As of writing this, the only Core Set 2020 I’ve experienced is watching the streamer event on Monday. From what I can tell so far, there’s a real density of value creatures as well as ways to abuse them. I expected Ferocious Pup to be filler, but it may turn out that the adorable little doggo is the glue that holds multiple archetypes together. Two bodies for the Selesnya Go-Wide deck. A valuable enters-the-battlefield trigger for the Sultai wedge, as that’s where those effects are meant to be abused. The real question is how important these synergies are. Should I focus on maximizing this synergy or just take good cards and use the synergy as a tie-breaker? Only time will tell!
Pack 1, Pick 1
The Pack:
The Pick:
Remember what I just said about value creatures? Removal gets worse when many creatures come with additional value. This may yield an environment where cards like Sleep Paralysis, Agonizing Syphon, and Reduce to Ashes are just way too clunky. Bone Splinters gets better with the disposable bodies lying around, but also has diminishing returns and hence is a poor first pick. If I had to pick a classic removal spell out of this pack, it would be Agonizing Syphon.
However, Meteor Golem is just a better removal spell. As long as the format isn’t too fast, this Golem will be a great card to first-pick. It always makes your deck and has a large impact on the battlefield. But is it better than Rotting Regisaur? Probably. However, this early on in the format, I want to start with the rare. It’s possible that with disposable bodies to chump block alongside removal spells like Murder and Pacifism at common, the Zombie Dinosaur doesn’t line up well. But I won’t know until I try, and it’s possible that Rotting Regisaur is an utterly absurd stat monster.
Pack 1, Pick 2
The Picks So Far:
The Pack:
The Pick:
I thought Gorging Vulture was filler. That was until I saw this:
So this happened…Turn 4. Reanimator in M20 pic.twitter.com/TIaes187c3
— Ethan Saks (@lordtupperware) July 1, 2019
In reality, it’s not going to be common to use the Vulture alongside Blood for Bones to put a fatty onto the battlefield on Turn 4, but it suggests that there’s a good amount of interaction in the set. Flying is valuable, incidental lifegain is good, and the body is overall fine. The Vulture is a defensible pick, as nothing in this pack stands out, but I would rather explore some of the other options, as I don’t think it’s the best card here.
Herald of the Sun is powerful, but expensive. In a format with reasonable removal, I’m not sure you can afford to spend six mana to play a creature that doesn’t immediately regain value (I want my expensive creatures to be Meteor Golem). That being said, Herald of the Sun can take over the game if you untap with it. And the clock is quite fast. I have my eye on this uncommon, but overall, I’m skeptical.
Wolfrider’s Saddle is a bit difficult to evaluate. A 3/3 that can’t be double-blocked is filler for four mana. Does the ability to move around the Equipment later make up for this? I think so, but not by a large margin. I don’t expect this card to be important, but it’s a solid playable.
Frost Lynx is one of my favorite Limited commons. It’s the fixed version of Man-o’-War, a great tempo play that’s powerful if you can re-use the enters-the-battlefield effect. With cards like Audacious Thief in the set, it’s possible that tempo-positive plays like Frost Lynx are crucial to pressing your advantage in this format. I’m going to take the Frost Lynx and hope I can use it to push my Rotting Regisaur into the red zone!
Pack 1, Pick 3
The Picks So Far:
The Pack:
The Pick:
The more Frost Lynx, the merrier! These cold kitties become a real nuisance in multiples. Allowing you to both push damage and increase your battlefield presence in the same turn is a large advantage in an average game of Limited. It’s tempting to take the second copy, but Audacious Thief is in the same color as the rare in my pool. I’m unsure whether Audacious Thief or Frost Lynx is a better card in a vacuum. If you can push the Thief through, the card is phenomenal. However, if you can’t, it’s very below rate. I think I lean on taking the Lynx before the Thief, as I think it’s a better card, but it’s close.
So what’s better, Frost Lynx or Ancestral Blade? Honed Khopesh is a card that I always want to make my deck, yet usually ends up getting the axe. However, make it a creature I can cast on Turn 2 and I’ll play as many as I can get. The equip cost of one makes the threat of moving it around much more potent than with the Wolfrider’s Saddle in the previous pack. It’s what I’m taking here, and I think it’s the best card in the pool so far.
Pack 1, Pick 4
The Picks So Far:
The Pack:
The Pick:
This pick is impossible to make properly without experience with Azorius, Orzhov, and Dimir. Brineborn Cutthroat leaves you more open, but the value of the Cutthroat depends on how the blue archetypes play out. According to the most recent episode of Lords of Limited, there are a fair amount of effects that punish one-toughness creatures. It’s possible that the format is hostile towards Brineborn Cutthroat, and so even though it keeps you open, the better pick could be Corpse Knight.
Corpse Knight is a solid creature, but it’s not that powerful. It will always make the cut in an Orzhov deck, but that’s it. Given this, I would rather stay as open as possible and take Brineborn Cutthroat. But again, I want to note that this pick may look laughable in about a week once we understand the archetypes and format more.