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Premier Draft MOM 22 April 2023

22 April 05:17 - honigbaer 7 Wins - 1 Losses
Maindeck
Creature (18)
1 Zimone and Dina image
1 Archpriest of Shadows image
1 Faerie Mastermind image
1 Scorn-Blade Berserker image
1 Chomping Kavu image
1 Consuming Aetherborn image
1 Portent Tracker image
1 Phyrexian Gargantua image
1 Gloomfang Mauler image
3 Elvish Vatkeeper image
1 Nezumi Freewheeler // Hideous Fleshwheeler image
1 Skittering Surveyor image
1 Dreg Recycler image
1 Timberland Ancient image
1 Iridescent Blademaster image
1 Etched Familiar image
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (5)
1 Vanquish the Weak image
1 Tandem Takedown image
2 Deadly Derision image
1 Failed Conversion image
Land (17)
1 Thornwood Falls image
1 Dismal Backwater image
7 Forest image
7 Swamp image
1 Island image
Sideboard
1 Preening Champion image
1 Omen Hawker image
1 Tymaret, Chosen from Death image
1 Order of the Mirror image
1 Saiba Cryptomancer image
2 Consuming Aetherborn image
1 Placid Rottentail image
1 Etched Host Doombringer image
1 Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image
1 Scrappy Bruiser image
1 Stasis Field image
1 Mirrodin Avenged image
1 Coming In Hot image
2 Corrupted Conviction image
1 Storm the Seedcore image
1 Burning Sun's Fury image

Pack 1 Pick 1: Zimone and Dina
Valduk, Keeper of the Flame image 1.5 // 3.0 I don’t think every Red deck will automatically have the things it needs for this to spit out a Spark elemental every turn, and its pretty bad when you’re not doing that.
Zimone and Dina image 3.5 Draining 2 life when you draw extra cards is nice. It quickly creates a massive difference in life totals between you and your own., and this comes with a built-in way to do it. Even without sacrificing creatures, your deck is likely to have a few ways to trigger them, and even just doing it once is going to feel quite good.
Halo Forager image 3.5 UB is a mill deck in this format – interested both in self-mill and milling the opponent and getting value out of it, so that does mean having cards in your graveyard for this is pretty likely. A three mana 3/1 flyer is already passable, and the fact that you can cast an instant or Sorcery from either graveyard is a pretty big deal. You won’t always have the mana to do that, and the graveyard’s won’t always be stocked even in Blue-Black, but even just getting a one mana spell out of it is going to feel amazing, and it sort of scales the longer the game goes.
Invasion of Kylem image 2.5 The base effect on this card generally isn’t worth the four mana it asks you for. However, because this also comes into play and has to be defended, it synergizes quite well with itself. +2/+0 and Vigilance on two creatures will allow you to attack this fairly effectively right away on many boards. In other words, there will definitely be turns where this costs 4-mana to give +2/+0, vigilance, and haste to two creatures, and then you also get those two really powerful 3/2 tokens on the same turn. Yeah, that’s an insane card. Now, we do have to take into account the situations where this doesn’t do much, and the fact this doesn’t do something permanent to the board does mean sometimes this will do stone nothing.
Mirror-Shield Hoplite image 3.5 Red/White is a Backup Aggro deck, so doubling Backup abilities is massively powerful, especially when attached to a creature with solid stats
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Wildwood Escort image 3.0 I like this. It is a built-in 2-for-1, and the first copy of this is going to be something you virtually always want in Green.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 2: Archpriest of Shadows
Archpriest of Shadows image 4.0 Without Backup, this card would still be good. It demands to be blocked or you get a ton of value, and because it has death touch those blocks are going to be hard to set up effectively. So, adding Backup is a huge deal, as it can give you both of those abilities on something that can attack right away. This gets especially good if you use it on an evasive creature. If you get only one creature back, you’re going to feel great – any more than that, and you’re just going to win.
Seraph of New Capenna image 3.5 A three mana 2/2 Flyer isn’t what it used to be, but when it is the baseline for a card with big upside, it still feels pretty good – and that’s certainly what we have here! The Seraph of New Phyrexia can attack really hard.
Invasion of Ulgrotha image 3.5 5 mana to do 3 to anything and gain 3 is already playable, so like most of the Battles this has a decent enough baseline. Keep in mind this can even hit other battles! If you transform this, you end up a fairly imposing creature, though on some boards she won’t exactly feel insane.
Ravenous Sailback image 2.0 A 5-mana ¾ with Haste is…not exactly good – it is probably a 1.0 at best. If your opponent has a target for the other mode this can do some work. Problem is there will be enough boards where this is just an inefficient creature with no good targets.
Tangled Skyline image 3.0 This looks like a nice card for helping higher-curve Green decks stabilize against aggro. It is effectively a 7-mana 5/5 with Reach that gains you 5 on ETB, except it is a little better because you don’t have to pay all that mana in the same turn. Giving Phyrexians Reach isn’t exactly the most impressive upside, I think the best part of this card is just that it gives you a beefy body and gains you some life, though Reach does mean you can stabilize against flying creatures too.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Vanquish the Weak image 3.0 This can sometimes trade up, but more often than not you break even on mana or worse when you cast this – for me, that keeps it from being a premium-level removal spell – instead it is merely solid.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Searing Barb image 2.0 Three mana for 2 damage at Sorcery speed isn’t very good, but you can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 2/2 that does 2 damage to something. Which…well, still isn’t that good. Still, it does have 2-for-1 potential and can hit battles.
Knight of the New Coalition image 3.0 4-mana for two 2/2s with Vigilance is an excellent rate – this helps you go wide like the RW deck wants you to do, while also producing two bodies with a very useful creature type. I think this looks like a very good Common.
Cosmic Hunger image 3.5 We have seen this card before, only without the battle part, and it is always premium removal for Green because it can deal with things so efficiently. You always run the risk of getting 2-for-1’d when you cast it if you aren’t careful, but because this is an Instant, finding a spot where your opponent can’t respond is relatively easy.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 3: Faerie Mastermind
Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive image 2.0 At worst, Testuko is a an unblockable 1/3, and most Blue decks will have a few other creatures who can benefit.
Faerie Mastermind image 4.0 A two mana 2/1 with Flash and Flying is a great spot to start, and if you use the activated ability on your opponent’s turn, it basically reads “Draw two cards, your opponent draws one card” and that’s pretty strong. Should your opponent decide to draw extra cards by other means, you’ll also punish them for it.
Change the Equation image 0.5 The base level of this card isn’t very good, since most opponents won’t really have enough spells this can counter. Obviously, against Red and/or Green opponents it is great, but the floor is pretty bad.
Streetwise Negotiator image 3.0 If you put the counter on the Negotiator, you basically have a two mana 3/3 – something that I’m happy to play, so the additional upside is awesome.
Sunder the Gateway image 1.5 So at worst, this is a two mana 2/2, and sometimes you’ll have another Incubator around who is bigger, and you’ll choose to turn that one into a creature. That’s probably usually what this will do, because there aren’t a boatload of targets for this in the format. When you do get to kill an artifact or Enchantment with this it will feel like a pretty sweet 2-for-1, and I think the baseline is solid. Having Artifact and Enchantment hate in your main deck is nice too.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Tidal Terror image 3.0 This 6-mana 5/6 plays well with all the token stuff going on in Blue/white, as it can sometimes be unblockable. Islandcycling is a great thing to have, as it allows you to throw this away in the early game so that you hit your land drop, and if you play it late, it isn’t a bad threat to have.
Swiftwater Cliffs image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 4: Preening Champion
Corruption of Towashi image 1.0 // 3.5 This looks like a very strong payoff for transforming things, and it comes with a built-in way to draw you that first card. On its own, that makes this a 7-mana 4/4 that draws you a card. That isn’t…amazing, but it is a passable baseline! Plus, as with all of these, you pay in installments and it offers some extra upside. That said, if you aren’t in a deck that really got there on transforming creatures, this probably isn’t very good.
