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Quick Draft ZNR 04.januar 2021

4 January 05:16 - iorio01 7 Wins - 2 Losses
Maindeck
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (2)
1 Molten Blast image
1 Smite the Monstrous image
Creature (21)
1 Squad Commander image
2 Fearless Fledgling image
2 Shepherd of Heroes image
1 Stonework Packbeast image
1 Angelheart Protector image
2 Pyroclastic Hellion image
4 Spitfire Lagac image
2 Kitesail Cleric image
2 Teeterpeak Ambusher image
1 Goma Fada Vanguard image
1 Attended Healer image
1 Kor Celebrant image
1 Grotag Night-Runner image
Land (17)
8 Plains image
9 Mountain image
Sideboard
1 Relic Golem image
1 Malakir Blood-Priest image
1 Makindi Ox image
1 Fireblade Charger image
1 Kargan Warleader image
3 Taunting Arbormage image
1 Skyclave Sentinel image
1 Skyclave Shade image
1 Seafloor Stalker image
1 Highborn Vampire image
1 Scavenged Blade image
1 Spare Supplies image
1 Nissa's Zendikon image
1 Skyclave Plunder image
1 Cleansing Wildfire image
1 Lithoform Engine image
1 Chilling Trap image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Squad Commander
Squad Commander image 3.5 At worst, it is a 4-mana 3/3 that makes a 1/1. That is already pretty good. Like all of these cards with a “full party” effect, I am a bit skeptical you can make them work, but in this case, you have a card with a really good baseline, so it isn’t something that is crucial to the card being worth playing. The “full party” upside here is pretty insane too, as it just pumps the whole board and lets you attack for free because of indestructible.
Taunting Arbormage image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ is usually not very good in Limited, but adding a good Kicker effect is a good way to make a card like that worthwhile. Now, make no mistake, kicking this wont’ always be worthwhile -- Lure effects are highly situational, and sometimes it will be useless. But sometimes it will also be gamebreaking, because it makes the rest of your board unblocked, or wipes out your opponent’s board by forcing them to block.
Thundering Sparkmage image 4.0 So this is a 4-mana 2/2 that does one to a creature or planeswalker when it comes down. That’s not so good. But, when it can kill something it will feel pretty good, but there are plenty of board states where it won’t be able to. However, doing 2 damage this this is a massive upgrade and will usually help you kill something, and at that points you have a great card. And it can do even more damage than that!
Khalni Ambush image 3.5 This is one of the better uncommon modal DFCs in this set. That’s because one side of it is a removal spell. Sure, it is Pounce for one more mana -- but the fact it can be removal when that works out for you, or a land when that’s what you need is just super good. Being an Instant also means that the Fight side of the card will find more windows than Sorcery speed versions of that effect.
Joraga Visionary image 3.5 Cantrip creatures are always good when they are reasonably costed, and a 3/2 body is big enough that it can represent something that is actually relevant on the board, and is perfectly capable of trading, and it’s a 2-for-1 when you can make that happen.
Dauntless Unity image 2.0 This is basically a better Inspired Charged – when you kick it, it is identical to the Charge, and it has the upside of also being usable for a slightly weaker effect for two mana.
Expedition Champion image 2.5 A 4/3 for three mana is a decent creature for sure, though it isn’t really going to be taking over the game or anything like that, and it will still be a ⅔ some of the time. Seems like a solid card for Red Warrior decks, but not much more than that.
Nimana Skitter-Sneak image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ is kind of okayish, especially with a decent creature type. Then, if you are milling your opponent a bit, this can become a 4-mana 4/4 with Menace, which can make it into a real threat.
Risen Riptide image 2.5 This is a surprisingly serviceable payoff for the Kicker deck, as getting whatever value out of what you kicked AND making this a 5/5 feels great, as it is often a very difficult creature to block effectively.
Disenchant image 0.5 Look everyone, Disenchant is back! This format has a reasonable number of Enchantments and Artifacts, but probably not enough that you feel ok about mainboarding this. This is a sideboard card, and if you are playing it in your deck, you are probably pretty desperate.
Shell Shield image 2.5 Because of all the kicker payoffs in this format, Shell Shield really overperforms. It allows you to save your creatures fairly cheaply, and it can sometimes also work more as a combat trick.
Sizzling Barrage image 1.0 This removal is way too conditional, you should only be running if it you have no other removal.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Turntimber Ascetic image 2.5 Decent stats +3 life, this will sometimes pull you out of a fire thanks to slowing down an aggressive assault and the life it gives you.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Fearless Fledgling
Fearless Fledgling image 3.5 This is pretty good. It might start out as a fragile 1/1, but if you drop this on turn two and trigger landfall the next 3 or so turns, you’re going to be in business, because this thing will take the sky and get larger, doing tons of damage in the process. It is vulnerable to be sure, but also a two drop that can win games.
Springmantle Cleric image 2.0 // 3.0 In a typical two color deck this is fine, and if you get there on a 3+ color deck, it improves to be a very efficient creature.
Emeria Captain image 3.5 So, without any other party members, Emeria Captain is a 4-mana 2/2 with Flying and Vigilance. That is...not great, but not unplayable either. I think this will be a 3/3 a reasonable chunk of the time, and in that case you’re looking at a great deal. Anything bigger than that, and you’re really in business.
Kor Celebrant image 3.0 This has nice defensive stats, and it is one of the key Commons for the BW Cleric deck. It provides you with a repeatable source of life gain, which triggers all sorts of powerful cards. Even outside of that deck, this is serviceable as a defensive creature.
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Mind Drain image 1.5 So, here is a strictly better Mind Rot! It adds draining life and milling a card to the mix, in addition to making your opponent discard the two cards. Playing it early is sometimes a liability because it means you aren’t adding to the board on turn three, and getting it late can be bad too, because your opponent is in top deck mode. Mid-game or so is usually where it is at its best. Mind Drain adds enough extra stuff to the mix to overcome Mind Rot’s usual problem though -- it will do something no matter what. And sure, draining your opponent for 1 and milling their top card for three isn’t a good deal, but it is a heck of a lot better than a dead card, which Mind Rot often is.
Oblivion's Hunger image 1.0 This doesn’t even seem to be worth it in +1/+1 counter decks, as it is still too situational.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Tazeem Roilmage image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is a D+ at best these days, we just expect better stats for a two mana investment. However, the kicker upside here is quite strong in the late game.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Dauntless Survivor image 2.5 We have seen this card a lot, and it is always solid. At worst, it is a two mana 2/2 -- and it has the upside of being able to make some other more relevant creature get a +1/+1 counter in the later part of the game. The BG deck in this format also has +1/+1 counter synergies, AND it has a creature type relevant for partying, so it will be a nice two drop in multiple decks in this format.
Farsight Adept image 2.5 This kind of card is usually better than it looks. You and your opponent are both drawing cards, which means you are breaking even -- but you are adding to the board as well with this 3-mana 3/3, so you really are the one coming out ahead for the most part. Your opponent will often have the first crack at using that new card, but that’s a fair trade overall.
Rabid Bite image 3.5 We have seen this several times, and it has always been premium removal for Green and one of the color’s best Commons, if not THE best. Green has creatures that are large enough that paying two for this is often a great deal, since you’ll be taking down something that cost way more mana than that. Now, you have to be careful when you use it -- because you get 2-for-1’d by a removal spell, and even though it is just a 1-for-1, you don’t really want your opponent to save their creature with a trick either. But if you pick your spots, Rabid Bite is going to be great removal.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Shepherd of Heroes
Taunting Arbormage image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ is usually not very good in Limited, but adding a good Kicker effect is a good way to make a card like that worthwhile. Now, make no mistake, kicking this wont’ always be worthwhile -- Lure effects are highly situational, and sometimes it will be useless. But sometimes it will also be gamebreaking, because it makes the rest of your board unblocked, or wipes out your opponent’s board by forcing them to block.
Acquisitions Expert image 2.5 I’ve always been a fan of Ravenous Rats and Kitesail Freebooters -- creatures who go after the opponent’s hand are nicely disruptive. This isn’t as good as the Freebooter, but is definitely better than Ravenous Rats. Like the Rats, on its own, it will just get rid of the card your opponent cares the least about. But sometimes, especially late, your opponent will only have one card anyway. Plus, it has the Party upside, which will sometimes make it a considerably more disruptive effect.
Nimana Skitter-Sneak image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ is kind of okayish, especially with a decent creature type. Then, if you are milling your opponent a bit, this can become a 4-mana 4/4 with Menace, which can make it into a real threat.
Cliffhaven Kitesail image 1.5 This seems fine. 1 mana to give something Flying is a reasonable rate, especially because it sticks around to give your other guys flying if they need it. It will, of course, be especially attractive in the RW deck that’s all about Equipment, but I think it is a reasonable inclusion anywhere.
Scale the Heights image 2.0 This does several little things, and they are generally enough for this to make the cut in your deck a significant chunk of the time, but they are also little enough that you won’t always play this.
Kor Celebrant image 3.0 This has nice defensive stats, and it is one of the key Commons for the BW Cleric deck. It provides you with a repeatable source of life gain, which triggers all sorts of powerful cards. Even outside of that deck, this is serviceable as a defensive creature.
Cleric of Chill Depths image 1.5 Look it is a creature that is a really good chump blocker! Unfortunately, that’s not really the kind of card you’ll want most of the time. If you need a two drop, and you’re trying to get there on party, you’ll play it.
Shepherd of Heroes image 3.5 On its own, this is a 5-mana ¾ flyer that gains you 2 life. That is a card that will make the cut more often than it won’t, but certainly nothing special. Frequently this will gain you 4 life, and it will also rarely gain you 6 to 8 life. This reminds me a little bit of of Archway Angel -- a card that really overperformed when we saw it. This has the same stats for less mana, but is also a little more challenging to gain absurd amounts of life with, but I can see it playing a similar role in the format, but it probably won’t be quite the overperformer the Archway Angel was.
