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Premier Draft SNC 11 May 2022

11 May 02:25 - guythatplaysbass 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (17)
1 Body Launderer image
1 Aven Heartstabber image
1 Girder Goons image
2 Mayhem Patrol image
1 Cutthroat Contender image
1 Wrecking Crew image
1 Sanguine Spy image
1 Cormela, Glamour Thief image
1 Night Clubber image
1 Sizzling Soloist image
1 Psychic Pickpocket image
1 Forge Boss image
1 Midnight Assassin image
1 Crooked Custodian image
1 Riveteers Requisitioner image
1 Corpse Appraiser image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
2 Strangle image
1 Quick-Draw Dagger image
1 Case the Joint image
2 Murder image
1 Torch Breath image
1 Deal Gone Bad image
1 Dig Up the Body image
Land (17)
1 Tramway Station image
1 Riveteers Overlook image
1 Maestros Theater image
3 Island image
6 Swamp image
5 Mountain image
Sideboard
1 Cutthroat Contender image
3 Wrecking Crew image
1 Midnight Assassin image
1 Masked Bandits image
1 Revel Ruiner image
1 Jetmir, Nexus of Revels image
2 Halo Scarab image
1 Cabaretti Initiate image
2 Case the Joint image
1 Extract the Truth image
1 Involuntary Employment image
1 Witness Protection image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Body Launderer
Body Launderer image 4.5 This looks quite good. Obviously a 4-mana 3/3 with deathtouch can trade for anything, and that’s especially nice because it will also usually reanimate a small creature from your graveyard when it dies. The Connive upside here is pretty real too, as the bigger it gets, the easier it will be to reanimate something, and obviously you can discard the thing you want to reanimate when you DO connive.
Riveteers Decoy image 3.0 A two mana 3/1 with decent upside is basically always playable, and this comes with two! First, it has to be blocked, which means it can create problems for your opponent in combat. Second, it has Blitz, which means it can come out of nowhere and force your opponent to block it instead of something they want to block more, and sometimes it will feel a bit like a removal spell.
Out of the Way image 3.0 Even without the Green discount, Out of the Way would be a pretty solid card. 4 to bounce a nonland permanent and draw a card is a card we’ve seen several times and its always nice. It might be a bit harder to get a tempo advantage when paying 4 for a bounce, but the fact it replaces itself makes up for that, and the times where this only costs two it will feel completely absurd. And the good news is that lots of opponents will have Green permanents in a set that is so focused on three color shards.
Involuntary Employment image 1.0 // 3.5 This looks really well positioned in this format. Usually, Threaten effects aren’t something you’re that into, because they only have a temporary effect on the board that your opponent can often just ignore. They basically only do something if they let you do lethal the turn you cast it. However, in formats where there is a sacrifice theme, Threaten effects get a big upgrade, and that’s certainly the case here. The Maestros have a Sacrifice mechanic as their thing, and Black-Red in particular is very into sacrificing stuff. Once you have that going on, you can steal a thing, attack your opponent with it, and then sacrifice it for value, and that can be utterly backbreaking. This does cost 4 upfront, which is a bit steep – but it gives you a treasure back, which should help you do whatever you need to to sacrifice the creature that you steal. So yeah, this is definitely a build around – it is a 1.0 in your typical Red deck, but its probably at least a 3.5 in Cabaretti and Black-Red, and I wouldn’t be super surprised to see it overperform here. The fact they put this effect at Uncommon kind of tells me they knew it would be a little too good at Common, where we often see this type of card.
Expendable Lackey image 2.5 True to his name, this Lackey is a pretty nice creature to sacrifice to a card with Casualty, since he can then make a Fish token from the graveyard – which you can also sacrifice. He also works well with Connive, because you still get value out of discarding him. They’ve been making a lot of one drops lately that overlap into multiple decks, and I think that’s what this is. This doesn’t exactly feel like the premium card you want to really abuse those two mechanics, but it does seem pretty decent there.
Inspiring Overseer image 4.0 This is a pretty incredible Common. It gives you a passable flying body while replacing itself and even gaining you a life! We saw a Blue version of this once without the life gain and it was really good – and we’ve seen a non-flying version of this card in the recent past that was also quite good. That trend will continue here. This is probably just White’s best Common.
Ready to Rumble image 2.5 No matter which mode you choose, you aren’t getting a great deal for the mana, but hey – 5 damage does kill most stuff! Just… paying 5 to kill something that costs a lot less is pretty rough. You probably play one copy of this in most Red decks though, as it gives you some removal that does the job and comes with some artifact-hate upside.
Paragon of Modernity image 2.0 This looks solid. It starts out as an inefficient creature, but most decks will be three colors in this format, so putting counters on this as a mana sink in the mid to late game seems like a legitimate strategy. If your deck doesn’t have good enough fixing to consistently get three colors this is much worse, but I think most decks will be able to do it, so it isn’t a build around or anything.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Jewel Thief image 3.5 This is an excellent Common. A 3-mana 3/3 with Vigilance and Trample is probably close to a C+, and adding treasure to the mix is a pretty big deal – not only does it ramp and fix for you – there is also treasure synergy throughout the set.
Join the Maestros image 2.5 This seems like a solid Common. Without Casualty it is pretty ugly, but if you have some decent fodder to sacrifice, getting two 4/3 bodies is pretty good for the cost.
Celestial Regulator image 3.0 I always love Frost Lynx type creatures because of the amazing tempo they generate by freezing something down while you add to the board. Now, freezing something down takes a little bit of setup with the Regulator, but if yo’ure in Blue White you’ll have access to lots of +1/+1 and Shield counters, so I think this will do its thing a big chunk of the time – and on top of that it has efficient flying stats.
Tramway Station image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Aven Heartstabber
Aven Heartstabber image 4.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana. This looks pretty good. Its no Baleful Strix, but a two mana 1/1 flyer that loads your graveyard and gives you a card when it dies is pretty nice. And, if you get the requisite number of mana values in your graveyard, it becomes a pretty imposing aerial attacker that can trade with anything thanks to deathtouch
Voice of the Vermin image 3.5 The stat-line is ugly, like on many cards with Shield counters, but that’s cause those counters are really good! And its bad stats also don’t matter as much when it attacks, because it can make itself into a 4/4, and a 4/4 with a shield counter for four is pretty nasty. Obviously, making another creature into a 4/4 is an option too!
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Cabaretti Charm image 3.5 This might be the least exciting of the Charms in this set, but its pretty good. It is a little worse than the others because all three of its modes are kind of situational, and there isn’t really one that is going to feel good as the fall back plan. However, situations where one of those modes are useful will come up often enough that I still like it. If you can kill your opponent or a planeswalker with the first mode, obviously you choose that. +1/+1 and trample to the whole board will be nice if you’re going wide, and sometimes it can basically function as a removal spell. And, paying three mana for two 1/1 tokens is also fine. The Cabaretti are into going wide, and it is nice that this can enable that and pay you off for that.
Body Dropper image 3.5 This is a pretty nice payoff for Sacrificing stuff, which is going to be very doable in Black-Red in this format as a result of both Alliance and Blitz, and it of course comes with its own way to sacrifice things and gain Menace. This seems like it could become a real problem for your opponent in many Black-Red decks!
Skybridge Towers image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Capenna Express image 2.0 A 4-mana 6/6 vehicle with Crew 3 is generally not something you end up playing, but the upside of crewing this with Treasure is very real, as Green – and especially Red-Green, looks like it will be pretty good at generating treasure.
Antagonize image 2.0 That’s a pretty nice boost for the cost – enough of one that it will make most creatures survive combat and take down whatever is blocking it. +4 is enough that this can let you sneak in lethal sometimes too. I think you’ll feel pretty good about the first one of these in most of your aggressive Red decks. It is still a trick of course, and comes with the inherent downsides they always have: they are situational and risky. But as far as tricks go, this is pretty good quality.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Majestic Metamorphosis image 2.0 As we learned in Kamigawa Neon Dynasty, slapping “draw a card” on this type of spell is a big upgrade. Just temporary altering your creature’s stats is a bit too narrow of a use to be something you want to use a card on all the time, but this makes up for that with the cantrip. The times where you use this as a trick that wrecks your opponent is pretty sweet. It probably won’t be quite as good as Suit Up was, since Ninjutsu made for an interesting environment in terms of how opponents would block, but this definitely seems solid.
Expendable Lackey image 2.5 True to his name, this Lackey is a pretty nice creature to sacrifice to a card with Casualty, since he can then make a Fish token from the graveyard – which you can also sacrifice. He also works well with Connive, because you still get value out of discarding him. They’ve been making a lot of one drops lately that overlap into multiple decks, and I think that’s what this is. This doesn’t exactly feel like the premium card you want to really abuse those two mechanics, but it does seem pretty decent there.