Sandstalker Moloch image 3.0 A three mana 4/2 with Flash is something you’ll pretty much always play, so the fact that this will be a straight up 2-for-1 against some opponents is amazing. If this always drew you a card it would be a 4.0. In Limited, the chances you run into someone playing one of these colors is pretty significant, too. Basically, this will feel amazing against the right opponent and solid against everyone else.
Invasion of Xerex image 3.0 I like this one. It bounces something, upping your chances of successfully attacking and transforming this quickly, and you get a pretty powerful creature when you can make that happen.
Preening Champion image 3.5 This helps you do Convoke stuff in addition to having the Knight creature type, and it is just a really good rate in general. This is one of Blue’s best Commons.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Etched Familiar image 2.5 Trading this off and draining 2 life from your opponent is going to feel like a good deal all the time, and it isn’t terrible sacrifice fodder either.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Skittering Surveyor image 3.0 This does a great job of fixing your mana, and makes for an expendable body to sacrifice in Black-Red.
Tranquil Cove image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 5: Scorn-Blade Berserker
Scorn-Blade Berserker image 3.0 This is either a one mana ½ with this ability, or a one mana 0/1 that puts a counter somewhere and gives the ability to something else for a turn. Neither of those seems…amazing. Generally you don’t want to sacrifice a creature you just put a counter on, so that part of the ability is a bit awkward. I think the idea is to put that counter on something and then sacrifice the Berserker though – in which case this is sort of a two mana sorcery that puts a counter on something and draws you a card, and that’s a playable card! It has far more flexibility than that too.
Invasion of Kaladesh image 3.0 While a two mana 1/1 Flyer isn’t the best deal, it does mean this Battle gives you an evasive creature that can help you transform this into a solid Vehicle. It will at least be a ¼ Flyer with Crew 1, and that’s not too bad – and sometimes it will be a much bigger problem than that.
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Ral's Reinforcements image 2.5 Going wide and Convoke are two of Red’s big themes in the set, so this seems to do exactly what you want to be doing in Red.
Protocol Knight image 1.5 // 3.5 The baseline here is a little bit below rate, but a creature that comes down and stuns something usually plays quite well in Limited, since you add to the board and really downgrade your opponent’s board. If you’re in Blue-White setting this up so it does that is going to feel great. It will feel well above rate when you can pull that off. I I think the gap in how good this is wide enough that I’m going to give it a build around grade.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Cosmic Hunger image 3.5 We have seen this card before, only without the battle part, and it is always premium removal for Green because it can deal with things so efficiently. You always run the risk of getting 2-for-1’d when you cast it if you aren’t careful, but because this is an Instant, finding a spot where your opponent can’t respond is relatively easy.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 6: Omen Hawker
Omen Hawker image 2.0 This format does have a decent number of activated abilities, between Incubate and creatures who can transform for some amount of mana. Accelerating those things is definitely nice, but it still feels like this might be a little too narrow, even in this format.
Rampaging Geoderm image 3.5 This can target itself, so it does attack as a 4-mana 4/4 Trample and Haste if you want it to. It also doesn’t have to be attacking for this trigger to happen – as long as you attack with at least one thing, the Geoderm’s ability will go off. Red-Green is the color pair the most interested in battles too, so you have other incentives to attack them – and getting a permanent +1/+1 is a pretty massive upgrade! Of course, haste and trample are themselves great for attacking battles.
Traumatic Revelation image 1.5 Hitting creatures and battles means you can hit most nonlands in your opponent’s deck, and if you wiff you sort of end up with a Hill Giant. While that’s not awesome, the main problem with discard spells is how weak they are when you get them late or you wiff, and the consolation prize is enough here for this to be a 1.5. Basically you get the upside discard spells offer with very minimal downside.
Furtive Analyst image 1.5 Paying 2 to loot is kind of a lot – it is hard to have that kind of mana available consistently, and while a three mana ¼ with Vigilance is acceptable, the whole package here seems a little overcosted.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Overgrown Pest image 1.5 Early, the fact this hits a land will feel pretty good. In the later game you won’t really want a land, and if you don’t have enough double-faced cards it will feel especially bad. There aren’t any DFCs at Common either, so actually getting a critical mass where this hits consistently is a challenge.
Mountain image
Pack 1 Pick 7: Tymaret, Chosen from Death
Tymaret, Chosen from Death image 2.5 Hating on graveyards has some real value in this format, especially against Blue/Black decks, and Theros is basically always going to have a decent stat-line and bring some incidental life gain along for the ride.
Omen Hawker image 2.0 This format does have a decent number of activated abilities, between Incubate and creatures who can transform for some amount of mana. Accelerating those things is definitely nice, but it still feels like this might be a little too narrow, even in this format.
Invasion of Azgol image 3.0 A two mana Edict is usually playable, though they do drop off the longer the game goes on. If you play this early, though, it will often kill your opponent’s only creature, making it a lot easier for you to attack this battle and transform it into a creature that will get scarier all game long. Basically all of these two mana Battles are interesting, because you pay so little up front
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Searing Barb image 2.0 Three mana for 2 damage at Sorcery speed isn’t very good, but you can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 2/2 that does 2 damage to something. Which…well, still isn’t that good. Still, it does have 2-for-1 potential and can hit battles.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Urn of Godfire image 1.0 This is horrible at fixing your mana and is a wildly inefficient removal spell. You might run it if you’re desperate for removal, but if that’s where you’re at things really didn’t go well in the draft.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 8: Order of the Mirror
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Cosmic Hunger image 3.5 We have seen this card before, only without the battle part, and it is always premium removal for Green because it can deal with things so efficiently. You always run the risk of getting 2-for-1’d when you cast it if you aren’t careful, but because this is an Instant, finding a spot where your opponent can’t respond is relatively easy.
Flitting Guerrilla image 1.5 Wind Drakes aren’t what they used to be, and this ability is something you’ll only use a small percentage of the time.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
Alabaster Host Intercessor image 3.5 This is a large version of Banisher Priest, and while it isn’t the most efficient thing ever, that’s still a strong effect. What makes it especially nice, though, is that it has Plainscycling. This means if you draw this early when you are really far from casting it, you can get rid of it and search up a land. This really offsets the downside of this being a 6-mana card. Basically, this gets a land when you need it, and if you have the mana to cast it, it is going to have a big impact on the board. I think this is one of White’s best Commons.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 9: Saiba Cryptomancer
Valduk, Keeper of the Flame image 1.5 // 3.0 I don’t think every Red deck will automatically have the things it needs for this to spit out a Spark elemental every turn, and its pretty bad when you’re not doing that.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Blossoming Sands image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 1 Pick 10: Stasis Field
Seraph of New Capenna image 3.5 A three mana 2/2 Flyer isn’t what it used to be, but when it is the baseline for a card with big upside, it still feels pretty good – and that’s certainly what we have here! The Seraph of New Phyrexia can attack really hard.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Searing Barb image 2.0 Three mana for 2 damage at Sorcery speed isn’t very good, but you can sort of look at this as a 5-mana 2/2 that does 2 damage to something. Which…well, still isn’t that good. Still, it does have 2-for-1 potential and can hit battles.
