I
Istanbul
Guest
...wherein one player looks at the rare cards in the set and tells you what's good, what's crap, and what you should line your birdcage with.
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Auriok Steelshaper - 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Equip costs you pay cost 1 less.
As long as Auriok Steelshaper is equipped, Soldiers and Knights you control get +1/+1.
1/1
I could see this going alongside a tribal Soldier deck, but we all know that some of white's important weenies...hell, MANY of white's important weenies...are neither Soldiers nor Knights.
Verdict: Trade it away.
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Leonin Abunas - 3W
Creature - Cat Cleric (R)
Artifacts you control can't be the targets of spells or abilities your opponents control.
2/5
In Limited, he can get pretty nasty, especially alongside something like Platinum Angel or a bunch of artifact creatures. In Constructed, he's never going to be used, ever.
Verdict: Use it, then trade it.
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Loxodon Peacekeeper - 1W
Creature - Elephant Soldier (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, the player with the lowest life total gains control of Loxodon Peacekeeper. If two or more players are tied for lowest life total, you choose one of them, and that player gains control of Loxodon Peacekeeper.
4/4
So...very...bad...
Verdict: Trade it away, if you CAN.
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Loxodon Punisher - 3W
Creature - Elephant Soldier (R)
Loxodon Punisher gets +2/+2 for each Equipment attached to it.
2/2
If this had trample or something, it would be cool. And it might be good, alongside some equipment that confers interesting abilities. Use him in your deck if you pull him, but afterwards...
Verdict: ...he's tradebait.
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Luminous Angel - 4WWW
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying into play.
4/4
If you can't figure out that this is a fairly sweet little Limited bomb, there's not a whole lot that I...or anyone else...can do to help you. And at first, people will try to make a deck around him. But he's too costly to fit into WW, and is a novelty at best elsewhere.
Verdict: If you get it, USE it. Then trade it away for a good value before people realize that he doesn't fit into any decks.
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Rule of Law - 2W
Enchantment (R)
Each player cannot play more than one spell each turn.
Arcane Laboratory as a white rare. Yawn.
Verdict: Sideboard it, then trade it and pray nobody notices it's Arcane Laboratory's evil rare twin.
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Second Sunrise - 1WW
Instant (R)
Each player returns to play all artifact, creature, enchantment, and land cards that were put into his or her graveyard from play this turn.
Innnnteresting. If it were one-sided, it would be helpful. But can you think of the deck that needs this card? Yeah, me neither.
Verdict: Trade-bait, mid-to-low level.
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Solar Tide - 4WW
Sorcery (R)
Choose one: Destroy all creatures with power less than or equal to 2, or destroy all creatures with power greater than or equal to 3.
Entwine: Sacrifice two lands. (Choose both if you pay the Entwine cost)
Ohhhhkay! Now we're into the interesting cards. Here we have a potentially modal Wrath...and if you want to feed it two lands, you can make it not-so-modal. If you pull this card, USE it. It deserves usage.
Verdict: Keep this card. Trust me, it'll see use.
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Broodstar - 7UU
Creature - Beast (R)
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 1 less to play for each artifact you control)
Flying
Broodstar's power and toughness are each equal to the number of artifacts you control.
*/*
This is kind of cute, but...even if you have four artifacts in play, it's 5 mana for a 4/4 flyer with no special abilities. Not too shabby, and it could squeeze into your deck, but...eh.
Verdict: Oh, yes. You must trade him off. Amugaba v2.0.
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Fatespinner - 1UU
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, that player chooses draw step, main phase, or combat phase. That player skips each instance of the chosen phase or step this turn.
1/2
Actually, this guy is kinda fun. Remember, he either doesn't get to draw...doesn't get to play sorceries or permanents...or doesn't get to attack. In Limited, none of these are really acceptable. You're basically stealing a chunk of the game from your opponent until he can remove it. And in Constructed, I half-expect him to show up in Wizard decks, messing with your opponent's head.
Verdict: Play him. Keep him. Wait a while.
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Lumengrid Augur - 3U
Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
1, T: Target player draws a card, then discards a card from his or her hand. If that player discards an artifact card this way, untap Lumengrid Augur.
2/2
Not bad. If you pack your deck solid with artifacts, this can be a real thinning machine. Even if you don't, he's basically a slightly bigger Merfolk Looter that costs 1 to activate. Big whoop. He's playable in your deck, trust me. In Constructed...honestly, I don't expect to see him getting much play. He'll be one of those cards that COULD be good, but isn't yet.
Verdict: If you get him, play him. Should you trade him? Hard to say. I'd say yes, but prophesize that the other two sets will be artifact-focused if you do.
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March of the Machines - 3U
Enchantment (R)
Each noncreature artifact is an artifact creatures with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost. (Equipment that's a creature can't equip a creature.)
