. Later on, just putting this under a big boy will be more ideal. But I think that a significant chunk of the time, you’re just wanting to go ahead and hardcast this thing. 4-mana for a 2/4 with this ability will frequently be better than paying 2 mana to give some other creature the ability and no additional bonuses. Obviously there are Mutate payoffs, which would make that more attractive. But yeah, even withou all the Mutate stuff, Parcelbeast is a good card, and I think the added flexibility makes it even better than that. I think this is a great uncommon, one that you shouldn’t hesitate to snatch up in many first pick scenarios.
Bastion of Remembrance image 3.5 3-mana for a 1/1 with the powerful “aristocrat” effect is not bad, and this can be especially good in Humans decks that are going wide, or in decks with lots of sacrifice effects, where this type of drain effect can really make it impossible for your opponent to find a good way to block.
Gust of Wind image 3.0 Even if this always cost 4, it would be a decent card. Bouncing something and drawing a card feels pretty great tempo-wise! But the great news is, this will often cost 2, and you don’t even have to try that hard to make that happen, since you’re playing blue.
Maned Serval image 1.5 This is a reasonably efficient French Vanilla creature that it is okay to mutate on top of.
Honey Mammoth image 2.5 It isn’t exciting, but a 6-mana 6/6 that gains you 4 life can go a long way towards helping you stabilize against more aggressive decks.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Fertilid image 3.0 A three mana 2/2 isn’t especially good, but the fixing Fertilid provides for you is quite nice. Green usually gets nice commons for Splashing or going three colors, and that’s what this is. It has the ability to grab a couple of land over a few turns, and that is nice -- helps mitigate against mana screw, helps you find your colors, etc., If you don’t really need to fix when you play it, it also makes a good creature to mutate on to.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Cloudpiercer image 2.5 5-mana for a 5/4 Reach is fairly passable, and adding a rummage mutate effect is fine.
Anticipate image 1.5 This is always fine, but never much more than that. It is a very replaceable effect, gives you some reasonable card selection.
Migratory Greathorn image 3.0 This is another decent peace of fixing and ramp for Green. Paying 3 mana to put this under something bigger, or on top of something smaller, while also searching up a land is a nice deal to me. It helps you splash while also giving you some Mutate synergy.
Bloodfell Caves image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Of One Mind
Sanctuary Lockdown image 3.0 That can be truly devastating in some situations, where you have say 4 humans in play, and can just tap down both of your opponent’s blockers at the end of their turn. This means that this card is useful in multiple scenarios, whether being aggressive or defensive. Still, the Human deck is one that doesn’t always come together well in this format, and I think that hurts this card a little bit.
Clash of Titans image 2.5 It is tempting to look at this and think about the 2-for-1 situations, but it turns out is much harder to effectively line this up than it looks. Your opponents creatures have to be just the right size to kill eachother, and if you’re using one of your creatures do to do the fighting, you better hope it is big enough to survive the combat, otherwise you are getting 2-for-1’d yourself! It isn’t bad, just don’t expect it to always do the big thing it can sometimes do.
Splendor Mare image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 with lifelink is probably already a nice card in Limited, then you add the Cycling upside here and you have something really nice. Paying 1W to draw a card and permanently give something life link is a nice option to have in addition to just having an efficient creature.
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Whisper Squad image 0.0 // 3.0 This is unplayable with only one copy, but it gradually becomes more playable the more copies you get. Sure, paying two to get a 1/1 out of your deck doesn’t seem great, but it is actually some very real value, and an effective way to help you go wide. If you end up with 4 copies of this, it will become a pretty nice card.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Boot Nipper image 3.0 This is a very nice two drop that gives you a couple of nice options. You would always play a two mana 2/1 with death touch, and you would frequently play a two mana 2/1 with lifelink. The power of having a choice between those two things is very real. If yo’ure behind, you probably go with death touch, but if you are the beatdown, you probably go with lifelink. This is a nice cheap creature to mutate on to as well, and those keyword counters will be nice on your mutated creature.
Survivors' Bond image 2.0 If you can set this up reliably to get two cards back from your graveyard, it is a decent thing to have a singleton copy of, since in the late game it can really pull you ahead.
Forbidden Friendship image 2.5 This is a reasonable deal for two bodies, and will help decks that want to go wide. It is a mostly better Krenko’s Command, since the dinosaur gets to have Haste, and that card is always just fine.
Of One Mind image 3.0 I am usually interested in running one Divination in most Limited formats, and this is a strictly better one since its cost can be reduced. If you are consistently casting this for one, it will be absolutely silly -- but the requirement it asks for, while doable, isn’t the kind of thing that will just always be the case.
Vulpikeet image 2.5 This starts out with some pretty unimpressive stats, but the real value here comes from the Mutate, which will often give a pretty nice boost to one of your creatures – Flying AND a +1/+1 counter. Now, Mutate is inherently risky, and this isn’t the kind of mutate card that gives you some sort of value that sticks around no matter what – this will just die, and that will suck sometimes, but this can also be a pretty nice card for aggro decks trying to win in a hurry.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Blossoming Sands image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Eerie Ultimatum
Eerie Ultimatum image 5.0 The ultimatums are all way easier to cast in this format than they would be in most. The fixing here is just great. This means that there is a very real strategy of drafting an ultimatum as a win condition in a controlling deck, and Eerie Ultimatum is one of the ones that just wins you the game if you cast it. It does require some set up, since you’re going to need permanents in your graveyard, but that’s pretty likely by the time you cast it.
Raugrin Crystal image 2.5 The crystals all provide good fixing – something you want a lot of the time in this format – and they all have Cycling, which means when you draw one and don’t really need the fixing, you can just throw it away to draw another card.