Forest image
Pack 1 Pick 11: Chomping Kavu
Change the Equation image 0.5 The base level of this card isn’t very good, since most opponents won’t really have enough spells this can counter. Obviously, against Red and/or Green opponents it is great, but the floor is pretty bad.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Pack 1 Pick 12: Consuming Aetherborn
Saiba Cryptomancer image 2.5 Been awhile since they gave us a creature at a lower rarity that just straight up has Hexproof, and I’m not sure how I feel about it! Obviously, this can lend hexproof to another creature temporarily, but because this always has Hexproof this might just be a case where you’d rather take the two mana ½ Hexproof since your opponent won’t be dealing with it that well. This is a spicy place to put +1/+1 counters and Auras, and there are going to be some games determined by someone just sticking an Aura on this in the early game and going to town.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Pack 1 Pick 13: Mirrodin Avenged
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Island image
Pack 1 Pick 14: Coming In Hot
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Mountain image
Pack 1 Pick 15: Forest
Forest image
Pack 2 Pick 1: Vanquish the Weak
Tymaret, Chosen from Death image 2.5 Hating on graveyards has some real value in this format, especially against Blue/Black decks, and Theros is basically always going to have a decent stat-line and bring some incidental life gain along for the ride.
Zurgo and Ojutai image 5.0 This looks great. A 5-mana 4/4 with Flying and Haste is already amazing, and this comes with great upside that was offered by the other Ojutai. You get great card selection and you get to draw a card, and the fact it has Hexproof means it is likely to give you that value most of the time when you cast it, and Flying and Haste do a great job of making sure that happens.
Invasion of Ergamon image 3.5 Two mana to make a treasure and loot isn’t the most amazing thing, and I’m a little less into all the Battles that don’t actually help you attack the Battle inherently. Now, this can sort of help in that regard by giving you more mana to cast creatures and helping you find more things that attack, but it is still a little too indirect to be great. Still, once you can transform this it becomes amazing, finding you another Battle or a land while having a very relevant body
Shivan Branch-Burner image 3.0 You probably need to paying 5 or less actual mana for this to really feel like you’re getting there. Luckily, that’s quite doable! And getting this down even easier than that isn’t impossible either.
Wicked Slumber image 3.0 As usual, the best way to use this sort of thing is to tap your opponent’s stuff during their turn so that you get two attacks where those creatures are out of commission. This can often win you the game on its own, and the fact you can convoke this means casting it will be extra easy. Its also nice that you can choose a couple of different ways to use this. It always taps two creatures, but you can put one stun counter on each creature, or two on one creature if that’s better.
Aetherblade Agent image 3.0 A two mana 1/1 with deathtouch is a little bit below rate, but it does trade for anything, and the creature this can become late is a big problem for your opponent.
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
Shatter the Source image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. 6 mana for 6 damage at Instant speed is usually a 2.0, and with Convoke you’re going to be able to cast this in many more situations than you would normally be able to. Sometimes you can blow up a problem Artifact with this too.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Vanquish the Weak image 3.0 This can sometimes trade up, but more often than not you break even on mana or worse when you cast this – for me, that keeps it from being a premium-level removal spell – instead it is merely solid.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Oculus Whelp image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 Flyer is a little below rate these days, but if this is replacing itself when it dies it does get significantly better. Oftentimes the problem with casting something that costs 4+ mana and has 2 or less toughness is that your opponent can get an easy tempo advantage when they point a one or two mana removal spell at it, but this hedges against that a little when you have a transformed permanent around, since getting the 2-for-1 makes that feel a little less awful. Still, even in the Blue-Green deck you won’t always be able to get this going, and the baseline just isn’t very good.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 2: Tandem Takedown
Yargle and Multani image 2.0 This is a massive vanilla creature. Obviously 18 power is enormous, but it can also be chump blocked all day or taken down by a couple of 3 power creatures. If you have ways to give this evasion it will become quite the threat. However, we’ve seen that big vanilla creatures haven’t been that impressive in the past, even if this is the biggest one yet.
Tandem Takedown image 3.5 An Instant speed effect that has your creature damage an opponent’s creature is usually a very nice card and this simultaneously gets around two downsides this kind of card often has. First, because you get to use two of your creatures, you will be able to take down even very large creatures with two smaller ones. Second, because it uses two creatures, you can set it up so that you don’t get 2-for-1’d if your opponent can interact in response. Add in the fact that this can also damage battles and you have an amazing removal spell that is quite easily premium.
Surge of Salvation image 0.5 Granting hexproof to your creatures can be a good way to combat removal for sure, but when we’ve seen similar one mana cards actually be worth playing, they have also granted indestructibility. So you really need a card like this to also save a creature in combat consistently – not just save it from removal – and it looks like this will only do that against black or red creatures. In short, the floor is quite low, low enough that I don’t think I want to start with this in my main deck.
Invasion of Moag image 4.0 The Invasion will often significantly upgrade your board – which in turn means you can go after this Battle right away in lots of situations, and don’t forget that GW is into +1/+1 counters, so there is definitely some extra value to be had! The creature you get after you do that is going to continue to offer a nice upgrade to your board every turn.
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Ral's Reinforcements image 2.5 Going wide and Convoke are two of Red’s big themes in the set, so this seems to do exactly what you want to be doing in Red.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Expedition Lookout image 2.5 This is a two drop that lots of creatures can’t attack through, and eventually it becomes an unblockable 2/3. That’s pretty nice, because it might take awhile before you get there – since it can’t be blocked, it will be relevant on any board.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 3: Portent Tracker
Valduk, Keeper of the Flame image 1.5 // 3.0 I don’t think every Red deck will automatically have the things it needs for this to spit out a Spark elemental every turn, and its pretty bad when you’re not doing that.
Zhalfirin Lancer image 3.5 This will often be able to attack as a 4/4 with Vigilance which is pretty nice. Lots of cards make Knight tokens too, so it may get buffed more than once! It has a very reasonable floor too, so it is a quality card.
Norn's Inquisitor image 4.0 This looks really good. It is sort of a 4-mana 1/1 that gives you a 3/3, and still has the additional upside of helping anything that transforms into a Phyrexian. Note this works not only with the Incubator tokens but also all the cards that transform using Phyrexian mana, so there are a wide swath of cards this makes better, and it already has a great baseline.
Change the Equation image 0.5 The base level of this card isn’t very good, since most opponents won’t really have enough spells this can counter. Obviously, against Red and/or Green opponents it is great, but the floor is pretty bad.
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Etched Host Doombringer image 2.5 This is an interesting design. Obviously the stats are bad, but even if this could only drain 2 life on ETB it would probably be playable, so having this Battle upside is pretty nice. If you can use this to defeat a battle and transform it, its going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1 – and the fact you can also use it to subtract counters from your battles or add counters to your opponents battles is pretty sweet. If you can use this to defeat a battle on ETB, it is going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Portent Tracker image 2.5 This is an ugly stat-line, but between ramping your mana and messing with Battles, this seems like it has some pretty real utility. Some mana dorks are all but useless late, but because this can do things with Battles, that’s less likely.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Bola Slinger image 3.0 This type of creature is always nice in an aggro deck, since getting blockers out of the way really changes how well you can attack. So, this is either a 4-mana 3/3 with this ability, or a 4-mana 2/2 that puts a counter on something else and gives it that ability right away.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Scoured Barrens image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 4: Phyrexian Gargantua
Firja, Judge of Valor image 3.5 This has decent base stats, and it will net you cards sometimes. It even loads your graveyard if you’re interested in that.
Ramosian Greatsword image 3.5 This is a stats boost that makes basically any creature into a threat, and the fact you can Convoke this helps soften the blow that this costs so much mana. The Equip cost itself is super reasonable for the boost after you get it into play, too!
Phyrexian Gargantua image 3.0 This is a nice reprint. It is basically two Phyrexian Ragers! It has the potential be a three-for-one, and the trade off is playing something below-rate that also hurts you a little bit. Still, the first copy of this seems like a solid inclusion.
Shatter the Source image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. 6 mana for 6 damage at Instant speed is usually a 2.0, and with Convoke you’re going to be able to cast this in many more situations than you would normally be able to. Sometimes you can blow up a problem Artifact with this too.
