Shadows over Innistrad Spoilers: Limited Review for March 22
Welcome back to more Shadows over Innistrad Limited discussion. The hype train stops for no one, and today we have more evil Angels and wacky enchantments to talk about.
I'll be reviewing these cards from the standpoint of how well I expect them to perform in Limited. We can't rate the cards completely accurately without knowing the entire set, but we can evaluate the cards in an "average" limited format. You can find all the latest spoilers on the Shadows over Innistrad page. Please note that if I haven't yet reviewed a card, it's probably because the official spoiler for it has not been released yet.
Grading scale
A: This card will often be the best card in one's deck. I'd consider splashing it where possible. (Dragonmaster Outcast, Linvala, the Preserver)
B: This card is rarely cut from a deck that can cast it. In draft, it signals that a color or archetype is open. (Clutch of Currents, Baloth Null)
C: Cards like this make up the majority of limited decks. You're neither excited nor embarrassed to have them in your deck. (Culling Drone, Akoum Flameseeker)
D: I'm not putting this in my main deck unless I have a specific reason or I'm low on playables. (Geyserfield Stalker, Dazzling Reflection)
F: This card will have little or no impact on the game if I draw it or is strictly sideboard-material. If I cast this card, please stage an intervention for me. (Prism Array, Hedron Alignment)
White
Angelic Purge
C-
White gets a Bone Splinters effect in the new Angelic Purge. While this card helps fuel Delirium, I think the cost of sacrificing a permanent will too often be a downside for this card to be good in Limited. If you have many creatures and few good removal spells, you may be forced to run it, but I doubt it will be a desirable card.
Hanweir Militia Captain
B
Bears with upside are always good in Limited, and Hanweir Militia Captain delivers. The transform trigger isn't hard to achieve, and the effect you get once you meet that condition is very strong.
Nahiri's Machinations
C+
Nahiri's Machinations isn't impressive enough to play in a deck that can't activate it, but once you have Red mana it becomes quite strong. Each turn you simply send your biggest creature to the fray, and your opponent will either block and lose a creature or not block and lose life. Even without a big creature to send in, Nahiri's Machinations with two or three activations means your opponent will have a hard time finding profitable blocks even if you charge in with every creature you have.
Black
Triskaidekaphobia
C+
A+ on flavor and execution, but unfortunately that doesn't translate directly to playability. Let's examine the facts and consider whether Triskaidekaphobia could be a realistic win condition. For it to be a good card in your deck, the following must happen:
- You must be able to get your opponent within the range of 10-16 life, without having an easier route to victory, such as simply attacking your opponent to death.
- Your opponent must not remove Triskaidekaphobia.
- Your opponent must not have ways to change their own life total, especially not repeatedly.
I think it will be too much fun to turn down building around it, and it could be a quick "clock" on any opponent whose life total falls close to 13, but I wouldn't place high odds on it actually being great.
Red
Avacyn's Judgment
A
Forked Bolt is good in Limited, and you'd be willing to pay one extra for it. Rolling Thunder is great in Limited, and you'll always be willing to pay one less for it. Grab any decent discard outlet once Avacyn's Judgment is in your pile.
Goldnight Castigator
B-
Goldnight Castigator is the definition of a win-more card. If you're already attacking for almost lethal and need four more points of damage, she's great. If your opponent has no good attacks available at all and won't have any for a couple of turns, she's great. If you're in a normal damage race, or if your opponent has a Pacifism effect, Goldnight Castigator becomes a huge liability. Go ahead and play her in aggressive Red decks, but don't be surprised when she's sometimes uncastable.
Green
Howlpack Resurgence
C+
The average deck probably wants over half of their creatures to be of the relevant creature types before they run Howlpack Resurgence. Once that threshold is crossed, this enchantment becomes a serious upgrade. With enough instants and Flash spells, opponents won't be able to tell whether you're passing the turn to transform your Werewolves or whether you also have a combat trick like this one available.
Multicolored
Fevered Visions
C+
Even though you get to draw a card first, Fevered Visions is still not card advantage. In a Blue-Red deck that can cast this on Turn 3, Fevered Visions could be good for 4-6 damage, which is great, but if you cast this card too late in the game, it's likely to just be a Howling Mine. I'll play Fevered Visions in any deck that can easily cast it, but I doubt that it is good enough to splash or a huge signal to draft Blue-Red.
Colorless
Thraben Gargoyle
D+
If the transform cost was just one mana less Thraben Gargoyle would impress me. Unfortunately with how expensive it is to transform, I expect Thraben Gargoyle only to be wanted by slow decks that are so creature-light that they need the 2/2 Defender.
Conclusion
It's never a dull moment in the world of Innistrad, and I'm looking forward to what sweet cards we get next. Please join me for more spoilers and Limited review of Wednesday's and Thursday's spoilers before Friday's final reveal. Reach out to me on Twitter @JakeStilesMTG or in the comments below with your thoughts on the new cards.
