The new set isn’t really looking to rock any established foundation. We’ve got about 50% reprints, 50% new cards, and no new mechanics. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be bad by any means, in fact it may be a better set because the designers are working with far less unknowns than usual. Either way, I have been feeding and watering my J2SJosh in my basement, and I feel like he’s thriving. Let’s take a look at blue.
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)
Aegis Turtle
Rating: SB // 5.0
This could be a potential sideboard option for control decks when playing against an aggressive deck.
Aetherize
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
While this can result in an absolute blowout, the majority of the time it will be pretty lackluster. I’d play this out of the sideboard against go-wide decks.
An Offer You Can’t Refuse
Rating: 1.0 // 5.0
This isn’t a card you want to maindeck, but it is a catchall for noncreature spells. You want to cast this later in the game, when the treasure is less relevant.
Arcane Epiphany
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
Instant speed draw three is very powerful. The fact that you can cast this for 4 (or less), is very appealing.
Archmage of Runes
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This doesn’t have any immediate payoff, but it’s difficult to kill and snowballs card advantage quickly.
Bigfin Bouncer
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A similar card to Academy Journeymage, which was one of the best blue commons at the time. This will remain one of the best blue commons.
Brineborn Cutthroat
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
I wouldn’t expect this thing to get very big most games, but there is the implication that it could.
Cephalid Inkmage
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
Surveil 3 in limited is arguably better than “draw a card”, especially in a threshold set. This also becomes unblockable at some point, like Phantom Warrior
Clinquant Skymage
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This card takes a good while to become relevant in the abscense of additional card draw. It seems a bit too slow and unreliable for my taste, and will most definitely be overrated early in the set.
Curator of Destinies
Rating: 4.0 // 5.0
A large flying creature that casts a psuedo Fact or Fiction on ETB? Okay.
Drake Hatcher
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
1/3 vigilance with prowess is a solid creature for the most part. You’ll need to connect a couple times to get a free drake, but this is a bit difficult to block in the early game.
Elementalist Adept
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
Prowess isn’t all that exciting with a flat butt (1 toughness).
Erudite Wizard
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
Drawing a second card on your turn isn’t too difficult in blue, and if you can reliably do it once, I’ll give this guy a shot.
Essence Scatter
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
I like the rarity shift to uncommon here, and it should have been done a long time ago. Nonetheless, this should be viewed as a blue removal spell during your draft.
Extravagant Replication
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
If you can live for a couple turns with this in play, you’ll likely win the game. On the other hand, it costs 6, requires a good target, and doesn’t do anything the turn you play it.
Faebloom Trick
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
I may be overhyped for this card, but it does a lot at instant speed.
Fleeting Distraction
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is the go-to option for enabling draw two mechanics. It’s extra spicy if you get to win combat when you cycle this.
Grappling Kraken
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a fine top end card, but is a bit unreliable. Optimally, you don’t want to be playing more lands past turn 6, and if you are, you may not have the gas to use this offensively.
High Fae Trickster
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
A 4 power flyer with flash is a nice beater to play at the end of your opponents turn. The ability to cast spells at flash also makes your opponents life an absolute nightmare.
Homunculus Horde
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
As exciting as it is to imagine an army of these, it’s important to consider that this is a 2/2 for four mana. If you’re able to trigger it once, it’s alright, and you might lose a 2/2 before you have the opportunity to trigger it a third time. Maybe I’m just a pessimist.
Icewind Elemental
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
By turn 5, this is closer to “draw a card”, as you will likely have a land to discard. This also helps trigger any draw 2 permanents you have in play.
Imprisoned in the Moon
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is decent blue removal, and I’m happy to put them in my decks if I need them.
Inspiration from Beyond
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This card is a bit slow, but can be very powerful in control decks.
Kaito, Cunning Infiltrator
Rating: 4.0 // 5.0
Three mana planeswalkers are brutal.
Kiora, the Rising Tide
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
The etb trigger is powerful for a 3 drop 3/2 creature, and I think you will see the kraken on the battlefield more often than you’d like.
Lightshell Duo
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
A mediocre filler creature.
Lunar Insight
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This card is far too situational for my tatste, but I’m sure there are certain decks/players who like to live dangerously.
Micromancer
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
Blue only has Fleeting Distraction as a candidate, but there are some nice pairings with this card like Burst Lightning, or Eaten Alive. This card gets a lot better if you have multiple options within your deck.
Mischievous Mystic
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A very powerful 2 drop flyer you’re happy to play even without additional draw-2 support.
Mocking Sprite
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
Mostly filler, but can shine in spell heavy decks.
Omniscience
Rating: 0.0 // 5.0
Don’t.
Refute
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A very solid iteration of Cancel, thats text becomes closer to “draw a card” later in the game (discarding a land).
Run Away Together
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
Blue doesn’t offer a ton of support for this to shine, but there are some cards from other colors that can pair nicely.
Rune-Sealed Wall
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This can be playable in a control or flyers deck, but I’m not excited about it by any means.
Self-Reflection
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is at its best when you mill or discard it. If you don’t have the ability to do either of those, I wouldn’t put this card in my deck.
Skyship Buccaneer
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This isn’t a huge gut shot if you don’t get the raid trigger. It’s still a 4 power flyer.
Spectral Sailor
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A solid candidate for Goldvein Pick, but also very strong on its own.
Sphinx of Forgotten Lore
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
The fact that this has flash means you should be able to reliably set up a 2-for-1 if you have a spell to cast from your graveyard.
Strix Lookout
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is fine on its own, and does a great job of picking off 1/1 bunnies and mice. Good owl.
Think Twice
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
I’ve always loved this card. It’s got some solid synergies in this set with draw-2 and threshold being set mechanics.
Time Stop
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This can do a lot of different things very well, but it’s really difficult to discern when the correct time to play it is. You can also use this as a psuedo Time Warp by playing it on your opponents upkeep (they do get to untap however).
Tolarian Terror
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
It’s not hard to cast this for 5 or less, at which point its a solid creature. When it gets really cheap, it truly is a terror.
Uncharted Voyage
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
Solid blue removal. It will be underrated at the beginning of the set.
Witness Protection
Rating 1.0 // 5.0
If you’re really hurting for removal you can use this, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Top 3 Blue Commons:
Uncharted Voyage Tolarian Terror Refute
Blue is looking very strong, with a deep roster of good commons. The draw-2 mechanic doesn’t seem too powerful overall, but there’s a good amount of individually powered cards. I’ll be dissecting Black next, stay tuned!
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
