Outlaws of Thunder Junction (OTJ) Limited Over and Underperformers Guide • MTG Arena Zone

Table of Contents

Outlaws of Thunder Junction (OTJ) Limited Guides
Overperformers
Underperformers
Wrap Up

Hey everyone! We’ve had a bit of time to let Outlaws of Thunder Junction breath so I can give you some updates on how everything is going. That means that we’ll be looking at the over and under performers of the set.

Keep in mind that this is only discussing cards that are performing differently than expected. It makes no sense to tell you that Bonny Pall, Clearcutter is busted or that Magebane Lizard is terrible because everyone already knew that.

I’ve already updated the Outlaws of Thunder Junction (OTJ) Limited Tier List so I won’t be adding the numerical changes here since they’ve been fluctuating as the meta settles in. It’s more important to focus on why these cards are performing against their expectations than to try to quantify the exact differential.

Outlaws of Thunder Junction Art by Caroline Gariba

Outlaws of Thunder Junction (OTJ) Limited Guides

Overperformers

Archive Trap

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You might hear some people hyping this up after the Pro Tour, but Dafore was way ahead of the game on this one so he should be the one getting all of the credit.

The stats on this might drop off once people see how well it is performing and start stuffing it in decks that it shouldn’t be in. It’s also been going around pick 4.76 letting people grab a premium card without investing a premium pick.

While you really want some recursion for the quick combo mill out, playing this in any control shell will usually put you in the position where you can stall to finish them off with this.

Bandit’s Haul

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There are plenty of reasons that this is performing better than expected. To start out the format plays slower than anticipated so dropping an early Manalith isn’t a death sentence. It is also very bomb heavy so this helps you cast some of those game changing cards.

While you’re tossing haymakers back and forth this will build up counters pretty incidentally to help refuel your hand. It’s one of those cards that tends to win games without anyone realizing that it was the true culprit.

Desert’s Due

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While I’ve been down on removal for the last few sets, I’ve been coming around to it a bit this set because of all of the bombs. This might seem like it won’t deal with too many relevant creatures, but it turns into a key card when you’re playing a control style deck with a pile of deserts.

Spinewoods Armadillo

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This card just does so much for you. I was thinking that it would be about 50/50 for when you cycled it and when you played it. I’ve cycled it all of twice so far while just slamming it the rest of the time.

It just shuts down whatever your opponent was up to and the ward three makes sure that it stays there. It’s also a massive threat that puts a quick clock on them. I had a deck with three of these and it felt like I couldn’t possibly lose.

Tyrant’s Scorn

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It’s not that I didn’t think this card would be good, but I had no clue that it would be the highest IWD uncommon in the set. It’s also comically underdrafted for something that is performing so well. I literally just wheeled it in the draft I am doing while I write this (You didn’t think a small thing like writing an article would stop me from drafting, now did you?) so you can all continue to take advantage of knowing this.

Underperformers

Arid Archway

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This is a rough one because bounce lands have always been such premium limited cards. The problem here is that it only makes colorless which can put you in a bind when it comes to a format where so many multicolor bombs are running around.

It’s still a very good card in the right decks, it’s just not an auto include into any deck.

Bridled Bighorn

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There are still times this is decent, but it is really situational. You play this, it’s a little undersized and it doesn’t do anything when it ETBs or leaves play. Sometimes you get to get a 1/1 out of it, but I haven’t seen this do much more than that so far. I’ve only seen it be good in situations that anything with legs would have been good.

Nurturing Pixie

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I thought that this was going to be a premium card, but it really doesn’t have all the right cards running around to be worth it. Sure, it’s great when you get to pick up a creature that was locked down with Stop Cold. That requires your opponent to play a particular card which is asking a lot.

There are creatures worth picking up to replay, but it lacks great common synergies. If your turn four is to pick up Patient Naturalist and replay it, is that really worth your whole turn to maybe get a land?

There also aren’t a lot of situations where turn one Scryb Sprites is a good play leaving you without a good fallback plan.

Still has a place in the right decks, but not a high pick.

Prickly Pair

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This is a good example of what this type of article is really about. We’re not focusing on total failures here, but on what it is doing compared to initial projections. I am still happy to play this card, but it looked like it was going to be a high end common while it turned out to be merely good.

Rakish Crew

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I’m sure this can still hold up its end of the deal in a Rakdos deck that’s stacked with outlaws. It’s just been mediocre in a lot of the decks I’ve seen it in. The comparison to Bastion of Remembrance doesn’t hold up unless you are truly dedicated to outlaws. It’s also a less grindy format than Ikoria because of all the three for ones running around.

Wrap Up

Thanks for reading! I’ll be back tomorrow to hook you up with MWM and a couple days after that with my comprehensive draft guide for Outlaws of Thunder Junction just in time for the Arena Open. Until then, stay classy people!

I’m always open to feedback, let me know what you loved, what you hated, or just send dog pics. You can contact me at: