I’ve been loving Wilds of Eldraine Limited, and have managed to put in well over 100 drafts thus far (don’t tell my family – just kidding, I haven’t seen them in weeks!). Today I’ll share some insight into five cards that you should be picking higher!
Flick a Coin
I’ve got Flick a Coin as the second-best red common, next to Torch the Tower. Not only can Flick a Coin pick off the myriad X/1 creatures that pay rent in Eldraine, the versatility of the card often goes overlooked. If a decent target doesn’t touch down on the battlefield, you can simply chuck a quarter at your opponent, cycling the card and leaving a Treasure behind. The card is never “dead”, as you can always cast it for the cantrip. In addition to enabling bargain, the Treasure token can enable splashes and Adventures alike. You could play a Rakdos deck with Picnic Ruiner and have the ability to cast Stolen Goodies without putting a Forest in your deck.
Archon’s Glory
Before playing with Archon’s Glory, the closest comparison I could draw from memory was Blessed Defiance in Innistrad: Midnight Hunt. If you played that set, you may remember how much that one-mana trick could warp a game. While Archon’s Glory is not quite as impressive here in Eldraine, I always want a copy in my white creature decks. The card has too many options for one mana to ignore. Aside from a simple combat trick, you can create a huge life total swing, finish a game with flying, surprise block an opponent’s flyer, bargain away cards like The Princess Takes Flight, or even protect your creatures from burn spells.
Barrow Naughty
Most people think you’re naughty playing Barrow Naughty outside Dimir, and I used to share the same sentiment. I’m now here to tell you, this is a solid card on its own! Outside Rakdos, black isn’t a very fast color, often relying on the other colors in your deck for early plays. The 1/3 stat line defends very well against early attackers, and more importantly, it costs two. Aside from Mintstrosity, black doesn’t have any other two-drop creature options you want to play. In both Golgari and Orzhov, it can act as a deterrent while you develop your battlefield, with the latter having a couple of Faeries in Tuinvale Guide and Charmed Clothier. Barrow Naughty is also a great Role model, and a 2/4 flyer by Turn 3 will force your opponent to address it.
Crystal Grotto
With strong multicolor Adventure cards and plenty of splashable bombs in the format, Crystal Grotto is an enabler with a very low opportunity cost. I love getting a copy in Pack 1, as it really opens up the rest of your draft, allowing you to speculate on stronger cards you otherwise might not consider. Easier to overlook is how strong the Grotto can be in a one- or two-color deck. The mana-fixing is great, but a free scry trigger is the sort of small edge that can win you a game.
Candy Trail
Candy Trail is a very unassuming card, and it shouldn’t go into every deck. When used correctly, however, this card can work wonders. In a deck with few or no cards to play during the first two turns, Candy Trail can smooth out your next draws. In three- to five-color decks, I like to think of it as somewhat of a mana-fixing card as well. You can always cast it, and you can dig through the top three cards of your library to find bombs, missing colors (of actual fixing), or simply action to prevent flooding. It can also be a fantastic topdeck later in the game. I have heard some positive feedback about using it as a seventeenth land, but I haven’t tried that out just yet.
Below is a trophy deck where the Candy Trail really shined.
Creatures (11)
- 1 Elvish Archivist
- 1 Beluna Grandsquall
- 1 Faunsbane Troll
- 1 The Goose Mother
- 1 Yenna, Redtooth Regent
- 1 Hearth Elemental
- 1 Aquatic Alchemist
- 1 Twining Twins
- 1 Archive Dragon
- 1 Ferocious Werefox
- 1 Vantress Transmuter
Lands (16)
Spells (13)
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
