This quick hits covers three sets, two of which should be somewhat expected, the other has been a topic of discussion and some controversy in our community. Pioneer Masters is being considered by the committee as a valid source of new commons, and as such will be getting its own space here in a quick hits. Innistrad remastered, while less controversial as to whether these are “real” commons, does canonize some cards technically first “printed” at common in Shadows over Innistrad Remastered, an Arena-exclusive set, and those have been included in our discussion below.
Pioneer Masters
White
Omniczech : I know we cut this card’s namesake, Shelter, ages ago, but this riff where you’re trading the cantrip text for the option to ensure you hit those early land drops feels very strong. As we’ll see a few more of the MDFC lands, these are incredibly powerful options for their utility.
Solset : I drafted a ton of Zendikar Rising and had a lot of success. Two things I learned in that set: synergy can be stronger than pure power, and MDFC lands are amazing for increasing a deck's late game “action density” without compromising early development. So my general take is that any MDFC is amazing. I have felt we were a bit shy on this type of effect in white, so getting it through a land seems a great inclusion.
Phizzled : I have some cube friends who are allergic to the mechanical experience of double faced cards, and I can understand their logic, but I adore having options, when it comes to my cards, and MDFC lands are pretty great. If you didn’t take the time to play Zendikar Rising (or, I suppose, Modern Horizons 3), getting a feel for when to play the tapped land early as opposed to saving the card for its spell effect can be a little stressful, but mostly, they ensure we have more games than non-games. Protection still works defensively and allows a late game threat to punch through for the last little bit of damage, when everything goes right.
Usman : I like this significantly more than the old Shelter - for ages, I was wanting this cycle to be common, and while not all of them got downshifted, this is close enough to have some of them. Being able to cash in these kinds of cards as a land if need be, or to be able to cast them if flooded out, is nice. The only gripe is that this is a reactive MDFC and it’s 2 mana for a protection effect, but generally efficiency isn’t as much of a concern for these kinds of cards that work when drawn late.
Neveron : MDFC lands aren’t completely free includes in a deck, but they’re very close to it. They even have some upsides over Landcycling 1 in that you can play them T1 in a one-lander hand. The actual effect is almost irrelevant compared to it being, again, a land.
Solset : In a cube that has a go tall, hexproof, or enchantment theme I could see giving this a look, but it just isn’t right for us. I’d rather consider Skyhunter Skirmisher long before this.
Phizzled : It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long since we gave real thought to Fencing Ace, but I’ve gotten so used to seeing cheaper double-strikers at higher rarities, and this feels too expensive in either mode. I want to like it but I think this does too little, too late, in our environment, unless you’re already a prohibitive favorite to win anyway.
Usman : I put this on here as a speculative add, but it’s probably too much for the effect on both ends. Might get there as a buff for big chunguses with trample but 6 mana? It’s just so so much mana. :(
Neveron : Ghostblade Eidolon definitely suffers from the original Theros Bestow creatures being overcosted, but permanently giving something Double Strike isn’t really much of a thing at common. (Compare Ticket Booth/Temple of Hate, also at six mana for just the keyword, or Brass Knuckles at five.)
Blue
Omniczech : As maybe one of the top casting Impulse EOT enjoyers, this one is pretty appealing to me. It’s limited and you reveal the card, but as above, the MDFC lands need to get PRETTY bad to not be at least in consideration
Solset : Again, I want every MDFC possible. Even if we didn’t have this as a theme in the color I’d be in, but all the more when we should be caring about spells in blue.
Phizzled : Looking at six cards should result in a hit, even in a cube that is fairly creature heavy. Sometimes you’re still going to whiff, I suppose, but if you’re casting this looking for a spell, even scrying all the cards to the bottom is going to get you closer to whatever you were trying to find, right?
Usman : Even better than Sejiri Shelter, since it’s a pretty decent Impulse effect and usually doesn’t miss, and it’s not too embarrassing to cast in the midgame if you’re in the mid-game, have lands to spare and didn’t have anything to counter. I’d been a fan of playing this when it was in Standard, and it should translate well here. Also loving how these combine with bouncelands.
Neveron : What I wrote for Sejiri Shelter still holds. Beyond that, though, digging six cards deep at instant speed is actually pretty good?
Black
Omniczech : I don’t love the front side here, but again, say it with me here folks, an MDFC has to be pretty bad to not be decent.
Solset : Selective discard is pretty rare for us, so getting to include it for free on a land is a great addition in my mind.
Phizzled : This is my least favorite of the MDFCs we’re talking about, honestly. Coercion is disappointing the later you get into the meat of the game. If you happen to hit on turn three, you’re technically mana efficient when you steal a Dreadmaw or something, but I think I could go either way on this and not feel terribly bad about it.
