Magic Origins Spoilers - Limited Review for June 30
Spoilers keep pouring in and we're getting a better idea of what Magic Origins is going to be like all the time. Today I'll be talking about the nine most recent cards to be revealed. I'll be reviewing these new spoilers from the standpoint of how well I expect them to perform in Limited. Of course we can't rate the cards 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 Magic Origins page. Please note that if I haven't yet reviewed a card, it's probably because the official English 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. (Citadel Siege, Dragonlord Atarka)
B: This card is rarely cut from a deck that can cast it. In draft, it signals that a color or archetype is open. (Abzan Beastmaster, Death Wind)
C: Cards like this make up the majority of limited decks. You're neither excited nor embarrassed to have them in your deck. (Soul Summons, Screamreach Brawler)
D: I'm not putting this in my main deck unless I have a specific reason or I'm low on playables. (Abzan Advantage, Blessed Reincarnation)
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. (Crucible of the Spirit Dragon, Keeper of the Lens)
Blue
C-
I would want my opponent to have at least 5 good targets in their deck for this before casting this card. Because there's no guarantee that my opponent's deck will oblige, I'd rather keep this as a sideboard card. If a mill deck actually exists, this card is obviously very good for that deck. This can be played main deck and you'll occasionally get lucky, but sometimes it will just be a very expensive Mind Sculpt
Black
C
It looks like Wizards got around to fixing Bloodghast. This version attacks for more damage but is more difficult to bring back from the grave. The rather steep reanimation cost and the double Black mana symbols make this creature a little awkward to try to get maximum value out of.
B
Graveblade Marauder is like a miniature Master of Cruelties. It blocks most ground creatures very well and it can be a threat on offense when it's finally time to attack. The four toughness seems to be a sweet spot in that it dodges both Fiery Impulse and Lightning Javelin at Common.
C
Fearsome Awakening was annoying in that it restricted itself to your graveyard and only powered up Dragons. This new version requires only that you've fueled your graveyard with two spells in addition to the creature being reanimated in order to get the +1/+1 counters. In order for this spell to become good, you either need to trigger Spell Mastery or return a creature worth five or more mana. In a deck with some incidental self-mill, neither of these conditions should be impossible. If you can meet both conditions you'll have yourself a real monster on your hands.
A-
Five mana for a 5/5 flyer is excellent base stats. Whether the 2/2 Human is a bonus or not will depend on the makeup of your deck. If you can bounce or blink the Priest with a Disperse or sacrifice the Priest with a Fiery Conclusion, you'll get even farther ahead. Otherwise you'll have to get rid of this creature in combat. If your opponent is attacking you, you can simply chump block with this. If your opponent refuses to attack you, you probably are saving more life than the two points you're losing during each upkeep.
Red
C+
This is a boring Rare if I've ever seen one. How can Seeker of the Way be Uncommon and this not be? This card is somewhat efficient occasionally "drawing" a land or cheap spell, but it doesn't seem too strong for Uncommon. There are situationss where I wouldn't even prefer this over a Common Subterranean Scout.
Green
C-
Why this card is in the set or is a Rare is beyond me. What looks like an exciting Genesis Wave for lands is actually too overcosted to matter. Without triggering Spell mastery, I prefer the Common counterpart Nissa's Pilgrimage since it would take X = 5 to get two lands consistently. With Spell mastery triggered, I actually still prefer the Common spell since it would take X = 7 to get three lands consistently. On the other hand, this spell can actually hit lands besides basic Forests so it can actually help fix one's mana.
A-
Gaea's Revenge joins Goblin Piledriver and Knight of the White Orchid on the list of reprinted Rares. I'm extremely excited to see this one come back. Having what functions very similarly to Hexproof and a whopping eight power that demands double blocks or chump blocks, it's a force to be reckoned with.
Does anyone else think this should have just been named "Gaea" the first time around, and when they reprinted it, it could be named "Gaea's Revenge"?
Colorless
B
At worst this is Chronomaton for two mana with Thopter upside. At best you can crank this Construct up to a 3/3 or 4/4 when you cast it to give it a head start on its counters. This is a sweet card in a vacuum and will become an awesome card when paired with the artifact synergy cards we're sure to see.
Conclusion
As the week closes out and Friday's full set spoiler list draws near, I'm getting more and more anxious to draft the set. Please join me for more spoilers and more Limited review for these upcoming last few days. Reach out to me on Twitter @JakeStilesMTG or in the comments below with your thoughts on the new cards.
