Bloomburrow (BLB) Limited Set Review: Black

Hey everyone! I finally swung the door of the content creation dungeon open and took a step out into the sunlight. I could feel the wind in my hair and the sweet scent of flowers in the air. I thought I was finally able to take a well-deserved break when I realized I had actually just walked through a portal to a strange new world. Not only that, but I’ve been anthropomorphized into a freaking squirrel. It’s not the first time I’ve had that problem (don’t ask questions about Bob the Magic Squirrel, trust me, it’s not a path you want to go down), but at least we know that everything is about to get nuts.   

I’ll be grading the entire Bloomburrow set for limited purposes. Maybe one day I’ll get out of this endless labyrinth of content creation, but today is not that day.

Here’s the usual grading scale:

• 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)

---

Agate-Blade Assassin

Rating: 2.5/5

This is a premium enabler for any of the decks that have triggers for life gain. It’s not terrible in decks that aren’t trying to do that, but no where near as important.

Bandit’s Talent

Rating: 2.0/5

I like that this doesn’t let them get away with pitching a land. They are either dropping two (which is a hard hit early) or losing a real card to this.

Once you get The Rack going it forces them to hold back a couple of cards or get the clock ticking. The last level giving you an extra card is a bit more painful for them, but it costs four more to get there and they can see it coming.

Basically, I want some other way to make them discard to want this. If it’s merely annoying to them then it’s not worth it. If I can Psychic Whorl them to turn on the damage and free cards then I’m interested.

One thing of note is that a late game top deck discard spell is usually dead, but being able to drop this and level it all the way up is certainly still a live card.

Bonebind Orator

Rating: 2.0/5

This can be free value in a set filler with self-mill and surveil. Just drop it into the yard and poof an expensive Raise Dead is all yours. It’s still a bear if you have to play it first, but that’s not that great these days.  

Bonecache Overseer

Rating: 2.5/5

As much as I love saying the words Squirrel Warlock, this card is not always as wonderful as its creature types. A 1/1 isn’t going to be doing much to affect the board and you are reliant on food or foraging to get this to add value.

You realistically need to draw at least two off of this to be happy with it. If you only draw one then yeah it replaced itself, but you’re up a 1/1 which isn’t a big deal.

If you’re in the grindy food deck, then feel free to slam this guy because he can be a real engine. It’s a build around that doesn’t scream that it is.

Coiling Rebirth

Rating: 2.5/5

A five-mana reanimation spell is normally decent and there are plenty of ways to fill your graveyard. It just really depends what you have to bring back if this is worth it.

The gift option is cool if you have a non-legendary creature with a great ability, but you don’t usually want to give them a card for a 1/1.

Consumed by Greed

Rating: 3.0/5

While not targeted removal, it does kill their biggest creature which is usually the one you wanted to get rid of anyway. Giving them a random card in exchange for getting your best creature back is a fine deal as well.

Cruelclaw’s Heist

Rating: 3.0/5

Double black means you aren’t likely to be able to play this on turn two without being heavy black. A one for one discard spell that is hard to cast isn’t something you would want to be running in the main. Luckily this has significantly more going for it.

Stealing their best card is a big step up even if it gives them a random card. How gift works, they will get the card before you see their hand so you should hopefully get a crack at hitting a card still. They don’t get priority between them getting the card and you getting to choose.

On the downside, can you imagine how bad it’ll feel if you give them a card and still miss on this?

Daggerfang Duo

Rating: 2.0/5

Deathtouch makes sure that this can attack into anything, but only having two toughness means that it won’t survive too many conflicts. Self-Mill isn’t as good as surveil, but its still a nice way to fuel forage.

Darkstar Augur

Rating: 4.0/5

Normally I’m all about the Offspring, but having a double Dark Confidant going in limited is risky unless your curve is really low. This is still a great card, just be really careful about the Offspring decision.

You really want to combine this with cards that surveil to keep the damage to a minimum.

Diresight

Rating: 2.0/5

It’s not exactly dire when you are running this (Did I make a similar reference in my last article? Sure did, I write a lot, it can’t be all original), but you are a bit limited in how many you can play. Getting to Surveil 2 first is a huge step up from Divination and well worth the two life. Speaking of the lose two life part, there are cards looking for “if you lost life this turn” making it potentially a bonus instead of a straight drawback.

Downwind Ambusher

Rating: 3.0/5

At least this Skunk is kind enough to be downwind before it attacks you. It gets to surprise you, but that’s better than getting a face full of skunk stank beforehand.

