Fate Reforged spoiler season is in full swing, and with nearly half the cards spoiled it’s time to check out what goodies it holds. Standard has been so
good lately that it doesn’t really need a shake up (will it be a shake down if it makes the format worse?), but there’s always room for improvement, and
even the best formats grow stale without new cards.
The new set is looking powerful, and some cards already look to have an impact beyond Standard, just like Khans did. Since the next Pro Tour is Modern,
that could be a good thing or a not so good thing. Leave Modern alone Cruise, Dig, and Ascendancy!
Today, I’ll mostly focus on Standard though. I’ll try and present some updated lists to current decks and try and predict where the metagame might be
headed. I’ll also give any ideas for sweet brews that pop into mind. The usual disclaimers that these ideas are untested and the whole spoiler is still
unknown apply. Let’s get to it!
Move over Nicol Bolas and Karn. There is a sweet new expensive planeswalker in the multiverse!
First of all, Tron decks in Modern found a new buddy. I imagine he’ll be quite good there and a potential four-of. I think Ugin will also be quite good in
Standard at the very least, and good enough to completely warp the format around him at best. Such a powerful card could polarize the metagame and
potentially turn Standard on its side by forcing all the midrange decks into hiding, since that is what Ugin is best against. We could see a world where
control and aggro are actually the top dogs once again.
Karn Liberated didn’t see that much play in Standard, so what makes Ugin so special?
His –X is one the best abilities to ever show up on a planeswalker, and is relatively unique so it’s hard to evaluate. You cast him, you wipe the board and
still have a Ghostflame machine they have to deal with. He also vaporizes other planeswalkers to stardust like no other because he exiles! That is a big
deal since it essentially guarantees you cleared the board despite any opponents attempt to fleece you or make any death preventing deals. His ultimate
should be game-winning, and comes online in two turns while still potentially leaving Ugin on one loyalty–that is, if you don’t hit another Ugin that gets
put into play and gets to activate immediately.
The obvious places to put Ugin are in ramp and control decks. He might pop up in any number of places in small numbers as well. If Ugin does end up being
the real deal and control is good again, then everything will shift to accommodate his might.
I’m of the opinion that Perilous Vault and Pearl Lake Ancient are underpowered but essential cards that are holding back U/B Control from being a major
contender in Standard. Ugin represents both halves of these cards and does what they do better a good deal of the time.
I also can’t wait to see the Ugin vs Ugin battles where they Ghostfire each other growing smaller and smaller. Probably a poignant metaphor for something
or other.
Ugin, you can be my spirit animal anytime.
Planeswalkers (3)
Lands (27)
Spells (30)
If Ugin-based control does become one of the best decks in the format, you’ll have to balance running more Peal Lake Ancients in the maindeck and sideboard
to beat the mirror, but weaken other matchups. The only thing U/B Control really appears to be lacking now is another decent two-drop in the early game
other than Bile Blight.
Before we get too carried away (or spirited away in this case) it’s important to remember that eight mana is a lot of mana. I mean let’s be a little
realistic, it’s not possible for an eight-mana spell to be a format warping mistake, right? (*cough* Dig Through Time, *cough* Treasure Cruise. *cough*
Griselbrand is good too, so *cough* don’t forget him.)
There are also a few cards that are decent against Ugin, despite costing less:
Stormbreath Dragon + Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker – Group other hasters and cheap red critters here as good against Ugin. While Ugin can clean up everything
sometimes, if you play him and go up to nine counters and then take a hit from a freshly cast Stormbreath, that leaves Ugin on 5 loyalty, which isn’t an
exciting trade to make.
Nissa, Worldwaker – Neither of Ugin’s abilities deal with Nissa very well since the lands she makes are out of Ghostfire range and colorless.
Jeskai Ascendancy – While Ugin can eat Ascendancy easily (along with any tokens even easier), Ascendancy still represents what could be a good strategy vs
Ugin decks: speed, card selection, and combo-licious potential.
As a control card, this seems like a decent upgrade from Martial Law since you get the effect immediately, but I don’t think a format with Courser of
Kruphix, Goblin Rabblemaster, Monastery Mentor, and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon can support it. It also seems a little too slow in more aggressive strategies
since you have to wait for the effects.
Manifest is likely a little too random for Constructed, and there are actually very few good creatures to manifest and many poor ones. There are a few
cheeselicious combos like Master of Pearls and Hooded Hydra though (you can flip them up for two mana and get their awesome unmorph effects.)
Both of these cards are very good and potential upgrades to similar existing cards that already see play (Seeker of the Way and a Goblin Rabblemaster/Young
Pyromancer hybrid.) The hard part is finding the right mix of each to run. The scary part is when that happens and if it’s completely busted. Also
Monastery Mentor is basically just a Goblin Rabblemaster/Young Pyromancer that overlaps in Siege Rhino colors. Monastery Mentor is going to be everywhere.
Soulfire Grand Master is already such a solid card without being able to randomly duplicate a card every now and again. Copying a one-mana Treasure Cruise
seems like some pretty nice value.