Regal Leosaur image 3.0 So the mutate trigger here doesn’t technically help you avoid a 2-for-1 most of the time, but it is powerful. Still, it is kind of an awkward card, since Mutate by its very nature does not help you go wide, so board pump on Mutate definitely feels weird. Still, it will frequently have a very real impact on the board state.
Sudden Spinnerets image 1.0 This doesn’t give a big enough boost to help your creature win combat often enough, and a Reach counter isn’t very exciting.
Patagia Tiger image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ Flyer is usually a serviceable card in Limited.. This brings some pretty real additional upside, in that it can pump humans. White and Black especially have a lot of humans, and in those decks this will be a nice common because it will frequently give one of your Humans an attack that wouldn’t have worked before the Tiger came down.
Sleeper Dart image 1.0 This isn’t great, and is basically only the kind of card you run when you don’t have enough playables. It replaces itself, but the effect it has is really negligible.
Wingfold Pteron image 2.0 A 6-mana 3/6 with Hexproof, or a 6 mana 3/6 with Flying would be a kind of playable card already, at least in slower decks. But, the fact that this gives you flexibility is great. It can be especially nice t to name Hexproof with this, so that I have an excellent place to put a bunch of other keyword counters and/or Auras. Just going full Voltron on the Pteron with Mutate seems fun too.
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Serrated Scorpion image 2.0 As a ½, it can block the human tokens in this set, and with the death ability it has, it creates a 4 point swing in life. That’s not insignificant. This is not a bad thing to sacrifice to various effects, nor is it a bad thing to mutate on to. But it isn’t exactly amazing in either of those cases either.
Drannith Healer image 3.5 Another Cycling card that is better than it looks! This one is a bear with a Cycling payoff, in addition to having the great 1 mana Cycling effect.
Blisterspit Gremlin image 2.0 This can ping stuff repeatedly, but having to use mana to do it does downgrade it significantly from similar cards we have seen.
Frost Lynx image 3.5 This type of tempo creature is always great for Blue. You get to add a 2/2 to your board while significantly impacting the board state. Tapping something down could mean that you suddenly have really good attacks. It could also mean that you buy yourself some time against an aggro deck.
Island image
Pack 2 Pick 4: Drannith Magistrate
Drannith Magistrate image 1.5 So, this is the kind of card really printed with constructed in mind. In most Limited games in this format, this Hatebear isn’t going to have anything to hate on, so he is effectively just a two mana ⅓. That can be a passable two-drop if you’re desperate.
Sanctuary Lockdown image 3.0 That can be truly devastating in some situations, where you have say 4 humans in play, and can just tap down both of your opponent’s blockers at the end of their turn. This means that this card is useful in multiple scenarios, whether being aggressive or defensive. Still, the Human deck is one that doesn’t always come together well in this format, and I think that hurts this card a little bit.
Unbreakable Bond image 3.0 This format has a very real reanimator deck in the BG color pair, and that makes Unbreakable Bond significantly better in this format than in most. You can cycle away a big ol’ creature, and then use this to reanimate it and give it lifelink! That can be a play that ends games. In short, this just will have far more attractive targets than it does in most formats, and that makes it a pretty nice card.
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Corpse Churn image 2.0 This is mostly here to enable the BG reanimator deck, and it does a decent job of that.
Survivors' Bond image 2.0 If you can set this up reliably to get two cards back from your graveyard, it is a decent thing to have a singleton copy of, since in the late game it can really pull you ahead.
Cavern Whisperer image 2.5 So, a 5-mana 4/4 with Menace would make the cut a significant amount of the time. This also has a solid Mutate trigger, albeit one of the less exciting ones around, especially because its efficacy decreases as the game goes on. But hey, it can also lend Menace to a creature it Mutates on to! Or you can use it as the creature on top to make a 4/4 menace out of one of your creatures’. Still, costing 5 to mutate for an underwhelming trigger isn’t great, even if you’re upgrading a creature at the same time.
Savai Sabertooth image 2.0 Two mana 3/1s tend to be fine two drops for aggressive decks.
Memory Leak image 3.5 This is a situational discard effect that becomes useless in the late game. However! It has Cycling 1, and that gives everything a big upgrade in this format – you can cycle it away when it doesn’t do a thing, and when it can do a thing it isn’t too shabby.
Blisterspit Gremlin image 2.0 This can ping stuff repeatedly, but having to use mana to do it does downgrade it significantly from similar cards we have seen.
Garrison Cat image 1.5 This is a one drop that replaces itself, which isn’t too bad. It is also something you can mutate on to very early, and still getting a 1/1 when your mutated creature dies is okay upside. You still won’t play this most of the time, but it can be passable.
Thornwood Falls image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Greater Sandwurm
Ketria Crystal image 2.5 The crystals all provide good fixing – something you want a lot of the time in this format – and they all have Cycling, which means when you draw one and don’t really need the fixing, you can just throw it away to draw another card.
Titanoth Rex image 3.0 A 9-mana 11/11 trampler just wouldn’t be playable in most formats – but in this one, it is significantly better than just “playable”! That’s partly because it has Cycling, which means when you can’t cast it – which will most of the time – you can just cycle it away. This format also has a very real BG reanimator deck, and you don’t need me to tell you that getting this back for 5 or 6 mana is absolutely silly.
Migration Path image 3.5 I really like the places they chose to put Cycling in this set -- and this is a great example of that. When you need to ramp or find mana of a specific color, this does the job really well. In fact, if you have a couple of these, it even potentially enables you splashing a double colored card. But one of the downsides of ramp spells like this, is that if you already have all the mana you need, casting it might not be the optimal thing to do. Instead, you can just Cycle it away and try to find something else. As I’ve been saying a lot -- this makes cards that have effects that have diminishing returns, or that have narrow effects, a lot better than they would be otherwise.
