I’ve been eagerly itching for Tenth Edition for the longest time. I love playing against newer players. Not because they’re usually easy to beat, but because they usually show the most enjoyment and joy when playing the game. Veterans’ appreciation is rich and complicated. Experience brings nuance. But casual and newer players bring a more primal, raw flavor to the tournament. So I’m always jazzed to play at Core set release events.
If you’re not interested in reading spoilers and want a totally fresh, surprising experience at the Prerelease, good for you. That’s a perfectly reasonable and enjoyable approach to the game, and I respect that. If that’s the case, though, click back on your browser and enjoy another fine article at this here website.
This article’s designed for the aid of players with moderate experience and aims to help them do well and enjoy the release tournaments at Magic Game Day. (Or whenever Tenth happens to hit Magic Online.) If you’re an old hand and are bringing a less experienced friend to Magic Game Day, print this out and hand it to them. I know the article’s long, but it’s important for newer players to grasp the idea of evaluating cards.
If you’re a person who’s getting ready for their first Limited tournament at Game Day, great! The very first thing I’d do is read these two short articles by Jeff Cunningham at Wizards’ official site, Your First Sealed Deck and Getting Better at Sealed. They’ll teach you the most important principles of Limited Magic you absolutely need to know. If you know what you’re doing, you should still be able to glean something from this article.
In the past, Wizards packed a lot of mediocre cards in Core sets, keeping the power level lower than the Expert level expansions. Staple power cards were few and far between.
However, with the current regime in R&D preferring a more balanced format with fewer top tier cards and a much wider variety among the almost top tier, as in Ravnica and Time Spiral, the practical value of maintaining the Bomb category is decreasing. There are a few bombs left around, but they’re generally harder to find and blend in with the bulk of the second tier. Many people remember the acronym BREAD (Bombs, Removal, Evasion, Aggression, and Defense), starting with the best and going downward. People should stop worrying so much about bombs and just remember to READ. There ought to be some sort of spot in there for general utility and card draw as well.
This here’s a review of the cards of Tenth Edition, primarily for Sealed. You don’t get to pick what you’re handed, so you’ve got to hash through the initial 75 cards to pare down to 23 or so. Pick the best combination, add basic land in a careful mix, shuffle, and you’ve got Magic ready to go.
I’m going to talk mostly about the new ingredients on the market. The complicated, exciting cards get more talk time. I’m not going to take great pains to elaborate on the individual vanilla creatures, French or otherwise, or the staples that have been around for forever. Those cards get the quick and simple rating. I’m ranking cards primarily for Sealed play, as I don’t care to make any predictions about draft until I’ve had three or four goes under my belt. Do I need to tell you Air Elemental is incredible? Probably not. Aven Fisher’s seen duty in Core Sets before, so you’ve probably given him a try already. The trick is appreciating the new stuff.
(Note that this article assumes the card list and rarities taken from MTGSalvation.com is correct. If they’re wrong, then I’m wrong. It couldn’t hurt to check the day before the tournament.)
In order to help newer players, I’m employing a rating system. It’s simple. If it’s a card you’ll always want to play if you’re playing that color and can easily accommodate the mana, it’s Solid. if it’s a fine card but doesn’t draw you to the color or is very powerful but narrow, it’s Decent. If it turns me off as being useless except in a few narrow situations, it’s Poor. I don’t mess around with letter grades, stars or snowflakes or anything that would show up in a bowl of sugary cereal. I hate that stuff anyway.
If I get giddy or too comedic for your taste while describing these cards, please forgive me. I absolutely enjoy looking at new sets like nothing else and feeling the mental clock’s gears whir, and need to find some medium to channel that nervous energy.
White
Ancestor’s Chosen
The usual number of life you’ll gain with this guy will be six. That’s not enough impact for a seven drop. Poor.
Angelic Chorus
I don’t care for life gain cards, but I must admit this one’s pretty damn good in a controlling deck. If you’re looking for the swift beatdown, this isn’t for you. Decent.
Aura of Silence
Given the number of playable enchantments in the format, I’d say there’s a home for this in most white decks. Decent.
Bandage
The real value in this card is saving a creature. One mana saves a lot more investment. Yes, it cycles, but you’re better off saving it for when it counts. Solid.
Beacon of Immortality
Six mana for a life spell of dubious potential? No, thank you. Poor.
Benalish Knight
Listen. Listen carefully. Do you hear the faint crunching sound? That’s the sound of little creatures foolishly walking into the arms of the Benalish Knights. These guys utterly rock and will reward players who know how to keep their powder dry. Solid.
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary
There are quite a few ways to monkey around with Cho-Manno’s special ability. Unfortunately, most of them are rares. I do love this guy, though. Solid.
Condemn
While this card’s a fine removal spell, it does have other applications. I’ve seen local pro Ryou Ogura use this as a handy life gain spell on his own Bogardan Hellkite after stacking damage. Learning to find new, unexpected applications to old favorites can win games. Solid.
Field Marshal
It’s taken long enough for White to get a Lord in the core set. Decent.
But those sneaky guys in R&D took most of the good Soldiers out of the set. Curse you, Wizards, curse you!
It’s good for the soul to do the ranting mad scientist bit once in a while.
Ghost Warden
Now here’s a 1/1 I can wholeheartedly get behind. For two mana, you get to throw off all your opponent’s combat math. I’m looking forward to draft tons of these guys. Solid.
Hail of Arrows
Beware of Green mages’ attackers, for they have many pump spells. If they’re playing Green, you may want to consider overkill by three. Solid.
Heart of Light
This is the worst removal spell ever. I’ve played it, and it was the right call, but I have never, ever felt good about it. It turns your opponent’s most obnoxious threat into a highly obnoxious wall. The worst part is that canny opponents will attack with this, put damage on the stack, and Unsummon or Boomerang their creature before the damage resolves. Look out for this trick. If you’ve got lots of evasion, the value goes up, but I feel degraded giving this a Decent rating.
High Ground
I have a lot of disdain for creatures costing one mana. Conveniently enough, that same disdain also applies to one mana enchantments that don’t make mana themselves. Poor.
Icatian Priest
I’m glad to see that when Wizards prints skill testers, they print fresh, interesting skill testers. The ability’s too expensive and when it becomes relevant, you won’t be able to defend the Priest in the first place. Poor.
Kjeldoran Royal Guard
The obvious combo here is with Heart of Light. If you’re looking to put the finishing touches on a defensive line, the Royal Guard do an admirable job. Be sure that the finisher you’re waiting for will actually do the job, though. Decent.
