So I just recently finished writing my first Constructed-based article, which if you missed, (and trust me you didn’t miss much), you can read here. It was about how Saviors of Kamigawa was going to change the current Block Constructed format, which isn’t going to change too much, at least I don’t think. This article however is just a basic overview of each color in Saviors of Kamigawa, what cards will have the most impact, and how current archetypes will be changed in CBS draft.
First, I would like to start out with the new dilemma of drawing or playing first. If you attended the prerelease at all you probably know why this question has arisen and if not you probably know from looking at the spoiler. Here’s an example of what I am talking about…
Okina Nightwatch –
Creature-Human Monk
As long as you have more cards in your hand then an opponent, Okina Nightwatch gets +3/+3.
4/3
You see, on the draw you are always going to be up at least one card on your opponent, so drawing first might seem like an optimal choice in some decks now. In sealed deck it is usually correct to draw first, unless you are 2 colors and have a very good curve, I think drawing first in Limited is normally a mistake. There are always fast decks out there ready to curve out and kill you on turn 6 or 7 and drawing first because you have a couple of cards that get +x+x when you have more cards than opponent doesn’t really justify that for me. Also, in CBS ninjas are so much better on the play, which is another reason I hate drawing. I can see myself drawing if I have 4-5 or more cards that get bonuses for having more cards in your hand, but that won’t happen very often.
I’ll first go through the commons in Saviors, which will then be followed by the uncommons and rares in my next article. At the end of all of the commons I will post what my top 5 picks in each color would be and how archetypes have change, or not changed at all.
White
Araba Mothrider
I didn’t think much of this guy when I first saw him, but he’s actually very solid. He trades with all of the two-drops in the format and some of the three-drops, and he’s the only one that can do it that has flying.
Cowed by Wisdom
I’m not quite sure what to make of this card yet. I don’t really like it, except in some kind of Blue/White control deck with card drawing and Moonfolk, but other than that it doesn’t seem like it would be good in any other archetype.
Curtain of Light
If this was arcane then it might have a chance at being played, but it doesn’t seem like it does enough. It is a good sideboard card against pump spells that your opponent tries to end the game with like Strength of Cedars. However if they Cedars their Moss Kami, you still take damage because it tramples.
Kitsune Bonesetter
If this was a 0/2, it would be so much better, but at a 0/1 it dies to too many random things like Soul of Magma and Skullmane Baku. I could see myself playing it in a Blue/White control deck, but that’s about it.
Kitsune Dawnblade
At four mana this guy would be very good, but five is one too many for me. There are so many better cards that you can play for five mana and his comes into play ability isn’t relevant enough to make the card good.
Kitsune Loreweaver
One of the best two-drops in the set and for good reason. If played on turn 2, he basically can’t be blocked by your opponent’s two-drops, so he gets in early damage, and also late game he serves as a potential giant wall. In Blue/White he can block a Moss Kami with one activation easily.
Moonwing Moth
This is not as good as advertised, but it is still high up on the pick order. It costs double White, which White isn’t really use to having in its casting cost, so cards like Frostwielder and Wicked Akuba don’t combo with it very well. In heavier White decks it can easily be a first pick though.
Plow Through Reito
I like this card a lot. It can serve as a mid-game +2+2 on one of your guys, can make something you have bigger by having more cards in your hand than your opponent, and in heavy white decks it can even serve as a strong finisher like Strength of Cedars, which is something white lacked until now.
This guy is no all-star, but he will almost always get played in any deck. Being able to channel it and give something first strike will catch people off-guard and a 2/1 first-striker can stop faster decks in their tracks. It also becomes hard to deal with for your opponent if you have any type of creature enchantment that pumps your guy or any equipment that does the same thing.
Spiritual Visit
This card is definitely overrated. It’s obviously very good in a Blue/White arcane/splice deck, but most other decks don’t have enough ways to abuse this card. I could see myself taking it pretty high if I had cards like Glacial Ray, Torrent of Stone, and Horobi’s Whisper.
Torii Watchward
Have you ever played with Kami of Painted Road and had it actually be good? Well this guy is just a giant upgrade of that card. I had it in my prerelease deck just to see if it was any good and I never regretted playing it. The Vigilance and Soulshift combo well together and along with Hundred-Talon Kami it provides another way to get back Kabuto Moth.
