For reference, you can find the full Visual Spoiler here!
Ethercaste Knight
So, a basic 1/3 exalted guy for two mana. How good can that be? It's decent on defense and it boosts your best attacker through exalted, but artifacts are fragile, it has no utility value, and it's somewhat difficult to cast. I think there are better options, but a quick Esper rush deck might surprise me.
Verdict: Won't see play
Ethersworn Shieldmage
An improved fog on a small body in Momentary Blink colors? In the right deck this can foil your opponent's combat math and direct damage time and time again. I like that you can fearlesly attack your board into any creature without losing your team.
Verdict: Might see play
Fieldmist Borderpost
Hey, what do you know! This is an auto-include in Esper W/U rush, if such an archetype is even viable. It's multicolor, helping a certain Stormblade, and an artifact, turning on the rest of the deck. Also, it effectively goes into your deck's land slots, as long as you play a few basics as well.
Verdict: Will see play
Glassdust Hulk
Five mana is a lot, though an Etherium Sculptor helps with this of course. For five mana however, you get a positive beast. A 4/5 unblockable will get the job done pretty fast, as long as you don't walk into any Ancient Grudges. I like it, though never as a 4-of.
Verdict: Might see play
Offering to Asha
I really like it when lifegain is tacked onto otherwise playable cards. If you're in a tight fight, even 2 life off an Aven Riftwatcher can make the difference. In W/U control decks this card fills the top curve in permision. 4 is a lot to pay extra, so it's not too easy to play around, and it gains you enough life that I think it's worth it.
Verdict: Might see play
Sanctum Plowbeast
So at the unplayable cost of 6 mana I get a 3/6 wall that's easily destroyed by all colors? That means I would have to play this for the landcycling only, and that's not worth it.
Verdict: Won't see play
Stormcaller's Boon
Hmmm... Cascade is cool, but the main effect of this card is not really worth it.
Verdict: Won't see play
Talon Trooper
French vanilla ftw? I'm torn. Decent stats by any means, for the cost anyways. I don't want to be excited about this one, but it turns on Esper Stormcaller and can fend of Mulldrifters, Aven Riftwatchers, Shrieking Grotesques, Hypnotic Specters, Guardian of the Guildpact, Faeries, Ninja of the Deep Hours and a lot more, all day long. Arg... Should I give this a try?
Verdict: Might see play
Arsenal Thresher
This curves in on turn 3 right after Etherium Sculptor. And wow, you can reveal artifact lands if you like! In the right deck this is easily a 5/5 for 3 mana. This might fight Myr Enforcer for the beatstick slot in affinity!
Verdict: Will see play
Esper Sojourners
Ick! An inefficient creature with a seemingly irrelevant leaves play ability and a very hard casting cost. The cycling ability is pretty in limited, but not enough to make this playable in peasant.
Verdict: Won't see play
Esper Stormblade
A 3/2 flyer for 2 mana, are you kidding? Great card, and there should be enough gold artifacts around by now to make this playable in affinity!
Verdict: Will see play
Vectis Dominator
Nah, you should never give your opponent a choice, since he will just choose the least annoying. Also, as a 0/2 it will do nothing on an empty board. Too bad really, I was hoping for a playable WB creature.
Verdict: Won't see play
Architects of Will
A Hill Giant with a Sage Owl ability that cycles for cheap is perfect for limited, but I question its usefulness in peasant. Thing is, there are better utility creatures out there, and 3/3 isn't all that hot either.
Verdict: Won't see play
Brainbite
At 4 mana this is too expensive, even though it's a 2-for-1.
Verdict: Won't see play
Deny Reality
A sorcery-speed Boomerang at 5 mana. Deny Reality isn't off to a great start, and what's worse, the cascade won't often help you in the typical UB deck, which often plays at least 8 counterspell variants. Also, bouncing stuff, especially this late in the game, doesn't really solve any of your problems.