Loxodon Mystic
The mana cost’s more than it ought to be, but the ability’s worth the premium. I like the Mystic more than other tappers because you won’t have to commit a major part of your mana to activating him once he’s on the table. Previous tappers like Master Decoy often led newer players astray, stunting their board development in order to hinder the opponent when it didn’t matter. That won’t matter so much with the Mystic. Decent.
Loyal Sentry
Oooh, I hate this guy. But that’s because I love playing with tramplers and don’t want to face off against this guy. Unlike Time Spiral’s Defiant Vanguard, he just can’t wait to kill the offending creature until the end of combat. Solid.
And I don’t happen to think he’s so loyal. If he was really loyal, he’d have shroud. Persuasion works on him. How loyal can a guy be if your opponent can steal him away?
Luminesce
A narrow hoser, it’s not nearly as good against Black as it is against Red. Black attacks a creature’s stats directly. Luminesce can’t counter that. Poor.
Mobilization
This is a fair, repeatable token generator that just so happens to help out most White armies a ton. Solid without being smothering.
Nomad Mythmaker
You can do stupidly powerful things with this card if you OR your opponent has the good fortune to pack the right Auras. He’s just a Grey Ogre most days, but occasionally moonlights as an utter house-wrecker. Solid.
Pariah
I look at this as the best White removal enchantment printed in the Core Set. Pacifism’s great, but it’s just not the same thing as voiding an opponent’s combat phase as well as a creature. Couple this with a creature with protection or regeneration, and you’re even crazier. A sneaky bomb. Solid.
Reviving Dose
One of the better life gain cards in Magic’s history, but you’re never going to want to play it in the early game. Poor.
Reya Dawnbringer
The decks that reliably hit nine mana in Limited are White/Green, which usually leaves you with very little removal. Reya’s amazing once she hits, but the efforts required to get there aren’t worth making. A fine 23rd card. Decent.
Rule of Law
Save this for your Constructed sideboards against Dragonstorm. Poor.
Serra’s Embrace
Bring that beat back! One of the most ridiculous creature enchantments of all time, White Hugs adds sudden swiftness and functionality to any lowly creature. The best creature enchantment of the set. Solid.
Skyhunter Patrol
On most fliers, first strike’s generally irrelevant. But Snapping Drakes currently prowl the skies, and the Patrol’s going to be forced to stay home on occasion. That’s when the extra functionality comes in handy. Decent.
Skyhunter Skirmisher
Double strike coupled with evasion’s incredibly sexy, but don’t let that rush you into a trap. Solid, particularly with multiple Ghost Wardens.
Spirit Weaver
Remember that the usefulness of the Weavers goes up a heck of a lot in Two-Headed Giant, where you’re almost certain to find a target on your team. Not quite as bad as the Might Weaver. Decent.
Starlight Invoker
There are enough quality 2/1s like the Weavers out there to allow the Invoker to foil many strategies. This is an adequate long game tool, so you can be excused for keeping it out of PE. But you’ll often have to send the Invoker into the fray to draw out a combat trick. When your opponent’s out of tricks, that’s when you can start dictating the pace of the game. Gaining lots of life doesn’t win you the game. Decent.
Story Circle
I always hated Circles of Protection. They were just too powerful, demoting threats to a temporary use of a mana. Story Circle’s insistence on White mana makes it much fairer, in my view. Solid.
Treasure Hunter
Unlike a Gravedigger, who’s always got work available, Treasure Hunters mostly sit around the office, reading the New York Post or doing the crosswords. I imagine they’ve got a sweet rivalry with the Maytag guys going. The ability’s all upside, but it’s unusual that you’ll get the guy to pull his share of the load. Decent.
I had no idea Portal had artifacts. Who knew?
True Believer
Stan Lee’s favorite two-drop stops a host of annoying discard effects, among other things. Burn’s usually best spent on creatures, not players. So the most common Limited effect he stops is discard. However, there isn’t that much discard in the format, so it’s not all that important a factor. I hate the demanding mana cost, but otherwise it’s Solid.
Voice of All
If it makes the cut in Masques Block Constructed, it makes the cut here. Solid.
Wild Griffin
There’s nothing fancy about the Griffin. Unfortunately, Wind Drake’s been around the track too many times for the Griffin to take its fair share of Magic creature archetypes. Solid despite hiring a lackluster promotion campaign.
Windborn Muse
We finish the new White offerings with one of the best new cards in the set. The effect this flier has on most Limited boards cannot be underestimated. The card absolutely ruins aggressive decks that don’t immediately find a method of killing the Muse. This card’s particularly bad news for White, Blue, and Green players, because Pacifism and Dehydration do nothing to the card’s static ability.
This card epitomizes the nebulous concept of “virtual card advantage,” because it’s going to negate quite a few of your opponent’s cards simply by being around. The older analogue, Blinding Angel, needed a turn to get online. Windborn Muse starts working for you right away. Solid.
The Others
Solid: Angel of Mercy, Ballista Squad, Glorious Anthem, Pacifism, Paladin en-Vec, Serra Angel, Soul Warden, Spirit Link, Wall of Swords, Wrath of God, Youthful Knight
Decent: Angelic Blessing, Angelic Wall, Aven Cloudchaser, Demystify, Holy Day, Holy Strength, Skyhunter Prowler, Righteousness, Samite Healer, Steadfast Guard, Venerable Monk, Warrior’s Honor
Poor: Suntail Hawk, Tempest of Light, Tundra Wolves
Top 5 commons (in alphabetical order): Benalish Knight, Ghost Warden, Pacifism, Wild Griffin, Youthful Knight
White’s got all the best early drops and some of the better late drops. It’s second to Blue in evasion, but not by much. The removal’s not plentiful, but it’s certainly powerful. I love the onboard utility men.
Blue
Academy Researchers
The good auras you want to slap on this guy aren’t Blue. I imagine the Researchers can play a fine role in draft if you’ve drafted a Serra’s Embrace or two previously. But as an uncommon, don’t expect this ploy to come together. Decent.
Ambassador Laquatus
Hello, Mr. Finisher. Laquatus is one of those cards you won’t want to play until you’ve got nine mana on the table, as you want to mill them for six before they hit it with sandbagged removal. That doesn’t always happen, though. If you’ve got the countermagic or bounce to keep him safe, you may be able to get him online earlier. Solid.