Guul Draz Mucklord image 2.0 This has reasonable stats, and it is nice it leaves a counter behind when it dies. Obviously, that isn’t quite worth a whole card, but trading with this and getting that counter of the deal won’t feel too bad.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Drana's Silencer image 1.0 This doesn’t line up well very often, and just tends to be expensive and not have much of an impact.
Molten Blast image 1.5 3-mana to do two damage at instant speed is not so good – I mean, it is removal, but it is not efficient – you’ll basically always be trading down with it. But the modality here really matters. This set has plenty of good artifacts – not like, a million of them or anything – but enough that this will be blowing up artifacts on occasion too, and being able to have that in your main deck is real upside.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Kargan Warleader
Goma Fada Vanguard image 3.5 These creatures who make stuff unable to block always play really well in Limited, because they can have a drastic impact on combat, making it so that creatures who didn’t have good attacks previously can now attack. Now, the best versions of this we see generally have Haste, and don’t ask us to jump through hoops -- but they also generally aren’t so cheap and don’t have such reasonable stats.
Kargan Warleader image 3.5 Lords are always good if they have enough things to pump – and Kargan Warleader definitely does. RW is obviously the Warrior archetype, as this signpost uncommon is telling you, so much of your board will get a boost out of this creature which is also already a 3-mana 3/3.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Chilling Trap image 0.0 // 2.0 If you can’t consistently turn this into a cantrip it is unplayable. But, if you’re a UR deck that is interested in both spells and Wizards, this is a solid playable.
Reclaim the Wastes image 2.5 This is a nice card for fixing if you’re a base Green deck. Any time we see this type of card in Limited it is always something you go after if you need fixing, but you probably don’t go after it otherwise. But, having the ability to splash things is inherently powerful in Limited -- provided you’re splashing something that is WORTH splashing -- so I think this should be valued as at least an average card.
Mind Drain image 1.5 So, here is a strictly better Mind Rot! It adds draining life and milling a card to the mix, in addition to making your opponent discard the two cards. Playing it early is sometimes a liability because it means you aren’t adding to the board on turn three, and getting it late can be bad too, because your opponent is in top deck mode. Mid-game or so is usually where it is at its best. Mind Drain adds enough extra stuff to the mix to overcome Mind Rot’s usual problem though -- it will do something no matter what. And sure, draining your opponent for 1 and milling their top card for three isn’t a good deal, but it is a heck of a lot better than a dead card, which Mind Rot often is.
Dauntless Survivor image 2.5 We have seen this card a lot, and it is always solid. At worst, it is a two mana 2/2 -- and it has the upside of being able to make some other more relevant creature get a +1/+1 counter in the later part of the game. The BG deck in this format also has +1/+1 counter synergies, AND it has a creature type relevant for partying, so it will be a nice two drop in multiple decks in this format.
Strength of Solidarity image 1.0 This can potentially give you a whole lot for only one mana! But…it can also potentially be blank card. The likelihood of it being blank is about as likely as it is that you have a full party. On average, it will probably give somewhere between 1 and 2 tokens, and that hardly seems worth it to me.
Utility Knife image 1.0 Even with an Equipment deck in this format, Utility Knife isn’t really worth it. It gives an okay boost to start with, but the equip cost after that is just exorbitant.
Molten Blast image 1.5 3-mana to do two damage at instant speed is not so good – I mean, it is removal, but it is not efficient – you’ll basically always be trading down with it. But the modality here really matters. This set has plenty of good artifacts – not like, a million of them or anything – but enough that this will be blowing up artifacts on occasion too, and being able to have that in your main deck is real upside.
Ardent Electromancer image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, and it can really help you set up a double-spell turn three, which often is what you need to quickly win a game.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Stonework Packbeast
Ruin Crab image 3.5 So, for Limited purposes, this is mostly just a better Hedron Crab. The O.G. landfall crab can also mill you if you want it to, but you’re not doing that most of the time in Limited anyway. I think Ruin Crab seems reasonable, and is certainly the kind of card that can enable an entire mill archetype -- kind of like Teferi’s Tutelage did in M21. The UB deck in this format is both about Rogues AND milling, so the Crab will have a ready made home. It will likely be the card in this format that is capable of milling the most cards. One really cool thing about this format is that there are mill “payoff” cards that do something before your opponent’s library is empty, and that’s a big deal -- because that’s the usual downside of mill, that it does nothing for a long time.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Subtle Strike image 2.5 Because you can both weaken a creature and make yours bigger, it has two-for-one potential, and that can’t be overlooked. That situation won’t always be how it works out -- but sometimes, you’ll be able to kill an X/1 and pump your creature to win combat against something else, and it is great that the boost is permanent. Even if that doesn’t line up, the flexibility of this card does usually mean it will help your creatures win combat one way or another.
Dauntless Unity image 2.0 This is basically a better Inspired Charged – when you kick it, it is identical to the Charge, and it has the upside of also being usable for a slightly weaker effect for two mana.
Skyclave Sentinel image 1.5 So, this is mostly a payoff for decks that can put counters on stuff. This is mostly going to be BG, but White has some ways to do it too. It is kind of ok in the absence of +1/+1 counter stuff, as a 3-mana 2/3 with Flying and Defender with the possible option of being a 7 mana ¾ with Flying in the late game.
Cascade Seer image 1.5 I think this is fine. A 4-mana 3/3 that scries 1 would probably be a C-. We recently had Octoprophet, which was a 4-mana 3/3 that always Scried 2, and that was definitely a solid C -- and that’s what this will be a decent chunk of the time. Obviously with a full party it gets better, but you shouldn’t really look at this as doing that very often, because it won’t.
Stonework Packbeast image 3.5 This is a huge overachiever. It helps tie together Tribal or Party decks, and even the fixing it offers can be quite helpful.
Kazandu Nectarpot image 1.5 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Molten Blast image 1.5 3-mana to do two damage at instant speed is not so good – I mean, it is removal, but it is not efficient – you’ll basically always be trading down with it. But the modality here really matters. This set has plenty of good artifacts – not like, a million of them or anything – but enough that this will be blowing up artifacts on occasion too, and being able to have that in your main deck is real upside.
Mesa Lynx image 1.5 This is a 2-mana 2/1 as an attacker, and a two-mana ⅔ as a blocker. In this day and age, even a vanilla two-mana ⅔ would probably not be much more than a C, so a card that is only one half of the time is considerably worse. I would actually prefer it was a ⅔ during your turn than the other way around, since White is more often than not a color that wants to be attacking well early.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Angelheart Protector
Negate image 0.5 This doesn’t counter enough things to be something you want in your main deck.
Guul Draz Mucklord image 2.0 This has reasonable stats, and it is nice it leaves a counter behind when it dies. Obviously, that isn’t quite worth a whole card, but trading with this and getting that counter of the deal won’t feel too bad.
Nissa's Zendikon image 1.0 These types of Auras always underperform. It seems like it would be really efficient to put this on a land, but it doesn’t generally pan out that way. The land does come back, which in a roundabout way can help you trigger landfall, but this just asks for too much effort.
Sea Gate Colossus image 1.5 You have to be a party deck to really take advantage, because if you are paying any more than 5 for this it isn’t going to feel very good, and even then it is just a big guy with no evasion.
Blood Price image 1.5 Black always gets a draw spell like this one, and this one is a little overcosted. Two cards for two life and four mana just doesn’t seem worth it to me for the most part.
Turntimber Ascetic image 2.5 Decent stats +3 life, this will sometimes pull you out of a fire thanks to slowing down an aggressive assault and the life it gives you.
Smite the Monstrous image 2.0 We see this a lot. It is always an ok removal spell. It is conditional, but at least it is an instant, and it can kill some big stuff.
Fissure Wizard image 2.5 This is pretty unexciting. It does a bunch of meh stuff. It has bad stats for the cost, it lets you rummage, and it has a creature type that matters in this format. While none of that is exciting, it coming all together does make it a decent enough playable.
Angelheart Protector image 2.0 Decent stats and a decent ETB trigger here. It won’t always do something -- but I think more often than not, it will give you an attack you didn’t have before you played the Protector. That, plus okayish stats make this a fine inclusion in White decks.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Relic Golem
Relic Golem image 3.0 This is going to be pretty terrible in the early game – a 3-mana 6/6 that can’t attack or block and has a mill ability just isn’t very good, even with reputable mill, and even WITH mill being a real thing in this format. Now, obviously, eventually it will make itself able to attack and block, and a 6/6 is a significant body all game long, and that makes it into a much better card.
Cascade Seer image 1.5 I think this is fine. A 4-mana 3/3 that scries 1 would probably be a C-. We recently had Octoprophet, which was a 4-mana 3/3 that always Scried 2, and that was definitely a solid C -- and that’s what this will be a decent chunk of the time. Obviously with a full party it gets better, but you shouldn’t really look at this as doing that very often, because it won’t.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Living Tempest image 2.5 This is a functional reprint of cards like Stormrider Spirit and Wind Strider -- and those cards were probably slightly better, because both of them had creature types that had a tribal archetype in those formats, and Living Tempest does not. That said, it is still pretty decent. Flash has serious upside for any deck looking to cast expensive instants or hold up activated abilities, and even if you don’t have that stuff going on, this is large enough that it can flash in and gobble up a 2/2 or something like that, and then threaten the opponent in the air. It isn’t a special card or anything -- it is a solid playable.