Dig Up the Body image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky version of this effect – three mana to get one thing back is not especially good, even with the mill thrown in. Basically, for this to feel like its worth it, you’ll need to be doubling the spell, and that’s easy enough since it only needs one power, but I still think this is the kind of card you’re really only going to want one of in Black decks. You really don’t want this showing up in your opening hand, you want it late.
Pack 1 Pick 3: Girder Goons
Riveteers Charm image 3.5 You’re mostly going to want to choose the first mode on this one – and that’s fine, because its pretty good! Most of the time your opponent’s best creature will be the one that they are forced to sacrifice, and its great that if you’re in a situation where that mode doesn’t do enough, you can choose the second mode. Casting this at the end of your opponents turn in the later game will often basically just draw you three cards. In the earlier game that mode isn’t great, though. Exiling graveyards not as big of a deal, but its upside on a card with two pretty nice modes.
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Exhibition Magician image 3.0 This is a good Common. A three mana 2/1 that makes a 1/1 – in a color that has lots of pay offs for going wide – is a pretty nice card – probably a C+. So, also having the Treasure option is nice upside – sometimes you’ll want it to help you ramp, and sometimes you’ll be in a deck that cares about Treasure than it does going wide, especially if you’re in Red/Green.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Make Disappear image 1.5 Without Casualty, this kind of counter spell isn't great, since your opponent is likely to have the spare mana the longer the game goes on. With casualty…I still don't think it is great, but obviously it will allow you to counter more spells more often.
High-Rise Sawjack image 2.0 We’ve seen this card in Spider-form before, and it was fine. 4 power is enough to take down most flyers and it is a nice thing to trade for those types of creatures.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Girder Goons image 2.5 Neither mode with this is great, but both are fine. A 5-mana 4/4 that leaves behind a 2/2 can definitely generate a 2-for-1, and if you Blitz this you not only get to draw a card when it dies, you also add to the board.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Strangle
Evolving Door image 1.0 This is pretty interesting, but my feeling is that it probably isn’t very good in Limited. You have to sacrifice a creature and then also have the mana to play whatever you search up, and that’s doable, but you’re basically giving something up on the board and paying one extra mana for some creature in your deck. There will also be times where the color of your creatures just doesn’t line up the right way to get you what you want. Though, sacrificing a mono-colored creature to get a two-colored creature or a two-colored creature to get a three-colored one seems like it will happen pretty often. But yeah, unless you have plenty of sacrifice fodder, I’m not a big believer in this.
Slip Out the Back image 1.0 This doesn’t seem great to me. Sure, it can save your creature and it gets a permanent buff, but good effects like this can actually allow you to take down the creature that you’re blocking. That’s part of what made Tamiyo’s Safekeeping so good – it had an effect that was good against removal, but it could also make your creature win combat when it would have been a trade. And…you can’t do that with Phasing. Basically, this can only save your creature and buff it – and that’s not really worth a card. It is just too narrow.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Dapper Shieldmate image 2.5 If you take the shield counter out of the equation here, this card would be a 1.0. A 4-mana 2/2 that’s only a 4/2 on your turn just isn’t good. However, the shield counter definitely matters here. Your opponent is going to have to give up something in most cases just to get rid of the counter. And sure, they could just chump it with a token or something, but they still have to put in some work, and they can’t just ignore this since it can hit for 4 damage at a time.
Strangle image 4.0 This is a strictly worse Lightning Bolt – since it is a Sorcery and can’t hit players – but it is still incredible value for only a single Red mana, and its certainly premium removal. You’ll trade up with this a ton.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Witness Protection image 1.5 I have a hard time ever getting behind this type of removal. The big problem is that you aren’t entirely dealing with the creature you put it on! It can still attack and block, and +1/+1 and shield counters are a problem too, as is the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice effects. You’ll play this if you’re desperate for removal, but that’s about it.
Sewer Crocodile image 1.5 // 2.5 If you can get the ability on this down to a single Blue, it represent a pretty reasonable win condition, since you can crack in with your unblockable Crocodile and still have plenty of mana left over to add to the board too. That’s usually the problem with this big inefficient creatures who ask for a lot of mana to become unblockable – you can’t really do more than use the ability, but with the Crocodile, sometimes you’ll be able to get it going pretty cheaply. In a Blue deck that isn’t good at loading the graveyard you probably don’t end up playing this – so this probably deserves a build around.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Pack 1 Pick 5: Strangle
Riveteers Charm image 3.5 You’re mostly going to want to choose the first mode on this one – and that’s fine, because its pretty good! Most of the time your opponent’s best creature will be the one that they are forced to sacrifice, and its great that if you’re in a situation where that mode doesn’t do enough, you can choose the second mode. Casting this at the end of your opponents turn in the later game will often basically just draw you three cards. In the earlier game that mode isn’t great, though. Exiling graveyards not as big of a deal, but its upside on a card with two pretty nice modes.
Strangle image 4.0 This is a strictly worse Lightning Bolt – since it is a Sorcery and can’t hit players – but it is still incredible value for only a single Red mana, and its certainly premium removal. You’ll trade up with this a ton.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Civic Gardener image 1.5 This type of effect is often not especially impactful. Sure, it sort of has Vigilance, and can lend it to other creatures, and help you have more mana in your second main phase, but all of those things are just not a big deal most of the time. And it isn’t like it can really attack and make use of that trigger for very long.
Goldhound image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. A one mana 1/1 with Menace and First Strike is kind of a pain to interact with early, and it’s a great place to put counters and stuff. Then, once it becomes irrelevant, it can also just ramp and fix for you. This provides a lot for only one Red mana.
High-Rise Sawjack image 2.0 We’ve seen this card in Spider-form before, and it was fine. 4 power is enough to take down most flyers and it is a nice thing to trade for those types of creatures.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Botanical Plaza image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Pack 1 Pick 6: Mayhem Patrol
Suspicious Bookcase image 1.5 This is a reprint, and a pretty uninteresting one! It wasn’t particularly good last time we saw it, but it wasn’t a disaster either. It has okayish defensive stats and can send things in unblocked late. You’ll play it in some more controlling decks.
Mayhem Patrol image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. On its own, it is basically a two mana 2/2 with Menace, but the fact it can lend that power boost to other creatures is pretty nice, and the Blitz upside is fine too. It won’t generally be too long before it can’t attack any more, so just Blitzing it when you draw it in that situation is nice.
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Witness Protection image 1.5 I have a hard time ever getting behind this type of removal. The big problem is that you aren’t entirely dealing with the creature you put it on! It can still attack and block, and +1/+1 and shield counters are a problem too, as is the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice effects. You’ll play this if you’re desperate for removal, but that’s about it.
Exhibition Magician image 3.0 This is a good Common. A three mana 2/1 that makes a 1/1 – in a color that has lots of pay offs for going wide – is a pretty nice card – probably a C+. So, also having the Treasure option is nice upside – sometimes you’ll want it to help you ramp, and sometimes you’ll be in a deck that cares about Treasure than it does going wide, especially if you’re in Red/Green.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Prizefight image 2.0 Cards that just fight and don’t offer a stats boost of any kind tend to be pretty medium. Buffing the creature makes it so that a wider variety of creatures can do something useful with them, and you just don’t get that here at all. It does combo interestingly with shield tokens, since it can enable you to fight with a shielded creature without losing it, and that does kind of expand the range of creatures that can fight with this and survive.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
Sewer Crocodile image 1.5 // 2.5 If you can get the ability on this down to a single Blue, it represent a pretty reasonable win condition, since you can crack in with your unblockable Crocodile and still have plenty of mana left over to add to the board too. That’s usually the problem with this big inefficient creatures who ask for a lot of mana to become unblockable – you can’t really do more than use the ability, but with the Crocodile, sometimes you’ll be able to get it going pretty cheaply. In a Blue deck that isn’t good at loading the graveyard you probably don’t end up playing this – so this probably deserves a build around.
Pack 1 Pick 7: Quick-Draw Dagger
Widespread Thieving image 1.0 // 3.5 So, the RG deck in this format is all about treasure, and that means it will be capable of running a lot of multicolored cards – so this will slot really well into that deck. That deck is happy to get a bunch of treasure, will play a lot of multicolored cards, and can more easily produce the necessary mana to get the Hideaway card. Most decks in the format will have a decent number of multicolored cards too – but this does feel like it needs a build around, as just getting a few treasure really won’t be enough to make this worthwhile, you need to be getting a lot and/or producing the mana you need to get the free card hidden away.
