Super Uber DKA Review Part 4

Posted on February 24, 2012 by CouchPirateJake

Gold

I can spoil a lot these Captain reviews right now and tell you that if you have any significant amount of the tribe then you definitely want the relevant Captain and that they are perfectly acceptable splash cards. This one in particular is particularly good with its Undying Zombie friends but it always feels like it should give other Zombies Deathtouch. This guy will slide right into a Casual Zombie deck of all types but I wouldn’t look for it to do much in Constructed.

Drogskol Captain (9.0 out of 10.0)

You want to get as many copies of the U/W Captain as you can. It is completely nuts and the more copies you get, the more likely you are to just win. Take it early, since it is good to be in U/W anyway and take every Spirit you see. This Captain may actually see some bleed into Constructed since he pumps such an important tribe. And that means he has to be good for Casual.

Drogskol Reaver (9.0 out of 10.0)

Wow, a Mythic that actually behaves like a Mythic and makes me wonder what makes this guy tick. I want to know the story behind this creature and that is a good sign for Mythic flavor. This is just a flat out bomb and can make a bad deck come out of nowhere to win. Draft around it and you will win easily. It does not have a Constructed engine at the moment but it could be fun to build a Spirit Pod deck and try to abuse this guy. I would guess he should be banned in Casual.

Falkenrath Aristocrat (7.5 out of 10.0)

A card like this is lucky it got such a high rating but that is a testament to how powerful it can be, because it is a Mythic that gets deducted a ton of points for not really being all that interesting or Mythic. Kind of like a lot of the Mythics in Dark Ascension. I think it is best when paired with an Undying strategy because a four power flying, indestructible creature is usually good enough. This is one Mythic that could break the Standard threshold if the color combination is relevant. You should probably try to pick them up cheap if you can.

Havengul Lich (9.0 out of 10.0)

There is a lot of potential surrounding this Dralnu-for-creatures and a lot of discussion. That makes it interesting and good enough to be Mythic for me. In Limited, he lets you cast all your creatures again and doubling your creature count is usually a good thing. In Constructed, he potentially gets better with every creature printed so it would be prudent to keep an eye on him there, too.

Huntmaster of the Fells/Ravager of the Fells (10.0 out of 10.0)

I don’t feel I have much insight into this card that hasn’t already been exhausted. Windmill slam it and build around it. It will get played in Constructed. This is one of the only chases in the set.

Immerwolf (8.0 out of 10.0)

This Captain is really cool. It is a nice ability to make all your Werewolves permanent dropping this guy after a couple of flips. The game would be over pretty quickly. Having an uncommon like this indicates to me that the ‘fast’ Limited deck will be R/G. It serves multiple purposes in Casual games and should be popular there as well.

Sorin, Lord of Innistrad (10.0 out of 10.0)

Well, I just don’t think enough has been said about Sorin. Fans of the Vampire Lord have lamented the playability of 1.0 since he was printed in Zendikar block. I would say they were rewarded for their patience. It has been a little while since we got such a versatile Planeswalker at just 4cc. I could see control and aggressive strategies alike enjoying Sorin 2.0. His Ultimate even feels really mythic to me. It is really something we have not see done before and brings up a lot of questions. Is he always that powerful or just when he has fed on his home plane for a while? Is he back in Innistrad to drag some Planeswalkers back to Zendikar and deal with the Eldrazi? How will he react to Dack Fayden (MtG Ice T with a Star Wars name)? I really want to send Sorin 2.0 Ultimate in a relevant situation and this makes me wonder if there is anyway to Proliferate him profitably. I might try him out in an Esper Tezzeret build.

Stormkirk Captain (8.5 out of 9.0)

Outside of the power of the Spirit Captain, this is my favorite of the cycle and it is because of the flavor. The text tells us that the Stormkirk Clan has started slaughtering the other monsters because they are destroying the humans, their food source. It belies that there is some sense of strategy in the Vampire community on Innistrad and maybe Sorin will have some Vampire allies. Of course, this makes it even stranger that Sorin 2.0 was not Red and Black as seems natural.

Artifacts

Altar of the Lost (6.0 out of 10.0)

This mana accelerator seems cool but I don’t think it is dependable enough to make a lot of cuts. If you plan on going into the Burning Vengeance or Self Mil decks then I could see its uses but even then you still need to cast other spells before this does anything for you. And then your Flashback doesn’t always cost more, sometimes it is off color. At least then, it is versatile. So maybe it frees up an archetype based around it where you can ‘splash’ all the off color Flashback spells you want with ease. Being this hard to play in Limited is difficult enough and this card won’t overcome that barrier in Constructed unless you can cheat it into play.

Avacyn’s Collar (8.5 out of 10.0)

This is a very good card in Limited and you should take it early and build around it. It makes combat pretty terrible for the person sitting across from it. You usually know which Human you have that they want to kill. Put this on there and make it bad for them to shoot it. This is so powerful and relatively cheap, I could see it making its way into a Constructed Humans deck one day. For Casual, strap this thing on any of your dudes and start building a makeshift Avacyn.

Chalice of Life/Chalice of Death (6.5 out of 10.0)

Chris Allen (@psychicbattle) and I have joked about this being a win condition in a Dimir or Esper Durdle deck that already utilizes Pristine Talisman. Oddly enough, this could be a real strategy as LSV showed in some of his Standard videos. For Limited, I imagine you could draft a very narrow deck and try to generate enough life gain but you would need to stumble into multiples of this card or make it a point to get them. However, this strategy seems pretty weak as it will get hit by everyone’s artifact hate.

Elbrus, the Binding Blade Withengar Unbound (9.0 out of 10.0)

I don’t care if this card is playable or not. I love this piece of tiny equipment that turns into a Demon monstrosity. It hearkens back to the classic fantasy and especially Lovecraftian ideal of forbidden knowledge barely contained in dangerous artifacts, much like the One Ring or numerous Dungeons and Dragons intelligent weapons. I think you take this and play it in Limited every time, it is too expensive to play in Constructed without cheating it in (tears for Stoneforge Mystic), and though it has text for Commander it is probably pointless there too. Oh yeah, and it reminds me of Lord of the Pit and that is the card that got me into Magic.

Executioner’s Hood (4.5 out of 10.0)

This equipment is mostly bad. I would only side it in if I had little Evasion and it would guarantee I would connect and probably only if it then triggered some neat affect on a substantial number of my creatures. So, pretty unlikely, yeah. It is even worse than this in Constructed. You can’t spend mana on things like this. However, in Casual, this will probably be devastating in any deck that wants to attack.

Grafdigger’s Cage (9.5 out of 10.0)

This nifty Rare will see plenty of play and diversifies the game’s magic bullets for things like Dredge. It gives a nice side board option in Limited for pesky Undying, Burning Vengeance, and Self Mil decks. I just hope it doesn’t hate out Pod and Undying strategies in Constructed. What I do love about this card, is the flavor. Even if the card wasn’t relevant to the state of magic, I would still rate it high. The Thraben at least have taboos against burning the dead, so they start building cages over graves to keep the undead in. That is both funny and innovative. And it is a great example of real flavor.

Heavy Mattock (1.0 out of 10.0)

This card is slow and bad and slow. And it doesn’t make any sense. Why is a giant farm tool any better or worse in a Human’s hands when you are hitting something in the head with it. And why does it cost so freaking much? No wonder the Humans of Innistrad aren’t doing so well, if it takes all that effort just to use an every day tool.

Helvault (8.0 out of 10.0)

This may not be the best Mythic to open and play but it isn’t the worst. And while the powers aren’t terribly Mythic or unique, they do tell a story. Because of this card, we know that there is some kind of extradimensional prison on Innistrad and it is likely to bust completely open in Avacyn Restored. These are really the best kind of Mythics; kind of good cards that tell a good story and won’t cost fifty bucks.

Jar of Eyeballs (7.5 out of 10.0)

A lot of the time this is a do nothing card but it does provide some card selection and is one hella cool do nothing card. It becomes more and more useful if you are trying to dig to a bomb. So, if you get some kind of top level bomb then feel free to take this and think of it as a second copy of your most powerful spells. Be warned, it is pretty slow and you need to keep that in mind when you are drafting it. Unfortunately, it just lacks the power to see Constructed but will be content with the fact it is just a super cool card.

Warden of the Wall (6.5 out of 10.0)

I feel you will play this card in a lot of decks since it is a mana accelerator that turns into a ⅔ flying blocker when you do not need it anymore. I wouldn’t want a lot of these in my deck for two reasons: it only makes colorless mana and it is a terrible top deck. It is just too slow and outclassed by about every other ramp spell in Constructed but we are reaching a critical mass for Gargoyles to use in a theme deck.

Wolfhunter’s Quiver (7.5 out of 10.0)

I see this card as having a lot of potential but you need a lot of planning to use it effectively because of the high equip cost. If you draft a bigger slower deck this can be an absolute all-star since there is such a small amount of this pinging affect available. Five manas for equipping is a whole lot of mana but I liken the Quiver to a equipment like Heavy Arbalest. Combine with any number of the Deathtouch critters in the block and you are in business. However, don’t look for it to out level any of the aweseom equipments we already have in Constructed.

Lands

Evolving Wilds (7.0 out of 10.0)

I was at loss what to rate this card. It is very useful and you will play it in every format imaginable. But it is a reprint and not very interesting to talk about. It is pretty sweet. Play it.

