[CEDitor’s Note: As you may have seen, Kiora was spoiled earlier this week. This preview article by Shaun was written before the spoiling of the card
took place, so I hope that you’re still able to enjoy it as Shaun intended.]
Don’t you just love the smell of the beach?
That salty air brought in by rolling waves. Waves that conceal mysteries, massive and powerful beneath the calm open waters. Peaceful.
Still, if you’re a Magic Player, nothing beats that new card smell from a freshly cracked pack.
Thanks to Battle for Zendikar, you can have both.
That’s right. Today I’m going to show you a card I’m shore will float your boat.
A card that goes deep and whale surely make a splash in Standard.
A card I’m reely pumped about. I feel shellfish not sharing it immediately. I just can’t wade for you to sea it. What a catch it is!
Ain’t she a beaut?
If Kiora, Master of the Depths doesn’t tickle your tentacles, then I don’t know what will.
Okay, enough nautical puns, let’s get down to bass tacks: Will Kiora, Master of the Depths be making waves in the new Standard once we say
goodbye to Theros and Magic 2015 and say hello to Battle for Zendikar? Let’s start by examining her abilities.
+1 Untap up to one target creature and up to one target land.
Being able to untap lands or produce mana is a fairly familiar planeswalker ability. This reminds me of Garruk Wildspeaker’s untap two lands ability or
perhaps Ral Zarek’s +1.
Kiora, Master of the Depths does require creatures-ideally, some mana producing ones–to unlock her full potential. With Elvish Mystic and Sylvan Caryatid
rotating from Standard it’s reasonable to assume we’ll be getting some sort of replacement, but if not, there’s always Rattleclaw Mystic as a good untap
target.
Battle for Zendikar
‘s Awaken mechanic that brings lands to life by turning them into creatures might provide extra targets for either land or creature, and Awaken
should provide extra incentives and mana sinks for ways to generate lots of mana, which Kiora, Master of the Depths does very well.
Imagine a start like this: turn 2 Rattleclaw Mystic, turn 3 Kiora, Master of the Depths untapping a land and Rattleclaw Mystic to play another Rattleclaw
Mystic, turn 4 play another land and bam you have seven mana to cast something along the lines of… hmmm… let’s say Dragonlord Atarka!
You can also use this ability to untap a creature that has attacked for a pseudo vigilance effect that will help protect Kiora while still being able to
stay aggressive. It’s also another loot with Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy, and who knows what other new lands we’ll want to be untapping and using twice in one
turn?
This first ability is solid, if not a little lackluster, but should work well in the decks Kiora, Master of the Depths fits into. Battle for Zendikar should also bring plenty more reasons to be ramping. After all, we need plenty of mana to cast those Eldrazi!
-2: Reveal the top four cards of your library. You may put a creature card and/or a land card from among them into your hand. Put the rest into your
graveyard.
Creature AND a land!
This effect is a weaker version of Sudden Reclamation and reminds me a little of Ajani, Mentor of Heroes looking at the top 4 cards or Jace, Architect of
Thought’s -2.
Card draw on planeswalkers can be a very powerful thing, and this is very good card draw. This ability is the biggest draw to play Kiora, Master of the
Depths and one I think most players will underestimate at first.
Looking at the top four for a land has already been proven to be a powerful effect. Saytr Wayfinder is often one of the best cards in decks it shows up in.
Kiora, Master of the Depths is more expensive but also finds creatures. She will do a good job of finding Tasigur, the Golden Fang, Nissa, Vastwood Seer,
Den Protector, Nemo, or any other creatures you might be searching for.
One of the biggest benefits of Kiora, Master of the Depths is that her -2 fills up the graveyard, which does a great job of fueling delve cards or
reanimation strategies. Dig Through Time or Treasure Cruise will work well, but you want plenty of creatures to find, which means Tasigur, the Golden Fang
will combo with her swimmingly.
In the right deck, this effect is of a similar power level as Jace, Architect of Thought’s -2, if not better.
One of the risks is whiffing on a creature or land, although it’s very rare you’ll miss on both. Still, even when Kiora partially whiffs, she’ll be digging
you deeper towards your gas and filling up your yard.
-8:
You get an emblem with “Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may have it fight target creature.” Then put three 8/8 blue
Octopus creature tokens onto the battlefield under your control.
Who wants Octopus Hugs?!
The Eldrazi aren’t the only big tentacle monsters getting ready to brawl.
This is the most flavorful planeswalker ultimate I’ve seen (sorry, Garruk, Apex Predator).
I can practically see the Octopuses blasting out of the water and latching their tentacles onto my opponents’ unsuspecting creatures.
This ult should be enough to always krill your opponents board outright and seal up practically any game.
It is a good win condition, but it’s probably not going to come up very often. I imagine you’ll be winning most games by abusing her -2 ability.
Now I don’t want to anchor your thoughts on what decks Kiora, Master of the Depths might fit into, especially without all the new cards, but here are a few
starting points.
Ramp decks
Temur Ramp with Rattleclaw Mystic and Dragonlord Atarka. Time will tell what other good creatures are worth ramping into and what creatures will help do
so, but this is sure to be a consideration.
Control Decks
If you build Sultai carefully, Kiora, Master of the Depths can fit into a deck running a lower creature count. Even using her as mainly delve fuel and mana
ramp isn’t a terrible proposition. Tasigur, the Golden Fang; Nissa, Vastwood Seer; Den Protector; Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy; and Dig Through Time will fit well
with her here.
Rally the Ancestors
Kiora, Master of the Depths is a great source for putting creatures in the yard. She, Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy, and the potential ability to run a four-color
manabase with the new lands might be able to keep the archetype alive.
These are some starting archetypes that might best abuse her abilities to summon mighty sea creatures to crush my opponents. Where do you think the best
home for Kiora, Master of the Depths will be?
Kiora, Master of the Depths. I’m so into you.