Riveteers Decoy image 3.0 A two mana 3/1 with decent upside is basically always playable, and this comes with two! First, it has to be blocked, which means it can create problems for your opponent in combat. Second, it has Blitz, which means it can come out of nowhere and force your opponent to block it instead of something they want to block more, and sometimes it will feel a bit like a removal spell.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Incriminate image 2.0 Black often has cards that let the opponent make a decision about something, and they pretty much always underperform, since there are too many situations where your opponent can minimize the damage. However, I think this might make your opponent make a narrow enough decision that it will be decent. Sure, you’ll have situations where your opponent hasl ike a 1/1 and some bomb creature and it isn’t going to feel too good in those scenarios – and I’m certainly not saying this is premium removal ro anything – but I do think there will be enough board states where this kills something you want dead for two mana. Don’t go into it thinking it is Doom Blade, and I think you’ll feel okay about what you’re getting.
Chrome Cat image 1.5 This is a 3-mana 3/2 with some tiny upside. Its probably something that won’t normally make the cut, but it isn’t a disaster to run either.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Ready to Rumble image 2.5 No matter which mode you choose, you aren’t getting a great deal for the mana, but hey – 5 damage does kill most stuff! Just… paying 5 to kill something that costs a lot less is pretty rough. You probably play one copy of this in most Red decks though, as it gives you some removal that does the job and comes with some artifact-hate upside.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Pack 1 Pick 8: Masked Bandits
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Antagonize image 2.0 That’s a pretty nice boost for the cost – enough of one that it will make most creatures survive combat and take down whatever is blocking it. +4 is enough that this can let you sneak in lethal sometimes too. I think you’ll feel pretty good about the first one of these in most of your aggressive Red decks. It is still a trick of course, and comes with the inherent downsides they always have: they are situational and risky. But as far as tricks go, this is pretty good quality.
Broken Wings image 1.5 As is usually the case with this card -- it will have enough targets that main decking it isn’t the worst thing in the world, though it is much safer to keep it in your sideboard.
Demon's Due image 2.5 This is a pretty solid draw spell. You see up to 4 cards, giving you a good chance to draw something you want, and paying 2 life for it is perfectly reasonable. It isn’t really the kind of thing you want to go after early, or that you want to run more than one of – after all, it has no impact on the board -- but it seems like the first copy is going to make the cut in your Black decks most of the time.
Botanical Plaza image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Masked Bandits image 2.5 A six-mana 5/5 is actually kind of reasonable, and this one comes with the upside of helping you fix your mana early.
Prizefight image 2.0 Cards that just fight and don’t offer a stats boost of any kind tend to be pretty medium. Buffing the creature makes it so that a wider variety of creatures can do something useful with them, and you just don’t get that here at all. It does combo interestingly with shield tokens, since it can enable you to fight with a shielded creature without losing it, and that does kind of expand the range of creatures that can fight with this and survive.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Tramway Station
Ready to Rumble image 2.5 No matter which mode you choose, you aren’t getting a great deal for the mana, but hey – 5 damage does kill most stuff! Just… paying 5 to kill something that costs a lot less is pretty rough. You probably play one copy of this in most Red decks though, as it gives you some removal that does the job and comes with some artifact-hate upside.
Paragon of Modernity image 2.0 This looks solid. It starts out as an inefficient creature, but most decks will be three colors in this format, so putting counters on this as a mana sink in the mid to late game seems like a legitimate strategy. If your deck doesn’t have good enough fixing to consistently get three colors this is much worse, but I think most decks will be able to do it, so it isn’t a build around or anything.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Join the Maestros image 2.5 This seems like a solid Common. Without Casualty it is pretty ugly, but if you have some decent fodder to sacrifice, getting two 4/3 bodies is pretty good for the cost.
Tramway Station image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Riveteers Overlook
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Cabaretti Charm image 3.5 This might be the least exciting of the Charms in this set, but its pretty good. It is a little worse than the others because all three of its modes are kind of situational, and there isn’t really one that is going to feel good as the fall back plan. However, situations where one of those modes are useful will come up often enough that I still like it. If you can kill your opponent or a planeswalker with the first mode, obviously you choose that. +1/+1 and trample to the whole board will be nice if you’re going wide, and sometimes it can basically function as a removal spell. And, paying three mana for two 1/1 tokens is also fine. The Cabaretti are into going wide, and it is nice that this can enable that and pay you off for that.
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Capenna Express image 2.0 A 4-mana 6/6 vehicle with Crew 3 is generally not something you end up playing, but the upside of crewing this with Treasure is very real, as Green – and especially Red-Green, looks like it will be pretty good at generating treasure.
Dig Up the Body image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky version of this effect – three mana to get one thing back is not especially good, even with the mill thrown in. Basically, for this to feel like its worth it, you’ll need to be doubling the spell, and that’s easy enough since it only needs one power, but I still think this is the kind of card you’re really only going to want one of in Black decks. You really don’t want this showing up in your opening hand, you want it late.
Pack 1 Pick 11: Cutthroat Contender
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
High-Rise Sawjack image 2.0 We’ve seen this card in Spider-form before, and it was fine. 4 power is enough to take down most flyers and it is a nice thing to trade for those types of creatures.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Case the Joint
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Sewer Crocodile image 1.5 // 2.5 If you can get the ability on this down to a single Blue, it represent a pretty reasonable win condition, since you can crack in with your unblockable Crocodile and still have plenty of mana left over to add to the board too. That’s usually the problem with this big inefficient creatures who ask for a lot of mana to become unblockable – you can’t really do more than use the ability, but with the Crocodile, sometimes you’ll be able to get it going pretty cheaply. In a Blue deck that isn’t good at loading the graveyard you probably don’t end up playing this – so this probably deserves a build around.
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Wrecking Crew
High-Rise Sawjack image 2.0 We’ve seen this card in Spider-form before, and it was fine. 4 power is enough to take down most flyers and it is a nice thing to trade for those types of creatures.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Pack 1 Pick 14: Extract the Truth
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Sanguine Spy
Sanguine Spy image 3.5 A three mana ⅔ with Menace and Lifelink is already about a 3.5, as you’re getting a lot for your investment. And you’re getting even more than that out of this, since it can give up creatures to let you Surveil 1, and the once you have enough going on in the graveyard, it can start drawing you cards. Getting 5 cards with different mana values in the graveyard is far from automatic, but it is impossible to pull off either.
Involuntary Employment image 1.0 // 3.5 This looks really well positioned in this format. Usually, Threaten effects aren’t something you’re that into, because they only have a temporary effect on the board that your opponent can often just ignore. They basically only do something if they let you do lethal the turn you cast it. However, in formats where there is a sacrifice theme, Threaten effects get a big upgrade, and that’s certainly the case here. The Maestros have a Sacrifice mechanic as their thing, and Black-Red in particular is very into sacrificing stuff. Once you have that going on, you can steal a thing, attack your opponent with it, and then sacrifice it for value, and that can be utterly backbreaking. This does cost 4 upfront, which is a bit steep – but it gives you a treasure back, which should help you do whatever you need to to sacrifice the creature that you steal. So yeah, this is definitely a build around – it is a 1.0 in your typical Red deck, but its probably at least a 3.5 in Cabaretti and Black-Red, and I wouldn’t be super surprised to see it overperform here. The fact they put this effect at Uncommon kind of tells me they knew it would be a little too good at Common, where we often see this type of card.
Grisly Sigil image 3.5 This has a really neat design for a card with casualty. Basically, without Casualty this can kill an X/1 and with Casualty it can kill an X/4, and that is a pretty amazing deal for the mana! The Casualty certainly takes some setup, but it feels like there are enough nice 1 power things to sacrifice to this that it won’t really feel like you’re paying that much extra for a super efficient removal spell.
Riveteers Decoy image 3.0 A two mana 3/1 with decent upside is basically always playable, and this comes with two! First, it has to be blocked, which means it can create problems for your opponent in combat. Second, it has Blitz, which means it can come out of nowhere and force your opponent to block it instead of something they want to block more, and sometimes it will feel a bit like a removal spell.
Rooftop Nuisance image 2.5 We usually see this effect as an Instant, and being a Sorcery instead is definitely a downgrade. If it is an instant, you get to stop two rounds of attacks and blocks when you cast it. As a Sorcery, you only stop one attack – though you still make your opponent unable to block with that creature for two turns, which is usually the best part about this card anyway. So, adding a very cheap Casualty option to the card is pretty appealing – locking down two creatures and drawing two cards for only three mana is pretty great, even if you lose a token. This is going to end up closing out a lot of games in this format.
Light 'Em Up image 3.0 Two mana to do 2 at Sorcery speed is usually a solid card, so having the Casualty upside of doubling the spell is pretty sweet. That means you can take down X/4s with it sometimes, or even better – kill two creatures!