Verdict: Won't see play
Etherium Abomination
Hum. I don't really need to explain to you why this won't see play, right?
Verdict: Won't see play
Jhessian Zombies
At six mana I want better stats out of my land cyclers, maybe a 5/3 regenerator?
Verdict: Won't see play
Mistvein Borderpost
Once again, a borderpost in a color that cares about artifacts. Playable at any rate, it's even better in U/B, as long as you don't go all out on the Mirrodin artifact lands.
Verdict: Will see play
Soul Manipulation
Stunning common! This is the kind of affordable two-for-one any peasant player should be looking out for. Just be careful you don't go all out on the graveyard dependent cards like Accumulated Knowledge and Rune Snag, or else you will be wrecked by Relic of Progenitus.
Verdict: Will see play
Vedalken Ghoul
I'll tap my desert and take 1? If only it would be dangerous if it went unblocked as well...
Verdict: Won't see play
Grixis Grimblade
Efficient creature, even though deathtouch is not really a constructed-worthy (though constructed-annoying) ability.
Verdict: Might see play
Grixis Sojourners
This one is actually playable. The cycling ability is just an expensive, though uncounterable, cremate, but the base stats are totally worth it. Besides, sometimes a cremate is just what you want in peasant!
Verdict: Might see play
Magefire Wings
Power increase and evasion on a cheap aura might actually make this playable. Even if you get only one hit out of this before they destroy the creature, it's still worth it.
Verdict: Might see play
Sewn-Eye Drake
Flying makes this so much better than Lightning Elemental. Still, at 1 toughness for four mana this is too fragile.
Verdict: Won't see play
Breath of Malfegor
Overcosted in a format with just one opponent.
Verdict: Won't see play
Demonic Dread
Even though cascade is probably best on a low CC, the effect of this card is awful.
Verdict: Won't see play
Igenous Pouncer
Six mana is still too much, but this at least packs some punch and can come in unexpected. Of course the surprise of you playing these is spoiled as soon as you cycle your first because six mana is nowhere in sight...
Verdict: Won't see play
Kathari Bomber
Incorrectly spoiled as an uncommon, this card still has one big weakness: Aven Riftwatcher. Only two decks played these in the last tournament however, so it seems like it's declining in popularity. Since it's a common now, I can play it besides Hypnotic Specter or Ashenmoor Gouger (I previously stated I'ld rather play these than the Bomber). That means this is actually a fairly efficient creature, sort of a Dragon Fodder stuck on a Firebolt. As an uncommon it wouldn't have seen play, as a common though...
Verdict: Might see play
Monstrous Carabid
Cycling can be relevant in certain decks, and this card is certainly playable in those decks, as long as they play both colors. Astral Slide and Lightning Rift are already popular choices. Usually these get paired with green for Tilling Treefolk, but maybe this will put some more beats in the deck?
Verdict: Might see play
Singe-Mind Ogre
Peasant is a speedy format, so most of the time you'll get 2 damage out of this at most. Then there's the times your up against a deck with Mulldrifters or Myr Enforcers in his or her hand and it burns for a lot more. Maybe. If this wasn't so unreliable I'ld run it. As is, I still want to test it.
Verdict: Might see play
Terminate
A reprint of a solid card that's already seeing play in Blightning Beatdown decks. Not much of a prediction here.
Verdict: Will see play
Veinfire Borderpost
Mana fixing in a color that can use it. Also this is another target for Shrapnel Blast.
Verdict: Will see play
Jund Hackblade
Huh! Insane if you can turn it on. Most of the times you'ld have to run uncommons or rares to do so (Tattermunge Maniac for example), but there's also the borderposts. B/R especially could run this. Wouldn't even be bad if it could attack only after you dropped down your Ashenmoor Gouger. Oh, did I mention you should play Veinfire Borderpost?
