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Quick Draft THB 17 June 2021

17 June 08:55 - Frickincarl 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (15)
1 Daxos, Blessed by the Sun image
1 Captivating Unicorn image
1 Pheres-Band Brawler image
2 Transcendent Envoy image
1 Bronzehide Lion image
1 Nessian Wanderer image
2 Heliod's Pilgrim image
1 Siona, Captain of the Pyleas image
1 Dawn Evangel image
1 Daybreak Chimera image
1 Destiny Spinner image
1 Moss Viper image
1 Alseid of Life's Bounty image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (8)
1 Sentinel's Eyes image
1 Revoke Existence image
1 Heliod's Punishment image
1 Warbriar Blessing image
1 Dreadful Apathy image
1 Relentless Pursuit image
1 Triumphant Surge image
1 Indomitable Will image
Land (17)
9 Plains image
8 Forest image
Sideboard
1 Blood Aspirant image
3 Pious Wayfarer image
1 Hero of the Games image
1 Irreverent Revelers image
1 Heroes of the Revel image
1 Flummoxed Cyclops image
2 Stampede Rider image
1 Altar of the Pantheon image
2 Omen of the Sun image
2 Thrill of Possibility image
1 Bronze Sword image
1 Memory Drain image
1 Mirror Shield image
1 Temple of Abandon image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Warbriar Blessing
Treacherous Blessing image 3.0 I’m always a big fan of Phyrexian Arena type cards, and that’s what this reminds me of. Three mana to draw 3 cards is incredibly strong, and it gives you the kind of card advantage that might just win you the game on its own. Sure, it comes with a significant downside, but I think that downside is almost always going to be worth it, as the cards that you net from this will often allow you to put your opponent away before the downside really matters. It is also nice that it comes with a bit of an escape clause, giving you a way to get rid of it if you have the right cards.
One with the Stars image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky removal spell, but it is nice that it can shut down most creatures – for the most part. Abilities will still stick around, but it at least makes a creature unable to attack or block, and those are the key things in most Limited games anyway.
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.
Hero of the Nyxborn image 3.5 This gives you a 2/2 and a 1/1 for three mana, and then pays you off for going wide with its “Heroic” trigger. That’s a pretty good deal overall, especially in a deck going wide.
Incendiary Oracle image 3.0 This has nice stats and some really significant text. Pumping power is nice, because it allows it to threaten to hit hard when you have all your mana open, and can trade for lots of stuff, and the exile clause also comes up in this graveyard-heavy format.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
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.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Dreadful Apathy
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.
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.
Nessian Hornbeetle image 3.5 This is a great payoff for the 4-power deck, as it will often grow in size quickly enough to represent a real problem for your opponent, and it starts with decent stats to begin with!
Thaumaturge's Familiar image 1.0 This has bad stats for the cost, and Scry doesn’t really change that.
Dreadful Apathy image 3.5 This is a nice removal spell, and unlike most Pacifism-type effects, this one can let you permanently get rid of the creature, which is worth doing any time you have the mana lying around, since if your opponent finds a way to get rid of the Aura, or if the creature has a static ability, you’re going to be in trouble. This is premium removal.
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.
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.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Pheres-Band Brawler
The Birth of Meletis image 2.5 This might seem like it does 3 kind of minor things -- but I think it is a pretty reasonable inclusion in White decks in this format. Searching up a Plains gurantees you will hit your 3rd land drop, a 0/4 defender is unexciting, but it does add something to the board, and 2 life is unexciting too. But, if you look at this with all the parts together, it is basically Wall of Omens that gains you 2 life, for the same mana cost, and that’s something I want to play, especially in less aggressive White decks.
Pheres-Band Brawler image 3.5 Creatuers with an ETB removal effect always feel great in Limited, since they allow you to develop your board while taking away from your opponents’. As a 4/4, the Brawler will be able to take down a big chunk of creatures in the set while it sticks around to trade with something else. That goes a long way towards helping you pull back even with an opponent who was ahead of you.
Alseid of Life's Bounty image 3.0 This one drop has an ability that keeps it relevant all game long. Early on, it can attack and get in for some damage, and it has lifelink so putting Auras on it feels pretty good! But once it can no longer attack effectively, its ability to give Protection to thinks will be a huge boon. You can use it to help a creature get in lethal, wreak havoc on combat, or save a creature from removal.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 4: Transcendent Envoy
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.