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Capenna Express image 2.0 A 4-mana 6/6 vehicle with Crew 3 is generally not something you end up playing, but the upside of crewing this with Treasure is very real, as Green – and especially Red-Green, looks like it will be pretty good at generating treasure.
Revelation of Power image 1.5 The boost isn’t amazing, but the counter upside will definitely come up. It can let you win combat and gain life as well as help you get in for a bunch in the air. You’ll play this in aggressive decks with lots of counters.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Exhibition Magician image 3.0 This is a good Common. A three mana 2/1 that makes a 1/1 – in a color that has lots of pay offs for going wide – is a pretty nice card – probably a C+. So, also having the Treasure option is nice upside – sometimes you’ll want it to help you ramp, and sometimes you’ll be in a deck that cares about Treasure than it does going wide, especially if you’re in Red/Green.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Cormela, Glamour Thief
Cormela, Glamour Thief image 3.5 This can ramp you into bigger spells, and she is a good card to sacrifice for Casualty, since she will get you a spell back.
Forge Boss image 3.0 You are going to be sacrificing enough creatures in BR for this to chip in for at least 2 damage most games, and sometimes it will get way more out of hand than that. It has passable stats too.
Unlucky Witness image 2.5 This is pretty close to having a "draw a card" trigger when it dies, though in the very early game you won't always be able to take advantage. It feels like the main purpose for this card is to be sacrificed to Casualty effects, and that's going to be nice.
Plasma Jockey image 3.0 This reminds me a lot of Goblin Heelcutter or Clamor Shaman, both of which were great cards in aggressive decks in their respective formats. It probably isn’t quite as good as either of them, but it will have a similar impact. You will Blitz this on a turn where it really makes an immediate impact, but its nice you can also just cast it normally if you’re more interested in adding permanently to the board – like if you’re not the beat down when you play it.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Backstreet Bruiser image 2.0 A two mana 3/3 makes for a pretty good blocker, and it is certainly doable to take defender off of this thing, especially in Blue-White.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Obscura Storefront image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Daring Escape image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike makes for a decent trick for one mana. The power boost isn’t ultra impressive, but First Strike obviously makes combat go much more favorably for your creature. I still think Antagonize is probably the trick you’re after if you’re playing Red aggro, but this can fill the role.
Shattered Seraph image 2.5 The initial card you get isn’t great – a 7-mana 4/4 Flyer that gains you 3 life would probably be something like a D+. It is a real body and the life gain is nice, but by that stage of the game the size may not be enough. And..the other side of the card isn’t great either, as paying 2 mana to fix your mana hurts pretty bad. However, what saves this card from being awful is the fact that you can still cast it from exile, so eventually you can get both parts of the card going. Sometimes it won’t be worth doing the exile part of course, but this looks solid overall.
Pack 2 Pick 3: Night Clubber
Mage's Attendant image 4.0 This is an amazing Uncommon. A 3 mana 3/2 that makes a 1/1 body is already very good, but adding the counter effect to the token is awesome. The multiple bodies will be good with Alliance too. This is likely one of White's best Uncommons.
Night Clubber image 3.5 This is good. It is a lot like Plague Mare, and that card played pretty well. Giving -1/-1 to all of your opponents creatures often opens the door to much more effective attacks for you, and it will just outright kill a creature or two pretty often. Having Blitz in the mix is nice, because you’ll feel like you’re getting a card worth of value out of this a lot anyway, so getting the effect going, being able to attack with the Clubber, and then also getting a card back is going to feel pretty good. I think you can take this pretty highly.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Run Out of Town image 3.0 This is decent Blue removal – and it is removal, because bouncing a card to the deck makes it a 1-for-1, even if your opponent can just draw the thing again. It is definitely a bit costly, but its flexibility makes it a pretty nice card.
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Hold for Ransom image 3.0 This is a Pacifism that your opponent can pay 7 mana to get rid of. We’ve seen removal auras in the past that let your opponent pay mana to get rid of the Aura, and most of them haven’t been great. I think this one has enough going on, though, that it looks better than previous cards like that we’ve seen. For one thing, 7 mana is a ton – so much that your opponent may just never get there. For another, your opponent also lets you draw a card off of it, and they can only pay for it at Sorcery speed. Your opponent may finally get rid of it, but they will spend their whole turn doing it most of the time, and then it replaces itself! Now, like all Aura removal, this is at a bit of a disadvantage in this format because of the presence of the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice stuff more broadly.
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Celestial Regulator image 3.0 I always love Frost Lynx type creatures because of the amazing tempo they generate by freezing something down while you add to the board. Now, freezing something down takes a little bit of setup with the Regulator, but if yo’ure in Blue White you’ll have access to lots of +1/+1 and Shield counters, so I think this will do its thing a big chunk of the time – and on top of that it has efficient flying stats.
Exhibition Magician image 3.0 This is a good Common. A three mana 2/1 that makes a 1/1 – in a color that has lots of pay offs for going wide – is a pretty nice card – probably a C+. So, also having the Treasure option is nice upside – sometimes you’ll want it to help you ramp, and sometimes you’ll be in a deck that cares about Treasure than it does going wide, especially if you’re in Red/Green.
Midnight Assassin image 2.5 As a deathtoucher, this can trade with anything – and Flying makes it so it can trade for even more than most death touchers! And, in the meantime, it can attack away in the air for a bit of damage.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Sizzling Soloist
Angelic Observer image 3.0 Most of the tokens in this format are Citizens, especially within White and more broadly within the Cabaretti colors, and there are also a decent number of non-token citizens around. Getting this to 5 mana seems eminently doable, and while that’s not great, it is certainly passable, and sometimes you’ll cast it for a lot less. 4 mana is probably going to be a pretty common occurrence.
Sizzling Soloist image 2.5 The bad stats here are going to bite you sometimes, since it can die to really cheap removal despite costing 4 mana, but hey – at least you’re trading 1-for-1, and the Alliance effect this has is a pretty big deal. Stopping a creature from blocking tends to drastically alter a turn, although your opponent will know this is coming, so it isn’t quite as impressive as versions of it that come out of nowhere. But still, your opponent has to alter their game plan once you play something like this, because they just may be unable to block! If you get alliance twice with it, not only are two things not blocking, but you can also force an attack – which will mean that thing won’t be blocking on the next turn either!
Queza, Augur of Agonies image 4.0 This has some subpar stats, but it will also drain your opponent a life every single turn at a minimum. That sort of effect can really allow you to stabilize against aggressive opponents, as it helps you stay just out of reach of their lethal damage and things eventually start to snowball. This is especially true when you couple this with Connive and other draw effects.
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Civic Gardener image 1.5 This type of effect is often not especially impactful. Sure, it sort of has Vigilance, and can lend it to other creatures, and help you have more mana in your second main phase, but all of those things are just not a big deal most of the time. And it isn’t like it can really attack and make use of that trigger for very long.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Echo Inspector image 3.0 This looks like a quality common. A 4-mana ⅔ Flyer that looted on ETB would be pretty alright to begin with, but Connive is looting with some pretty legit upside. You either get a 4-mana ¾ and discard a nonland, or its a ⅔ that gives you that loot. Either outcome is nice.
Witty Roastmaster image 2.5 This has passable stats and a solid if unexciting ability. It can definitely chip in for a decent chunk of damage over the course of the game, especially if you’re making tokens!
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Psychic Pickpocket
Psychic Pickpocket image 3.5 I always love creatures who bounce a creature or other permanent when they ETB – it just feels great to add to your board while setting your opponent back at the same time. I think even without connive this would probably be at least a C, and I think the connive upside here is pretty huge. You either loot your way into a card you want, or discard something to make this a 4/3 – and a lot of the things that you can discard in the format give you graveyard value. I think this is one of Blue’s best Uncommons – if not THE best.
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Graveyard Shift image 2.5 I am not normally super into 5 mana reanimation spells in Limited. It is just too hard to actually get a full five mana of value out of your graveyard on a consistent basis. However, this format looks like it might have what this kind of card needs. The Connive mechanic means you can discard things to reanimate pretty easily, so I think this might be one of those formats where this is a nice card.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Dig Up the Body image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky version of this effect – three mana to get one thing back is not especially good, even with the mill thrown in. Basically, for this to feel like its worth it, you’ll need to be doubling the spell, and that’s easy enough since it only needs one power, but I still think this is the kind of card you’re really only going to want one of in Black decks. You really don’t want this showing up in your opening hand, you want it late.
Brokers Hideout image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Backup Agent image 2.5 We see the Green version of this all the time, and it’s always solid. It can be a 2/2 for 2 if its alone, and the ability to put the counter somewhere else stays surprisingly relevant all game long. It has the Citizen creature type and there are some counter synergies in the set too.
