So perhaps a little overdue, but still! A review of Return to Ravnica and its impact on Peasant Magic.
Johan Rots, Martijn Hennink and Martijn Beljaars have taken a look at the set and voiced their opinions in a card by card fashion (Comments preceded by R, H and B respectively). In addition to their opinions they have rated the cards according to the system defined below. (I have left out all cards with a value of 1.0 and lower)
My personal opinion is that at first glance the set does not seem to hold a lot of cards that will see play in Peasant... Apart from the guildgates, of course. I had underestimated their potential at first, because of the existence of evolving wilds, terramorphic expanse and karoo lands (such as Golgari Rotfarm), but after playing with them for a bit I've simply come to love them!
Enjoy and please comment!
Siebe
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4.0: Format staple. (Journey to Nowhere, Delver of Secrets, Hymn to Tourach, Lightning Bolt, Terramorhic Expanse)
3.5: Good in multiple archetypes, but not a format staple. (Kor Skyfisher, Chittering Rats, Rancor, Ulamog´s Crusher, Desert)
3.0: Archetype staple. (Spellstutter Sprite, Corrupt, Grapeshot, Muscle Sliver, Seat of the Synod)
2.5: Role-player in some decks, but not quite a staple. (Icatian Javelineers, Trinket Mage, Grim Harvest, Vines of Vastwood, Prophetic Prism)
2.0: Niche card. Sideboard or currently unknown archetype. Bear in mind that many cards fall into this category, although explanation of why is obviously important. (Benevolent Unicorn, Hydroblast, Faerie Macabre, Flaring Pain, Relic of Progenitus)
1.0: Unlikely to see play, but still offers something new, so it might be playable one day. (Judge of Currents, Wings of Velis Vel, Bleak Coven Vampires, Aftershock, Hunting Cheetah)
0.0: There are better cards than this that never see play, so this card is pretty much doomed to sit out its miserable life in shoe boxes, unemployed for eternity (Aurora Griffin, Bone to Ash, Serpent Warrior, Shock, Grizzly Bears).
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Rating | Comments |
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RATING 2.5 | B: I originally considered unplayed cards like reciprocate, but then remembered those are all uncommon. This might see play, the only contenders for its slot are judge unworthy and unmake, one is too white, the other doesn’t always work. Good option for a selesnya deck. |
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RATING 2.5 | R: Detain is a nice ability for an aggro deck like soldiers. The 1 toughness is a drawback, but usually soldier decks have plenty of ways to boost that. |
RATING 2.5 | H: This is definitely a much better tempo play than Somnomancer, a card that I tried but never could get to work in aggressive weenie strategies. Azorius Arrester not only gets your guys through, but stems your opponent´s attack for a turn as well. The one toughness is unfortunate, since this will die to most of the removal that kills the ever-present Delver of Secrets. |
RATING 3.0 | B: aggressive cost, relevant creature type, love it! |
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RATING 3.0 | H: Adding another body to the board while locking out two of your opponent's creatures is a good enough deal that I could see myself playing this at the top end of a white weenie deck. Of course, if you're playing soldiers, Enlistment Officer provides actual raw, unadulterated card advantage. |
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RATING 3.0 | R: First strike and at least +1/+1 for just W? Very good on an Aura Gnarlid in an echantment based deck! |
RATING 3.0 | B: this is going to make a deck. I loved the guildpact cycle, yet their effect was never worth it. This is just swingy enough to make the risk worth it. |
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RATING 2.5 | R: Instant speed populate seems rather strong. Will see play in a Populate deck. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Kami of Ancient Law and Ronom Unicorn have seen play, so maybe this will too? |
RATING 2.0 | B: Although, when was the last time you saw a Kami of ancient law? |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Certainly a strong card. Its high casting cost will prevent it from much play probably. |
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RATING 3.0 | R: Boost those populate tokens and swing for the win! |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Instant speed populate but giving your tokens some sort of evasion or boost seems better than indestructability. As its name indicates, defensive card. |
RATING 2.5 | H: This is the first common that can unconditionally make your creatures indestructible. While three mana seems reasonable for the effect, that really is one mana too much for such an effect (compare to Wrap in Vigor for example). It becomes a lot better if you play decent token producers however. Since this is an instant, you can even create a surprise indestructible blocker (since the populate happens first) and swing back with it on your next turn. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Strong card but you will not easily put it in the limited uncommon slots. |
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RATING 2.0 | B: flying is good, but for the same cost I could also have a 2/2 and a 1/1 (with relevant creature type) in attended knight |
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RATING 2.0 | B: obligated to increase it because of ethereal armor, but ghostly prison does this for half off. |
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RATING 2.0 | H: Very, very expensive, but I could see this as an unconditional removal spell with a serious upside in some kind of white-based, token-producing 8-post deck. |
