Our Core Set 2021 Limited List ranks all the cards from the set to assist with picking cards for your sealed or draft deck. We have ratings for each card separated by color for Drifter (D) and Compulsion (C), who are both Mythic ranked drafters, and you can read their comprehensive pre-release set reviews using the links below the table. Full written updates will be recorded in the changelog at the bottom, but minor grade changes will be made on the fly too.
Check out this Google Sheets document for a printable version!
Legend
We’ve expanded our system of pluses and minuses from last time. Any grade except S and F can receive them now, but C+ and C- are still most common and important.
S: Ridiculous bomb: has a huge immediate impact on the game and threatens to dominate it if unanswered. (Luminous Broodmoth, Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate, Kiora Bests the Sea God)
A: Very powerful card: approaches bomb status, pulls you strongly into its colour. (A+: Shark Typhoon, A: Auspicious Starrix, A-: Blood Curdle)
B: Great playable: happy to pick early, pulls you into its colour. (B+: Lavabrink Venturer, B: Fire Prophecy or Farfinder in pack 1, B-: Rumbling Rockslide or Farfinder in pack 2)
C+: Good playable that rarely gets cut. (Gust of Wind, Boot Nipper, Raugrin Triome)
C: Fine playable, sometimes gets cut. (Excavation Mole, Glimmerbell, Neutralize)
C-: Mediocre playable or decent filler, gets cut around half the time. (Savai Sabertooth, Convolute, Raugrin Crystal)
D: Medium to bad filler, gets cut a lot. (D+: Frenzied Raptor, D: Serrated Scorpion, D-: Tentative Connection with no sacrifice outlets)
F: Mostly to totally unplayable cards. (In most but not all formats: Blazing Volley maindeck, Inspire Awe, Field of Ruin)
White
D
C
Siege Striker
6
7
Selfless Savior
8
8
Secure the Scene
9
10
Seasoned Hallowblade
5
7
Sanctum of Tranquil Light
12
11
Runed Halo
9
13
Revitalize
11
10
Rambunctious Mutt
10
11
Pack Leader
7
7
Nine Lives
13
11
Mangara, the Diplomat
4
4
Makeshift Battalion
10
9
Light of Promise
12
11
Legion’s Judgment
10
10
Idol of Endurance
11
10
Griffin Aerie
12
8
Glorious Anthem
4
4
Gale Swooper
8
8
Falconer Adept
9
9
Faith’s Fetters
4
3
Dub
11
9
Defiant Strike
11
11
Daybreak Charger
8
8
Containment Priest
11
10
Concordia Pegasus
8
9
Celestial Enforcer
9
9
Basri’s Solidarity
9
9
Basri’s Lieutenant
3
4
Basri’s Acolyte
6
7
Basri Ket
2
4
Baneslayer Angel
1
1
Aven Gagglemaster
5
6
Anointed Chorister
8
9
Angelic Ascension
7
6
Alpine Watchdog
9
9
Speaker of the Heavens
10
7
Staunch Shieldmate
11
9
Swift Response
7
6
Tempered Veteran
7
8
Valorous Steed
8
9
Vryn Wingmare
9
9
Warded Battlements
12
10
Feat of Resistance
8
8
Green
D
C
Wildwood Scourge
8
8
Warden of the Woods
6
5
Trufflesnout
9
8
Track Down
12
12
Titanic Growth
11
11
Thrashing Brontodon
7
8
Sporeweb Weaver
6
5
Snarespinner
10
10
Skyway Sniper
13
12
Setessan Training
9
9
Scavenging Ooze
3
3
Sanctum of Fruitful Harvest
10
9
Sabertooth Mauler
9
9
Run Afoul
13
13
Return to Nature
13
13
Ranger’s Guile
11
11
Quirion Dryad
8
8
Primal Might
5
3
Pridemalkin
8
8
Portcullis Vine
12
13
Ornery Dilophosaur
10
11
Llanowar Visionary
7
7
Life Goes On
14
13
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse
5
4
Invigorating Surge
8
8
Hunter’s Edge
7
7
Heroic Intervention
10
7
Gnarled Sage
9
9
Garruk’s Uprising
9
8
Garruk’s Harbinger
5
4
Garruk’s Gorehorn
12
12
Garruk, Unleashed
3
2
Fungal Rebirth
9
8
Fierce Empath
10
8
Feline Sovereign
7
8
Elder Gargaroth
1
1
Drowsing Tyrannodon
7
7
Cultivate
9
8
Colossal Dreadmaw
9
9
Canopy Stalker
11
11
Burlfist Oak
7
7
Azusa, Lost but Seeking
14
13
Blue
D
C
Wishcoin Crab
11
11
Wall of Runes
11
11
Waker of Waves
8
7
Vodalian Arcanist
9
10
Unsubstantiate
9
8
Tome Anima
11
10
Tolarian Kraken
8
8
Tide Skimmer
8
8
Teferi’s Tutelage
6
4
Teferi’s Protege
9
9
Teferi’s Ageless Insight
13
12
Teferi, Master of Time
6
4
Sublime Epiphany
1
1
Stormwing Entity
5
4
Spined Megalodon
10
10
Shipwreck Dowser
6
5
Shacklegeist
7
7
See the Truth
12
12
Sanctum of Calm Waters
10
10
Rousing Read
7
8
Rookie Mistake
13
13
Roaming Ghostlight
6
6
Riddleform
10
10
Rewind
13
13
Read the Tides
10
9
Rain of Revelation
7
6
Pursued Whale
8
7
Opt
10
10
Mistral Singer
8
8
Miscast
14
14
Lofty Denial
10
9
