Time to dig into my homework before I get to hear “all the answers” from LR and Lords of Limited. Again, I’m impressed by how hard this is

First, here are my ratings for VOW: Benalish Dad Style. Again, I’m using my somewhat simplified tier system. I find shading the fine distinctions between a B+ and a B aren’t useful and too difficult for me to remember. So I put together a blunter tool that helps me navigate drafts.

• (A) Game-Changers. These are the bombs, the ones that can catch you up from behind, super powerful/efficient and/or source of repeated advantage. Preferably at least two of these.
• (B) Reasons. Aka “power”, they have one of the powerful sources mentioned above. They are a reason to play the color and you’re excited to draft them and play them.
• (B-) Draft-Changers. These are the build-arounds where, if properly supported, they could be very powerful. But you can’t just jam them into any deck like the Reasons
• (C+) Signals. The best commons. Usually removal or efficient low-cost creatures, since any deck in those colors eagerly drafts those cards. Hence if you see them pick 5-8, it constitutes a signal that the lane might be open.
• (C-) Variable Playable. These are cards that are playable, but usually fit different archetypes a little better or worse.
• (D+) Filler. While not embarrassing to play they’re not great. Maybe off-plan, inefficient, or in a weak archetype that you’d prefer to avoid.
• (F) Avoid. Maybe not stone-unplayable, but if these cards are never sleeved, you’re better off 99/100.

green

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Okay so this might clog the three-drop slot, but a bite spell with pretty solid upside at instant speed is going to play well, even with zero ways to trigger night. I’ve always liked 3-mana mana dorks, as they stabilize and ramp/fix. The Spore Crawler looks just like a solid card that will trade-off as a 2-for-1.

white

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I usually don’t like have 4-drops in the Best Commons/Signals category because there is a sharp ceiling on how many 4-drops you want in a deck. I think Estwald Shieldbasher is an exception. Training is a common white keyword and an indestructible attacker with high power is going to turn on a bunch of your other cards. Drogkol Infantry is what Disturb looks like in this format. Instead of coming back as a flying creature, it’s an +2/+2 enchantment. Which turns a dorky creature into a pretty legit threat. Finally, Fierce Retribution is good defensive removal for a control deck that turns into expensive unconditional removal. Two pretty good halves.

blue

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These are a little more all over the place. Blue has a LOT of sweet graveyard stuff, so I think the milling of Scattered Thoughts and Fear of Death are both upside. Binding Geist looks very active but its backside of a -2/-0 enchantment (i.e., leaving a blocker up) sort of negates that. Still, a lot of value.

black

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Wow, super efficient removal in black, what a shock. Desperate Farmer is the only exception to that, and that it flips over to a 4/3 Lifelinker is pretty impressive value. There are a lot of lifegain synergies (both in a white and black) that might standalone and not require being in the BW lane so I’ll start out high.

red

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Two very efficient pieces of removal at instant speed. Do NOT play into open mana in this format, yikes. The BPC (there are eight cards in this format that start with “blood” btw) looks like an efficient attacker with a little extra value of a Blood token stapled on. I’m in!