I'm sorry, I just don't see it. Titania's Song didn't work in Antiquities, I don't expect to see the blue version working in Mirrodin. Snore.
Verdict: Don't play it. Don't keep it.
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Quicksilver Elemental - 3UU
Creature - Elemental (R)
U: Quicksilver Elemental gains all activated abilities of target creature until end of turn. (If any of the abilities use that creature's name, use this creature's name instead.)
You may spend blue mana as though it were mana of any color to pay the activation costs of Quicksilver Elemental's abilities.
3/4
If nothing else, it's a 3/4 body for 5, which isn't too bad, really. That's the worst case scenario. Best case, it can me-too any activated ability of a creature until end of turn, which can be anywhere from mediocre to quite slick. Does he go in your deck? Yeah, probably. Is he Constructed material? That'd be a big fat NO.
Verdict: Use him! Then trade him. Low-value.
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Shared Fate - 4U
Enchantment (R)
If a player would draw a card, that player removes the top card of an opponent's library from the game face down instead. Each player may look at and play cards he or she removed from the game with Shared Fate as though they were in his or her hand.
Wow. I play with your deck, you play with mine. That's...uh...really stupid.
Verdict: Sideboard it. Trade it. Sneer at the nearest WotC rep.
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Temporal Cascade - 5UU
Sorcery (R)
Choose one - Each player shuffles his or her hand and graveyard into his or her library; or each player draws seven cards.
Entwine 2 (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)
Interesting. A potential Timetwister, but nine mana?? Ouchie. I know some schmuck is already eyeing this and thinking 'Underworld Dreams', though. In Limited, decking shouldn't be a concern (unless your opponent whips out Platinum Angel and you're out of removal), and you don't want to feed your OPPONENT seven cards too...I don't think I'd play this. In Constructed, the mana cost makes it absolutely laughable in anything but a Mind's Desire deck. Still, someone will shove it in there.
Verdict: Sideboard it, then trade it, playing up its playability in Mind's Desire deck. Then run like hell.
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Vedalken Archmage - 2UU
Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
Whenever you play an artifact spell, draw a card.
0/2
Artifact version of the Verduran? Where's the artifact version of Yavimaya? Feh. Still, it could be fun in a casual Constructed deck. But don't waste your time with him in Limited.
Verdict: Sideboard him, then trade for three more and see what kind of fun you can have with Equipment!
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I'll do black and red in my next post.
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Auriok Steelshaper - 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Equip costs you pay cost 1 less.
As long as Auriok Steelshaper is equipped, Soldiers and Knights you control get +1/+1.
1/1
I could see this going alongside a tribal Soldier deck, but we all know that some of white's important weenies...hell, MANY of white's important weenies...are neither Soldiers nor Knights.
Verdict: Trade it away.
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Leonin Abunas - 3W
Creature - Cat Cleric (R)
Artifacts you control can't be the targets of spells or abilities your opponents control.
2/5
In Limited, he can get pretty nasty, especially alongside something like Platinum Angel or a bunch of artifact creatures. In Constructed, he's never going to be used, ever.
Verdict: Use it, then trade it.
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Loxodon Peacekeeper - 1W
Creature - Elephant Soldier (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, the player with the lowest life total gains control of Loxodon Peacekeeper. If two or more players are tied for lowest life total, you choose one of them, and that player gains control of Loxodon Peacekeeper.
4/4
So...very...bad...
Verdict: Trade it away, if you CAN.
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Loxodon Punisher - 3W
Creature - Elephant Soldier (R)
Loxodon Punisher gets +2/+2 for each Equipment attached to it.
2/2
If this had trample or something, it would be cool. And it might be good, alongside some equipment that confers interesting abilities. Use him in your deck if you pull him, but afterwards...
Verdict: ...he's tradebait.
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Luminous Angel - 4WWW
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying into play.
4/4
If you can't figure out that this is a fairly sweet little Limited bomb, there's not a whole lot that I...or anyone else...can do to help you. And at first, people will try to make a deck around him. But he's too costly to fit into WW, and is a novelty at best elsewhere.
Verdict: If you get it, USE it. Then trade it away for a good value before people realize that he doesn't fit into any decks.
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Rule of Law - 2W
Enchantment (R)
Each player cannot play more than one spell each turn.
Arcane Laboratory as a white rare. Yawn.
Verdict: Sideboard it, then trade it and pray nobody notices it's Arcane Laboratory's evil rare twin.
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Second Sunrise - 1WW
Instant (R)
Each player returns to play all artifact, creature, enchantment, and land cards that were put into his or her graveyard from play this turn.
Innnnteresting. If it were one-sided, it would be helpful. But can you think of the deck that needs this card? Yeah, me neither.