Blood Beckoning image 2.0 Black gets a card like this in every set -- one that returns two creatures from the graveyard -- and it is always a decent card to have one of, since in the late game it often does enough to pull you ahead -- it is of course balanced out by being pretty useless early though. 4 mana for that effect is a bit steep, but the fact that it can cost one in situations where that is worthwhile does enough to keep this as a solid playable.
Teeterpeak Ambusher image 2.0 This has decent starting stats, a party creature type, and an ability that can keep it relevant. Seems fine.
Nimana Skitter-Sneak image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ is kind of okayish, especially with a decent creature type. Then, if you are milling your opponent a bit, this can become a 4-mana 4/4 with Menace, which can make it into a real threat.
Nissa's Zendikon image 1.0 These types of Auras always underperform. It seems like it would be really efficient to put this on a land, but it doesn’t generally pan out that way. The land does come back, which in a roundabout way can help you trigger landfall, but this just asks for too much effort.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Pyroclastic Hellion
Molten Blast image 1.5 3-mana to do two damage at instant speed is not so good – I mean, it is removal, but it is not efficient – you’ll basically always be trading down with it. But the modality here really matters. This set has plenty of good artifacts – not like, a million of them or anything – but enough that this will be blowing up artifacts on occasion too, and being able to have that in your main deck is real upside.
Blood Beckoning image 2.0 Black gets a card like this in every set -- one that returns two creatures from the graveyard -- and it is always a decent card to have one of, since in the late game it often does enough to pull you ahead -- it is of course balanced out by being pretty useless early though. 4 mana for that effect is a bit steep, but the fact that it can cost one in situations where that is worthwhile does enough to keep this as a solid playable.
Pyroclastic Hellion image 2.5 This seems solid enough. Returning a land is a may clause here, so you only need to do it when you really want those 2 damage, or if returning a land otherwise benefits you.
Skyclave Squid image 1.5 So, a two mana 3/2 – even if it could attack all the time – isn’t actually super incredible in Limited. Don’t get me wrong, that’s obviously better than a 2-mana 2/2 – but in this day and age a vanilla grizzly bear just isn’t good. Adding one power is better, but it isn’t so efficient that it doesn’t still die to pretty much all the two drops in combat.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Turntimber Ascetic image 2.5 Decent stats +3 life, this will sometimes pull you out of a fire thanks to slowing down an aggressive assault and the life it gives you.
Mesa Lynx image 1.5 This is a 2-mana 2/1 as an attacker, and a two-mana ⅔ as a blocker. In this day and age, even a vanilla two-mana ⅔ would probably not be much more than a C, so a card that is only one half of the time is considerably worse. I would actually prefer it was a ⅔ during your turn than the other way around, since White is more often than not a color that wants to be attacking well early.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Taunting Arbormage
Taunting Arbormage image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ is usually not very good in Limited, but adding a good Kicker effect is a good way to make a card like that worthwhile. Now, make no mistake, kicking this wont’ always be worthwhile -- Lure effects are highly situational, and sometimes it will be useless. But sometimes it will also be gamebreaking, because it makes the rest of your board unblocked, or wipes out your opponent’s board by forcing them to block.
Dauntless Unity image 2.0 This is basically a better Inspired Charged – when you kick it, it is identical to the Charge, and it has the upside of also being usable for a slightly weaker effect for two mana.
Disenchant image 0.5 Look everyone, Disenchant is back! This format has a reasonable number of Enchantments and Artifacts, but probably not enough that you feel ok about mainboarding this. This is a sideboard card, and if you are playing it in your deck, you are probably pretty desperate.
Shell Shield image 2.5 Because of all the kicker payoffs in this format, Shell Shield really overperforms. It allows you to save your creatures fairly cheaply, and it can sometimes also work more as a combat trick.
Sizzling Barrage image 1.0 This removal is way too conditional, you should only be running if it you have no other removal.
Turntimber Ascetic image 2.5 Decent stats +3 life, this will sometimes pull you out of a fire thanks to slowing down an aggressive assault and the life it gives you.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Spitfire Lagac
Springmantle Cleric image 2.0 // 3.0 In a typical two color deck this is fine, and if you get there on a 3+ color deck, it improves to be a very efficient creature.
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Oblivion's Hunger image 1.0 This doesn’t even seem to be worth it in +1/+1 counter decks, as it is still too situational.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Dauntless Survivor image 2.5 We have seen this card a lot, and it is always solid. At worst, it is a two mana 2/2 -- and it has the upside of being able to make some other more relevant creature get a +1/+1 counter in the later part of the game. The BG deck in this format also has +1/+1 counter synergies, AND it has a creature type relevant for partying, so it will be a nice two drop in multiple decks in this format.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Taunting Arbormage
Taunting Arbormage image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ is usually not very good in Limited, but adding a good Kicker effect is a good way to make a card like that worthwhile. Now, make no mistake, kicking this wont’ always be worthwhile -- Lure effects are highly situational, and sometimes it will be useless. But sometimes it will also be gamebreaking, because it makes the rest of your board unblocked, or wipes out your opponent’s board by forcing them to block.
Scale the Heights image 2.0 This does several little things, and they are generally enough for this to make the cut in your deck a significant chunk of the time, but they are also little enough that you won’t always play this.
Cleric of Chill Depths image 1.5 Look it is a creature that is a really good chump blocker! Unfortunately, that’s not really the kind of card you’ll want most of the time. If you need a two drop, and you’re trying to get there on party, you’ll play it.
Guul Draz Mucklord image 2.0 This has reasonable stats, and it is nice it leaves a counter behind when it dies. Obviously, that isn’t quite worth a whole card, but trading with this and getting that counter of the deal won’t feel too bad.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Chilling Trap
Chilling Trap image 0.0 // 2.0 If you can’t consistently turn this into a cantrip it is unplayable. But, if you’re a UR deck that is interested in both spells and Wizards, this is a solid playable.
Strength of Solidarity image 1.0 This can potentially give you a whole lot for only one mana! But…it can also potentially be blank card. The likelihood of it being blank is about as likely as it is that you have a full party. On average, it will probably give somewhere between 1 and 2 tokens, and that hardly seems worth it to me.
Utility Knife image 1.0 Even with an Equipment deck in this format, Utility Knife isn’t really worth it. It gives an okay boost to start with, but the equip cost after that is just exorbitant.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Skyclave Sentinel
Skyclave Sentinel image 1.5 So, this is mostly a payoff for decks that can put counters on stuff. This is mostly going to be BG, but White has some ways to do it too. It is kind of ok in the absence of +1/+1 counter stuff, as a 3-mana 2/3 with Flying and Defender with the possible option of being a 7 mana ¾ with Flying in the late game.
Cascade Seer image 1.5 I think this is fine. A 4-mana 3/3 that scries 1 would probably be a C-. We recently had Octoprophet, which was a 4-mana 3/3 that always Scried 2, and that was definitely a solid C -- and that’s what this will be a decent chunk of the time. Obviously with a full party it gets better, but you shouldn’t really look at this as doing that very often, because it won’t.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Nissa's Zendikon
Nissa's Zendikon image 1.0 These types of Auras always underperform. It seems like it would be really efficient to put this on a land, but it doesn’t generally pan out that way. The land does come back, which in a roundabout way can help you trigger landfall, but this just asks for too much effort.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Skyclave Shade
Skyclave Shade image 4.0 This thing doesn’t stay dead, and that’s pretty good news for a creature with high power. It can’t block, but it can just keep coming back and attacking all game long, either as a 3/1 – or, even better, as a 5/3.
Allied Assault image 1.5 My main problem with tricks like this is that they are so situational and risky, so I need some efficiency or big upside to ever get excited about this one. Allied Assault does one of the things that gets me pretty interested in tricks – it can get you a 2-for-1. A trick that pumps two separate creatures interest me, at least initially. It does require a bit of set up to really be potent though, which makes it even more situational, which makes the 2-for-1 potential a little less impressive.
Taunting Arbormage image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ is usually not very good in Limited, but adding a good Kicker effect is a good way to make a card like that worthwhile. Now, make no mistake, kicking this wont’ always be worthwhile -- Lure effects are highly situational, and sometimes it will be useless. But sometimes it will also be gamebreaking, because it makes the rest of your board unblocked, or wipes out your opponent’s board by forcing them to block.
Silundi Vision image 2.0 Like most of these, one side is kind of inefficient and narrow, while the other side is a land -- and while that might not sound too great, it is way better than it looks. And it isn’t like you need a ton of instants and sorceries to make the spell side worth it, top 6 cards is a lot -- you could have 4 or 5 and have this be a land with upside.
Blood Beckoning image 2.0 Black gets a card like this in every set -- one that returns two creatures from the graveyard -- and it is always a decent card to have one of, since in the late game it often does enough to pull you ahead -- it is of course balanced out by being pretty useless early though. 4 mana for that effect is a bit steep, but the fact that it can cost one in situations where that is worthwhile does enough to keep this as a solid playable.
Subtle Strike image 2.5 Because you can both weaken a creature and make yours bigger, it has two-for-one potential, and that can’t be overlooked. That situation won’t always be how it works out -- but sometimes, you’ll be able to kill an X/1 and pump your creature to win combat against something else, and it is great that the boost is permanent. Even if that doesn’t line up, the flexibility of this card does usually mean it will help your creatures win combat one way or another.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Spare Supplies image 1.0 Two mana to draw a card, and 4 to draw two over the course of a couple of turns is..a thing? But in a set without artifact or sacrifice payoffs, I don’t see this making the cut most of the time.
Glacial Grasp image 2.0 So, on a base level, this is Divination, a card that is a decent playable in most Limited formats -- somewhere between a C- and a C. But, this becomes more powerful in the late game, drawing you three cards if you have the spare mana around to do it. Now, 6-mana at Sorcery speed to draw 3 cards is pretty clunky, but it is attached to what is already a reasonable card, which means being able to cast it with Kicker is all upside.