Blue
Cut the Earthly Bond
There’s no way this is going to make my main deck unless it’s Rochester draft and you know your opponent has multiple creature enchantments. It is, however, a very good sideboard card because it will always catch your opponent off guard. They will never see this one coming. Here’s just a few cards that it’s good against: Indomitable Will, Cage of Hands, Serpent Skin, Mystic Restraints, Genjus, Uncontrollable Anger, Freed from the Real…
Descendant of Soramaro
I haven’t played with this card yet, but it doesn’t look very impressive. He does seem ok with Deceivers, but a 2/3 for four mana that doesn’t fly isn’t going to cut it for me.
Dreamcatcher
This is not as good as Teardrop Kami is and Teardrop Kami sometimes doesn’t make the cut. It is however another Blue one-drop to get those turn 2 Ninja of the Deep Hours in, so I could see myself playing this card if I had some Deep Hours.
Freed from the Real
This is basically another Mystic Restraints. It does have the ability to make cards like Frostwielder and Kabuto Moth absolutely retarded though, which probably makes it better than Restraints, but not by much.
Ideas Unbound
I don’t think that I am ever going to play with this card in one of my draft decks unless I have multiple Secretkeepers or other cards like that. The main reason that I don’t like this card is because early game it basically is a dead card and the early game is very important. It’s fine if you play it on like turn 10, but there are tons of other cards I’d rather play on turn 10 than this.
Minamo Scrollkeeper
I’m not a big fan of this one, but I could see myself playing it if I was low on early drops or sideboarding it in if my opponent had a very fast deck. There are some other exceptions like having Azami, Lady of Scrolls in your deck.
Moonbow Illusionist
Another 2/1 flyer for three mana, but this one isn’t nearly as good as Soratami Rainshaper. I can’t ever see its ability being useful unless your opponent has 1 Mountain and 5 Swamps out or something like that and you make the Mountain a Swamp during their upkeep every turn. It can also be used as a mana fixer if you really need it to be. If it returned a land to your hand for two mana and had no effect, it would basically be just as good.
Murmurs from Beyond
In a deck filled with arcane and splice cards, this can be very good. It fuels Horobi’s Whisper very well and triggers all your arcane effects. I’ve played with Counsel of the Soratami a couple of times in my life and it’s never been awful for me – this card is a couple steps up from that.
Oboro Breezecaller
A two-mana 1/1 flyer doesn’t impress me a whole lot. It can fix your mana if you only have one Plains out and have a double White spell in your hand. It also does a good job of getting ninjas out, but after that it doesn’t do a whole lot. I wouldn’t take it the first time around.
Oppressive Will
A fine sideboard card against bombs, other than that I hate it. I have never been a fan of counterspells in any Limited format (besides Exclude) and there’s no reason that this one should make the list.
Shinen of Flight’s Wings
This guy is very good. A five-mana 3/3 flyer is never bad and it has the ability to potentially steal a game with its channel effect. People never see the channel ability coming and always get wrecked by it. It’s even a spirit to boot, which makes it even better. Obviously it’s not as good as Teller of Tales, but it’s the next best thing.
Black
Death Denied
I’ve only played with this card 2 or 3 times, but it has been good every single time. It gets a lot better with the Channel effects in the set and has the potential to end games by getting back five or more guys in the late game. Also if you can’t ever lose with this if it’s combined with Hana Kami.
Death of a Thousand Stings
Nope
Deathknell Kami
I can’t ever see myself playing with this card. At first I thought it might be possible if I had five or more one-drop spirits, but it’s not worth it even then.
Deathmask Nezumi
A three-mana 2/2 with no drawbacks is always playable no matter what. I’ve seen this guy go all the way a couple times with people just waiting till they have 7 cards in hand and bashing. He gets a lot better if you have multiple sweep spells and is almost a first-pick quality card in Blue/Black.
Gnat Miser
I might play this in a very aggressive deck. I also might play it if I had three or more equipment, but that rarely happens. I won’t be very happy if this ever makes my deck.
Kagemaro’s Clutch
The one common Black removal spell in the set, so value it very highly. Usually takes care of business whenever needed and it will always kill a Soratami flyer. It gets worse against Green because it normally won’t kill a Moss Kami, but it still makes the Moss Kami smaller so you can deal with it easily afterwards.