Pack 2 Pick 6: Murder
Unlucky Witness image 2.5 This is pretty close to having a "draw a card" trigger when it dies, though in the very early game you won't always be able to take advantage. It feels like the main purpose for this card is to be sacrificed to Casualty effects, and that's going to be nice.
Ominous Parcel image 1.5 This can help you fix your mana, or it can be a removal spell. Its pretty bad at both of those things when you look at the total mana you spend for each, but the fact it can do both definitely makes it a decent enough playable.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Waterfront District image 2.5 These offer good fixing, and being able to pitch them for a whole card in the late game is really nice, as it offers you some flood insurance and gives you somethign to do with all your mana. Like most duals, this is something you should value as a C+. It will really help your mana, and that’s more important than normal in a set with a big 3-color focus.
Dapper Shieldmate image 2.5 If you take the shield counter out of the equation here, this card would be a 1.0. A 4-mana 2/2 that’s only a 4/2 on your turn just isn’t good. However, the shield counter definitely matters here. Your opponent is going to have to give up something in most cases just to get rid of the counter. And sure, they could just chump it with a token or something, but they still have to put in some work, and they can’t just ignore this since it can hit for 4 damage at a time.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Murder image 4.0 Murder at Common! As usual, it is premium removal you always want. It can’t be splashed, which is a bit of a bummer, but it is still worth a high pick. I’m giving it a 4
Riveteers Overlook image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Maestros Theater
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Dapper Shieldmate image 2.5 If you take the shield counter out of the equation here, this card would be a 1.0. A 4-mana 2/2 that’s only a 4/2 on your turn just isn’t good. However, the shield counter definitely matters here. Your opponent is going to have to give up something in most cases just to get rid of the counter. And sure, they could just chump it with a token or something, but they still have to put in some work, and they can’t just ignore this since it can hit for 4 damage at a time.
Masked Bandits image 2.5 A six-mana 5/5 is actually kind of reasonable, and this one comes with the upside of helping you fix your mana early.
Glittermonger image 2.0 This is a decent source of fixing and mana, especially if you’re in a deck that has some Treasure payoffs – but its base stats aren’t especially good.
Join the Maestros image 2.5 This seems like a solid Common. Without Casualty it is pretty ugly, but if you have some decent fodder to sacrifice, getting two 4/3 bodies is pretty good for the cost.
Maestros Theater image 2.5 This is some more very nice fixing for the format, which isn’t a huge surprise since three colors is what this format is all about. This is basically a more narrow Evolving Wilds, but one that also gains you a life – and it doesn’t have to tap either, though that isn’t coming up much in Limited. You definitely will play these in a lot of your decks, as they’ll be nice for mana. They don’t have the late game upside of the dual land cycle, so I think I would rank them a little lower.
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Backstreet Bruiser image 2.0 A two mana 3/3 makes for a pretty good blocker, and it is certainly doable to take defender off of this thing, especially in Blue-White.
Pack 2 Pick 8: Mayhem Patrol
Boon of Safety image 2.0 A shield counter will allow your creature to survive a whole lot of stuff, whether its a removal spell or damage in combat. In combat, your creature will still get to damage the thing that it is blocking or being blocked by, and if its big enough it can just kill it. It feels like there are enough situations where you can generate some sweet tempo with this that I can definitely see running a copy of it in aggressive White decks.
Daring Escape image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike makes for a decent trick for one mana. The power boost isn’t ultra impressive, but First Strike obviously makes combat go much more favorably for your creature. I still think Antagonize is probably the trick you’re after if you’re playing Red aggro, but this can fill the role.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
For the Family image 2.0 This seems like a solid trick. One for +2/+2 usually plays reasonably well, and the multiple creature upside is pretty legit.
Dapper Shieldmate image 2.5 If you take the shield counter out of the equation here, this card would be a 1.0. A 4-mana 2/2 that’s only a 4/2 on your turn just isn’t good. However, the shield counter definitely matters here. Your opponent is going to have to give up something in most cases just to get rid of the counter. And sure, they could just chump it with a token or something, but they still have to put in some work, and they can’t just ignore this since it can hit for 4 damage at a time.
Chrome Cat image 1.5 This is a 3-mana 3/2 with some tiny upside. Its probably something that won’t normally make the cut, but it isn’t a disaster to run either.
Mayhem Patrol image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. On its own, it is basically a two mana 2/2 with Menace, but the fact it can lend that power boost to other creatures is pretty nice, and the Blitz upside is fine too. It won’t generally be too long before it can’t attack any more, so just Blitzing it when you draw it in that situation is nice.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Involuntary Employment
Involuntary Employment image 1.0 // 3.5 This looks really well positioned in this format. Usually, Threaten effects aren’t something you’re that into, because they only have a temporary effect on the board that your opponent can often just ignore. They basically only do something if they let you do lethal the turn you cast it. However, in formats where there is a sacrifice theme, Threaten effects get a big upgrade, and that’s certainly the case here. The Maestros have a Sacrifice mechanic as their thing, and Black-Red in particular is very into sacrificing stuff. Once you have that going on, you can steal a thing, attack your opponent with it, and then sacrifice it for value, and that can be utterly backbreaking. This does cost 4 upfront, which is a bit steep – but it gives you a treasure back, which should help you do whatever you need to to sacrifice the creature that you steal. So yeah, this is definitely a build around – it is a 1.0 in your typical Red deck, but its probably at least a 3.5 in Cabaretti and Black-Red, and I wouldn’t be super surprised to see it overperform here. The fact they put this effect at Uncommon kind of tells me they knew it would be a little too good at Common, where we often see this type of card.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Capenna Express image 2.0 A 4-mana 6/6 vehicle with Crew 3 is generally not something you end up playing, but the upside of crewing this with Treasure is very real, as Green – and especially Red-Green, looks like it will be pretty good at generating treasure.
Social Climber image 2.0 This has passable stats and a decent Alliance trigger. Gaining a bit of life here and there can add up sometimes, and that’s especially true with the tokens you’ll be making in Cabaretti!
Raffine's Guidance image 1.5 Auras that can come back from the graveyard always tend to be kind of decent, since your opponent has a hard time ever truly getting rid of them. However, this one offers a pretty small boost. Still, with Connive being a thing, discarding this to get a +1/+1 counter and then having the opportunity to slap it on a creature late seem okay.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Forge Boss
Forge Boss image 3.0 You are going to be sacrificing enough creatures in BR for this to chip in for at least 2 damage most games, and sometimes it will get way more out of hand than that. It has passable stats too.
Plasma Jockey image 3.0 This reminds me a lot of Goblin Heelcutter or Clamor Shaman, both of which were great cards in aggressive decks in their respective formats. It probably isn’t quite as good as either of them, but it will have a similar impact. You will Blitz this on a turn where it really makes an immediate impact, but its nice you can also just cast it normally if you’re more interested in adding permanently to the board – like if you’re not the beat down when you play it.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Attended Socialite image 2.0 This looks like a fine, if unexciting, two drop for creature-heavy Green decks. It will often attack as a 3/2, which isn’t the biggest upgrade ever since most two drops can still trade with it.
Daring Escape image 1.5 +1/+0 and First Strike makes for a decent trick for one mana. The power boost isn’t ultra impressive, but First Strike obviously makes combat go much more favorably for your creature. I still think Antagonize is probably the trick you’re after if you’re playing Red aggro, but this can fill the role.
Pack 2 Pick 11: Midnight Assassin
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Run Out of Town image 3.0 This is decent Blue removal – and it is removal, because bouncing a card to the deck makes it a 1-for-1, even if your opponent can just draw the thing again. It is definitely a bit costly, but its flexibility makes it a pretty nice card.
Midnight Assassin image 2.5 As a deathtoucher, this can trade with anything – and Flying makes it so it can trade for even more than most death touchers! And, in the meantime, it can attack away in the air for a bit of damage.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Case the Joint
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Civic Gardener image 1.5 This type of effect is often not especially impactful. Sure, it sort of has Vigilance, and can lend it to other creatures, and help you have more mana in your second main phase, but all of those things are just not a big deal most of the time. And it isn’t like it can really attack and make use of that trigger for very long.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Cutthroat Contender
Scuttling Butler image 1.0 // 3.0 This is definitely a build around, because a 3-mana 4/1 just isn’t worth it in your typical deck. It is probably a D at best. However, the upside here is actually kind of nuts, as giving a 4/1 double strike is pretty amazing. Your deck needs to be able to give this double strike a significant chunk of the time, and the good news is that looks like it can happen in many decks in this format, though it is perhaps the easiest in Green-White or Cabaretti more broadly, because of Citizen tokens which are both colors
Cutthroat Contender image 1.5 A vanilla one mana 2/1 already isn’t a great card in Limited, since it really tends to get outclassed in a hurry – and this is basically a one mana 2/1 that is conditional. A 2/1 is only marginally better than a 1/1 in most games. It doesn’t really seem worth it to me, even in an aggro deck. I guess the idea is that you can buff it so that your one drop can be sacrificed to a Casualty 2 spell, but that doesn’t make it that much better.