Into the Roil image 3.0 Two mana for an Instant that bounces nonland permanents is always a playable card. Adding Kicker here is just great, because if you kick it, into the Roil goes from being a card that gets you some tempo to being a card that actually trades for a whole card. And obviously as an instant, youc an sometimes blow out Auras or combat tricks too.
Sizzling Barrage image 1.0 This removal is way too conditional, you should only be running if it you have no other removal.
Resolute Strike image 1.5 One mana for +2/+2 is a pretty reasonable trick even if it has nothing else going on. It will usually make your creature win combat, and it will do it cheaply. The additional Warrior and Equipment upside here is nice, and any time you can Equip a creature for free with this you’re going to feel really great.
Reclaim the Wastes image 2.5 This is a nice card for fixing if you’re a base Green deck. Any time we see this type of card in Limited it is always something you go after if you need fixing, but you probably don’t go after it otherwise. But, having the ability to splash things is inherently powerful in Limited -- provided you’re splashing something that is WORTH splashing -- so I think this should be valued as at least an average card.
Nimana Skitter-Sneak image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ is kind of okayish, especially with a decent creature type. Then, if you are milling your opponent a bit, this can become a 4-mana 4/4 with Menace, which can make it into a real threat.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Shepherd of Heroes
Relic Axe image 3.5 This reminds me of Pirate’s Cutlass, and that’s a very good place to be, as that was one of the best non-rare piece of Equipment we have seen in Limited in a long time. This actually costs one less than the Cutlass, and when you have a Warrior in play, it will be even better! Where it isn’t quite as good as the Cutlass is in the fact that it does not give the same pump to non Warriors. Still, it actually has a pretty reasonable Equip cost after that first one you get as a freebe.
Rockslide Sorcerer image 4.0 This is a strong Uncommon. As I’ve said about other “Wizard, Instant, Sorcery” payoffs, I think they’re going to perform really well, especially in the UR deck. Having a deck with 10+ cards that can trigger this is not a far-fetched scenario, and that means this can ping a ton in a single game, which can allow you to pick off small creatures or go for your opponent’s dome. If you can play multiple cards to trigger it in the same turn, it will get really silly.
Makindi Stampede image 2.5 The downside about a mass pump spell is generally that they don’t do anything too often. Well, when that’s the case, you can have this be a much-needed land. And you still get the upside of having a card that is awesome when you have a good board state.
Tuktuk Rubblefort image 0.5 I’m not the biggest fan of creatures with defender who want you to be aggressive – as those two things seem odd together, so I’m not interested.
Reclaim the Wastes image 2.5 This is a nice card for fixing if you’re a base Green deck. Any time we see this type of card in Limited it is always something you go after if you need fixing, but you probably don’t go after it otherwise. But, having the ability to splash things is inherently powerful in Limited -- provided you’re splashing something that is WORTH splashing -- so I think this should be valued as at least an average card.
Blood Price image 1.5 Black always gets a draw spell like this one, and this one is a little overcosted. Two cards for two life and four mana just doesn’t seem worth it to me for the most part.
Shepherd of Heroes image 3.5 On its own, this is a 5-mana ¾ flyer that gains you 2 life. That is a card that will make the cut more often than it won’t, but certainly nothing special. Frequently this will gain you 4 life, and it will also rarely gain you 6 to 8 life. This reminds me a little bit of of Archway Angel -- a card that really overperformed when we saw it. This has the same stats for less mana, but is also a little more challenging to gain absurd amounts of life with, but I can see it playing a similar role in the format, but it probably won’t be quite the overperformer the Archway Angel was.
Scale the Heights image 2.0 This does several little things, and they are generally enough for this to make the cut in your deck a significant chunk of the time, but they are also little enough that you won’t always play this.
Cunning Geysermage image 2.5 This isn’t quite Roaming Ghostlight, but it seems alright. Early it can be a not completely horrible 3-mana 3/2, and in the later part of the game you can pay 6 for a 3/2 that bounces something That rate is admittedly not great, but any time you can add to the board while subtracting from your opponents’ feels pretty great.
Field Research image 2.5 So, on a base level, this is Divination, a card that is a decent playable in most Limited formats -- somewhere between a C- and a C. But, this becomes more powerful in the late game, drawing you three cards if you have the spare mana around to do it. Now, 6-mana at Sorcery speed to draw 3 cards is pretty clunky, but it is attached to what is already a reasonable card, which means being able to cast it with Kicker is all upside.
Sneaking Guide image 1.5 There are definitely some sweet creatures you can make unblockable with this, and maybe if you get some of those it will be worth it. But you cut this a lot.
Subtle Strike image 2.5 Because you can both weaken a creature and make yours bigger, it has two-for-one potential, and that can’t be overlooked. That situation won’t always be how it works out -- but sometimes, you’ll be able to kill an X/1 and pump your creature to win combat against something else, and it is great that the boost is permanent. Even if that doesn’t line up, the flexibility of this card does usually mean it will help your creatures win combat one way or another.
Pyroclastic Hellion image 2.5 This seems solid enough. Returning a land is a may clause here, so you only need to do it when you really want those 2 damage, or if returning a land otherwise benefits you.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Malakir Blood-Priest
Relic Amulet image 3.5 This doesn’t have to sacrifice to use its ability, so in a UR deck it often becomes a repeatable source of removal that is difficult for your opponent to overcome. It can be a bit slow, but this is great in those decks.
Malakir Rebirth image 3.0 So, like most of these, it has one side that is pretty situational -- you have to have a creature die on your turn for it to even do anything, but when things line up that way, getting your creature back can feel pretty nice, especially if that creature has an ETB ability, because this will trigger it again, which is some sweet value. But things won’t always line up that way, and sometimes you’ll use this to save a creature, but you’re going down a card to do it since your creature can’t win combat anyway. But, you can just play it as a land if that’s true!
Expedition Skulker image 2.5 This is a decent little two drop. It has a relevant creature type for the format, and it will have deathtouch pretty often.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Smite the Monstrous image 2.0 We see this a lot. It is always an ok removal spell. It is conditional, but at least it is an instant, and it can kill some big stuff.
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Sneaking Guide image 1.5 There are definitely some sweet creatures you can make unblockable with this, and maybe if you get some of those it will be worth it. But you cut this a lot.
Dauntless Survivor image 2.5 We have seen this card a lot, and it is always solid. At worst, it is a two mana 2/2 -- and it has the upside of being able to make some other more relevant creature get a +1/+1 counter in the later part of the game. The BG deck in this format also has +1/+1 counter synergies, AND it has a creature type relevant for partying, so it will be a nice two drop in multiple decks in this format.
Tuktuk Rubblefort image 0.5 I’m not the biggest fan of creatures with defender who want you to be aggressive – as those two things seem odd together, so I’m not interested.
Nimana Skydancer image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying and Flash is already a reasonable card, but this is also a Rogue that mills your opponent, and that’s something that the UB decks are pretty interested in.
Makindi Ox image 1.5 This is too expensive for the aggro decks that might normally be interested in tapping something down, and not impactful enough for control deck, so you don’t play it very often.
Glacial Grasp image 2.0 So, on a base level, this is Divination, a card that is a decent playable in most Limited formats -- somewhere between a C- and a C. But, this becomes more powerful in the late game, drawing you three cards if you have the spare mana around to do it. Now, 6-mana at Sorcery speed to draw 3 cards is pretty clunky, but it is attached to what is already a reasonable card, which means being able to cast it with Kicker is all upside.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Fearless Fledgling
Fearless Fledgling image 3.5 This is pretty good. It might start out as a fragile 1/1, but if you drop this on turn two and trigger landfall the next 3 or so turns, you’re going to be in business, because this thing will take the sky and get larger, doing tons of damage in the process. It is vulnerable to be sure, but also a two drop that can win games.
Jwari Disruption image 3.0 This seems pretty good. It isn’t that far from being Cancel -- a card with the same effect and cost of the Perturbation, but it has Cycling instead of a land on the other side, but what makes Cancel a nice card in Limited also makes this nice. Counterspells can be problematic in Limited because of the tempo hit you take by leaving mana up sometimes, and that gets even truer about a card like this -- which gets worse as the game goes on, since your opponent having that extra mana is likely. However, once you reach that point of the game, you can just play this as a land, and that is some nice upside.
Gnarlid Colony image 3.0 This is a nice Common. Having a Grizzly Bear with a +1/+1 counter payoff as a base form isn’t bad when you have other late game option of paying 5-mana for a 4/4 with Trample. Neither side of this is especially efficient -- but that often doesn’t matter with creatures who have Kicker, as we’ve seen in the past. Just having an alternate option in the late game to make this a more imposing creature is nice, even if the rate isn’t great.
Scavenged Blade image 2.0 Two mana to give something +2/+0 isn’t an awesome rate, but you can kind of think of it as an Aura that sticks around to be used elsewhere in the later part of the game. Then, you factor in the fact that Equipment is a pretty big theme in this set in Red – and especially in Red/White, and this definitely is a card that will make the cut in your deck a decent chunk of the time.
Expedition Healer image 3.0 This just turns out to have lifelink a significant chunk of the time, and with the powerful lifegain payoffs around, that feels pretty good.
Stonework Packbeast image 3.5 This is a huge overachiever. It helps tie together Tribal or Party decks, and even the fixing it offers can be quite helpful.
Drana's Silencer image 1.0 This doesn’t line up well very often, and just tends to be expensive and not have much of an impact.
