Aetherdrift (DFT) Limited Set Review: White

If you’re looking for a Tune Up, look no further! I’ll be breaking down every Aetherdrift card to get you a head start with the new set! For those interested, J2SJosh is still in my basement, and he has been rewarded for good behavior! Keep up the good work, basement buddy!

5.0: Disgustingly powerful and basically unbeatable. Either answer it the turn it comes down or just pack up your cards. (Gruff Triplets, Virtue of Persistence, The Eternal Wanderer)

4.5: Incredible bomb that still gives your opponent a slim chance. (Virtue of Loyalty, Imodane's Recruiter, Realm-Scorcher Hellkite)

4.0: Great rare or the absolute best uncommons and removal. (Faunsbane Troll, Gumdrop Poisoner, Talion’s Messenger)

3.5: Great role filler or removal that you never cut. (Candy Grapple, Hearth Elemental, Torch the Tower)

3.0: Good playable that I’m basically never cutting. (Shrouded Shepherd, Spellscorn Coven, Sharae of Numbing Depths)

2.5: Decent playable and the bar I hope nearly every card in my deck to reach. (Evolving Wilds, Archon's Glory, Flick a Coin)

2.0: Mediocre filler that normally is your 20-23rd card(s). (Mintstrosity, Ice Out, Grabby Giant)

1.5: Replaceable, overall bad filler. Could also be decent sideboard cards. (Titanic Growth, Scarecrow Guide, Territorial Witchstalker)

1.0: Bad filler. Gets cut most of the time. (Dark Tutelage, Kindled Heroism, Impact Tremors)

0.5: Very unhappy to main deck this, but maybe it has fringe sideboard applications. Cards that “could” be situationally decent, but bad in most situations. (Smothering Tithe, Rhystic Study, Mana Flare)

0.0: Unplayable in every possible situation. They rarely print cards this bad these days. (Hew the Entwood, One with Nothing)

Air Response Unit

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This seems perfectly playable in most decks. It’s a good evasive threat for pushing damage throughout the entire game.

Alacrian Armory

Rating: 1.0 // 5.0

This seems unplayable to me, but I’m ready to be surprised. It does nothing on it’s own, and requires certain board states to make a meaningful impact on the game.

Basri, Tomorrow’s Champion

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

You will always play this guy if you draft him. He’s a solid early game engine, and if you draw him late game, you at least get to cycle it away to dig for more impactful late game cards.

Brightfield Glider

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

I can’t picture wanting this card outside hyper aggressive decks who want the 1 drop attacker and mid game evasive threat.

Brightfield Mustang

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

The floor of this card is Hill Giant, which is extremely weak in modern day limited.

Broadcast Rambler

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This seems like a decent creature. It adds two artifacts to the battlefield, gets a 1/1 flyer to crew itself, and is large enough to be meaningful during the mid-game.

Bulwark Ox

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

Sometimes this will just be a Grizzly Bear with the sacrifice ability. At other times, it can start steam rolling +1/+1 counters, especially on the play.

Canyon Vaulter

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This can be a great creature when paired with some of the larger vehicles, like Earthrumbler. It can also trade with most 2 and 3 drops just fine.

Cloudspire Captain

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

Assuming you have plenty of mounts/vehicles, this is a solid “lord”. If you only have 2-3, it likely shouldn’t make the deck.

Collision Course

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

While this may not always be able to hit a creature for enough damage, Shatter hits about 1/3 of the cards in this set.

Daring Mechanic

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Though daring, this should be a filler card more often than not. The activated ability shouldn’t come up all too often, due to the high activation cost.

Detention Chariot

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

Taking out your opponents best creature and playing a 6/6 vehicle is definitely worth 6 mana. The fact that it cycles also makes the floor of the card much higher, as you can always replace it for a new card when you can’t cast it.

Gallant Strike

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

A solid instant speed removal spell, that also cycles.

Gloryheath Lynx

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

A 2 drop 2/3 lifelink is already a solid inclusion, and the saddle effect can put you even further ahead on the play.

Guardian Sunmare

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

Saddle 4 is a bit high, but it’s a p;powerful ability. If you can attack while saddled and trade with your opponents creature, you still end up ahead.