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Atraxa's Fall image 0.5 One thing to keep in mind is that destroying a battle doesn’t let you cast it transformed. A battle has to be “defeated” for that to happen, and the only way to make that happen is to remove the counters on it one way or another. This simply puts in the graveyard. In other words, you want to use this on a battle you are defending. This targets a whole bunch of stuff, but I’m still pretty skeptical it will find something useful to do on a regular basis, so I’m starting it in the sideboard.
Meeting of Minds image 3.0 This is an Instant, which is kind of a big deal – in many situations it can be a better version of Divination, and in a format with a spell deck that is good at convoking, this seems like exactly what the doctor ordered. You probably don’t want too many of them, as they can get awkward in multiples. But I think the first copy is something you want.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Alabaster Host Intercessor image 3.5 This is a large version of Banisher Priest, and while it isn’t the most efficient thing ever, that’s still a strong effect. What makes it especially nice, though, is that it has Plainscycling. This means if you draw this early when you are really far from casting it, you can get rid of it and search up a land. This really offsets the downside of this being a 6-mana card. Basically, this gets a land when you need it, and if you have the mana to cast it, it is going to have a big impact on the board. I think this is one of White’s best Commons.
Tranquil Cove image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 5: Deadly Derision
Zada, Hedron Grinder image 1.5 // 3.5 Zada is really sweet if you are a deck that uses combat tricks and goes wide because using a combat trick on every one of your creatures look insane, and that does look like something many Red decks will do in the format. That said, the base level thing you get here is a Hill Giant, and this is probably another one that needs a build around.
Blightreaper Thallid image 3.5 You get a 2/2 upfront, and then on the next turn you have the option of making this a 3/3 and getting a 1/1. That’s a pretty nice thing to have around if you don’t have anything to do with three mana, and at some point you’re certainly going to have the time to transform this. It isn’t the most massive upgrade ever, but you do end up getting two Saprolings and a 3/3 in the long run.
Invasion of Regatha image 3.5 Doing some direct damage with this is pretty nice, and it will feel really good when you can also pick off a small creature and/or defeat a Battle. As with most of these, the creature when you transform this is pretty amazing.
Elvish Vatkeeper image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that makes an Incubator is sweet – if you have five mana available you can just do it all, and pay 5 for a 3/3 and a 2/2, which is a nice deal! The other ability is fairly expensive, but if you have the mana to sink into it, it certainly makes your Incubator a lot scarier.
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Assimilate Essence image 2.0 This is kind of a cool design. Early it can counter the majority of cards in your opponent’s deck, and fairly efficiently too – and then later in the game if they can pay it, you at least get a consolation prize. Obviously the better mode is actually countering the thing, but at least it isn’t utterly useless in other situations.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Wildwood Escort image 3.0 I like this. It is a built-in 2-for-1, and the first copy of this is going to be something you virtually always want in Green.
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 6: Gloomfang Mauler
Shanna, Sisay's Legacy image 3.0 In most cases, she scales as the game goes on, and the fact she can’t be targeted by abilities comes up sometimes too.
Render Inert image 1.5 You can use this to “defeat” a battle, which is probably the strongest thing you can do with it – and you can also use it to get rid of an incubator token in most cases, and there are a variety of other random uses in the format too. The fact it replaces itself is nice, but I still feel like this is probably too narrow to make the cut very often.
Bola Slinger image 3.0 This type of creature is always nice in an aggro deck, since getting blockers out of the way really changes how well you can attack. So, this is either a 4-mana 3/3 with this ability, or a 4-mana 2/2 that puts a counter on something else and gives it that ability right away.
Furnace Host Charger image 3.0 A 6-mana 5/5 Haster is definitely medium, but it is definitely relevant on most board states, and if you draw it early and would rather have a land drop, it has you covered.
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Gloomfang Mauler image 3.0 When you actually cast this thing, it has a big impact on the board – either coming down as a monstrous 7/7 with Menace, or coming down as a 5/5 that gives something else two counters as well as Menace until end of turn. This gives it the ability to immediately impact the board when it comes down, while still sporting a sizable and problematic body. The downside here is that you just don’t always get 7 mana in Limited, but this makes sure that isn’t too much of a problem for you, since you can just pitch it to search up a Swamp if that’s what you need to do
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Bloodfell Caves image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 7: Consuming Aetherborn
Radha, Coalition Warlord image 2.0 Radha isn’t going to be as good in this format as she was in Dominaria United. That format was well set up for you to get multiple land types in play. This one’s not. So she is mostly a Hill Giant that offers +2/+2 when she attacks.
Elspeth's Smite image 3.5 This offers a pretty amazing rate, and even shuts down death triggers and other graveyard shenanigans. It is situational of course, but I think the efficiency makes up for that enough for this to sneak into “premium removal” range.
Scrappy Bruiser image 1.5 This can definitely make something else – or itself – into a much better attacker, but I actually don’t love that it makes you return the thing you target to your hand. Sometimes you’ll get some sweet value as a result of that, like if you return something with Backup, but the tempo you lose is a big deal.
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 8: Thornwood Falls
Tiller of Flesh image 2.5 The stats aren’t great, but the trigger is pretty good. However, I’m not sure you’ll be targeting things enough in this format for this to really go wild. Notably, it only counts spells that target, and not abilities like Backup. If you have a critical mass of removal and combat tricks this can do a pretty good job, but the floor is pretty bad.
Shatter the Source image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. 6 mana for 6 damage at Instant speed is usually a 2.0, and with Convoke you’re going to be able to cast this in many more situations than you would normally be able to. Sometimes you can blow up a problem Artifact with this too.
Kor Halberd image 2.0 I like the efficiency here. +1/+1 and Vigilance isn’t a boost that set’s the world on fire, but when you can get it with a one mana Equip cost, I’m definitely interested.
Furtive Analyst image 1.5 Paying 2 to loot is kind of a lot – it is hard to have that kind of mana available consistently, and while a three mana ¼ with Vigilance is acceptable, the whole package here seems a little overcosted.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Expedition Lookout image 2.5 This is a two drop that lots of creatures can’t attack through, and eventually it becomes an unblockable 2/3. That’s pretty nice, because it might take awhile before you get there – since it can’t be blocked, it will be relevant on any board.
Marauding Dreadship image 1.5 So in the end, you pay 5 mana for a 2/2 and a 4/1 Vehicle with Haste and Crew 2. That’s not….the worst thing ever, but it doesn’t seem like you’re doing a great job either. The Vehicle can simply be blocked by a token or something, and Crew 2 is kind of high for a 1 toughness vehicle. It can definitely come down and do some surprise damage, but the fact that you have to tap something significant to crew it makes that a lot less appealing.
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 9: Dismal Backwater
Tymaret, Chosen from Death image 2.5 Hating on graveyards has some real value in this format, especially against Blue/Black decks, and Theros is basically always going to have a decent stat-line and bring some incidental life gain along for the ride.
Invasion of Ergamon image 3.5 Two mana to make a treasure and loot isn’t the most amazing thing, and I’m a little less into all the Battles that don’t actually help you attack the Battle inherently. Now, this can sort of help in that regard by giving you more mana to cast creatures and helping you find more things that attack, but it is still a little too indirect to be great. Still, once you can transform this it becomes amazing, finding you another Battle or a land while having a very relevant body
Shatter the Source image 3.0 This looks pretty nice. 6 mana for 6 damage at Instant speed is usually a 2.0, and with Convoke you’re going to be able to cast this in many more situations than you would normally be able to. Sometimes you can blow up a problem Artifact with this too.