Kami of Empty Graves
If this didn’t have soulshift it would be soooo much worse, but it’s actually not a bad card. With removal spells clearing the way, it has potential to deal a lot of damage and eventually gets back a three-drop spirit in the late game after it trades with one of their guys. It becomes a lot worse against Red, because of all the ping effects they have.
Kuro’s Taken
I didn’t think much of this card when the set first came out, but he’s actually very good. One of the few creatures that can regenerate in the block and in multiples it can stop opponents from attacking you with anything really.
Raving Oni-Slave
I thought this was going to be the next Wretched Anurid or something, but was very disappointed after playing with it for the first time. It’s actually worse than Wretched Anurid and I wasn’t a big fan of the Anurid in the first place. There aren’t many demons in this block, so you will normally take six damage from it, which is too big of a drawback for me. Against Blue they just bounce it and that’s game.
Shinen of Fear’s Chill
At four mana this would be playable, but still not very good. At five mana, it’s just embarrassing. I won’t be happy if this makes the cut
Sink into Takenuma
If I were mono-Black I would think about it, but that’s really the only situation I could see myself in playing this card. Remember that involves me being mono-Black.
Red
Akki Drillmaster
In most decks it’s usually going to be just a 2/2 for three with an ability that will be used once or twice, but in Red/Green it shines. With Moss Kami and Nightsoil Kami, the Drillmaster actually turns from good to insane. However don’t take it over cards that you think might be better than it because chances are it will come back to you.
Akki Underling
A 2/1 for two mana is always playable and having a bonus makes this card very solid. It gets a lot better with the sweep cards in the set, especially Bearl-Down Sokenzan. Combined with Bearl-Down, this guy can lead to many headaches for your opponent. Also on the draw he will get in there for 4 or 8 points of damage on his own.
Barrel-Down Sokenzan
A very good removal spell and it has sweep also, so you get the bonus of having more cards in your hand than your opponent does if it matters at all. I like the flexibility of this card as you only need to return 1 Mountain to your hand to kill something like a Mothrider Samurai and you can return 3 Mountains if you need to kill a Moss Kami.
Glitterfang
This usually won’t be very good, as my friend Tim Aten says, it can be quite awesome in a deck with a lot of triggers for spirits coming into play, which I can see.
Inner Fire
Why? Please with this card.
Into the Fray
I can’t ever see this being good, although I’m sure someone crazy enough will be able to make it good in some situation.
Path of Anger’s Flame
I have seen this card be insane in very aggressive Red/White decks that never miss drops. I like it a lot better than Roar of Jubuki and Roar is playable, so this is definitely playable and even good in the right deck.
Ronin Cavekeeper
A Red Moss Kami? No not quite that good, but it has been solid for me. Red has always had a problem with having big guys until this guy came along. He trades with Moss Kami, so he’s a solid edition to any deck.
Shinen of Fury’s Fire
I have never used the Channel ability on this card and I don’t plan on it any time soon. A 2/1 for three mana is pretty weak, but it is a spirit and it does have haste, so it will usually make the cut.
Sokenzan Spellblade
This is one of my new favorite cards from the set. At the prerelease, I didn’t read it right and my opponent killed me with six mana up and four cards in hand. I couldn’t believe you could use its ability more than once, which makes it insane. Combined with Soratami Mirror-Guard, this will end the game faster than you can say Bearl.
Spiraling Embers
Being able to go to the dome might make this better than Barrel-Down Sokenzan, but I’m still not positive on that. It only costs one Red to cast, so you don’t have to worry about needing multiple Mountains in play. Sometimes in the late game it can be a dead card, which Barrel-Down never really is.
Green
Dosan’s Oldest Chant
Cute. Nourish wasn’t very good, so why should this be? For the love of Bearl, it isn’t even arcane.
Elder Pine of Jukai
Sam Gomersall was right about this card being insane and a first pick no matter what, but splashing for it? Come on Sam, there’s no way that is right. I think the alcohol is starting to speak for him. Anyway, it is by far the best Green common in the set and a first pick. With all of the cards that get a bonus for having more cards in your hand than your opponent, this just gets more insane.
Fiddlehead Kami
Not a fan. Its ability doesn’t do a whole lot and the card doesn’t seem that impressive to me. Green can do a whole lot better than a five-mana 3/3.