Spelleater Wolverine image 2.5 This is a nice little aggressive creature in this format, and it slots quite nicely into UR spells, but also into RW Cycling decks, since they tend to throw all kinds of cards with Cycling into the graveyard, including a bunch of instants and sorceries! Basically, it is way easier to get double strike online here than it looks.
Wilt image 2.5 Another situational cycler means another solid playable
Crystacean image 1.5 This is supposed to be here for the UB flash deck, but that deck just doesn’t come together that often, and this has a pretty mediocre floor.
Keep Safe image 1.5 There will be times where this feel amazing -- you counter the spell that targets one of your creatures and draw a card -- that’s a 2-for-1! But unfortunately, that actually lining up is far from guaranteed. Still, in this format with mutate creatures, you’re a little more interested in this than you would be in other formats, since you are often taking a big risk to mutate, and this can help protect your creature. Still, you won’t play this most of the time.
Corpse Churn image 2.0 This is mostly here to enable the BG reanimator deck, and it does a decent job of that.
Raking Claws image 3.0 Another situational card with Cycling, Raking Claws can sometimes do a whole lot as a trick, but when it can’t? Well, just Cycle it away and look for something else.
Greater Sandwurm image 3.5 This is an imposing presence if you can play it as a creature – but it is super expensive! The good news is that it has Cycling, so you can just throw it away early. This especially potent in the BG reanimator deck, as this is something you can throw away on turn two, and then reanimate on turn 4 or 5, which is often enough to win the game.
Thornwood Falls image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Primal Empathy
Primal Empathy image 3.5 That draw you a card every turn are very powerful, it is the kind of card advantage that just becomes insurmountable for your opponent. And sure, you DO have to meet a requirement to draw that card, but even if you can’t draw a card, a +1/+1 counter every turn is nice too -- and obviously it also means that you will be able to get your creature big enough to start drawing cards with it eventually.
Heightened Reflexes image 1.5 When tricks cost one mana, I start to get interested, as the pain of getting 2-for-1’s is no longer accompanied with a big tempo hit, and it is just easier to have the spare mana around. Still, this boost isn’t amazing -- +1/+0 and First Strike will win a fair number of combats, but it isn’t really a boost that makes it happen enough.
Cavern Whisperer image 2.5 So, a 5-mana 4/4 with Menace would make the cut a significant amount of the time. This also has a solid Mutate trigger, albeit one of the less exciting ones around, especially because its efficacy decreases as the game goes on. But hey, it can also lend Menace to a creature it Mutates on to! Or you can use it as the creature on top to make a 4/4 menace out of one of your creatures’. Still, costing 5 to mutate for an underwhelming trigger isn’t great, even if you’re upgrading a creature at the same time.
Essence Symbiote image 3.0 This is a Grizzly Bears with some nice upside. Making mutate creatures bigger and gaining you a bit of life is a very real bonus. And, I think your average Green deck will probably have 3-5 cards with Mutate, so it will be triggering regularly in most decks in this format. Something to keep in mind too, is that if you Mutate ON to this, it will start putting counters on the new Mutate creature, something that might be the ideal path to take sometimes
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Convolute image 1.5 We see this a lot, and it is never that good. Leaving mana up for a counterspell is a big cost, and this one isn’t even a hard counter.
Fertilid image 3.0 A three mana 2/2 isn’t especially good, but the fixing Fertilid provides for you is quite nice. Green usually gets nice commons for Splashing or going three colors, and that’s what this is. It has the ability to grab a couple of land over a few turns, and that is nice -- helps mitigate against mana screw, helps you find your colors, etc., If you don’t really need to fix when you play it, it also makes a good creature to mutate on to.
Hampering Snare image 2.5 Like all one-mana cyclers, this is much better than it looks! It has a very situational effect when you cast it as a spell – but the thing is, when you can take advantage of that effect it feels really good. When you can’t, you can just Cycle it away!
Facet Reader image 2.0 In a set with Cycling, this type of ability is much less impressive, since a lot of your cards will already be able to do this. It is still fine and will make the cut some, but less often than usual.
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 7: Thieving Otter
Mosscoat Goriak image 2.0 This is some decent stats for three mana, especially because with Vigilance, he will often be able to attack on boards where he also happens to be a good blocker, and Vigilance lets him do both.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Drannith Stinger image 4.0 5-mana for a 5/4 Reach is fairly passable, and adding a rummage mutate effect is fine.
Dark Bargain image 1.5 We see this kind of card a lot, and it is always pretty medium. Even in a set with a graveyard deck, I’m not super pumped about this because of the cost.
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Thieving Otter image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card when it hits the opponent would probably normally be kind of alright. It has a great ability, but actually getting in to draw you that card is difficult pretty much all game. But, this isn’t an ordinary format. There are keyword counters all over the place, and of course there is mutate. Playing this on turn 3, and then mutating something on to it later that has more size and/or abilities is going to feel pretty good. You still are dealing with a kind of ugly fail case on this little guy, but I think the upside is real enough that you end up playing this in most of your Blue decks, and it may even be better than that if you have enough Mutate going on. One combo with a couple of Commons is to play Otter turn 3, and then mutate the Heron onto it on turn 4 -- suddenly you have a ¾ flyer that draws you a card when it mutates and when it hits the opponent. This will happen a lot in this format.
Raking Claws image 3.0 Another situational card with Cycling, Raking Claws can sometimes do a whole lot as a trick, but when it can’t? Well, just Cycle it away and look for something else.
Pyroceratops image 3.0 This is a nice spell payoff that can big in a hurry, which feels good when you have Trample along for the ride.
Island image
Pack 2 Pick 8: Easy Prey
Easy Prey image 3.0 This is a somewhat narrow removal spell – but it is still a removal spell. It certainly isn’t premium, but by adding Cycling to this card, which you would play one of in a lot of formats anyway, you end up with a pretty nice card.
