Table of Contents
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.
Check out all my articles here or follow me on Twitter for regular updates!
Compulsion
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.
Check out all my articles here or follow me on Twitch to catch my streams!
Changelog
- July 23, 2020: Drifter’s Core Set 2021 Limited Tier List Update + Strategy of Fast Draft Formats
- June 25, 2020: Preliminary tier list was posted, just before the release of Core Set 2021.
