I love hearing others praise the quality of modern-day Limited formats. It really has been extremely consistent in terms of quality. Having played booster drafts for about 25 years, believe me when I say that there have been some extremely lackluster Limited sets throughout that time. That didn’t stop me from being a Draft gremlin and showing up every FNM to draft them, but it has given me a stark appreciation for where we are now.
There are many factors that make for a great set, but let’s focus on one aspect that I have really been appreciating in The Brothers’ War. I wanted to highlight some of the amazing card designs, because the individual cards are a significant piece of the puzzle for making a great format!
Airlift Chaplain
This is a little bit of a shout-out to the mechanics of the format, but I really like Airlift Chaplain as a card on its own. Worst-case scenario, you don’t get any options, and instead get a Wind Drake. But sometimes, you have the option of land, creature, or +1/+1 counter. The fact that Airlift Chaplain can find additional copies of itself is the bow on this card.
Argivian Avenger
Argivian Avenger is a perfect card for The Brothers’ War. It’s colorless, so any deck can throw it in, but it really thrives in decks with lots of Powerstones. Creatures like this which provide the controller myriad options with a cost provide a unique experience in each game.
Citanul Stalwart
A shoutout to Citanul Stalwart’s predecessor, Jaspera Sentinel from Kaldheim. This is the green mana fixing in The Brothers’ War, and I’m here for it! The Stalwart allows you to tap artifacts in addition to creatures to do its best Birds of Paradise impression. In the context of the set, it allows you to unearth off-color cards, as well as use Powerstones to create real mana! Don’t spend it all in one place!
Goblin Blast-Runner
Goblin Blast-Runner is probably my favorite card of the set. The little Goblin that could… run. A build-around card, it’s mostly unplayable without a good amount of sacrifice outlets, and deadly in multiples. I just love this card.
Levitating Statue
It’s not uncommon to see an artifact that can turn into a creature in most sets. But what about one that floats? The fact that they gave the artifact flying (opposed to gaining flying with the activated ability) is a really cool design that has some niche, but potential implications – a small detail that shows the set designers are really going the extra mile.
Mine Worker, Power Plant Worker, and Tower Worker
If Self-Assembler weren’t in this set, I’d be a lot less excited about the Worker trio. But with a tutor option, assembling the Workers is a real gameplan, though some may write it off. I like them all from a design perspective, in that they can be played in certain decks and be decent filler cards, but if you assemble the Infinity Stones, the squad starts to take over the game! Don’t let your memes be dreams. Give it a try!
Scrapwork Mutt
I was a bigger fan of Fissure Wizard than most in Zendikar Rising. Card selection is often scarce in Limited, and is always a welcome addition to any deck. The fact that you can play Scrapwork Mutt in any deck and potentially unearth it, even if you’re not red, makes it one of the top commons. This Dog is ready to give its life in the line of duty, just to come back and do it again! What a good boy.
Supply Drop
Supply is a perfect card, with a great name to boot. It’s that mediocre colorless card, normally thought of as filler. But I think the designers really nailed the power level of this card, where it’s actually quite decent in aggressive decks, and can be genuinely great in sacrifice decks! The ability for it to draw a card later is perfect as well. Three would be too little, and five too much; Goldilocks thinks this card’s just right!
Warlord’s Elite
Warlord’s Elite is another great example of an elite design! If you had to pay five mana for a vanilla 4/4 in today’s economy, you’d ask for your money back. The ability to use other creatures or artifacts to chip in, on the other hand, offers some great decision trees for the caster. Warlord’s Elite also fits into the set perfectly as its beefiest Soldier and a fantastic target for Recommission.
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I love Magic as much now as I did drafting Avacyn Restored, because at the end of the day, it’s a fantastic game. But my appreciation of the gameplay and designs continues to grow, and I’m grateful to see it happen in real time! What have been some of your favorites?
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
