Fate Reforged Spoiler Tyme

(Images supplied by mythicspoiler.com)

So, the end of spoiler season has arrived and I guess it's time to talk about my favourite and least favourite new cards. Because I've got a lot of favourites and not favourites, I'm restricting myself to 1 of each rarity.

Favourite Common: Temur Battle Rage

Yeah. This card is amazing. Instant-speed double strike? That's really powerful. Instant-speed double strike AND trample? Sweet Baby Jace, that's just... wow. I think this might see Standard play in aggro decks as a finisher. I doubt it'll see play anywhere else, but man this is a good card.

Least Favourite Common: Smoldering Efreet

*sigh* Red will never get a good bear will they? At least this one doesn't have to attack every turn like a lot of the other ones.

Favourite Uncommon: Dark Deal

This is my favourite uncommon for one reason: I think it'll see Legacy play in 8-Rack (and possibly more decks). Wheeling an opponent's hand can really tilt an opponent, especially if they are about to go off next turn. Even as a topdeck, this card is great because you're not losing any cards. Even if you are losing cards, you can use this to get cards you might actually want.

Least Favourite Uncommon: Reality Shift

Blue didn't need a Path to Exile. People keep telling me that it's not that good since Pongify sees no play, but there are a couple of minor differences that make this better. First, it gives them a bear instead of a 3/3. Second, that bear might be a key spell that your opponent will no longer have access to. Imagine using this in response to someone trying to draw a card with Sensei's Diving Top. Either they'll have to tuck that card further down in response, or lose that card as a bear. Finally, it exiles instead of destroying. In environments like Standard where Whip of Erebos exists and Legacy where tons of reanimation exists (along with Delve on both sides), exiling a creature is really relevant. Control is going to get a lot stronger when this card gets out.

Favourite Rare: Supplant Form

I just love this card to death (and the Game Day art). Bounce and Clone token at Instant-speed is pretty powerful. I doubt it'll see non-EDH play, but it'll still be fun to see played.

Least Favourite Rare: Crucible of the Spirit Dragon

Anyone who has been following spoiler season this year knew this was coming. It card is just so disappointing. I wasn't expecting a new Cavern of Souls or anything, but not this. I really wish it had "X, Tap: Add X mana in any combination of colours to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast Dragon spells or activate abilities of Dragons." instead. With that text, you still get same basic effect, except it doesn't take a billion turns to charge up. 

Favourite Mythic: Soulfire Grand Master

Every part of this card is great. Lifelink bear? Great. Smaller Tamanoa effect? Great. Instant/sorcery recursion? Great. I see this being especially effective with Stoke the Flames since you can both tap creatures and pay its cost to recur the spell repeatedly. 

Least Favourite Mythic: Monastery Mentor

This card is great, but I think it's being overhyped and that's why it's my least favourite mythic. I don't think this will see as much play as people think. It costs 3, and that's a little too much for burn decks to play. Yes, Goblin Rabblemaster also costs 3 and it sees tons of play, but that card does something on the first turn it's out and without any other spells being needed. This card needs you to be able to cast another spell on the same turn for it to be more than just a Raging Bull, which effectively raises its CMC to 4 or 5. I also don't think it'll see that much play in Jeskai Ascendancy decks either, as 3 mana seems to be a lot to pay for a finisher, especially considering that that deck can win on turn 2. I think this will be a card that makes early adopters sad that they paid $20+ for this card on launch. I might be wrong, but that's what I really think.

Spoiler Tyme: The Best and the Worst

So, in apology for being away for so long (internet issues in small towns are fun), here are my top 5 and bottom 5 picks for M15.

Bottom #5: Flesh to Dust 

I have no doubt that this will be seen in Limited, but it's going to be one of those cards that you don't want too many of because of how much it costs. Outside of Limited, the only decks it'll be run in are those made by new players who don't quite understand tempo or value.

Pros: Kills a dude, prevents regen

Cons: Costs 5, no additional effect

Rating: 1.5/5

Bottom #4: Mass Calcify

I didn't like it when it first came out and I still don't like it now. One of the biggest problems in Standard right now is Elspeth, Sun's Champion and this doesn't deal with it. Control decks won't run it either since it blows up their nice guys. Also, it costs 7. The only place I see this in is a one-of in the sideboard of an Azorius control deck in case they're being raced by some weird non-white deck.

Pros: Semi-boardwipe

Cons: Doesn't kill white, costs 7

Rating: 1.5/5

Bottom #3: Research Assistant

Merfolk Looter is a good card. Merfolk Looter with a toughness boost would be a better card. Merfolk Looter with a toughness boost that costs 4 to activate is a terrible card. 

Pros: Merfolk Looter with a toughness boost

Cons: Merfolk Looter with a 4 mana activation cost

Rating: 1/5

Bottom #2: Soul of Ravnica

It's 7 mana to maybe draw 5 cards on a somewhat blue-intensive card. So, to get maximum value out of this card, you have to play a card of a different colour each turn, tap out for this, drop another land on turn 7, then tap out again to fill up your hand. And while you're in Magic Christmas Land, you will draw a Nalathni Dragon, a Shichifukujin Dragon, and three Moxes.