Arcanis the Omnipotent
He’s got the magic toughness number of four, which keep him out of common removal range. He’s got a backbreaking ability if you can get it online, and when your library’s running thin, he’s still a reasonable body for six mana. At six mana, he’s steep, but if you’re short on finishers, Arcanis might be able to pull off the job himself. Solid.
Aura Graft
Packing this in my main deck makes me feel smart. Pacifism? Dehydration? Why play a Demystify when you can slap the removal on your opponent’s guys instead? I suspect many players will overlook this trick on Magic Game Day. Be ahead of the pack. Decent.
Cancel
I hate counterspells in Limited that demand two Blue mana. With that being said, very few bombs in Tenth Limited are cheap, so it’s still a reasonable card. Cancels won’t draw me to play Blue, however. Decent.
Cephalid Constable
This permanent enforcement officer cries out for Serra’s Embrace. Or evasion of any sort whatsoever. If you’ve got multiple Constables and Crafty Pathmages, it’s possibly worth it, but I’ll be very surprised to see this guy hit the table with any sort of regularity. He needs donuts, buddies, and caffeine to get any sort of work done. Poor.
(And yes, I hail from Pennsylvania, home of the Keystone Kops. Why do you ask?)
Cloud Elemental
This guy’s almost as reasonable as staple Phantom Warrior, except it’s considerably easier to cast. It also trades with Snapping Drake. Everyone and their brother remembers how amazing the Drake was in Ravnica. You’re going to get in a ton of dogfights in the air, so why not save a little mana and play the countermeasure? Decent.
Cloud Sprite
I like seeing this card in print if only to see how much better that irritating Suntail Hawk is. White should get better fliers, damnit! Poor.
Deluge
Deluge is an amazing Limited trick that is guaranteed to wreck faces and smash dreams. For three mana, you can shut down your opponent’s attack and set up a vicious alpha strike on the following turn. Here is one very splashable trick. The only twist is that blue has no good ground pounders to send in, all the blue men have flying. So tapping erstwhile blockers after you declare your attackers won’t be all that great. Solid.
Denizen of the Deep
Poster boy for the Danger of Cool Things sighted. Forget about the Denizen. You’d be better off with Vizzerdrix. I don’t care how big a creature is in Limited, the drawback of bouncing all your guys leaves you too open to removal. Unless your opponent’s drafted a deck with ten Pacifisms. In that case, Denizen’s quite good. Poor.
Discombobulate
Yea, how the mighty four mana hard counters have fallen. Don’t get me wrong, the not quite Scry ability is a pleasant bonus, but this isn’t very exciting. I’m sick to death of Rewind, but couldn’t we have gotten Dismiss instead? Decent.
Dreamborn Muse
This card will find its best application in Blue-on-Blue matchups. Punish them for their card drawing ways! Make your opposition cringe in their insisting to keep their tricks at hand. And if they waste a removal spell on a slightly overcosted Grey Ogre, who’s complaining? Against most decks, though, I wouldn’t bother. Borderline Decent.
Fog Elemental
Man, this card has Constructed potential. Dan, a good old friend from my days back in the States, used to barnstorm through tables with Fog Elementals and Teferi’s Veil. If there’s a card that allows combat tricks like this, give it a try, it’s a vicious little beater.
But enough about 60 card decks. Fog Elemental’s happy to trade with Aven Windreader or Angel of Mercy or Mass of Ghouls. It’s always going to trade for a card that’s much higher costed, or occasionally work as a slower Lava Axe. Solid.
Horseshoe Crab
For one mana more than Lumengrid Warden, you get sorta pricey Vigilance. That’s the only use for the card in Tenth Limited. I’m thrilled they printed it, though. Wizards is doing anyone who likes assembling engines a favor by reprinting the Crab. Give this common to your local Johnnies if you want to see the price on Fire Whip go up. Poor.
(Seeing Horseshoe Crab in print makes me suspect that Lorwyn or some other upcoming set has some sort of cycle that gives creatures tap abilities. Casual players love getting a mount for a Gatling gun. )
Hurkyl’s Recall
Forget about it. Leave this one for Extended. Poor.
March of the Machines
Ditto. There aren’t enough non-creature artifacts in Tenth to make this relevant. Poor.
Peek
Peek at you! Peek at you! (Read that aloud in a high-pitched, squeaky voice.) I love seeing this card again. But the marketing decision here confuses me. Wizards stopped producing Pokemon in collaboration with Game Freak. Why do we have a reference to the yellow rat here?
Seriously, though, this card’s great. You can figure out what you want to counter. Highly Decent.
Persuasion
If this was Roman times, we’d call this card Nuts. N-V-T-S, nuts. Just read the card! Play it. Love it. Solid.
Robe of Mirrors
Yeah, it makes the wearer look fat. Then again, you wanted to have this on a big guy in the first place, so what’s the problem? As the mage who doles out the rags, you want the wearer to look fat. Decent.
Rootwater Matriarch
The Matriarch begs for a bouncy tag team partner. She’s got one hand on the tag ropes, the other stretching out into the squared circle, begging for her partner to make contact. Oh, if only there were such an enchantment in the set! If only it started with the following letter of the alphabet so people wouldn’t have to look so hard to find it! If only that Aura was a fine card in its own right! I wonder what that mysterious card is. Poor, usually.
Scalpelexis
This card is serious fun. I can’t help snickering when I hit with it. What sort of tomfoolery will we come up with when perusing our opponent’s library? Can we pull the double land pull and keep the good times rolling? Probably not, but you never know. My love for this guy is probably irrational. Scalpelexis is one of the few rares I double up on in my draft cube. It won’t jostle most opponents when it hits the table, but it’s a fine card you should play with. This card taught me that no matter how much I want to deny it, there’s a Timmy inside me. Solid.
Shimmering Wings
All those giddy thoughts about the Scalpelexis made me forget why this card is important. It’s obviously best partnered with Green. A fine card. Decent.
Sky Weaver
The best Weaver of the cycle in my book. I’m very excited to see this guy back and will always play him if I’m running blue. He also interacts well with Cloud Elemental. Your guy of the right color’s attacking? Here, the skies block you! Solid.
Spiketail Hatchling
How vicious is Spiketail Hatchling? In a color with few two drops, it’s mighty fine. It has a good shot of countering a four or five drop, so it’s generally worth the investment. Decent.