Cascade Seer image 1.5 I think this is fine. A 4-mana 3/3 that scries 1 would probably be a C-. We recently had Octoprophet, which was a 4-mana 3/3 that always Scried 2, and that was definitely a solid C -- and that’s what this will be a decent chunk of the time. Obviously with a full party it gets better, but you shouldn’t really look at this as doing that very often, because it won’t.
Teeterpeak Ambusher image 2.0 This has decent starting stats, a party creature type, and an ability that can keep it relevant. Seems fine.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Pyroclastic Hellion image 2.5 This seems solid enough. Returning a land is a may clause here, so you only need to do it when you really want those 2 damage, or if returning a land otherwise benefits you.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Grotag Night-Runner
Grotag Night-Runner image 2.5 The damage trigger here is nice, but with the stats it has, it really isn’t that easy to get in with it.
Sea Gate Banneret image 2.0 This is a one drop with a Party creature type, and that has some nice value in this set. Additionally, in the late game it has an ability that can have a significant impact.
Cleric of Chill Depths image 1.5 Look it is a creature that is a really good chump blocker! Unfortunately, that’s not really the kind of card you’ll want most of the time. If you need a two drop, and you’re trying to get there on party, you’ll play it.
Dreadwurm image 2.0 This will be indestructible sometimes, and that’s nice – but it will often also just be a 5-mana 5/4, and that’s not so nice.
Teeterpeak Ambusher image 2.0 This has decent starting stats, a party creature type, and an ability that can keep it relevant. Seems fine.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Territorial Scythecat image 3.0 This will get large without a whole lot of effort, and that is really nice because it also happens to have Trample! It does die to just about everything initially, and sometimes it will be better to play it and then a land in the same turn to make it so fewer spells can take it down.
Stonework Packbeast image 3.5 This is a huge overachiever. It helps tie together Tribal or Party decks, and even the fixing it offers can be quite helpful.
Skyclave Sentinel image 1.5 So, this is mostly a payoff for decks that can put counters on stuff. This is mostly going to be BG, but White has some ways to do it too. It is kind of ok in the absence of +1/+1 counter stuff, as a 3-mana 2/3 with Flying and Defender with the possible option of being a 7 mana ¾ with Flying in the late game.
Dauntless Unity image 2.0 This is basically a better Inspired Charged – when you kick it, it is identical to the Charge, and it has the upside of also being usable for a slightly weaker effect for two mana.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Smite the Monstrous
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Expedition Skulker image 2.5 This is a decent little two drop. It has a relevant creature type for the format, and it will have deathtouch pretty often.
Cliffhaven Sell-Sword image 1.5 Two mana 3/1s tend to be fine for aggro decks. This one is also a Warrior, so it gives you some Party synergy.
Dreadwurm image 2.0 This will be indestructible sometimes, and that’s nice – but it will often also just be a 5-mana 5/4, and that’s not so nice.
Might of Murasa image 1.5 So, this is an overcosted Giant Growth without kicker, and with it -- well, it still isn’t all that efficient. 5-mana for +5/+5 doesn’t really do it for me. Sure, sometimes it will turn damage lethal and all that, and it will certainly win combat for you, but to go that route you usually have to give up on developing the board for a turn, which just won’t be worth it a lot.
Skyclave Squid image 1.5 So, a two mana 3/2 – even if it could attack all the time – isn’t actually super incredible in Limited. Don’t get me wrong, that’s obviously better than a 2-mana 2/2 – but in this day and age a vanilla grizzly bear just isn’t good. Adding one power is better, but it isn’t so efficient that it doesn’t still die to pretty much all the two drops in combat.
Oblivion's Hunger image 1.0 This doesn’t even seem to be worth it in +1/+1 counter decks, as it is still too situational.
Turntimber Ascetic image 2.5 Decent stats +3 life, this will sometimes pull you out of a fire thanks to slowing down an aggressive assault and the life it gives you.
Smite the Monstrous image 2.0 We see this a lot. It is always an ok removal spell. It is conditional, but at least it is an instant, and it can kill some big stuff.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Kitesail Cleric
Kitesail Cleric image 3.0 I like one mana 1/1 flyers who have some late game utility. They can do damage early if that’s what you need, and then in the late game have an effect that will have a larger impact. For the Cleric, that involves Kicking it, at which point it becomes a 4-mana 1/1 Flyer that taps down two opposing creatures.
Practiced Tactics image 3.0 It bothers me a ton that sometimes it will literally be a blank card, but that won’t happen a TON, and it also has some serious upside - though it is too bad they didn’t decide to make this one of the DFC lands. It is situational, but if it is typically doing 4 damage for one mana to a blocking or attacking creature, well, you’re getting a great deal.
Kazandu Nectarpot image 1.5 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Disenchant image 0.5 Look everyone, Disenchant is back! This format has a reasonable number of Enchantments and Artifacts, but probably not enough that you feel ok about mainboarding this. This is a sideboard card, and if you are playing it in your deck, you are probably pretty desperate.
Tormenting Voice image 1.5 As usual this is fine as the last card in your deck. It is probably a little less good in this set because of the DFC lands, and landfall, because the main thing it is nice for is to avoid flooding out – but flooding out is going to be harder than normal in this format. This is a little appealing in the UR deck because it gives you a spell trigger, but you’ll cut it more than you play it.
Deliberate image 1.5 So, this is pretty similar to Anticipate – though it is likely a bit better. It is an Instant speed Preordain that costs twice as much. You get to see up to 3 cards when you use it, and if you happen to have two things on top of your library you really want, you can leave them both there, which is nice. And if you don’t want either, well, you can smooth out your draws – you get the picture. This kind of card often just feel very replaceable.
Tazeem Roilmage image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is a D+ at best these days, we just expect better stats for a two mana investment. However, the kicker upside here is quite strong in the late game.
Nimana Skitter-Sneak image 2.0 So, a 4-mana ¾ is kind of okayish, especially with a decent creature type. Then, if you are milling your opponent a bit, this can become a 4-mana 4/4 with Menace, which can make it into a real threat.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Skyclave Plunder
Skyclave Plunder image 2.0 This tends to be a little bit too clunky in this format to be great. It is nice drawing cards, but tapping and not adding to the board is rough.
Adventure Awaits image 1.0 We see a Green card like this in most sets, and they are always kind of meh. They give you some nice card selection, and it is also kind of nice that if you wiff on a creature, you still get a card out of it. Whiffing on a creature is unlikely in most limited decks, but it DOES happen sometimes, so having protection from this doing absolutely nothing is nice. That said, this type of card, especially at two mana, generally feels like it is easy to cut in most decks.
Scorch Rider image 2.0 So, a 4-man 4/3 is generally a C- these days. It is reasonable stats to be sure, but not anything special either. The Kicker here isn’t super exciting either, as a 6-mana 4/3 with Haste is not especially good -- BUT that’s not really the way to look at cards with Kicker. If it has a reasonable base line, as this does -- the fact it can have Haste later in the game is just upside.
Blood Beckoning image 2.0 Black gets a card like this in every set -- one that returns two creatures from the graveyard -- and it is always a decent card to have one of, since in the late game it often does enough to pull you ahead -- it is of course balanced out by being pretty useless early though. 4 mana for that effect is a bit steep, but the fact that it can cost one in situations where that is worthwhile does enough to keep this as a solid playable.
Cascade Seer image 1.5 I think this is fine. A 4-mana 3/3 that scries 1 would probably be a C-. We recently had Octoprophet, which was a 4-mana 3/3 that always Scried 2, and that was definitely a solid C -- and that’s what this will be a decent chunk of the time. Obviously with a full party it gets better, but you shouldn’t really look at this as doing that very often, because it won’t.
Mesa Lynx image 1.5 This is a 2-mana 2/1 as an attacker, and a two-mana ⅔ as a blocker. In this day and age, even a vanilla two-mana ⅔ would probably not be much more than a C, so a card that is only one half of the time is considerably worse. I would actually prefer it was a ⅔ during your turn than the other way around, since White is more often than not a color that wants to be attacking well early.
Glacial Grasp image 2.0 So, on a base level, this is Divination, a card that is a decent playable in most Limited formats -- somewhere between a C- and a C. But, this becomes more powerful in the late game, drawing you three cards if you have the spare mana around to do it. Now, 6-mana at Sorcery speed to draw 3 cards is pretty clunky, but it is attached to what is already a reasonable card, which means being able to cast it with Kicker is all upside.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Taunting Arbormage
Taunting Arbormage image 2.5 A three mana ⅔ is usually not very good in Limited, but adding a good Kicker effect is a good way to make a card like that worthwhile. Now, make no mistake, kicking this wont’ always be worthwhile -- Lure effects are highly situational, and sometimes it will be useless. But sometimes it will also be gamebreaking, because it makes the rest of your board unblocked, or wipes out your opponent’s board by forcing them to block.
Blood Beckoning image 2.0 Black gets a card like this in every set -- one that returns two creatures from the graveyard -- and it is always a decent card to have one of, since in the late game it often does enough to pull you ahead -- it is of course balanced out by being pretty useless early though. 4 mana for that effect is a bit steep, but the fact that it can cost one in situations where that is worthwhile does enough to keep this as a solid playable.
Spare Supplies image 1.0 Two mana to draw a card, and 4 to draw two over the course of a couple of turns is..a thing? But in a set without artifact or sacrifice payoffs, I don’t see this making the cut most of the time.
Glacial Grasp image 2.0 So, on a base level, this is Divination, a card that is a decent playable in most Limited formats -- somewhere between a C- and a C. But, this becomes more powerful in the late game, drawing you three cards if you have the spare mana around to do it. Now, 6-mana at Sorcery speed to draw 3 cards is pretty clunky, but it is attached to what is already a reasonable card, which means being able to cast it with Kicker is all upside.