Unbreakable Bond image 3.0 This format has a very real reanimator deck in the BG color pair, and that makes Unbreakable Bond significantly better in this format than in most. You can cycle away a big ol’ creature, and then use this to reanimate it and give it lifelink! That can be a play that ends games. In short, this just will have far more attractive targets than it does in most formats, and that makes it a pretty nice card.
Patagia Tiger image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ Flyer is usually a serviceable card in Limited.. This brings some pretty real additional upside, in that it can pump humans. White and Black especially have a lot of humans, and in those decks this will be a nice common because it will frequently give one of your Humans an attack that wouldn’t have worked before the Tiger came down.
Adventurous Impulse image 2.0 This is always a fine, very replacable card. If you need a land, it can usually find you one, and if you need a creature, it can do that too.
Flycatcher Giraffid image 2.0 Neither option here is great, but neither is bad, either.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Dismal Backwater image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Migratory Greathorn
Maned Serval image 1.5 This is a reasonably efficient French Vanilla creature that it is okay to mutate on top of.
Honey Mammoth image 2.5 It isn’t exciting, but a 6-mana 6/6 that gains you 4 life can go a long way towards helping you stabilize against more aggressive decks.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Migratory Greathorn image 3.0 This is another decent peace of fixing and ramp for Green. Paying 3 mana to put this under something bigger, or on top of something smaller, while also searching up a land is a nice deal to me. It helps you splash while also giving you some Mutate synergy.
Bloodfell Caves image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Survivors' Bond
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Survivors' Bond image 2.0 If you can set this up reliably to get two cards back from your graveyard, it is a decent thing to have a singleton copy of, since in the late game it can really pull you ahead.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Blossoming Sands image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Sleeper Dart
Sudden Spinnerets image 1.0 This doesn’t give a big enough boost to help your creature win combat often enough, and a Reach counter isn’t very exciting.
Sleeper Dart image 1.0 This isn’t great, and is basically only the kind of card you run when you don’t have enough playables. It replaces itself, but the effect it has is really negligible.
Serrated Scorpion image 2.0 As a ½, it can block the human tokens in this set, and with the death ability it has, it creates a 4 point swing in life. That’s not insignificant. This is not a bad thing to sacrifice to various effects, nor is it a bad thing to mutate on to. But it isn’t exactly amazing in either of those cases either.
Blisterspit Gremlin image 2.0 This can ping stuff repeatedly, but having to use mana to do it does downgrade it significantly from similar cards we have seen.
Island image
Pack 2 Pick 12: Survivors' Bond
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Corpse Churn image 2.0 This is mostly here to enable the BG reanimator deck, and it does a decent job of that.
Survivors' Bond image 2.0 If you can set this up reliably to get two cards back from your graveyard, it is a decent thing to have a singleton copy of, since in the late game it can really pull you ahead.
Savai Sabertooth image 2.0 Two mana 3/1s tend to be fine two drops for aggressive decks.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Migration Path
Migration Path image 3.5 I really like the places they chose to put Cycling in this set -- and this is a great example of that. When you need to ramp or find mana of a specific color, this does the job really well. In fact, if you have a couple of these, it even potentially enables you splashing a double colored card. But one of the downsides of ramp spells like this, is that if you already have all the mana you need, casting it might not be the optimal thing to do. Instead, you can just Cycle it away and try to find something else. As I’ve been saying a lot -- this makes cards that have effects that have diminishing returns, or that have narrow effects, a lot better than they would be otherwise.
Wilt image 2.5 Another situational cycler means another solid playable
Crystacean image 1.5 This is supposed to be here for the UB flash deck, but that deck just doesn’t come together that often, and this has a pretty mediocre floor.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Unlikely Aid
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 15: Light of Hope
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Shark Typhoon
Shark Typhoon image 5.0 You have two options here. One of these is that you can pay 6 mana for an Enchantment that probably won’t actually add to the board until your next turn -- and sometimes it won’t even add to the board then. The other is that you can cycle this and pay like 6 mana -- which results in you getting a 4/4 flying Shark at instant speed while also drawing you a card. So, the latter option here is the one that I think you choose most often, and the fact that that is an option at all is great, because sometimes you just won’t end up with enough noncreature spells to really abuse the Enchantment itself -- but the fail case you’re getting out of the deal is still quite powerful, and could easily result in 2-for-1s and even 3-for-1s.
Sonorous Howlbonder image 3.0 So on its own, this has Super Menace -- and that’s a pretty good evasive ability. Three creatures being able to block this just won’t be the case a decent chunk of the time, and iti s nice that it also grants the same awesome bonus to other Menace creatures. Like all of these, it will definitely be making some creatures with that keyword ability better, but it won’t be something that happens all the time or anything.
Duskfang Mentor image 3.0 Granting keywords to creatures who don’t have them -- especially big creatures -- is going to feel good, and this whole cycle also has the ability to pump up creatures with that keyword, including the one the counter was put on. That means these have an immediate impact on the board in most cases, and they also have late game value in their mana sink ability.
Insatiable Hemophage image 3.0 Three mana for a 4/5 with Menace is crazy good, and while giving your opponent a deathtouch counter isn’t awesome, there are lots of situations where that just doesn’t matter! Like if you play this one turn 3 and your opponent has nothing. Or, you play this on turn three, and then kill whatever you put the counter on next turn. Even when those optimal situations don’t emerge, the fact this is so big means that your opponent will frequently have to double-block anyway. And hey, even if you just end up trading 1-for-1 with this thing, that’s not too bad of a deal.
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Fully Grown image 1.5 I have a hard time liking 3-mana combat tricks in most situations. It makes the risk of a blowout even more painful because of the extra mana you’re paying. And sure, +3/+3 will frequently be enough to win combat, and it is nice that the creature permanently gets Trample, instead of just temporarily, but tricks are just so situational, that I really only like the idea of them at lower mana costs in most cases.