Haru-onna
This can either be trash or somewhat solid depending on what else is in your deck. In a deck with multiple cheap instant arcane spells, it can be quite good. In a more aggressive deck, which are the ones I like to draft, it’s stains, so it is really deck dependent.
Inner Calm, Outer Strength
I like this card a lot and for good reason. The only real pump spell in the block is Kodama’s Might, so it’s a worthy addition to Green. It is another card like Barrel-Down Sokenzan with great flexibility. It can give a guy +3+3 mid game or early game and it can even act as Strength of Cedars combined with Sweep spells late game.
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker
A four-mana 2/2 better have a good ability to see play. This one does not. Seems like I would only play it if I had the Snake Legends that pump all snakes or Sosuke’s Summons.
Nightsoil Kami
Craw Wurm is back I don’t see why this isn’t getting the hype I think it deserves. Moss Kami has an extra toughness and it tramples, but it has one less toughness and doesn’t soulshift, which can be very important. I had a draft deck with 2 Scuttling Deaths and 2 Nightsoil Kami’s and that was bonkers.
Okina Nightwatch
This is another card that I think can be very powerful. Green actually had no five-drops before this so it’s actually something Green needed. You normally have more cards in your hand than your opponent with this color, so a 7/6 for five mana isn’t too shabby. Also Elder Pine of Jukai makes it a lot easier to obtain more cards than your opponent.
Promised Kannushi
I’m probably more of a fan of this card than anyone else. A one-mana guy that gets back any spirit from your graveyard is insane and it’s especially insane in black with all of the graveyard recursion spells like Death Denied and Soulless Revival. Baby Chamby has to be a fan of this card because it even gets back Vine Kami.
Rending Vines
A solid sideboard card, but nothing more than that. Just think of it as another Wear Away.
Sakura-Tribe Scout
I might play this if I had multiple Elder Pine of Jukais, but other than that I don’t think it has enough game.
Shinen of Life’s Roar
A Green removal spell? Yeah and it even doubles as a creature. It can get completely insane with cards like Serpent Skin and any equipment, and in the late game it serves as a great finisher.
Overall Saviors doesn’t change the format that much, at least not that much compared to what Fifth Dawn did to Mirrodin block. Here are my Top 5 picks for each color, although sometimes picks are skewed a bit because some cards are good in some decks while others aren’t.
White
1. Moonwing Moth
2. Kitsune Loreweaver
3. Plow Through Reito
4. Araba Mothrider
5. Tori Watchward
Blue
1. Shinen of Flight’s Wings
2. Moonbow Illusionist
3. Freed from the Real
4. Murmurs from Beyond
5. Orobo Breezecaller
Black
1. Kagemaro’s Clutch
2. Death Denied
3. Deathmask Nezumi
4. Kuro’s Taken
5. Kami of Empty Graves
Red
1. Spiraling Embers
2. Barrel-Down Sokenzan
3. Sokenzan Spellblade
4. Akki Underling
5. Akki Drillmaster
Green
1. Elder Pine of Jukai
2. Inner Calm, Outer Strength
3. Okina Nightwatch
4. Nightsoil Kami
5. Promised Kanushi
Red is definitely the best color followed by Green. Having two removal spells is huge and makes Red a very strong color now. Green also gets some solid cards with a couple of large guys and a good pump spell. Black gets Death Denied and Clutch, but that’s about it. White gains a couple of solid guys and a nice trick, but Blue totally gets shafted only getting a 3/3 flyer from the last set. So how does Saviors change Kamigawa block draft? Well for one thing having more cards in your hand is now a bonus, so all of the Soratami moonfolk cards became much more important. However Blue gets almost nothing from the last set, so it kind of evens the benefits out. Red is very good now and I am probably going to force it at Pro Tour: London, hoping to see Spiraling Embers and Barrel-Down Sokenzan in my last pack.
Saviors of Kamigawa doesn’t really change the “archetypes” of the first two sets because there aren’t really any archetypes. There’s White/Blue with cheap drops backed up by ninjas and flyers, but that’s really the only archetype out there right now. Any two colors can be combined to make a deck, so if anything has changed, it would be that Red is a lot better and Blue is a lot worse.
That about does it for this article; tune in next time for the Uncommons and Rares from Saviors of Kamigawa. Thanks for reading, Bearl.