Usman : This may be the worst of the cycle (Akoum Warrior // Akoum Teeth may be worse since it costs so much, but man that thing hits hard) but it’s something, since it can occasionally get people, but it’s weird because you usually don’t hit much if you cast it when flooding out, so it’s usually cast mid-game.
Neveron : Three mana for conditional hand hate isn’t what you want, yeah. On the other hand, by the time you’re casting this the remaining threats in their hand are likely to actually be MV3+?
Omniczech : This is mostly just Last Gasp with the side mode of sometimes nuking every token on the other side of the field. I don’t know if it’s a must, but it is a nice option for us.
Solset : The few times this has an upside are not worth the intensive casting cost. Pass.
Phizzled : I love having more board wipe options, but this is so limited it doesn’t actually read as a board wipe. Slightly more splashable removal is more appealing, especially when you think about the possibility of this sending a false signal.
Usman : The BB cost just kills it for me vs all of the other Last Gasp effects we have access to, including the original and I don’t think the token mode is enough to make up for the rough cost.
Neveron : This would be better if our tokens weren’t as eclectic as they are. (For reference, currently our most common token that this works on is a 1/1 black rat that can’t block. Only four cards make it.)
Omniczech : I know some folks feel like we could do more to help Golgari’s graveyard focus in terms of self-milling, and this one is pretty solid to me, I could opine about this being better as a bear, but it does cast raise dead when it dies.
Solset : I think I prefer my glue cards to have a more default “aggro mode” than this. But maybe this is better in our black than Dusk Legion Zealot.
Phizzled : The price is fair even though the body isn’t terribly robust. I would like it more if it were more likely to trade with an opposing creature instead of acting as a speed bump, but, as Solset notes, you’re very probably drawing a creature card, same as with Dusk Legion Zealot, and technically you have a better blocker while setting that draw up.
Usman : Partially from seeing this in Standard play back in the day where it was a fine role-filler, my only concern is that it’s kinda middling on resolution unlike something like Mire Triton which has a great body. scrylinkRaise Dead/scrylink mode is also nice with the mill too. Kinda whelmed but kinda interested and I do like giving the self-mill strategies more love.
Neveron : Undead Butler is here for a fun time, not a long time. It might be worth thinking of as drawing a creature from the top three cards in your deck, and honestly I suspect that it might be more at home in Aristocrats where it can bring back some vital pieces. (Note also that the exile is a “may”!)
Red
Omniczech : We’re not at the point where shocks are getting talked about as viable but I think they’re more there than not these days as the curve trends lower and lower.
Solset : I’d much rather have 3 damage than a clause about prevention. Pass.
Phizzled : Wild Slash is a neat card, but the upside doesn’t honestly do much. We have more regeneration than damage prevention, last I checked, and I think the most reasonable swaps all deal more damage.
Usman : Always a fan of more Shocks but totally understand if this just doesn’t get there in our world, since we don’t really care about the ferocious mode. If we include it, it’d be our worst shock, but would it get there? Maybe. Probably not though.
Neveron : If this is the only new card added, we have one (1) 4/x in red. This is relevant for Red/Green, but I also don’t know that Red/Green cares since there’s only four cards that prevent damage and three cards with Protection. Shocks still kill most creatures in the cube, though, and can go face.
Omniczech : Arguably the least interesting of the MDFCs but it’s still an MDFC and that probably makes it completely viable.
Solset : If we end up getting a second cycle of MDFCs, I could see cutting this, but for now, it is a pretty free include.
Phizzled : I think if this had anything other than trample, I would have a harder time considering it, but honestly, this offers two technically playable modes. That’s enough to continue considering the warrior.
Usman : It’s big and doesn’t protect itself but the rate’s not terrible, even if it’s something primarily to act as flood insurance. Could be a useful tool for more slow red decks like Jund/Grixis/Rakdos since a ⅘ trampler does close games pretty well.
Neveron : MDFCs need to be real bad to not get in. This is one that toes the line, and even then I think it’s a perfectly fine include for any deck that can accept a tapped land.
Green
Omniczech : Cons: It’s a bad Rancor. Pros: Even a bad Rancor is still kinda OK. While this doesn’t provide aura downside mitigation that happens over and over again, this just being a rancor that draws instead of looping isn’t anything to sneeze at in my mind.
Solset : I didn’t see this in standard, but it seems like a strong card. What is the cut though?
Phizzled : Few things are as efficient as Rancor, but Bonesplitter et al. are legitimate first picks. Unlike Rancor, this doesn’t turn saprolings or eldrazi spawns into repeated threats, but that feels nit-picky.
Usman : Honestly, I think even as a bad Rancor that does its thing once (even if the thing is just cashing in) is fine, since I think it pays for itself well enough in beat down decks and having a second-fiddle version of the effect ain’t bad. I like it.
Neveron : It’s still got the 2-for-1 issue that every aura has, but I’ve seen enough of this in Standard et. al. to know that it’s got some juice to it.