The obvious starting place is Jeskai Tokens, honestly replacing Seeker of the Way and Goblin Rabblemaster seems like it would be an upgrade to the deck,
but there are likely to be some bigger changes.
Creatures (11)
Lands (24)
Spells (25)
Holy pie, actual removal for Courser of Kruphix and Siege Rhino! Get rid of this indestructible part and tack on some lifegain instead and you have a deal.
It’s like a Thassa, God of the Sea that can’t attack but fuels delve. Or a third of a Jeskai Ascendancy. Unfortunately, it’s probably a pass.
A very dangerous card that I think they overcosted to infinity and beyond. Still potentially a one-of somewhere, since taking an extra turn is a unique
effect.
I think this has a lot going for it. First of all, you get to delve away the cards you don’t want to return with his ability when you cast him. Next, his
ability fuels further delve cards, which you might even be lucky enough to hit. Every time you have four mana laying around, you are getting a little bit
of value. His ability is almost like “four mana: Draw one the worst cards in your deck for the situation you’re in. If you’re unlucky, the worst card (or
nothing); if you’re lucky, a good card.” The key is looking at him as an undercosted 4/5 with any card draw as being gravy. At any point in the lategame,
he is absolutely bonkers since he costs one mana to cast, delves out all the bad non-lands in your graveyard as his ability becomes closer to Regrowth, and
just starts going to town drawing cards.
He could show up anywhere from the sideboard in U/B Control, to a staple four-of in delve centric strategies. If his ability is underwhelming, he’ll likely
show up as one-of in the free delve card slot. I see no reason not to slap at least one of him into every Abzan deck out there. More likely than not, this
guy is very good, and he could easily be one of the best cards in the set since he has delve in his text box.
It is what it is. Not the Damnation we deserve, but the Damnation we needed. I’m of the opinion that now is not a great time in the history of Magic to be
casting five-mana Wrath effects, though I’ll keep on trying.
Nowadays, it’s hard to find a new card that can’t be compared to another card printed, and this card is no exception. Hellrider was great. This card also
seems quite good. Although it doesn’t have haste and it isn’t red, it makes up for it a bit by draining when creatures attack. The obvious card to pair it
with is Hordeling Outburst. The combat ability is likely a little underwhelming since the creatures still get to block no matter what, but it’s great for a
“free” ability. You can force your opponent to make terrible blocks that kill their team or make sure all their creatures gang block one of your lowly
goblin tokens while your bigger creatures waltz through for lethal.
Oh joy, another year, another hasty Phoenix to unstoppably bash my head in. Flamewake Phoenix isn’t that hard to recur with cards like Dragon Mantle,
Firedrinker Satyr, and the other dumb unkillable Ashcloud Phoenix.
Speaking of recurring Flamewake Pheonix, Shaman of the Great Hunt is also a pretty nice one since it is good against control, is super speedy, and can also
draw cards in a stalemate. Haste cards should get better in an Ugin, the Spirit Dragon world.
Mono-red gets more tools. Not particularly useful at killing green dudes like Rhino or Courser, but it gets Rabblemaster and Monastery Mentor. It also is
good for triggering prowess or fueling Treasure Cruise.
A neat effect that reminds me of Master of the Wild Hunt. There is potential here, but five mana and “dies to Doom Blade” is going to be a big hurdle to
overcome. There isn’t much incentive to be manifesting, but you’ll still get value every so often, which will infuriate your opponent to create more value.
Also works well with Courser of Kruphix, since you can manipulate what you manifest a little more.
She ramps hard. I’m not sure if you ever want her over Sylvan Caryatid or Voyaging Satyr, but you might want all three in Mono-Green Devotion.
Creatures (29)
- 3 Hornet Queen
- 4 Elvish Mystic
- 4 Polukranos, World Eater
- 1 Nylea, God of the Hunt
- 2 Sylvan Caryatid
- 2 Arbor Colossus
- 4 Voyaging Satyr
- 4 Courser of Kruphix
- 1 Whisperwood Elemental
- 4 Whisperer of the Wilds
Planeswalkers (7)
Lands (23)
Spells (1)
The first thing that pops to mind is Figure of Destitree, errr Destiny. In a side by side comparison the main thing Warden has going for him is that he’s
better on turn 2 when you have two mana laying around. His next upgrade for four mana to gain trample and lifelink is kind of pricey, but you have to view
it as upside when you’ve already gotten a 3/3 on the cheap. The games where you get to put five +1/+1 counters on him for six mana are probably over in
your favor, which is a pretty big deal, since having a mana sink that wins the game is great. Warden is not good with the Temples, which is going to hurt
him, and he can’t function off of just one color of mana, which puts him solidly below Figure in my opinion (but Figure was amazing). There is a G/W Aggro
deck with him and Fleecemane Lion that possibly splashes for Siege Rhino, and it probably isn’t half bad.
Those are but a few of the interesting new Fate Reforged cards with more to come. I can’t wait to see what happens in Standard, and I’m especially looking
forward to casting the most powerful new cards in my opinion: Monastery Mentor, Tasigur, the Golden Fang, and precious little Ugin, the Spirit Dragon.