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.
Incendiary Oracle image 3.0 This has nice stats and some really significant text. Pumping power is nice, because it allows it to threaten to hit hard when you have all your mana open, and can trade for lots of stuff, and the exile clause also comes up in this graveyard-heavy format.
Hyrax Tower Scout image 1.5 This has solid stats, and its ETB ability will occasionally do something, though not usually anything especially meaningful.
Hero of the Games image 2.0 This has decent stats, and targeting it with stuff pumps your whole board, which is nice.
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.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
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.
Thaumaturge's Familiar image 1.0 This has bad stats for the cost, and Scry doesn’t really change that.
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
Grim Physician image 1.0 This can trade for X/2s, or threaten a 2-for-1 against two X/1s. It isn’t a terrible thing to sacrifice. But you mostly won’t play it.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Altar of the Pantheon
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.
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.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Relentless Pursuit
The Binding of the Titans image 1.0 This is a super slow Green Anticipate, and I’m not that interested in that.
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.
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.
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.
Glory Bearers image 1.5 This has kind of okay stats and a kind of okay ability. Pumping toughness on attacks isn’t a huge deal, but it makes a difference sometimes.
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.
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.
Lampad of Death's Vigil image 3 This ended up being a key card in this format. Its cheap sacrifice effect made sacrifice decks a lot better than they would otherwise have been, and the fact it drains life often allows you to get to lethal a full turn or more before you would have had it otherwise.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Blood Aspirant
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 8: Captivating Unicorn
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.
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.
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.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
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.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive 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!
Pack 1 Pick 9: Omen of the Sun
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.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
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.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
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 1 Pick 10: Thrill of Possibility
Thaumaturge's Familiar image 1.0 This has bad stats for the cost, and Scry doesn’t really change that.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
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.
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.
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!
Pack 1 Pick 11: Omen of the Sun
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.
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.
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.
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 12: Bronze Sword
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.
Bronze Sword image 1.0 1 to play and 3 to equip is too much for this stats boost in most cases.
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.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Hero of the Games
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.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Irreverent Revelers
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 2 Pick 1: Bronzehide Lion
Bronzehide Lion image 4.0 This feels great on turn two, and the fact that when it dies it turns into Aura that can grant indestructibility means you’re virtually always going to get some value out of it.
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.
Sweet Oblivion image 0.5 You can use this to mill yourself -- something that might be worth doing in a deck with lots of graveyard synergy -- or you can mill your opponent, something that might be worth doing in a control deck that plans on winning hte game by milling the opponent. Mill decks don’t always come together in formats, but it is nice that this particular mill card can be repeatedly cast from the graveyard. In other words, if you are really good at milling yourself, and you can provide the cards to fuel Escape, this one card could be enough to win you the game by milling your opponent. If this were at Common, it would kind of be a nightmare, since Mill decks would be pretty easy to draft, since getting 2 or 3 of these would be no problem -- at uncommon, getting multiples of this might be tricky.
Mire Triton image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 that can kill anything in combat thanks to death touch is usually enough to be playable, but this brings some serious additional value -- both gaining you life and helping you stock your graveyard. Self-mill is very useful in this format thanks to Escape, and the UB archetype also seems focused on loading up the graveyard more generally.
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.
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.
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.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 2: Temple of Abandon
Temple of Abandon image 3.0 These give great fixing while also improving your draw a little bit. That makes it well worth the fact it comes into play tapped.
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.
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.
Fateful End image 3.5 Well, it isn’t Lightning Bolt, or even Lightning Strike – but that’s ok, this is still premium removal. . It can kill stuff in response to Auras – which will be extra good in this format, as well as in response to combat tricks and other shenanigans, and it can kill the majority of creatures you’re going to see in this format, frequently trading up. Scry 1 might just seem like small value, and I guess it kind of is, but adding a little bit of card selection to a great removal spell is nice.
Thirst for Meaning image 2.5 This is a decent draw spell. Sometimes giving up an Enchantment will be worth it, but don’t just do it automatically. Sometimes giving up a couple of lands will just be better.
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.
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.
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!