Omniczech : Maybe the actual worst of the MDFCs but I’m almost here on 3 mana instant speed fight when it lets you drop the number of lands in the deck.
Solset : I used this pretty regularly in ZKR, and it played well enough there. An easy include for me.
Phizzled : The spell is inefficient, mana wise, but as we keep noting, both modes are technically playable. If I know I’ll need the removal, the Bite suite we have is better, but flexibility is the motivating factor for discussing Ambush.
Usman : I think this falls in the middle for me for the MDFCs, but it works pretty well when flooding/mid game, and as a land drop. The front side is really inefficient but I’m cautiously optimistic that it’s enough of something that green wants for it to be good in those decks (and green handles mana inefficiency better than other colors.)
Neveron : It’s very inefficient, but green removal is in that fun spot where it gets better the longer the game goes on - I don’t know how often you’d actually cast this turn 3, but as a topdeck when you’ve got seven mana and a big dumbo on board? Beats drawing a Forest, I suppose, and that’s what this replaces in your deck.
Misc
Omniczech : I think every mode here is one that I’m happy with at some point, at a decent rate. Apart from concerns about the eligibility of this as a “real common”, this is a pretty strong slam dunk in my book.
Solset : Strong enough to get in, but I think I still vote to save gold spots for archetype cards. Nothing with +1/+1 counters is a pass to me. We have plenty of generically strong cards in the monocolored sections.
Phizzled : I think I’ve been waiting since Modern Horizons 1 to see more of the RTR charms downshifted. I am fine with all the modes, and wouldn’t be embarrassed to play any of them in most of my Selesnya pauper decks. I think the first time you get to exile a lethal attacker will be a delight.
Usman : A 2/2 vigilance with flash?? I’m in! (The other modes are great too.) Likely a top Selesnya card given everything that it does.
Neveron : One fun thing about modes 1 & 2 is that they often combine to just mean “remove target creature”. Granted, we don’t have a ton of creatures with 5+ power - only nineteen creatures in our cube are that big without stacking up counters.
Solset : This is terrible for us. There are a million better things to do with 2 mana.
Phizzled : I think the five mana ability is a pipe dream, but I’d rather have a living weapon variant most of the time. I think this combines to be a glue card that is never exciting, and I’m not sure how to justify a slot for something that is mostly flavortext on an expensive 1/1.
Usman : Another card that I had good impressions of from its time in Standard, it’s somewhat like a Prosperous Innkeeper that has the payoff of drawing a bunch of cards instead of being a Soul Warden-ish creature. I always liked that it gave decks something to aspire to for going 5-color, and just being able to cash it in if that dream is dead was nice too. Should do some nice things here.
Neveron : It’s definitely more flexible than it looks, and coming with both a creature and a treasure is surprisingly relevant. It’s not a huge five-color incentive, but that it exists is… something.
Omniczech : I really like this as a piece of card design, I even actually kinda like it as a 2 mana 2/2 flyer, but I do worry this is one that folks will struggle with the additive distraction of wanting this to be in a 5 color deck.
Solset : I think UG is the most common base for the greedy splash deck, so I could see this working but maybe not until we move the gold section up a card again.
Phizzled : Flying does a lot of work to make this elf appealing. I’m not sure you’ll reasonably see it as a 4/4, but at two or three mana, it’s still an efficient threat in a color pair that can sometimes proliferate.
Usman : Agreed, I think the floor of being a 2/2 flier (or a 3/3 in 3-color decks?) is more than good enough, Additive Distraction(https://usmantherad.substack.com/p/additive-distraction-and-idealized) be darned, although that’s a nice upside for decks looking to be greedy. Poor Gaea's Skyfolk.
Neveron : Additive distraction aside, it suffers a bit from taking up a Simic slot but wanting to be in a deck that’s more than just that.
Innistrad Remastered
White
Omniczech : This was one of those cards that had been a common in Shadows over Innistrad remastered, but it’s now firmly, unambiguously a common. I’m kinda lukewarm on it? The fact that it’s always locking off the spookiest creature (at a cost) is pretty nice, but it isn’t a zero cost to keep moving it around and it also being “just” a pacifism has me disinterested.
Solset : 3 years ago, I am interested, but we have evolved so far past pacifism that this is not worth it.
Phizzled : Trading in a clue or some other permanent that isn’t a “real” card makes the cost to move this more palatable, but we’ve got so many variants of this effect I’m not sure this would be the one to add, if we somehow decided we needed another.
Usman : This gives me vibes of Prison Term, where you cast it on something early and then move it onto something else if the opponent plays something more dangerous. This requires a sacrifice to move, but being able to sacrifice a land or a token makes it less annoying of a drawback. I’d lamented in previous reviews how I wasn’t a fan of 3-mana removal effects like Arrest and it’s weird that I’m on board for this one, but I think the flexibility gets there.