Pack 2 Pick 14: Revel Ruiner
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Pack 3 Pick 1: Jetmir, Nexus of Revels
Jetmir, Nexus of Revels image 5.0 You’ll usually be able to get the first mode going on this going the turn you play this, and that’s pretty good! The Cabaretti are definitely about going wide, so getting the second mode will happen regularly as well, but the third mode is less often. This will often impact the board right away. There will of course be times where Jetmir is just a 4-mana 5/4 too, but the potential to pump your whole board, and it being relatively easy to get the first part going makes this a great card.
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Mage's Attendant image 4.0 This is an amazing Uncommon. A 3 mana 3/2 that makes a 1/1 body is already very good, but adding the counter effect to the token is awesome. The multiple bodies will be good with Alliance too. This is likely one of White's best Uncommons.
Cabaretti Charm image 3.5 This might be the least exciting of the Charms in this set, but its pretty good. It is a little worse than the others because all three of its modes are kind of situational, and there isn’t really one that is going to feel good as the fall back plan. However, situations where one of those modes are useful will come up often enough that I still like it. If you can kill your opponent or a planeswalker with the first mode, obviously you choose that. +1/+1 and trample to the whole board will be nice if you’re going wide, and sometimes it can basically function as a removal spell. And, paying three mana for two 1/1 tokens is also fine. The Cabaretti are into going wide, and it is nice that this can enable that and pay you off for that.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Revelation of Power image 1.5 The boost isn’t amazing, but the counter upside will definitely come up. It can let you win combat and gain life as well as help you get in for a bunch in the air. You’ll play this in aggressive decks with lots of counters.
Raffine's Informant image 3.0 This is a nice White common. It is either a two mana 2/1 that lets you throw a land away for a fresh card, or a two mana 3/2 that makes you discard a real card, but the card you discard will often be able to give you some sort of value! Both options are pretty appealing.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
For the Family image 2.0 This seems like a solid trick. One for +2/+2 usually plays reasonably well, and the multiple creature upside is pretty legit.
Boon of Safety image 2.0 A shield counter will allow your creature to survive a whole lot of stuff, whether its a removal spell or damage in combat. In combat, your creature will still get to damage the thing that it is blocking or being blocked by, and if its big enough it can just kill it. It feels like there are enough situations where you can generate some sweet tempo with this that I can definitely see running a copy of it in aggressive White decks.
Snooping Newsie image 3.0 This seems solid. Early it is a decent creature that loads your graveyard, and in the later game it becomes a 3/3 lifelinker, something that has an impact on most boards. I do think it will be a little challenging to get it going, but the set seems to have enough ways to load the graveyard that it will be doable.
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Make Disappear image 1.5 Without Casualty, this kind of counter spell isn't great, since your opponent is likely to have the spare mana the longer the game goes on. With casualty…I still don't think it is great, but obviously it will allow you to counter more spells more often.
Pack 3 Pick 2: Murder
Maestros Ascendancy image 1.5 // 4.0 This takes some significant set up. You need instants and sorceries in your graveyard and creatures who are worth sacrificing, and while both of things will happen fairly organically with the Maestros, it still feels like a lot of set up that will require a deck with just the right mix of cards to make this work consistently. Even in a Maestros deck, I have a feeling this is a build around.
Bouncer's Beatdown image 3.5 This looks like premium removal, even if you aren’t targeting a Black permanent. Sure, you need to have a creature with enough power to make it do its thing, but that is never a huge hurdle for Green decks in Limited. When you only pay one Green for this it will feel particularly absurd!
Unlucky Witness image 2.5 This is pretty close to having a "draw a card" trigger when it dies, though in the very early game you won't always be able to take advantage. It feels like the main purpose for this card is to be sacrificed to Casualty effects, and that's going to be nice.
A Little Chat image 3.0 The base level of this card would probably be a 1.5 or 2.0. It doesn’t do much, but it gives you some okay card selection. However, I think the Casualty upside here is pretty big, because once this turn into a 4 mana card that draws you two of the top four cards of your library, we’re talking about something pretty powerful! And you can sacrifice almost any creature to get that copy. You won’t always be able to do that of course, but the sort of acceptable baseline and the big upside makes this a card that I don’t think you’ll cut from most Blue decks.
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Murder image 4.0 Murder at Common! As usual, it is premium removal you always want. It can’t be splashed, which is a bit of a bummer, but it is still worth a high pick. I’m giving it a 4
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Obscura Initiate image 2.5 This is a Wind Drake with some solid upside – life link is no joke on an evasive creature, and can really alter races!
Rakish Revelers image 2.5 A 5-mana 5/3 that makes a 1/1 is something I would already sign up for, so the fact that it can fix your mana earlier in the game is some upside on a card that’s already quite playable.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Torch Breath
Corpse Appraiser image 4.0 This looks really good, since it will very frequently be a 3-mana 3/3 that cast Anticipate, and that’s not just a 2-for-1 it is also really good card selection. There will be times that you don’t have something to exile from a yard, but most of the time it won’t be a big ask, and sometimes you might even hate on something in the opposing graveyard!
Torch Breath image 3.5 This is great. Even without the Blue upside, it would be an excellent removal spell. Sure, it is never super efficient, but it can scale as the game goes on, and being an Instant speed version of this is a pretty big deal too, because you can end up getting a 2-for-1 in some situations. Once you add in the anti-Blue upside, you definitely have a premium removal spell. It is good against non-Blue decks, and crazy good against Blue ones.
Snooping Newsie image 3.0 This seems solid. Early it is a decent creature that loads your graveyard, and in the later game it becomes a 3/3 lifelinker, something that has an impact on most boards. I do think it will be a little challenging to get it going, but the set seems to have enough ways to load the graveyard that it will be doable.
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
Expendable Lackey image 2.5 True to his name, this Lackey is a pretty nice creature to sacrifice to a card with Casualty, since he can then make a Fish token from the graveyard – which you can also sacrifice. He also works well with Connive, because you still get value out of discarding him. They’ve been making a lot of one drops lately that overlap into multiple decks, and I think that’s what this is. This doesn’t exactly feel like the premium card you want to really abuse those two mechanics, but it does seem pretty decent there.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Glamorous Outlaw image 2.5 Like the rest of this cycle, exiling this gives you some fixing that isn’t great, but because you can also just cast it the normal way and get passable value – or you can play it from exile in the later game.
Sticky Fingers image 3.0 If you get this on a creature early, it is going to allow you to really run away with the game. Your creature won’t be easily blocked and you’ll generate treasure that allows you to pull further ahead. It does have diminishing returns as the game goes on, but this is capable of effectively ending games very early.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
Speakeasy Server image 2.5 A passable Flyer with an ETB that gains you life always tends to perform reasonably well in Limited. It can really help you stabilize. The downside here is that you need a board in place to gain any life – it doesn’t even gain you 1 life on its own, which is a little sad. Still, in White you’ll be able to go wide, and gaining 3+ with this should be pretty decent.
High-Rise Sawjack image 2.0 We’ve seen this card in Spider-form before, and it was fine. 4 power is enough to take down most flyers and it is a nice thing to trade for those types of creatures.
Pack 3 Pick 4: Deal Gone Bad
Obscura Ascendancy image 0.0 This doesn’t look very good for Limited. You have to get this into play, and then start casting spells with the exact right mana value to get it going – in other words, you have to cast a one mana spell, then a two mana one, and so on to actually get the tokens. Now, if you just get two tokens out of it that’s probably alright, but I think even doing that is going to be a bit challenging in a non-constructed deck. This is a neat design, but it doesn’t feel like one that is intended to be playable in Limited.
Suspicious Bookcase image 1.5 This is a reprint, and a pretty uninteresting one! It wasn’t particularly good last time we saw it, but it wasn’t a disaster either. It has okayish defensive stats and can send things in unblocked late. You’ll play it in some more controlling decks.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
Deal Gone Bad image 2.5 This isn’t the most efficient removal spell, but at least its an Instant, and it comes with some extra value with the mill effect. The way this format is looking, you probably want to mill yourself more often than your opponent since you can get a lot of value going in that direction. This isn’t premium removal, but it seems like a solid Common.
