Aerial Formation- An instant with Strive for 1 blue mana that says that any target creature gets +1/+1 and flying until end of turn and the additional cost per target is 2 colourless and a blue. This will be a useful combat trick, will trigger Heroic, and could even be a devastating way to crush an opponent with a flying alpha strike. This will see play and will do good work in Limited decks
Agent of Erebos- A 2/2 Enchantment Creature Zombie for a black and 3 colourless, this creature with Constellation exiles target player’s graveyard when Agent of Erebos or another Enchantment enters play. I can actually see this making the grade as a sideboard card in Standard as a form of graveyard hate to shut out Junk and Dredge decks. It is also a very serviceable card that will likely get run sufficiently in Limited as well.
Akroan Line Breaker- A 2/1 human warrior for 3 mana is a little underwhelming, but the Heroic Trigger on this guy is actually pretty beasty. Whenever he’s targeted by a spell he gets +2/+0 and intimidate meaning that he gets a form of evasion and will likely bust through and lay down a beating. W/R Heroic will love this guy with a combat trick. Just think, cast Battlewise Valor on him, he’s now a 6/4 with intimidate until end of turn…and sneaks on by to lay down a nasty bit of damage. I like him
Akroan Mastiff- Another 2/2 for 4 mana, this time a white and 3 colourless. The ability on this hound is for a white and tap him you get to tap target creature. This could be reasonable in draft, but there have been lots of other sweet cards spoiled and I don’t see this guy getting much love. Sorry puppy!
Armament of Nyx- This is a pretty interesting Aura. For a white and 2 colourless this aura will grant Enchantment creatures it is targeting with double strike, but if it enchanting any other type of creature you will prevent all damage by that creature. I think the versatility of this will make it useful, either a quasi-removal “Pacifism” or boost up one of your enchantment creatures.
Aspect of Gorgon- This is a very serviceable aura that for a black and 2 colourless target creature gets +1/+3 and deathtouch. It doesn’t excite me, and it will probably get played, but it is a pretty straightforward aura.
Bassara Tower Archer- 2 green gives a 2/1 hexproof with reach. I like this because in green heavy deck the casting cost is totally acceptable and green usually struggles with flying creatures. Toss an aura or a Bestow creature on this guy and you suddenly have a pretty formidable aerial defender that your opponent can’t target with spells. I think this is totally ok and I like the Archer a great deal.
Bladetusk boar- This reprint has some sweet new art. Otherwise, pretty standard card that will be just fine in a draft thanks to the quasi evasion on him and can be Voltroned up to bring the pain. This guy will wheel and can be picked up late in your draft.
Blinding Flare- This will be a neat little instant with Strive where for 1 red mana target creature can’t block and the additional cost per extra target is one red as well. Cheap…and ruins combat for your opponent, this will lead to blowouts, or it will sit dead in your hand. This will be another late pick in your draft and a late addition to your 23 cards.
Bloodcrazed Hoplite- A 2/1 for a black and colourless, this is the ONLY example I’ve seen of Heroic hate because the trigger on this one says he gets the standard +1/+1 counter when targeted by a spell, but whenever he gets a counter you remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you opponent controls. He’s interesting, flavourful, and something new and fresh we haven’t seen in this block yet.
Cast into Darkness- an Aura that gives target creature -2/-0 and can’t block for a black and a colourless. You’ll pass on this as the effect is pretty marginal and you can likely do better.
Cloaked Siren- a 3/2 flier for a blue and 3 colourless that also has Flash. Solid body, decent casting cost, comes with Flash…yup, this will see play. It won’t scare anyone, but in draft, where creatures are extremely valuable, this is another good one to have in your deck.
Colossal Heroics- An instant with Strive for a green and 2 colourless target creature gets +2/+2 and untap that creature and for an additional cost for the Strive of a green and colourless for each additional target they get the same. Savage surge meet Strive? Ok…that’s a good deal and will almost certainly see play in a draft.
Consign to Dust- Wow, a 3 mana (2 colourless and a green) instant artifact or enchantment removal that comes with Strive of 2 colourless and green for each additional target. So, potential for mass enchantment removal in a set jam packed with enchantments? Oh Hell yes! This will see play, even if only as a sideboard card, but will be useful and do good work. Am I greedy if I want it to exile enchantments so I target Gods with it too? Maybe…
Countermand- a 4 mana counterspell (2 blue, 2 colourless) that mills the top 4 cards of your opponent’s deck. 4 mana counterspell is likely too expensive…and the mill ability is meh. It’ll see play in limited because counter spells have been sparse this set, and maybe someone really wants the Mill ability, but it’ll be available late in your draft.
Cruel Feedings- A black instant with Strive that for a black target creature gets +1/+0 and lifelink and can target additional targets for 2 colourless and a black. I’m trying to think of a best case scenario for this one, but if you need the lifelink to gain you back the life you’re probably behind and in tough. If you can fire this one off a hit it big, well, you were likely winning anyway. It’s just a bland trick and the ability is pretty marginal, although gaining life is never a bad thing.
Desecration Plague- 4 mana (3 colourless and a green) for sorcery speed enchantment or land removal. This will see play because enchantment removal will be key, but the option to target a land is pretty interesting. I kind of want a play set and build a wonky Casual land destruction deck packing demolish and this guy.
Dreadbringer Lampads- This is a 5 mana (1 black, 4 colourless) for a 4/2 Enchantment creature with Constellation that grants a creature intimidate until end of turn. This feels overcosted for a 4/2, but with the massive number of enchantments the Constellation ability giving intimidate will be big to push damage through and to make your beat stick unblockable. It will likely be a mid to late pick for a player in black sitting at your draft table.
Eagle of the Watch- a 2/1 bird with flying and vigilance for a white and 2 colourless. Pretty bland, but I like fliers with Vigilance and can see him in a White deck pretty easily. He’ll be available pretty late, so don’t worry, you won’t need to burn an early pick on him.
Feast of Dreams- For a black and a colourless you get an instant that destroys target enchanted creature or target enchantment creature. Ok, so black got Disenchant…and potentially a Terror? Wow…cost effective removal that will hit almost everything in the Limited environment because of the enchantments makes this very good. This will be an early pick and at common you might even be able to scrape together a couple of copies if you are lucky.