Neveron : Three mana is a lot for white removal that doesn’t turn off textboxes, I think, even if it keeps moving to the best possible target.
Blue
Omniczech : We’re not on Cloudshift, and this, while it does have targets that trip the conditional upside here, none are spectacular or at density enough to think it’ll be much more than flavor text. Pass.
Solset : While cost effective, it is just not powerful enough to take a spot of existing flicker, and the archetype is doing well enough that we don’t need to make more room. Pass.
Phizzled : While more affordable than some of our other flicker options, this isn’t really a flicker spell that feels like you’re getting a great deal or creating an inevitable threat.
Usman : Honestly, I don’t think blink decks need more help but it’s a nice option. Still, something potentially for later rather than now.
Neveron : Fun for constructed, but it’s not really for us. You’ll note how our current flicker suite either hits two things (Ephemerate, Displace, Ghostly Flicker) or “draws” another card (Pegasus Guardian, Sword Coast Serpent, Momentary Blink).
Omniczech : This card is not good. I know that this is a “commander staple” or some equally useless nonsense, but there’s VERY few targets in the cube I feel like I’m going to be stoked about using this on.
Solset : If this hit any permanent, I’d be game. As it is, it is triple the typical cost to occasionally turn off a land which is not worth it.
Phizzled : I love the effect, but feel it's bad for the Cube. I think Blue has enough aura options to neutralize creatures, and can maybe tough it out already for non-creature threats.
Usman : It’s weird, I remember liking this thing back in the day for my non-pauper cube and… the drawback is just so bad. I do agree that there are fewer things that are MUST KILL ASAP that warrant ramping an opponent. Not hitting enchantments is also just weird, but I get that it’s to avoid weird cases when targeting an opponent’s copy. I think. I dunno, this thing sucks.
Neveron : In Commander this turns off the titular Commanders and turn them into a hard-to-sacrifice land. In other formats this might hit a Tolarian Academy or Jace the Mind Sculptor. For us, though, the best non-creature targets are Desert and bouncelands. For three mana, and still leaving them with a colorless land. Yeah, no, pass.
Black
Omniczech : I really like emerge as a mechanic, that said I’m not sure I’m here for this one. The fact it’s a cast trigger is neat, I know it’s what the Eldrazi do, but it does mean this doesn’t work with a bunch of the “graveflicker” effects as I’ve seen them called. It is somewhat neat that this could have a role in non-black decks but that’s not enough to save it for me.
Solset : It doesn’t work with ETB which is what black expensive creatures need. Pass.
Phizzled : In the very late game, this can sneak a game or two with the Drain Life getting around some blockers, but every time I can remember casting this, it’s felt too expensive for a creature that isn’t especially resilient or evasive.
Usman : My gut is that this just costs too much, even via Emerge, for what it does. It’s like a Siege Rhino effect that mostly works with other Mulldrifter-style things, and that may be where it’s best - in midrange decks with a lot of Mulldrifters. Unsure how many I’d want in a deck to want to play this in the main (or side), though.
Neveron : I’m mostly just here to note that this does work with graveflicker effects… you just need to be targeting the thing that this emerges out of. This actually curves pretty nicely out of e.g. Gravedigger or Gray Merchant of Asphodel. Without getting big benefits from sacrificing a creature, though, I don’t know that you want this much.
Red
Omniczech : I saw very little chatter about this one, but Usman brought it up as an option and the front side being a frustratingly impossible to get around defensive body combined with the back side being a very big and angry dog is a kinda neat set up all in all.
Solset : Without support for the werewolf mechanic, I think this card is going to be a massive disappointment.
Phizzled : This is very much a “keyword: big” kind of creature. Unfortunately, I think it’s hard to use efficiently to quickly end the game.
Usman : It’s something I remember being played(https://mtgtop8.com/event?e=43312&d=519941&f=LE) in Moon/Werewolf Stompy decks(https://www.reddit.com/r/MTGLegacy/comments/4cm414/inanticipationofsoiawerewolfstompyprimer/) back in the day but those decks were able to turn it into a 5/5 more easily because of acceleration and lock pieces. It blocks nearly everything in the format, but I’m concerned that it’s a do-nothing wall for a lot of the game, although the backside hits like a truck. Could be another midrange red card.
Neveron : I’m reminded of how we removed Disowned Ancestor for, if I remember it right, being a cheap turn 2 1/5 that just killed aggro dead. This comes down a turn later, but eventually becomes a 5/5. Is it worth being in the cube? It’s something, at least.
Omniczech : This was the card I was the most excited to find out about, but having had some time to sit with it, the large amount of ways to bounce stuff, combined with when I’d actually be happy to cast this one on curve has me somewhat more cold to it after some time has passed.