Soulreaper of Mogis image 2.0 This has decent stats and an okay mana sink ability. The ability does feel pretty clunky, especially when there are cheaper sacrifice outlets around, like the Lampad.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Heroes of the Revel
Heroes of the Revel image 3.5 So, this is 5-mana for a 4/4 and a 1/1, and it comes with the “Hero” clause – pumping the power of all of your creatures when you target it. That’s a pretty good deal, especially because the Heroes themselves help you go wide in the first place.
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.
Escape Velocity image 2.0 This is a cheap Aura with Escape, and Escape really helps it get around the downside some Auras have – you won’t really be getting 2-for-1’d if they kill the creature you put this on, because it will keep coming back!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
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
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Nessian Wanderer
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.
Acolyte of Affliction image 4.0 This loads your graveyard for you while also returning a permanent, and that effect feels pretty great in a format with lots of graveyard antics. It has reasonable enough stats to represent a 2-for-1, too.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
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 2 Pick 5: Heliod's Pilgrim
Slaughter-Priest of Mogis image 3.5 This is a nice payoff for Sacrifing and a sacrifice outlet itself! I always like when payoffs can synergize with themselves, as that makes them a lot less risky. This is a very difficult creature to block, and at the same time sometimes you can’t just take it because it can kill you. That makes him a challenging thing to face down.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nylea's Huntmaster image 2.0 This has alright stats and a decent ETB trigger, though it is kind of a bummer it only increases power. This makes it harder for it to create an attack for you where a creature is now able to survive combat, instead it will just make it hit harder.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Alseid of Life's Bounty
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.
The Birth of Meletis image 2.5 This might seem like it does 3 kind of minor things -- but I think it is a pretty reasonable inclusion in White decks in this format. Searching up a Plains gurantees you will hit your 3rd land drop, a 0/4 defender is unexciting, but it does add something to the board, and 2 life is unexciting too. But, if you look at this with all the parts together, it is basically Wall of Omens that gains you 2 life, for the same mana cost, and that’s something I want to play, especially in less aggressive White decks.
Alseid of Life's Bounty image 3.0 This one drop has an ability that keeps it relevant all game long. Early on, it can attack and get in for some damage, and it has lifelink so putting Auras on it feels pretty good! But once it can no longer attack effectively, its ability to give Protection to thinks will be a huge boon. You can use it to help a creature get in lethal, wreak havoc on combat, or save a creature from removal.
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.
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.
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.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Siona, Captain of the Pyleas
Heroes of the Revel image 3.5 So, this is 5-mana for a 4/4 and a 1/1, and it comes with the “Hero” clause – pumping the power of all of your creatures when you target it. That’s a pretty good deal, especially because the Heroes themselves help you go wide in the first place.
Siona, Captain of the Pyleas image 3.5 Siona makes it clear that GW is all about Enchantments, and more specifically - Auras. It is going to be pretty hard to wiff entirely on Enchantments in your top 7 cards in this format, so generally Siona will at least be a 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card, something that is always solid. But then, it comes with the ability to make a creature token every time you put an Aura on one of your creatures, and that’s a nice payoff too. Auras can sometimes be risky because if your opponent has removal, you get 2-for-1’d -- but making a creature token every time you put an Aura on something helps soften the blow if that’s what happens, because at least you have a 1/1 left behind. Siona is going to draw you a card and make 1-2 creature tokens without a whole lot of help.
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.
Temple Thief image 2.0 This is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable, but not really often enough to be that great.
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.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Flummoxed Cyclops
Furious Rise image 1.0 // 3.5 This is a powerful 4-power build around that basically draws you a card every turn when you meet the requirement. Your deck has to have the right composition, but when it does, this will win you games.
Underworld Dreams image 1.0 Devotion is generally not a big enough theme in this set for Underworld Dreams to be worth it. It is too hard to cast and too slow for such a lame effect.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Pious Wayfarer
Sweet Oblivion image 0.5 You can use this to mill yourself -- something that might be worth doing in a deck with lots of graveyard synergy -- or you can mill your opponent, something that might be worth doing in a control deck that plans on winning hte game by milling the opponent. Mill decks don’t always come together in formats, but it is nice that this particular mill card can be repeatedly cast from the graveyard. In other words, if you are really good at milling yourself, and you can provide the cards to fuel Escape, this one card could be enough to win you the game by milling your opponent. If this were at Common, it would kind of be a nightmare, since Mill decks would be pretty easy to draft, since getting 2 or 3 of these would be no problem -- at uncommon, getting multiples of this might be tricky.