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RATING 2.5 | B: one might compare this to half a sleep, but one would be wrong. I can imagine some decks slamming this down for the win, also a great ETW hoser. Thank god it’s an unc |
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RATING 2.0 | B: might fit into a mill deck, but now you are trying to do damage to mill, that’s diluting your strategy. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Very good sideboard card. Has already seen play. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: If you want to build a milldeck, it might be a good choice. Usable every turn. |
RATING 2.5 | B: This guy however I can see pulling some weight, stopping your opponent’s creatures while winning you the game. |
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RATING 2.0 | B: Could be a nice sideboard card if swarm decks start dominating |
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RATING 2.5 | H: 2 power is a much better rate than Shrieking Drake, and bouncing 187 creatures for one mana means you can use them the same turn (provided you didn't miss your land drop). While not a very strong card on the face of it, this still gets into my playable pile because of the sheer value it can provide. |
RATING 2.5 | B: 2/1 flyer for 1, and an ability that might be abused, I think some players will fit this into a fearies list |
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RATING 2.5 | B: Could be a nice addition to a tempo build, the cantrip is a real plus there. |
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RATING 2.5 | R: Giving all of your creatures hexproof for just 1U seems very good. This actually might see play. |
RATING 2.0 | H: Both Ranger’s Guile and Vines of the Vastwood see play, even outside of infect, so I imagine it’s nice to have this effect in another color. It protects your whole team as well, although I don’t know how useful that would be unless you’re playing against Burning Vengeance. Sadly, the fact that it doesn’t boost the target’s power relegates this to the sideboard. |
RATING 2.5 | B: The new common answer to the new common hoser |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Ah, the nichest of cards, but one that can kill your opponent out of nowhere in a dredge deck. Add one blue mana source and this and you can rinse and repeat if you threaten to deck yourself while providing an alternative win condition (mill, oh my) for when your Crushers and Crypt Rats can't get the job done. |
RATING 2.5 | B: Some will try to fit this in a mill strategy, but I think the cost just puts it over the edge |
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RATING 2.0 | R: A Scroll Thief that switched 1 toughness with 1 power. Might see play. |
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RATING 3.0 | R: Finally a good card for Black! Played with unleash you get a 3/4 zombie for only 3 mana. Zombies don't block, so it isn't really a big drawback. I would like that in my zombie deck! |
RATING 3.5 | H: Yay, an actual playable zombie 3-drop! 4 toughness is huge, since that means this survives Lightning Bolt and Sunlance, as is 3 power, since that means it smashes through Kird Ape, Kor Skyfisher and pretty much everything else with a converted casting cost of three or less that is played. |
RATING 2.0 | B: 3 mana 3/4 … cute |
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RATING 2.0 | B: Interesting design, drudge skeletons or something agro-ish |
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RATING 2.0 | R: This card has now been printed in 14 different sets. It is a strong card, but in Peasant it has to compete with the almost unfair Hymn to Tourach. If the Hymn would get banned, Mind Rot will definitely see more play. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: 4/4 for 3B is good for a black creature. It will not be playable in a monoblack deck though. It does deserve a spot in your five colour green deck, with multiple gates. |
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RATING 2.5 | H: I really like this shadow. It doesn’t provide card advantage like Liliana’s Shade, but it has 4 toughness, which means this has a hard time dying to conventional removal (apart from Journey to Nowhere), and that it can block right away if needed. Also, this is the first playable shade that if happy to beat face in a multicolored deck! |
RATING 3.0 | B: Love this man, bolt proof from the start, and a shade you can play in a two color build. For monoblack the regenerate of darkling stalker is probably better, but don’t underestimate this monster |
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RATING 3.0 | H: One the one hand this is worse than The Rack because it triggers less often and can't be tutored up with Trinket Mage, on the other hand it is better because enchantments are harder to remove than artifacts and it hits for the full three life even if your opponent has one card in hand. At the very least this could be The Rack number 5 in decks that are build around the original. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: If you have to play it, the boost effect will come too late in the game. If you can get it into your graveyard other than to let it die, you're looking at a +5/+5 boost for a creature. Maybe in a Tortured Existence deck? |
RATING 2.5 | H: As a 5/5 this is one serious body, only losing out to the likes of Havenwood Battlewurm and Ulamog’s Crusher. The second one (provided the first one didn’t book a Journey to Nowhere) is a 10/10 however, and that’s as big as it gets in the format! Seeing as this is very light on mana requirements as well, Terrus Wurm is one of the best creatures for a black-bases 8-post deck yet if such a deck turns out to be viable. |
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RATING 3.0 | R: 2/3 deathtouch for 1B is something I would like in my aggro black deck! Good card. |