Verdict: Will see play
Jund Sojourners
Not bad, not bad. 3 power for 3 mana is right on the curve, and the cycling ability can actually be relevant. Still, you'ld want to drop this on turn three, and I don't know how consistent you could get those three colors together...
Verdict: Might see play
Putrid Leech
Well well well... A 4/4 for 2 mana, if that won't see play, nothing will! Fits in the (up till now nonexistent) B/G Mimic deck perfectly. Make sure you pack some lifegain somehow, cause this is going to hurt!
Verdict: Will see play
Sangrite Backlash
Meh, Ligthning Bolt, Last Gasp, and Agony Warp are more attractive options.
Verdict: Won't see play
Colossal Might
Excellent pump! The trample is crucial here. Fits right into Taiga-style decks.
Verdict: Will see play
Deadshot Minotaur
One mana too expensive, bummer! Perfect stats, a relevant ability (vs Faeries and Blink for example) and cycling. At 4 mana this would have been perfect, at 5 mana it's, well... One mana too expensive!
Verdict: Won't see play
Firewild Borderpost
Red/green usually has a lot of one-drops, some of which require basic lands (Kird Ape, Wild Nacatl), so I don't see this getting much airtime really. On the bright side, it's Shrapnel Blast fodder and fixes your mana really reliably.
Verdict: Will see play
Godtracker of Jund
If there were enough cheap 5-power creatures in the common slot this might see play. There aren't, so this won't.
Verdict: Won't see play
Gorger Wurm
Well, it's as cheap as a common 5-power creature is going to get. But no, still not competitive.
Verdict: Won't see play
Rhox Brute
Pretty efficient, not as good as the mad hatter (Wickerbough Elder) or Blastoderm.
Verdict: Won't see play
Valley Rannet
Well, these landcyclers certainly aren't anything to the peasant scene. Move along!
Verdict: Won't see play
Violent Outburst
The cascaded spell resolves before this, which means you really want to reveal that Rip-Clan Clasher! Very playable common!
Verdict: Will see play
Cerodon Yearling
A propos Rip-Clan Crasher? Go find a corner and cry, this is your new and improved brother! Of course, unlike G/R, R/W hasn't established itself as a playable archetype yet...
Verdict: Might see play
Naya Hushblade
Tech: the shroud only kicks in after you played the multicolor aura. I have never seen a more perfect target for Armadillo Cloak or Shield of the Oversoul!
Verdict: Will see play
Naya Sojourners
If only this had 4 toughness.
Verdict: Won't see play
Trace of Abundance
Currently there's not a deck that would want to play this. The only peasant deck I know of that used aura's like these was a G/U twiddle deck that actually needed to target a multiple enchanted land to generate massive amounts of mana.
Verdict: Won't see play
Captured Sunlight
Four life eh? Here's the deal, you don't want to play lifegain unless it comes with some sort of utility or gains you a lot of life for a small cost (i.e. Nourish or Hallow). Cascade means you'll always get something else out of this, maybe an Armadillo Cloak? I think I like this card, but I still wonder if the slots aren't better spent on cards that actually win you the game.
Verdict: Might see play
Grizzled Leotau
Lol at the ridiculous toughness. This is Doran's best new friend! Luckily for us, Doran is a rare.
Verdict: Won't see play
Leonin Armorguard
Pretty decent army booster, though a Hill Giant body doesn't actually add that much too an effect like this.
Verdict: Won't see play
Pale Recluse
Anybody interested? No?
Verdict: Won't see play
Qasali Pridemage
Anybody interested? No? What's wrong with you! This is the best common since ages! The power of a Watchwolf and the utility of a Viridian Zealot combined put this common in the hall of fame as far as I'm concerned. If you're in G/W, there isn't a single reason to not play this. It's that good! I would consider this card even if I was playing G/W slivers! If not mainboard, then sideboard. Just wow!
