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Quick Draft THB 15 June 2021

15 June 09:38 - TwilightOdin 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (13)
1 Underworld Charger image
1 Enemy of Enlightenment image
1 Temple Thief image
1 Blight-Breath Catoblepas image
1 Wavebreak Hippocamp image
1 Hateful Eidolon image
1 Shoal Kraken image
1 Riptide Turtle image
2 Towering-Wave Mystic image
1 Elite Instructor image
2 Brine Giant image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (14)
1 Starlit Mantle image
1 Fruit of Tizerus image
1 Agonizing Remorse image
1 Omen of the Dead image
1 Ichthyomorphosis image
2 Mire's Grasp image
1 Mogis's Favor image
2 Aspect of Lamprey image
1 Mirror Shield image
1 Omen of the Sea image
2 Stern Dismissal image
Planeswalker (1)
1 Ashiok, Nightmare Muse image
Land (17)
9 Swamp image
8 Island image
Sideboard
1 Shoal Kraken image
1 Eidolon of Philosophy image
1 Nyxborn Marauder image
1 Oread of Mountain's Blaze image
1 Nyxborn Brute image
1 Rumbling Sentry image
1 Hero of the Winds image
1 Flicker of Fate image
1 Chain to Memory image
1 Deny the Divine image
1 Sleep of the Dead image
1 Altar of the Pantheon image
1 Underworld Fires image
1 Labyrinth of Skophos image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Wavebreak Hippocamp
Wavebreak Hippocamp image 1.0 // 3.5 This is definitely a build around, because it is nothing more than a 3-mana 2/2 in a deck that doesn’t have at least 5 ways to cast things on your opponent’s turn. That said, if you can draw even one card off of it, you’re in business, and more than that will be amazing.
Minion's Return image 1.5 Situational cards are not your friend in Limited, and that’s definitely what this ends up being. It is tempting to imagine using this to steal your opponents’ bomb, or keep yours alive, but there are plenty of games where things just won’t line up the way you want them to and this ends up being an underwhelming or worse – useless card.
Drag to the Underworld image 4.0 Now this is premium removal. 4 mana to kill anything at instant speed is already good and obviously 3 mana is Murder and this has the potential to only cost two Black mana! Now, it does matter that this can’t exile stuff -- since Escape puts extra value on cards going to the graveyard, but I think this is so efficient that it is really nitpicky to point that out.
Whirlwind Denial image 1.5 This is a neat design for a counterspell that we haven’t really seen before. Most of the time in Limited, your opponent will just be controlling one spell or ability, so this is basically just a fancy Convolute, and that isn’t an amazing place to be. On occasion, you may be able to get more than just the one spell, but it isn’t that easy to make it happen.
Mogis's Favor image 2.5 This is surprisingly useful for a one mana card! You can use it to kill X/1s, and its relatively cheap Escape cost means you can threaten X/1s with it all game long. You can also put it on one of your evasive creatures as a way of doing significantly more damage.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Loathsome Chimera image 3.0 Another nice Escape creature, the Chimera offers the ability to trade as a result of its high power, and then it can just keep coming back and threatening the opponent as a 5/2.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Eidolon of Philosophy image 1.5 A one mana ½ just isn’t worth the card most of the time, but having the ability to draw 3 cards in the late game is kind of nice It is also an Enchantment, which certainly will matter in this format. Most decks won’t be interested in this, but if you have a sweet control deck, playing one of those won’t be too bad.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Arena Trickster image 2.0 Red, and especially Red-Blue, has several payoffs for playing stuff on your opponent’s turn, and Arena Trickster is one of those – and he seems like he will be a solid card in that type of deck. Even getting one counter on this is pretty nice, and anything beyond that you start to feel really good about things. It also doesn’t hurt that you make it bigger at Instant speed, as sometimes that will really allow you to manufacture a blow out. Still, the UR deck doesn’t come together often enough for this to be great.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Labyrinth of Skophos
Labyrinth of Skophos image 3.0 This is a nice utility land. Any land that becomes a meaningful card at some point in a game feels nice, since most lands have outlived their usefulness by that point of the game. This can really make it hard for your opponent to attack you, especially.
Reverent Hoplite image 2.5 So the fail case here is a 5-mana ½ that makes a 1/1. So, what does your devotion need to be for this to stop being unplayable? 2 devotion still won’t feel so good, but it is probably passable. I think at 3, where you are getting ⅘ worth of power spread across 4 bodies for 5 mana, you feel like you’re doing alright and obviously the ceiling here can go even higher. It does bother me that the fail case here is so bad -- the best Devotion cards are the ones where the fail case is semi-reasonable, but that isn’t what we have here. Still, if your deck has a decent amount of White in it, this will be better than the fail case most of the time, especially because you play it so late.
Favored of Iroas image 2.5 This can hit hard on turns when you get the Constellation going, and putting an Aura on him in particular feels pretty great.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Skola Grovedancer image 2.0 This is a decent enough two-drop. None of its text is especially impressive, but at least it has a man sink ability that can help fuel your Escape.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Nyxborn Courser image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with reasonable stats and the Enchantment type, as well as two White mana its cost for Devotion. You’ll play it sometimes when you need one or all of those things.
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Naiad of Hidden Coves image 2.5 Reducing the cost of your instants and cards with Flash is pretty nice – as it will enable you to trigger your other payoffs more easily, and cast more powerful spells sooner. The fact that this also comes with a semi-reasonable body is nice too – they could easily have printed this as a 2/2 and it still would have been decent, so I’m pretty happy with 2/3 here.
Unknown Shores image 1.0 Filterlands that don’t do anything else tend to be pretty bad, but you’ll run this if you’re desperate for fixing.
Heliod's Pilgrim image 3.0 This set has so many Enchantments that Heliod’s Pilgrim is a nice card in virtually every White deck, as its ETB reads “Draw your best Aura.” This can let you grab removal, or powerful offensive auras, either way, you’re getting a very meaningful card out of the trigger.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Hateful Eidolon
Inevitable End image 2.5 I don’t love cards like this in most scenarios. Sure, if your opponent has one creature in play it will feel like premium removal -- but most of the time, your opponent will have other creatures -- including fairly expendable ones, and sometimes playing this card will be irrelevant -- and that isn’t what premium removal is supposed to be. I don’t think this is terrible mind you, especially because this set loves Enchantments, but it should not be taken early, and you should be running a bunch of Black removal over it.
Hateful Eidolon image 3.0 There are enough Black Aura-based removal spells in this set that Hopeful Eidolon draws you a card a little more often than you might think! That’s the most effective way to trigger its ability, but you can also do it with offensive Auras. And, the Eidolon counts itself, so if you put an Aura on it, it will at least replace itself if it dies. It is already a nice place for Auras too, as a result of lifelink.