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.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
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.
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.
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 10: Dawn Evangel
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Sentinel's Eyes
Escape Velocity image 2.0 This is a cheap Aura with Escape, and Escape really helps it get around the downside some Auras have – you won’t really be getting 2-for-1’d if they kill the creature you put this on, because it will keep coming back!
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.
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 2 Pick 12: Pious Wayfarer
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.
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.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Stampede Rider
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.
Final Flare image 1.5 There aren’t many formats where removal spells that involve you sacrificing a creature end up working out in Limited, and this isn’t one of them, even with a fairly legit sacrifice deck around.
Pack 2 Pick 14: 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.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Destiny Spinner
Temple of Deceit image 3.0 These give great fixing while also improving your draw a little bit. That makes it well worth the fact it comes into play tapped.
Nyx Herald image 3.5 On its own, this is a 3-mana ¾ with Trample, and in most ways it is better than that, because it can spread that stats boost and keyword ability to other creatures.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
Setessan Training image 2.5 This replaces itself, and that’s quite nice. The +1/+0 and Trample boost probably wouldn’t have been enough, even in a format with Enchantmetn synergy, but because it draws you a card, you get to avoid the danger of a 2-for-1.
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.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive decks.
Scavenging Harpy image 2.0 Three mana 2/1 flyers are fine and this has some minor upside that will probably be a little bit less minor in this set -- since it has the ability to exile a card from the graveyard, so taking an Escape card seems pretty nice.
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.
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 3 Pick 2: Daybreak Chimera
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive decks.
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.
Nyxborn Marauder image 1.5 This is an Enchantment that has alright stats and contributes to your devotion. You’ll play it sometimes.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Moss Viper
Protean Thaumaturge image 3.0 This is incredibly vulnerable at first, but the Constellation ability to turn into whatever the best creature on the battlefield is pretty darn good. It either means you have an additional copy of your best creature, or a creature that can at least compete with your opponents’ best creature.
Shimmerwing Chimera image 3.5 A 4-mana 3/2 with Flying is a good starting point, and adding the ability to bounce your stuff is nice. Now, it is important to note that it says “up to one” which means you don’t have to bounce any Enchantments if you don’t want to, and that’s good, because it means that the upkeep ability of the Chimera is only ever going to be upside, and upside on a 4-mana 3/2 Flyer is pretty nice. Now, there will be plenty of times where this is nothing more than a 3/2 Flyer, but you can combine this with some other things to be pretty nasty – this includes the Omen cycle, as well as Sagas, Constellation, and Enchantment creatures with ETB abilities.
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.
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 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.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 3 Pick 4: Transcendent Envoy
Ashiok's Erasure image 0.0 In Limited, this is going to amount to being a 4-mana counter spell with the signifcant downside of giving the opponent back their card, should they ever get rid of the Enchantment. Don’t play this.
Callaphe, Beloved of the Sea image 2.5 At worst this is a 3-mana ⅔ that makes your opponent’s removal spells cost more. Making your opponent pay more for removal means your opponent will have a much harder time finding a way to trade up with their removal spells, and obviously means it will take them longer to cast them. Then, this will frequently be at least a 3-mana 3/3 with that ability, and then you’re kind of in business -- especially because it can get even bigger than that! This basically comes down to being an efficient creature with an impactful, albeit not amazing, static ability.
Glimpse of Freedom image 1.5 This isn’t the most efficient card-draw spell ever – for 5 mana you end up drawing only two cards. It tries to make up for that by having Escape, but in a typical game you’re not going to have the time or resources to do it more than once anyway.
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.
Glory Bearers image 1.5 This has kind of okay stats and a kind of okay ability. Pumping toughness on attacks isn’t a huge deal, but it makes a difference sometimes.
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.
Soulreaper of Mogis image 2.0 This has decent stats and an okay mana sink ability. The ability does feel pretty clunky, especially when there are cheaper sacrifice outlets around, like the Lampad.
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
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.
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.
