It has almost been 20 years since the original Lorwyn release, and I can still remember playing that prerelease! Crazy how time flies when you’re playing Magic! There’s some fun new mechanics, as well as a return to some well-supported Typal (Tribal) archetypes. Let’s jump right on in!
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)
Assert Perfection
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
Almost a carbon copy of Rabid Bite. The +1/+0 is helpful, but nothing crazy for sorcery-speed removal.
Aurora Awakener
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
A giant trampler that gets you a couple free creatures for the big investment.
Bloom Tender
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
A solid mana dork, that can end up producing large amounts of mana throughout the game. It’s also an elf!
Blossoming Defense
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A very serviceable combat trick/protection spell.
Bristlebane Battler
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
This will scale throughout the game, and sometimes outsize your opponents creatures very quickly.
Bristlebane Outrider
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This is a very solid beater. It’s hard to kill it in combat, and can’t really be chump-blocked.
Celestial Reunion
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a take on Green Sun's Zenith. I would only run this if I had specific bombs to tutor up (preferably cheap), like the next card, Champions of the Perfect.
Champions of the Perfect
Rating: 4.0 // 5.0
This thing is a gigantic creature for it’s mana cost, and the passive ability may even be stronger. 6 toughness is hard to deal with, and this thing is a real problem to play against.
Chomping Changeling
Rating: SB // 5.0
There are a decent amount of targets for this, but the problematic ones are all at rare or mythic rarity. I’d prefer to run this out of the board, if possible.
Crossroads Watcher
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
A very replaceable 3 drop.
Dawn’s Light Archer
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
A slightly better 3 drop. It can be a good ambusher to take out bigger threats, or can flash in EOT to attack on your turn.
Dundoolin Weaver
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This guy is solid, and easy enough to enable.
Formidable Speaker
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
This guy is sick (yes, Jean-Emmanuel is sick as well), getting to toss a land for the best creature in your deck is incredibly powerful.
Gilt-Leaf’s Embrace
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This is a bit too expensive for a combat trick/protection spell, even if it leafs behind a +2/+0.
Great Forest Druid
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a strong mana dork. It helps stave off damage, and ramp you into the bigger, green beasts for the late game.
Luminollusk
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
A 2/4 stat-line on a deathtoucher is incredibly annoying. If you don’t have removal, it’s really going to slow the game down. The vivid trigger isn’t especially relevant.
Lys Alana Dignitary
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
The 2/3 statline on a 2 drop, is a really nice one, as it can beat most other 2 drops in combat. This thing is solid all-around.
Lys Alana Informant
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is another solid 2 drop. Assuming it trades with an opposing 2 drop, you will likely come out on top with Surveil 2.
Midnight Tilling
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
Instant speed is nice on this – but I’m not a huge fan overall.
Mistmeadow Council
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
The closest comparison I can think of is Rhox Oracle, which was a nice card in its day. This is a buffed up version, and a hard deal to beat if you cast it for 4 mana.
Moon-Vigil Adherents
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This scales with the amount of self-mill you have. If you play it on curve, most games it will come down as a 3/3, which isn’t all that exciting. It’s a good late-game top-deck, and works nicely with some of the Golgari self-mill synergies.
Morcant’s Eyes
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This card is a bit slow, but it packs quite a punch. Surveil 1 each turn is powerful enough, but obviously you are looking to crack this in the late game for X=4 or greater.
Mutable Explorer
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
We are starting to blend the lines with Alchemy cards here. But this thing is a powerful version of Rampant Growth, and provides 2 changeling bodies on the battlefield (Mutavault being the second).
Pitiless Fists
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This is basically a version of Hunt the Weak with an additional +1/+1. It’s a little slow, but can lead to big power swings.
Prismabasher
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This is a great top-end beater, that enables a strong attack the turn it comes down.
Prismatic Undercurrents
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a 4-5 color decks dream, and is incredibly easy to trigger vivid for x=2. Anything greater than that is upside.
Pummeler for Hire
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
I’m not sure how I feel about this guy, but it certainly feels like a defensive creature. The stats are a little small, but the lifegain/ward makes it a good option for decks that want some more defense.
Safewright Cavalry
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a more aggressive 4 drop for Green decks that want to be attacking.
Sapling Nursery
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
I’d be very hesitant to run this in decks with 8 or less forests. If you can play this for 5 (3 forests), you can compare it to Chocobo Racetrack, with significantly bigger creatures, that can more easily take over games.
Selfless Safewright
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
Flash convoke is an awesome combination in limited, allowing you to cast it with little-no mana open. It’s a mass protection spell that nets you a 4/2 for your trouble. It’s near-impossible to play around, and can lead to massive swings in combat, especially on defense.
Shimmerwilds Growth
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This can be treated somewhat-similarly to Rampant Growth. It’s solid mana fixing, if you need it.
Spry and Mighty
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
While the effect is very powerful, it may be difficult to have the required creatures in play. Your opponent can respond before this resolves by taking out one of your creatures, making this fall a bit flat. I’d still run it, but it does require some set up, and works nicely with Great Forest Druid.
Surly Farrier
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
A fine 2 drop, that makes attacking much smoother.
Tend the Sprigs
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
Yet another Rampant Growth effect. Good for decks that want the fixing/to go late game.
Thoughtweft Charge
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This card is going to be one of the most telegraphed combat tricks. As long as you are aware of it, you’re opponent shouldn’t be able to make this work all that well.
Trystan, Callous Cultivator // Trystan, Penitent Culler
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
3 for a 3/4 deathtouch is quite the stat-line. Everything else is upside on this.
Unforgiving Aim
Rating: SB // 5.0
I’d keep this in the sideboard and use it against any deck with bomb artifact/enchantments.
Vinebred Brawler
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A nice aggressive Elf. It will typically only attack once, but can make some big plays.
Virulent Emissary
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
What would you get if Soul Warden and Typhoid Rats had a baby? An abomination, that would look something like this, I suppose.
Wildvine Pummeler
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
If you can get this to cost 5 or less, it’s fine. Very replaceable though.
Top 3 Green Commons:
Mistmeadow Council Lys Alana Informant Great Forest Druid
Green has some great creatures for every part of the game. It’s lacking in any form or premium removal, and the pieces it does have, leave a lot to be desired. It does have more ramp/color fixing than most sets, so it looks like a must include for any 3-5 color decks. I’ll be breaking down Multicolor next, stay tuned!
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
