Through the Omenpaths (OM1) Limited Set Review: Black

Through the Omenpaths is the Arena Exclusive set web-slinging enwebbing to Arena September 23rd. This set is a little different from the paper counterpart: Marvel’s Spider-Man, due to licensing issues that we don’t need to get into. I’m just clarifying for anyone confused about what the new set is, and why Peter Parker is called Surris, Spidersilk Innovator on Arena. With that out of the way, let’s start breaking down the cards for the new set!

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)

Aggressive Symbiosis

Rating: 1.0 // 5.0

This is a cute way to utilize Mayhem cards, but there are so few good mayhem cards, and better ways to activate them.

Bane-Marked Leonin

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is fine filler that gets better in decks that care about your graveyard.

Caldaia Brawlers

Rating: 1.0 // 5.0

This card ss pretty rough. I would only consider running it in a deck that can utilize mayhem.

Clandestine Work

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A pretty close copy of Read the Bones. The slower the format is, the better this card gets.

Common Crook

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

A fine 2 drop filler option for most decks.

Damning Caress

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

Black has a pretty high villain count, so this should cost 3 a good amount of the time. It’s sorcery speed, but removal is removal.

Duskmourn’s Claim

Rating: 0.0 // 5.0

This card is bad in limited.

Egrix the Bile Bulwark

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This will likely only trigger once, if at all, because it’s kill on sight. It still is a decent sized attacker, gains some life, and will potentially net you some cards.

Hex of Undeath

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

By the time you can cast this, you should have at least a few creatures in the yard. It’s a rough card to have in your starting 7, but it’s an incredibly powerful effect.

The House Grows Hungry

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

For the most part, this is a 3 mana sorcery kill spell. The other chapters are somewhat negligible.

Kroble, Envoy of the Bog

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This can do some work, especially if you already have a creature with counters on it. Even with surveil 1, it’s pretty powerful.

Luis, Pompous Pillager

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

The ETB ability is essentially Exsanguinate, since the lifelink creature is doing the damage. Attached to a lifelink body, this can definitely swing games.

Merciless Enforcers

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A solid 2 drop for most decks. It should be able to trade with other 2 drops and gain a couple life for your trouble.

Miasmic Mist

Rating: SB // 5.0

This card is always a solid sideboard option. It’s main-deckable if you can discard it easily, but things have to line up very nicely.

Nill, Vessel of Valgavoth

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

Almost half of the creatures in this set are villains, as long as you have a decent amount in your deck (7+ or so), this is some solid value.

Prison Break

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

I wouldn’t play this card in every black deck. If you have a lot of discard synergy, you can get big creatures into the graveyard more easily.

Remorseless Coup

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This is premium removal, and easy enough to splash.

Rhilex the Accursed

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

This guy is a little small, but flash does a lot to make up for it. Responding to a kill spell on another creature while flashing this guy in is a really nice play pattern.

Scorpion’s Sting

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This is a fine piece of removal that should deal with most early-mid game threats.

Scorvus Ames, Crimelord

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

Connive is a very powerful ability, but sometimes the cards won’t line up where you can make things die during your turn. It’s still a 3/3 deathtouch, so you can’t complain too much.

The Terminus of Return

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

I had to read the rules text for this to make sure I understood it. Once you “Harness” it, the “origin” ability comes online. This is a slow card, but it can be a late game plan. If your deck needs inevitability and a mana rock, this thing is fine.

Tethex, Gift of Malice

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

The graveyard ability is far more exciting than the creature itself. It is still large enough that I think it will be fine in most decks, albeit a bit slow.

Viggo, Enforcer of Ig’s Crossing // Viggo, End of Ig’s Crossing

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

There aren’t any 1 drops in black, so you will have to get that from another color to enable the ETB ability. The backside is nice, but the mana cost is a bit difficult. If you can activate both parts of this card, it’s an easy include.

Villainous Wrath

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

A solid board wipe that can end games on the spot. This is a bit better in this set, with lots of discard options to get rid of it if it ends up as a dead card.

Wekhdu, Midnight Hunter

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is one of the more exciting mayhem creatures because it has flash. Casting Wind Drake is a bit lackluster nowadays, but still playable.

Wrench, Speedway Saboteur

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This must be Gonti, Lord of Luxury‘s older sister. Getting to choose 2 cards out of nine, is crazy card selection, and should help you navigate a win.

Top 3 Black Commons:

Damning Caress Scorpion's Sting Clandestine Work

Black leaves a lot to be desired in terms of creature quality this set. It’s got a few nice removal options (big surprise), but overall seems a bit slow. It also has a lot less mayhem outlets/payoffs than I would expect. I’ll be breaking down Red next, stay tuned!

Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!