Capture Sphere image 3.5 This is usually not quite premium removal since it is kind of expensive and doesn’t take away static abilities. However, in a set loaded up with Mutate, it gets a lot better, as sometimes your opponent will be taking the risk of mutating, but suddenly that means Capture Sphere can effectively give you a 2-for-1.
Patagia Tiger image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ Flyer is usually a serviceable card in Limited.. This brings some pretty real additional upside, in that it can pump humans. White and Black especially have a lot of humans, and in those decks this will be a nice common because it will frequently give one of your Humans an attack that wouldn’t have worked before the Tiger came down.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Solid Footing image 1.5 This is an interesting Vigilance payoff, and you’ll play it sometimes if you have enough Vigilance, because in those scenarios it gives a big boost for only one mana. You’ll cut this a lot, though.
Shredded Sails image 3.0 I like the modality this has. It has two very sideboardy effects -- you won’t always have an artifact of a creature with Flying to hit with it, but between both being on this card you have a decentish chance of your opponent having a few targets. On top of that, it has Cycling -- so if you end up with some sweet Cycling payoffs, it is even more likely to be useful for your deck.
Spontaneous Flight image 1.5 The best tricks cost very little mana, and this doesn’t really deliver there. Still, it does give a pretty nice boost and permanently gives your creature Flying. That last part means that it can help you get in for lethal, or really alter a race in a hurry. Still, it has all the risks that tricks have – it is situational and you risk getting 2-for-1’d.
Wind-Scarred Crag image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Quartzwood Crasher
Quartzwood Crasher image 4.5 Even on its own, it is pretty likely that the Crusher will make a dinosaur when it attacks. As a 5-mana 6/6 with Trample, it has the kind of size that is a real problem. And, if you happen to have something with trample in play the turn you play it, it can actually impact the board right away when that creature attacks! This thing will just snowball as more dinosaurs with Trample get made, and it will take over the game.
Clash of Titans image 2.5 It is tempting to look at this and think about the 2-for-1 situations, but it turns out is much harder to effectively line this up than it looks. Your opponents creatures have to be just the right size to kill eachother, and if you’re using one of your creatures do to do the fighting, you better hope it is big enough to survive the combat, otherwise you are getting 2-for-1’d yourself! It isn’t bad, just don’t expect it to always do the big thing it can sometimes do.
Neutralize image 3.0 Counterspells have some very real downside over a lot of removal, in that you have to be able to cast it whenever what you want to remove is cast. That’s not the case for other removal -- this makes counter-magic situational, and if it is hard to create that situation -- and leaving up three mana isn’t always possible -- that makes a lot of counter magic subpar in Limited. However! This is a good illustration of how Cycling can really change a card. By adding Cycling, you end up with a card that is much less situational -- in fact, you can pretty much always do something with it, even if that thing is just Cycling it.
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Startling Development image 3.0 Another highly situational card with one mana cycling, Startling Development is much better than it looks. The 4/4 part will come up sometimes, and when it does it will be nice! But yeah, the real power here comes from being able to Cycle away for one mana.
Farfinder image 3.5 We have seen cards like Skittering Surveyor and Pilgrim’s Eye be really nice sources of fixing in the past. And this set is a wedge set, where splashing a third color and even straight up playing a third color will happen a decent chunk of the time. On top of that, this is not the worst thing to Mutate on top of, since it at least gives your new monster the Vigilance keyword.
Evolving Wilds image 3.0 As always, this provides excellent fixing. It lets you splash a card off of only a single basic land, and that’s great consistency. Even in a two color deck, the impact it has on your mana is substantial.
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Springjaw Trap image 1.5 You’ll play this if you end up with enough flash in UB, or if you’re desperate for removal, OR if you have Lurrus. But that’s pretty much it.
Greater Sandwurm image 3.5 This is an imposing presence if you can play it as a creature – but it is super expensive! The good news is that it has Cycling, so you can just throw it away early. This especially potent in the BG reanimator deck, as this is something you can throw away on turn two, and then reanimate on turn 4 or 5, which is often enough to win the game.
Blade Banish image 2.5 This is situational for sure, but this format has a whole lot of big bois, so it is a little better than usual. It is also an Instant, which means you can sometimes really get a blow out.
Cloudpiercer image 2.5 5-mana for a 5/4 Reach is fairly passable, and adding a rummage mutate effect is fine.
Thieving Otter image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card when it hits the opponent would probably normally be kind of alright. It has a great ability, but actually getting in to draw you that card is difficult pretty much all game. But, this isn’t an ordinary format. There are keyword counters all over the place, and of course there is mutate. Playing this on turn 3, and then mutating something on to it later that has more size and/or abilities is going to feel pretty good. You still are dealing with a kind of ugly fail case on this little guy, but I think the upside is real enough that you end up playing this in most of your Blue decks, and it may even be better than that if you have enough Mutate going on. One combo with a couple of Commons is to play Otter turn 3, and then mutate the Heron onto it on turn 4 -- suddenly you have a ¾ flyer that draws you a card when it mutates and when it hits the opponent. This will happen a lot in this format.
Plains image
Pack 3 Pick 3: Capture Sphere
Majestic Auricorn image 2.5 A 5-mana 4/4 with Vigilance isn’t great, but it would make the cut sometimes. If you’re playing this for its Mutate cost on turn 4, you’re probably upgrading one of your creatures to a 4/4 vigilance and gaining 4 life. Other times, you’ll be paying 4 to give something bigger vigilance and gain 4 life. While that’s decent, the reward you get for the risk here isn’t amazing.
Lore Drakkis image 3.5 So, getting an instant or sorcery back from the yard is a pretty nice mutate trigger, but the actual creature here is nothing very impressive. However, spending two Hybrid Red/Blue mana to get an instant or sorcery back from the graveyard is a nice rate, and of course it means that the more you mutate in one stack, the more times you get to do it. So yeah, the real draw here is the trigger, which means you will mutate this under stuff most of the time -- and in a fail case it is a 3-mana 2/2 that can give you some mutate value later on in the game.
