Subject: Stronghold -- A report card Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 03:41:47 GMT From: mhb@mcfi.org (Michael Benveniste) Newsgroups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.misc General Comments: 1. To whoever stole my sideboard cards during the Stronghold prerelease: -- May you go through the standardized tests of life with only a No.3 pencil. -- May your daughter hang around with men of your morals and undercharge them. -- May you hear the word "oops" while under insufficient local anesthesia. -- May the smell of your rotting corpse ruin your survivors’ property values. There. I feel better now. 2. Grades: Grade A: Tournament Quality, possibly even in Type I. Either improves existing tournament decks greatly or creates new deck archetypes. Potentially a broken card. Grade B: Stronger than average. Can be used to good effect in constructed environments. I'll also give this grade to average cards in constructed deck that are very strong in sealed deck and to good sideboard cards. Grade C: An average card. Usable in sealed deck, and OK for occasional use in constructed, but often better choices exist. Grade D: Binder bait. You'll use this card in sealed deck only to fill out a color. Grade F: A card strictly inferior to an existing one, or far more likely to hurt you than help. Also given to cards that simply offend me, such as non-trampling rhinos. The real grade is usually in the comments. Plusses and Minuses are given pretty much on caprice. There's little difference between a C+ and a B-, for example. Since I expect a rare to be a good card, it starts out a little lower. I didn't bother to grade "old" cards, since your subjective grades are far better than I could do. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --BLACK-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bottomless Pit 1BB Enchantment Uncommon Grade B-: Pretty useless in sealed deck, but in constructed there are some potentially interesting combos, such as with Psychic Vortex or Megrim. Hoses permission, but then fast black didn't need the help there. Brush with Death 2B Sorcery Common Grade B: First, this is loss of life and not damage. Second, this is a reasonable cast even without buyback. I admit that in constructed you won't get to buy this back very often, but a potential 'I win' in sealed and draft. Cannibalize 1B Sorcery Common Grade B-: The ability to remove from the game saves this card from true mediocrity. If this was an instant, this would rate much higher, but otherwise limited to the combo role against your own creatures and evasion ability control against your opponent's. Will work in the correct deck. Corrupting Licid 2B Summon Licid Uncommon Grade C+: Like other Licids, it looks good on paper. It's a 2/2 creature for 2B with two useful modes for the special ability. First, like other licids, it can "block and hop" and survive to block again. The fear ability was rarely worth a card, however, and this doesn't change things. Crovax The Cursed 2BB Summon Legend Rare Grade C-: Bigger for less cost than a Ravenous Vampire, but still requires a creature generator combination for effective use. You may wish to drop one of these in a token-generator based deck, but legendary status hurts combo decks big time. Dauthi Trapper 2B Summon Minion Uncommon Grade D: If I need to give things shadow, I'd rather use the Embrace. Too fragile for this ability and cost. Death Stroke BB Sorcery Common Grade C+: As a sorcery, at best a sideboard card for black v. black duels. Upgraded, because in sealed, any common removal is good. Dungeon Shade 3B Summon Spirit Common Grade C: Slightly worse than killer bees, but confirms that the bees should have never been a rare. Suffers from all the fragility problems of pumpables. Foul Imp BB Summon Imp Common Grade C+: Slightly better than a Fledgling Djinn, but the BB casting cost hurts its value to sealed deck or draft. Grave Pact 1BBB Enchantment Rare Grade B-: In multiplayer, this makes you an instant target. Casting cost limits role to mono-black. Yet another card for token-generation combos. Activate your Breeding Pit, feed the thrull to Crovax, and Edict everyone else all for a BB upkeep. Lab Rats B Sorcery Common Grade C: A card tournament directors will learn to hate, as this could stall out a lot of sealed deck games. I'd certainly use this card over Bog Rats, but lab work is too slow for the current constructed environment. Megrim 2B Enchantment Uncommon Grade B+: Another way to kill with kindness via Prosperity. This makes pure discard a viable deck, especially in Extended. Mind