Warbriar Blessing image 3.5 This gives a large enough boost to toughness that this enables a number of creatures to fight and survive than would have been able to without it. This often feels like a removal spell that leaves behind a permanent stats boost for one of your creatures, and that tends to feel pretty good – though it does have the usual downsides that Fight spells do – if you’re not careful, you might get 2-for-1’d.
Omen of the Sun image 2.0 If we just pretended like Omen of the Sun were an Instant – that created two 1/1 soldiers and gained you 2 life, it would be in the lower range of playable – probably something you cut more often than not. The nice thing about making the tokens at Instant speed is that sometimes you can ambush an opponent’s 3/1 or something, at which point you’re really coming out ahead. But obviously, Omen of the Sun has more going on than just that – since it can be cashed in for Scry later in the game, and it is also an Enchantment in a set where that’s important.
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Elite Instructor image 1.5 This has bad stats but a decent ETB ability. Looting does mean that it does something kind of relevant all game long, although it isn’t the most impressive thing.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Underworld Rage-Hound image 3.0 This is a key common for Red aggro decks in this format. It has reasonably aggressive stats and doesn’t tend to stay dead, and can really represent inevitability.
Heliod's Pilgrim image 3.0 This set has so many Enchantments that Heliod’s Pilgrim is a nice card in virtually every White deck, as its ETB reads “Draw your best Aura.” This can let you grab removal, or powerful offensive auras, either way, you’re getting a very meaningful card out of the trigger.
Underworld Charger image 2.5 This is a fairly efficient aggressive creature who refuses to stay dead, and when it comes back it does so quite large! You can’t really play this anywhere but an aggro deck since it can’t block, but it works out pretty nicely there.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Agonizing Remorse
Agonizing Remorse image 3.0 This is a great discard spell. It allows you to really disrupt your opponent early, and in the late game it can still do something – like exile a creature from Escape from their graveyard. That gets pretty close to still being a 1-for-1 late, and that’s what allows this to be a discard spell you actually feel good about in Limited – it does something all game long.
Underworld Fires image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card. It just doesn’t kill enough in this format to really make it worth it in the main deck.
Shoal Kraken image 2.0 I like looting a fair bit – and it gets some extra value in this set because of the Escape mechanic. This has passable stats too, so you’ll play it in some of the grindier decks.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Underworld Charger image 2.5 This is a fairly efficient aggressive creature who refuses to stay dead, and when it comes back it does so quite large! You can’t really play this anywhere but an aggro deck since it can’t block, but it works out pretty nicely there.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Wrap in Flames image 1.5 This is alright in aggro decks, as it can let you close out a game, but it is still highly situational – it doesn’t tend to do much unless you have lethal.
Nexus Wardens image 2.5 This is a real overperformer in this format. The stats line up quite well against the aggressive decks, and gaining life also makes their lives pretty difficult. This tends to be a pretty key Common for the more controlling decks in this format.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Starlit Mantle image 2.0 The flexibility of this to feel like a combat trick that sticks around OR a counterspell against removal is pretty nice, especially in a set loaded with Enchantment payoffs.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Shoal Kraken
Favored of Iroas image 2.5 This can hit hard on turns when you get the Constellation going, and putting an Aura on him in particular feels pretty great.
Shoal Kraken image 2.0 I like looting a fair bit – and it gets some extra value in this set because of the Escape mechanic. This has passable stats too, so you’ll play it in some of the grindier decks.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Daybreak Chimera image 3.0 This isn’t great if you have 0 devotion to White, but all you need is one devotion for this to become a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, which is a great deal in Limited, and sometimes it will only cost three!
Starlit Mantle image 2.0 The flexibility of this to feel like a combat trick that sticks around OR a counterspell against removal is pretty nice, especially in a set loaded with Enchantment payoffs.
Pious Wayfarer image 2.5 This is a pretty nice one-drop. In the early going, it can pump itself with its Constellation trigger, but in the later part of the game he can start pumping more meaningful creatures – the kind that can attack as a result of the stats boost they receive. That helps keep him relevant all game long.
Funeral Rites image 2.5 This is Black’s solid-but-unexciting draw spell in this format. It is nice it adds three cards to the graveyard for Escape.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Wrap in Flames image 1.5 This is alright in aggro decks, as it can let you close out a game, but it is still highly situational – it doesn’t tend to do much unless you have lethal.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Omen of the Dead
Sage of Mysteries image 1.0 Mill isn’t really a strategy in this format, the only cards that do it are at Uncommon or higher, so this is a pretty big dud most of the time. You need a critical mass of mill for it to be a real thing, and this format doesn’t have it.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Discordant Piper image 2.5 This starts as a two-mana 2/1, which is fine, and making an additional body is always a nice upgrade, even if the body is as irrelevant as a 0/1 goat. That is still a useful resource – either because you can use it to chump block, or maybe you can sacrifice it to something for value.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Omen of the Dead image 2.0 This is nice and cheap, which is good news for Constellation. That said, unlike the other Omens, which can largely be played at any time for decent value, Omen of the Dead demands you have a creature in your graveyard, which means it can be a dead card for the first several turns. Like the other Omens, it can cash in and Scry, which isn’t too bad.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Memory Drain image 0.5 This counterspell costs way too much mana, and adding Scry doesn’t really help that.
Starlit Mantle image 2.0 The flexibility of this to feel like a combat trick that sticks around OR a counterspell against removal is pretty nice, especially in a set loaded with Enchantment payoffs.
Arena Trickster image 2.0 Red, and especially Red-Blue, has several payoffs for playing stuff on your opponent’s turn, and Arena Trickster is one of those – and he seems like he will be a solid card in that type of deck. Even getting one counter on this is pretty nice, and anything beyond that you start to feel really good about things. It also doesn’t hurt that you make it bigger at Instant speed, as sometimes that will really allow you to manufacture a blow out. Still, the UR deck doesn’t come together often enough for this to be great.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Eidolon of Philosophy
Thundering Chariot image 2.5 This is pretty easy to crew, but not that easy to cast. It is a pretty good creature though when you can crew it.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Nyxborn Seaguard image 1.5 This is a vanilla creature with the Enchantment type and it also contributes to your devotion. The stats here aren’t too shabby, so you’ll play it sometimes.
Eidolon of Philosophy image 1.5 A one mana ½ just isn’t worth the card most of the time, but having the ability to draw 3 cards in the late game is kind of nice It is also an Enchantment, which certainly will matter in this format. Most decks won’t be interested in this, but if you have a sweet control deck, playing one of those won’t be too bad.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Nyxborn Marauder
Phalanx Tactics image 2.0 This is the kind of trick that can really produce a blowout when things line up correctly! Pumping multiple creatures with one trick can be really strong, and this is especially good if you’re going fairly wide.
