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Saviors Set Review: Charging Across ArabaBy Jake Sticka on June 9th, 2005 · Filed in General Magic · 16 Comments
So onto the cards: #1: Aether Shockwave   Instant  Choose one - Tap all Spirits; or tap all non-Spirit creatures. ~ Despite being the first alphabetically, this is not the number one card in White. Sorry if I got your hopes up. It is, however, an interesting one. In Limited it will go into some sideboards and maybe make a few main deck appearances due to the number of Spirits in this format. For the same reason it could appear in Block sideboards. All other formats? Skip it! Limited: 2.5 Block: 3 Standard: 1.5 Extended: 1 Legacy/Vintage: 1 #2: Araba Mothrider  Creature- Human Samurai  Flying, Bushido 1 1/1 ~ This is not a card that will do well in any constructed format. White has much more efficient 1/1 flyers in the form of Lantern Kami and Suntail Hawk, and the further you go the worse this looks. In Limited this is not bad if you curve this, Kabuto Moth, and Mothrider Samurai for the Moth threesome, but then again what curve is bad if it has Kabuto Moth? It's not bad but not great either. Limited: 2.5 Block: 2 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1
#3: Celestial Kirin  Legendary Creature - Kirin Spirit  Flying Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, destroy all permanents with that spell's converted mana cost. 3/3 ~ This really a hard card to gauge the playability of because it's the kind of card one must build around. In Limited, it is a 3/3 flyer for four making it a solid if not outstanding pick but its ability makes it rather risky. In Block I could see a U/W Gifts deck that carried mostly control with spells of all casting costs to Gifts for. It seems to go well with some of the other cards in Saviors1 Limited: 4 Block: 3 T2: 2 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #4: Charge Across the Araba  Instant - Arcane Sweep - Return any number of plains you control to their owner's hand. Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn for each plains returned this way. ~ Ah, our first set mechanic! Sweep is an interesting keyword with a lot of potential although I expect it to be more Limited than Constructed. This is a good finisher in both Limited and Block. In limited this can simply say “I Win!” to your opponent. Either Alpha Strike for the win or ruin your opponent's board. Either way it is worth . This is a first pick bomb, make no mistake! In Block a similar principle applies in White Weenie. After Block and Limited, however we once again have a card that does not affect other formats.Limited: 5 Block: 4 T2: 2 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #5: Cowed by Wisdom Enchant Creature Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays for each card in your hand. (This cost is paid as attackers or blockers are declared.) ~ This is, obviously, a purely Limited card. In Limited it locks down creatures in the early game. Your opponent will have multiple cards in hand and few lands in play. However, in the late game, once your opponent has played most of the cards in their hand, it is horrible. This is playable although not a powerhouse due to its uselessness in the late game. Limited: 3 Block: 1.5 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #6: Curtain of Light Instant Target attacking unblocked creature becomes blocked. Draw a card. ~ Yes, that’s right; it is the Ninja-foiling cantrip. It also has other uses such as waiting for declaration of other effects but it appears that this is a card aimed at stopping Ninjas. Due to this it is not playable outside of Block and CBS limited. Limited: 2 Block: 2.5 T2: 1 Extended: 1
Descendant of Kiyomaro Creature - Human Soldier As long as you have more cards in hand than each opponent, Descendant of Kiyomaro gets +1/+2 and has "Whenever this creature deals combat damage, you gain 3 life." 2/3 ~ I like this cycle a lot actually. It tests number of threats versus better threats. Do you want a 3/5 Spirit Linker or a 2/3 and a 2/2 Flying Samurai? It's up to you. As far as this one by itself goes, it does not have powerful enough additions as the black one but it is still powerful. Besides, 3 for a 2/3 is not that bad. Well, it's not very good either but the chance of having something bigger is very good. In Constructed this card scares me just a little. In the right U/W deck it is Exalted Angel for three less. Sign me up! All this card needs is a good U/W Control Deck1 Limited: 3.5 Block: 4 T2: 3.5 Extended: 2 L/V: 1 #8: Eiganjo Free-Riders Creature - Human Soldier Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, return a white creature you control to it's owners hand. 3/4 ~ Another card aimed mostly towards Limited. It is kind of like a White Demon. Okay, not really, but it is similar. Except, y’know, it returns to your hand instead of dying. And the fact is has Flying and not fear or trample. Oh, and the fact that it does not void the drawback when you play an Ogre. Well, maybe not that similar. At first I thought this had only potential in Limited. After the Prerelease and a little Netdrafting I now know how good this is. It wins in the late game. It plays D in the mid-game. It is all purpose evasion and I for one bow to its awesomeness. Is this a card that fits into Constructed White Weenie? Well is it a weenie? Erm…No it is not. However it is rather cheap, and in the T2 version of WW, the one which is probably better, it and Glorious Anthem are good friends. Will it make an appearance? Only time will tell but I have my doubts. Limited: 4.5 Block: 2 T2: 2.5 Extended: 1 L/V: 1