Solset : I am pretty interested in this card. While yes, it dies to bounce, it is home in UR which should have snatched up some of the bounce itself. Even when it does get bounced, it has built in card advantage itself, which makes the pain more palatable. It has the huge upside over similar cards that it keeps growing so there is no analysis paralysis waiting to cast this for the biggest effect.
Phizzled : I like that the tokens continue to scale up as the game goes on, but it’s hard to actually make this feel more threatening than some of the other token producers. Casting this on curve likely feels disappointing, but I guess if the tokens are sizeable enough, you’ve likely been casting burn spells, which make the tokens hit a bit harder.
Usman : I’m cooler on this, since I’m wondering when a good time is to cast this; like when am I happy to cast this on the front side? (as a 4/4?) I sound like a broken record, but this might be another one of those cards for red midrange decks, but those flavors that lean more towards removal than creatures in the Mulldrifter vein. Or Izzet?
Neveron : I’m more positive on this than most, but it sure does just die to bounce. On the other hand, though, it draws you another copy of itself to make an even bigger token later. I appreciate that the token has Trample and keeps growing, at least - it beats Serpentine Curve in that respect.
Omniczech : I really want to squint and pretend this is a 1 mana 2 power creature but it’s so situational. I know it’s a Raging Goblin on the front as a fail case but it doesn’t feel like it’s fully that much better than the angry green boy.
Solset : I think this is worth a test as we have so few options to really fill this spot. It won a pro tour and earned a spot in higher powered cubes for a while, so how bad can it be.
Phizzled : My memory is that I was never happy flipping this on my turn by taking time off. I don’t love the tension this creates with some of Red’s spells matter cards, but this is technically easier to buff than some of the other conditional 1 drop aggro creatures we have available.
Usman : I guess I have to like this one, eh? I remember this getting hype for cubes with rares in them (although it was usually just middling, even back in the day) but I think the floor’s good enough as a generic hasty beater to get there in our meta. Just don’t come into it expecting it to flip quickly.
Neveron : As the resident Raging Goblin Fan, this is a pretty good one of those. The best case is that you slam this out on the play and the opponent doesn’t have a one-drop on the draw, but otherwise this is… maybe not that great? The competition is tough, and I’m still partial to Viashino Branchrider.
Green
Omniczech : We’ve seen so many versions of the “big dummy who gains life on entering” style of creature at common at this point, and I think this one might be the one I like the most? It has the chance to have utility if it eats some removal and 10 life is a pretty substantial chunk.
Solset : I think we need more self mill before this sneaks in as the best ramp payoff. If we do that though, I could be persuaded.
Phizzled : Trample and the exile clause give me some pause, but I keep thinking about all the times I wished I had Krosan Tusker to dig me toward an end game rather than holding it in hand until I actually had seven mana in limited. Getting this in your graveyard is sort of difficult, which weirdly makes the second ability much, much harder to evaluate.
Usman : I think this was a good ramp payoff in its respective limited format, but I wonder how often the self-mill decks will get this into the graveyard and take advantage of it as a lifegain effect. I’m thinking a decent amount, and it’s a nice little bonus if it eats a Doom Blade (but more a consolation prize than something I’d be super thrilled with for my 7-mana investment.) Probably worse than Annoyed Altisaur but probably better than Dread Linnorm?
Neveron : It’s not its big brother Pelakka Wurm, but gaining five life is still a lot. If you manage to survive to the point where you cast this (and that’s a big “if”), it’s likely to single-handedly stabilize the board while also being a huge threat that can’t just be chump blocked unlike your typical Honey Mammoth. That you can also just eat it from the yard with some free mana is just gravy, but is it enough to make up for being a seven-mana creature that might just be dead in your hand?
Aetherdrift
Aetherdrift added a brand new mechanic in the form of Start your Engines, another game state where it increases the first time that an opponent loses life on your turn. In general at max speed (4), cards will get additional text.
White
Solset : I know this didn’t get much love, but I have felt saddle plays better than it looks. In a go wide color that either should continue to drop creatures or have spare 1/1s laying around, Brightfield Mustang begins attacking as a 4/4 with pseudo-vigilance and it just keeps growing. That’s land dragon territory! There are few cards costing 4 that make it in on stats alone, but I think this might be a nightmare to play against in green white. I’m looking forward to the long term data on this one in Aetherdrift.
Usman : Slightly pessimistic since it’s a creature without immediate value, but our format isn’t as punishing for creatures like this dying aside from tempo loss. The potential’s certainly there, as a 4/4 that grows and the saddle cost is small.
Omniczech : I think if you can saddle this with you turn 5 and 6 plays in some way you’re pretty alright with a no downside Juzam Djinn.
Neveron : This is an interesting metric for Speed, I think: is being able to cycle this from your graveyard in three turns enough of an upside to make this worth including when Duelist of Deep Faith and Youthful Knight haven’t made the cut?