Grim Backwoods (7.5 out of 10.0)

I like cards like this a lot and right now its power is outstripped by most of the other spell lands in the block. However, sacrificing a creature for a benefit like drawing a card can be a huge enabler. Thinking of deck like Conley’s GP Orlando B/G Wolf Run with maybe a copy of Mikeaus the Unhallowed with this thrown in as a silver bullet seems fun to me. You should probably try to play any of the spell lands in Limited and just reap the rewards.

Haunted Fengraf (7.0 out of 10.0)

Right now, this card is underplayed. If you are worried about getting a bad creature back at random, then in the words of Sheldo Mennery, “Stop playing bad creatures.” I would definitely play this in a heavy one color, or straight two color deck. If you play one copy, count it as a half a spell. If you play two copies, count one as a spell for your land count. Keep these around, they will be nice in Constructed in a deck that only runs a couple of creatures. The variance is greatly minimized in these types of decks.

Vault of the Archangel (9.0 out of 10.0)

This spell land is powerful in every way you can imagine. Take it first pick and cut hard to get the deck you need. It will turn a poor deck into a tournament winning deck. This was printed with Sorin and Lingering Souls and is a prefect card to make them all go together. You will see this card in Constructed decks for at least the next year.

Hope you had fun reading this. It was my first foray into reviews so I have a plan for Avacyn Restored and it will be much more timely.

Thanks

Jake

Twitter: @couchpiratejake

Facebook: Couch Pirate-Jake

Website: couchpirates.com

Super Uber DKA Review Part 3

Posted on February 9, 2012 by CouchPirateJake

Red

Afflicted Deserter/Werewolf Ransacker (7.5 out of 10.0)

This medium sized Werewolf is not as aggressively costed as we would like for a Red Transform card as we would like the power of our Human version to at least be equal to our mana investment. Remember, there are always costs to playing cards besides the casting cost and in an aggressive deck we want this ratio to be as close to equal as possible. The Ransacker has a very good ability but while its randomness is excellent flavor for Red, it is not a reliable way to kill an artifact you have to get off the board. Most of the time just play this card as a critter and get the cool bonus of blowing up an artifact but try to pick up another spell to deal with pesky brown cards more efficiently. Besides a solid creature in Limited, he will only see play in casual Werewolf decks.

Alpha Brawl (8.0 out of 10.0)

If you think you want be in Red then take this rare. At RR, you can’t splash it so make a commitment to be all over Red once you do take it. It is a very expensive casting cost, but unless you are playing against a degenerate double Spirit Captain deck, you will have a high probability of wiping their board and winning the game. And you really can’t ask for much more out of a rare in limited. Unfortunately, it has a prohibitive mana cost for Constructed but it should be an All Star in Casual games. I think it would be fun to make a Red Commander deck with all the chaos based cards and complete randomness; this would be a fun addition to that type of deck.

Blood Feud (7.5 out of 10.0)

This uncommon is very good and much better than I originally realized as it fights any two target creatures, meaning you can make two of your opponents creatures fight each other. Nice. However, it is hampered by a few things: there is an abnormal amount of Sacred (Hexproof) in this block, your opponent needs two targetable creatures or it is a Prey Upon that costs plus five manas, it is a Sorcery and those make me mad, it is awful when you are facing down a single boss creature, and it is a terrible top deck playing into an empty board. That being said take it and play it in Limited because it won’t be played anywhere else. For flavor purposes, I would it to have a Morbid trigger for Vampires or something like that.

Burning Oil (9.5 out of 10.0)

I can tell you right now that this is one of the best uncommons in the set. You are probably going to take this over a lot of rares and mythics as well. It is a complete blowout exactly when you want a blowout. It will facilitate so many 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 situations. This is exactly the type of card that will put you in Red. It can’t kill Utility creatures but oh well. Every card can’t be perfect. For Constructed, it unfortunately doesn’t pass the Geist test or the Titan test, but Casual players should play four copies and never look back.

Curse of Bloodletting (6.5 out of 10.0)

This is a difficult card to evaluate. Traditionally, building around a Furnace-like affect can be powerful, however, I wouldn’t play this just because I had Red spells. If you do end up with one in your picks then you need to look for cards that could be good with it like Flayer of the Hatebound, Rage Thrower, or Burning Vengeance. Luckily, these are all powerful cards anyway and makes Curse of Bloodletting a safe late pick that could pay off big for you. It won’t see play in Constructed but should be a lot of fun for Casual and Commander decks.

Erdwal Ripper (7.0 out of 10.0)

This is just an average beater that grows as it feeds. Combined with other Vampires, they all become more powerful. If you are going to be heavier red, she will be great filler for your army. And that leaves her missing Constructed play, but being a big hit for Casual B/R Vamp decks.

Faithless Looting (10.0 out of 10.0)

I LOVE THE NEW RED!!! Just better than Careful Study, the new Red is a perfect pairing with Blue that warms my Izzet (probably more like Grixis) heart. I will play this in any format. It gives you something to do with your extra lands in Limited, it facilitates a whole new deck in Standard, and should be played everywhere else. If this is what Dack Fayden brings to Magic then he can keep his stupid Star Wars name.

Fires of Undeath (8.0 out of 10.0)

This is a very solid piece of removal. You want as many of these as you can get in Limited and it is awesomely splashable in both a Red or Black deck. Use it early to slaughter about every relevant utility creature in the format. It does too little for too much mana in Constructed but should be a very nice card for Casual games.

Flayer of the Hatebound (9.0 out of 10.0)

First pick this card. It is good and hard to deal with. You have to play around it perfectly. You can do it but it isn’t very easy. Besides its raw power, Flayer is sweet because of its reminiscent similarities to Flametongue Kavu. It is pretty damn good by itself but even more powerful if you can pile some other Undiers with it. I could see building around this in Constructed because like Grave Titan it deals with Geist even if they have one piece of removal. He is one of the reasons I would want to tinker with an Undying Pod deck. He just seems like gravy for a Casual or Commander deck that can take advantage of his abilities.

Fling (5.5 out of 10.0)

This old red standby is about the same it has always been. It will be great in an Undying draft deck or for corner cases and is about as flavorless as a saltine cracker.

Forge Devil (5.5 out of 10.0)

Forge Devil has its uses in Limited, but it would be much better in other formats. I keep thinking it would be better with Bloodthirst creatures or that it could kill about half the creatures played in Zendikar Limited. I think you could sideboard this against a lot of Human strategies but if you maindeck it try to use like a really poor Geistflame and trade up a small creature for a better blocker. I don’t think any Red strategy is yearning for this in any other format. Sorry.

Heckling Fiends (7.5 out of 10.0)

I love creatures that can force other creatures to attack in Limited. It gives all of your removal, and creatures, and tricks so much more reach. I feel like giving it an even higher rating but I am just not confident in its Grey Ogre body. But I want to play them and I want to create chaos with them. It makes me sad to report that it just isn’t playable anywhere else.

Hellrider (9.0 out of 10.0)

You can definitely build around this game changer in Limited and it feels like you want to build around it in Standard. Unfortunately, it probably will not be good enough. It can create complicated and close to unwinnable board states, so I wouldn’t be surprised where it gets played.

Hinterland Hermit/Hinterland Scourge (8.0 out of 10.0)

This is the Red avatar of aggression in Dark Ascension. If you are Red and you want to be fast, then you want these in you deck. A 3/2 that has to be blocked can be devastating for almost any deck you are playing against Only the best Human token decks could trade profitably. A lot of werewolves do not make the Constructed cut but at least it blocks a Geist nicely. However, that is about as far as it goes here. I am surprised that I do not see more Werewolf Casual decks. It is strange Vampires seem to be winning in this category.

Increasing Vengeance (3.5 out of 10.0)

I hate this card. Cards like this are just never useful outside of corner cases. It only get s the extra half point here because I could see throwing this in as an after thought in a Burning Vengeance deck.

Markov Blademaster (8.0 out of 10.0)

I would give Vampire Psylocke a higher rating if I thought she would live very long. At 3cc, she is going to find it difficult to battle through defenses against some decks and she will eat removal very quickly. But if she ever starts connecting then your opponent is in big trouble. This fragility will keep her out of everything but Vampire Casual decks.

Markov Warlord (7.0 out of 10.0)

This guy is a 4/4 haster with a built in Falter. Board states get little more elaborate in Dark Ascension Limited than they did in Innstrad so his Falter ability can be effective and his body isn’t terrible for the 6cc. You do not want a lot of these or 6cc cards in your deck but you could definitely use a couple to battle through. Like a lot of Vampires in this Block, they will only be played in Casual games.

Mondronen Shaman/Tovolar’s Magehunter (8.5 out of 10.0)

The Human side of this puppy isn’t great but the Werewolf side puts the opponent very far behind. It is all of a sudden a 5/5 for 4cc that they have to take damage just to deal with it. This is an excellent card for any Red deck. Maybe this could be the high end of a Red Beatdown in Constrcuted but I feel there are just better options in cards like Hellrider and Hero of Oxid Ridge. I would love to play in something outside of Limited though since it is one of the Transform cards that tells a story from front to back.

Moonviel Dragon (5.5 out of 10.0)

Don’t get me wrong; this big guy is very powerful and you need to take him and play him in Limited when you see him. However, this is a huge fail as a Mythic to me. On its own, it is just a worse Shivan Dragon and that certainly isn’t the standard Mythics need to meet. As a Mythic, it doesn’t need to be super powerful but if it isn’t then it needs to be super interesting and this is as bland as it gets. Maybe it is Mythic because Dragons are not common in Innistrad but they are pretty much mundane in Magic the Gathering. Hey, it is pretty sweet for Casual and maybe a Dragon Commander deck though.