Verdict: Will see play
Sigil of the Nayan Gods
This is a good aura. Problem is, G/W already has an abundance of great, stellar, and insane aura's. Armadillo Cloak this ain't.
Verdict: Won't see play
Sigil Behemoth
Too expensive.
Verdict: Won't see play
Wildfield Borderpost
I'ld wager there's a deck out there that really wants to play this stellar mana fixer.
Verdict: Will see play
Bant Sojourners
Too expensive for too small an effect
Verdict: Won't see play
Bant Sureblade
With great aura's like Shield of the Oversoul and Armadillo Cloak and excellent weenies like Qasali Pridemage (see below) and Steward of Valeron in G/W this is relatively easy to trigger. W/U gets a few solid commons in this set as well, though up until now there have been less playable multicolor commons in that color combination. That being said, a 3/2 first strike for 2 mana is excellent!
Verdict: Will see play
Crystallization
Why not just play Pacifism or Oblivion Ring? If your opponent destroys the Crystallization, you still haven't accomplished anything.
Verdict: Won't see play
Winged Coatl
Snakeform mark 2.0? Another removal spell in G/U, and a card that can unexpectantly grow Shorecrasher Mimic mid combat. I would have like this so much more as a 2/1 though...
Verdict: Might see play
Hmm... that's a pretty impressive list! But it doesn't stop there, because this time there are some uncommons that might shake things up a bit! Let's discuss!
Ardent Plea
A really nice cascade card. It does something relevant, and if you cascade out another exalted (which shouldn't be to hard too accomplish if you build your deck right) this can give you a pretty relevant bonus on your third turn.
Verdict: Might see play
Wall of Denial
People are all over this, and it surely is one of the most annoying walls ever made. It's still only a 0-power creature though, so all it will do is stall. I think you're better of playing Plumeveil, if you must play a wall that is.
Verdict: Won't see play
Illusory Demon
This is raw power! It will hit your opponent hard and mercyless! Since you don't want to be playing four, you even have two uncommon slots left for manlands! The downside is its 3 toughness, right in Lightning Bolt range. The upside is its cmc of 3, right in Unearth range!
Verdict: Will see play
Mask of Riddles
A deceptively powerful effect: combat triggered Curiosity + Fear on an equipment. There's so much powerful blue card drawing at the common level that I doubt this will see play though, simply because you don't need to spend an uncommon slot on this effect. If it triggered on any damage this might have been a whole different story.
Verdict: Won't see play
Mind Funeral
One of the most powerful milling effects we've seen in a while, at least at the common and uncommon rarity. Between this and the common mill cards (Drowner Initiate, Ink Dissolver, Memory Sluice, etc) your clock probably isn't fast enough though. I haven't done the math though, so by all means, try it out!
Verdict: Won't see play
Anathemancer
Very strong in any format that is dominated by nonbasics, such as the current standard. Depending on whether you use Crystalkeep or Gatherer as your official guide to what's common and what's uncommon, this might be the right choice. We, in Groningen, use Gatherer, so Mishra's Factory and Maze of Ith are uncommons. Other than that you'll mainly see basic lands, so we are not going to play this. Maybe the French will? By the by, if Wizards is ever going to make peasant an official format, they're definitely going to use gatherer, so using crystal keep has never been an option for us.
Verdict: Won't see play (in Groningen)
Bituminous Blast
A strong effect, but Terminate gets the job done better and costs 3 (!!!) mana less. Don't let the cascade fool you.
Verdict: Won't see play
Demonspine Whip
So, a recurring Enrage? Interesting! The equipment is cheap enough to be playable, and the effect can be pretty brutal. It doesn't even matter if you're a bit mana flooded, since this will only make your critters more powerful. I'ld give this a try.
Verdict: Might see play
Bloodbraid Elf
This card has been hailed as the best card in the set by several people in online discussion threads, even above rares and mythic rares. That says something about the power of this beauty! 3/2 haste is fine at 4 mana, though at the top of the curve, but cascade really does make a difference in a deck with this! RG aggro is where this would see play, meaning you'll cascade into a relevant creature or a burn spell every time. Lovely!