Dawn Evangel image 2.5 The Evangel also helps you avoid the dreaded 2-for-1, since if one of your creatures with an Aura gets killed, you get something back that puts you and your opponent at parity in terms of cards. One kind of weird thing to note about this card, is it doesn’t matter whose creature with an Aura dies, either way, you get the opportunity to put a small creature back into your hand. All that said, I feel like there is a considerable chunk of the time where this is just a 3-mana 2/3.
Omen of the Sun image 2.0 If we just pretended like Omen of the Sun were an Instant – that created two 1/1 soldiers and gained you 2 life, it would be in the lower range of playable – probably something you cut more often than not. The nice thing about making the tokens at Instant speed is that sometimes you can ambush an opponent’s 3/1 or something, at which point you’re really coming out ahead. But obviously, Omen of the Sun has more going on than just that – since it can be cashed in for Scry later in the game, and it is also an Enchantment in a set where that’s important.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Omen of the Forge image 3.0 Two mana to do two to anything at Instant speed is usually a solid card, if not premium removal. Adding some scry to the later game doesn’t hurt either. Then this gets a little bonus for both being an Enchantment, and a card with Flash -- since there are decks in this format interested in both things. This is cheap enough too, that killing 3 and 4 mana creatures who have two toughness with it will happen a decent chunk of the time. Sometimes you’ll break even on it, but I think you’ll trade up enough that this will feel really good.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Riptide Turtle
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Eidolon of Philosophy image 1.5 A one mana ½ just isn’t worth the card most of the time, but having the ability to draw 3 cards in the late game is kind of nice It is also an Enchantment, which certainly will matter in this format. Most decks won’t be interested in this, but if you have a sweet control deck, playing one of those won’t be too bad.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Arena Trickster image 2.0 Red, and especially Red-Blue, has several payoffs for playing stuff on your opponent’s turn, and Arena Trickster is one of those – and he seems like he will be a solid card in that type of deck. Even getting one counter on this is pretty nice, and anything beyond that you start to feel really good about things. It also doesn’t hurt that you make it bigger at Instant speed, as sometimes that will really allow you to manufacture a blow out. Still, the UR deck doesn’t come together often enough for this to be great.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Towering-Wave Mystic
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Nyxborn Courser image 1.0 This is a vanilla creature with reasonable stats and the Enchantment type, as well as two White mana its cost for Devotion. You’ll play it sometimes when you need one or all of those things.
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Unknown Shores image 1.0 Filterlands that don’t do anything else tend to be pretty bad, but you’ll run this if you’re desperate for fixing.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Elite Instructor
Omen of the Sun image 2.0 If we just pretended like Omen of the Sun were an Instant – that created two 1/1 soldiers and gained you 2 life, it would be in the lower range of playable – probably something you cut more often than not. The nice thing about making the tokens at Instant speed is that sometimes you can ambush an opponent’s 3/1 or something, at which point you’re really coming out ahead. But obviously, Omen of the Sun has more going on than just that – since it can be cashed in for Scry later in the game, and it is also an Enchantment in a set where that’s important.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Elite Instructor image 1.5 This has bad stats but a decent ETB ability. Looting does mean that it does something kind of relevant all game long, although it isn’t the most impressive thing.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Underworld Fires
Underworld Fires image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card. It just doesn’t kill enough in this format to really make it worth it in the main deck.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Wrap in Flames image 1.5 This is alright in aggro decks, as it can let you close out a game, but it is still highly situational – it doesn’t tend to do much unless you have lethal.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Flicker of Fate
Portent of Betrayal image 0.0 // 2.5 There is a real sacrifice deck in this format, and that means this Threaten effect is actually worthwhile sometimes! Stealing an opposing creature and then sacrificing it is one of the sweetest things you’ll ever do in Magic, and because there are good sacrifice outlets in this format, you’ll actually set that up sometimes. It is unplayable pretty much everywhere else, though.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Oread of Mountain's Blaze
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Ichthyomorphosis
Taranika, Akroan Veteran image 3.5 She has good stats and the ability to make one of your other creatures into a really problematic attacker for your opponent. Relatively early on, she does get to the point where she probably dies on the attack, but she generally will give you enough value by just sending an indestructible creature, that that isn’t too shabby.
Field of Ruin image 0.0 This is unplayable, as usual. There aren’t enough non-basics in this set for it to be worth running. If there were, it would actually be kind of interesting -- since it can also fix for you, but if it doesn’t’ have a target, it is just a land that produces only colorless mana, and that’s liability in Limited, where mana bases usually aren’t very good to begin with.
The Binding of the Titans image 1.0 This is a super slow Green Anticipate, and I’m not that interested in that.
Destiny Spinner image 4.0 This little two drop is good all game long. It has good stats, and it can animate your lands into pretty scary attackers in the late game, when it can often take over.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Ichthyomorphosis image 2.5 Blue always get a solid, but unexciting, removal spell that transforms a creature into something else. The downside with all of them is that the creature can still do stuff, even if it is shrunk. At best, this tends to mean the creature can still chump block, and at worst it means the creature can still be sizable thanks to Auras, +1/+1 counters, and Equipment.
Rage-Scarred Berserker image 2.0 This has okay stats and an ETB ability that will frequently allow you to make an attack you couldn’t before. He’s not bad.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Warbriar Blessing image 3.5 This gives a large enough boost to toughness that this enables a number of creatures to fight and survive than would have been able to without it. This often feels like a removal spell that leaves behind a permanent stats boost for one of your creatures, and that tends to feel pretty good – though it does have the usual downsides that Fight spells do – if you’re not careful, you might get 2-for-1’d.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Stampede Rider image 3.0 This is a great Common payoff for the 4-power deck, as it often will be a ¾, and in a set with lots of Auras, trample is pretty nice! Note by the way that it counts itself when looking for 4 power, so if you have suited him up with an Aura that allows him to have 4-power, it will still get the boost.
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Mire's Grasp
Favored of Iroas image 2.5 This can hit hard on turns when you get the Constellation going, and putting an Aura on him in particular feels pretty great.
Phalanx Tactics image 2.0 This is the kind of trick that can really produce a blowout when things line up correctly! Pumping multiple creatures with one trick can be really strong, and this is especially good if you’re going fairly wide.
Careless Celebrant image 3.5 A two mana 2/1 that is relevant all game long is always nice, and that’s what we have here. You can set up two-for-ones pretty easily with this, and that’s the ideal situation, but even if you can’t do that, you can just trade up with it – since it can take down anything with 4 toughness all on its own! Situations will be created where your opponent’s attacks just don’t work for them because of this two drop, and that’s going to feel pretty good.