Usman :This is likely the best of this exile from the grave cycle, since a first striking 2/2 on offense should be able to get to max speed quickly. Easily better than Duelist of Deep Faith, but kinda mid on defense. It seems fine.
Omniczech : These cards are about as appealing as the max speed ones can be as they don’t need to survive to actually get benefit from it. I’m also just looking at this vs various white rages and I’m not seeing first strike being the breaking point to opt for this one over other options.
Solset : This is the best of this cycle for us, but I still don’t think it breaks in. A card needs to be strong, synergistic, or interesting. I just don’t think this is enough of any of those to push in.
Phizzled : We had another 2/2 with first strike on your turn in one of the recent Phyrexia sets (it made no lasting impact on me), but the potential ability of cashing this in from your graveyard after it has been killed is in theory a nice perk for a true aggro deck. I think that the max speed ability is too expensive to be broken, but also, if this is the only speed card you have, you’ve got a few turns after turn two to find the third mana to pay for it.
Neveron : Is a strictly better Piercing Rays/Luminous Rebuke good enough?
Usman : I think I like our current white removal suite to not want this, but it’s something to consider for white defensive decks, since the aggro decks don’t want anything to do with it for 5 mana and would even prefer garden variety Pacifism.
Omniczech : I don’t think that I’m thrilled on this one, but it is often just a 2 mana removal given most high value targets are likely attacking.
Solset : This is likely on the cuff for power, but with white being a more aggressive color, this just loses out to other side grades that can remove a blocker for 2.
Phizzled : I’m never actively looking to “upgrade” Settle Beyond Reality, but this matches the removal mode, at instant speed. The cost reduction isn’t exactly flavor text, though Settle is clearly more powerful when you’re able to use both modes.
Black
Omniczech : We’ve seen some riffs on the idea of the “inverse gurmag angler” where they’re big creatures that get cheaper the fuller your graveyard is. This one having cycling as the upside du jour is a pretty solid case for it. I don’t think that the artifact clause here will be a big deal but it is just a bit more upside here as well.
Neveron : The big comparison here is, of course, Writhing Necromass: “six” mana for a 5/4 with cycling vs. “seven” mana for a 5/5 with deathtouch. I reckon the cycling is better here, if only because it gives you an option to get this into the yard for shenanigans if you need to.
Usman : I’ve been thinking of how many creatures/artifacts would need to be in the graveyard to make me happy to play this - 2 is likely where the good deal starts, since it’s then a 4 mana 5/4, which is pretty solid and things like Chromatic Star/Sphere could be an option if we want to go that route. Cycling’s not bad either, for this. I wouldn’t mind trimming a black 4-6 drop for this.
Solset : I am lukewarm on this card, and want to see how it does in its own format. Cycling is always a great option on a big creature but really I think we need to see more value on the ETB for a card like this to eat up an end game slot.
Phizzled : I think the right calculus is wondering where you’re happy casting this and how many creatures you have to expect to lose or trade to get there. I don’t mind having cycling even if we can’t easily reanimate this to the battlefield, but I think we still have enough Raise Dead effects incidental to make the card velocity and the technically-more-fragile body appealing. I think I’m a big fan, even without warping the Cube for a few more trinket artifacts.
Omniczech : This isn’t Disfigure, but also, that’s completely fine, this one gets a little bonus you can cash in later. I think this one’s not high on the excitement scale, but it’s completely serviceable and probably will find a home here.
Neveron : Every time a card like this comes up we need to ask “so, what would we cut?”. This being sorcery speed hampers it a bit when compared to its in-cube counterparts, which are either instants or a slightly more versatile aura. Mind you, if we ever end up making black an artifacts-matter color then this and Executioner's Capsule seem like shoe-ins.
Usman : I like this because of its sacrifice ability, since our meta has some - but not a ton of ways to use the artifact game object. Kinda like Tithing Blade, where you just use the ability when flooded, and I’d say the base rate gets there here. Sorcery speed is annoying, but I like it.
Solset : This is likely as good as our current options, so we will need to decide which upsides and downsides play the best. Between cards with bargain, sacrifice triggers, and devotion though, I think this might be a bit more interesting something in.
Phizzled : I am generally a fan of both modes, but I do dislike that the sorcery speed shrink. We have Dead Weight, which is usually a Shock, but sometimes just makes a Gruul monster manageable. Losing the permanent shrink would be a negative, but I don’t know how much to feel about adding card selection without any on board card draw.
Red
Neveron : The preview thread for this compared it to Rimrock Knight, and I’m inclined to agree.
Usman : I think this gets there too, but it’s that thing where I usually ask myself “is this better than a Searing Spear type of effect, and my gut says that in the aggro decks, it representing 4 damage (even without trample) makes me think this is a Lava Spike variant that I don’t mind seeing, especially if it does play like Rimrock Knight
Omniczech : I’m still not sure how I feel about this one, but it being a combat trick on the front end is pretty solid low end for what this can do.