Sunken Hope
The obligatory Sunken Hope abuse list: Venerable Monk, Gravedigger, Highway Robber, Phyrexian Rager, Ravenous Rats, Civic Wayfinder, Viridian Shaman. The card’s annoyingly symmetrical and takes lots of work to exploit. You usually shouldn’t bother. With enough of the cards on the list, though, it moves up. Poor.
Time Stop
This spell’s exceedingly cool and does lots of interesting things. Neuter your opponent’s attack? Check. Counter a key spell? Check. Deny your opponent a main phase AND a draw? Check. There’s a hidden catch, though. Time Stop can only do one of these things, and it has to have your opponent create the opportune moment. For six mana, that’s one heck of an investment. I can easily see this card sitting on the sidelines. Decent.
Somewhere, Ted Knutson is pumping the fist seeing this card back in print. His 3D Ookubo Time Stop has that much more relevance.
Time Stretch
Don’t even think about it. You aren’t that greedy, are you? The temptation lurks to try this in 2HG. Even so, it’s still not worth it. Poor.
Twitch
Most people aren’t going to see this trick coming. I love Twiddle effects more than most people, but then again I’ve qualified for the Pro Tour on the back of Toils of Night and Day. Be prepared for attacking into this trick. Not surprisingly, Twitch works best in color combinations laden with fatties. Solid.
With Twitch, Unsummon, and Boomerang, Blue’s got tons of ace combat tricks, far more than expert level expansion players are used to.
Vedalken Mastermind
Despite not handicapping your opponent’s mana, Mastermind’s a ton better than Sunken Hope. And he’s quite the pain to get rid of when active. Yeah, you’ve got to make a considerable commitment to keep that Blue up time and time again, but I’d say it’s well worth it. Saving your best creature time and time after damage on the stack wins games. Decent.
The Others
Solid: Air Elemental, Aven Windreader, Clone, Counsel of the Soratami, Mahamoti Djinn, Phantom Warrior, Puppeteer, Remove Soul, Snapping Drake, Thieving Magpie, Unsummon, Wall of Air
Decent: Aven Fisher, Boomerang, Dehydration, Evacuation, Flashfreeze, Plagiarize, Rootwater Commando, Sage Owl, Sea Monster, Sift, Telling Time
Poor: Fugitive Wizard, Lumengrid Warden, Mind Bend, Reminisce, Telepathy
Top 5 commons: Aven Windreader, Dehydration, Counsel of the Soratami, Snapping Drake, Unsummon
In the new regime, everyone and their brother’s drawing cards thanks to cantrips. Blue’s just not as elite as it used to be. To make up for that, it gets a critical mass of efficient evasion creatures and tempo tools. The other guys need to craft their curve just right to deal with Blue evasion.
Black
Afflict
This combat trick is an utter beating that’s elegant in its subtlety. It isn’t usually worth splashing for, but if you’re playing black and expect to win through hand to hand combat, you want Afflict. Borderline Solid.
Ascendant Evincar
The guy’s a little overpriced going strictly stats, but his ability’s great. The only downside is that black armies are the smallest on stats in the business. He overshadows any supporting cast. How does he stack up against his Timeshifted self? He has evasion but one less power and toughness and lacks the ability to head back to the hand. That isn’t very favorable. On the other hand, no one’s going to be able to block him.
Despite all my misgivings about him, he’s still Solid.
Beacon of Unrest
More than any other Beacon, Beacon of Unrest offers promise. The hint of potential, anxiousness for the future. Beacon can make you a contender. The best guys out of your graveyard or your own graveyard come back, and there’s even the chance of getting another guy out of the graveyard again. It’s not as reliably powerful or consistent as Beacon of Destruction, but it’s more exciting nonetheless. Solid.
Deathmark
Like other sideboard cards, you get a lot of punch for a single mana. This is a perennial good choice for a 23rd card to add to your deck if you’re not splashing for a third color. Decent.
Distress
While Duress was a fine limited card at one mana, Distress is awkward at two. Yes, it can pluck any spell from the opponent’s hand (it doesn’t mana screw the other guy). But it requires double Black. And double color commitments on turn 2 are particularly demanding. The effect’s strong enough to be quite playable, but it isn’t something you should blindly throw into any deck with swamps. Decent.
Doomed Necromancer
Maybe you’ve played with Zombify before. Despite having the same effect and requiring less mana, the Necromancer’s sitting around on the table for a turn. Playing with the Necromancer teaches a valuable lesson, saving a resource for after your opponent’s played his removal. This guy is a good example of the cards you don’t want to preemptively play out before he’s usable. He should be kept in reserve until you’ve thrown your other threats onto the table. Solid.
Dross Crocodile
Not a bad creature, believe it or not. It’s a fine creature to couple with evasion like Treetop Bracers, Shimmering Wings, or Fear. While its fragility is patently obvious, it teaches new players the premium value of high power and its ability to finish games. Dross Crocodile can block tons of big fatties and trade. High toughness isn’t nearly as exciting as high power. Decent.
Essence Drain
Here’s Consume Spirit for the lazy man. I love this card. Yes, this is far slower and awkward in comparison to Incinerate. But Incinerate’s beyond nuts. Don’t ignore this powerful utility spell. Solid.
Graveborn Muse
An absolute backbreaking card with obvious power. It’s easily the strongest of Black’s new rares. Solid.
Hate Weaver
The best thing about this guy is that he makes any blue flier absolutely vicious. Pumped fliers win games. The rest of the time, it’s still comparable to Grizzly Bear. Solid.
Head Games
Like land destruction, Head Games punishes opponents for failing to develop their board quickly. Like land destruction, this card is utterly useless against anyone who has a solid mana curve. If you find your opponent’s curve poor in game 1, then go ahead and board this in. Otherwise, it’s Poor.
Knight of Dusk
Super bad, and not in a James Brown way. Not every creature in Tempest was amazing. A finicky-costed Gray Ogre that ties up your mana if you want to exploit its ability isn’t what I’m looking for in Limited. Poor.
Lord of the Pit
Back in the day, Lord of the Pit deplored his lot in life. It seemed like he’d wake up every morning, eat a dismembered organ or whole minion, and look at himself in the mirror. “What do I really want out of life? I mean, what’s it all about? Really about?” And he’d quit his day job and buy sturdy denim rags and head out to the fields, plowshare in hand. Carrots were his favorite vegetable.
Nowadays, the only thing he fears is being turned into a beeble-loving hippie or losing his hip flask.