This is a nice variation of the kill a damaged creature card since it can still win some combats with the -1-1 when it needs to. There are also enough small creatures running around that you might get to eat one while picking another one off.

Early Winter

Rating: 2.0/5

Too expensive to want to be playing more than one of these, but it is clean removal for decks that need it. It’s even splashable for decks that are really lacking.

Feed the Cycle

Rating: 3.5/5

What cycle is this a part of? Really good removal spells? Even if you don’t have a way to feed this, it is still Murder. Can’t go wrong with this one.

Fell

Rating: 3.5/5

I don’t care if it’s sorcery speed, two mana removal is two mana removal. This card is great.

Glidedive Duo

Rating: 2.5/5

This feels like a card that would have been great in old limited format while being merely good in modern times. The reason I still have it this high is all the cards that can trigger off of this on top of how well it helps you race.

Hazel’s Nocturne

Rating: 2.5/5

Speaking of cards that would have been great in the ancient days of limited. The same type of thing as I was just saying applies here with the possibility of triggering the gain life cards on top of something that you would be interested in anyway.

Huskburster Swarm

Rating: 3.0/5

I read this as Hulk Buster at first and man I thought we already hit the Marvel set. Unfortunately we’re just dealing with Oogie Boogie’s collection of bugs. Must be one of those days if I’m dropping a Disney and a Marvel reference in one paragraph.

Including both graveyard and exile is a nice way to let you still play this even if you are foraging away. It’s a huge beasty that will be very difficult to block profitably and should be reasonably costed around turn five.

Iridescent Vinelasher

Rating: 2.5/5

Being able to get two landfall triggers a turn off of the Offspring is a much quicker clock than if you raw dog this out there turn one. You just want to be in a very aggressive deck to play this because pining a few points here and there isn’t going to get the job done in a value-based deck.

It’s too bad that this wasn’t in MH3 with all of the sacrifice lands. You do have Fabled Passage, but it is a rare. We also ended up with Uncharted Haven instead of an Evolving Wilds variant.

Maha, Its Feathers Night

Rating: 4.5/5

Giant trampling flyer that is warded up by requiring a discard. Cool, cool… oh it also makes all of your opponent’s creatures have one toughness. Combine this with Wildfire Howl to crisp their whole side.

You can also do an attack that lets them eat a few of your smaller creatures with their larger ones. Then you drop this and all their creatures die.

It’s a great card. Take it and profit.

Moonstone Harbinger

Rating: 2.5/5

With a ton of ways to gain or lose life floating around (which coincidently enough seems to be a bat theme) this can wreck some serious havoc by making them all deathtouch along with the pump. Even though it is a secret Orzhov card, a 1/3 flying Deathtouch isn’t that bad on its own.

Nocturnal Hunger

Rating: 3.0/5

Man, black has a whole mess of quality removal running around. While a downgrade from Murder, it is splashable. Choosing between the food and the life is really just a matter of determining whether or not you are the beatdown.

Osteomancer Adept

Rating: 4.0/5

Another squirrel warlock appears! Its almost like they are directly targeting me with these things.

I love this crazy little nutter (and not just because of the aforementioned squirrel warlock thing) because he’s a deathtouch bear that lets you cash in food or three cards in your graveyard to reanimate a creature. Sure, you still have to pay its mana cost, but it’s worth it.

Persistent Marshstalker

Rating: 2.5/5

Does your deck have no problems getting to Threshold? Does it also have a slight rat infestation? Then let me introduce you to this card to up your game. Persistent is right as he’s going to keep on coming back as long as his ratty pals are bringing the noise and bringing the funk.

Psychic Whorl

Rating: 1.5/5

These Mind Rot variants are always kind of random. You never want to draw them late, but sometimes they just kick someone square in the nuts. I usually prefer them as more of a sideboard card.

Ravine Raider

Rating: 1.5/5

If you’re going full aggro then this guy is down to raid your opponent’s face. Pumping for two is a bit rough as it costs four mana to get this up to a Hill Giant for the turn.

Rottenmouth Viper

Rating: 4.5/5

This can come down pretty early if you have some fodder to sacrifice to it. It’s probably hitting them in the nug for four life when it comes into play and it’s going to add up fast since you get another counter every time you attack.

Ruthless Negotiation

Rating: 1.5/5

Since they choose the card, I wouldn’t exactly call this negotiation ruthless. More like “Just let me know what works for you.”