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Mire's Grasp image 3.5 This is premium removal. Two mana for -3/-3 is a good deal, and while I would probably prefer it to be an Instant rather than an Enchantment, the fact that you can only cast it at Sorcery speed is made up for, at least a little bit, by having the useful Enchantment type.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Infuriate image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll play it sometimes in aggro decks.
Vexing Gull image 2.5 Three mana for a 2/2 flyer used to sort of be the quintessential common for Blue, and these days, as creatures continue to get stronger, that stat-line isn’t quite as impressive – but by adding Flash to the mix here, you have a pretty nice card. Flash creatures can of course be used to come into play and ambush an attacker, but a 2/2 isn’t going to be doing that a ton. Still, being able to play this at Instant speed has its bonuses – the most obvious one being that this set’s UR archetype is all about playing stuff on your opponent’s turn. It also doesn’t hurt that you can flash this in at the end of your opponent’s turn, and, if they are tapped out, you can put an Aura on it on your turn. Then of course, Flash just makes it so you can leave up instants and activated abilities without really taking a hit on tempo, and all of that’s pretty nice!
Witness of Tomorrows image 2.5 Witness of Tomorrows tends to overperform. It lines up really well against most other flyers in the format as a ¾, and can be a really threatening presence in the air, and it doesn’t have the worst manasink ability either.
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Mogis's Favor
Nessian Wanderer image 3.0 People tend to underrate this type of effect. Sure, all he does is draw you a land when you play an Enchantment, but drawing cards is drawing cards, and guaranteeing you hit land drops – or find mana for your splash – is pretty good. If he sticks around long enough, he thins out your deck significantly and gives you much better spell density.
Hydra's Growth image 1.5 This comes with all the downside of Auras – it can lead to card disadvantage from those 2-for-1s and so forth, and the initial boost it gives for three mana is not worth that risk. A single +1/+1 counter just isn’t enough – and I don’t think two is enough either to offset the risk. This means there are two turns where your investment looks ugly, which gives your opponent extra time to get rid of this before you’ve gotten a reasonable amount of value out of it. Once it has added 4 counters you’re probably getting there, but that just takes so long.
Eutropia the Twice-Favored image 4.0 Eutropia is a great payoff for Enchantments. If she could just put counters on things or just give them flying, she would be a good card – but she does both! Keep in mind too, that even if you have nothing on board, Eutropia can pump herself.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Skophos Warleader image 2.0 This is another cheap sacrifice outlet, which works quite well in the BR deck. It is pretty inefficient other than that, though.
Voracious Typhon image 4.0 This is an excellent common. A 4-mana 4/4 virtually always makes the cut, but this one gets to come back in the late game much larger, guaranteeing you a 2-for-1, and sometimes just being a straight up win condition.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
Naiad of Hidden Coves image 2.5 Reducing the cost of your instants and cards with Flash is pretty nice – as it will enable you to trigger your other payoffs more easily, and cast more powerful spells sooner. The fact that this also comes with a semi-reasonable body is nice too – they could easily have printed this as a 2/2 and it still would have been decent, so I’m pretty happy with 2/3 here.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Mogis's Favor image 2.5 This is surprisingly useful for a one mana card! You can use it to kill X/1s, and its relatively cheap Escape cost means you can threaten X/1s with it all game long. You can also put it on one of your evasive creatures as a way of doing significantly more damage.
Pharika's Libation image 2.0 Because you can choose what this Edict hits, you can often choose an option that takes out a pretty good permanent. It still has the downside of all Edicts – the bigger the board, the worse it gets.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Aspect of Lamprey
Dryad of the Ilysian Grove image 3.5 This has alright stats and the Dryad’s ability to let you play additional lands, and make your lands into every basic land type is pretty nice. The former helps you ramp some, and the latter is pretty amazing fixing. Now, I think people sometimes overrate effects that let you play additional lands in Limited. This is because that ability becomes increasingly pointless pretty quickly – you just will be out of extra lands to play in a hurry – though, if your deck has lots of ways to draw cards, it probably does get a little better. Don’t get me wrong, the ability is nice, but I think a lot of people imagine just playing two lands a turn every turn with this, and that just won’t happen. The fixing this provides is also pretty incredible.
Dreamshaper Shaman image 1.0 So, as usual, let’s start with the stats – 6 mana 5/4 is not good. But of course, this guy has a huge block of text, which allows you to sacrifice a permanent at each of your end steps, and then it does a typical Red chaotic thing – you get to put the top nonland card in your library on to the battlefield. Note, by the way, that he can sacrifice himself to the effect – that might come up in some scenarios. Anyway, how good is this type of effect? I don’t love it, mostly because of how random it is. Sure, you could get something awesome – but if you sacrifice a creature and pay 3 mana and get like, a medium Common, that’s not going to feel too good. Remember, when thinking about whether or not you’re getting a discount on getting something into play, you should be adding the CMC of the permanent you sacrifice and the 3 mana – and that just means it will be hard to make this work. Now, there are times when it could – namely, if your deck can make creature tokens, or if it has creatures that have nice abilities that trigger when they die, or even creatures with Escape. But still, I think it will be very difficult to come out ahead with this thing.
Hyrax Tower Scout image 1.5 This has solid stats, and its ETB ability will occasionally do something, though not usually anything especially meaningful.
Pharika's Libation image 2.0 Because you can choose what this Edict hits, you can often choose an option that takes out a pretty good permanent. It still has the downside of all Edicts – the bigger the board, the worse it gets.
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Aspect of Lamprey image 2.0 Lifelink + Mind Rot turns out to be a pretty decent combination in this set. This is another Discard spell that still does a thing in the late game, and that’s nice, because it gets around some significant downside.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Venomous Hierophant image 2.5 This loads your graveyard in a format that is interested in that, and it can trade for anything!
Pack 2 Pick 5: Brine Giant
Blood Aspirant image 3.0 He gets bigger when you sacrifice permanents, and also gives you a way to do that. His ability to ping a creature and make it unable to block is pretty powerful, especially because he will be getting bigger at the same time. He will often make your attacks look much better, if yo’ure willing to give up a creature or an Enchantment. There will of course be times where you just can’t get things going with the Aspirant, and that will hurt -- but there will also be games where activating his ability twice will just win you the game.
Hero of the Winds image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¼ with flying is not a playable card most of the time, but this comes with significant upside -- however, for that upside to really be obtained, you need two things: a deck that can go wide, and a deck with lots of cards that target your creatures -- this, of course, includes Auras. And while those things will happen in enough White decks, I don’t think the set up or the payoff here is so good that you take it all that early.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Hero of the Pride image 2.0 A bear with a decent upside.