The cost of living’s high, but if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Lord of the Pit is gonna win people more games than he’s gonna lose. And he’s always going to leave you with a story. Solid.
Midnight Ritual
If your Pitlord’s raided your fridge one too many times, you’ll probably wish you had the instructions for a Midnight Ritual handy. You’ll rarely feel the urge otherwise. Awkwardness and difficulty of use deserve a Poor rating.
Mortal Combat
Judges are going to hate this card if only for the fact that players will bowl over their neighbors shouting the card name. Limited players are going to hate opening a highly intriguing Constructed deck designer’s challenge. Poor.
No Rest for the Wicked
A highly intriguing card. Smart opponents aim removal at top priority targets as quickly as possible, so as to keep the carnage at a minimum. Be prepared to act quickly when this card hits the table. I am thrilled to see this and Recover take Raise Dead’s spot. Borderline Solid.
Phage the Untouchable
Another Cool Thing that rarely goes all the way. At quad-Black, Phage’s an overpaid egotistical hair metal singer. Have you ever spent any time around hair metal singers? I have. They’re not exactly Mensa candidates. And the experience’s overrated. Decent.
Phyrexian Rager
The Magic equivalent of Doritos. Crunch him all you want, you’ll just make more. I’m thrilled to see this draft cube staple back again. Borderline Solid.
Recover
If you’re not doing cartwheels over seeing this card back in print, you have no soul. Churning your army back up for profit makes me giddy. This isn’t a card you’ll usually want to splash, but it’s a fine component to any deck with reasonable quality beaters. On the high end of Decent.
Sleeper Agent
In a set with as many quality walls as Tenth, Sleeper Agent finds a perfect home. Poor due to narrowness, but once in a blue moon you’ll have the right card pool to let the Agent shine.
Stronghold Discipline
Foolish players everywhere who commit too many ineffectual men and keep them at home deserve a little punishment. A great finisher for an evasive deck. Decent.
Thrull Surgeon
Four mana for a sorcery speed Coercion effect isn’t the right price. Two mana for a 1/1 isn’t the right price. This isn’t the card you’re looking for. Poor.
Vampire Bats
The reason for all the nostalgia behind the Vampire Bats is that in 60 card decks, they slipped past countermagic and whittled away at opponents who would be forced to Wrath it away. In Limited, you’re much better off with the one time investment of a Dusk Imp instead of sinking two mana constantly. Poor.
The Others
Solid: Assassinate, Bog Wraith, Dusk Imp, Grave Pact, Gravedigger, Hypnotic Specter, Mortivore, Nantuko Husk, Nekrataal, Ravenous Rats, Royal Assassin, Sengir Vampire, Severed Legion, Terror
Decent: Agonizing Memories, Consume Spirit, Cruel Edict, Drudge Skeletons, Fear, Festering Goblin, Hidden Horror, Highway Robber, Lord of the Undead, Mass of Ghouls, Mind Rot, Nightmare, Plague Wind, Rain of Tears, Soul Feast, Spineless Thug, Underworld Dreams, Unholy Strength
Poor: Contaminated Bond, Looming Shade, Megrim, Plague Beetle, Relentless Rats, Scathe Zombies
Top 5 commons: Dusk Imp, Essence Drain, Gravedigger, Phyrexian Rager, Terror
Black doesn’t have a lot of efficiently-statted or evasive creatures. We’ve got Grey Ogres galore, but precious few Hill Giants. The edge is in the spells. As always, Black is the king of removal, and removal’s the most powerful and swingy component in Core Set Limited. Black sacrifices good numbers for the ability to control the board.
The biggest shift that I find with Black is that it’s got a million and one efficient cards that return dead guys to your hand. Black’s usually not going to dominate the board, but it’s never going to go out quietly, either. Find highly efficient guys in your other main color and you’re ready to go.
Red
Anaba Bodyguard
One of the key components to Limited is that you don’t want a lot of cards that rely on having other cards around to excel. You’re not always going to be able to draw your enablers, and what happens then in your games? Anaba Bodyguard’s first strike looks nice, but doesn’t have the extra power of a Hill Giant. Does Red want to sit around on defense? Nah. Red wants to smash people! So don’t fall in love with Anaba Bodyguard merely because it has first strike. Borderline Decent.
Arcane Teachings
I was praying that Wizards would reprint this vicious little Enchantment. In the early game, it allows an average creature to plow through most enemy lines. In the late game, that creature finds a new calling. Red needs reach when the board’s stalled, and Arcane Teachings provides those last few points. Solid.
Beacon of Destruction
Bomb rare ahoy! And it’s an instant, for crying out loud. This spell’s utterly awesome. Years of Limited play in Japan have indoctrinated me in the primacy of instant speed kill. Whacking your opponent’s life is always an appreciated alternate. You didn’t need me to tell you this is awesome. Solid.
Bogardan Firefiend
For three mana you trade with two of your opponent’s favorite Grey Ogres or Durkwood Boars. That’s incredibly good math to me. Solid.
Bloodrock Cyclops
Why hasn’t this seen play in Core sets before? Because the card’s strong and demands that you play in the way Red wants you to play. I guess even Wizards appreciates a no-brainer once in a while. Solid.
Cone of Flame
Newer players tend to forget the fact that you can also target yourself with this spell if you’re short on targets. This is on the high end of what you want to pay for removal, but I love any spell that gets rid of a Grizzly Bear and Hill Giant. Decent.
Dragon Roost
This card’s sweet, but so is molasses. Both also happen to be painfully slow. Dragon Roost was able to churn out tokens every so often in the lumbering Onslaught limited format, but Tenth Edition’s a little too rapid for this card to work reliably. Poor.
Duct Crawler
I hate 1/1s for one mana, even if they have evasion abilities. And Duct Crawler’s ability is spectacularly inefficient. This is the very textbook definition of a Poor creature.
Flamewave Invoker
Now THAT is one heck of a Goblin. Reasonable stats in the early game, finisher in the late game. Solid.
Furnace Whelp
Here’s Red’s lonely non-rare flier. The premise of Red’s strategy is that you should blow each and every one of your opponent’s fliers out of the sky. Furnace Whelp can deal the actual damage. Unfortunately, most of the time all you’ll do with Whelp is trade with a single enemy flier. It rarely hits. Solid, but not as effective as you’d think.
Incinerate
How much hype does this card deserve? All of it. The strongest Red common. Solid.