It is nice that they exile the cards since there are graveyard mechanics running around. Flashback is a bit pricy, but you do get a card off of it. You can also just dump this in the yard off of surveil and get some value.

Savor

Rating: 3.0/5

There are a ton of creatures this kills running around in Bloomburrow and you get a food out of the deal. On top of that, it has some great flavor text. That poor squirrel.

Scales of Shale

Rating: 1.5/5

There are plenty of lizards running about and this is an absolute bargain if you get it down to one mana. It’s still a good trick at two mana since the lifelink can be such a huge swing. It can even counter a removal spell with the indestructible. So many options out of one card that seems straight forward on the surface.

Kind of like mid pizza, you only want it when your buddies are getting you a discount.

Scavenger’s Talent

Rating: 2.0/5

I was really down on this at first, but I think I am coming around to it. I’m still not high on it, but I can see it having its place.

It is a mill win condition which, to be fair, isn’t that great in a set with graveyard synergies. You could do a touch of milling yourself to keep the fuel coming, but you’ll usually be trying to deck them with it. You are getting six cards a turn when you bring something back and you could be getting even more by sacrificing food so it is a quick clock.

Season of Loss

Rating: 4.5/5

It should come as no surprise that these season cards are insane, they are mythics for a reason.

Each player sacrifices five is pretty close to a wipe unless they are going really wide. You can also do each play sacrifices three and you draw three. Then there is the “oh I guess you’re dead” from all the critters you’ve been surveilling into your yard.

Sinister Monolith

Rating: 2.5/5

Outside of the extreme annoyance of this draining them every turn, it is a great way to ensure that all of your life gain triggers go off. You can even cash it in for a couple of cards while getting your lost life triggers if you need to.

Stargaze

Rating: 2.0/5

I’m looking at this as a peek at 4 cards, draw the best 2, pay 2 life for four mana. Anything above that is gravy too based on the situation. The versatility to basically win the game on the spot at higher amounts is certainly factored into this grade.

Outside of the choice cards you plucked, you also get to fuel your graveyard. What could go wrong with gazing at the stars? (besides the obvious tap out to deal damage to yourself and die the next turn)

Starlit Soothsayer

Rating: 1.5/5

You’re really going to have to judge this on how many ways you have to trigger it. No one is playing a Wind Drake in 2024, but it’s a lot more tempting when you get some surveils tossed in.

Starscape Cleric

Rating: 2.5/5

This is another offspring card that isn’t really worth the wait. Not everyone’s kid can be a winner. If you draw it late, you might as well get both still.

This is another secret Orzhov bats card. This can drain your opponent out fast when combined with all the life triggers.

Thornplate Intimidator

Rating: 2.0/5

This rat can be pretty intimidating making your opponent give up the goods or be forced to endure the dreaded rear admiral.

Thought-Stalker Warlock

Rating: 3.5/5

I was very close to giving this a 4.0 because this is an absurd uncommon. As long as you have a way to make them lose life (such as attacking) then you get to Coercion them with a 2/2 menace thrown in to the deal. Even if you don’t have a way to do that, it still makes them discard a card on a body that’s much better than the usual Ravenous Rats.

Valley Rotcaller

Rating: 3.5/5

Here they go trying to lure me back in with another squirrel warlock. It might work with this one.

It will probably only sneak a few points in early, but later on its going to be hitting like the Hulk draining them for five or more when it attacks.

Wick’s Patrol

Rating: 3.5/5

While a less effective Ravenous Chupacabra isn’t quite the same at six mana, it’s still going to kill most creatures in the set when it hits. The mill can be looked at as a bonus and also a way to still do something when you have to raw dog this out without anything in your graveyard.

Wick, the Whorled Mind

Rating: 4.0/5

It’s definitely worth splashing for the third color to activate this since popping your opponent in the face while drawing a few cards is a beating. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble growing your snail friend as long as you have a decent number of rats running around.

---

Wrap Up

Black is loaded with a whole bunch of removal spells and there is some serious quality floating around in them as well. There are some discard spells including the busted Thought-Stalker Warlock. On top of all that they have a whole bunch of Squirrel Warlocks. You might be wondering why I brought that up. If you don’t at least smile at the thought of squirrel necromancers, you don’t know how to have fun.

Thanks for reading! I’ll be back tomorrow with my limited review of the Red cards of Bloomburrow. Until then, stay classy people!

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.

You can also find me at:

• Discord
• Twitch
• Twitter