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Gift of Strength image 1.0 This is an alright trick, but in a format with lots of playable offensive Auras, tricks are a little less valuable.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Mirror Shield
Mirror Shield image 0.5 People tend to really overrate equipment that grants Hexproof and doesn’t do much else. The main problem is that you already need your creature to be good for Mirror Shield to matter, and the best equipment helps make any creature good. As it is, Mirror Shield just isn’t worth it. You probably only run this if you have Dalakos.
Medomai's Prophecy image 2.5 This gives you a bunch of small effects, but taken together they make for a reasonable card. The one thing that bothers me about is that sometimes you just can’t cast what you named with Chapter II, because the state of the game demands you do something else, but I think you draw 2 off of it often enough that it turns out to be a solid card.
Inspire Awe image 0.0 Fogs are unplayable in Limited 99% of the time. You use up a card for no real effect. This is not the 1% where that’s not true.
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Underworld Rage-Hound image 3.0 This is a key common for Red aggro decks in this format. It has reasonably aggressive stats and doesn’t tend to stay dead, and can really represent inevitability.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Shoal Kraken
Shoal Kraken image 2.0 I like looting a fair bit – and it gets some extra value in this set because of the Escape mechanic. This has passable stats too, so you’ll play it in some of the grindier decks.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Nyxborn Seaguard image 1.5 This is a vanilla creature with the Enchantment type and it also contributes to your devotion. The stats here aren’t too shabby, so you’ll play it sometimes.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Vexing Gull image 2.5 Three mana for a 2/2 flyer used to sort of be the quintessential common for Blue, and these days, as creatures continue to get stronger, that stat-line isn’t quite as impressive – but by adding Flash to the mix here, you have a pretty nice card. Flash creatures can of course be used to come into play and ambush an attacker, but a 2/2 isn’t going to be doing that a ton. Still, being able to play this at Instant speed has its bonuses – the most obvious one being that this set’s UR archetype is all about playing stuff on your opponent’s turn. It also doesn’t hurt that you can flash this in at the end of your opponent’s turn, and, if they are tapped out, you can put an Aura on it on your turn. Then of course, Flash just makes it so you can leave up instants and activated abilities without really taking a hit on tempo, and all of that’s pretty nice!
Omen of the Dead image 2.0 This is nice and cheap, which is good news for Constellation. That said, unlike the other Omens, which can largely be played at any time for decent value, Omen of the Dead demands you have a creature in your graveyard, which means it can be a dead card for the first several turns. Like the other Omens, it can cash in and Scry, which isn’t too bad.
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Omen of the Sea
Field of Ruin image 0.0 This is unplayable, as usual. There aren’t enough non-basics in this set for it to be worth running. If there were, it would actually be kind of interesting -- since it can also fix for you, but if it doesn’t’ have a target, it is just a land that produces only colorless mana, and that’s liability in Limited, where mana bases usually aren’t very good to begin with.
Thaumaturge's Familiar image 1.0 This has bad stats for the cost, and Scry doesn’t really change that.
Unknown Shores image 1.0 Filterlands that don’t do anything else tend to be pretty bad, but you’ll run this if you’re desperate for fixing.
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Memory Drain image 0.5 This counterspell costs way too much mana, and adding Scry doesn’t really help that.
Omen of the Sea image 2.5 Two mana to Scry 2 and draw a card at instant speed is already kind of a reasonable thing -- compare it to Anticipate. Here, the fact that you can use it to Scry later on in the game, and the fact that it will be right at home in a few different decks in this format -- both those interested in Enchantments, and those interested in doing stuff on the opponent’s turn -- is enough for this to be a solid playable.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Stern Dismissal
Field of Ruin image 0.0 This is unplayable, as usual. There aren’t enough non-basics in this set for it to be worth running. If there were, it would actually be kind of interesting -- since it can also fix for you, but if it doesn’t’ have a target, it is just a land that produces only colorless mana, and that’s liability in Limited, where mana bases usually aren’t very good to begin with.
The Binding of the Titans image 1.0 This is a super slow Green Anticipate, and I’m not that interested in that.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Stern Dismissal
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Vexing Gull image 2.5 Three mana for a 2/2 flyer used to sort of be the quintessential common for Blue, and these days, as creatures continue to get stronger, that stat-line isn’t quite as impressive – but by adding Flash to the mix here, you have a pretty nice card. Flash creatures can of course be used to come into play and ambush an attacker, but a 2/2 isn’t going to be doing that a ton. Still, being able to play this at Instant speed has its bonuses – the most obvious one being that this set’s UR archetype is all about playing stuff on your opponent’s turn. It also doesn’t hurt that you can flash this in at the end of your opponent’s turn, and, if they are tapped out, you can put an Aura on it on your turn. Then of course, Flash just makes it so you can leave up instants and activated abilities without really taking a hit on tempo, and all of that’s pretty nice!
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Chain to Memory
Hydra's Growth image 1.5 This comes with all the downside of Auras – it can lead to card disadvantage from those 2-for-1s and so forth, and the initial boost it gives for three mana is not worth that risk. A single +1/+1 counter just isn’t enough – and I don’t think two is enough either to offset the risk. This means there are two turns where your investment looks ugly, which gives your opponent extra time to get rid of this before you’ve gotten a reasonable amount of value out of it. Once it has added 4 counters you’re probably getting there, but that just takes so long.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Naiad of Hidden Coves image 2.5 Reducing the cost of your instants and cards with Flash is pretty nice – as it will enable you to trigger your other payoffs more easily, and cast more powerful spells sooner. The fact that this also comes with a semi-reasonable body is nice too – they could easily have printed this as a 2/2 and it still would have been decent, so I’m pretty happy with 2/3 here.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Deny the Divine
Deny the Divine image 2.5 This is quality counter-magic in this format. It is capable of countering the vast majority of spells that you’ll run into, it does it relatively efficiently, and it even exiles the card cutting down on Escape shenanigans.
Chain to Memory image 1.0 Adding Scry 2 to this effect does make it more appealing than some variants of this we’ve seen before, but overall these types of power-reduction effects are too situational, and difficult to get a full card of value out of.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Nyxborn Brute
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Nyxborn Brute image 0.5 This is a big dumb creature who can die to almost all the removal in the set despite costing 5 mana. I think most of the time you won't be playing him.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Sleep of the Dead
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Ashiok, Nightmare Muse
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse image 5.0 5 for 5 loyalty is usually a good place to be, and Ashiok can immediately go up to 6 loyalty and make a 2/3!(!) creature, which also happens to start exiling stuff from your opponent’s library. That last part probably won’t matter a ton, but in a format that has a graveyard theme, it could turn out to be pretty nice. So, Ashiok, Nightmare Muse can use the ⅔ to protect them, and also just start filling the baord with them. Ashiok’s -3 ability is quite good too -- allowing you to bounce something and make your opponent discard a card from their hand is great, and it will be particularly spicy in situations where your opponent has no hand. Ashiok’s ultimate is also the kind that can just end games, though it does require some set up. So -- Ashiok can add pretty nice creatures to the board, bounce problem permanents, and has a game-breaking ultimate -- that makes Ashiok an absolute bomb.