Jetmir's Fixer image 3.0 This is a two mana 2/2 with some very nice upside. Even if it didn’t have the Treasure bonus, being able to pump this creature’s stats for a single red and a single green would be a pretty nice card. Obviously though, Red-Green is very into Treasure in this format, so you’re going to be able to trigger the bonus if you want to.
Security Bypass image 1.0 Unblockable when attacking alone + the ability to Connive every time you hit the opponent is kind of decent for the cost, but I don’t feel like its worth the inherent risk of playing an Aura. Connive isn’t quite worth a card after you do it once, though, and that means if your opponent can deal with whatever you put this on before you do it a second time, you’re ending up way behind. So, in the end, this feels like an Aura that won’t quite do enough to be worth the risk. Even if you’re discarding things for value, I’m skeptical.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Witness Protection image 1.5 I have a hard time ever getting behind this type of removal. The big problem is that you aren’t entirely dealing with the creature you put it on! It can still attack and block, and +1/+1 and shield counters are a problem too, as is the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice effects. You’ll play this if you’re desperate for removal, but that’s about it.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Girder Goons image 2.5 Neither mode with this is great, but both are fine. A 5-mana 4/4 that leaves behind a 2/2 can definitely generate a 2-for-1, and if you Blitz this you not only get to draw a card when it dies, you also add to the board.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Pack 3 Pick 5: Dig Up the Body
Black Market Tycoon image 4.0 This is basically a two mana 2/2 mana dork – and in some ways its better, since most mana dorks can’t add mana of any color! Sure, you don’t want to have a bunch of treasures lying around or this could get painful, but luckily you are in complete control of whether or not you have treasure in the first place. It is great ramping and fixing, and synergizes with some of the treasure stuff going on in the set.
Stimulus Package image 3.5 This seems pretty nice. It can ramp and fix for you, and the ability to turn all your tokens into creatures is pretty nice, especially because of the Alliance and Casualty mechanics. It is definitely a little slow, but you can add to the board right away with it if you want to by giving up those treasures. Red-Green seems to have a lot of treasure nonsense going on, so I don’t think this needs a buildaround grade.
Brokers Charm image 3.5 The first mode on this is a nice removal spell, even if it is a little bit situational – and also a little dangerous if you try to use it when your opponent has mana up. Its also nice that this lets you have a real card in your deck that can also hate on Enchantments, or even be an instant speed divination.
Ready to Rumble image 2.5 No matter which mode you choose, you aren’t getting a great deal for the mana, but hey – 5 damage does kill most stuff! Just… paying 5 to kill something that costs a lot less is pretty rough. You probably play one copy of this in most Red decks though, as it gives you some removal that does the job and comes with some artifact-hate upside.
Speakeasy Server image 2.5 A passable Flyer with an ETB that gains you life always tends to perform reasonably well in Limited. It can really help you stabilize. The downside here is that you need a board in place to gain any life – it doesn’t even gain you 1 life on its own, which is a little sad. Still, in White you’ll be able to go wide, and gaining 3+ with this should be pretty decent.
Ominous Parcel image 1.5 This can help you fix your mana, or it can be a removal spell. Its pretty bad at both of those things when you look at the total mana you spend for each, but the fact it can do both definitely makes it a decent enough playable.
Dig Up the Body image 2.5 This is a pretty clunky version of this effect – three mana to get one thing back is not especially good, even with the mill thrown in. Basically, for this to feel like its worth it, you’ll need to be doubling the spell, and that’s easy enough since it only needs one power, but I still think this is the kind of card you’re really only going to want one of in Black decks. You really don’t want this showing up in your opening hand, you want it late.
Psionic Snoop image 1.5 This isn’t especially good. It is either a 3-mana ¼ that you discard a nonland card to, or a 3-mana 0/3 that lets you throw a land away for - hopefully - a real card. Neither of those things are bad, but it is far from impressive. If you can flash it in to kill an X/1 it will feel a lot better, and that will happen sometimes, but there will be enough times where it is just a glorified blocker that I’m not super interested in this.
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Pack 3 Pick 6: Crooked Custodian
Cement Shoes image 1.5 They are trying pretty hard to make Enormous Energy Blade-like cards good. And…that’s pretty tough to do! Obviously, the casting cost and the equip cost are really reasonable for a +3/+3 boost, and at least you can take advantage of it immediately by attacking with the creature you put it on, but the fact that creature gets locked down is rough. Now, its cheap enough you could move it around so it goes on to a creature that you don’t care about being locked down – like maybe one shut down by an Aura – but that end sup being a lot of mana! You can also attack with something you know will result in a trade, so you don’t have to worry about moving it. Basically, this isn’t a bad mana sink to have around in the right situations – and it will definitely make just about any creature into a much better attacker – but the fact that you can’t take advantage of the Equipment on defense is definitely a bummer, as is the downside. I think this is definitely better than Enormous Energy Blade was, but it still isn’t great.
Corrupt Court Official image 2.0 I think people will be tempted to compare this to Virus Beetle, but I think the Official will feel more like a Ravenous Rats than a Beetle. The Beetle had the advantage of being an artifact, and in a set with ninjutsu that could rebuy ETB abilities – so it isn’t going to overperform quite like that card did. However, this is still pretty well placed in this format, mostly because you can take a card away from your opponent and then sacrifice this to something with Casualty and you end up with pretty decent value. In the late game, sometimes it won’t have anything to hit of course, but at least it adds something to the board.
Cabaretti Initiate image 1.5 If you can put counters on this, it can get interesting – and you certainly have access to some of those in this format. But overall, this is probably the worst of this cycle. A one mana ½ just gets outclassed way too quickly, and giving a creature that size double strike isn’t exactly a big deal. You’ll play it of course in aggressive decks, but I can see it getting cut a good chunk of the time too, even in Cabaretti.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Big Score image 2.5 This is an easier-to-cast Unexpected Windfall. While that card has been great in constructed, it wasn’t that great in Limited. It isn’t a bad card to have around though, as it helps you find some fresh cards while also providing you with some ramping and fixing, and the extra treasure it gives you might even enable you to cast something! But it doesn’t really do anything to immediately impact the game, and that makes it a card that you can cut sometimes.
Quick-Draw Dagger image 2.0 This is kind of like a combat trick that offers +1/+1 and First Strike for three mana which is…pretty bad for the cost on the face of it, but it is a boost that is pretty good at helping your creature win combat, and the fact it leaves behind an Equipment that can move around pretty cheaply and offer +1/+1 to stuff is pretty nice.
Paragon of Modernity image 2.0 This looks solid. It starts out as an inefficient creature, but most decks will be three colors in this format, so putting counters on this as a mana sink in the mid to late game seems like a legitimate strategy. If your deck doesn’t have good enough fixing to consistently get three colors this is much worse, but I think most decks will be able to do it, so it isn’t a build around or anything.
Run Out of Town image 3.0 This is decent Blue removal – and it is removal, because bouncing a card to the deck makes it a 1-for-1, even if your opponent can just draw the thing again. It is definitely a bit costly, but its flexibility makes it a pretty nice card.
Spara's Adjudicators image 2.5 The ETB trigger here can be nice in a lot of situations, where it buys you more time or makes it so you can attack more effectively on your turn. Like with all of these, you get a pretty decent creature that has the upside of helping you fix early.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Witness Protection
Mr. Orfeo, the Boulder image 3.5 This looks pretty nice. What I like the most is that the turn you play it it will often already have some impact, as it will make one of your creatures into a much more formidable attacker. It can of course pump its own power too, so when it attacks its a 4/4, but you’re usually hoping for something spicier than that. It also pairs well with Blitz, as your opponent often won’t want to block a Blitzed creature, since you’ll be getting a card anyway when it dies and the creature isn’t sticking around for good, but Mr. Orfeo complicates that, since the creatures will be hitting harder.
Brass Knuckles image 1.0 This is a really roundabout way to give one of your creatures double strike! You basically pay 4 mana and then 1 to equip the original one as well as the copy. That’s..not a great rate. And yeah, it gets better in situations where you can buff the creature, but the Knuckles don’t buff the thing at all, so it had better already be a pretty good attacker. It gets especially ugly in situations where your opponent can deal with one of the copies, and then your creature just loses double strike on the spot – and there isn’t really enough good Equipment around for this to work that often without its copy.
Caldaia Strongarm image 2.5 This looks like a solid Common. Cast the normal way, it gives you a 5-mana ⅘ – which isn’t great, but that’s the fail case of the card. It can do a lot more than that! You can of course put the counters on another creature, and that can add some significant additional damage to the board immediately. And if adding as much damage to the board as quickly as possible is your thing, you can Blitz this, which lets you ad ⅘ worth of stats to the board for only 4 mana, and then you get to draw a card to replace it! You’ll often be able to get close to a card of value out of it when you do Blitz it, so that’s not a bad deal, especially because it makes sure to leave something on the board even once it sacrifices itself.