Sanctuary Lockdown image 3.0 That can be truly devastating in some situations, where you have say 4 humans in play, and can just tap down both of your opponent’s blockers at the end of their turn. This means that this card is useful in multiple scenarios, whether being aggressive or defensive. Still, the Human deck is one that doesn’t always come together well in this format, and I think that hurts this card a little bit.
Of One Mind image 3.0 I am usually interested in running one Divination in most Limited formats, and this is a strictly better one since its cost can be reduced. If you are consistently casting this for one, it will be absolutely silly -- but the requirement it asks for, while doable, isn’t the kind of thing that will just always be the case.
Capture Sphere image 3.5 This is usually not quite premium removal since it is kind of expensive and doesn’t take away static abilities. However, in a set loaded up with Mutate, it gets a lot better, as sometimes your opponent will be taking the risk of mutating, but suddenly that means Capture Sphere can effectively give you a 2-for-1.
Blazing Volley image 0.5 This is a sideboard card. There just aren’t enough things this kills for it to be a main deck card in this format.
Nightsquad Commando image 2.5 So, if this was a 3-mana 2/3 who always gave you that 1/1 would be quite nice. However, you have to fulfill the “Raid” trigger here to get that 1/1. And while that’s not the craziest hoop to jump through, it won’t always be worth it.
Tentative Connection image 2.0 There are a couple of things going on here that make this a little better than most Threaten effects. First, when you can discount this because you have a Menace creature, it will feel pretty good – especially because Menace creatures already pair well with a Threaten effect. The other thing is, there are some efficient ways to sacrifice creatures in this format, and that means stealing an opposing creature and sacrificing it is pretty doable.
Frostveil Ambush image 3.0 Like all one-mana cyclers, this is much better than it looks! It has a very situational effect when you cast it as a spell – but the thing is, when you can take advantage of that effect it feels really good. When you can’t, you can just Cycle it away!
Raking Claws image 3.0 Another situational card with Cycling, Raking Claws can sometimes do a whole lot as a trick, but when it can’t? Well, just Cycle it away and look for something else.
Blade Banish image 2.5 This is situational for sure, but this format has a whole lot of big bois, so it is a little better than usual. It is also an Instant, which means you can sometimes really get a blow out.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 4: Trumpeting Gnarr
Regal Leosaur image 3.0 So the mutate trigger here doesn’t technically help you avoid a 2-for-1 most of the time, but it is powerful. Still, it is kind of an awkward card, since Mutate by its very nature does not help you go wide, so board pump on Mutate definitely feels weird. Still, it will frequently have a very real impact on the board state.
Glowstone Recluse image 3.5 A three-mana ⅔ with Reach is usually playable, and this has good mutate upside. You can use it to lend reach to a creature who really needs it, if you are mutating it and putting it underneath a big creature, but the more valuable option will usually be to Mutate with this on top, since it will be a ⅘ who also gains the abilities of whatever is underneath it.
Trumpeting Gnarr image 4.0 A 3-mana 3/3 is a nice baseline, and then this has a Mutate ability that offsets the risk of getting 2-for-1’d since it makes you a token every time. That mutate ability definitely isn’t efficient, but you’ll be surprised at how good it feels despite that
Hampering Snare image 2.5 Like all one-mana cyclers, this is much better than it looks! It has a very situational effect when you cast it as a spell – but the thing is, when you can take advantage of that effect it feels really good. When you can’t, you can just Cycle it away!
Gust of Wind image 3.0 Even if this always cost 4, it would be a decent card. Bouncing something and drawing a card feels pretty great tempo-wise! But the great news is, this will often cost 2, and you don’t even have to try that hard to make that happen, since you’re playing blue.
Mysterious Egg image 1.0 The flavor is cool and all, but I feel like you’d rather have a more exciting ability for Mutate, and a more exciting fail case than one mana 0/2.
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Farfinder image 3.5 We have seen cards like Skittering Surveyor and Pilgrim’s Eye be really nice sources of fixing in the past. And this set is a wedge set, where splashing a third color and even straight up playing a third color will happen a decent chunk of the time. On top of that, this is not the worst thing to Mutate on top of, since it at least gives your new monster the Vigilance keyword.
Blade Banish image 2.5 This is situational for sure, but this format has a whole lot of big bois, so it is a little better than usual. It is also an Instant, which means you can sometimes really get a blow out.
Patagia Tiger image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ Flyer is usually a serviceable card in Limited.. This brings some pretty real additional upside, in that it can pump humans. White and Black especially have a lot of humans, and in those decks this will be a nice common because it will frequently give one of your Humans an attack that wouldn’t have worked before the Tiger came down.
Tranquil Cove image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Humble Naturalist
Barrier Breach image 2.5 This is another situational card that would normally be unplayable, but Cycling means that you’ll play it a decent amount of the time.
Weaponize the Monsters image 2.5 This is a surprisingly good way to cash in expendable bodies, including those you steal from your opponents! It also really lets you find lethal out of nowhere.
Keep Safe image 1.5 There will be times where this feel amazing -- you counter the spell that targets one of your creatures and draw a card -- that’s a 2-for-1! But unfortunately, that actually lining up is far from guaranteed. Still, in this format with mutate creatures, you’re a little more interested in this than you would be in other formats, since you are often taking a big risk to mutate, and this can help protect your creature. Still, you won’t play this most of the time.
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Springjaw Trap image 1.5 You’ll play this if you end up with enough flash in UB, or if you’re desperate for removal, OR if you have Lurrus. But that’s pretty much it.
Drannith Healer image 3.5 Another Cycling card that is better than it looks! This one is a bear with a Cycling payoff, in addition to having the great 1 mana Cycling effect.