Nearheath Stalker (7.5 out of 10.0)

Undying is awesome on this guy. He feels like he should have Haste but it isn’t too big of a deal. Often, he swings for some big damage and then comes back from the Graveyard as a five power creature that holds off your opponents forces the next turn. With the 5cc, he will be a headache in Casual but not any other Constructed formats.

Pyreheart Wolf (8.0 out of 10.0)

This Wolf’s ability is very powerful for any deck that plans on attacking the turn after you cast it. It could be absolute bonkers if you didn’t have to wait a turn to take advantage of it. As it is your opponent has a chance to deal with it or plan around it. If your opponent can play properly then they can make it a tempo disadvantage to you but if he goes uncontested he will give you at least two turns of deadly alpha striking. I don’t see it getting played anywhere else unless someone can do something really janky with it.

Russet Wolves (6.0 out of 10.0)

These Wolves are typical limited filler. You will use them to fill out any deck with a substantial amount of Red but you won’t want to do it. Try to avoid playing them at all costs but they are “playable”. In fact, if you have this guy in hand and some Werewolves in play then it is right just to hold him and flip your Werewolves. Outside of that, it will be a great card for proxies.

Scorch the Fields (6.0 out of 10.0)

This is slow but can be a potentially powerful card coming out of your sideboard. Remember to look for this if your opponent is playing one of the spell lands or they are heavy Humans. A lot of the Human decks will just die to this card if played properly. Just remember, your Humans may die, too. And it is another awesome card for proxies outside of that use.

Shattered Perception (7.5 out of 10.0)

This is a niche card to be really powerful, namely the Burning Vengeance deck. But it is a niche card that I am going to want to play all the time. I love to have an excuse to hoard extra lands in my hand and this is perfect to dig out of those land pockets. I will probably play this more than it is warranted but I just like it. It would be really sweet if it saw Constructed play and it very well could. It is hard to imagine exactly when or where but it could enable many unnatural interactions.

Talons of Falkenrath (1.0 out of 10.0)

YAY!!! We found what will at least be tied for the worst card in the set. This card is only good for copious amounts of proxies. And now I am sure I will lose to it at some point.

Torch Fiend (7.5 out of 10.0)

This artifact hating Devil is aggressively costed and kills a ton of problem cards as a bonus. Do not leave him in your sideboard unless you are the durdleliest of durdle decks. Even if he doesn’t kill something, and he usually will, he will be aggressive until your bigger forces get to the battlefield. Other formats have a lot better options but I could see him as a fifth copy of artifact removal at some point.

Wrack with Madness (8.0 out of 10.0)

This solid Red removal spell is the other side of Blood Feud. While good most of the time, it is even better when you each have a creature or you are facing down a boss bomb critter off the top of your deck. It won’t kill every creature but it will kill most of the creatures that are real problems for you. There are just way too many removal options costed a lot cheaper for it to see play anywhere else.

Green

Briarpack Alpha (8.0 out of 10.0)

Green starts out really strong in Dark Ascension. I really like this card a lot and it does exactly what I want a creature to do, act like a spell. I think it pairs particularly well with White for the Vigilance creatures and Midnight Guard. Four manas for a 3/3 will not be playable anywhere else.

Clinging Mists (6.0 out of 10.0)

This instant can be powerful and I want to play with it at some point but I cut it a lot. I think it is similar to Bar the Door. It is a card you can blow someone completely out with later in the format when they think they know what is going on. But only play it in a balls to the wall aggressive deck that you have no interest in even pretending to block so you can hide that you have it with your natural game play. Some Casual players absolutely love Fog affects. Outside of that it might make a short lived appearance in a Combo deck that needs a Fog effect to reach their seminal turn.

Chrushing Vines (7.0 out of 10.0)

This instant is something Green usually isn’t, versatile. In a lot of Green decks it can remove the cards that are going to be the worst for you. I say play it because it will likely hit something and will often set up at least two for ones, but be ready to side board it out if your opponent has completely blanked it. Its versatility gives it a chance to show up for a corner case in sideboards one day.

Dawntreader Elk (8.0 out of 10.0)

A Bear that fixes your mana; what more could you ask for? If I am in green, I want to splash ALL the removals. This makes this guy a high pick for me. If I think I will be heavy Green, I would love to pick these up early. A couple of them will make your deck so much better. His activation cost makes Bambi’s Dad suboptimal for Constructed play, but I would build a sweet five color Casual deck around it.

Deranged Outcast (7.5 out of 10.0)

This Deranged card is one of the first ones that weren’t auto-plays. He is okay on his own since he becomes a combat trick, but you will want to take this Rare when you already know you will be heavy on the Humans. If you can abuse his sacrifice outlet with the Human shenanigans then the board state can get out of control quickly. If his sacrifice affect didn’t have the mana cost, I would say he could definitely facilitate some silliness in Constructed but as it is he will just be a fun Casual Human card.

Favor of the Woods (4.0 out of 10.0)

I know I will play against multiple copies of this card at some point and I won’t be happy about it. In fact, I really want to draft a deck that just sits behind it one day. We will see if I have the time and if it ever works out. However, it is a pretty terrible card all the way around.

Feed the Pack (8.5 out of 10.0)

This Rare Green card seems pretty techy and the may clause means it is a lot more playable than if you were forced to sacrifice. I think you go into Green for an affect like this. At 6cc, it doesn’t do enough for Constructed but it would be nice if it enabled some sort of Undying Deck as a singleton or the like. Also, I think it is one of the coolest Casual cards in the set.

Ghoultree (7.0 out of 10.0)

At least at Wizard’s Games, this card will be known as the “Should Have Been Tarmogoyf Slot”. The point of Modern is that WotC can easily reprint a lot of the cards for us. They really should have gotten some of them to us in Dark Ascension. And it even makes sense for flavor to reprint Goyf in this slot as it fits many of the same themes. Anyway, Ghoultree works well with several strategies. Draft it and it will work well with the Self Mil deck or just a B/G finisher.

Gravetiller Wurm (7.5 out of 10.)

To me, this is the Hexplate Golem of the set. You take it as a big dumb finisher and crush your opponents with it once you have control of the game. In this since, Morbid is perfect because it tells you how to play the card. Take control of the game, force them to kill your stuff for the comeback, and lock up the game with an 8/8 Trample Wurm. And of course you know, Hexplate Golems don’t get played anywhere else. Off to Proxy Land for the Durdle Wurm.

Grim Flowering (5.5 out of 10.0)

Green drawing cards feels so good. At 6cc, this Uncommon can be good in the right deck, Self Mil, B/G, late one of in a creature heavy deck, blah, blah, blah. It isn’t going to break games on its own but definitely think about playing it in your decks that put physical creatures in the graveyard. I like to think of it as a comeback card. Your opponent just crippled your board at great cost to his own, you tap six manas and you are right back into the game and probably favored. Its casting cost will cost it from seeing play anywhere else.

Hollowhenge Beast (6.5 out of 10.0)

He is a 5.5 for 5cc with double G, pretty plain dude. You will play him heavy Green decks, and kind of want to stay away from everywhere else, pretty plain review.

Hunger of the Howlpack (6.5 out of 10.0)

In the right deck versus the right deck this will be a total blowout. If you can facilitate the Morbid trigger than you should play the card. If you aren’t hitting Morbid regularly then this is a waste of a combat trick slot. Giant Growth was better and it didn’t get played all the time. I don’t see it getting played anywhere but Casual either.

Increasing Savagery (9.0 out of 10.0)

Another reason to hit Green hard, this Rare is the best of the cycle. It is tremendously good when you cast it the first time and it is pretty easy to Flashback. You will win so many games casting this card, just play smart and don’t let them blow you out. I do not think it will be reliable enough to make an impact in Constructed but it will be a supremely popular Casual card.

Kessig Recluse (8.5 out of 10.0)

A creature that acts like a spell and can remove any creature: Yes Please. If you are even looking at being in Green, I do not see how you can pass this card for very much. AND it can be tempo if your silly opponent skips casting to flip some Wolves. As good as it will be in Limited, it cannot make the Constructed cut but it will help all those Green Mages surprise their Blue and White Mage friends in Casual.

Lambholt ElderSilverpelt Werewolf (7.0 out of 10.0)

I like this card a whole lot. I wish the old lady side was a tad tougher but what can you really expect of the elderly. If they let this thing flip immediately then they are in serious trouble. A card like this may be a reason to play Moonmist. Casual decks should be playing four of these, easy.

Lost in the Woods (3.0 out of 10.0)

I don’t know if you ever, ever play this card. It doesn’t even seem like it would have a corner case. I do like the flavor of being lost in the woods so I might play it for fun if I had a Planeswalker to protect.

Predator Ooze (7.0 out of 10.0)

Triple G for a 1/1 is so hard to do, but if you are very heavy Green then Indestructible is definitely worth it. It may be good for Constructed but isn’t a world beater in the metagame of Black Sun Zenith and Elesh Norn. However, it should be one killer Casual card and slowly end many a kitchen table game.

Scorned VillagerMoonscarred Werewolf (7.5 out of 10.0)

This Mana Wolf is exactly what some Green decks want to be doing and will be a tad too slow for others. Play it and if your opponent ever stumbles you will all of a sudden be throwing down some fatties on the table. It shouldn’t see play in Constructed but would be a sweet Sol Ring like affect in Commander and a Casual all star.

