Last year’s Invasion block was the best block for 5-Color ever. Odyssey Block tried its hardest – and while green made out very well, some of the other colors were left wanting.
So for those of you who haven’t picked up cards for your 5-Color in a while, here’s what you need to get.
White
Well, this block certainly wasn’t called”the White Block,” and white failed to help 5-Color other than the rare incarnation. Pianna, Nomad Captain is okay in beatdown – but beatdown hates playing white cards.
Blue
Wonder is the easiest incarnation, and Traumatize is an easy way to put it into your graveyard. Upheaval carried its power from Constructed to this format as well, as the new blue reset button can be found in a high percentage of decks.
Deep Analysis is a great card drawing for those that want more than just Fact or Fiction. Quiet Speculation has proven to be such a powerhouse that it went and got itself restricted.
Black
Insidious Dreams: Banned. Morality Shift, potentially restrictable; same with Tainted Pact. Black made out just fine in this format and got several very powerful cards. Beatdown decks running base green-black play both Braids and Skeletal Scrying. And for those who can’t get enough creature kill, Chainer’s Edict is another Morphling killer.
Red
Firebolt is a new favorite removal spell, as its ability to be used twice is appreciated by all. Reckless Charge, Grim Lavamancer, and Anger are all excellent in the”new” 3-2-1 decks. Recoup is the card that made Traumatize playable, and it makes the Morality Shift combo work. It wasn’t a hard decision to restrict Recoup.
Green
- Call of the Herd
- Diligent Farmhand
- Holistic Wisdom
- Krosan Beast
Werebear
Nimble Mongoose
Seton’s Scout - Roar of the Wurm
- Squirrel Nest
- Wild Mongrel
- Nostalgic Dreams
- Phantom Centaur
- Seedtime
Creatures usually don’t get this much better this fast, but over the course of this block, threshold-based green creatures have propelled green into being 5-Color’s most popular color. Wild Mongrel and Roar of the Wurm certainly don’t hurt the cause, either.
Multi-colored/Artifact
Mystic Enforcer is the new Morphling in this format. Nearly impossible to kill and cheap, this mana-efficient creature kills in a hurry. The ‘Tog and Infiltrator are great in control decks.
Land
Krosan Verge gets two dual lands… But Nantuko Monastery is not making the impact I thought it would. Man-lands in general are losing some popularity, especially in beatdown decks who want their mana colored and immediately.