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)
Ashling, Rekindled // Ashling, Rimebound
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This is really weak if you can only play the front side. Assuming you can flip it regularly, this provides great card selection + a little ramp.
Boldwyr Aggressor
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
There are a total of 6 (including this card) non-rare Giants in the set, but lets not forget the myrad of Shapeshifters, like Gangly Stompling. The card isn’t too powerful by itself, but it’s strength depends on the amount of creatures in your deck that will gain double strike.
Boneclub Berserker
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This isn’t difficult to grow into a 6/4. Having said that, there will be times when it’s a 2/4 for 4, which I’m not very excited about.
Boulder Dash
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
A nice removal spell that can take out 2 small creatures, or a 2 drop + ping your opponent.
Brambleback Brute
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
Only being able to remove counters at sorcery speed means you won’t be able to threaten it’s activation during combat – making it a very telegraphed card. I think it can still be alright, especially threatening to take out 2 blockers for a big attack.
Burning Curiosity
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
I’m not a huge fan of this card as of now, but it’s really dependent on how the format plays out. Make sure you are trying to play this before you play a land for turn!
Champion of the Path
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
I’m not too sold on this guy, as it can’t really get involved in combat without dying. The passive can’t be ignored, however – and can threaten significant direct damage with some of the bigger elementals, like Kulrath Zealot.
Cinder Strike
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
A cheap and efficient piece of removal, despite the sorcery speed.
Collective Inferno
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This does have a pretty low floor, doing next to nothing if you don’t have creatures in play to support it. If you have a creature deck with a common type (9-10+) I’d run this.
Elder Auntie
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A decent creature in most every deck, but can really shine in Rakdos.
End-Blaze Epiphany
Rating: 4.0 // 5.0
This is a sick burn spell, that should be able to deal with any threat, and draw you the best card in the top X of your library.
Enraged Flamecaster
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This is a very mid creature. It should be replaceable in most decks. Keep in mind, it does have surprise reach!
Explosive Prodigy
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
This should be treated like a small burn spell – something that does 2-3 damage that leaves a 1/1 behind.
Feed the Flames
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
5 damage burn spells typically cost 5 in limited. This being a 4 mana instant, leads meto believe this is a sweet piece of removal.
Flamebraider
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
The activated ability likely won’t come up too often, outside of shapeshifters, but if you can power out big elementals -this thing looks really strong.
Flame-Chain Mauler
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
A medium 2 drop, very replaceable.
Flamekin Gildweaver
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a fine filler card that works better in late-game/multicolored decks.
Giantfall
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
An awesome, instant-speed Rabid Bite, that can also pick off artifacts as a plus.
Goatnap
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
For those interested, there are 0 Goats in the set, so the +3/+0 will only work on shapeshifters. Having said that, like any other traditional Threaten, this works best in combination with sacrifice or Blight effects.
Goliath Daydreamer
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
It takes a little bit of set up, but if you’re able to follow this up with a removal spell and get a free copy – well that’s something worth daydreaming about.
Gristle Glutton
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
I’m not quite sure how I feel about this card yet, but I like it enough to give it a shot. Rummage is a powerful effect in limited.
Hexing Squelcher
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a fine 2 drop, but it likely won’t impact the game very much, aside from a potential 2-4 life loss from the ward.
Impolite Entrance
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
There aren’t really any storm-type synergies in this set, so this likely won’t have much impact, outside of maybe putting it on a double striker.
Kindle the Inner Flame
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This works nicely with a few ETB or die triggers, like Eclipsed Flamekin, among others. I wouldn’t play this in any deck that doesn’t have some very potent targets.
Kulrath Zealot
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
I probably like this card more than I should, but as of now, this looks like a solid top-end creature/landcycler.
Lasting Tarfire
Rating: SYNERGY // 5.0
This is unplayable in every deck that isn’t all-in on this gameplan. Even if your deck has a ton of synergy, I’m not too sure on this one.
Lavaleaper
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
I’m not a huge fan of this card, but it could be fine in aggressive decks. On the average game, your opponent will benefite from the double mana first, play a haste creature, and kill this thing, using all of the advantage and you’ve had none!
Meek Attack
Rating: 0.0 // 5.0
I can’t really think of any practiical applictions for this card in limited.
Reckless Ransacking
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
A fine, but very replaceable combat trick.
Scuzzback Scrounger
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A fine 2 drop, that gives you some options with counters/treasure that could be beneficial.
Sear
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
This is premium removal.
Sizzling Changeling
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
I really like this shapeshifter. While it’s not quite “draw” a card on death, it’s somewhat close. I’d say 2.5 if it wasn’t a shapeshifter.
Soulbright Seeker
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This can turn 3 red mana into 4 red mana (tada!). It’s fine if you want a 1 drop in the deck.
Soul Immolation
Rating: 4.0 // 5.0
This is a brutal board wipe (and direct damage) if you have a big enough creature. The blight being part of the casting cost is huge, meaning it can’t be interrupted.
Sourbread Auntie
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
A solid Goblin card, that helps decks that want to go wide.
Spinerock Tyrant
Rating: 4.5 // 5.0
This thing is an absolute menace. It’s gigantic, cheap (relatively), hard to kill, and can double your removal spells.
Squawkroaster
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
The breakpoint for this card being very average to a threat is if you can easily achieve vivid 3 or greater. As a 2/4 I’m not too excited about it.
Sting-Slinger
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a decent 3 drop, and can often threaten to end games that go long.
Tweeze
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This isn’t Volcanic Spite, but it’s still good – and can hit any target.
Warren Torchmaster
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
I’m not too sure this is anything special, but it’s a good-enough 2 drop for most builds.
Top 3 Red Commons:
Feed the Flames Cinder Strike Tweeze
Red has some very nice burn spells this set, as evidenced by the top commons above. The creatures are on the smaller side, and looks to be more interested in going fast/wide. It’s lacking in combat tricks to enable that strategy, so you’ll need to lean on other colors for that strategy. I’ll be breaking down Green next, stay tuned!
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