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RATING 2.0 | H: As utility as it gets, but with a much better body than Manic Vandal. If speed isn’t a concern, this is a clear winner. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: This isn't a bad card. Big body and the trample ability will make sure you'll get some damage through. Finisher for a monored aggro deck. |
RATING 2.5 | H: It's cheap, big, and it tramples. Not that I would play this immediately, but this is the best mono-red four-drop yet. |
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RATING 2.0 | B: Potential finisher in some sort of swarm deck |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Considering that Hurly-Burly was considered playable, you can see why I’m excited about this card. It’s an instant, hits flyers and non-flyers, doesn’t hit your creatures, and kills Delver of Secrets on turn one! Easily one of the best commons in the set, and depending on how popular elves, faeries and infect are in your metagame, it might even be worthy of maindecking. |
RATING 4.0 | B: Common sweeper of choice from now on |
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RATING 2.0 | R: For an aggressive red deck a 3/2 two drop isn't bad at all. Can't block? Red creatures never block, do they? |
RATING 3.0 | H: A 3-power beater for two mana that doesn’t come with strings attached. I mean, you weren’t seriously planning on blocking with this right? The two toughness helps as well, making Tragic Slip, Lava Dart, Holy Light and, yes, Electrickery less painful. My experiences in limited so far indicate that this can beat face like no other red two-drop in recent history. |
RATING 2.5 | B: Awesome dude |
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RATING 2.5 | R: This is actually a good card. Turns your Lightning bolt into 5 damage. Weakness: it's a creature and can be killed easy. |
RATING 3.0 | H: More vulnerable than Burning Vengeance, but also much less reliant on your graveyard. A fine build-around me card! |
RATING 3.0 | B: Straight up better that burning vengeance (which is proven already.) also works off of stuff like gitaxian probe. Only downside: dies from removal |
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RATING 2.0 | H: I wanted to put this in the unplayable pile, but 4 toughness is a sweet spot, and if you have enough gold spells in your deck, this might actually deal enough damage on its own. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Loved this in sealed, probably too small for constructed. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Maybe somebody will build a deck around this card. I can see the potential. |
RATING 2.5 | H: At least two turns slower than Burning Vengeance, but an enchantment engine is an enchantment engine. This will be tried out for sure, even though I don't think it's that good. |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Maybe somebody will build a deck around this card. I can see the potential. |
RATING 2.5 | H: At least two turns slower than Burning Vengeance, but an enchantment engine is an enchantment engine. This will be tried out for sure, even though I don't think it's that good. |
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RATING 2.5 | H: I’m hesitant to call this playable, but my matches against this in limited have been painful, to say the least. Whenever you can back this up with an aggressive curve and some instant burn, there is no way your opponent can profitably block this, although aiming a Lightning Bolt at it works just fine. |
RATING 2.0 | B: First strike is scary, might fill a curve |
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RATING 2.5 | H: This used to be an uncommon folks, not so long ago in fact. I like that this steals an Ulamog’s Crusher making it bash for half your opponent’s starting life total. The +2/+0 makes it quite a bit more playable than Act of Treason I think, since even stealing a Kor Skyfisher is pretty threatening. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Better than traitorous blood or act of treason? I think not. |
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RATING 2.5 | B: Overgrown battlement #5-8, might fit in eldrazi green. |
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RATING 2.0 | H: Man is this thing huuuuge! Ulamog’s Crusher kinda limits what big creatures can be considered good enough, but not even two Lightning Bolts take this stag down! I wonder what I would do if someone would shake this big, vanilla beatstick at me and I was out of Journey´s. |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Not exactly a superstar, but still the only common that can put a 3/3 token onto the battlefield by turn three without help from other (nonland) cards, and thus pretty much an auto-include for populate decks if that's a thing. If populate turns out to be good enough for Peasant, this will be an easy 3 by the way, but I'm sceptic. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Could be common enabler for populate decks |
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RATING 2.0 | H: Fogs are a desirable commodity in certain decks, and this can combine with token producers to be one of the best fogs yet. It even lets you make the perfect blocks because it only prevents combat damage to you! Just remember that Moment’s Peace might be better if you don’t play token producers. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Another populate option, but I don’t see populate working just yet |
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RATING 2.0 | R: It can search for Gates. That's good! It's a defender so will work nicely with your Overgrown Battlements. |
RATING 2.0 | H: Normally I would call Lay of the Land effects unplayable, but this fixes two of your secondary colors while fogging a ground-based creature for a turn. That makes it potentially better than Prophetic Prism, a card that is eminently playable in the format. |