Sizzling Barrage image 1.0 This removal is way too conditional, you should only be running if it you have no other removal.
Resolute Strike image 1.5 One mana for +2/+2 is a pretty reasonable trick even if it has nothing else going on. It will usually make your creature win combat, and it will do it cheaply. The additional Warrior and Equipment upside here is nice, and any time you can Equip a creature for free with this you’re going to feel really great.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Pyroclastic Hellion
Tuktuk Rubblefort image 0.5 I’m not the biggest fan of creatures with defender who want you to be aggressive – as those two things seem odd together, so I’m not interested.
Blood Price image 1.5 Black always gets a draw spell like this one, and this one is a little overcosted. Two cards for two life and four mana just doesn’t seem worth it to me for the most part.
Scale the Heights image 2.0 This does several little things, and they are generally enough for this to make the cut in your deck a significant chunk of the time, but they are also little enough that you won’t always play this.
Sneaking Guide image 1.5 There are definitely some sweet creatures you can make unblockable with this, and maybe if you get some of those it will be worth it. But you cut this a lot.
Pyroclastic Hellion image 2.5 This seems solid enough. Returning a land is a may clause here, so you only need to do it when you really want those 2 damage, or if returning a land otherwise benefits you.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Makindi Ox
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Sneaking Guide image 1.5 There are definitely some sweet creatures you can make unblockable with this, and maybe if you get some of those it will be worth it. But you cut this a lot.
Tuktuk Rubblefort image 0.5 I’m not the biggest fan of creatures with defender who want you to be aggressive – as those two things seem odd together, so I’m not interested.
Makindi Ox image 1.5 This is too expensive for the aggro decks that might normally be interested in tapping something down, and not impactful enough for control deck, so you don’t play it very often.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Teeterpeak Ambusher
Scavenged Blade image 2.0 Two mana to give something +2/+0 isn’t an awesome rate, but you can kind of think of it as an Aura that sticks around to be used elsewhere in the later part of the game. Then, you factor in the fact that Equipment is a pretty big theme in this set in Red – and especially in Red/White, and this definitely is a card that will make the cut in your deck a decent chunk of the time.
Cascade Seer image 1.5 I think this is fine. A 4-mana 3/3 that scries 1 would probably be a C-. We recently had Octoprophet, which was a 4-mana 3/3 that always Scried 2, and that was definitely a solid C -- and that’s what this will be a decent chunk of the time. Obviously with a full party it gets better, but you shouldn’t really look at this as doing that very often, because it won’t.
Teeterpeak Ambusher image 2.0 This has decent starting stats, a party creature type, and an ability that can keep it relevant. Seems fine.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Teeterpeak Ambusher
Teeterpeak Ambusher image 2.0 This has decent starting stats, a party creature type, and an ability that can keep it relevant. Seems fine.
Skyclave Sentinel image 1.5 So, this is mostly a payoff for decks that can put counters on stuff. This is mostly going to be BG, but White has some ways to do it too. It is kind of ok in the absence of +1/+1 counter stuff, as a 3-mana 2/3 with Flying and Defender with the possible option of being a 7 mana ¾ with Flying in the late game.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Cleansing Wildfire
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Lithoform Engine
Lithoform Engine image 0.0 This is cool, but too expensive and clunky to ever really do anything in Limited.
Ravager's Mace image 3.0 This gives a nice bonus for the cost when you first play it. It will usually at least be giving +1/+0 and Menace, and giving more than that isn’t far-fetched. Three mana for that boost isn’t too shabby. Now, having to pay four to equip it after that is a bit steep, but the free equip to start things off helps make up for that, as does the fact that it will frequently give a larger boost.
Iridescent Hornbeetle image 3.5 This is a pretty sweet +1/+1 counter payoff. Keep in mind it gives you a creature token for each +1/+1 counter. We frequently see effects like this that only count instances of counters, but the Hornbeetle counts each counter individually, so it will be producing a nice little army for you. Now, it is important to remember that it isn’t a trigger that happens right away, it only triggers at the end of your turn, so players will be able to kill this before it spits out the tokens sometimes.
Vastwood Fortification image 3.0 Another Modal card, we have seen cards similar to the Fortification in the past and they haven’t been super impressive. Sure, sometimes they help you win combat or your creature survive a removal spell, but a lot of the time what a card like this does just isn’t worth the card. It would probably be like a D+ at best. However, this format has a strong +1/+1 counter theme in BG, AND this is a modal DFC, which means it can be a land when putting a counter on something doesn’t seem meaningful enough.
Feed the Swarm image 3.5 Look, a Black card that can hit Enchantments! That’s pretty weird. Anyway, this is a good removal spell. It is cheap and kills two permanent types, no questions asked. Now, the damage it does to you certainly matters -- but if you are paying two mana to blow up their 5 drop, paying 5 life for that is a reasonable cost most of the time. Now, playing more than one of these can be a little risky – you only have so much life after all, but value the first copy pretty highly.
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Tazeem Roilmage image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is a D+ at best these days, we just expect better stats for a two mana investment. However, the kicker upside here is quite strong in the late game.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Pressure Point image 0.5 We have seen this before, and it was not very impressive. Tapping a creature is sometimes a useful effect, but it is very rarely worth a whole card, and it is quite situational. Adding a cantrip does keep this from being completely dismal, but I think you don’t play this very often.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Nahiri's Binding image 4.0 This is basically arrest – it is a little harder to cast, but it can also go after planeswalkers. That upside won’t come up much, but that’s fine – having an Enchantment removal spell that can shut down just about everything about a creature is great. As awesome as Pacifism always is, it can sometimes be really frustrating that you can’t take away a powerful activated ability with it, and Binding does that!
Subtle Strike image 2.5 Because you can both weaken a creature and make yours bigger, it has two-for-one potential, and that can’t be overlooked. That situation won’t always be how it works out -- but sometimes, you’ll be able to kill an X/1 and pump your creature to win combat against something else, and it is great that the boost is permanent. Even if that doesn’t line up, the flexibility of this card does usually mean it will help your creatures win combat one way or another.
Smite the Monstrous image 2.0 We see this a lot. It is always an ok removal spell. It is conditional, but at least it is an instant, and it can kill some big stuff.
Spare Supplies image 1.0 Two mana to draw a card, and 4 to draw two over the course of a couple of turns is..a thing? But in a set without artifact or sacrifice payoffs, I don’t see this making the cut most of the time.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Goma Fada Vanguard
Bloodchief's Thirst image 4.0 This is premium removal. One mana to kill things that are two mana or less would be a fine card, and this is hage huge upside. This can kill anything in the later part of the game, and that’s usually what you want anyway in the later part. Sometimes you have a 4-mana Sorcery speed spell that kills something and your opponent plays a cheap creature you desperately want to kill, and it doesn’t feel so good -- Bloodchief’s Thirst gives you the best of both worlds.
Allied Assault image 1.5 My main problem with tricks like this is that they are so situational and risky, so I need some efficiency or big upside to ever get excited about this one. Allied Assault does one of the things that gets me pretty interested in tricks – it can get you a 2-for-1. A trick that pumps two separate creatures interest me, at least initially. It does require a bit of set up to really be potent though, which makes it even more situational, which makes the 2-for-1 potential a little less impressive.
Goma Fada Vanguard image 3.5 These creatures who make stuff unable to block always play really well in Limited, because they can have a drastic impact on combat, making it so that creatures who didn’t have good attacks previously can now attack. Now, the best versions of this we see generally have Haste, and don’t ask us to jump through hoops -- but they also generally aren’t so cheap and don’t have such reasonable stats.
Utility Knife image 1.0 Even with an Equipment deck in this format, Utility Knife isn’t really worth it. It gives an okay boost to start with, but the equip cost after that is just exorbitant.
Skyclave Squid image 1.5 So, a two mana 3/2 – even if it could attack all the time – isn’t actually super incredible in Limited. Don’t get me wrong, that’s obviously better than a 2-mana 2/2 – but in this day and age a vanilla grizzly bear just isn’t good. Adding one power is better, but it isn’t so efficient that it doesn’t still die to pretty much all the two drops in combat.
Nimana Skydancer image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying and Flash is already a reasonable card, but this is also a Rogue that mills your opponent, and that’s something that the UB decks are pretty interested in.
Drana's Silencer image 1.0 This doesn’t line up well very often, and just tends to be expensive and not have much of an impact.
Nissa's Zendikon image 1.0 These types of Auras always underperform. It seems like it would be really efficient to put this on a land, but it doesn’t generally pan out that way. The land does come back, which in a roundabout way can help you trigger landfall, but this just asks for too much effort.
Malakir Blood-Priest image 3.0 This is a key common for party decks, as draining 2+ life with it is pretty easy to do in those decks, even just play it on curve.
Angelheart Protector image 2.0 Decent stats and a decent ETB trigger here. It won’t always do something -- but I think more often than not, it will give you an attack you didn’t have before you played the Protector. That, plus okayish stats make this a fine inclusion in White decks.
Canopy Baloth image 2.5 This has decent starting stats and attacks pretty hard when you trigger landfall. It is a solid Common.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Pyroclastic Hellion image 2.5 This seems solid enough. Returning a land is a may clause here, so you only need to do it when you really want those 2 damage, or if returning a land otherwise benefits you.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Kitesail Cleric
Kitesail Cleric image 3.0 I like one mana 1/1 flyers who have some late game utility. They can do damage early if that’s what you need, and then in the late game have an effect that will have a larger impact. For the Cleric, that involves Kicking it, at which point it becomes a 4-mana 1/1 Flyer that taps down two opposing creatures.
Relic Vial image 3.0 This is a great Cleric payoff, as it makes it very difficult for your opponent to race you. If you attack with a board full of clerics, this creates a nightmare situation. There are plenty of payoffs in this set for gaining life, and that’s what really puts the Vial over the edge.
