White
A tried and true classic, not only taking out creature threats, Banishing Light can also hit problematic Class cards that warp the game.
While not quite as insane as Steadfast Unicorn, Warren Elder does a nice impression. The threat of activation allows you to make attacks during battlefield states you wouldn’t normally be able to, as well as allowing you to deploy additional threats in the second main phase when you don’t pump. If the game goes late, eight mana often can become your win condition.
Sonar Strike is the Divine Arrow white deserves. It kills most early- to mid-game threats effectively, with the flexibility of casting it on an attacker before you declare blockers, as well as the option to kill something outside of combat altogether.
Blue
Lightshell Duo will most likely be a sleeper early on, but I feel like it could be blue’s best common going in. Looking through the lens of the Limited heuristic: ‘Scry/Surveil 1 = drawing half a card’, Lightshell Duo becomes a failsafe Loan Shark with prowess.
There’s a strong representation of meaningful creatures with enters abilities, which often dictates the power of Run Away Together. Not only are there cards like Pond Prophet, Run Away Together also works well with the offspring mechanic present in all five colors.
I’ve been liking Quench in present-day Limited, and Dazzling Denial should remain potent in most mid- and late-game scenarios with a Bird on the battlefield.
Black
Nocturnal Hunger is splashable instant-speed removal with a small downside. Having the option of losing life or giving your opponent a Food token really diminishes the downside. A really well-designed card, so props to those responsible.
While rather vanilla for what you may imagine a Squirrel Warlock Bard to be, Bonebind Orator still seems very solid. A great card to surveil or mill, a two-drop to get on the battlefield, and an impactful late-game ability add up to a solid overall card.
Starlit Soothsayer will accrue more value the longer the game goes on. Black has plenty of cards that will trigger the surveil ability, like Glidedive Duo, Diresight, and Nocturnal Hunger. On the flip side, there are plenty of lifegain cards, as well as Food tokens for smooth surveillin’.
Red
While Take Out the Trash is not quite as powerful as Fire Prophecy, I’ll let the flavor of the card make up for that disparity.
I’m a fan of Thrill of Possibility in Limited, and this also provides some options for pushing damage or trading up along the way!
By Turn 5, you should be able to play the card exiled on the previous turn. Two toughness is fairly low, but if the path is clear, Alania’s Pathmaker can help run away with games.
Green
Don’t be discouraged about the possibility of Cache Grab “whiffing”, because the likelihood is extremely low. In your average deck, you will often you get to pick between a creature and a land. Milling cards also helps to enable the set mechanics forage and threshold. Instant speed provides some additional flexibility to an already versatile card.
Longstalk Brawl is just like the old adage: give a man player a fish, then maul their best creature. A one-mana Hunt the Weak seems powerful, even if they get a Fish from the ordeal.
There’s a lot of value baked into Bakersbane Duo. The Food token enables some early foraging, as well as enabling an aggressive start sequencing into Druid of the Spade.
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
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