Kamahl, Pit Fighter
I’m glad we’re not getting the treehugger version. Kamahl epitomizes Red’s strengths and flaws. Kamahl dominates the board’s tone from the minute he hits the table, but his unreliability is legendary. There’s so many ways to send him to the dirtnap. Builder, beware. Solid.
Lavaborn Muse
The most vicious Hill Giant on the block, the Lavaborn Muse’s much improved over its past incarnation. Onslaught players usually had a gripful of cards due to the plodding pace and high casting cost spells. Tenth Edition’s tighter curve still encourages players to keep one or two cards in hand, but makes the Muse a far superior option. Solid.
Manabarbs
I despise cards that lock up a game if you’re far ahead. Poor.
Mogg Fanatic
I probably come across as a morose pessimist when I talk about 1/1s for one. They’re horrible across the board if they don’t perform double duty drawing cards or removing something more expensive. Happily, Mogg Fanatic falls into that category. It’s the only one-drop creature besides Loyal Sentry, Llanowar Elves and Birds of Paradise I’m enthused to play. Decent.
Prodigal Pyromancer
You may have used this guy recently in Time Spiral block Limited. In post-apocalyptic Dominaria, the Pyromancer has a slew of one-toughness targets in addition to his combat trickery. In Tenth Edition, his choices are a little more restricted. Don’t get me wrong, you should always be happy to play the Pyromancer, but he’s not quite as saucy as he is in the neighboring format. Solid.
Rage Weaver
This guy’s got the right stats for a 2/1 in Red and has a fantastic ability packed in if you’re in the right color combination. Green absolutely loves haste, particularly when it rarely gets it. Solid.
Scoria Wurm
Coin flipping cards never, ever get the job done. This card has its uses in casual Constructed. It’s a fine partner with Pandemonium. But we’re talking Tenth Limited here. Poor.
Shatterstorm
I’m fine with this card as a last minute addition to main decks, simply on the basis that it can nail multiple permanents. Decent.
Shunt
I’ve got to give a big shout-out here to my friend from back home in Northeast PA, Frank Mellert, who was praised by Mike Flores for busting this tech out in Mirrodin Block Constructed PTQs. There’s no shortage of opportune targets for this spell. Keeping three mana open in the late game may be an inconvenience, but Shunt’s well worth it. You’ll almost always go two-for-one with this card, and frequently three-for-one. Solid.
Siege-Gang Commander
The power of this five mana utility package is undeniable. There aren’t many cards with two colored mana symbols I would consider splashing, but this is one of them. Solid.
Smash
I’m thrilled to see this deserving card take its rightful place in the Core Set. It’s a little too situational for me to maindeck it, though. Poor.
Soulblast
Now that’s what I call a finisher. It’s not nearly as reliable as Overrun, but a fine card nonetheless. I wonder if anyone ever got the combo with this and Hold the Line to work. Decent.
Spark Elemental
The worst one-drop in the set. Even Fugitive Wizard trades once in a blue moon. Poor.
Squee, Goblin Nabob
I don’t understand why he’s synonymous with girls screaming in adulation, but a perpetual blocker that feeds Razormane Masticore isn’t all that bad. Decent.
Stun
The effect’s narrow, but the price’s right. I’ll happily play any two-mana cards that cycle. As with Bandage, getting a combat trick is merely a bonus. Decent.
Yes, I make dead parrot jokes when I play this card. I’m glad you asked.
Thundering Giant
Four hasty power for five mana’s great. Unlike Lightning Elemental, the Giant can usually handle your opponent’s single untapped guy and come back for more. Decent.
Uncontrollable Anger
This is a common? A great combat trick from Kamigawa that sticks around. On occasion you’ll find utility in throwing this on an opponent’s creature to keep it from blocking. Solid.
Viashino Runner
This lizard’s fine if you’ve got lots of removal supporting him, but lackluster as soon as your opponent’s set up. He’ll end up part of someone’s boots eventually. Decent.
Viashino Sandscout
What a difference a Red mana makes… two more aggro power. (Okay, the first part doesn’t quite scan.) The Sandscout is much less efficient and almost as mana-hungry as its predecessor Viashino Sandstalker. Don’t bother. Poor.
Warp World
I’m not one of those players who shrinks from cards when I see a great big chunk of text in the text box. Looking at Warp World, though, I can understand how some players develop this complex. Great fun in Constructed, Poor in Limited due to annoying symmetry.
The Others
Solid: Blaze, Earth Elemental, Flowstone Slide, Guerilla Tactics, Hill Giant, Orcish Artillery, Pyroclasm, Relentless Assault, Shivan Dragon, Shock, Spitting Earth, Threaten
Decent: Bloodfire Colossus, Cryoclasm, Demolish, Firebreathing, Fists of the Anvil, Goblin King, Goblin Piker, Lava Axe, Lightning Elemental, Rock Badger, Wall of Fire
Poor: Goblin Elite Infantry, Goblin Lore, Goblin Sky Raider, Raging Goblin, Sudden Impact
Top 5 commons: Bloodrock Cyclops, Bogardan Firefiend, Incinerate, Prodigal Pyromancer, Shock
Red’s guys have their usual low toughness and high aggro content. The color’s also a good sight cheaper than most of its counterparts. What strikes me is the lack of fine two-drops. Red wants troops like Goblin Raider or Goblin Brigand or Canyon Wildcat, who periodically gets evasion. Red’s got the weakest creature base of any of the colors, but more burn than you can shake a lightning rod at. You won’t run this as a main color very often in Sealed, but will end up splashing this all the time.
Green
Abundance
Absolutely fine in any sort of control deck with enough defensive cards to make up for the time lost in board development. Green usually doesn’t have the tools for this, so look to your second color to determine whether this card’s of use or not. Decent.
Aggressive Urge
Now we’re talking. Aggro Urge deserves respect as a tool to finish games off, but you’re rarely going to go wrong saving an early efficient beater either. This is the best new common trick in Tenth. Solid.
Avatar of Might
The trick with this mighty guy is knowing when not to trade with opponents or play earlier guys out so as to get the discount price, and when to commit your earlier guys and pay full price. I am a strong advocate of committing and keeping the Avatar as a late game finisher. Opponents’ spot removal (Pacifism, Condemn, or Dark Banishing) really ruins your day. But so does the bounce. Keeping the Avatar back as a trump until your opponent’s blown his spot removal is a safer, more profitable strategy. Decent.
Civic Wayfinder
There are few better Gray Ogres printed than Civic Wayfinder. Fixing your mana, whether it’s shoring up your second color or setting up your splash, makes winning much easier. Solid.