Verdict: Will see play
Mage Slayer
Very expensive, but so is Loxodon Warhammer, and that sees play in some slower decks. There are, however, only a handful of common creatures that trigger on dealing damage as opposed to combat damage, so the place to use this is on big creatures. In that case I think you're better of spending your six mana on a hard hitting creature instead.
Verdict: Won't see play
Vithian Renegades
A better Viridian Shaman, without a relevant creature type. This does take up a valuable unc slot, and you could just as easily play Tin Street Hooligan in these colors.
Verdict: Won't see play
Behemoth Sledge
Armadillo Cloak meets Loxodon Warhammer. This is a very powerfull effect, and if you were about to run the Warhammer in a GW deck, you might as well use this. Thing is, if you're in these colors, you can also simply play Armadillo Cloak and/or Shield of the Oversoul and spend you unc slot on something relevant like a Phantom Centaur.
Verdict: Won't see play
Reborn Hope
A nice utility card, but is this worth an uncommon slot? I can't tell, but I can guess. Probably not.
Verdict: Won't see play
Sigil Captain
Useless in multiples, but there are so many very useful 1/1 creatures in GW that I'ld play this as a 1- or 2-of. Imagine this with Silhana Ledgewalker, Essence or Soul Warden, token generators. Certainly a very powerful effect!
Verdict: Will see play
Zealous Persecution
Nausea sees wide play with the amount of 1-toughness creatures in the format (elves, faeries, goblins, etc), so this theoretically could see play as well. This suffers from the same problem as Behemoth Sledge though. There are common alternatives that are almost equal, or good enough to get the job done, so why waste an uncommon slot on it?
Verdict: Won't see play
Double Negative
Tricky. If cascade sees play, this is a nice answer. Cascade won't see play widely though, and with the exception of the 3/2 hasty elf, you don't really need to counter the original spell. Versus storm you can use Hindering Touch, which is a common. Basically it's see above.
Verdict: Won't see play
Lorescale Coatl
This is pretty nutsy! You'll never need to overcommit after laying this down, since it will eventually outgrow every other creature in the format! Blue has enough common card draw to accompany this as well. GU Mimic was very playable before, but lacked a solid uncommon slot. This will do very nicely.
Verdict: Will see play
Nulltread Gargantuan
But, if you can't afford to wait, you might also play the fattest cmc 3 currently available in the format. The drawback is super steep though, costing you board position and a draw. Still, I can imagine there are still people who'll want to abuse this with Coiling Oracle and Elvish Visionary to negate the drawback. And make no mistake, a 5/6 can go the distance.
Verdict: Might see play
Gloryscale Viashino
Why does it have to have 3 toughness? Lightning Bolt I hate you! Other than that, this will do some serious facebashery when you turn it on, not very difficult in these colors (how very nice this card combines with Armadillo Cloak and Shield of the Oversoul!).
Verdict: Might see play
Flurry of Wings
While potentially very cool (both on offense and defense), this is one difficult mana cost to accomplish! The amount of hate vs 1/1 creatures in the format due to goblins, elves, etc, doesn't help either. A pity, cause I want to like this card.
Verdict: Won't see play
Thopter Foundry
Cheap artifact, life gain, recycling of excess lands and Chromatic Spheres and Stars. Alara block has brought a few playable uncommons to affinity, and this is no exception.
Verdict: Might see play
Very impressive! My predictions gave Conflux 6 commons and 3 uncommons that I though would see play, this time around it's 16 commons and 4 uncommons! To be fair, that does include the Borderpost cycle and Terminate. I hope you'll enjoy these cards just as much as I will. Still, I know I'm going to play me some Alara Reborn cards for a long while!
Hoping you'll enjoy this set as much as I will,
-Hennink
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