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Oculus Whelp image 2.0 A 4-mana 3/2 Flyer is a little below rate these days, but if this is replacing itself when it dies it does get significantly better. Oftentimes the problem with casting something that costs 4+ mana and has 2 or less toughness is that your opponent can get an easy tempo advantage when they point a one or two mana removal spell at it, but this hedges against that a little when you have a transformed permanent around, since getting the 2-for-1 makes that feel a little less awful. Still, even in the Blue-Green deck you won’t always be able to get this going, and the baseline just isn’t very good.
Onakke Javelineer image 3.0 A 5-mana 5/4 Reach is probably a 2.0 at best, but this activated ability means business. Using it to hurt javelins at your opponent’s dome can be a very real threat, and the fact thise can allow you to defeat battles without having to attack – and it can defeat them at instant speed – is great.
Dismal Backwater image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 2 Pick 10: Placid Rottentail
Tarkir Duneshaper image 2.5 A one mana ½ isn’t very good on its own, but the fact this can become a 4/3 trampler later in the game does mean it tends to have relevance most of the time.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Swordsworn Cavalier image 2.5 A two mana 3/1 is usually a borderline playable in Limited, and this will have First Strike a big chunk of the time. If you play this on turn two, and a knight on turn three, your opponent really has no hope of blocking effectively.
Placid Rottentail image 1.5 A 1/1 with Vigilance isn’t really setting the world on fire, but it does make it a nice spot to put +1/+1 counters, and once it goes down it can provide you with some counters all on its own.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Swamp image
Pack 2 Pick 11: Etched Host Doombringer
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Etched Host Doombringer image 2.5 This is an interesting design. Obviously the stats are bad, but even if this could only drain 2 life on ETB it would probably be playable, so having this Battle upside is pretty nice. If you can use this to defeat a battle and transform it, its going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1 – and the fact you can also use it to subtract counters from your battles or add counters to your opponents battles is pretty sweet. If you can use this to defeat a battle on ETB, it is going to feel pretty close to a 2-for-1
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Vengeant Earth image 1.0 We see this type of card every now and then, and usually its unplayable. Animating a land or incubator for a single turn usually isn’t worth doing, but this one does make things a little interesting, since it forces something to block it. This can allow this to feel like a super situational, roundabout way to remove an opposing creature. You can also animate a land and block it as a surprise, but this is usually a dangerous proposition. So yeah, It still feels like this is still far too situational to be worth using, though.
Pack 2 Pick 12: Corrupted Conviction
Ramosian Greatsword image 3.5 This is a stats boost that makes basically any creature into a threat, and the fact you can Convoke this helps soften the blow that this costs so much mana. The Equip cost itself is super reasonable for the boost after you get it into play, too!
Coming In Hot image 1.5 This is a decent trick that we’ve seen before. +1/+0 and First Strike is enough to help a lot of creatures kill an opposing creature and survive combat, the Scry is some nice additional upside. It IS a trick that is only useful in combat, which certainly hurts its stock a bit, but its fine.
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Mirrodin Avenged image 1.5 This is a functional reprint of You Are Already Dead, which we saw in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. That card was kind of underwhelming. When it worked, you got a pretty sweet 2-for-1. It can’t really be an amazing card though, because there aren’t enough situations where you can do damage to something without already having to give up a card. If you can do that, this gets a lot better.
Pack 2 Pick 13: Elvish Vatkeeper
Elvish Vatkeeper image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that makes an Incubator is sweet – if you have five mana available you can just do it all, and pay 5 for a 3/3 and a 2/2, which is a nice deal! The other ability is fairly expensive, but if you have the mana to sink into it, it certainly makes your Incubator a lot scarier.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Plains image
Pack 2 Pick 14: Consuming Aetherborn
Consuming Aetherborn image 2.5 Giving a counter and lifelink until end of turn to something on ETB isn’t too bad, but a 4-mana 3/3 with Lifelink is not a good deal. It sort of feels like both options are a little overcosted here.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Pack 2 Pick 15: Swamp
Swamp image
Pack 3 Pick 1: Nezumi Freewheeler
Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image 4.0 This was powerful last time we saw it, and it will be here too. Blue/White isn’t as into spells this time around, but you will have spells and this gives you the option to draw extra cards off of them, while also having a powerful mass pump effect that really alters the game when you get there.
Errant and Giada image 4.0 This has a great base rate, and getting information about the top of your library is nice upside to add to it. While you aren’t ultra likely to have a ton of cards with Flash in your deck, you are likely to have some Flyers, and if you cast even one thing off the top of your library this will feel amazing, and give you a sweet 2-for-1.
Furnace Gremlin image 3.0 A two mana ½ that can pump its power for two mana isn’t always great, mostly because just to trade with other two drops you end up having to pay some extra mana. However, the Gremlin here gets around that downside, at least partially! Because if you do pump it to trade with a 2/2 or something, you end up getting an Incubator token with two counters on it. No matter how this thing goes down, it ends up leaving something behind, and even attacking into it will be a real problem for your opponent sometimes.
Nezumi Freewheeler image 4.0 A 4-mana 3/3 Menace isn’t amazing, but this can also give you a bit of graveyard value. Getting cards in the opponent’s graveyard has some upside to it in Black in this format too. This can also transform the turn after you play it into a very exciting creature that can take advantage of the graveyard quite effectively.
Invasion of Ergamon image 3.5 Two mana to make a treasure and loot isn’t the most amazing thing, and I’m a little less into all the Battles that don’t actually help you attack the Battle inherently. Now, this can sort of help in that regard by giving you more mana to cast creatures and helping you find more things that attack, but it is still a little too indirect to be great. Still, once you can transform this it becomes amazing, finding you another Battle or a land while having a very relevant body
Sculpted Perfection image 3.0 BW is a Phyrexia Tribal deck, with special focus on the Incubator tokens. Most creatures in Black and White are Phyrexians in the set, so this ends up feeling like an anthem a decent chunk of the time – and one that brings a creature along for the ride, even if that creature is kind of inefficient
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Etched Familiar image 2.5 Trading this off and draining 2 life from your opponent is going to feel like a good deal all the time, and it isn’t terrible sacrifice fodder either.
Disturbing Conversion image 2.0 Blue-Black is interested in milling both players, so this seems like a decent card for that type of deck. Only lowering a creature’s power is pretty far from actually removing that creature, but this does enable your other graveyard stuff reasonably well.
Alabaster Host Intercessor image 3.5 This is a large version of Banisher Priest, and while it isn’t the most efficient thing ever, that’s still a strong effect. What makes it especially nice, though, is that it has Plainscycling. This means if you draw this early when you are really far from casting it, you can get rid of it and search up a land. This really offsets the downside of this being a 6-mana card. Basically, this gets a land when you need it, and if you have the mana to cast it, it is going to have a big impact on the board. I think this is one of White’s best Commons.
Thrashing Frontliner image 2.5 Attacking as a 3/3 trampler when it goes after battles is pretty impressive for the cost, and the baseline isn’t too bad either, especially with Backup having a significant presence in Red.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Marauding Dreadship image 1.5 So in the end, you pay 5 mana for a 2/2 and a 4/1 Vehicle with Haste and Crew 2. That’s not….the worst thing ever, but it doesn’t seem like you’re doing a great job either. The Vehicle can simply be blocked by a token or something, and Crew 2 is kind of high for a 1 toughness vehicle. It can definitely come down and do some surprise damage, but the fact that you have to tap something significant to crew it makes that a lot less appealing.
Island image
Pack 3 Pick 2: Skittering Surveyor
Reyav, Master Smith image 3.0 There’s a decent amount of Auras and Equipment in the set, but not so many that this is going to be super easy to trigger.
Scrappy Bruiser image 1.5 This can definitely make something else – or itself – into a much better attacker, but I actually don’t love that it makes you return the thing you target to your hand. Sometimes you’ll get some sweet value as a result of that, like if you return something with Backup, but the tempo you lose is a big deal.