Library Larcenist
10
8
Keen Glidemaster
8
9
Jeskai Elder
9
8
Ghostly Pilferer
7
8
Frost Breath
12
10
Frantic Inventory
11
10
Enthralling Hold
4
3
Discontinuity
11
13
Capture Sphere
7
7
Cancel
12
11
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
6
7
Multicolored
D
C
Watcher of the Spheres
7
7
Twinblade Assassins
6
7
Sanctum of All
13
13
Radha, Heart of Keld
3
4
Obsessive Stitcher
6
6
Niambi, Esteemed Speaker
8
9
Lorescale Coatl
5
5
Leafkin Avenger
6
6
Indulging Patrician
5
5
Experimental Overload
7
7
Dire Fleet Warmonger
8
8
Conclave Mentor
5
7
Alpine Houndmaster
7
6
Black
D
C
Walking Corpse
11
12
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
3
4
Village Rites
10
8
Thieves’ Guild Enforcer
13
11
Tavern Swindler
9
9
Skeleton Archer
8
8
Silversmote Ghoul
7
7
Sanguine Indulgence
12
11
Sanctum of Stone Fangs
5
5
Rise Again
11
11
Pestilent Haze
8
8
Peer into the Abyss
14
14
Necromentia
14
14
Mind Rot
12
12
Massacre Wurm
1
2
Masked Blackguard
10
10
Malefic Scythe
6
6
Liliana’s Steward
11
12
Liliana’s Standard Bearer
5
5
Liliana’s Devotee
5
5
Liliana, Waker of the Dead
3
3
Kitesail Freebooter
7
7
Kaervek, the Spiteful
7
6
Infernal Scarring
12
12
Hooded Blightfang
5
5
Grim Tutor
13
13
Grasp of Darkness
6
5
Goremand
7
6
Gloom Sower
13
11
Finishing Blow
7
7
Fetid Imp
9
9
Eliminate
7
6
Duress
14
14
Demonic Embrace
3
4
Deathbloom Thallid
8
8
Crypt Lurker
9
8
Carrion Grub
8
9
Caged Zombie
10
10
Blood Glutton
9
9
Bad Deal
11
10
Archfiend’s Vessel
13
12
Alchemist’s Gift
11
11
Witch’s Cauldron
12
11
Artifacts
D
C
Solemn Simulacrum
4
4
Skyscanner
10
9
Silent Dart
12
12
Short Sword
10
10
Prismite
12
13
Palladium Myr
8
8
Meteorite
12
12
Mazemind Tome
6
4
Forgotten Sentinel
11
12
Epitaph Golem
12
12
Chrome Replicator
8
8
Chromatic Orrery
14
14
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
4
1
Sparkhunter Masticore
12
10
Tormod's Crypt
14
14
Red
D
C
Volcanic Salvo
3
4
Volcanic Geyser
7
7
Unleash Fury
14
13
Turret Ogre
8
8
Turn to Slag
8
9
Transmogrify
14
14
Traitorous Greed
11
10
Thrill of Possibility
10
10
Terror of the Peaks
1
1
Sure Strike
11
11
Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner
6
6
Spellgorger Weird
7
7
Soul Sear
5
5
Shock
7
6
Scorching Dragonfire
7
6
Sanctum of Shattered Heights
11
11
Pitchburn Devils
8
9
Onakke Ogre
11
11
Kinetic Augur
9
8
Igneous Cur
10
9
Hobblefiend
9
9
Hellkite Punisher
9
9
Heartfire Immolator
6
6
Havoc Jester
8
8
Goblin Wizardry
10
10
Goblin Arsonist
11
11
Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge
4
6
Furor of the Bitten
12
11
Furious Rise
7
7
Fiery Emancipation
5
6
Double Vision
9
11
Destructive Tampering
13
13
Crash Through
11
11
Conspicuous Snoop
13
13
Chandra’s Pyreling
8
8
Chandra’s Magmutt
8
8
Chandra’s Incinerator
7
6
Chandra, Heart of Fire
2
2
Burn Bright
13
13
Brash Taunter
3
3
Bone Pit Brute
10
9
Bolt Hound
9
9
Battle-Rattle Shaman
8
8
Lands
D
C
Temple of Mystery
8
8
Temple of Malady
8
8
Temple of Epiphany
8
8
Swiftwater Cliffs
8
9
Scoured Barrens
8
9
Rugged Highlands
8
9
Radiant Fountain
13
13
Jungle Hollow
8
9
Fabled Passage
8
8
Dismal Backwater
8
9
Blossoming Sands
8
9
Bloodfell Caves
8
9
Animal Sanctuary
7
6
Temple of Silence
8
8
Temple of Triumph
8
8
Thornwood Falls
8
9
Tranquil Cove
8
9
Wind-Scarred Crag
8
9
Drifter
I fell in love with Limited ever since I began in New Phyrexia over nine years ago. With a particular fondness for flashback and cube drafts, I’ve drafted more sets than I can count on every platform through wildly different eras. On Arena I draft infinitely, having profited 30k or so gems from it at this point, and have made top 100 mythic many times. Self-reflection and critical analysis are paramount to Limited improvement, and I try to focus on teaching and enhancing those aspects in my articles, and in each session of the Limited coaching service I provide.
I’ve played Magic off and on for the last 20 years. I just checked to confirm that and it blew my mind a little bit. I started with 6th edition and began playing ‘competitively’ with Odyssey. My handle is actually a really good Limited card from the Odyssey block. Anyway, Magic Arena got me back into the game, and I have been drafting infinitely since closed beta and have finished top 1000 Mythic nearly every ranked season.