Commune with Nature
The magic number to play this card with confidence is 16. Decent.
Femeref Archers
I love a rangestriking man. Femeref Archers looks narrow in its use, but so many Limited games hinge upon fliers. Ignore the Archers at your own peril. Solid.
Joiner Adept
There’s something very comforting about a two-drop that makes your colored mana issues disappear. I particularly like this creature in two-color decks. Greedy opponents will quickly blow their removal on this creature, leaving your real path to victory unmolested. Solid.
Llanowar Sentinel
This Weatherlight refugee really feels ripped from a Coldsnap pack. Since the additional ability won’t usually come into play, the question is whether you’re interested in a 2/3 for two. I’m not impressed with stats of this sort.
Might Weaver
The worst of the cycle, but when you’re attached to a 2/1 body, what’s the problem? Decent.
Mirri, Cat Warrior
I like Mirri, the Cursed far better. The “real” Mirri’s evasion isn’t reliable. She can handle two Grey Ogres on her own when attacking, so she’s well ahead of the curve, but that in no way ensures any sort of victory. Solid
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Molimo was born a trampling man. Swing with him and he’ll do the best he can.
Who does that song?
Man, that’s the problem with living in Japan for half a decade. The only musical jokes you can come up with are about songs performed a decade before most of this site’s readers were born. And I’m not even 30 yet.
In the meantime, Molimo’s perfectly balanced for a seven drop. The triple Green requirement’s easy to handle, because Green’s fine at providing for itself. On the other hand, I don’t build Sealed decks expecting to play gamebreaking seven drops on a regular basis. Decent.
Overrun
This card’s been used in 60 card decks. As ridiculous as Tromp the Domains is, Overrun’s even better. Grade A+ bang bang. Solid.
Pincher Beetles
Here’s the Prisoner’s Dilemma problem with one-toughness guys. No one wants to play with them because they trade with 1/1s. But no one who knows what they’re doing plays with 1/1s that attack unless they’ve got a superior ability tacked on.
Game theory’s tough. Long story short, the Beetles are Decent, but I don’t like them.
Primal Rage
You know what’s strange? Green, the color of interdependence, rarely gets permanent effects that pump up entire armies. Apparently there’s a tension between efficiency and living in the forest. I hate enchantments like this that don’t modify power/toughness. Primal Rage just doesn’t bring a powerful feel of radically reshaping the board like most global enchantments. Poor.
Quirion Dryad
Did I ever mention that I helped Mike Long modify Miracle Grow at GP: Sendai 2001 the evening before the tournament? I added Werebear to the previously Fishy deck. He added Waterfront Bouncer. They made for far better companions to Quirion Dryads than a bunch of smelly fish.
I probably didn’t mention it because, well, who wants to publicly admit abetting Mike Long?
In my defense, the tournament site was warm and pleasant, while record-breaking snowfall was building outside. I love being in the snow, but I love talking to Magic players more.
One of Green’s best Constructed two-drops makes a return. It takes a while to get the Dryad to excel. How hard will you work to make the Dryad work hard for you? Decent.
Root Maze
If your deck’s designed to be the consistent attacker, Root Maze is probably worth consideration. But you’re making a considerable commitment by playing this card. This symmetrical effect is hard to break. Poor.
Scion of the Wild
He relies on having the rest of your army stick around, and that drawback is pretty significant. Poor.
Skyshroud Ranger
Probably at his best against Red decks, due to their abundance of one toughness guys. Even so, Poor.
Stampeding Wildebeests
We’ve got only one creature in the set that dovetails with the Wildebeests. The upkeep cost’s fairly significant, pushing players to play Green as the front color. But 5/4 with trample is still good business. Note that the Wildebeests are the only non-rare trampler in Green.
Sylvan Basilisk
When it comes to Lure targets in the Core set, they finally threw in the better mousetrap. Decent.
Sylvan Scrying
Thank heavens the Urza’s triumvirate have packed it up and gone into the wastelands of Extended. I loved abusing the everloving heck out of this card in Tooth and Nail, but I’m not sad to see its utility downgraded. In Tenth Limited, this is perfectly acceptable filler that slightly thins your deck, but it doesn’t make me want to splash Green. Civic Wayfinder does give me that urge. Decent.
Tangle Spider
With the card lurking at uncommon, most players won’t anticipate walking into this Flashy spider’s wiles. It’s surprisingly good value for six mana. With Giant and Canopy Spiders along for the ride, Tenth Edition is truly the set of Jon Becker dreams. Solid.
Troll Ascetic
So many options, not so much impact. People with fond memories of the Ascetic in the past are forgetting that they attached powerful equipment to the man to smack people silly. On his own, the Troll is overrated. Still a Solid card, but not anything resembling a bomb.
Upwelling
I’m not interested in playing any of the decks that make efficient use of Upwelling. I hate giving effects like this to my opponents. Poor.
The Others
Solid: Birds of Paradise, Giant Growth, Giant Spider, Grizzly Bears, Hurricane, Llanowar Elves, Might of Oaks, Rampant Growth, Rhox, Rootwalla, Rushwood Dryad, Seedborn Muse, Spined Wurm, Treetop Bracers, Verdant Force, Yavimaya Enchantress
Decent: Canopy Spider, Craw Wurm, Elvish Champion, Elvish Piper, Elvish Riders, Enormous Baloth, Hunted Wumpus, Kavu Climber, Lure, Naturalize, Overgrowth, Recollect, Stalking Tiger, Viridian Shaman
Poor: Elvish Berserker, Gaea’s Herald, Natural Spring, Wall of Wood
Top 5 commons: Aggressive Urge, Giant Growth, Giant Spider, Spined Wurm, Treetop Bracers
Okay, we get the picture. Green rares really like trample. What’s quirky about Tenth is that trample, the Green “evasion,” is otherwise relegated to an effect granted by other sources instead of being directly on the creatures. That allows Wizards to print better trample effects than previously in the set, like Overrun and Aggressive Urge. Trample’s special now.
Green’s also packed with color fixing and consistent mana development. That is a perk, but the actual creatures in the set just don’t impress me all that much in relation to the other colors. It’s not that the quality went down all that much, but that everyone else grew stronger. Which is fair, since Green was probably the best individual color in the last two Core Sets. It deserves a break from the limelight.