Rampaging Geoderm image 3.5 This can target itself, so it does attack as a 4-mana 4/4 Trample and Haste if you want it to. It also doesn’t have to be attacking for this trigger to happen – as long as you attack with at least one thing, the Geoderm’s ability will go off. Red-Green is the color pair the most interested in battles too, so you have other incentives to attack them – and getting a permanent +1/+1 is a pretty massive upgrade! Of course, haste and trample are themselves great for attacking battles.
Invasion of Eldraine image 2.0 Overcosted Mind Rot is not a good starting point. It will feel nice if you play it early and you get that 2-for-1, but not adding to the board is definitely a problem, as is how bad this is as a top deck in many situations. It does synergize with itself though, because once transformed it punishes the opponent for having too few cards in hand. Still, I don’t see the front side delivering enough value, or assisting enough in transforming it, that I see this as being something great. Obviously, if you always got the creature and the effect for 4 mana it would be nuts, but I have some doubts that can be accomplished.
Order of the Mirror image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform the turn after you play it, and a 3/3 with this ability does tend to stay relevant for most of the game.
Iridescent Blademaster image 1.5 This is a bear that can buff itself when you have some extra mana lying around. We’ve seen many cards like this in recent years, and most of them haven’t been especially impressive. You just don’t find yourself with a bunch of mana lying around until the later stages of the game, so this is often irrelevant between about turn 2 and turn 10, and that’s a problem.
Nezumi Informant image 2.0 Adding to the board and taking an opposing card is pretty sweet. This isn’t exactly Virus Beetle though, which is probably the best version of these we’ve ever seen. That particular card happened to be an Artifact in a format where that mattered, and it was also in a format with lots of Ninjas so it was easier to abuse the ETB. In this format this does provide some decent sacrifice fodder, since it gives you a 1-for-1 up front, but it does have diminishing returns the longer that games go on.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Alabaster Host Intercessor image 3.5 This is a large version of Banisher Priest, and while it isn’t the most efficient thing ever, that’s still a strong effect. What makes it especially nice, though, is that it has Plainscycling. This means if you draw this early when you are really far from casting it, you can get rid of it and search up a land. This really offsets the downside of this being a 6-mana card. Basically, this gets a land when you need it, and if you have the mana to cast it, it is going to have a big impact on the board. I think this is one of White’s best Commons.
Inspired Charge image 1.5 // 3.0 We see this all the time, and its always a build around-type card that works great in decks that can go wide, and pretty bad everywhere else. The good news is, both Red/White and Blue/White look like they’ll be interested in this.
Skittering Surveyor image 3.0 This does a great job of fixing your mana, and makes for an expendable body to sacrifice in Black-Red.
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Thornwood Falls image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 3: Deadly Derision
Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma image 3.5 On its own, Goreclaw attacks as a 5/4 trampler, and if you have some other beefy creatures around it gets even better. You’ll often have those big creatures in Green too.
Invasion of Pyrulea image 3.0 Two mana for a Scry 3 that is likely to draw you a card isn’t a terrible rate, and while this doesn’t directly help you add to the board, it is a passable rate. If you find yourself in a situation where you can attack the Invasion, you’re going to get yourself a very impressive creature too, especially because UG is the color pair the most interested in transformed creatures, so there’s lots of synergy there.
Furnace Gremlin image 3.0 A two mana ½ that can pump its power for two mana isn’t always great, mostly because just to trade with other two drops you end up having to pay some extra mana. However, the Gremlin here gets around that downside, at least partially! Because if you do pump it to trade with a 2/2 or something, you end up getting an Incubator token with two counters on it. No matter how this thing goes down, it ends up leaving something behind, and even attacking into it will be a real problem for your opponent sometimes.
Storm the Seedcore image 3.0 Granting a big stats boost to a few creatures, and giving all creatures Vigilance and Trample seems like a nice deal. This lets you really upgrade your board without sacrificing the ability to block on the following turn, and that can really help turn a race around. As usual, this type of card has the downside of being very mediocre if you don’t have a well-developed board, but even then the fail case isn’t the worst.
Khenra Spellspear image 4.0 I would already play a two mana 2/2 with Prowess and nothing else and be pretty happy with it. That card is probably a 3.0. So, adding Trample and the ability to transform into an even more imposing creature to the mix makes this absolutely incredible. It can even transform the turn after you play it, which is great. The double prowess on the transformed size is going to be a real beating, and the fact that Ward makes it harder to kill is great too.
Serpent-Blade Assailant image 2.5 A three mana 3/2 with Deathtouch is passable, as is giving the counter and deathtouch to something else. It will often allow a creature to be a much more problematic attacker. Also works well with the fight and bight spells Green always has.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Ephara's Dispersal image 2.5 One mana to bounce an attacking creature and Surveil 2 is quite the deal, so the fact you can also target non attacking creatures for 3 mana is nice. Most of the time you don’t get an actual trade, but the card selection and tempo are nice, and the times where you do cast this in response to a trick or something will feel truly amazing.
Hangar Scrounger image 2.0 This is either a three mana 3/2 that rummages when it taps, or a three mana 2/1 that puts a counter somewhere else that lets you rummage when it taps that turn. That’s certainly fine, but I’m also not blown away by either option.
Scrollshift image 1.0 // 2.5 There’s definitely some nice stuff you can flicker in the format, and adding “Draw a card” here helps offset the times where this doesn’t really do anything. Still, this is a build around. You shouldn’t really be playing this if your deck doesn’t have some ETBs to abuse, because only utilizing this as a card that can save a creature from removal is a little too narrow.
Temporal Cleansing image 2.0 A Sorcery that always did this for four mana would probably be a 1.5. It is definitely removal, but very clunky, and the fact it can’t be a more permanent answer for many creatures is definitely a problem.
Deadly Derision image 3.5 We’ve seen this card at Sorcery speed before, and it was pretty good. As an Instant, it gets significantly better! This is easily premium removal, and pretty much a lock to be one of Black’s best Commons, if not the best.
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 4: Elvish Vatkeeper
Scorn-Blade Berserker image 3.0 This is either a one mana ½ with this ability, or a one mana 0/1 that puts a counter somewhere and gives the ability to something else for a turn. Neither of those seems…amazing. Generally you don’t want to sacrifice a creature you just put a counter on, so that part of the ability is a bit awkward. I think the idea is to put that counter on something and then sacrifice the Berserker though – in which case this is sort of a two mana sorcery that puts a counter on something and draws you a card, and that’s a playable card! It has far more flexibility than that too.
Elvish Vatkeeper image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that makes an Incubator is sweet – if you have five mana available you can just do it all, and pay 5 for a 3/3 and a 2/2, which is a nice deal! The other ability is fairly expensive, but if you have the mana to sink into it, it certainly makes your Incubator a lot scarier.
Pyretic Prankster image 3.0 A two mana 2/1 is below rate these days, but this can transform into a 3/2 that virtually always forces a 2-for-1, and it can transform pretty quickly.
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Stasis Field image 2.0 This type of removal never feels great. This is mostly because it allows your opponent to hold on to at least some value from their creature. Sure, the best it can do most of the time is chump block, and that may not sound like much, but that makes this a lot worse than it might look.
Converter Beast image 2.5 You can look at this as a 6-mana 0/1 that makes a 5/5. That’s an acceptable rate, and this has the usual upside Incubator tokens have – you have the option of paying for it in installments. The downside here is the times where you can’t get that 5/5 really quickly, you’re playing a 0/1 for a 4 which will feel like you are barely adding to the board.