RATING 3.0 | B: Auto include in most green two color decks |
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RATING 2.0 | R: One of Green's best boost spells. |
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RATING 2.0 | H: If you think one measly 6/7 is too vulnerable, you could also have two rhinos for one more mana. Of course there are not that many token producers that can produce something better than a 4/4 trampler, so it´s not easy to "upgrade" this spell through its populate ability. |
RATING 1.5 | B: Maybe, just maybe you can ramp into this… |
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RATING 2.0 | R: Hexproof creatures are great in Peasant. I only hope the mana cost isn't too high to be playable. |
RATING 3.0 | B: Hexproof is awesome |
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RATING 2.0 | R: In a populate deck this is your chance to duplicate large tokens. |
RATING 2.5 | H: And the award for creating the biggest token to aid the populate enthusiast goes to the green fireball! I think it's probably worse than Roar of the Wurm, but creating 4/4's for five or 5/5's for six to stay ahead of the curve is pretty valuable. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Maybe as 1 off in the green ramp deck? … |
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RATING 3.0 | H: If only because it is perfect for Isochron Scepter decks. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Modal cards are awesome, but I fear all the modes are just a tad underwhelming |
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RATING 2.0 | R: 2.0 3/3 for 2 mana is pretty nice. Even better than a Watchwolf if you play any populate effects. |
RATING 2.5 | H: The other contender for populate decks. If you want a fast deck this is the card you want, controlling decks will opt for slower token creators. |
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RATING 3.5 | R: My favorite common of the set! 3/3 body for 3 mana and 3 life to boot! |
RATING 3.0 | H: This is one of the best 3-drops I’ve seen in a while. I might already have mentioned that I’m a big fan of incidental lifegain, and this is is a far better 3-drop to put a Shield of the Oversoul on than Centaur Safeguard ever was. |
RATING 3.5 | B: Fat + life = awesome! |
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RATING 2.5 | B: The overload is a tad too pricey to make this an autoinclude, the effect is very interesting though |
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RATING 2.0 | H: It’s hard to judge how good this card is. Two 3/3’s on turn five (assuming you play some kind of acceleration) doesn’t sound too threatening, but this might be the card that glues populate strategies together. |
RATING 2.0 | B: 6 mana, 2 bodies…it might work, I doubt it will though |
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RATING 3.0 | H: Boggart Ram-Gang was eminently playable, until it was outclassed by Bloodbraid Elf. Dregg Mangler doesn't have to content with broken four-drops, although Vampire Nighthawk is a good contender. This will still see some serious play though, as the added power and haste do add up, and the scavenge cost is actually costed low enough to have impact on a game. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Of all the scavenge cards I’ve seen so far, this one might see some play, I doubt it though |
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RATING 2.5 | H: The first thing I realized is that this can protect itself for free (well, 2 life really) with Apostle’s Blessing. I don’t know how viable life as a resource is in a blue/red deck, but that’s pretty nifty! I just don’t know how relevant the cost reduction will be, since Peasant is already so efficient with its Lightning Bolts, Hymn to Tourachs, Counterspells and whatnot. Mana Leak for one blue sounds pretty awesome though! |
RATING 3.0-3.5 | B: This will revive all the kiln fiend/wee dragonauts decks everywhere (also works well with guttersnipe) |
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RATING 2.0 | B: Not a three because wail of the nim does 2/3 of this at common |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Is this made for dredge or what? Excellent for stocking your graveyard with Stinkweed Imps and Golgari Brownscales while putting the Eternal Witness or Spore Frog in your hand. |
RATING 2.5 | B: My first reaction was: commune with nature, but I can imagine decks like tortured existence liking the cards in their yard |
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RATING 2.5 | H: This competes with Ashenmoor Gouger for the 3-drop in red-black decks. Gouger resisted Shambling Remains' attempts to claim the 3-drop throne (with ease, I might add), but flinging the Flailer at your opponent provides a lot more reach than unearth ever did. Still, the 3 toughness is an annoyance with Lighting Bolts, Sunlances and Last Gasps running around in the format. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Is this worth an unc?...personally, I don’t think so |
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RATING 2.0 | B: There might be a control deck that could really use the flash on this man, but I doubt it |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Someone said something about Scepters? This spell offers really good value, as all of its options are relevant. |
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RATING 2.5 | B: This could just be the answer to faeries, elves, soldiers… in short, it hoses enough decks to warrant some serious testing. Too bad it doesn’t hit players at all |
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RATING 2.0 | B: The sac ability is cute, but waaaay too costly |
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RATING 2.0 | B: It’s nice and frontloaded, but doesn’t feel powerfull enough for the unc slot |