Verdict: Trade-bait, mid-to-low level.
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Solar Tide - 4WW
Sorcery (R)
Choose one: Destroy all creatures with power less than or equal to 2, or destroy all creatures with power greater than or equal to 3.
Entwine: Sacrifice two lands. (Choose both if you pay the Entwine cost)
Ohhhhkay! Now we're into the interesting cards. Here we have a potentially modal Wrath...and if you want to feed it two lands, you can make it not-so-modal. If you pull this card, USE it. It deserves usage.
Verdict: Keep this card. Trust me, it'll see use.
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Broodstar - 7UU
Creature - Beast (R)
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 1 less to play for each artifact you control)
Flying
Broodstar's power and toughness are each equal to the number of artifacts you control.
*/*
This is kind of cute, but...even if you have four artifacts in play, it's 5 mana for a 4/4 flyer with no special abilities. Not too shabby, and it could squeeze into your deck, but...eh.
Verdict: Oh, yes. You must trade him off. Amugaba v2.0.
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Fatespinner - 1UU
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, that player chooses draw step, main phase, or combat phase. That player skips each instance of the chosen phase or step this turn.
1/2
Actually, this guy is kinda fun. Remember, he either doesn't get to draw...doesn't get to play sorceries or permanents...or doesn't get to attack. In Limited, none of these are really acceptable. You're basically stealing a chunk of the game from your opponent until he can remove it. And in Constructed, I half-expect him to show up in Wizard decks, messing with your opponent's head.
Verdict: Play him. Keep him. Wait a while.
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Lumengrid Augur - 3U
Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
1, T: Target player draws a card, then discards a card from his or her hand. If that player discards an artifact card this way, untap Lumengrid Augur.
2/2
Not bad. If you pack your deck solid with artifacts, this can be a real thinning machine. Even if you don't, he's basically a slightly bigger Merfolk Looter that costs 1 to activate. Big whoop. He's playable in your deck, trust me. In Constructed...honestly, I don't expect to see him getting much play. He'll be one of those cards that COULD be good, but isn't yet.
Verdict: If you get him, play him. Should you trade him? Hard to say. I'd say yes, but prophesize that the other two sets will be artifact-focused if you do.
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March of the Machines - 3U
Enchantment (R)
Each noncreature artifact is an artifact creatures with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost. (Equipment that's a creature can't equip a creature.)
I'm sorry, I just don't see it. Titania's Song didn't work in Antiquities, I don't expect to see the blue version working in Mirrodin. Snore.
Verdict: Don't play it. Don't keep it.
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Quicksilver Elemental - 3UU
Creature - Elemental (R)
U: Quicksilver Elemental gains all activated abilities of target creature until end of turn. (If any of the abilities use that creature's name, use this creature's name instead.)
You may spend blue mana as though it were mana of any color to pay the activation costs of Quicksilver Elemental's abilities.
3/4
If nothing else, it's a 3/4 body for 5, which isn't too bad, really. That's the worst case scenario. Best case, it can me-too any activated ability of a creature until end of turn, which can be anywhere from mediocre to quite slick. Does he go in your deck? Yeah, probably. Is he Constructed material? That'd be a big fat NO.
Verdict: Use him! Then trade him. Low-value.
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Shared Fate - 4U
Enchantment (R)
If a player would draw a card, that player removes the top card of an opponent's library from the game face down instead. Each player may look at and play cards he or she removed from the game with Shared Fate as though they were in his or her hand.
Wow. I play with your deck, you play with mine. That's...uh...really stupid.
Verdict: Sideboard it. Trade it. Sneer at the nearest WotC rep.
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Temporal Cascade - 5UU
Sorcery (R)
Choose one - Each player shuffles his or her hand and graveyard into his or her library; or each player draws seven cards.
Entwine 2 (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)
Interesting. A potential Timetwister, but nine mana?? Ouchie. I know some schmuck is already eyeing this and thinking 'Underworld Dreams', though. In Limited, decking shouldn't be a concern (unless your opponent whips out Platinum Angel and you're out of removal), and you don't want to feed your OPPONENT seven cards too...I don't think I'd play this. In Constructed, the mana cost makes it absolutely laughable in anything but a Mind's Desire deck. Still, someone will shove it in there.
Verdict: Sideboard it, then trade it, playing up its playability in Mind's Desire deck. Then run like hell.
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Vedalken Archmage - 2UU
Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
Whenever you play an artifact spell, draw a card.
0/2
Artifact version of the Verduran? Where's the artifact version of Yavimaya? Feh. Still, it could be fun in a casual Constructed deck. But don't waste your time with him in Limited.
Verdict: Sideboard him, then trade for three more and see what kind of fun you can have with Equipment!
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I'll do black and red in my next post.