Peel B Sorcery Uncommon Grade C: See Megrim, above, for general comments on discard. This is a weaker card. Normally, I'd run charms instead of this if I didn't intend to buy it back, and Disrupting Scepters or Mindwarpers if I did. MindWarper 2BB Summon Spirit Rare Grade B: See Megrim, above. A 3/3 creature for 2BB without any disadvantages is nothing to write home about, but a potential 3-1 card advantage more than makes up for it. Bolt bait of the finest order. Morgue Thrull 2B Summon Thrull Common Grade C: I like this more than some others, simply because I see reanimator as becoming more and more viable. But there are better choices for the card slot. Still wondering how thrulls made it to Rath. Mortuary 3B Enchantment Rare Grade C: This is not an optional effect, so you can put yourself into a lock if not careful. Really amusing deck filtering when combined with Morgue Thrull. Rabid Rats 1B Summon Rats Common Grade C-: Nothing much here. Coming soon to the rat theme deck near you. Revenant 4B Summon Spirit Rare Grade B-: A reasonable finisher for Necro and can be splashed into other decks. Amusing flavor text. Serpent Warrior 2B Summon Soldier Common Ungraded: An import from Portal. Skeleton Skavengers 2B Summon Skeltons Rare Grade B: Incinerate bait of the finest order. In sealed deck, very difficult to kill, but the Sandstone Blade seemed to work well against it. Stronghold Assassin 1BB Summon Assassin Rare Grade B: Why wasn't this 1/2? Another card for creature generator decks, but since the effect is at instant speed, will find use in various types of black weenie decks. Stronghold Taskmaster 2BB Summon Minion Uncommon Grade D-: It looks like this card was emasculated after play testing. Unlike Derelor, can't be easily splashed, so you'll only play this in constructed if this is your only black creature. Unlikely. Torment 1B Enchant Creature Common Grade D+: While it works against black, so does death stroke. Against non-black why not just terror/banish/whatever the creature? Very limited use against creatures with upkeep costs. Tortured Existence B Enchantment Common Grade C-: Again, I don't see the deck for this. If you have small creatures, use disturbed burial and gain card advantage. If you have large creatures, reanimate them. Wall of Souls 1B Summon Wall Uncommon Grade B-: Note that this only works on combat damage. Really rude against Erg Raiders and when you can force attacks. In sealed, tends to force creature stalemates, so I didn't upgrade it. So there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --BLUE-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cloud Spirit 2U Summon Spirit Common Ungraded: An import from Portal. Contempt 1U Enchant Creature Common Grade C-: I have nothing but contempt for this level of proofreading. I assume this should read owners' hands, but you may play end up playing this on your own creature in order to destroy a local enchantment. Another limited neutralization spell for Blue. Dream Halls 3UU Enchantment Rare Grade D+: Assuming the casting cost is correct, only marginally useful. If you're playing a multi-color deck, by the time you have the 5 mana to cast this thing you should be able to cast what you need anyway. I don't think it is worth the slot to turn all your counterspells into late-game Forces of Will. Dream Prowler 2UU Summon Illusion Common Grade C: This thing should have had flying. As is, too expensive to be an early blocker and too slow to rely on as a killing mechanism. Evacuation 3UU Instant Rare Grade C-: In some ways, even more annoying than a Wrath in multi-player. Some combo ability, especially with discard, but after casting this thing, you typically won't have the mana you need to counterspell. Gliding Licid 2U Summon Licid Uncommon Grade C+: See comments under Corrupting Licid, above. Shouldn't this fly on its own? Hammerhead Shark 1U Summon Fish Common Grade F: The Giant Shark was a Summon Shark. A shark is a shark, not a fish. Hence the failing grade. Aside from that, still a C card. These will find play from the sideboard in sealed, draft, and even Tempest only constructed. In other formats, "fish" (merfolk) are better than sharks. Hesitation 1U Enchantment Uncommon Grade B: Intruder Alarm 2U Enchantment Rare Grade B+: This thing has infinite combos written all over it! Simple example: Queen Sliver + Elder Elf = Infinite slivers. Forces people to play creatures before attacking, and acts as a deterrent against Winter Orb and Big Creature/Geddon. In short, a fun card even if not tournament caliber. Rules question: will it trigger on play of a forest with living lands in play? Leap U Instant Common Grade C: Just as the Wind Drake defines an average creature, this defines an average cantrip. Mana Leak 1U Interrupt Common Grade A: A better splashable counterspell than either Memory Lapse or Arcane Denial. Unlike Power Sink, doesn't force your opponent to tap out. This puts Winter Orb on my "Endangered Card list," as it really helps Orb decks of all types. I doubt Winter Orb will get banned, but it won't be back in 6th, either. Mask of the Mimic U Instant Uncommon Grade B: Useless in sealed deck, almost useless in draft. In constructed, almost a counterspell against creature destruction. Mind Games U Instant Common Grade B: Think of it as a difficult-to-zap amber prison for 2UU. Huge in the pre-release tournament, and I don't expect that to change for the duration. Another card for the "song title" theme deck. Ransack 3U Sorcery Uncommon Grade B: A nice, if costly card. Useful to use against either your own library or your opponent's. Rebound 1U Interrupt Uncommon Grade C+: As a sideboard defense, useful against both burn and discard. But like other deflection type spells, too limited for general use. Reins of Power 2UU Instant Rare Grade B: Interesting if a little bizarre. Will find use in creatureless and near-creatureless decks. Nice combo with almost any "sac" a creature effect, but especially nice with Goblin Bombardment. Shift 3U Sorcery Common Grade C+: Will this get more play than Inspiration? A good choice for sealed deck, but better choices are available for constructed. Silver Wyvern 3UU Summon Drake Rare Grade B-: Effectively requires 3UUU, since otherwise it gets killed as soon as it gets out. That being said, I'll try these instead of Air Elementals in Big Blue. Spindrift Drake U Summon Drake Common Grade B: One of the better small drakes. Not the card to play in a counter heavy blue deck, but fine in sealed deck and as a source of early fast damage. But as Binding Grasp has shown, upkeep costs are not friendly to blue mages. Thalakos Deceiver 3U Summon Wizard Rare Grade C: Just don't see this one as a Control Magic replacement, sorry. Tidal Surge 1U Sorcery Common Ungraded: An import from Portal. Tidal Warrior U Summon Merfolk Common Grade C+: Food for the fish deck. Not much else here. Volraths Shapeshifter 1UU Summon Shapeshifter Rare Grade D: A trash rare. Not as fun as an Unstable Shapeshifter, and a handicap for blue since it resets to 0/1 whenever you counter something. What did the playtesters think of on this one? Walking Dream 3U Summon Illusion Uncommon Grade C-: The ability is only useful when your opponent has exactly one creature in play. I'll take a phantom monster any day. Wall of Tears 1U Summon Wall Uncommon Grade B-: I hope the art lives up to the potential of the name. Like all of the Stronghold walls, hurts green the most. Opposing Weenie decks won't really care, but this might be a valuable addition to a Tradewind/bounce deck. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --GREEN-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Awakening 2GG Enchantment Rare Grade C+: If this is supposed to hose Winter Orb, it should have a lower casting cost. As is, Monkeys or even Scavenger folk are better. Will have some value as a combo card, but Green doesn't have all that much good stuff to do during upkeep except pump Killer Bees. Burgeoning G Enchantment Rare Grade D: Another card with all the hallmarks of being emasculated after playtest. A "fixed" Fastbond, just like pets get fixed. Carnassid 4GG Summon Beast Rare Grade C-: Someone has an exaggerated opinion of regeneration. Constant Mists 1G Instant Uncommon Grade C+: About as good as a Zuran Orb in drawing out a lost game, with none of the potential for abuse. Crossbow Ambush G Instant Common Grade C-: Think of it as half a jump. Should have been a cantrip. Elven Rite 1G Sorcery Uncommon Grade C: Remember Afiya Grove? At least this isn't a rare. As an instant, it would have been a great card. As is, Armor of Thorns is the better choice for most decks. Endangered Armodon 2GG Summon Elephant Common Grade F: Elephants should trample. Even without this absurdity, this would rate no more than a D. Useless in sealed or draft, and forces Centaurs out of Stompy. Double green casting cost hurts flexibility in 'geddon decks. Effect is Totally out of character for Green. Yuck. Hermit Druid 1G Summon Druid Rare Grade C: This druid was kicked out of society for continually mumbling Gaea's Blessing underneath his/her breath. Add Library of Leng to create a perfect infinite stall at triggered effect speed. Unless I'm underestimating Green's power to manipulate the graveyard, this is a trash rare. Lowland Basilisk 2G Summon Basilisk Common Grade B: Like others of its breed, best as a combo card. But if you think of it as a wall, it's one of the best in the set. Mulch 1G Sorcery Common Grade B-: Another obvious Gaea's Blessing Combo, and assuming this one doesn't say basic land, better on its own than the Druid. Still needs some sort of Graveyard manipulation for optimum use. Overgrowth 2G Enchant Land Common Grade D: Wilder growth. There are now 9 cards with the word growth in them with seven totally unrelated effects. Primal Rage 1G Enchantment Rare Grade D: In a rare slot? This should have been common, a cantrip, or both. In my opinion, a lot weaker than Serra's Blessing for comparable cost. Provoke 1G Instant Grade A-: Much more what green needed, even though the name puts it out of color. OTOH, this card is good enough to splash into any creature-based deck, and is quite effective _against_ green. At the pre-release, I saw at least two people try to use this against Rootwater Hunters, with predictable consequences. Skyshroud Archer G Summon Elf Common Grade B-: Well, it does kill Will O' Wisps and Skulkers. But except in elf decks, I'd rather slot in Femeref Archers. Skyshroud Troopers 3G Summon Elves Common Grade C-: When will WotC learn that 3 toughness is a magic number? Too weak a beatdown creature in most environments. Too slow a mana generator in all environments. I suppose this is here to complement that silly Armodon. Spike Breeder 3G Summon Spike Rare Grade C+: At least it's interesting, but a rare 3/3 for four mana better be interesting. Had the abilities cost 0 or even 1, this could have been an excellent card. Spike Colony 4G Summon Spike Common Grade B-: Durkwood Boars with a twist. But the activation cost is still too high. Spike Feeder 1GG Summon Spike Common Grade B: 2/2 Bottle Gnomes for green! Whoopee! Spike Soldier 2GG Summon Spike Uncommon Grade B-: Another 3/3 for 4 casting cost, at least this one is harder to bolt. Spike Worker 2G Summon Spike Common Grade C: While this is easier to cast that the feeder, the loss of the sac for life ability makes this at best an average card. Spined Wurm 4G Summmon Wurm Common Ungraded: An import from Portal. It _is_ strictly superior to Durkwood Boars. Tempting licid 2B Summon Licid Uncommon Grade B: The best of the Stronghold Licids. Lure is a good ability, and WotC hasn't officially killed rampage quite yet. Verdant Touch 1G Sorcery Rare Grade C+: As an instant, this would have been a very good card. But like all buyback sorceries, the mana requirements are too hard to meet on a regular basis. Volraths Gardens 1G Enchantment Rare Grade C: If not for the "as a sorcery" wording, an 'A' card. I'll toss this into my Thallid deck just for fun, but typically I have better uses for my creatures than this. Wall of Blossoms 1G Summon Wall Uncommon Grade C-: The most passive and the least effective of the new walls. Now if it could block flyers. . . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --RED-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Amok 1R Enchantment Rare Grade D: A trash rare and in the worst color possible. I expect to see this get just as much use as a Coral Helm. If you make an Amok Time deck, you're a hopeless Trekkie. Convulsing Licid 2R Summon Licid Uncommon Grade C: The least effective of the new licids. But it is strictly superior to a Raging Bull or a Gray Ogre. Craven Giant 2R Summon Giant Common Ungraded: An import from Portal. Duct Crawler R Summon Insect Common Grade D: I'm scared. Instead of a red mage spending their mana to burn me, they're going to pump it into this thing to ping me for 1. Better concede now. Fanning the Flames XRR Sorcery Uncommon Grade C: Here we run into the dilemma of buyback spells. Without buyback, you can have the same power in an instant. But by the time you can cast this thing with Buyback, standard X spells would be more effective. But, it's still an X damage spell, which means the card is still invaluable for sealed or draft formats. If you like the name, drop into rec.arts.sf.fandom, where one can engage in Flaming the Fans. Flame Wave RRRR3 Sorcery Uncommon Grade C+: An 'I win' card in sealed, but only if you can get to a two-color deck. With three booster packs at the pre-release, that wasn't hard. Might have some value in constructed, but I can't envision the deck quite yet. Fling 1R Instant Common Grade B: Add to a land destruction deck to create the dreaded "Flinging in the Rain" deck. This is an instant and is easy to splash into green decks. Flowstone Blade R Enchant Creature Common Grade B-: This is a removal card in disguise. Gets rid of those nasty en-Kor. A good card for sealed, a little limited for constructed. Flowstone Hellion 4R Summon Beast Uncommon Grade C+: Is this really a 0 activation cost? If so, you have a 5/1 Lightning Elemental with added flexibility. But it's still a 5 casting cost boltable 3/3. Just too expensive. Flowstone Mauler 4RR Summon Beast Rare Grade C: 6 casting cost for a primarily red deck? This isn't special enough. Heck, even a Shivan ain't special enough for most serious red players. Big Red is a gum, not a deck archetype. Flowstone Shambler 2R Summon Beast Common Grade D+: Compare this to the Convulsing Licid. Which would you rather have in a deck? Neither one, Right. At least the Licid has a block and jump ability, which is more valuable than a temporary shift to 3/1. Furnace Spirit 2R Summon Spirit Common Grade D: Another dull creature here. I can't imagine putting this in a constructed deck. Heat of Battle 1R Enchantment Uncommon Grade C: At least it is interesting. I suppose I can see splashing this into some green decks, but would you really pull an incinerate, kindle, or even a thunderbolt for this? Invasion Plans 2R Enchantment Rare Grade B: I suppose if False Orders was red, this fits into the same mold. Red = color of treachery, perhaps? Works well with the new Basilisk, as the enchantment survives. But of course, your opponent(s) get the same option, so you'd better plan on creatures with alacrity. Mob Justice 1R Sorcery Common Grade C: Mogg Justice, perhaps? Another reason to use Goblin Craft instead of Mesacraft. Helps in those late-game sealed creature stalemates, but so does a fireball. Just a little more useful than Superior Numbers. Mogg Bombers 3R Summon Goblins Common Grade C-: If I want a 4 casting cost bolt in my deck, I know where to find one. This ain't it. Wouldn't you rather have a Thallid Shooter? Mogg Flunkies 1R Summon Moggs Common Grade B+: Instantly replaces Ironclaw Orcs in Sligh. Mogg Infestation 3RR Sorcery Rare Grade B-: Do the tokens count as Goblins? If so, in this era where WotC has to tell people walls can't attack, why doesn't the card say so? Note this says destroy, so a creature's controller has a choice of regenerating a creature or accepting 2 goblins. While I can see putting this into a fun deck, say War-Riders/ Dingus Staff/Subterranean Spirit, I can't see this for tournament play in any format. Mogg Maniac 1R Summon Goblin Uncommon Grade C+: A reverse jackal pup! In most decks the flunkies are a better choice. I'll toss these into my "Flash Dance" theme deck, however. Ruination 3R Sorcery Rare Grade A-: A sideboard card for mono-red. In some ways, Blood Moon was better, but this hoses the N-color splash decks in much the same manner. Seething Anger R Sorcery Common Grade B: This is a sorcery, but it can still force a quick end to the game. Like Elvish Fury, a big card for sealed deck play. Marginal at best for constructed. Shard Phoenix 4R Summon Phoenix Rare Grade B-: Hammer bird! Would rank higher, but too expensive for a 2/2. Shock R Instant Common Grade B+: A mini-bolt. Just what the game needed. Not. How many more expansions will it take before we get 60-card all bolt decks? The debate begins - shock or kindle? Spitting Hydra 3RR Summon Hydra Rare Grade B-: A 4/4 for 3RR without any disadvantages. Not bad by itself and it can also take out nuisance creatures without card loss. But it doesn't fit well into current deck archetypes and isn't good enough to build a deck around. Super in sealed. Wall of Razors 1R Summon Wall Uncommon Grade B: One of the best of the new walls. I thought allied colors don't get color hosers, but this hoses green big time. When did first strike become a red ability, any way? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --WHITE-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bandage W Instant Common Grade C: Another average cantrip. Calming Licid 2W Summon Licid Uncommon Grade C: A little more useful that its Red counterpart. Since the creature can still block, it's more of a stall card than any sort of removal. At this cost or less, I can think of lots of white creatures I'd rather use. Change of Heart W Instant Common Grade D: For one more colorless mana, Invulnerability is a far more flexible card. Not only can it accomplish much the same thing, but it leaves the creature tapped. Plus, it can be used against non-creature damage sources. Conviction 1W Enchant Creature Common Grade C-: Another bouncy