For the Family image 2.0 This seems like a solid trick. One for +2/+2 usually plays reasonably well, and the multiple creature upside is pretty legit.
Big Score image 2.5 This is an easier-to-cast Unexpected Windfall. While that card has been great in constructed, it wasn’t that great in Limited. It isn’t a bad card to have around though, as it helps you find some fresh cards while also providing you with some ramping and fixing, and the extra treasure it gives you might even enable you to cast something! But it doesn’t really do anything to immediately impact the game, and that makes it a card that you can cut sometimes.
Witness Protection image 1.5 I have a hard time ever getting behind this type of removal. The big problem is that you aren’t entirely dealing with the creature you put it on! It can still attack and block, and +1/+1 and shield counters are a problem too, as is the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice effects. You’ll play this if you’re desperate for removal, but that’s about it.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Revel Ruiner image 2.0 This seems solid. A 4-mana 4/2 with Menace is a decent enough card, and this can be that if you want it to be most of the time. The alternative of this helping you throw away an unwanted land for a fresh card, and giving you a 3/1 menace seems solid too.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Riveteers Requisitioner
Unleash the Inferno image 4.0 4 mana to do 7 at instant speed is pretty good, and will allow you to kill almost anything – unless it has a pesky Shield counter. Its nice that it has the upside of blowing up artifacts or enchantments if you do lethal damage, and that will probably actually come up sometimes, but most of the card’s value just comes from it being a removal spell – and a really good one.
Riveteers Requisitioner image 3.0 It is easy enough to get a decent trade with your 3/1, and that will feel pretty good when you get a Treasure when it dies. The Blitz option is also really appealing, since you pay 3 mana, get a 3/1 that dies at the end of the turn, get a treasure, and draw a card when that creature dies. So yeah, both sides of this seem like a quality card
Midnight Assassin image 2.5 As a deathtoucher, this can trade with anything – and Flying makes it so it can trade for even more than most death touchers! And, in the meantime, it can attack away in the air for a bit of damage.
Maestros Initiate image 2.0 This doesn't have the best stats, but trading with it and then using the ability from the graveyard seems nice, and it also seems like a card that works nicely with Connive or Casualty thanks to the graveyard value.
Cabaretti Initiate image 1.5 If you can put counters on this, it can get interesting – and you certainly have access to some of those in this format. But overall, this is probably the worst of this cycle. A one mana ½ just gets outclassed way too quickly, and giving a creature that size double strike isn’t exactly a big deal. You’ll play it of course in aggressive decks, but I can see it getting cut a good chunk of the time too, even in Cabaretti.
Case the Joint image 1.5 4 mana to draw 2 at instant speed is kind of passable. This has additional minor upside in that it gives you a bit of information, but that doesn’t really do enough for this to be something that consistently makes the cut in your deck.
Crooked Custodian image 2.0 This has above rate stats, but coming into play tapped kind of cancels that out – it isn’t like its stats are CRAZY good anyway. Still, seems like a nice two drop for an aggro deck, and its one of the more efficient ways to get 3 power in play for the spells that have higher Casualty costs.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Halo Scarab
Rob the Archives image 3.5 In the early game, this is often going to be a dead card, but in the late game being able to copy this with a bunch of mana untapped is just going to happen sometimes. And when this feels like a two mana card that draws you 3 or 4 cards, it is going to be incredible. Having more than one copy of this seems a bit dangerous because of how bad it is early, but its power in the late game is pretty serious, so the first copy should be valued pretty highly.
Extract the Truth image 1.5 The first mode will often be able to hit something, even in the middle part of the game, and having some enchantment hate in your main deck is nice. Now, there will be times where neither mode does anything, and that’s rough – but most of the time you’ll do something with it, even if it isn’t anything big.
Revelation of Power image 1.5 The boost isn’t amazing, but the counter upside will definitely come up. It can let you win combat and gain life as well as help you get in for a bunch in the air. You’ll play this in aggressive decks with lots of counters.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
For the Family image 2.0 This seems like a solid trick. One for +2/+2 usually plays reasonably well, and the multiple creature upside is pretty legit.
Gilded Pinions image 1.5 This gives you fixing and Flying for a relatively fair cost. But, typically, Equipment that only grants flying isn’t great, because it isn’t very impressive on smaller creatures. In other words, your creature already has to be pretty nice for this to be worth it.
Pack 3 Pick 10: Wrecking Crew
Brokers Veteran image 2.5 This has medium stats, but giving a shield counter to one of your creatures is some nice upside to have on a two drop. The times when you don’t have a creature in play to put the counter on will be rough – and that can happen early, but this seems like a solid playable.
Warm Welcome image 2.0 This type of effect is usually kind of rough since you spend some significant mana and don’t add to the board, but this type around it actually does, albeit with just a 1/1 Citizen. But that’s pretty important – not only does it add something to th eboard, but with both Citizen tribal and Alliance being a thing in the format, there is extra value placed on something like this. So, you end up getting the best creature in your top 5 and a 1/1. Don’t get me wrong, it still isn’t amazing or anything, but far more playable than this effect usually is at three mana.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Buy Your Silence image 2.5 This can deal with any nonland permanent, but its also a pretty clunky sorcery that gives your opponent back a treasure. It definitely falls short of being Premium removal, but I do think the first copy is going to be something you want in most White decks, since it is sort of a catch-all removal spell. Running more than one probably isn’t great, though.
Pack 3 Pick 11: Corpse Appraiser
Corpse Appraiser image 4.0 This looks really good, since it will very frequently be a 3-mana 3/3 that cast Anticipate, and that’s not just a 2-for-1 it is also really good card selection. There will be times that you don’t have something to exile from a yard, but most of the time it won’t be a big ask, and sometimes you might even hate on something in the opposing graveyard!
Brokers Initiate image 1.5 A one mana 0/4 isn’t really what you want to be doing in Limited most of the time. Sure, it can block some things, but that’s just not enough these days. It has a minimal impact on the board – up until you can pump mana into it to make it a 5/5 – but it is a lot of mana. It isn’t unplayable or anything, but I don’t see it making the cut even in every deck that can pay for the ability.
Fake Your Own Death image 1.5 I guess we get a trick like this every set now! And, most versions of it tend to be pretty decent, and I think this one certainly is. +2/+0 is a boost that can allow your creature to win a whole lot of combats, and while it stands a good chance of dying too, Fake Your Own Death makes it not really matter, since the creature comes back! This gets especially spicy with ETB abilities, and there are also some potential Casualty and sacrifice shenanigans that this can enable.
High-Rise Sawjack image 2.0 We’ve seen this card in Spider-form before, and it was fine. 4 power is enough to take down most flyers and it is a nice thing to trade for those types of creatures.
Pack 3 Pick 12: Wrecking Crew
Suspicious Bookcase image 1.5 This is a reprint, and a pretty uninteresting one! It wasn’t particularly good last time we saw it, but it wasn’t a disaster either. It has okayish defensive stats and can send things in unblocked late. You’ll play it in some more controlling decks.
Witness Protection image 1.5 I have a hard time ever getting behind this type of removal. The big problem is that you aren’t entirely dealing with the creature you put it on! It can still attack and block, and +1/+1 and shield counters are a problem too, as is the Casualty mechanic and other sacrifice effects. You’ll play this if you’re desperate for removal, but that’s about it.
Wrecking Crew image 2.5 This has decent French Vanilla stats. Not much more to say about it.
Pack 3 Pick 13: Halo Scarab
Most Wanted image 1.5 Flash Auras can be nice, since they are sort of like combat tricks that leave some permanent value behind, but only giving +1 to toughness does mean this won’t save your creature as often as you’d probably like. Getting two Treasure when the creature dies does soften the blow if you get 2-for-1’d, but probably not by enough for me to excited about this.
Halo Scarab image 1.5 This has okay stats, and gives you some value out of the graveyard. That will be nice whether you mill it, discard it, or just have it die from being in play. Two mana to make a treasure is obviously not a great rate, but it does give you the potential to have fixing in just about any deck. I think this is going to be pretty easy to cut as decks will usually have good enough fixing without it, but it isn’t a disaster to play it either.
Pack 3 Pick 14: Cabaretti Initiate
Cabaretti Initiate image 1.5 If you can put counters on this, it can get interesting – and you certainly have access to some of those in this format. But overall, this is probably the worst of this cycle. A one mana ½ just gets outclassed way too quickly, and giving a creature that size double strike isn’t exactly a big deal. You’ll play it of course in aggressive decks, but I can see it getting cut a good chunk of the time too, even in Cabaretti.
Draft Pick Overview