Inevitable End image 2.5 I don’t love cards like this in most scenarios. Sure, if your opponent has one creature in play it will feel like premium removal -- but most of the time, your opponent will have other creatures -- including fairly expendable ones, and sometimes playing this card will be irrelevant -- and that isn’t what premium removal is supposed to be. I don’t think this is terrible mind you, especially because this set loves Enchantments, but it should not be taken early, and you should be running a bunch of Black removal over it.
Dawn Evangel image 2.5 The Evangel also helps you avoid the dreaded 2-for-1, since if one of your creatures with an Aura gets killed, you get something back that puts you and your opponent at parity in terms of cards. One kind of weird thing to note about this card, is it doesn’t matter whose creature with an Aura dies, either way, you get the opportunity to put a small creature back into your hand. All that said, I feel like there is a considerable chunk of the time where this is just a 3-mana 2/3.
Careless Celebrant image 3.5 A two mana 2/1 that is relevant all game long is always nice, and that’s what we have here. You can set up two-for-ones pretty easily with this, and that’s the ideal situation, but even if you can’t do that, you can just trade up with it – since it can take down anything with 4 toughness all on its own! Situations will be created where your opponent’s attacks just don’t work for them because of this two drop, and that’s going to feel pretty good.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Pharika's Libation image 2.0 Because you can choose what this Edict hits, you can often choose an option that takes out a pretty good permanent. It still has the downside of all Edicts – the bigger the board, the worse it gets.
Revoke Existence image 2.5 So, your first instinct might be to think that this is just a sideboard card -- but in this set, where tons of creatures also happen to be enchantments, and there are just more Enchantments than usual in most sets, this is a reasonable card to play one of in your deck.
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Infuriate image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll play it sometimes in aggro decks.
Mire's Grasp image 3.5 This is premium removal. Two mana for -3/-3 is a good deal, and while I would probably prefer it to be an Instant rather than an Enchantment, the fact that you can only cast it at Sorcery speed is made up for, at least a little bit, by having the useful Enchantment type.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Pack 3 Pick 2: Mire's Grasp
Klothys's Design image 1.0 Six mana for a board pump effect like this honestly isn’t that impressive, especially because the boost it gives is so inconsistent, and it doesn’t even offer a keyword ability to sweeten the deal. You’ll play this in some of your Green decks, especially if you’re close to mono-green and going wide, but you’ll barely every play this.
Favored of Iroas image 2.5 This can hit hard on turns when you get the Constellation going, and putting an Aura on him in particular feels pretty great.
Staggering Insight image 3.5 I like this a lot, especially the idea of putting it on an evasive creature. Auras can be super risky because of 2-for-1s, but any Aura that can help mitigate against that is going to be nice, and this certainly does that -- drawing you a card every single time your creature hits your opponent. As long as your deck has a reasonable number of flyers -- and it will in UW -- there are going to be times where you just stick this on a flier and run away with the game. Putting it on a creature on the ground makes it harder to get the full value out of it, but it can still present a real threat.
Relentless Pursuit image 2.0 This is a solid draw spell for Green, and it is nice that it puts at least three cards in the graveyard when you use it, because that will help you fuel Escape.
Mire's Grasp image 3.5 This is premium removal. Two mana for -3/-3 is a good deal, and while I would probably prefer it to be an Instant rather than an Enchantment, the fact that you can only cast it at Sorcery speed is made up for, at least a little bit, by having the useful Enchantment type.
Indomitable Will image 1.5 This is basically a combat trick that sticks around, and if you can use it to kill an opponent’s creature and keep yours alive, you are out of 2-for-1 territory. Now, it is still risky -- your opponent can kill your creature in response and then you’re the one getting 2-for-1’d -- but if you play this wisely, it seems like it is a reasonable inclusion in a creature-based deck.
Triton Waverider image 2.0 It is tempting to look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, and it isn’t that hard to trigger Constellation, but the key is triggering it consistently, and at a time when a 3/3 Flyer matters, and it seems like that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you’d hope.
Moss Viper image 2.5 One-mana 1/1 Deathtouchers are always solid playables, they can trade with anything, which is especially appealing for a card that only costs one mana.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
Iroas's Blessing image 3.5 This is a removal spell that also gives one of your creatures a stats boost, and that’s pretty nice. It isn’t the most efficient at removing things, but it is nice that it actually impacts your side of the board too, even if +1/+1 isn’t always going to be a major thing.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Underworld Charger
Underworld Fires image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card. It just doesn’t kill enough in this format to really make it worth it in the main deck.
Thundering Chariot image 2.5 This is pretty easy to crew, but not that easy to cast. It is a pretty good creature though when you can crew it.
Skophos Maze-Warden image 3.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ that can raise its power while lowering its toughness is probably already something you’d play a reasonable chunk of the time. That ability means it can trade with anything, and also that every time you attack with it, if your opponent doesn’t block, they could be about to eat 6 damage. But the Guardian also comes with the very specific upside of making your Labyrinth of Skophos way better, since the Minotaur will now fight anything you target with it. Now, the Labyrinth is a rare and this is an uncommon, so the chances of getting them both together are pretty low, but when you do, it will feel pretty good.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Naiad of Hidden Coves image 2.5 Reducing the cost of your instants and cards with Flash is pretty nice – as it will enable you to trigger your other payoffs more easily, and cast more powerful spells sooner. The fact that this also comes with a semi-reasonable body is nice too – they could easily have printed this as a 2/2 and it still would have been decent, so I’m pretty happy with 2/3 here.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Underworld Charger image 2.5 This is a fairly efficient aggressive creature who refuses to stay dead, and when it comes back it does so quite large! You can’t really play this anywhere but an aggro deck since it can’t block, but it works out pretty nicely there.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Hero of the Pride image 2.0 A bear with a decent upside.
Pious Wayfarer image 2.5 This is a pretty nice one-drop. In the early going, it can pump itself with its Constellation trigger, but in the later part of the game he can start pumping more meaningful creatures – the kind that can attack as a result of the stats boost they receive. That helps keep him relevant all game long.
Omen of the Hunt image 2.5 This is nice fixing and ramp, and like all Omens it can be cashed in to Scry later in the game. If you aren’t splashing it probably isn’t something you’re super interested in playing.
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Brine Giant
Dreamstalker Manticore image 3.5 This starts with solid stats, and then has the ability to ping stuff if you cast a spell on an opponents’ turn. That ability often really complicates the board state for your opponent, especially if you have cards in hand on their turn. You can of course threaten to kill X/1s, but the Manticore can also help take down an attacker who was blocked, and can even go after the opponent when you need the reach.
