Trying something new in the spoiler season, especially with being completely tired of Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. Using my hand-crafted rating system, I’m going to try and pick some–perhaps even most–of the spoilers and try to rate them as they drop. Obviously there will be a ton of context missing. Actually, pretty much *all* of the context will be missing. But it will still be a good exercise for me to do some card evaluation.
A quick primer on the Benalish Dad’s, no-it-really-IS-different-from-LR’s-grades, rating system
- Game-shifters (Bombs). They are (pick two to three) efficient, powerful, sustainable advantage, and/or catch you up when behind.
- Power (Reasons) These powerful cards usually only fulfill one of the ‘bomb’ criteria. They tilt the battlefield rather than remake it like a true bomb.
- Draft-shifters (build-arounds). When placed with proper support, these can be as powerful as bombs/power cards. Build-a-bomb!
- Signals (best commons). A common that fits in any deck of that color (most frequently reliable removal or a very solid 2/3-drop) can be one of the best signals.
- Variable Playable. These are good cards that generally have a home in a few of the color’s archetypes, but not all of them.
- Filler. Signals’ lamer cousin. Generally these are cards that are totally playable, but don’t really have a good home
- Avoid. The weird rares, the off-rate creatures. Generally speaking, if you never put one of these cards in the 40 you’ll be better off.
What does smooth, clean efficient removal look like? This! Clearly a powerful card, this draws the line on the difference between “power” and “bomb”. This is not a bomb. It answers a threat, probably with a hefty mana advantage. But it doesn’t fulfill the “multiple” categories of a true bomb, of which the most important are “repeatable advantage” and “turns around a losing situation”
power
This looks like an early frontrunner for a Signal in white. Obviously not great in an aggro deck, as leaving a blocker behind significantly works against your game plan. But the price is right, and it does have a nice exile clause that looks fairly manageable to hit. Fantastic art too.
signal
This is an interesting card. I’m assuming that “win the game with 13 cards in hand” is a 100% flavor win and 100% not to happen in limited. One cannot just sit there and hoard cards. However, this isn’t an enchantment, it’s a creature. A perfectly fine 2-mana 1/3 with a 4-mana ‘draw a card’. Assuming that 1/3 is a meaningful body in the 2-mana slot (which is a big if with giant werewolves running around) I think this is a valuable role player in a controlling deck.
variable playable
Saryth looks interesting. 3/4 for 4-mana is a solid rate. Turning *everything* (else) into deathtouching attackers is very powerful. Everything (else) being hexproof is very good and being able to untap something (thus turning it hexproof) is also nice. The downside is that if oppo has any removal, it will 100% be targeting Saryth. Once again, what keeps it out of bomb status is not really turning around a losing game.
power
Pay the 4WW Disturb cost and you get a full-fledged Serra Angel: 4/4 Flying & Vigilance. That this is a perfect 2-drop in a control deck game plan. It’s nice that it plays both roles: early speed bump AND high-mana payoff. That makes it sort of a functional 2-for-1, though it does have to die in order to come back in Serra Angel form. Not all decks will want it; but those that do will definitely want it.
variable playable
I remember Feral Invocation. A card that everyone discounts, citing all the weaknesses of an enchantment yet it consistently overperformed. Now they added some upside to it with additional ambush potential? I suspect you won’t want more than two of these in a deck, but you’ll be happy with each one. As long as it gets one of oppo’s cards via a combat trick, the “2-for-1” potential will be worth it.
signal
Ha, everyone look at the nerfed Roost of Drakes! Truly that card was too beautiful for this world. The question this card asks us is: “how much a 1/1 flier who can’t block* worth?” Hmmm. Good question. For three mana, I’d be content with three 1/1 flying birds that aren’t useful as chump blockers. So a deck would need at least five reliable sources of Disturb to get this to a decent card. This is a Draft Shifter, as I would actively want even mediocre Disturb cards as it can get out of control.
Benalish Dad 