Pros: Card draw

Cons: Expensive card draw, really requires multicoloured cards

Rating: 1/5

Bottom #1: Carnivorous Moss-Beast

It costs seven to put a +1/+1 counter on this. SEVEN. I don't think I need to say anything outside of that.

Pros: Plant Elemental Beast

Cons: IT COSTS SEVEN TO GIVE IT A +1/+1 COUNTER

Rating: 0/5

Best #5: Nissa, Worldwaker

Ain't gonna lie, I hate Nissa Revane. I know she's good in elf decks, but I think her scope was too narrow and I don't like her. WotC seems to have gotten the message and made this version as universal as possible. She may only come in with 3 counters (which is why she's not higher on the list), but in a mono-Green deck, she costs 1. Her other plus one creates a issue that demands an answer since 4/4 tramplers can be a problem. Her ult may not directly win you the game that turn, but unanswered it will.

Pros: Potential 1-cost walker, creates tramply problems

Cons: Best in mono-green, ult lets lands get wiped easily

Rating: 4/5

Best #4: Sunblade Elf

Is this the harbinger of Naya zoo coming back into Standard? Maybe, maybe not, but it's still an awesome little creature. It's kind of like Wild Nacatl but less likely to be banned. The other nice thing about it is that it has a relevant ability in case of the game running late. A mass +1/+1 buff may not seem like much, but it's often going to leave you in a much better position in case of matched blockers.

Pros: Basically a 2/2 for 1, relevant late-game effect

Cons: Requires white, just a 2/2 for 1

Rating: 4/5

Best #3: Polymorphist's Jest

This + Circle of Flame will be hilarious. This is going to be a great trick, especially if your opponent thinks they're swinging into a large, but weak field with their creatures. I also like the fact that it changes their colour, which will nullify anthems effect like Hall of Triumph.

Pros: Turns a field into frogs for a turn

Cons: Doesn't stop any additional pumps (such as +1/+1 counters)

Rating: 4/5

Best #2: Radiant Fountain

Some of you may cry "foul" for me putting this seemingly "meh" card so high on the list, but I have my reasons. 2 life may not seem like much, but it's 10% of your initial health, so it's actually more than you think. It also comes into play untapped, which again, my not seem like much, but it keeps you on tempo and allows you to play out your curve nicely.For a land that comes in untapped and gives you an effect, is there anything else you can feasibly ask for?

Pros: Comes in untapped, gains 2 life

Cons: Doesn't produce coloured mana

Rating: 4.5/5

Best #1: Aetherspouts

This is going to be a problem and I believe it will be a bigger issue than Cyclonic Rift for a lot of decks. Why? Well, Rift costs 7 to get the full effect, this costs 5. And while Rift hits everything, it also allows your opponent to replay everything. This doesn't. If I'm swinging in for lethal with 6 creatures, I don't want to be told that I'm going to either have to spend 6 turns getting all those creatures back or never seeing some of those creatures for probably the rest of the game. At least with Rift, I may be able to throw down a couple creatures in my second main phase to try and recover from this. The only weakness of this card is that it requires the creatures to be attacking, which is something that not all creatures do, but for your mana investment, this thing is amazing. Oh, and one more thing, notice the lack of targeting, meaning is eats through hexproof and shroud quite easily.

Pros: Tucks or tops all attacking creatures

Cons: Only hits attacking creatures

Rating: 5/5

Runners-Up (Bad): Kird Chieftain, Blastfire Bolt, Vineweft

Runners-Up (Good): Ajani Steadfast, Garruk, Apex Predator; Military Intelligence 

Spoiler Tyme: Jace, the Living Guildpact

I've done a couple of these before, but I think it's high time to make it a "thing" On Spoiler Tyme, I'll look at an officially released spoiler and give you my predictions as to its quality and other such things. All card images will be taken from mythicspoiler.com.

There's a comment on a forum that sums up my feelings towards this card quite nicely:

"Holy crap! WotC took the nerf bat to Jace and apparently beat him half to death with it."

Coming in with 5 loyalty is cool and all, but it still takes 3 turns to charge up to ult. What do you have to do to charge? Mill yourself without gaining card advantage. Some people are predicting that his "pseudo-scry"means more graveyard love, but I see his "crying" as having a potential to hurt his owner more than than not. His -3 is an overcosted Disperse. The major thing that people are touting as this card's "saving grace" is his ult because "it wins games". So? Most planeswalkers ults will win you the game. That's what they're there for. Just because the ult wins the game doesn't redeem the whole walker.

I'm sure this will find a place in Standard (all Jaces do), but I think this is the weakest Jace and by far the weakest blue walker in Magic. I just hope this is the last Jace for a while (I know I'm wrong, but I can hope).

Pros: Comes in with 5 loyalty
Cons: +1 forces you to mill, expensive Disperse
Rating: 2/5