Solset : I suspect this costs a bit too much for what our red would want out of it. It looks fun though, so I’m open to being wrong.
Phizzled : Flash is doing the lord’s work. I liked Rimrock Knight a lot, and the buff, especially while potentially protecting your “business” creatures from the dangers of combat is pretty decent, regardless of how exciting it is.
Solset : 2 power haste for 2 mana with upside, where is the love? I actually have played with Red Herring quite a bit and I think this is going to outperform it most of the time outside aristocrats which has plenty of fodder at this point. A strong yes from me.
Usman : This does look like a solid beater; base rate’s good enough as a hasty Goblin Piker and exhaust really helps with giving it extra shelf life. I think this can get there since it punches well in the late game.
Omniczech : This feels fine to me. I don’t think I’ll ever be stoked on it, but it seems flexible and on rate enough that if folks like it I won’t be upset to consider it.
Omniczech : The body here is not quite where I want it to be, but the general ability here is actually one I’m very excited for, once we see this one at a lower point on the curve, I’m sure we’ll be talking more about it.
Solset : I don’t think this is where our Red wants to be, but it is nice to see this effect printed. If the body was already playable this would be a great upside on a 3 or 4 drop red body.
Phizzled : I know this is more resilient than Famished Foragers, and being able to loot for zero mana is comparatively exciting, but woof, there are so many conditions on the looting and I’m only barely happier with this body. I don’t feel terribly excited about possibly including this, as things stand.
Usman : I agree that the buy-in cost is annoying with it being 5 mana, since aggro doesn’t want it and it looks like it’s too middling on body rate to be worth it in midrange. Could totally be wrong since its ability doesn’t require mana, but not feeling this.
Green
Usman : Duskwatch Recruiter at home, but 5 mana virtually time walks your turn. These kinds of effects just haven’t aged well and tend to look better than they play and I unfortunately think this’ll be the same - too much mana, body’s really mediocre.
Omniczech : I remember how absolutely miserable Vivian’s grizzly was and I truly have to assume that even with the upgrade in terms of this ability, I have to assume this one isn’t the rate we wanna pay to draw a card, even in green.
Solset : I have been in so many pauper cube games that involve end of turn scrylands, and this is obviously so much better. Unlike the lands though, this is not as much of a free include in a deck as bear stats are playable but disappointing these days. This is likely a miss, but I may test it to see.
Phizzled : Five mana is brutal, unless you’re in top deck mode and have gobs of mana. That can happen, certainly, but I guess I assume you’re already unable to dig out of it when that’s happening. In conclusion: I want to like this but I’ve been burned so many times.
Usman : Cautiously optimistic that this gets there by virtue of its body being a Baloth, but it has a lot of the weaknesses of similar types of creatures: not great vs spot removal, sorcery speed. The mana sink is nice, though, when flooding out in the late game.
Omniczech : I want to like this just with the big dummy body up front but oh man, the blow out potential here is BRUTAL. I just imagine this usually stays a 4 mana 4/4 in most games.
Solset : I think I’d rather just have Voracious Typhon in this space. I know it has less bells and whistles the first time, but it comes back and plays well with self mill. I think our green wants that sort of advantage over keyword soup.
Phizzled : This just feels like an expensive monstrous creature, which hurts my assessment, but the base body is fine. We still pay 5 mana for these stats often enough. I think if you ever actually use the exhaust you should feel firmly in control, but I think you assume you’re very, very rarely using that ability.
Usman : It seems like we see this type of creature every few sets, and cycling’s nice. I keep thinking “this isn’t good enough” since it doesn’t provide inevitability, but I may just be having too high standards for this, since the needle can’t really move aside from maybe gaining more life. Could be a nice “go big” payoff and it doing well in Aetherdrift limited does point to it being a payoff (but that may just be a function of the format’s lack of speed and green being the best color, at this stage of the format, per 17lands) and I’m cautiously optimistic since a lot of these big types of creatures never did much, but cycling may just be enough to get around it being a dead draw.
Solset : If you have plenty of mana you are casting this guy, and if you don’t you are cycling it for land drops. I think with that play pattern, I’d put an actual land cycler like Slavering Branchsnapper.
Phizzled : Cycling helps, but I hate having keyword:fat cards that play defense instead of attacking well. It’s hard to be excited as a Green top end.
Solset : I have been high on Eccentric Farmer so I like this effect. At this point I would prefer the human peasant for aesthetic reasons. I mean it’s not a pauper, but close.
Phizzled : It took me three times of reading this to realize it could get a land at that wasn’t just milled this turn. That helps. 2/3 for three mana feels expensive, at this point, though.