Maned Serval image 1.5 This is a reasonably efficient French Vanilla creature that it is okay to mutate on top of.
Hampering Snare image 2.5 Like all one-mana cyclers, this is much better than it looks! It has a very situational effect when you cast it as a spell – but the thing is, when you can take advantage of that effect it feels really good. When you can’t, you can just Cycle it away!
Humble Naturalist image 3.0 This is a mana creature with okay stats, and those always tend to be nice inclusions in Limited Green decks.
Spelleater Wolverine image 2.5 This is a nice little aggressive creature in this format, and it slots quite nicely into UR spells, but also into RW Cycling decks, since they tend to throw all kinds of cards with Cycling into the graveyard, including a bunch of instants and sorceries! Basically, it is way easier to get double strike online here than it looks.
Jungle Hollow image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Almighty Brushwagg
Zagoth Mamba image 3.0 The fail case of being a one mana 1/1 is pretty ugly, so you definitely need to be able to do some Mutating to make it worth while. The good news is, there is plenty of Mutate in this set, and when you do get this trigger -- which will frequently let you pick off small creatures, or even larger ones if you do it after combat -- when you do get that trigger it will be pretty nice, and offset some of the risks of Mutating.
Wingspan Mentor image 4.0 A 3-mana 1/3 that gives something permanent Flying is alright nice, and this comes with the added upside of being able to put counters on all your Flyers! This can really take over games, even if you just have one creature to put the counter on.
Mosscoat Goriak image 2.0 This is some decent stats for three mana, especially because with Vigilance, he will often be able to attack on boards where he also happens to be a good blocker, and Vigilance lets him do both.
Perimeter Sergeant image 2.5 This is a decent payoff for going wide with Humans, but don’t expect it to survive that first swing!
Almighty Brushwagg image 2.5 This card is a real overperformer. A one-mana 1/1 with Trample is pretty laughable, but the ability is surprisingly effective, and you end up in situations where you can use it twice more often than you’d think! The Brushwagg is also great for mutating on to, since Trample and that ability are much better served on a larger creature.
Dead Weight image 3.5 This is always premium removal when we see it! You’ll usually be able to spend one mana to kill a 2-4 mana creature, and that’s always good.
Crystacean image 1.5 This is supposed to be here for the UB flash deck, but that deck just doesn’t come together that often, and this has a pretty mediocre floor.
Phase Dolphin image 2.5 This is a decent creature early since it can help others get in, and it can be particularly nice to mutate on to.
Fertilid image 3.0 A three mana 2/2 isn’t especially good, but the fixing Fertilid provides for you is quite nice. Green usually gets nice commons for Splashing or going three colors, and that’s what this is. It has the ability to grab a couple of land over a few turns, and that is nice -- helps mitigate against mana screw, helps you find your colors, etc., If you don’t really need to fix when you play it, it also makes a good creature to mutate on to.
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Pack 3 Pick 7: Migratory Greathorn
Zagoth Crystal image 2.5 The crystals all provide good fixing – something you want a lot of the time in this format – and they all have Cycling, which means when you draw one and don’t really need the fixing, you can just throw it away to draw another card.
Ivy Elemental image 1.5 This will never be efficient – you’ll pretty much always feel like you are paying one too much mana for it. Still, it is flexible, it can be a large creature late, and a smaller one early. It also isn’t the worst thing to mutate on to because of those counters.
Forbidden Friendship image 2.5 This is a reasonable deal for two bodies, and will help decks that want to go wide. It is a mostly better Krenko’s Command, since the dinosaur gets to have Haste, and that card is always just fine.
Spontaneous Flight image 1.5 The best tricks cost very little mana, and this doesn’t really deliver there. Still, it does give a pretty nice boost and permanently gives your creature Flying. That last part means that it can help you get in for lethal, or really alter a race in a hurry. Still, it has all the risks that tricks have – it is situational and you risk getting 2-for-1’d.
Phase Dolphin image 2.5 This is a decent creature early since it can help others get in, and it can be particularly nice to mutate on to.
Blisterspit Gremlin image 2.0 This can ping stuff repeatedly, but having to use mana to do it does downgrade it significantly from similar cards we have seen.
Migratory Greathorn image 3.0 This is another decent peace of fixing and ramp for Green. Paying 3 mana to put this under something bigger, or on top of something smaller, while also searching up a land is a nice deal to me. It helps you splash while also giving you some Mutate synergy.
Coordinated Charge image 2.5 All the cards with Cycling in this set are way better than they look. They are functionally split cards that you can just cycle when what they do doesn’t matter. Plus, if you’re in RW you’re really looking for a critical mass of these and will just jam all of them into your deck. And..yeah, sometimes this effect doesn’t matter, since you need to be going wide. But you can just cycle it away! Then, when it does matter, it will feel pretty great.
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Pack 3 Pick 8: Escape Protocol
Footfall Crater image 3.0 Another card with one mana Cycling that makes it way better! The Enchant Land part of the card can sometimes do a thing, but this is one you’re going to be Cycling a lot.
Escape Protocol image 0.0 You need to do way too much to make this work. It just won’t happen.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Spontaneous Flight image 1.5 The best tricks cost very little mana, and this doesn’t really deliver there. Still, it does give a pretty nice boost and permanently gives your creature Flying. That last part means that it can help you get in for lethal, or really alter a race in a hurry. Still, it has all the risks that tricks have – it is situational and you risk getting 2-for-1’d.
Prickly Marmoset image 3.5 This is another very good Cycling payoff who can make life a nightmare for your opponent. Every single time you attack with this your opponent has to make a choice between potentially taking a ton of damage to the face, or throwing a creature in front of it that will probably just die, since First Strike and even just one +2/+0 is enough to make the Marmoset win combat most of the time.