Guidelight Synergist

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

By default, this is a 1/4, but it’s very easy to get this thing up in the air, often becoming a very powerful, flying threat.

Interface Ace

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This could have a home in a purely evasive vehicle/mount deck, but likely isn’t a playable card for most decks. This can crew multiple vehicles in one turn, so I could picture a deck having a few of these and lots of vehicles.

Leonin Surveyor

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A very serviceable 2 drop, with an extra reward if you get to max speed. There is a counterpart common in each color with the exile from graveyard ability/draw a card ability.

Lightshield Parry

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Even with the cycle backup option, I’m not too excited to put this in any deck outside of hyper aggressive ones.

Lightwheel Enhancements

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

I could see playing this as a one of in aggressive, speed oriented decks. I would rather play a trick instead, but this has some niche utility.

Lotusguard Disciple

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This pairs well with large creatures/vehicles that can gain 5+ life with the trigger. It can also enable some attacks with indestructible, while leaving behind an evasive threat.

Nesting Bot

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is a strong option for speed decks, and nowhere else. Coming down on turn 1 will most likely result in speed 2.

Perilous Snare

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This is a very strong iteration of Borrowed Time. It starts your engines(!), as well as provides a strong payoff if you achieve max speed, all while killing your opponents best nonland permanent.

Pride of the Road

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This reminds me a bit of Duelcraft Trainer, which was a powerhouse in MID. It is a bit weak without max speed, as it doesn’t really help you go faster, but will certainly close out games in which you are.

Ride’s End

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

A very solid piece of removal for White. Exiling is relevant, and this will often only cost 2!

Roadside Assistance

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Putting this on a vehicle does help the chances of it resolving, but the buff isn’t too significant, and being left with a pilot isn’t all that exciting if they kill the enchanted creature/vehicle.

Salvation Engine

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

The power of this is really dependent on the amount of artifact creatures you end up with. With very few, you should likely avoid this card altogether. On the other hand, this will take over the game, and crewing it is very easy as well with the buffs to your crew.

Skyseer’s Chariot

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This is a solid flying threat for it’s mana cost. It’s taxing ability can hit opponents vehicles, making them very cumbersome to pilot.

Spectacular Pileup

Rating: 4.0 // 5.0

The typical downside of Wrath of God effects, is having a potential dead card in hand if you are ahead on the board. The fact that this has cycle is a huge buff, as well as making sure it takes out vehicles as well.

Spotcycle Scouter

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

Scry 2 is very strong ability on a two drop, granting it some meaningful impact in the late game. It’s easy enough to crew, and the power/toughness is decent enough.

Sundial, Dawn Tyrant

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

It’s hard to go wrong putting this in any white deck. It’s bigger than most two drops, can trade up, and crews well. So much value for no text!

Swiftwing Assailant

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

Phantom Monster seems pretty bad in an aggressive format.

Tune Up

Rating: 1.0 // 5.0

White doesn’t have much self mill, and there’s only one artifact that cycles this card screams unreliable to me. The corner case might be when it’s paired with Valor's Flagship.

Unswerving Sloth

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is a solid beater, that can do some fun stuff with vehicles and pilots.

Valor’s Flagship

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This is the go to target for Tune Up, and Back on Track, due to it’s ability to put itself in your graveyard. It’s gigantic and relatively easy to crew if you are able to get it on the battlefield, and the cycling ability assures it won’t be dead in your hand.

Voyager Glidecar

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This is large for a 1 drop, and can easily push damage in the early game. If you assemble the artifacts to start making it fly, it turns into a reliable threat.

Voyager Quickwelder

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

There’s no point to play this card if you don’t have many artifacts. But in the proper deck, this could be closer to a 2.5, especially if you have expensive artifact bombs in the deck.

Top 3 White Commons:

Ride's End Leonin Surveyor Collision Course

White looks to me like a good supportive color. It has some good cards to contribute to each of the ten, two color archetypes. A lot of the more powerful cards seem to lean on the faster side of things, but overall looks a bit shallow in the commons department. Stay tuned, next up we’re looking at Blue!

Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!