Lampad of Death's Vigil image 3 This ended up being a key card in this format. Its cheap sacrifice effect made sacrifice decks a lot better than they would otherwise have been, and the fact it drains life often allows you to get to lethal a full turn or more before you would have had it otherwise.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Heliod's Pilgrim
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.
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.
Infuriate image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll play it sometimes in aggro decks.
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
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.
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.
Grim Physician image 1.0 This can trade for X/2s, or threaten a 2-for-1 against two X/1s. It isn’t a terrible thing to sacrifice. But you mostly 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.
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 6: Indomitable Will
Siona, Captain of the Pyleas image 3.5 Siona makes it clear that GW is all about Enchantments, and more specifically - Auras. It is going to be pretty hard to wiff entirely on Enchantments in your top 7 cards in this format, so generally Siona will at least be a 3-mana 2/2 that draws you a card, something that is always solid. But then, it comes with the ability to make a creature token every time you put an Aura on one of your creatures, and that’s a nice payoff too. Auras can sometimes be risky because if your opponent has removal, you get 2-for-1’d -- but making a creature token every time you put an Aura on something helps soften the blow if that’s what happens, because at least you have a 1/1 left behind. Siona is going to draw you a card and make 1-2 creature tokens without a whole lot of help.
Sweet Oblivion image 0.5 You can use this to mill yourself -- something that might be worth doing in a deck with lots of graveyard synergy -- or you can mill your opponent, something that might be worth doing in a control deck that plans on winning hte game by milling the opponent. Mill decks don’t always come together in formats, but it is nice that this particular mill card can be repeatedly cast from the graveyard. In other words, if you are really good at milling yourself, and you can provide the cards to fuel Escape, this one card could be enough to win you the game by milling your opponent. If this were at Common, it would kind of be a nightmare, since Mill decks would be pretty easy to draft, since getting 2 or 3 of these would be no problem -- at uncommon, getting multiples of this might be tricky.
Memory Drain image 0.5 This counterspell costs way too much mana, and adding Scry doesn’t really help that.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive decks.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Heliod's Punishment
Hero of the Nyxborn image 3.5 This gives you a 2/2 and a 1/1 for three mana, and then pays you off for going wide with its “Heroic” trigger. That’s a pretty good deal overall, especially in a deck going wide.
Heliod's Punishment image 3.5 This is a very efficient removal spell, capable of completely shutting down a creature – at least for a few turns. Obviously it would be better if your opponent couldn’t eventually get rid of it, but it takes them time to remove those task counters, and generally a creature being out of commission for 3+ turns will be worth the mana here.
Plummet image 0.5 This is mostly a sideboard card, but one you end up bringing a significant chunk of the time, provided you see a few flyers in game one.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 8: Daxos, Blessed by the Sun
Devourer of Memory image 3.5 As a two mana 2/1, it doesn’t do so well on the vanilla test, but this set is loaded up with self-mill cards, especially in Blue and Black, and that will make it a 3/2 unblockable on your turn a lot of the time, especially because it comes with a built-in way to start milling yourself, which is not a bad place to sink mana in the later part of the game. The Devourer can represent some serious inevitability, and I am definitely interested in that.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Pack 3 Pick 9: Revoke Existence
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.
Transcendent Envoy image 2.5 There are lots of playable Auras in this set, and the Envoy makes them cheaper, and also happens to be a really good place to stick those Auras thanks to Flying.
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.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive 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.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Pious Wayfarer
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.
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.
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.
Captivating Unicorn image 1.5 The Constellation Trigger here is alright, and the stats of the creature are passable. You’ll play this at the top of your curve in some aggressive decks.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Stampede Rider
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.
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.
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.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Thrill of Possibility
Glimpse of Freedom image 1.5 This isn’t the most efficient card-draw spell ever – for 5 mana you end up drawing only two cards. It tries to make up for that by having Escape, but in a typical game you’re not going to have the time or resources to do it more than once anyway.
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.
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: Triumphant Surge
Triumphant Surge image 1.5 This kind of “Kill a big thing” removal spell is always fine, but generally not more than that.
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 14: Memory Drain
Memory Drain image 0.5 This counterspell costs way too much mana, and adding Scry doesn’t really help that.
Draft Pick Overview