Mutual Destruction image 1.5 So, this is Bone Splinters that has flash on occasion. Bone Splinters is never great, but it is passable when you need removal, especially in a deck with lots of expendable bodies. If you can give this Flash it does get significantly better, because then you can do it in response to removal and stuff like that. Still, it isn’t that easy to set that up.
Adventurous Impulse image 2.0 This is always a fine, very replacable card. If you need a land, it can usually find you one, and if you need a creature, it can do that too.
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Pack 3 Pick 9: Solid Footing
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Lurking Deadeye image 3.0 These kinds of creatures are not normally something I am very impressed with – that is, creatures who kill something that has been dealt damage. This is because often-times making sure you damage something is difficult, and sometimes even when you do you have to give up a card to do it, so the window where this does something is not as high as you would like. However, this one has Flash, and that means that you will be able to find situations where it does its things more often than not. And even if you aren’t managing to kill something with the ability, sometimes flashing in a 4/2 to kill their X/4 is just fine too.
Fully Grown image 1.5 I have a hard time liking 3-mana combat tricks in most situations. It makes the risk of a blowout even more painful because of the extra mana you’re paying. And sure, +3/+3 will frequently be enough to win combat, and it is nice that the creature permanently gets Trample, instead of just temporarily, but tricks are just so situational, that I really only like the idea of them at lower mana costs in most cases.
Blitz Leech image 2.5 This has an ugly stat-line, but by adding Flash and a nice ETB trigger to the mix, it really overcomes that. You can flash this into kill an X/2, and then use the 5/2 body to block something bigger, and that’s a 2-for-1! Sure, it is kind of an expensive one, but that’s real upside. Now, it won’t always be able to do that for you, and it is a little situational, but still -- I basically always like the first copy of this in my Black decks. Going beyond that is a bit much because of the high mana cost though.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
Solid Footing image 1.5 This is an interesting Vigilance payoff, and you’ll play it sometimes if you have enough Vigilance, because in those scenarios it gives a big boost for only one mana. You’ll cut this a lot, though.
Spontaneous Flight image 1.5 The best tricks cost very little mana, and this doesn’t really deliver there. Still, it does give a pretty nice boost and permanently gives your creature Flying. That last part means that it can help you get in for lethal, or really alter a race in a hurry. Still, it has all the risks that tricks have – it is situational and you risk getting 2-for-1’d.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Greater Sandwurm
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Unlikely Aid image 2.0 While the boost it gives is not permanent, 2 power + indestructible is going to make a wider variety of creatures win combat in a wider variety of situations. Because of indestructible, you can use it in response to removal and things like that too if it comes up. Now, this is STILL a trick, and I have a hard time ever really loving them because they are situational and somewhat risky, but this is a trick you’ll play a significant amount of the time.
Springjaw Trap image 1.5 You’ll play this if you end up with enough flash in UB, or if you’re desperate for removal, OR if you have Lurrus. But that’s pretty much it.
Greater Sandwurm image 3.5 This is an imposing presence if you can play it as a creature – but it is super expensive! The good news is that it has Cycling, so you can just throw it away early. This especially potent in the BG reanimator deck, as this is something you can throw away on turn two, and then reanimate on turn 4 or 5, which is often enough to win the game.
Thieving Otter image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card when it hits the opponent would probably normally be kind of alright. It has a great ability, but actually getting in to draw you that card is difficult pretty much all game. But, this isn’t an ordinary format. There are keyword counters all over the place, and of course there is mutate. Playing this on turn 3, and then mutating something on to it later that has more size and/or abilities is going to feel pretty good. You still are dealing with a kind of ugly fail case on this little guy, but I think the upside is real enough that you end up playing this in most of your Blue decks, and it may even be better than that if you have enough Mutate going on. One combo with a couple of Commons is to play Otter turn 3, and then mutate the Heron onto it on turn 4 -- suddenly you have a ¾ flyer that draws you a card when it mutates and when it hits the opponent. This will happen a lot in this format.
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Pack 3 Pick 11: Raking Claws
Blazing Volley image 0.5 This is a sideboard card. There just aren’t enough things this kills for it to be a main deck card in this format.
Tentative Connection image 2.0 There are a couple of things going on here that make this a little better than most Threaten effects. First, when you can discount this because you have a Menace creature, it will feel pretty good – especially because Menace creatures already pair well with a Threaten effect. The other thing is, there are some efficient ways to sacrifice creatures in this format, and that means stealing an opposing creature and sacrificing it is pretty doable.
Raking Claws image 3.0 Another situational card with Cycling, Raking Claws can sometimes do a whole lot as a trick, but when it can’t? Well, just Cycle it away and look for something else.
Plummet image 0.5 This is a sideboard card, like usual.
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Pack 3 Pick 12: Light of Hope
Mysterious Egg image 1.0 The flavor is cool and all, but I feel like you’d rather have a more exciting ability for Mutate, and a more exciting fail case than one mana 0/2.
Light of Hope image 1.0 This is modal, but none of the effects on it are especially good.
Thwart the Enemy image 0.0 Fogs are bad in Limited. Next!
Tranquil Cove image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Barrier Breach
Barrier Breach image 2.5 This is another situational card that would normally be unplayable, but Cycling means that you’ll play it a decent amount of the time.
Hampering Snare image 2.5 Like all one-mana cyclers, this is much better than it looks! It has a very situational effect when you cast it as a spell – but the thing is, when you can take advantage of that effect it feels really good. When you can’t, you can just Cycle it away!
Jungle Hollow image 3.0 As always, these provide nice fixing, and the 1 life is a solid bonus.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Mosscoat Goriak
Mosscoat Goriak image 2.0 This is some decent stats for three mana, especially because with Vigilance, he will often be able to attack on boards where he also happens to be a good blocker, and Vigilance lets him do both.
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Pack 3 Pick 15: Mountain
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Draft Pick Overview