Somberwald Dryad (7.0 out of 10.0)

You will usually want to play it in your Green decks since it is a Bear that is sometimes unblockable. You can also easily side it out if you have something better against a specific opponent. Besides that, I really don’t think it will be played anywhere else and isn’t all that interesting.

Strangleroot Geist (8.0 out of 10.0)

This may have the most impact out of all the Undying creatures. It has Haste to bust open some heads so they can’t avoid its attacks and it passes the Geist Test quite well. Nice card, bro. Keep an eye out on it, draft it, and try to get four of them early. It will probably be a popular Uncommon across most levels of play.

Tracker’s Instincts (6.5 out of 10.0)

This is good in one deck, Self Mil and that is stretching the definition of good. I could see a Constructed deck powering out some degenerate strategy and playing it one day, though. I would get four and keep them around somewhere, just in case you need it for a Combo deck one day.

Ulvenwald Bear (6.5 out of 10.0)

This should be called Bear-or Grey Ogre since…ah, nevermind. This type of card is typical Green fodder. He fits perfectly in a Green based Undying focused deck, but normally he will be the last creature you put in. And last cards in for Limited decks usually translate to not played at all cards in Constructed. It will slide right into that sweet Commander/Casual Bear deck I have been brewing.

Village Survivors (8.5 out of 10.0)

This beefy Human body is much better that it appears. If you get it out versus a more aggressive deck, it can shut them down and if you are ahead when you cast it, they won’t be able to catch up. The Fateful Hour ability is powerful but just gravy on an already good card. I can’t even imagine putting something like Butcher’s Cleaver on this. Man, this card is good. I would be in Green just for this card if the packs were going right. It won’t get played anywhere else but Casual Human decks. But that’s okay. Survivors is a success because of what it does in Limited and it is drowning in flavor.

Vorapede (7.0 out of 10.0)

This Mythic is a beating in Limited and could be a powerhouse in Constructed. And looks cool enough to be a chase for Casual. However, Mythics are judged by a different standard and like many Mythics in Dark Acension, Vorapede just doesn’t do anything cool or powerful enough to be Mythic.

Wild Hunger (7.5 out of 10.0)

This combat trick is really good. Playing out all your critters and then just following up with this will just win games. The Flashback isn’t a surprise but they get to see they are going to die no matter what they do. And right now, some people won’t even give a second thought to the Flashback. Have fun collecting your free Planeswalker Points. Unfortunately, tricks that cost more than a mana usually are not very playable in Constructed.

Wolfbitten Captive/Krallenhorde Killer (8.5 out of 10.0)

I do not think I would first pick this card, but I would definitely like to take him high if I have already made a commitment to Green. He facilitates himself flipping very nicely since he can attack for three on turn two and then Wolf out; if you want. It may be better to just keep beating for three. He seems pretty weak for a Constructed strategy but should go right into a Casual Werewolf deck.

Young Wolf (6.5 out of 10.0)

This card has two functions and both are Green filler. Sometimes, you want to just play creature after creature and attack or if you are building that super durdle deck, Undying creatures do block twice. You usually want to play a two drop over it if you can but playing some Wolf pups isn’t terrible. Just remember, they will become outclassed quickly. And of course it is a sweet proxy card.

Check back for the concluding and much shorter Super Uber DKA Review Part 4…

Super Uber DKA Review Part 2

Posted on February 5, 2012 by CouchPirateJake

Blue

Artful Dodge (6.0 out of 10.0)

When I first saw this Blue common, I completely discounted it as a trash blue spell. It almost beat me in a game but that was more because I was so far behind. (FYI, Faith’s Shield naming me as protection from blue trumped it and won me the game.) However, I now can imagine some applications, like if you have Elbrus, which I did, or multiple Soul Seizer, which I did not. And in those instance, Faith’s Shield is probably just as good. I don’t think this will do anything in Constructed, ever, or Commander, ever, or even see much play in Casual, ever. Its most utility will come from writing proxies on the back of it.

Beguiler of Wills (5.0 out of 10.0)

Another fail at mythic. Exactly what did they think was mythic about this card? It is nice you keep control of the creature but it would be completely unplayable if it didn’t. You will play this in your B Limited decks because it can take over a game, but do not plan on being allowed to use it much. It is like they made a powerful Blue card and then hosed it before anyone got a chance to have fun with it. A Casual deck should tons of fun with it, a Commander wizard deck may use it well, but it will not see play in Constructed at that 5cc. And on top of all that, it is devoid of flavor.

Bone to Ash (5.0 out of 10.0)

I have thought about it quite a bit and I do not like this card. I sided it in one match to try to deal with an absurd double captain plus a thousand spirit deck. It is too hard for timing at 4cc. You have to get really lucky to have it work out right. Maybe in a durdling control deck it would work. As bad as counter spells have become, even in Standard there are tons of better options. You could play this in Commander but I wouldn’t. You could play it in a casual deck but I wouldn’t. And the flavor doesn’t make any sense at all, requiring way too much editorial explanation. I felt like giving it a lower rating but I know it will make the cut sometimes.

Call to the Kindred (7.5 out of 10.0)

This rare is not amazing but this is what makes me happy as a Magic player. It is a really fun, potentially powerful affect, that seems stolen from Green but probably won’t work out. For competitive play, I think its best application is in a creature heavy U/B Limited deck with a lot of Undying and a lot of Zombies. That way the potential two for one is mitigated by the graveyard resilience. As much as I would love to have it be the bomb in Constructed like Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms, it is just too cute to work out. However, it would be super sweet in either Commander or other Casual play. As for flavor, are there Blue cards with flavor in this set?

Chant of the Skifsang (7.5 out of 10.0)

This little Blue common is almost as good as Claustrophobia and with a more manageable mana requirement. Blue should have no problem owning the skies and this card is master of clogging up the ground. You should probably be playing this card in Limited. My favorite part of this block is that every color has access to solid removal and Blue has a strong amount. However, I do not see it hitting play in any other format unless as Casual player needs something to deal with a troublesome big dumb monster.

Chill of Foreboding (5.0 out of 10.0)

Well, its not a rare or my disappointment with this card may be greater. In Limited, it is too dangerous to play this card since you might be leveling up your opponents graveyard. It maybe, kind of, could be a singleton in the Spidery self mil deck. It completely misses in every other form of play as well. I guess it has a tad flavor. Pretty meh.

Counterlash (7.0 out of 10.0)

As a very expensive counter spell, Counterlash tries so hard to be unique and fit in at the same time. Such a confused little card, but it could be so awesome. I don’t know how you build around it because it is pretty random what you will be countering. I guess in Constructed you could craft a deck that encouraged your opponent to play a big affect instant or sorcery and then come over the top with a bigger version. Just seems too random. This rare will regulated to the mystic Commander box and used to do something degenerate. Still looking for some Innistrad flavor in Blue.

Curse of Echoes (6.0 out of 10.0)

This rare is only fun if you want to be completely random in a Commander game. You shouldn’t play it in Limited or Constructed and it will probably just piss your friends off in a Casual game. I could see myself playing it in a completely chaos based Izzet Commander deck.

Divination (5.0 out of 6.0)

There is nothing wrong with Divination but this card is about as bland as reprints get. I am sure you will play it in Limited every once in a while but I pray that Standard never gets so bad that this is considered a good option again.

Dungeon Geists (8.5 out of 10.0)

This is the suped up Fiend Hunter. In most cases, it deals with the creature just as effectively and if their only option is board wipe, Geists leaves their creature around to die as well. There just aren’t that many situations where you want Fiend Hunter over Dungeon Geists. And being a 3/3 flyer for 4cc, I do not know how I would want a different card more for a Blue Limited deck. I would be willing to give Geists an even higher grade if I had a better read of what it would do in Constructed. It is definitely a powerful card but there are so many options I just don’t know if it can pass the test at four manas. I will definitely keep in mind when batting around deck ideas. I think it is probably a Casual miss outside of a boss card for a Spirit deck but there are already tons of blinking shenanigan decks in Commander to abuse Geists ETB ability.

Geralf’s Mindcrusher (8.0 out of 10.0)

I like the design of this rare a lot. You can take him early in draft and build around him. Even if you don’t get a chance to build around him, he is an Undying beater. This guy is good in Limited. For him to work out in Constructed, he is going to need a lot of janky stuff to go with him. Maybe some kind of Milling Pod deck running Phantasmal Images and Phyrexian Metamorphs. Yeah, that sounds kind of fun. I don’t know about good but it sounds fun. Zombies are always popular in one form or another so I am sure the Mindcrusher will make his way into more than one Casual and Commander deck. For flavor, I actually like this guy more than most cards. His ETB ability really conveys the process of Zombies infesting Innistrad.

Griptide (7.5 out of 10.0)

Joining the ranks of Innistrad’s Blue tempo spells, Griptide fills out the missing pack of bounce nicely. It gives up Flashback but gets instant speed when compared to Grasp of Phantasms. Take this spell and enjoy the damage you push through. Griptide won’t see Constructed play but it was not made for that. The lack of versatility pushes it out of a lot of Commander play and it just is too bland to make many Casual decks. And continuing the pervasive Blue trend, they neglected to include any flavor.

Havengul Runebinder (7.0 out of 10.0)

This Human Wizard is a very good rare for Limited but not a bomb. You don’t take it and build around it, but if you see it mid pack it can definitely level up a deck that is already turning out U/B. I could definitely first pick it in a weak pack but I do not know if there are many shallow Draft packs in Dark Ascension. His only other use will really be in Casual Zombie decks. He just doesn’t have enough punch for Constructed or Commander.