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RATING 2.5 | B: The detain ability might just make this playable in blink, with all their mana around it becomes a repetitive tapper |
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RATING 2.5 | B: This is my safety prediction, someone might just break this card in two… I know I won't |
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RATING 2.0 | B: I guess infect doesn’t like this, but then again, when do they ever have 10 creatures? |
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RATING 2.5 | H: This makes combat hell on your opponent. Attacking is exactly what b/r decks are about, and there are enough decent common creatures to devote a slot to excellent utility like this guildmage. I would probably end up with Ashenmoor Gouger anyway, but this is certainly worth a try. |
RATING 2.0 | B: There just aren’t many good uncs available to a BR deck, that immediately makes all the decent ones better |
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RATING 3.0 | H: And Call of the Conclave has to compete with this. 3/3 is a lot (and I do mean a lot) better than 2/2 vigilance, but the added flexibility of exiling eldrazi (much better than destroying them due to graveyard recursion) and pumping a fatty and giving it trample make this such an excellent, excellent card. |
RATING 2.5 | B: Here all the options are relevant, so it is never a dead card |
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RATING 2.5 | B: It’s a great control-ish card, problem is that most potential targets don’t mind being recast… |
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RATING 3.0 | B: Instant finisher in wee-fiend decks? Watch out for this one! |
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RATING 2.0 | B: |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Despite the fact that this doesn't product a 3/3 for under 8 mana on its own, the fact that this is the only repeatable populate source available might make this playable. It's expensive though, so I'm not sure it can compete. |
RATING 2.5 | B: Obligatory card in a potential populate deck, I'm not sure that deck will ever work though |
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RATING 2.5 | H: I'm reluctant to call this playable, but it does provide an uncounterable way of making your creatures connect. If you have stuff like the Eldrazi around (which can end a game quickly) or Ninja of the Deep Hours (card advantage!) this is an option to consider. |
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RATING 3.0 | B: Is it better than wee dragonauts? Nope. Will it fit in a wee dragonauts deck? I fear it will. |
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RATING 3.0 | B: It’s a strict upgrade from elite vanguard (type and all) |
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RATING 2.5 | H: A solid defender early on, a heavy beater if your opponent has no creatures (and you have no plays). Though unassuming, I think this is actually one of the sleepers in the set, and a serious option for both mono blue and mono red. This might be way better than I anticipate. |
RATING 2.0 | B: Shall I cave and call it ”just too weird to use?”..i shall |
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RATING 3.0 | B: Finally! The aggressive rakdos uncommon I was hoping for! |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Black has got better alternatives in Order of the Ebon Hand and Dauthi Slayer, but mono-red pretty much only had Keldon Marauders as its two-drop until now. As long as you Lightning Bolt those annoying Kor Skyfishers out of the way, this will deliver the beats for you. The question is however, aren’t you better of playing Gore-House Chainwalker or Frostburn Weird in mono-red decks? I think the answer depends on if the haste makes up for a bigger butt and the ability to deal more damage and I think the answer is no as long as Delver of Secrets and Kor Skyfisher are real cards. |
RATING 2.0 | B: And this man just joins the party as a great curve filler! |
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RATING 2.0 | B: I really like this card, and I want to see it played and abused, I just fear it will not be worth the unc slot though |
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RATING 2.5 | H: Disenchant and Naturalize are both playable in Peasant, and this provides a very nice upside if your deck is built around it. There may be enough targets in the format at the moment to maindeck it even if that’s the case. |
RATING 4.0 | B: If you happen to have a single token lying around, this is nearly always better than either disenchant or naturalize. |
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RATING 1.5 | B: Best of the keyrunes in a color that does not need the acceleration |
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RATING 3.5 | R: These lands have an incredible impact on multicolour Peasant decks. The possibility of having both colours at your disposal upon playing a guildgate turn one, is more important than you think! Arguably the best commons of the set. |
RATING 4.0 | H: The fact that these come into play tapped is a liability at times, making them better suited for controlling decks. Does anyone care though? These are instant staples, and hands-down the cards I am most excited for in this set. I actually value the enemy color ones slightly higher, because we already have the borderposts for allied colors. Only slightly though, because the gates should replace any borderposts in decks that don’t care about the posts’ artifact status. |
RATING 4.0 | B: Here they are! Common mana fixers! Strictly better than a terrasmurf in two color builds |
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RATING 2.0 | B: I think I have seen 2 decks in all play rupture spire |
awesome thanks!
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