enchantment, but Flickering Ward is better. I'd also rather have Sun Clasp, since most of the time I'd rather have the creature back than the enchantment. Contemplation 1WW Enchantment Uncommon Grade B-: Hmm, white/black Necro, anyone? My guess is that in an average duel, Gerrard's Wisdom works better that this as a life gainer. Hidden Retreat 2W Enchantment Rare Grade D: Okay, I suppose it stops burn decks cold. But then, so does a COP:Red at lower cost. Putting a card on top of your library is typically equivalent to skipping a turn, so of very limited use. Honor Guard W Summon Soldier Common Grade C-: Oh joy. I really worry about individual 1/1 creatures when I'm playing white. Why not use the Nomads en-Kor instead? Lancers en-Kor 3WW Summon Soldiers Uncommon Grade B: These guys were brutal in sealed deck, especially when I had regenerators or knights of dawn out at the same time. While it's still a 3/3 for 5, it's not boltable unless you don't control any other creatures. Still I'm not sure I see a place for them in any of my current constructed decks. Nomads en-Kor W Summon Soldiers Common Grade B: These, OTOH, will find there way into white weenie decks. The free redirection is as good an ability as you'll see for white at this casting cost. Pursuit of Knowledge 3W Enchantment Rare Grade B+: Let's see. Combined with a Sylvan library, you net 3 cards. Prosperity for 3, gain 3 cards over your opponent. If you insist on staying with white, you can use Truce. I still like meditate, so it shouldn't surprise you that I like this one too. Rolling Stones 1W Enchantment Rare Grade C: As expected. 7/4 flying first strikers for 4U, anyone? Will see more use in fun decks than for real play. Sacred Ground 1W Enchantment Rare Grade B: I've been expecting an anti-land destruction spell for quite a while now. Rules question: Will it save a land from Kudzu? If so, you have a pretty neat combo. Can be stolen, but we may stop seeing so many wastelands. Samite Blessing W Enchant Creature Common Grade C: Suffers from all the usual problems of creature enchantments. Scapegoat W Instant Uncommon Grade C: Seems fairly narrow protection against mass destruction. My guess is people will try this card in combination with Wrath of God, but I don't see it working out too well. Shamen en-Kor 1W Summon Cleric Rare Grade B+: This was even more brutal in sealed than the Lancers. Since it can use both abilities during damage prevention, for 1W you can play all sorts of tricks with protection and regeneration. Skyshroud Falcon 1W Summon Bird Common Ungraded: A white Zephyr Falcon. Smite W Instant Common Grade B: Not a swords replacement, since you have to be able to block and the creature you Smite can regenerate. Still, white needed something like this in the current formats. Soltari Champion 2W Summon Soldier Rare Grade B: A better than average ability, especially since it may actually survive some attacks. Spirit en-Kor 3W Summon Spirit Common Grade B-: Again, a good card in sealed deck. But as we saw with Griffins, 3W is a lot for a 2/2 flyer. Temper X1W Instant Uncommon Grade C+: Best used in control decks to keep your threat creatures alive. Typically, X will be one or two, so not that expensive. A heck of a lot better for the purpose than Alabaster Potion. Rules question: You bolt my 2/2 creature. I prevent 1 damage with this thing. The way I read this card, it lives as a 3/3 with 2 damage. Correct? What's the story behind the card name, anyway? Venerable Monk 2W Summon Cleric Common Ungraded: An import from Portal. Wall of Essence 1W Summon Wall Uncommon Grade C+: Again, it's only combat damage that counts. But it can stop someone with two small creatures from attacking, and it acts like reverse damage against a single big creature. Not bad, but still vulnerable to the usual suspects. Warrior Angel WW4 Summon Angel Rare Grade C: Too expensive, even for a spirit linked flyer. Reanimator, perhaps. Warrior en-Kor WW Summon Knight Uncommon Grade B-: While I like the Kor creatures generally, the WW slots are already taken by better creatures. Youthful Knight 1W Summon Knight Common Ungraded: A white Elvish Archers, and a common to boot. I bet green mages are really happy about this one. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --GOLD-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acidic Sliver BR Summon Sliver Uncommon Grade B: All the slivers in this cycle are 2/2 for 2 mana, with a usable special ability even outside a sliver deck. This ability is one of the better ones. Crystaline Sliver WU Summon Slivers Uncommon Grade F: This one should have had green as a component color, hence the failing grade. In reality, a pretty good card. An untargetable 2/2 for 2 mana, so call it a B. Hibernation Sliver UB Summon Sliver Uncommon Grade C+: The least valuable of the new Sliver abilities. Hard to kill, of course, but many times, it won't be worth paying the 2 life. Sliver Queen RWGUB Summon Legend Rare Grade A-: This card will rarely get cast directly. Instead, we'll see combinations with black reanimation and green "put into play" spells. Once in play, pretty brutal. Can't be banished or scared. Can attack and still create token slivers. Not only that, but the token slivers are colorless and non-artifact according to my spoiler. Spined Sliver RG Summon Sliver Uncommon Grade B: More proof that Rampage is a dying term. This is better than rampage, and when you have both Spined and Muscle Slivers in play you get some pretty fearsome cheap critters. Victual Sliver GW Summon Sliver Uncommon Grade B-: Again, a fair amount of value here taken as an individual creature. Doesn't seem to fit into the story line, but ignore that for the moment. Eat hearty. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --ARTIFACT-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bull Whip 4 Artifact Uncommon Grade C: Okay, it goes into the whips and chains decks. It has a lower activation cost than the Rod of Ruin, and "force to attack while wounded" has some value. But all in all, I’d rather have the original. Ensnaring Bridge 3 Artifact Rare Grade C: I’m trying to figure out a deck to abuse this card. The obvious combo is with Psychic Vortex, but there’s still that sac a land kicker to cope with. Think I’d rather trust a Meekstone than this. Heartstone 3 Artifact Uncommon Grade D+: In order for this thing to be better than a Welfare Stone, you must play more than one creature ability normally requiring 2 or more colorless mana in a turn. Pretty tough. That being said, this would really rock with the Queen Sliver. Horn Of Greed 3 Artifact Rare Grade B: Upgraded for a really great name. Really nice with Tithe, Land Tax and the like. Make friends in multiplayer games. Tournament quality? I don’t think it quite makes it. Hornet Cannon 4 Artifact Uncommon Grade B-: As an offensive threat, inferior to the Rod of Ruin at the exact same cost. Has far more value as a defensive tool to stall out that big flyer. May find some use as a creature generator in combos. Since it doesn’t say "at the end of any turn," may benefit from Teferi's Veil. If my spoiler is correct, you can also regenerate the tokens and have them stick around. Jinxed Ring 2 Artifact Rare Grade B-: Interesting in an Armageddon or Wrath of God deck, but note it damages you for 1 when you sac the creature to pass control. Mox Diamond 0 Artifact Rare Grade B: I knew Moxes. Moxes were friends of mine. This ain’t no Mox, and I downgraded it because WotC dares to call it a Mox. Still, a reasonable card that will cost far too much to buy on the secondary market. Portcullis 4 Artifact Rare Grade C+: "Give ‘em the gate." If you can establish enough of a creature advantage this can help you keep it. Downgraded for poor wording and rules questions. Poor wording: are the creatures out of the game or not? Rules question: If there is more than one creature "set aside" by Portcullis, I assume they all come out at once, but the text reads in the singular. Shifting Wall X Artifact Creature Uncommon Grade C: It’s still a wall. It kills pre-existing Unstable Shapeshifters. You may find uses for the counters. But the other walls in the cycle are far more valuable. Sword of the Chosen 2 Legendary Artifact Rare Grade D-: I assume this thing is there for the story line, but even as a non-legendary artifact this would be a fairly weak card. Volraths Laboratory 5 Artifact Rare Grade B+: The platypus card, I presume. Or elephants, rats, slivers, goblins, thrulls, or even saprolings. The buyback cards stop this from being an "I win" card in sealed deck, but still vies with Mox Diamond for the best artifact in the set. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --LAND-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Volraths Stronghold Legendary Land Rare Grade C+: May well show up as a sideboard card for many decks, but as a main deck card only safe with some land destruction in case someone else drops this first. Unlike disturbed burial, it costs you a draw to get your creature back. ------------ Michael Benveniste mhb@mcfi.org Any comments or statements made are not necessarily those of any employer or client, their subsidiaries, or affiliates.