Headless Skaab (7.0 out of 10.0)

This guy is a really big boy for 3cc. He should definitely own the ground for many turns. In addition, he fits into an aggressive Zombie strategy or a durdling control deck. He has the one drawback that he cannot block the first turn he comes down and can be a pretty bad top deck when you are behind. Unfortunately, the giant body Zombie doesn’t have the power or appeal to do much else outside of Limited except maybe a very narrow Casual deck. I guess Blue’s Skaab mechanic is what passes for flavor. That, and he is missing a head.

Increasing Confusion (7.5 out of 10.0)

You can build around this card but I see it more likely coming late and fitting into a deck that already has some mil elements. Think of this as a finisher in the aforementioned durdling control deck. I actually give it the extra half a point because of Constructed applications. I definitely see this being a possible combo finisher at some point. That being said, that very thing makes it playable in Commander and Casual as well.

Mystic Retrieval (6.0 out of 10.0)

This card can be very good but its variance is completely dependent on the rest of your spells. Its biggest problem is that it would fit best in a Burning Vengeance deck or Self Mil deck but you really do not know if you are getting those pieces until pack 2 or pack 3. Just expect to get it late and luck into a sick Burning Vengeance deck in the last two packs. It gives you some redundancy in Commander and if we had a Gifts like card in Constructed it wouldn’t be a bad card to fetch in that. Besides that, it is going to need a lot of work to be good in 60 card decks.

Nephalia Seakite (7.5 out of 10.0)

The Flash on this card gives you all kinds of interactions to abuse. This card is a very good flier and will be a staple of most of your Blue aggressive decks. Take removal over it and enjoy flying over your opponents ground forces. However, almost its entire rating comes from how good it will be in Limited because it just won’t make a big splash in Constructed, Commander or Casual.

Niblis of the Breath (8.0 out of 10.0)

This is the Niblis that both of the White Niblis want to be. A 2/1 flier is a nice beater at 3cc, it can blank premium cards like Claustrophobia on anything but itself, and it can be a better defensive spell than Avacynian Priest. This is a pretty sweet uncommon. That sweetness will not translate to Constructed or Commander, but this Spirit should make plenty of Casual players aggravated at the kitchen table.

Relentless Skaabs (8.0 out of 10.0)

The only plural Skaab is going to turn out to be one of the better all around Skaabs. Undying is a very powerful Limited ability and it has the bonus of avoiding the Skaab exile cost when coming back into play. You will will plenty of games with this card. You will lose plenty of games to this card. And of course, it is another Blue card that just won’t be very good in Constructed and Commander but will fit right in in Casual. However, I do enjoy the flavor of these Skaabs being plural and meshing with the Undying ability.

Saving Grasp (8.5 out of 10.0)

This efficient little instant may be the sleeper common of the set and I could see it being played across a lot of formats. You can use it to blank premium cards like Claustrophobia, run degenerate combos with Fiend Hunter, reset Undying creature, or just recast something with a sweet ETB. It can be an expensive blink spell but believe me; it will definitely have its uses.

Screeching Skaab (7.0 out of 10.0)

This little undead guy will be the featured Zombie common in an aggressive Blue strategy. He helps turn on all your other Skaabs and is a nice aggressive body. Pasy that thought, it won’t have much of a place anywhere else. Look for it in a dedicated Zombie Casual deck but that is about it.

Secrets of the Dead (6.0 out of 10.0)

It says draw a card and gives you even extra value on Flashback. I could see looking at these if you have three or four Flashback cards after middle of the pack. And then after that consider cutting whatever you can to get into position for the Burning Vengeance deck. In other formats, you won’t play it unless you are doing a lot of janky things.

Shriekgeist (6.5 out of 7.0)

This Spirit can be effective in a Mil strategy but is way too fragile to be really good. Remember, to mil your opponents in this Limited format, you need to be aggressive with it because you don’t want to stumble into helping your opponent’s Self Mil deck beat you. And this is pretty much the same as most Blue cards in Dark Ascension as it won’t see much play outside of Limited.

Soul Seizer/Ghastly Haunting (8.0 out of 10.0)

I would rate this card much higher if it were not a creature and didn’t have to connect to take your opponents creature. Against a non-flying deck, it will always be able to take their best creature. If you have one of these, then you should be taking a second look at Artful Dodge and Faith’s Shield. Outside of Limited and Casual, this control magic will not be powerful enough to make the cut.

Stormbound Geist (7.5 out of 10.0)

This efficient flier is a perfect example of how powerful Undying can be in Dark Ascension. From my experience, I would just try to out race this if you can. A lot of times, it isn’t worth your removal or block to give them a faster flying clock. Ctrl+V (Blue card isn’t good enough to play outside of Limited).

Thought Scour (6.0 out of 10.0)

Like many of the Blue cards, they are either enablers or auto plays. This card is an enabler if you want to mil yourself or in the very rare circumstance you will mil your opponent if you can be that aggressive with the strategy. Of course, it would be completely reasonable to play four in a Casual Mil deck.

Tower Geist (7.0 out of 10.0)

As per Dark Ascension, this is another good Blue flier. It may be difficult for me to stay out of Blue in this format. A couple of times, you will get kicked in the junk by his graveyard ability but most of the time you will just get value. Also, another good addition for a Casual Spirit deck.

Black

Black Cat (6.0 out of 10.0)

This hexing cat is playable if you have a strong Zombie theme in your Draft deck but is a pretty good guy to include as your 24th card in a Sealed pool. His discard ability can be very relevant and affects the way your opponent will play their game. He is way too neutered to make its way into Constructed but should be really cool in Casual. The couple of cats in Dark Ascension add a lot of neat flavor to the set.

Chosen of Markov/Markov’s Servant (6.5 out of 10.0)

Chosen is a very slow card; much slower that the 3cc would indicate. You would have to cast Vampire Interloper and then Chosen and then tap them both on turn 4 to transform it. That seems like a lot of potential damage invested in your Grey Ogre. Of course, it is playable, just not a great card and that will keep it out of other formats. However, Black cards have a nice trend of being full of flavor and this is no change.

Curse of Misfortunes (4.5 out of 10.0)

This curse fetching card really isn’t very good in any format, but it at least has had people talking about building jank around it. It is possible to build a fun deck with it, but unfortunately that means it will be regulated to very Casual builds. Now, if it allowed more than one curse of the same name to be fetched then it just may have seen some Limited brewing around it.

Curse of Thirst (4.0 out of 10.0)

So, this does about the same thing as the cheaper Red curse in Innistrad at one damage a turn by itself. Now, if you somehow got a Draft where you could build around Curse of Misfortunes, it would have to include making your opponent thirsty. However, it will only get played in fun casual builds.

Deadly Allure (5.5 out of 10.0)

This card is really bad. It would be so much better if it were an instant. It would be actual removal then. As it is, its usefulness depends completely on prefect timing and this would only be in emergency situations where the creature you want dead is the only creature your opponent has untapped. AND it has to be a utility creature that doesn’t attack past the first turn the offending creature is in play, otherwise it will be turned sideways in your face. I guess it is good against a deck that has a single big vigilance attacker. Yeah…and all that makes it even worse in other formats.

Death’s Caress (9.0 out of 10.0)

I love these standard 5cc Black removal spells. Almost every block has one and I always want to have one as an answer to anything my opponent plays. In my opinion, cards like this are a big reason to be in Black. But unlike with Spread the Sickness, you cannot splash Caress and you will be heavy in black to play this premium removal spell. Hey, and you get a bonus if you kill a pesky Human. In Causal, this card should be just as awesome. In the the other Constructed and Commander formats, not so much.

Falkenrath Torturer (7.5 out of 10.0)

The problem with this Vamp is that its two themes works counter to strategies with which it would be best. If you could play a Human tokens deck AND a deck heavy with Vampires including the lords, this guy would be nuts. Fortunately, this also means that the Torturer is very versatile. As long as you know you are Black, he should fit into your strategy nicely. He will not fit into Constructed unless he facilitates a combo-ey token generating deck in a similar way to Nantuko Husk. This Torturer will be pretty sweet in Casual but just lacks the punch required for a Commander deck. It is cool that torturing Humans gives this Vamp POWWWWWER, Unlimited POWWWWWER.

Farbog Boneflinger (8.0 out of 10.0)

In Draft, this vicious Zombie will often be a two for one if you craft your turns properly. It is probably only going to get you a smaller creature and its 2/2 body is less than impressive so it doesn’t live up to Black death dealers like Skinrender. However, with archetypes like Human Tokens and U/W Fliers it should always have a target for its ETB ability. Continuing the Black and even Blue theme, this card is not very good for any Constructed deck but pretty good in a Commander or Casual deck totally devoted to Zombies.

Fiend of the Shadows (8.5 out of 10.0)

If the Fiend connects early, it could really take over a Limited game. There are Black rares I would rather have but mixed with plenty of Human fodder and their versatility, this one could wreck havoc on an opponents board and hand. Unlike the Torturer, I think you want this a lot more in the Human deck as an outlet but it is still pretty good with Vampire lords. No Constructed play, no Commander play, and it probably won’t fit with what Casual players are doing anyway. But one quick thing on Vampire flavor in this set, it is cool that they are eating Humans a lot more mechanically to emphasize the imbalance that Sorin is trying to correct.

