Tarkir: Dragonstorm will release on 4/8 to online platforms, so I’ll be breaking down each card to help you get accquainted! Much like it’s predecessor, TDM is a “wedge” set, that encourages you to play one of the supported color combinations; Abzan, Jeskai, Mardu, Sultai, or Temur. While 1-2 color decks are supported, the most powerful cards are often three colors, so you will be incentivized to support them.
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)
Ainok Wayfarer
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a copy of Blanchwood Prowler, which was powerful in BRO. This also has some bonus here, due to harmonize and renew cards in the set.
Attuned Hunter
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a solid creature for most green decks, and can act as a passive threat during the longer games.
Bloomvine Regent // Claim Territory
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
The omen half of this card is a bit slow, but it sets up the dragon to be cast on the following turn. The lifegain associated with the dragon also ensures you won’t fall too far behind by taking turn 3 off.
Champion of Dusan
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is decent filler for most green decks, and is best within Abzan.
Craterhoof Behemoth
Rating: 1.0 // 5.0
While this is an incredibly powerful creature, reaching 8 mana in limited is very difficult, and doesn’t happen most games. It might be playable with multiple copies of Encroaching Dragonstorm or similar support.
Disruptive Stormbrood // Petty Revenge
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
If everything lines up, this ends up feeling like a 3-for-1, which is prety hard to ignore. The omen part of the card is playable in its own right, and I could see splashing a green source in a non-green deck to cast the dragon half.
Dragonbroods’ Relic
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a really nice tool for all of the 4-5 color lovers out there. There’s a lot of high-powered multicolored cards this set, so this would be a nice piece of the puzzle eo enable those decks.
Dragon Sniper
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a great creature for any Green deck. Vigilance allows it to push small amounts of damage through when your opponent doesn’t have a creature back they want to trade.
Dusyut Earthcarver
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a nice top end creature for any green deck. The option of splitting up the 7 power and toughness is huge, as both creatures are still big enough to be meaningful.
Encroaching Dragonstorm
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This isn’t for every deck, but it’s a great fixing/ramp tool for some of the 4-5 color late game decks.
Formation Breaker
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
It’s difficult for this creature to trade down while attacking, and not too difficult to make it a 3/3.
Herd Heirloom
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a solid Temur car, helping you ramp out bigger creatures, and refill your hand after. You can activate the second ability at instant speed, which can make blocking very difficult for your opponents. It’s pretty lackluster without a decent amount of creatures with 4 or greater power.
Heritage Reclamation
Rating: SB// 5.0
This does have a nice failsafe via cycling, but it should likely still be a sideboard card.
Inspirited Vanguard
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
5/4 worth of stats is a little weak for a 5 drop, so this really needs to get at least one attack in before it starts being meaningful.
Knockout Maneuver
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This feels a bit expensive for a Rabid Bite, but it works really well this set and various counter synergies.
Krotiq Nestguard
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This can be a decent defensive creature for decks that want to get into the late game.
Lasyd Prowler
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
Not only is this a chunky creature for 4, it helps you self mill for other renew and harmonize cards. The renew ability on this guy himself won’t give too many counters, but it’s still better than nothing.
Nature’s Rhythm
Rating: 1.0 // 5.0
The harmonize portion of the card is pretty difficult to cast, requiring GGGG. It’s not unplayable, but it’s close to it.
Piercing Exhale
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a pretty solid removal spell that works well with deathtouch creatures.
Rainveil Rejuvenator
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a decent tool for Sultai decks, helping enable harmonize and renew cards, as well as supporting the mana hungry archetype.
Rite of Renewal
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This card is a bit slow, but can be an absolute powerhouse in decks that are looking to get to the very late game.
Roamer’s Routine
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This is probably best for decks with mana issues, and avoided in everything else.
Sage of the Fang
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This looks a bit better than it really is. It’s still solid for any green deck, but it’s unlikely to make anything absolutely gigantic.
Sagu Pummeler
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is solid filler for any green deck.
Sagu Wildling // Roost Seek
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This is a great card that can even take your 17th land slot, which makes for a huge upside.
Sarkhan’s Resolve
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This is a decent trick, if you’re in the market for one.
Snakeskin Veil
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
Snakeskin Veil is hard to beat when it comes to tricks. One mana is incredibly easy to keep open, making for a very low opportunity cost.
Sultai Devotee
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is one of the better devotee’s, able to trade up with bigger creatures while helping to fix your mana.
Surrak, Elusive Hunter
Rating: 3.0 // 5.0
Not only is this a good-sized 3 drop, it’s kind of a must answer threat if your opponent doesn’t want to keep feeding you cards.
Synchronized Charge
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
While not quite Travel Preparations, it’s still pretty solid, and works well in Abzan decks.
Trade Route Envoy
Rating: 2.0 // 5.0
This is a solid creature in any green deck, but it’s at its best when it can reliably draw a card.
Traveling Botanist
Rating: 2.5 // 5.0
This will have games where it’s incredibly annoying. It only needs to attack once to potentially draw you a card, and can work later in the game when paying for harmonize cards.
Undergrowth Leopard
Rating: 1.5 // 5.0
This is acceptable filler if you need a 2 drop.
Warden of the Grove
Rating: 3.5 // 5.0
If this isn’t answered immediately, it gets out of control quickly.
Top 3 Green Commons:
Green has some really solid mid-late game creatures. It’s a little weaker in the early game, so you will want to lean on your other colors to cover that gap. Green also has plenty of great sideboard options, making for one of the more versatile colors. We’ll be jumping into Multicolored next, stay tuned!
Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!