Song-Mad Treachery image 2.5 So, Threaten effects are super situational, and this one is wayyy overcosted. Stealing one of your opponent’s guys for a turn just doesn’t matter in scenarios where you aren’t either killing your opponent, setting them up to be killed on the next turn, or sacrificing the creature you steal. If this was just straight up the spell half of the card, I think this would be an F. But luckily for Song-Mad Treachery -- it has another side, that is a land. This is roughly equivalent to having an overcosted Threaten effect in your deck with Cycling, and that always makes something like this more bearable.
Tajuru Blightblade image 2.5 We see this card in lots of sets, and it is always fine. It can trade for anything, giving it relevance all game long, but it is never particularly impactful.
Inordinate Rage image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll run it in super aggressive decks but not anywhere else.
Adventure Awaits image 1.0 We see a Green card like this in most sets, and they are always kind of meh. They give you some nice card selection, and it is also kind of nice that if you wiff on a creature, you still get a card out of it. Whiffing on a creature is unlikely in most limited decks, but it DOES happen sometimes, so having protection from this doing absolutely nothing is nice. That said, this type of card, especially at two mana, generally feels like it is easy to cut in most decks.
Kor Celebrant image 3.0 This has nice defensive stats, and it is one of the key Commons for the BW Cleric deck. It provides you with a repeatable source of life gain, which triggers all sorts of powerful cards. Even outside of that deck, this is serviceable as a defensive creature.
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Subtle Strike image 2.5 Because you can both weaken a creature and make yours bigger, it has two-for-one potential, and that can’t be overlooked. That situation won’t always be how it works out -- but sometimes, you’ll be able to kill an X/1 and pump your creature to win combat against something else, and it is great that the boost is permanent. Even if that doesn’t line up, the flexibility of this card does usually mean it will help your creatures win combat one way or another.
Seafloor Stalker image 2.5 A 3-mana ⅔ isn’t good, and paying 4 to make it unblockable and give it a power boost does mean it stays relevant in the late game. And obviously you can end up paying even less -- paying 3 or 2 for the boost is much better, and obviously turning this into Blue firebreathing with a full party is kind of funny. This isn’t a bad way to close out games in this format.
Scavenged Blade image 2.0 Two mana to give something +2/+0 isn’t an awesome rate, but you can kind of think of it as an Aura that sticks around to be used elsewhere in the later part of the game. Then, you factor in the fact that Equipment is a pretty big theme in this set in Red – and especially in Red/White, and this definitely is a card that will make the cut in your deck a decent chunk of the time.
Feed the Swarm image 3.5 Look, a Black card that can hit Enchantments! That’s pretty weird. Anyway, this is a good removal spell. It is cheap and kills two permanent types, no questions asked. Now, the damage it does to you certainly matters -- but if you are paying two mana to blow up their 5 drop, paying 5 life for that is a reasonable cost most of the time. Now, playing more than one of these can be a little risky – you only have so much life after all, but value the first copy pretty highly.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Attended Healer
Attended Healer image 3.5 This is a powerful life gain AND cleric payoff. Getting a cat token the first time you gain life each turn is nice, especially because the Healer can make sure you are gaining that life, provided there are some other Clerics lying around. The activated ability isn’t exactly cheap, so I think that for the Healer to really shine, you are hoping to have some other ways to trigger the life gain clause. The good news is that is very doable in this format.
Paired Tactician image 3.0 His seems like a nice, if not incredible Warrior payoff. The Tactician will often still find itself to be vulnerable to an easy trade on its first attack even in situations where it attacks with a friend, as a 4/3 attacking on turn 4 isn’t exactly game-breaking -- but it can definitely snowball if you can support it.
Tangled Florahedron image 3.5 This double-faced creature-land is kind of funny, because no matter which side you pick, it gives you mana! Most of the cards in this cycle give you something that can at least be a little more impactful in the late game -- though most of them are also more situational than this -- so it is probably a wash. Basically, you’ll play this as a creature if you already played a land on turn and you want to ramp, and you’ll play it as a land if you really need one of those. This might not feel quite as good to draw late as the other card sin the cycle, but the fact remains that in the late game, this is a land that you can draw and still have it actually add to the board.
Living Tempest image 2.5 This is a functional reprint of cards like Stormrider Spirit and Wind Strider -- and those cards were probably slightly better, because both of them had creature types that had a tribal archetype in those formats, and Living Tempest does not. That said, it is still pretty decent. Flash has serious upside for any deck looking to cast expensive instants or hold up activated abilities, and even if you don’t have that stuff going on, this is large enough that it can flash in and gobble up a 2/2 or something like that, and then threaten the opponent in the air. It isn’t a special card or anything -- it is a solid playable.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Sneaking Guide image 1.5 There are definitely some sweet creatures you can make unblockable with this, and maybe if you get some of those it will be worth it. But you cut this a lot.
Kabira Outrider image 2.0 Those Hill Giant stats aren’t pretty, and that ETB isn’t super impressive either, though it can often enable an attack you just didn’t have before. But the Party upside here is nice, if you can get +2/+2 out of the trigger you end up with a much nicer card, and obviously, there’s a chance you can go even bigger. I think this is decent enough for White decks to play the first copy most of the time.
Tajuru Snarecaster image 1.5 We see this card in lots of sets -- it is just usually a Spider. Like all those times, this is something you’ll play in your Green decks because you tend to not have great ways of dealing with flyers, but it won’t even always make the cut.
Scorch Rider image 2.0 So, a 4-man 4/3 is generally a C- these days. It is reasonable stats to be sure, but not anything special either. The Kicker here isn’t super exciting either, as a 6-mana 4/3 with Haste is not especially good -- BUT that’s not really the way to look at cards with Kicker. If it has a reasonable base line, as this does -- the fact it can have Haste later in the game is just upside.
Nimana Skydancer image 2.5 A 3-mana 2/1 with Flying and Flash is already a reasonable card, but this is also a Rogue that mills your opponent, and that’s something that the UB decks are pretty interested in.
Resolute Strike image 1.5 One mana for +2/+2 is a pretty reasonable trick even if it has nothing else going on. It will usually make your creature win combat, and it will do it cheaply. The additional Warrior and Equipment upside here is nice, and any time you can Equip a creature for free with this you’re going to feel really great.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Fireblade Charger
Fireblade Charger image 3.5 Woo boy, talk about an Equipment payoff! So, a one mana 1/1 that does 1 damage to something when it dies is passable. It provides a nice little creature that can trade up for X/2s, and really make your opponent rethinking attacking or blocking when they have a couple of X/1s. But this will get absolutely insane with equipment – or combat tricks for that matter. It is going to be doing 3+ damage with regularity in this format – there’s enough good Equipment around for that to be the case, and that means it will have Haste reasonably often too. Basically, it is good on turn one – and if you get in the late game and can give it some Equipment, it is going to be great.
Inordinate Rage image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll run it in super aggressive decks but not anywhere else.
Akoum Hellhound image 1.5 This is going to be decent in really aggressive decks in this format, since it will usually attack on turn two as a ⅔ with no problem. But it isn’t going to be easy to trigger landfall multiple times a turn in this format, and that means that the Hellhound is going to become irrelevant somewhere around turn three in most cases. That means that less aggressive decks won’t want it at all, and even in the aggro decks it isn’t going to be incredible.
Oblivion's Hunger image 1.0 This doesn’t even seem to be worth it in +1/+1 counter decks, as it is still too situational.
Spare Supplies image 1.0 Two mana to draw a card, and 4 to draw two over the course of a couple of turns is..a thing? But in a set without artifact or sacrifice payoffs, I don’t see this making the cut most of the time.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This seems like it can target enough things that it is a reasonable main deck inclusion, though if you are playing Best of 3, you would probably much rather bring it in out of the sideboard.
Seafloor Stalker image 2.5 A 3-mana ⅔ isn’t good, and paying 4 to make it unblockable and give it a power boost does mean it stays relevant in the late game. And obviously you can end up paying even less -- paying 3 or 2 for the boost is much better, and obviously turning this into Blue firebreathing with a full party is kind of funny. This isn’t a bad way to close out games in this format.
Kor Celebrant image 3.0 This has nice defensive stats, and it is one of the key Commons for the BW Cleric deck. It provides you with a repeatable source of life gain, which triggers all sorts of powerful cards. Even outside of that deck, this is serviceable as a defensive creature.
Dauntless Survivor image 2.5 We have seen this card a lot, and it is always solid. At worst, it is a two mana 2/2 -- and it has the upside of being able to make some other more relevant creature get a +1/+1 counter in the later part of the game. The BG deck in this format also has +1/+1 counter synergies, AND it has a creature type relevant for partying, so it will be a nice two drop in multiple decks in this format.
Molten Blast image 1.5 3-mana to do two damage at instant speed is not so good – I mean, it is removal, but it is not efficient – you’ll basically always be trading down with it. But the modality here really matters. This set has plenty of good artifacts – not like, a million of them or anything – but enough that this will be blowing up artifacts on occasion too, and being able to have that in your main deck is real upside.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Kor Celebrant
Skyclave Shadowcat image 3.0 It starts out as a Hill Giant, but it can get larger, while also potentially drawing you extra cards, especially in the BG deck which is all about counters. Note, by the way, that you can sacrifice the creature at any time for the Shadowcat -- lately I feel like we’ve seen a lot of “you can only do this as a sorcery” on cards like this, but that’s not here. Additionally, the cat does count itself, so provided it gets 1 counter on it -- which it can make happen on its own -- it will replace itself when it dies.
Drana's Silencer image 1.0 This doesn’t line up well very often, and just tends to be expensive and not have much of an impact.