Geralf’s Messenger (6.0 out of 10.0)

Outside of a dedicated Zombie deck, probably with at least one of the Captains, the triple B casting cost is prohibitive for its effect. You will win games with the Lego-chested Zombie and you will lose games to it and you will get it stuck in your hand. It is a middle of the road rare and you shouldn’t take it early but it could be a very welcome sight late in a Dark Ascension pack. For Constructed, how about that Mono Black deck that doesn’t exist but everyone talks about after every set? Oh, it probably won’t happen again? I see. I guess we will just put this in Casual Zombie decks.

Gravecrawler (8.5 out of 10.0)

I feel this is one of the better designed Black cards in Dark Ascension. It is resilient and aggressive in Limited, it is a possible beater in Constructed, it fits into all the Zombie themes for Commander and Casual and its flavor is very cool. The idea that this Zombie behaves a tad differently than other Innistrad Zombies because Liliana made is awesome to me.

Gravepurge (8.5 out of 10.0)

This card is VERY good in Limited. At instant speed, it makes sure you get at least your two best creatures back immediately because the most important part of the card is that you draw a card. Draw a card is the best text in all of Magic. I loves it. Unfortunately, it won’t be good enough for Constructed but it is a nice toolbox card for Commander.

Gruesome Discovery (3.0 out of 10.0)

I hate this card. It is so bad it makes me angry. It is a perfect example of how Morbid just doesn’t work sometimes. It seems really hard to trigger and I likely have to pitch one of my own creatures to get it to trigger since that is how Morbid usually works. It just doesn’t seem worth it. All those things make it even worse in other formats since there is just much better hand disruption available. At least it is a terrible common and won’t take the slot of a good card in a pack.

Highborn Ghoul (7.0 out of 10.0)

This is a nice aggressive card if you already have a heavy Black commitment. That is all. No, it isn’t. Black Intimidate doesn’t seem as good in this set with all the Zombie making and Transforming. Now, that is all. Except for all the normal Zombie drivel about Casual themes and not being good enough for Constructed.

Increasing Ambition (7.5 out of 10.0)

This is the second best of the increasing cycle and the best thing about it is you can play both parts in any deck. I wouldn’t mind taking it very early in a pack that didn’t have removal or a top critter since it is like playing another copy of your three best cards. In Constructed it could be sweet in a combo deck like Battle of Wits. How hot would that be? And in Commander it is even a hotter tutor card. If you can make Black Mana, you may want to play this rare.

Mikaeus, The Unhallowed (9.0 out of 10.0)

You take this card early and go into Black hard as it is one of the only ones that would cause me just to dive in. It is a multi-layered lord and a sweeper like affect and a big body. Also, it is a very interesting card. Its flavor is thick, showing one of the most devout Human’s becoming a powerful tool for the monsters. It doesn’t pass the Titan test at the moment but I would love to be able to abuse it in a Pod deck. Hey, why doesn’t he have Undying? Grrrr, that makes me a sad ninja. Oh well, he should be pretty sweet in Commander and Casual anyway.

Ravenous Demon/Archdemon of Greed (8.0 out of 10.0)

If you are already going into the B/W Human deck, then this guy is an amazing finisher as a five drop that immediately starts to end the game. However, he kills you if you aren’t heavy Humans. I would LOVE to play him in Constructed since he is very Lord of the Pit and that was the card that got me into Magic. So, if I was making a Casual deck I would definitely look at playing it; a pretty sweet card in my opinion.

Reap the Seagraf (6.0 out of 10.0)

This U Flashback card is good enough to make two Zombie Grey Ogre’s in most decks. If you can’t cast the Flashback then it really isn’t worth playing which makes it trash for Constructed and not worth a slot outside of the most dedicated Casual U/B Zombie decks. The flavor of the Sorcery is kind of sweet though; a coastal reef with a bunch of shipwrecked vessels that churn out Zombies every night.

Sightless Ghoul (4.0 out of 10.0)

I do not like this card at all. A 2/2 for four mana just isn’t aggressive enough even if it does come back as a 3/3. Now, if it had Deathtouch it would be quite playable. You should have done that, WotC. So, it is crap in Limited and terrible every where else. ‘Nuff Said.

Skirsdag Flayer (6.5 out of 10.0)

It has the awesome phrase “Destory target creature”. However, it has to tap and sacrifice another specific type of creature, a Human, and invest mana each time and it is pretty fragile. This is the type of card that you can’t count as a two drop. It is more like a card you have to cast along with another spell in later turns so it takes some hand crafting. On the bright side, it should be pretty good at flipping Werewolves back over. Unfortunately, it is just plain useless in most other decks outside of Casual.

Spiteful Shadows (5.0 out of 10.0)

I suppose this card could be useful to side in if you are completely outmatched by a Manor Gargoyle you can’t fight through but it is a really bad card. You don’t ever want to play this card, at all. And that goes across all the other formats as well. Now in the flavor category I love the ominous feeling of shadows turning on the people of Innistrad.

Tragic Slip (9.0 out of 10.0)

Any removal that has the potential to kill almost any creature for one mana is a top pick and something you always want to play. And there are so many sacrifice abilities, it might not always be your creature that triggers Morbid. As we know from DismBaember, one mana removal can easily make the transition to Constructed and since Magic is so creature centric at the moment, there will always be critters heading to the bin. All these positives stretch the card’s playability across many formats. The flavor is pretty neat too, demonstrating that the smallest hexes or turns of luck can be deadly on Innistrad.

Undying Evil (5.0 out of 10.0)

I keep going back and forth on this card. I think it could be really powerful but it is about the worst top deck possible. I think it fits best in the Skaab heavy aggressive deck or the Human deck. This way you are giving your already powerful strategies a bit of redundancy. However, I do not see it being playable at all in any other deck.

Vengeful Vampire (7.5 out of 10.0)

It is expensive but it is a flier that comes back from grave as an even bigger flier. Vampires got a tad bit slower in Dark Ascension but you don’t want to play too many 6cc cards that don’t just end the game. Pushing the limits of desirable casting cost in Limited, this angry Vamp is relegated to the Casual Vampire decks.

Wakedancer (7.0 out of 10.0)

Continuing the theme of Grey Ogre’s that might do something else in Black, Wakedancer fits nicely into an aggressive Human strategy. Four powers and toughness is a nice bargain in Limited. This probably won’t fit anywhere else though, but I like the flavor a lot. It is a glimpse of the Humans using the monsters for their advantage and maybe an indication of the balance between life, death, and undeath that was meant to be the norm in Innistrad.

Zombie Apocalypse (7.0 out of 10.0)

You cannot depend on the sweeping side of this card. You have to just think of that as gravy against a dedicated Human deck or something that will maybe kill a couple of critters in another deck. If you do pick this card up, you want to aim at getting as many Zombies as possible and want at least 10 to make for sure it isn’t fair at all when you tap the six manas. 6cc and triple B is just too much of a barrier to overcome for Constructed and it seems like a kind of pointless card in Commander. It would be sweet to side this in against one of the Standard Human strategies but I don’t think there will be a deck unless a Sorin Control is good. This is probably the single most flavorful Black card; slaying all the Humans and hordes of Zombies arising from their corpses.

Check back for Part 3 of Jake’s Super Uber DKA Review

Hold It, Don’t Shake It

Posted on February 3, 2012 by CapnTopDeck

Happy Friday, Dear Reader! It has been requested of me to write an article about limited. The limited formats (sealed deck and draft) have been described as Magic in its purest form. With that descriptor in mind, I would like to focus on the basics when talking about limited. Now, you may want to take my words here with a grain of salt, as I am partial to (and much better at) constructed. So, let it be said that I listen to you, Dear Reader, and will write about specific topics if requested!

In my first limited article I would like to focus on removal. Having a way to deal with your opponent’s threats or problem creatures is a necessary part of any winning deck. Knowing when to draft removal or when to splash for it in sealed deck is a whole other topic. What I want to talk about today is when to pull the trigger on casting that sweet kill spell.

Your first responsibility as a Magic player is to know what is in your deck. At any time you need to be able to recall how many (and what kind of) removal spells you have in your deck. Having this information (along with what is in your hand) can tell you when to cast a removal spell and which one to use. The fewer answers you have, the pickier you have to be about when to spend them. The next factor to consider is how conditional a removal spell is.

When I say “conditional,” I mean the spell can only kill certain types of creatures or will only work in a certain situation (examples would be Slayer of the Wicked or Morakut Banshee). If you have conditional pieces or removal it is usually best to use them the first time that their condition is met. Unless you know for a fact that you should hold that removal for a better target you should use it on a viable target as early as possible. If you make sure to spend your conditional removal first you can make sure that it doesn’t sit dead in your hand later in the game.

Along that same line of thought, if you could kill a current threat with your conditional removal, but don’t have it in hand, it is often correct to wait a few turns to try to draw that conditional removal (given that waiting won’t kill you). This can allow you to hold more versatile removal for later threats. Always remember that your life is a resource. This means there is a proper way to use it, and that it is not always correct to preserve every point of life for as long as possible.

Another semi-conditional type of removal is combat tricks (i.e. Spidery Grasp or Moment of Heroism). These spells take a bit more work to turn them into removal, but it can be done. The most common scenario is making what seems like a “bad” attack with mana for your trick open. A “bad” attack is simply an attack in which your creatures would lose with little to no value gained on your part. Getting an opponent to make the blocks you want often depends on two things, your opponent’s skill level and the game state. A less skilled opponent may block immediately if you make what seems like a pointless attack. Meanwhile, a more skillful opponent will read the situation correctly and see what you are trying to do. No matter their skill level they are “block or die” isn’t much of a choice. This also hold true for giving your opponent an opportunity to kill your (better/utility) creatures in combat. You can use these situations to play your combat tricks and “blow them out.” Blowing someone out in combat generally just means that you used your trick as a removal spell (read: correctly).