Mischievous Chimera image 3.0 This isn’t the greatest of signpost uncommons, and I think it is a big reason why UR decks fall flat sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, it has good evasive stats and a nice ability – doing 1 to the opponent and scrying when you cast a spell on their turn is nice! I’m just saying it doesn’t feel quite as pushed as the other signposts in this set.
Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image 3.0 On his own, with no help, he is a 2-mana 2/2 with a nice lifegain ability. With just a few more White symbols lying around on your board, he becomes a fairly reasonable blocker who can also do some attacking if he needs to. Meanwhile, he is also gaining you a bit of life here and there. That’s all nice value on a two-drop, even if he does cost double White.
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Brine Giant image 1.5 This is basically affinity for Enchantments. I think you need to consistently only be paying 5 for this for it to be worth it, and even 5 isn’t anything impressive. Lower than that and it starts to be a little more passable.
Starlit Mantle image 2.0 The flexibility of this to feel like a combat trick that sticks around OR a counterspell against removal is pretty nice, especially in a set loaded with Enchantment payoffs.
Heliod's Pilgrim image 3.0 This set has so many Enchantments that Heliod’s Pilgrim is a nice card in virtually every White deck, as its ETB reads “Draw your best Aura.” This can let you grab removal, or powerful offensive auras, either way, you’re getting a very meaningful card out of the trigger.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Karametra's Blessing image 1.5 This is a decent trick with nice Enchantment upside – it IS still a trick though, and you’ll only play it in the most aggressive of decks.
Ilysian Caryatid image 3.0 This gives you some nice fixing that gets better if you have a big guy around. It is super vulnerable and dies to every removal in the set, which is especially painful when your opponent spend only one mana to kill it, but it is still a high quality common.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Fruit of Tizerus
Banishing Light image 5.0 This is a premium removal spell whenever we see it. Three mana to deal with any non-land permanent is incredible, especially because it is exiled -- something that really matters in a set with a graveyard matters theme. It is also an Enchantment, which gives this already very powerful cards some additional value in a set with an Enchantment theme. One thing not going for Banishing Light is the fact that this set, in addition to having way more Enchantments than normal, also has way more ways to deal with Enchantments than is the norm, meaning your opponent can get the permanent back from this more often than you might think. But still, most of the time, this will at least take care of a problem permanent for a few turns, and that will often be enough.
Cling to Dust image 0.0 This isn’t worth a slot in your deck. The Escape cost is too high – in both mana and cards you have to exile – so ever being able to use this repeatedly is unlikely.
Hero of the Winds image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¼ with flying is not a playable card most of the time, but this comes with significant upside -- however, for that upside to really be obtained, you need two things: a deck that can go wide, and a deck with lots of cards that target your creatures -- this, of course, includes Auras. And while those things will happen in enough White decks, I don’t think the set up or the payoff here is so good that you take it all that early.
Sleep of the Dead image 1.5 So, temporary tap effects like this are often not super impressive, especially at Sorcery speed! But this only costs a single mana to do it, and it comes with Escape. Sometimes you’ll have enough fuel in your graveyard to cast this 2-3 times, and if you do, it usually means you did lethal. Still, it really only tends to work out in more aggressive decks, and that is a pretty big limitation.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Fruit of Tizerus image 0.0 This card is a trap. People look at it and think it will be a worthwhile win condition in a control deck, but setting up is way too hard, the resources it asks for basically put you behind the eight-ball, even as a control deck. You’d much rather just be adding to the board and using your graveyard resources to do so.
Daybreak Chimera image 3.0 This isn’t great if you have 0 devotion to White, but all you need is one devotion for this to become a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, which is a great deal in Limited, and sometimes it will only cost three!
Revoke Existence image 2.5 So, your first instinct might be to think that this is just a sideboard card -- but in this set, where tons of creatures also happen to be enchantments, and there are just more Enchantments than usual in most sets, this is a reasonable card to play one of in your deck.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Blight-Breath Catoblepas
Traveler's Amulet image 2.5 This is always nice in every format we see it in. It gives you serious fixing, and if your curve is low enough you can count it as a land in your deck, allowing you to play more meaningful cards.
Blight-Breath Catoblepas image 3.0 This typically lets you add to the board while subtracting from your opponents – even just killing a 2/2 with it, which it will always be able to do, is reasonable, and if you get your devotion higher it can be even more potent. That said, you don’t usually want more than one copy of this because its so expensive.
Flummoxed Cyclops image 2.5 A 4-mana 4/4 with Reach and downside doesn’t sound amazing, but it actually lines up fairly well in this format. It is a sizable creature, and as long as you’re just always attacking with him, the fact he can’t block a big chunk of the time doesn’t matter! It is a little annoying that he has Reach – a purely defensive ability – but won’t be able to block with it very often. He does do a good job of stonewalling a board that has like…one flyer and not much else, at least.
Omen of the Forge image 3.0 Two mana to do two to anything at Instant speed is usually a solid card, if not premium removal. Adding some scry to the later game doesn’t hurt either. Then this gets a little bonus for both being an Enchantment, and a card with Flash -- since there are decks in this format interested in both things. This is cheap enough too, that killing 3 and 4 mana creatures who have two toughness with it will happen a decent chunk of the time. Sometimes you’ll break even on it, but I think you’ll trade up enough that this will feel really good.
Nyxborn Colossus image 1.5 This is reasonably efficient, has the Enchantment type, and increases your devotion. You’ll play it at the top of your curve in Green decks sometimes, though you’re probably holding out hope for something better.
Mogis's Favor image 2.5 This is surprisingly useful for a one mana card! You can use it to kill X/1s, and its relatively cheap Escape cost means you can threaten X/1s with it all game long. You can also put it on one of your evasive creatures as a way of doing significantly more damage.
Pious Wayfarer image 2.5 This is a pretty nice one-drop. In the early going, it can pump itself with its Constellation trigger, but in the later part of the game he can start pumping more meaningful creatures – the kind that can attack as a result of the stats boost they receive. That helps keep him relevant all game long.
Stampede Rider image 3.0 This is a great Common payoff for the 4-power deck, as it often will be a ¾, and in a set with lots of Auras, trample is pretty nice! Note by the way that it counts itself when looking for 4 power, so if you have suited him up with an Aura that allows him to have 4-power, it will still get the boost.
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Aspect of Lamprey
Dawn Evangel image 2.5 The Evangel also helps you avoid the dreaded 2-for-1, since if one of your creatures with an Aura gets killed, you get something back that puts you and your opponent at parity in terms of cards. One kind of weird thing to note about this card, is it doesn’t matter whose creature with an Aura dies, either way, you get the opportunity to put a small creature back into your hand. All that said, I feel like there is a considerable chunk of the time where this is just a 3-mana 2/3.