Scale the Heights image 2.0 This does several little things, and they are generally enough for this to make the cut in your deck a significant chunk of the time, but they are also little enough that you won’t always play this.
Kor Celebrant image 3.0 This has nice defensive stats, and it is one of the key Commons for the BW Cleric deck. It provides you with a repeatable source of life gain, which triggers all sorts of powerful cards. Even outside of that deck, this is serviceable as a defensive creature.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Highborn Vampire image 1.5 So yeah, this is a vanilla creature, who comes with some upside because he has a creature type that fits into a “party.” A 4-mana 4/3 isn’t the worst rate for Limited, and I think the Warrior upside does enough to make this a card you’ll play a little more than you won’t.
Tazeem Roilmage image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is a D+ at best these days, we just expect better stats for a two mana investment. However, the kicker upside here is quite strong in the late game.
Makindi Ox image 1.5 This is too expensive for the aggro decks that might normally be interested in tapping something down, and not impactful enough for control deck, so you don’t play it very often.
Shell Shield image 2.5 Because of all the kicker payoffs in this format, Shell Shield really overperforms. It allows you to save your creatures fairly cheaply, and it can sometimes also work more as a combat trick.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Seafloor Stalker
Scavenged Blade image 2.0 Two mana to give something +2/+0 isn’t an awesome rate, but you can kind of think of it as an Aura that sticks around to be used elsewhere in the later part of the game. Then, you factor in the fact that Equipment is a pretty big theme in this set in Red – and especially in Red/White, and this definitely is a card that will make the cut in your deck a decent chunk of the time.
Guul Draz Mucklord image 2.0 This has reasonable stats, and it is nice it leaves a counter behind when it dies. Obviously, that isn’t quite worth a whole card, but trading with this and getting that counter of the deal won’t feel too bad.
Disenchant image 0.5 Look everyone, Disenchant is back! This format has a reasonable number of Enchantments and Artifacts, but probably not enough that you feel ok about mainboarding this. This is a sideboard card, and if you are playing it in your deck, you are probably pretty desperate.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This seems like it can target enough things that it is a reasonable main deck inclusion, though if you are playing Best of 3, you would probably much rather bring it in out of the sideboard.
Tormenting Voice image 1.5 As usual this is fine as the last card in your deck. It is probably a little less good in this set because of the DFC lands, and landfall, because the main thing it is nice for is to avoid flooding out – but flooding out is going to be harder than normal in this format. This is a little appealing in the UR deck because it gives you a spell trigger, but you’ll cut it more than you play it.
Seafloor Stalker image 2.5 A 3-mana ⅔ isn’t good, and paying 4 to make it unblockable and give it a power boost does mean it stays relevant in the late game. And obviously you can end up paying even less -- paying 3 or 2 for the boost is much better, and obviously turning this into Blue firebreathing with a full party is kind of funny. This isn’t a bad way to close out games in this format.
Mesa Lynx image 1.5 This is a 2-mana 2/1 as an attacker, and a two-mana ⅔ as a blocker. In this day and age, even a vanilla two-mana ⅔ would probably not be much more than a C, so a card that is only one half of the time is considerably worse. I would actually prefer it was a ⅔ during your turn than the other way around, since White is more often than not a color that wants to be attacking well early.
Kazandu Nectarpot image 1.5 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Molten Blast
Roiling Regrowth image 2.0 This is a strictly worse Harrow -- but Harrow is a pretty nice card, so that’s an ok place to be. Roiling Regrowth gives you fixing, even potentially enabling you to splash a card with double-colored mana, and that is pretty nice. In addition to that, as you might have heard, this set has a bunch of landfall, and triggering landfall twice at instant speed is pretty powerful.
Nissa's Zendikon image 1.0 These types of Auras always underperform. It seems like it would be really efficient to put this on a land, but it doesn’t generally pan out that way. The land does come back, which in a roundabout way can help you trigger landfall, but this just asks for too much effort.
Dreadwurm image 2.0 This will be indestructible sometimes, and that’s nice – but it will often also just be a 5-mana 5/4, and that’s not so nice.
Hagra Constrictor image 2.5 On its own, the Constrictor is a 3-mana 2/2 with Menace. However, this set has enough +1/+1 stuff going on, with BG as the +1/+1 counter deck this time going around, that the Constrictor will often immediately impact the board, making one of your other creatures much more difficult to block effectively.
Glacial Grasp image 2.0 So, on a base level, this is Divination, a card that is a decent playable in most Limited formats -- somewhere between a C- and a C. But, this becomes more powerful in the late game, drawing you three cards if you have the spare mana around to do it. Now, 6-mana at Sorcery speed to draw 3 cards is pretty clunky, but it is attached to what is already a reasonable card, which means being able to cast it with Kicker is all upside.
Molten Blast image 1.5 3-mana to do two damage at instant speed is not so good – I mean, it is removal, but it is not efficient – you’ll basically always be trading down with it. But the modality here really matters. This set has plenty of good artifacts – not like, a million of them or anything – but enough that this will be blowing up artifacts on occasion too, and being able to have that in your main deck is real upside.
Scale the Heights image 2.0 This does several little things, and they are generally enough for this to make the cut in your deck a significant chunk of the time, but they are also little enough that you won’t always play this.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Spitfire Lagac
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Pressure Point image 0.5 We have seen this before, and it was not very impressive. Tapping a creature is sometimes a useful effect, but it is very rarely worth a whole card, and it is quite situational. Adding a cantrip does keep this from being completely dismal, but I think you don’t play this very often.
Kazandu Stomper image 2.0 This is a surprisingly decent card for stalling if you’re in a controlling deck, as the statline and the life help make you harder to kill.
Smite the Monstrous image 2.0 We see this a lot. It is always an ok removal spell. It is conditional, but at least it is an instant, and it can kill some big stuff.
Spare Supplies image 1.0 Two mana to draw a card, and 4 to draw two over the course of a couple of turns is..a thing? But in a set without artifact or sacrifice payoffs, I don’t see this making the cut most of the time.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Spitfire Lagac
Utility Knife image 1.0 Even with an Equipment deck in this format, Utility Knife isn’t really worth it. It gives an okay boost to start with, but the equip cost after that is just exorbitant.
Skyclave Squid image 1.5 So, a two mana 3/2 – even if it could attack all the time – isn’t actually super incredible in Limited. Don’t get me wrong, that’s obviously better than a 2-mana 2/2 – but in this day and age a vanilla grizzly bear just isn’t good. Adding one power is better, but it isn’t so efficient that it doesn’t still die to pretty much all the two drops in combat.
Drana's Silencer image 1.0 This doesn’t line up well very often, and just tends to be expensive and not have much of an impact.
Nissa's Zendikon image 1.0 These types of Auras always underperform. It seems like it would be really efficient to put this on a land, but it doesn’t generally pan out that way. The land does come back, which in a roundabout way can help you trigger landfall, but this just asks for too much effort.
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Scavenged Blade
Inordinate Rage image 1.5 This is an alright trick. You’ll run it in super aggressive decks but not anywhere else.
Adventure Awaits image 1.0 We see a Green card like this in most sets, and they are always kind of meh. They give you some nice card selection, and it is also kind of nice that if you wiff on a creature, you still get a card out of it. Whiffing on a creature is unlikely in most limited decks, but it DOES happen sometimes, so having protection from this doing absolutely nothing is nice. That said, this type of card, especially at two mana, generally feels like it is easy to cut in most decks.
Cleansing Wildfire image 1.0 Two mana land destruction, with a cantrip! That would be super crazy if it didn’t also let your opponent replace the land that they lose. Now, that mostly means that, in terms of destroying opposing lands, it will mostly only be worth it if your opponent has powerful non-basics, and while there are some of those in this format, there aren’t enough for this to be used that way very often. In those situations, it is mostly just a cantrip. However, it is kind of a modal card. You can use it to destroy one of your own land to search up a basic land you might need -- like if you’re splashing. That isn’t amazing, but it does give Red decks a way to fix, and tacking a cantrip on to it makes it a little less painful. It can also trigger landfall, but the whole thing is just too situational.
Scavenged Blade image 2.0 Two mana to give something +2/+0 isn’t an awesome rate, but you can kind of think of it as an Aura that sticks around to be used elsewhere in the later part of the game. Then, you factor in the fact that Equipment is a pretty big theme in this set in Red – and especially in Red/White, and this definitely is a card that will make the cut in your deck a decent chunk of the time.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Spitfire Lagac
Spitfire Lagac image 1.5 This has underwhelming stats and unimpressive landfall trigger. You’ll play it less than you’ll cut it.
Sneaking Guide image 1.5 There are definitely some sweet creatures you can make unblockable with this, and maybe if you get some of those it will be worth it. But you cut this a lot.
Tajuru Snarecaster image 1.5 We see this card in lots of sets -- it is just usually a Spider. Like all those times, this is something you’ll play in your Green decks because you tend to not have great ways of dealing with flyers, but it won’t even always make the cut.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Spare Supplies
Spare Supplies image 1.0 Two mana to draw a card, and 4 to draw two over the course of a couple of turns is..a thing? But in a set without artifact or sacrifice payoffs, I don’t see this making the cut most of the time.
Broken Wings image 1.5 This seems like it can target enough things that it is a reasonable main deck inclusion, though if you are playing Best of 3, you would probably much rather bring it in out of the sideboard.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Highborn Vampire
Highborn Vampire image 1.5 So yeah, this is a vanilla creature, who comes with some upside because he has a creature type that fits into a “party.” A 4-mana 4/3 isn’t the worst rate for Limited, and I think the Warrior upside does enough to make this a card you’ll play a little more than you won’t.
Draft Pick Overview