Usman : We’ve got the Landscapes, the 2-color sac lands from New Capenna and some other utility lands like Quicksand and Haunted Fengraf, so I think the ASFAN to make this work should happen. Never was a big Tilling Treefolk fan, but the mill helps this to whiff less.
Omniczech : Yeah, I think this has gotten to the point where these style of effects are genuinely just good for us, I’m in.
Omniczech : I think this one is bad. Wizards keeps trying to make these 1 drops with random upsides good and I feel generally lukewarm on 1/1s for 1 in green that don’t say “tap: add green”.
Solset :Too much mana for what it does.
Phizzled : I don’t hate the exhaust ability, but games where you can’t use it, this feels like a wasted one drop slot.
Usman : I look at this more as a 2/2 that makes a 3/3 for 5 mana. Is that good enough, though? It being killed with the activation on the stack would be awful though and that may just be what puts me off of this.
Colorless
Omniczech : There was chatter around this one but man the rate is atrocious here, and the sorcery speed rider isn’t helping. That all said, this card is a good first step towards more utility for handling the more fringe card types
Solset : I am still puzzled how this one was getting any love. Seems a needed card in a set with big dumb game changing vehicles, but for us it looks like draft chaff.
Phizzled : The activated ability doesn’t feel especially on brand as a “glue” card. I’d rather my three drop flier draw a card or fetch a land than kill a random Blood token.
Usman :In agreement that the rate is not great, and while I do like artifacts that can fit into any deck, I can’t think of a deck that would actively want this in their main deck. May just be more of a sideboard card as artifact hate.
Solset : I wrote this card off, but it received a lot more love in the comments than I expected. Titan text is certainly interesting, and both effects should matter. Life against an attacking deck, and graveyard hate against value decks which almost always have some recursion engine. I’m still thinking it is a bit lacking in overall power, but if I squint I see why it might be worth keeping in mind.
Omniczech : I don’t like this one, I feel like unless folks come out of the woodwork wanting to cut something from our colorless section, I’m not eager to find room for this one.
Solset : Maybe if it had a “lose defender” clause, say if you controlled another artifact, I’d be interested. It doesn’t so I’m not.
Phizzled : Conditionally making a treasure, I guess. I wish this had flash or didn’t have defender. Hard to want this without heavy affinity support.
Usman : A 3/1 on defense is so weird. I guess it’s like a mini-Seal of Doom for attacking ground creatures. We don’t really have decks that care about a critical mass of artifacts, which is where I’d see this being best. I’m not feeling this one.
Omniczech : I’ll be honest, I fully missed the defender portion and kept thinking “this is just fine” but rereading it, yeesh, this ain’t it.
Land
Neveron : The “combo” everyone’s talking about here is, of course, Gingerbrute for reaching max speed on turn 3. Once you’re at max speed this rummaging land is probably really good… but is the speed fast enough for it to matter?
Usman : My instinct says that this being on a land is a big boost for this kind of effect that may not do anything until max speed, as utility lands have historically played better than they look, since they don’t require a spell slot. Tin Street Dodger’s not bad for enabling max speed, so it’s another option. I’m cautiously optimistic on this, even if its loot ability costs 3 + tapping the land.
Omniczech : This one is definitely in the realm of basilisk gate without other gates where it looks like a lot of squeeze for relatively little juice, but it being repeatable late game card filtering on a land is pretty nice.
Solset : I think we have plenty of draw fixing lands that don’t require so much set up that this one is a pass for me. Maybe if we eventually drop the dual scrylands for another cycle I’d revisit this one.
Phizzled : I have the feeling this will play pretty well in a hypothetical top deck matchup. But wow, I hate imagining the Blue-X control deck that needs to hit max speed to dig for a finisher. This is better than Tocasia's Dig Site when active, and that makes me think it is worth testing.
Omniczech : Hey, this looks a decent amount like a triome! It cycles for 3, it fixes you into that splash, I think the real question here is if we want more fixing.
Neveron : The main differences between this and a triome are, of course, not having basic land types to fetch and only providing one color. The main difference between this and Drifting Meadow, meanwhile, is that it only takes one cube slot and works in every deck. Seems good!
Usman : Definitely an option to consider for fixing. Abstractly, I don’t know if it’s better than one of our filter lands (thinking so) and the cycling 3 is a lot of mana and it enters tapped. At least in retail limited, these kinds of “choose a color when this enters but it enters tapped” lands have always been nice. I could see us making room for it.
Solset : We played a non-cycling version of this for years, and here I am debating if this is good enough. Our lands have improved so much recently. We currently have 3 lands that filter the top card on entering, and I might want this in for one of those.
Phizzled : Cycling for three is a lot of mana, when we get down to it. I think I prefer the filter lands, but prerelease weekend could change my mind. And, I guess, we are sitting on several of the filter lands right now.
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