The last (and possibly most important) point I want to make is to be mindful of what is in your opponent’s deck. Now, I don’t mean remembering every card they played in game 1 (though that is also a useful exercise). No, I mean looking at your opponent’s mana base and predicting what bombs/creatures they might have based on that information.

Example: your opponent is in white but has only played mediocre creatures and no removal in the first 4 turns. You have the option of killing a mediocre creature to push through more damage early. You need to stop and think about this situation. If they haven’t played any decent cards yet it may likely be that they have something for 5 or 6 mana that you NEED to kill. In that case you will feel very stupid if you wasted a removal spell on a do-nothing creature 2 turns earlier.

These are just a few of the many, many nuances to using removal properly in limited, but I hope they will help you build your play skill. Remember; always take 5 seconds to think about your plays before you make them. This may seem like an insignificant amount of time, but taking those extra moments to examine the board-state can help a lot. You could see a better block or remember a card you saw your opponent play in the game before. Magic is a game based on information. The winner is usually the person who collects/remembers more information before making decisions.

I will likely revisit this topic in a few weeks to fill in a few gaps. I have also thought of a few more limited basics articles to write up, so expect those as well. Until next week, make sure you drop me a comment here on this page or over on twitter (@CapnTopDeck)!

“I don’t know how I keep winning, I just killed every creature he played and beat him down with a Makeshift Mauler…but my deck is terrible”

Super Uber DKA Review Part 1

Posted on February 3, 2012 by CouchPirateJake

Welcome to Wizard’s Games very first set review. Fellow team member, Daniel Dusang (@CapnTopDeck) joked on Twitter that we had a week of boring set reviews for our reading pleasure. Being the natural troll that I am, I considered that an invitation to write my own. Compared to the recent trends in Magic, Dark Ascension is an interesting set.

For the last few years we have seen a relative power creep set by set. Each release has powered up what we expect of cards. At least on first impressions, Dark Ascension bucks the trend. Nothing seems OP as the kids would say, Sorin 2.0 is the only sexy chase, and Darin Minard wasn’t at the Prerelease to troll.

Despite the underwhelming power of the new set and my almost total lack of interest in cracking these packs, I for one welcome the step back in power. It is a good sign that we are getting this. Developmentally, the game needs to be reigned in from being OP every once in a while. I don’t think we are going to get anything as bad as a Prophecy-esque set or go back to Air Elemental and Sera Angel being the best beaters. However, we can’t keep having sets full of Swords, Delvers, and Titans.

What the Dark Ascension cards lack in power, they definitely make up for in flavor. One of my favorites is Grafdigger’s Cage. That card feels pretty sweet. We get a lot more depth for the horrors awaiting the humans of Innistrad and it is always fun to get a little more backstory on one of Magic’s planeswalkers. Dark Ascension is similar to Empire Strikes Back, with seemingly invincible antagonists, and a perfect back drop for the return of a mythical hero that really just turns out to be a farm boy wearing black.

My rating system will be based on a rating out of 10. I will try to explain why the card is a success and in which format it will see the most enjoyment and/or be the most powerful. Unfortunately for trolls, you will actually have to read my reasoning to see why I gave a card a certain rating.

White

Archangel’s Light (3.0 of 10.0)

The mythics do NOT start out well in this set. I think some of the underwhelming feelings about Dark Ascension stems from many misses at the mythic rarity. From my observations of Commander, this card will not be any good because the best decks don’t care how high the opponents life total gets and do you really want to spend a deck slot AND 8 mana on a graveyard reset. If it is terrible for that CC in Commander then it is probably less than unplayable in Constructed and Limited. That leaves Casual as the only bastion for the Light and only the most delusional White Mages will enjoy this mythic’s mundane affects. It just doesn’t do much of anything that is interesting. Sure, both affects will be powerful in a Casual game but both have been done over and over. There is nothing special about this mythic. There is nothing mythical about this card other than it’s failure at that rarity.

Bar the Door (6.0 of 10.0)

This nifty common instant won’t see any play in Constructed and doesn’t even approach the power level you want for Commander. However, I see this being a Casual blow out at many kitchen tables and very devastating surprise in something like one of a hundred Limited decks you might build. I know you probably do not always want to play a card like this but later in the the Limited season, if you want to surprise a quality player then this is exactly the type of card you want to throw into an alpha strike to mess up their calculations. Of course, if you are a certain type of drafter and play in a very reckless alpha striking fashion anyway then you can probably utilize the flavorful instant in much higher percentage of your decks. Remember to know what type of player you are and what type of player you have the reputation for being.

Break of Day (8.0 out of 10.0)

Break of Day is exactly the type of common instant alpha strike card that regulates Bar the Door to one in a hundred status. While I like having access to a card like Bar the Door in Limited, I usually want to be in an aggressive deck that has little interest in blocking and Break of Day is perfect for that deck to score the KO. I didn’t get to pull this last weekend but it would have been my 24th card. I do not see this getting played in Constructed or Commander and from my observations of what Casual players buy, it won’t make their 60 often either. What I do absolutely love is the flavor of fateful hour on this card. Break of Day is reminiscent of the Battle of Helm’s Deep in the Two Towers; of how the charge broke through the ranks of orc at that fateful hour when Gandalf came over the hill, the Rohirrim became an indestructible wave of cavalry. This card catches the flavor of the Fateful Hour mechanic; bravo to Design.

Burden of Guilt (7.0 out of 10.0)

Where Break of Day overflows with flavor, Burden of Guilt falls well short. The name and affect and flavor text and art do not meld together at all. However, where it lacks flavor, the team made a very solid playable for Limited and Casual players. In Casual stacks this is going to hose someone’s bomb mythic and in Limited, while playing the same role will be able to keep players off of all kinds of resources. It is less narrow than Avacynian Priest in some respects, but the Priest’s versatility to tap down another creature as the game goes longer makes it the better card. Burden of Guilt does represent the slightly more defensive posture that White takes in Dark Ascension.

Curse of Exhaustion (5.0 out of 10.0)

In my opinion, this is the perfect example of a middle of the road card. It could kind of get played in any format. If Standard had a real Combo option, this card could be a solution, but in the older formats there are much better options. It really wouldn’t make the cut in most Limited decks, but maybe it would make sure a werewolf heavy deck doesn’t get their critters turned back into humans. But I am sure that is stretching it. It could be an Extended Combo hoser one day but just as likely not. It likely doesn’t fit a lot of Casual strategies but there could be a neat toolbox strategy that uses it in Commander. The card does succeed in the flavor department. It may not be powerful or efficient but it really does feel like what a White curse should be.

Elgaud Inquisitor (7.5 out of 10.0)

While maybe more powerful than an affect like Break of Day, this little White card doesn’t quite hold the proverbial candle in the flavor department. However, it is still very good. For Limited it should get played in any W deck and can be bonkers in the Human equipment deck that doesn’t mind a dude or two going ethereal every once in a while. In the Constructed world, it just doesn’t make the cut at 4cc and never will. I could see it being a real Casual staple, since there are lots of kitchen table decks running Human and/or Cleric themes, but it would need to be in a very specific deck for Commander.

Faith’s Shield (8.5 out of 10.0)

This is one of my favorite cards in Dark Ascension. There was nothing quite like telling my opponent I am pro-blue and lets face it, blue being the best color, having protection from it is the best pro to be. You probably want one of these and one Break of Day in a limited deck but Shields are certainly useful in multiples. While Break may have a tad more raw power, the utility of Faith’s Shield really pushes it to the top of my combat trick list. Also, it is kind of a counter spell. I could honestly see playing this in the right Constructed environment. Play Boros, never concern yourself with blocking, kill your opponent when tick down under five life. Needless to say, casual players should be playing this card and probably Commander as well. This is another White card that really invokes the flavor of Fateful Hour. It is sad that giving yourself protection seems more mythic than Archangel’s Light affects.

Gather the Townsfolk (6.5 out of 10.0)

This is the first Fateful Hour card that really doesn’t strike the right cord with me. The upgrade to five regular dudes instead of two is substantial but does little on its own to drag you out of the five life whole. I played this in my sealed pool at the Prerelease but it was almost always the first card sided out when needed. It is a good card and if you have a few Human centric equipments, it would be much better than in my Limited deck. In Constructed, it just isn’t going to compete with the already good Spirit token spells unless it goes in as a ninth version in the B/W Sorin <3s Token Deck. I could see it being a cool Casual card but for some reason, Fateful Hour seems kind of bad for Commander and Gather’s Fateful Hour just doesn’t do enough.

Gavony Ironwright (7.0 out of 10.0)

I feel Fateful Hour gets back to form on this card, and a card like this is exactly why White is a bit more defensive in Dark Ascension. In Limited, you want to hold this if you can until it becomes a Bar the Door on a decent body. This card could go a long way to digging you out of a disadvantageous board state. It will not ever be played in Constructed but will be a house in Casual player’s decks. The Casual community has always loved White critters that static pump other critters. For Commander, like the competitive Constructed formats, its power class just doesn’t cut it.