Artifacts
Chimeric Staff
Are you that afraid of Wrath of God? A reasonable card for late game scenarios, but I don’t care for it or any other mana sink that doesn’t win you the game. Chimeric Staff barely makes the cut to Decent.
Chromatic Star
Draw a card. Draw a card. I love those words. Love this card, it’ll love you back. Solid.
Citanul Flute
Who needs Jayemdae Tome? Creatures win most Limited matches, and this lets you get the creature you want consistently. This is an expensive bomb, but it’ll be worth playing each and every time. Solid.
Colossus of Sardia
It doesn’t matter how many mana accelerants you play with. The guy’s just not worth it. In old kitchen table Magic, when you could play with four Sol Rings, though, this man was a beating. Poor.
Composite Golem
As Gamera is a friend to children, so is Composite Golem a friend to Blaze. I like this guy if only as a foil to creatures with fear. Decent.
Doubling Cube
Gorgeous design, but you’re paying too much for all that horsepower. Poor.
The Hive
Yes, I used to play with the Hive. I was young, foolish, and had pie in the sky dreams stuck in my head. I’ve learned my lesson well. Too much investment and not enough board impact will keep you away from a case of The Hives. File this card under “Lessons learned.” Poor.
Juggernaut
This vicious beater will cause more mild profanity to be uttered at tables than any other card in the set. Welcome back. Solid.
Legacy Weapon
Utterly unplayable. Yes, Green decks have ten ways to Sunday to get the other lands. What are you supposed to do in the meantime? Poor.
Leonin Scimitar
The Scimitar doesn’t have half the impact of its Core Set predecessor Vulshok Morningstar. That’s fine. Players will have more fun throwing the Scimitar around like a hacky-sack. You’ll rarely find situations to avoid playing this card. Solid, but don’t expect too much.
Mantis Engine
It does a little of whatever you want for a price you won’t be able to pay. Poor.
Mind Stone
It ramps your mana and has the words “draw a card” on it. How are you not playing this? Solid.
Phyrexian Vault
The fixed version of Soul Net. If you’re looking to win battles of attrition, you want the Vault. If you’re expecting to weave through the opposition with evasion, leave the Vault at home. Decent.
Pithing Needle
Does your deck have problems with Prodigal Pyromancer, Ghost Warden, or Drudge Skeletons? Then you may want Pithing Needle. It’s going to be used against creature abilities 90 percent of the time, so it’s about as useful as a removal spell. The non-creature it’ll name most often is Icy Manipulator. Solid.
Platinum Angel
Seven mana for a 4/4 flier is not out of the question. Tack on the ridiculous rules text and you’ve got an absolute winner. Solid.
I once saw a casual player tearing out his hair as his Phage the Untouchable kept attacking into a guy with a Platinum Angel over his shoulder. Don’t copy this guy. If you see Platinum Angel in game 1 and your deck’s slow, be sure to find countermeasures against this bomb.
Razormane Masticore
More Solid gold than a decade of disco and the entire K-Tel catalogue.
Sculpting Steel
A fine sideboard card against opponents with Loxodon Warhammers or Razormane Masticores. Poor, but a great Johnny card.
Steel Golem
This should be next to the Limited dictionary’s entry for “unplayable.” Not being able to play creatures is possibly the most vicious drawback out there. It’s no wonder Wizards doesn’t use this drawback more often. Poor.
Whispersilk Cloak
Paying this price for reusable, consistent, reliable evasion didn’t seem like a good deal in the turbo-charged environment of Mirrodin. In the slower world of Tenth, the Cloak’s quite good and affords Red and Green options they wouldn’t otherwise have. Decent.
The Others
Solid: Icy Manipulator, Loxodon Warhammer
Decent: Bottle Gnomes, Coat of Arms, Jayemdae Tome, Millstone, Rod of Ruin
Poor: Angel’s Feather, Demon’s Horn, Dragon’s Claw, Howling Mine, Kraken’s Eye, Ornithopter, Spellbook, Wurm’s Tooth
Lands
The conventional wisdom’s been spread widely enough on this site. All of the Manlands are Decent, but only the Faerie Conclave and Treetop Village excel at what they do. It’s great that Wizards returned them to the game, as they’re object lessons in doing more with your mana base by paying some drawbacks.
Terramorphic Expanse is an incredibly satisfying card to see in the Core Set. Non-Green players should always have a single but effective common mana fixer at their disposal. Solid.
The Ice Age and Apocalypse painland cycle should be unified here and evermore, in good health and bad. I’d make more comments here, but I forget how Klingon marriage vows are worded. All of them are obviously Decent.
By the way, Wizards, thank you for printing these and not the Ravnica shocklands. I love the Ravnica shocklands more than any other lands in the entirety of Magic. But I also understand the psychology of delayed gratification and how it can enhance the experience of the game. Tenth rocks, but Eleventh may very well rock even harder.
Quicksand’s a spell that just happens to tap for mana most of the time. Solid, if only due to landwalkers.
And after the seventh category, Eli took a break, and went for onigiri before the final review, and they were good.
Which colors do I think come out the strongest?
1. Blue (tons of evasion creatures at a reasonable price and card drawing)
2. Black (top notch removal and card advantage through graveyard recursion)
3. Red (a total overload of burn, passable men)
4. White (utility, cheap efficient guys, and fliers)
5. Green (merely the best creatures and a few great tricks)
The biggest shift between Ninth and Tenth for Limited is that the average card quality’s considerably higher, excepting Green and the artifacts. The Aaron Forsythe regime doesn’t like seeing clearly suboptimal cards in their boosters. The number of ridiculous bombs is still low, though. Wizards likes the Ravnica approach with a handful of bombs at the apex, then a giant glut of solid but reasonable options in the middle of the sandwich, then a small number of skill testing duds at the bottom.
So why do artifacts get the short end of the stick? Because they’re accessible to everyone. Just as gold cards get a bonus for their exacting mana standards, colored cards get an edge on artifacts due to being a little more exacting in their cost than gray hunks of metal. Players may miss the slight repositioning.
The shift in power level is why I am jonesing for Tenth Edition. Older Core sets had tons of filler, and the path to building the best build was usually clear. The newer format’s muddied the waters. And when the path’s not clear, that’s the time for trailblazers to shine. It’s a whole new format. Be a trailblazer.
Got a different opinion? Think I’ve missed something critical? I’d love to hear it, and I imagine other people would too. Bring your thoughts to the forums. Just try to keep them civil. Thanks for reading.
Eli Kaplan
turboeli on Magic Online
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