Return to Nature image 2.5 You can main deck this pretty easily in this format – there are Enchantments everywhere, and sometimes exiling an Escape creature is worth it.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Flicker of Fate image 1.0 Like most similar cards we see, Flicker of Fate is highly situational, and only really worth running in a very narrow number of decks – like those with tons of ETB triggers.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Indomitable Will image 1.5 This is basically a combat trick that sticks around, and if you can use it to kill an opponent’s creature and keep yours alive, you are out of 2-for-1 territory. Now, it is still risky -- your opponent can kill your creature in response and then you’re the one getting 2-for-1’d -- but if you play this wisely, it seems like it is a reasonable inclusion in a creature-based deck.
Aspect of Lamprey image 2.0 Lifelink + Mind Rot turns out to be a pretty decent combination in this set. This is another Discard spell that still does a thing in the late game, and that’s nice, because it gets around some significant downside.
Starlit Mantle image 2.0 The flexibility of this to feel like a combat trick that sticks around OR a counterspell against removal is pretty nice, especially in a set loaded with Enchantment payoffs.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Enemy of Enlightenment
Enemy of Enlightenment image 1.5 It is tempting to look at this as a potential finisher in your deck, but it is harder to consistently have it be a threatening presence than you might think, and you also have to contend with the symmetrical discard, which narrows the window in which you can play it. That said, it can be a finisher, but it isn’t a great one.
Setessan Petitioner image 1.5 This seems like kind of a waste for an uncommon slot to me. While life gain can sometimes really help you stabilize, I think you are paying a big price for it with a fairly inefficient creature.
Revoke Existence image 2.5 So, your first instinct might be to think that this is just a sideboard card -- but in this set, where tons of creatures also happen to be enchantments, and there are just more Enchantments than usual in most sets, this is a reasonable card to play one of in your deck.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Wings of Hubris image 1.5 Granting flying to things is always a reasonable thing to do with Equipment, and the additional upside here of making the equipped creature unblockable doesn’t hurt, though you probably only do that if you can do lethal.
Setessan Skirmisher image 2.5 This is a two-drop that is often a 4/3, and that’s not too shabby. It is an especially good place to stick an Aura, as the boost it will get on the turn you play it will be awesome.
Irreverent Revelers image 0.5 There aren’t really enough Artifacts in this set for this to be worth it in your main deck. If you go up against someone with a few targets though, this can become a 2-for-1.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Altar of the Pantheon
Dawn Evangel image 2.5 The Evangel also helps you avoid the dreaded 2-for-1, since if one of your creatures with an Aura gets killed, you get something back that puts you and your opponent at parity in terms of cards. One kind of weird thing to note about this card, is it doesn’t matter whose creature with an Aura dies, either way, you get the opportunity to put a small creature back into your hand. All that said, I feel like there is a considerable chunk of the time where this is just a 3-mana 2/3.
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Aspect of Manticore image 2.0 This is another Aura that feels like a combat trick that leaves some value behind, and the boost it often gives is well worth it in aggro decks. Still risky of course, so keep that in mind.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Satyr's Cunning image 0.0 Making unblockable tokens over and over again and using up your valuable graveyard resources and mana just isn’t worth it.
Riptide Turtle image 1.0 This has Flash, which matters for the UR deck in this format, and it had okay defensive stats, but you still usually won’t play it
Pack 3 Pick 10: Temple Thief
Relentless Pursuit image 2.0 This is a solid draw spell for Green, and it is nice that it puts at least three cards in the graveyard when you use it, because that will help you fuel Escape.
Triton Waverider image 2.0 It is tempting to look at this as a 4-mana 3/3 Flyer, and it isn’t that hard to trigger Constellation, but the key is triggering it consistently, and at a time when a 3/3 Flyer matters, and it seems like that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you’d hope.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
Sentinel's Eyes image 2.5 This Aura gets around the classic problem that many of them have – the danger of a 2-for-1. With Escape, you can avoid that ever being a real problem, and enjoy the benefits of a pretty efficient stats boost on your creatures.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze image 1.5 This has decent stats and it can loot – though for a significant mana investment. Still, being an Enchantment and loading the graveyard are two relevant things in this format.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Towering-Wave Mystic
Underworld Fires image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card. It just doesn’t kill enough in this format to really make it worth it in the main deck.
Skophos Maze-Warden image 3.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ that can raise its power while lowering its toughness is probably already something you’d play a reasonable chunk of the time. That ability means it can trade with anything, and also that every time you attack with it, if your opponent doesn’t block, they could be about to eat 6 damage. But the Guardian also comes with the very specific upside of making your Labyrinth of Skophos way better, since the Minotaur will now fight anything you target with it. Now, the Labyrinth is a rare and this is an uncommon, so the chances of getting them both together are pretty low, but when you do, it will feel pretty good.
Towering-Wave Mystic image 2.0 This can help you mill your opponent if that’s what you’re interested in doing, but it can also mill you -- milling yourself will probably be more useful most of the time, as this format has lots of graveyard action, as we’ve already said. It is still a creature with sub-par vanilla stats, but I think the fact that it can help stock your graveyard and/or mill your opponent is enough for it to be a card you feel decent about as the 22nd or 23rd card in your deck.
Stern Dismissal image 2.5 This bounces things really efficiently, allowing you to come out ahead in terms of tempo virtually all the time. Leaving up the mana for it is pretty easy too, so it is more likely to be used in a blow-out type situation – like in response to a trick or an Aura.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Starlit Mantle
Altar of the Pantheon image 1.5 Devotion is a much smaller theme in Theros this time around, but there are a few cards that care about it. This also fixes and ramps for you, which some decks will want, and it will even gain you life on occasion, which doesn’t hurt!
Starlit Mantle image 2.0 The flexibility of this to feel like a combat trick that sticks around OR a counterspell against removal is pretty nice, especially in a set loaded with Enchantment payoffs.
Thrill of Possibility image 2.0 This gives you some nice card selection, loads your graveyard, and provides an instant speed effect for the UR deck, so it fits into most decks in this format reasonably well.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Hero of the Winds
Hero of the Winds image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¼ with flying is not a playable card most of the time, but this comes with significant upside -- however, for that upside to really be obtained, you need two things: a deck that can go wide, and a deck with lots of cards that target your creatures -- this, of course, includes Auras. And while those things will happen in enough White decks, I don’t think the set up or the payoff here is so good that you take it all that early.
Leonin of the Lost Pride image 2.0 A two mana 3/1 is already decent enough, and the exile clause here actually comes up in Limited, since there are so many cards with Escape.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Rumbling Sentry
Rumbling Sentry image 1.5 This has good defensive stats, you’ll play it in more controlling decks.
Draft Pick Overview