Gloomfang Mauler image 3.0 When you actually cast this thing, it has a big impact on the board – either coming down as a monstrous 7/7 with Menace, or coming down as a 5/5 that gives something else two counters as well as Menace until end of turn. This gives it the ability to immediately impact the board when it comes down, while still sporting a sizable and problematic body. The downside here is that you just don’t always get 7 mana in Limited, but this makes sure that isn’t too much of a problem for you, since you can just pitch it to search up a Swamp if that’s what you need to do
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Angelic Intervention image 2.5 Two mana for a counter and protection gives your creature the ability to both dodge removal spells and succeed in combat more often.
Attentive Skywarden image 2.5 This has passable base stats, and sometimes it will let you transform an incubator for free.
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
Mountain image
Pack 3 Pick 5: Elvish Vatkeeper
Juri, Master of the Revue image 3.5 Again, sacrifice decks in this format look legit, so this is an incredibly nice payoff for that deck. Even if it never grows, the fail case is a two mana 1/1 that pings something when it dies. That isn’t great, but that’s the fail case, and this becomes more and more of a problem as the game goes on.
Elvish Vatkeeper image 3.5 A three mana 3/3 that makes an Incubator is sweet – if you have five mana available you can just do it all, and pay 5 for a 3/3 and a 2/2, which is a nice deal! The other ability is fairly expensive, but if you have the mana to sink into it, it certainly makes your Incubator a lot scarier.
Merciless Repurposing image 3.0 6 mana is a lot, even for removal – mostly because you end up paying more than your opponent did for their creature a lot of the time, and that tempo hit can be rough. However, this is an Instant, and it gives you something that will eventually be a creature. If you have 8 mana lying around, this will feel like an 8-mana 3/3 that exiles something on ETB, and the fact you can spread it out in two installments is nice.
Invasion of Lorwyn image 3.5 The front side of this is a removal spell that will kill almost everything, and when it transforms it is a creature that is all but guaranteed to be the biggest thing on the field. Six mana is a lot, but the fact this is removal is great, since it also means you’ve got a good chance to attack the Battle right away.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Iridescent Blademaster image 1.5 This is a bear that can buff itself when you have some extra mana lying around. We’ve seen many cards like this in recent years, and most of them haven’t been especially impressive. You just don’t find yourself with a bunch of mana lying around until the later stages of the game, so this is often irrelevant between about turn 2 and turn 10, and that’s a problem.
Etched Familiar image 2.5 Trading this off and draining 2 life from your opponent is going to feel like a good deal all the time, and it isn’t terrible sacrifice fodder either.
Negate image 1.5 In most formats, this is something that should stay in your sideboard, because there just aren’t enough targets. This format does have a new non-creature card type in Battle, and I think that’s enough for this to be a little more playable, though it is probably still better as a sideboard card.
Atraxa's Fall image 0.5 One thing to keep in mind is that destroying a battle doesn’t let you cast it transformed. A battle has to be “defeated” for that to happen, and the only way to make that happen is to remove the counters on it one way or another. This simply puts in the graveyard. In other words, you want to use this on a battle you are defending. This targets a whole bunch of stuff, but I’m still pretty skeptical it will find something useful to do on a regular basis, so I’m starting it in the sideboard.
Attentive Skywarden image 2.5 This has passable base stats, and sometimes it will let you transform an incubator for free.
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Pack 3 Pick 6: Dreg Recycler
Invasion of Lorwyn image 3.5 The front side of this is a removal spell that will kill almost everything, and when it transforms it is a creature that is all but guaranteed to be the biggest thing on the field. Six mana is a lot, but the fact this is removal is great, since it also means you’ve got a good chance to attack the Battle right away.
Merciless Repurposing image 3.0 6 mana is a lot, even for removal – mostly because you end up paying more than your opponent did for their creature a lot of the time, and that tempo hit can be rough. However, this is an Instant, and it gives you something that will eventually be a creature. If you have 8 mana lying around, this will feel like an 8-mana 3/3 that exiles something on ETB, and the fact you can spread it out in two installments is nice.
Thunderhead Squadron image 2.5 Even if you only tap one creature to help you cast this, you’re getting a passable deal. If you can cast this for significantly less, it will feel even better.
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Bladed Battle-Fan image 2.0 +1/+0 and indestructible isn’t a terrible trick-like effect, because it saves a creature in combat while helping them punch up, and it saves the creature from most removal too. Any time a card can do both of those they end up seeing play. The Equipment itself definitely isn’t exciting after the turn you cast it, and that does make it awkward in some situations, but the threat this presents as a trick is nice, and its flexible too.
Dreg Recycler image 2.5 Life drain does a great job of helping you stay alive while also pressuring your opponent, and it even has passable stats.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Chomping Kavu image 2.5 This is either a 4-mana 4/4 that can’t be blocked by small stuff, or a 4-mana 3/3 that gives something else a counter and makes it harder to block for a turn. I think both of those modes are going to feel like a pretty good investment.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Wind-Scarred Crag image 2.5 These always enter tapped, but producing two different colors and gaining a life is always nice value. If you’re in their two colors or trying to splash something, you’re going to be happy playing these.
Pack 3 Pick 7: Timberland Ancient
Scrappy Bruiser image 1.5 This can definitely make something else – or itself – into a much better attacker, but I actually don’t love that it makes you return the thing you target to your hand. Sometimes you’ll get some sweet value as a result of that, like if you return something with Backup, but the tempo you lose is a big deal.
Bonded Herdbeast image 3.0 A 5-mana 4/5 is a 2.0 at the very best, but this one transforms into a pretty scary 7/5 with Menace, something that is going to be a problem on most boards.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Temporal Cleansing image 2.0 A Sorcery that always did this for four mana would probably be a 1.5. It is definitely removal, but very clunky, and the fact it can’t be a more permanent answer for many creatures is definitely a problem.
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Cut Short image 3.0 This is decent removal, especially because it can show up out of nowhere when you’re tapped out. It is restrictive enough that I do think it falls a bit short of premium
Trailblazing Historian image 2.5 We’ve seen several one mana 1/1s with Haste that can tap and give things Haste, and they tend to work out reasonably well. Making this cost one more mana, but also giving it two more toughness, is a reasonable trade off, and Haste can play particularly well in a world of Battles.
Flywheel Racer image 2.5 This is a reasonably efficient vehicle, and the fact it fixes and ramps is nice too, even if you do have to Crew it.
Timberland Ancient image 3.0 A 6-mana 6/5 with Reach and Trample is right around a 2.0 these days, but don’t underestimate Forestcycling! Unlike your other 6 drops, you can throw this one away if you draw it early and grab a land drop you desperately need, and when it comes time to cast it, it isn’t usually a creature your opponent can just ignore.
Pack 3 Pick 8: Iridescent Blademaster
Invasion of Dominaria image 3.0 Three mana for 4 life and a card isn’t the worst deal ever, and you have the potential to get a Serra Angel. Obviously that’s insane value for the investment, but I do think it will take some work to transform this.
Change the Equation image 0.5 The base level of this card isn’t very good, since most opponents won’t really have enough spells this can counter. Obviously, against Red and/or Green opponents it is great, but the floor is pretty bad.
Enduring Bondwarden image 2.5 A one mana ½ that puts its counter somewhere when it dies is playable in this format because there are so many nice payoffs for doing things with counters. The ability to put the counter elsewhere is good too, and you can even get away with attacking into a trade if you have Backed up the creature, because if your opponent blocks you’re going to come out ahead since you keep all those counters
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Beamtown Beatstick image 2.0 +1/+0 and Menace isn’t a terrible boost for the casting and equip cost here, and the fact it gives you treasure will also mean it will be a little easier to move around than it might look at first. Seems like a solid inclusion for Red aggro decks.
Sigiled Sentinel image 2.5 A three mana 3/3 with Vigilance is something you usually play, especially when the creature has a useful creature type – so the upside of putting the counter elsewhere and giving something vigilance for a turn makes this quite attractive.