Hollowhenge Spirit (9.0 out of 10.0)

For 40 card decks, this is one of the better White uncommons. I do not think you will ever have a W deck where you do not want this efficient flier. It is so versatile; it can be defensive; it can be offensive; it can be tempo; it can be control. I don’t see you ever being unhappy to draw this card after you hit four mana. In Constructed it just won’t make it. Like the Elgaud Inquisitor, it just does not do near enough for four manas. In a Spirit Casual deck, I can see this card being responsible for many an argument. It could make a pretty interesting play in Commander, maybe in a facilitor type deck where the pilot likes to mess with everyone else’s combat math.

Increasing Devotion (8.0 out of 10.0)

This is rare, has very linear returns, but will be best in a deck that turns those 1/1 Humans into a swarm of bosses. There could definitely be a Constructed deck that wants to tap five mana and deploy an army of critters making the flashback just gravy. This will be an amazing card in any Limited deck that can find WW, should appeal to the Casual crowd, and will fit into many Commander strategies. I really don’t taste much flavor in this card; humans are devoted to Avacyn, blah, blah, blah. But what Increasing Devotion lacks in flavor, it makes up for in ubiquitous playability.

Lingering Souls (9.5 out of 10.00)

This very well may be the defining uncommon of Dark Ascension and it is about as close to perfect card as you can get. It gives up Instant speed for Flashback. You play this card in Limited. You will play this card in Constructed, Commander, and Casual. It is perfect for a Cube and drips with flavor that defines both W and B in this block. I really can’t give more compliments to the design of this card. I will definitely be sleeving four of these up very soon.

Loyal Cathar/Unhallowed Cathar (8.0 out of 10.0)

This may be the common rarity Lingering Souls. The Cathar does well defining what W and B are about in the block and is a nice use of the clumsy Transform mechanic. It is simply a house in Limited. I don’t know if it is going to see a 60 card deck but it certainly has the potential since it really represents two creatures every time it is cast. It gives a deck some redundancy similar to the way Squadron Hawk would but lacks the evasion. It also suffers in that its backside doesn’t block Geist. I do not think it does enough to see play in Commander other than very narrow strategies and I could see some Casual players leaving it out of their Human decks or White decks because of its backside.

Midnight Guard (7.0 out of 10.0)

The Guard is a solid card that will almost always make your Limited decks. It is particularly useful when paired with the few Flash creatures in the set and of course instants and affects like Stitcher’s Apprentice. Because of this interaction it has a good body for both offense and defense. I can also see it getting played in plenty of Casual decks but has very little application in Constructed or Commander formats. However, the card tells us how on edge the Humans of Innistrad are in this set.

Niblis of the Mist (7.5 out of 10.0)

Man, the one thing I can tell you about playing with this card is that it can be a beater but feels like it should have Flash. I want this card to have Flash so bad. However bad I want this, its tapping ability can still be very relevant to clear out a blocker, early or late game. If you need it to curve out then by all means drop that baby turn 3 or 4 but if you can craft your turns a bit then you will be slamming it down to open the ranks for an alpha strike or devastating bomb to connect. It just isn’t powerful enough to break the Constructed barrier since it taps and doesn’t untap for the Splinter Twin combo. It will make plenty of Casual Spirit lists and maybe some Commander lists. The Spirit flavor theme seems to be tapping and stalling, but that whole tribe is the least interesting to me.

Niblis of the Urn (7.75 out of 10.0)

The smaller Niblis brother has had more affect on board states from my observations, which is why he is ever so slightly higher than the 2/1 Niblis. And I think it was the right move putting it at 1/1 and 2cc, any bigger body, even at a higher casting cost may be too good in Limited. It is just too small and too fragile to do much in Constructed, especially since Humans is the better White tribe. I think it has the same likliehood to be played in Casual and Commander as the bigger Niblis, and it has the same flavor issues; just a boring Spirit.

Ray of Revelation (6.0 out of 10.0)

Ray is the standard unexciting common reprint. It has awesome utility when you need to kill two enchantments, though I really don’t know how often that would come up. Several decks will want to pick this up late in a pack for their sideboard. And it could definitely see the sideboard in Constructed. It is probably the best option for Casual enchantment removal or a Commander toolbox. Flavor is negligible on a reprint like this. It fits the setting, yeah but that is as deep as it goes.

Requiem Angel (8.0 out of 10.0)

Though not as swingy as some Rares you can open, this is a fine first pick. Most of its power comes with being a 5/5 flier for a decent cost. It’s token making ability really isn’t all that powerful in the optimum U/W builds. It is even better when paired with the non-Spirit colors. Imagine this Angel backing up a Hellrider swinging in with an army. That sounds like a lot of damage to me. I would consider this a pretty solid splash card, too. Is there a Constructed Pod list that could get value out of this? Probably a big no at the 6cc spot. It does make all of Sorin 2.0’s token Vamps turn into Spirits when they protect their liege. I am pretty sure this card is a Casual home run, the caliber of Albert “The Traitor” Pujols destroying Brad Lidge’s soul. Really seems like a Casual player’s dream. I bet there are close to 10,000 things you could do with this card in Commander. For flavor, it is an Angle that makes Spirit tokens out of other creatures. There seems to be a lot of bio-crafting going on in Innistrad. How does Sorin just “make” an Archangel?

Sanctuary Cat (7.0 out of 10.0)

Although you won’t always play the Sanctuary Cat, he is not unplayable as a White common. I wouldn’t mind picking him in the middle of a light pack and seeing if he makes the cut. For Constructed this is a no, for Casual I would say yes, there are plenty of cat people out there, and for Commander I bet he has a place in an Isamaru deck. Speaking of the Legendary Hound from Kamigawa, how far have the mighty fallen? Innistrad is such a hard ass place that their house cats are as tough as the one of kind Hound of Konda. Wow.

Seance (6.5 out of 10.0)

This card could be a complete failure but the its abnormal affect has me interested. In Limited, I could see it being very good in a defensive control style deck in that it effectively doubles the forces your opponent has to battle through. For Constructed, Seance needs cards that break the linear barrier when they enter or leave the battlefield. I think this power level can be achieved more in Casual and Commander where you can use some older cards to find the right affect you need. Flavor wise, Seance says a lot about what Spirits are up to in Innistad, and gets to the core of what makes them tick, even to the extent that the Seanced creatures don’t attack and might be able to block; they just exist as reminders.

Silverclaw Griffin (8.0 out of 10.0)

This is a White flying common that you will be seeing a lot of in Limited. You have to have a pretty dedicated White deck to take it high for the double W casting cost. Also, expect it ti get shot out of the air fairly quick as it shuts down most everyone else’s air force. As good as it will be in 40s, it will never see the light of day in a Constructed deck and there is a lot better options for Commander decks. The Griffin doesn’t feel like a card a lot of Casual players will lock onto either. I really feel this bird beast shines in the flavor department though. If you read the flavor text, you see that the Silverclaw Griffin flies around graveyards ripping Zombies apart before they can rise all the way out of the grave. First Strike on a 3/2 body makes for sure this common will come out on top with most Zombies it fights.

Skillful Lunge (7.0 out of 10.0)

White has a TON of combat tricks in this set, and all of them seem useful. This was very good a the prerelease but just as well could have been one of the others. The situations where one is better than the other vary slightly and are very hard to predict when exactly they will occur. The only area where this straight loses to a card like Break of Day is in flavor. Lunge just doesn’t tell much of a story. Also like its utility brothers and sisters, it does not do enough to break into Constructed or Commander. Flavor usually plays big in Casual so I don’t see Lunge making the transition there either.

Sudden Disappearance (6.0 out of 10.0)

This card is just kind of there. Pretty disappointing for a rare, but definitely a powerful affect. I could see building a fringe deck around this in Limited, Constructed, and Commander. Commander already has some blink strategies that this would fit right into. The good part about the card is that at just a W it could be a fun splash in a lot of ETB decks. It would get a higher rating if it had any flavor at all but instead it is probably just a bland bulk rare to be traded away for ten cents at a Grand Prix.

Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (9.0 out of 10.0)

Thalia is one of the more talked about cards in Dark Ascension and shows up in a ton of flavor texts. In addition to that, I see her being a success in almost every form of Magic imaginable. Really, she feels more mythic than rare, and that is a big reason she doesn’t hit the top of the scale. Translating a popular affect to a creature doesn’t always work out, but there is no way she doesn’t hit some kind of Constructed deck. This is one of the better cards in the set.

Thraben Doomsayer (7.0 out of 10.0)

Unfortunately, this card is very bland. He does things that White has done hundreds of times before. His Fateful Hour ability is quite good but it doesn’t really feel special like a lot of the other Fateful Hour mechanics. You will take him and you will play him and he will win games for you. The Doomsayer won’t find a place in Constructed but will definitely be a Casual hit. I don’t think it is too awesome for Commander unless you just need redundancy for a similar affect. I just don’t think there is too much interesting to say about this card.

Thraben Heretic (6.0 out of 10.0)

The last White card is not amazing but it is a very good utility card. It will be pretty useful in a lot of decks and I think you want to try to include one in your White draft decks for that utility. It isn’t going to hit Constructed or Commander because there are so many cards that do its jobs better. I think it will be a pretty nice Casual card. The flavor of the card is pretty interesting though. At the prerelease, I overheard someone comment that the humans of Innistrad should just be burning bodies. From the Heretic, we now know that the Thrabens have cultural taboos against burning the dead but some like the Heretic are ignoring it.

Check back soon for Part 2 of Jake’s Super Uber DKA Review…

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Tag Archives: Limited

Super Uber DKA Review Part 4

Super Uber DKA Review Part 3

Super Uber DKA Review Part 2

Hold It, Don’t Shake It

Super Uber DKA Review Part 1