Kithkin Billyrider image 2.5 A three mana 1/3 with Double Strike is actually a pretty nice rate. It is incredibly hard to attack through or block in the early game, and it is a great place to put all your +1/+1 counters.
Iridescent Blademaster image 1.5 This is a bear that can buff itself when you have some extra mana lying around. We’ve seen many cards like this in recent years, and most of them haven’t been especially impressive. You just don’t find yourself with a bunch of mana lying around until the later stages of the game, so this is often irrelevant between about turn 2 and turn 10, and that’s a problem.
Pack 3 Pick 9: Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart image 4.0 This was powerful last time we saw it, and it will be here too. Blue/White isn’t as into spells this time around, but you will have spells and this gives you the option to draw extra cards off of them, while also having a powerful mass pump effect that really alters the game when you get there.
Sculpted Perfection image 3.0 BW is a Phyrexia Tribal deck, with special focus on the Incubator tokens. Most creatures in Black and White are Phyrexians in the set, so this ends up feeling like an anthem a decent chunk of the time – and one that brings a creature along for the ride, even if that creature is kind of inefficient
Phyrexian Archivist image 1.0 This is a reprint, and it wasn’t very good last time. This format does have a self-mill deck, and that means this can theoretically keep you from milling out in the extreme late game, but it isn’t particularly efficient and is far too situational.
Halo-Charged Skaab image 1.5 This has some bad stats, and I don’t love the ETB ability either. Blue-Black is definitely interested in milling both players and getting value out of it, and this certainly does that, but putting a card on top of your library is always worse than it seems at first.
Crystal Carapace image 2.0 As an Aura, this isn’t the most efficient thing ever, but it wouldn’t be completely unplayable either. +3/+3 is a big upgrade, and Ward 2 allows you to really decrease the chance your opponent can interact in some way before you get some value out of attacking with a creature this is attached to. If you find yourself in a situation where you just can’t risk playing this or playing it doesn’t make a difference, or you’re mana screwed, you can just Cycle it away. That Cycle part is what really makes this borderline playable card into something solid.
Marauding Dreadship image 1.5 So in the end, you pay 5 mana for a 2/2 and a 4/1 Vehicle with Haste and Crew 2. That’s not….the worst thing ever, but it doesn’t seem like you’re doing a great job either. The Vehicle can simply be blocked by a token or something, and Crew 2 is kind of high for a 1 toughness vehicle. It can definitely come down and do some surprise damage, but the fact that you have to tap something significant to crew it makes that a lot less appealing.
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Pack 3 Pick 10: Scrappy Bruiser
Reyav, Master Smith image 3.0 There’s a decent amount of Auras and Equipment in the set, but not so many that this is going to be super easy to trigger.
Scrappy Bruiser image 1.5 This can definitely make something else – or itself – into a much better attacker, but I actually don’t love that it makes you return the thing you target to your hand. Sometimes you’ll get some sweet value as a result of that, like if you return something with Backup, but the tempo you lose is a big deal.
Rampaging Geoderm image 3.5 This can target itself, so it does attack as a 4-mana 4/4 Trample and Haste if you want it to. It also doesn’t have to be attacking for this trigger to happen – as long as you attack with at least one thing, the Geoderm’s ability will go off. Red-Green is the color pair the most interested in battles too, so you have other incentives to attack them – and getting a permanent +1/+1 is a pretty massive upgrade! Of course, haste and trample are themselves great for attacking battles.
Akki Scrapchomper image 1.0 I’d generally rather be able to sacrifice creatures than lands, since there are so many good expendable ones out there. Sure, if you have too many lands this provides flood insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre card early and not even that good in the late game.
Golden-Scale Aeronaut image 2.5 A 5-mana ¾ with Flying is acceptable, and that’s the floor here. The ability to put the counter on something else and give it flying for a turn will usually be what you want to do
Moment of Truth image 1.5 This is a nice upgrade on Anticipate, since now you get to put something in your graveyard. It still isn’t amazing, but if you’re a deck interested in spells or the graveyard, it will be something you play
Pack 3 Pick 11: Storm the Seedcore
Invasion of Pyrulea image 3.0 Two mana for a Scry 3 that is likely to draw you a card isn’t a terrible rate, and while this doesn’t directly help you add to the board, it is a passable rate. If you find yourself in a situation where you can attack the Invasion, you’re going to get yourself a very impressive creature too, especially because UG is the color pair the most interested in transformed creatures, so there’s lots of synergy there.
Furnace Gremlin image 3.0 A two mana ½ that can pump its power for two mana isn’t always great, mostly because just to trade with other two drops you end up having to pay some extra mana. However, the Gremlin here gets around that downside, at least partially! Because if you do pump it to trade with a 2/2 or something, you end up getting an Incubator token with two counters on it. No matter how this thing goes down, it ends up leaving something behind, and even attacking into it will be a real problem for your opponent sometimes.
Storm the Seedcore image 3.0 Granting a big stats boost to a few creatures, and giving all creatures Vigilance and Trample seems like a nice deal. This lets you really upgrade your board without sacrificing the ability to block on the following turn, and that can really help turn a race around. As usual, this type of card has the downside of being very mediocre if you don’t have a well-developed board, but even then the fail case isn’t the worst.
Temporal Cleansing image 2.0 A Sorcery that always did this for four mana would probably be a 1.5. It is definitely removal, but very clunky, and the fact it can’t be a more permanent answer for many creatures is definitely a problem.
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Pack 3 Pick 12: Corrupted Conviction
Corrupted Conviction image 2.0 If you have expendable creatures, this is pretty good – and it always has the mode of allowing you to use it after you block or your creature is targeted with removal. If you’re only using it in those situations it definitely gets worse and more narrow, though – ideally, you consistently have bodies around you can always sacrifice and feel good about it, which gives this more room to shine.
Attentive Skywarden image 2.5 This has passable base stats, and sometimes it will let you transform an incubator for free.
Karsus Depthguard image 2.0 Just one +1/+1 counter allows this to start rumbling, and those aren’t exactly hard to come by in Red, and a 3-mana 4/3 Defender isn’t a terrible fail case.
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Pack 3 Pick 13: Etched Familiar
Etched Familiar image 2.5 Trading this off and draining 2 life from your opponent is going to feel like a good deal all the time, and it isn’t terrible sacrifice fodder either.
Atraxa's Fall image 0.5 One thing to keep in mind is that destroying a battle doesn’t let you cast it transformed. A battle has to be “defeated” for that to happen, and the only way to make that happen is to remove the counters on it one way or another. This simply puts in the graveyard. In other words, you want to use this on a battle you are defending. This targets a whole bunch of stuff, but I’m still pretty skeptical it will find something useful to do on a regular basis, so I’m starting it in the sideboard.
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Pack 3 Pick 14: Burning Sun's Fury
Burning Sun's Fury image 1.5 As a trick, this isn’t especially good. +2/+0 might help a creature take down something bigger, but you still end up losing your creature in most situations, and obviously to take advantage of Haste you have to cast it in your main phase. This is really cheap, and with Convoke in the picture it will be even easier to cast than it looks at first – but I think the card’s main uses will be for sending in one of your new creatures and/or finishing the opponent off, and those uses are a little too narrow. It can definitely help you do a ton of damage out of nowhere.
Halo Hopper image 1.5 A three mana 3/2 is pretty bad, but the convoke upside here certainly makes this playable, though I’m still not very impressed.
Pack 3 Pick 15: Failed Conversion
Failed Conversion image 2.0 This isn’t a terrible rate - against most creatures it will be a 5-mana spell that kills the creature and then you Surveil 2. It also isn’t premium, though, as a 5-mana sorcery speed removal spell should probably be able to kill more stuff!
Draft Pick Overview