#9: Enduring Ideal  Sorcery Search your library for an Enchantment card and put it into play. Epic (For the rest of the game you can't play spells. At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy this spell except for it's epic ability.) ~ Our second keyword mechaniac, Epic. Do you want to trade the game for a neverending effect? In some decks this is just the kind of effect you might make the trade for. Honden.dec is the obvious choice here, although that is a deck that is still rather non-existent. However, a G/W verison is very possible2. As far as Limited goes, this is a card that you do not play in 40 cards. It's just not there. Limited: 1 Block: 4 T2: 3.5 Extended: 2 L/V: 1 #10: Ghost-lit Redeemer Creature - Spirit , : You gain 2 life. Channel - , Discard Ghost-lit Redeemer: You gain 4 life.1/1 ~ Keyword number 3: Channel, discard a card for double the price and double the effect. I like it a lot as far as design goes, it makes it so that you have to make quick play decisions that benefit the good player. This card itself is not great, but maybe, maybe, a playable one drop in Limited. Regardless, it will not make a Constructed splash, as in no splash. Limited: 1.5 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #11: Hail of Arrows  Instant Hail of Arrows deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target attacking creatures. ~ Let us all imagine you and your oppoent are both at 10 life with the kind of board typical of the transition between the mid and the late game. So we each have about 6 land out and maybe 3 creatures in play and the board is just beginning to look like it might stall if nobody draws anything good. Now I draw and just say go, leaving 4WW up. What does your opponent do? Let's consider the three most common scenarios: 1) One of your creatures might be able to punch through my defence. 2) None of your creatures can punch through my defence alone, but if you build up a large enough swarm I'll have no good blocks and you can win the resulting damage race. 3) You hold a combat trick I don't know about, meaning that you can alpha strike and I'll actually die when I think I'm in the clear. Now let's look at the effect of Hail of Arrows on this: 1) Any time I decide the threat is real, I can Hail your one creature for 5 damage, which takes out most things. 2) Able to split 5 damage between any number of your creatures, I could easily go 3-for-1 with this. Even if I can't, 2-for-1 is common or I could scatter damage around after combat damage is on the stack to finish off even large things which my creatures couldn't kill. 3) I can wreck your team with the trick on the stack. So Hail of Arrows pretty much always wins. What makes it even more important, though, is that trying to play around it will significantly alter the way you play. So if I can show you Hail of Arrows in game 1 then it really hurts your game 2 even if I don't draw it. This is a card that does nothing in Standard as frankly it fits no deck and Fireball does the job better. Limited: 5 Block: 2 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #12: Hand of Honor Creature-Samurai Protection from black, Bushido 1 2/2 ~ Ask and thou shalt receive. I wanted something fun, something good, and look at what I got! We have a new White Knight. It is a 2/2 that takes out 3/3s. What else could you want? In CBS Limited, this guy is good. Maybe not a bomb, but very good. He also will find his way into Block and T2 WW, possibly replacing Samurai of the Pale Curtain which without big bad Affinity around only has Witness as a target. A more difficult question is will this find its way into Extended WW? Well, right now, probably no. However, after rotation, I find it very likely. Limited: 4 Block: 4 T2: 4 Extended: 3.5 L/V: 2 #13: Inner-Chamber Guard Creature — Human Samurai Bushido 2 0/2 ~ This is ugly. Guard is correct, why did they not just print this as a 2/4 wall? I mean in Limited it is somewhat playable but honestly it does not do much. Ninja decks are the best place for this guy. He gets on D and can be returned when your opponent does not block. Otherwise, avoid! Limited: 2 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1
#14: Kataki, War's Wage Legendary Creature — Spirit All artifacts have “At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this artifact unless you pay 2/1 ~ Well, people have complained at the lack of artifact hate in the new Extended. They have said that Affinity will rule the day without cards like Energy Flux around. Why not just put it on a cheaper creature and call it done? Good job Wizards! This is a card that needed printing and you got it down! Thank you. In Block and T2 Artifacts are not a real problem although WW might consider this for the sideboard against Jitte/Velakden Shackles although it obviously will not be a powerhouse. In Limited we have a 2/1 for 2 with little else. It is a playable card but by no means an early pick Limited: 3 Block: 2 T2: 2 Extended: 4 L/V: 1 #15: Kitsune Bonesetter Creature — Fox Cleric : Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. Play this ability only if you have more cards in hand than each opponent. 0/1 ~ I guess this is one of those fabled skill-testers. As a 0/1 it is very fragile and often useless, you will not send a 0/1 into the red zone. Even with the ability up and running it is hardly great. Limited: 1 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #16: Kitsune Dawnblade Creature — Fox Samurai Bushido 1 When Kitsune Dawnblade comes into play, you may tap target creature. 2/3 ~ Well it is not great. Personally I rather be playing something else on turn 5. The comes into play ability can be very important but generally is just worth a few damage. Limited: 2 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #17: Kitsune Loreweaver Creature — Fox Cleric : Kitsune Loreweaver gets +0/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your hand. 2/1 ~ Another non-thrilling card yet solid card. In Limited it is a 2/1 two drop, although generally you will end up with a creature much better than a 2/2 as it becomes large. It is good in the midgame when you are trying to survive and can get in there for a few hits when needed. Limited: 3.5 Block: 1.5 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #18: Kiyomaro, First to Stand Legendary Creature — Spirit Kiyomaro, First to Stand’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand. As long as you have four or more cards in hand, Kiyomaro has vigilance. Whenever Kiyomaro deals damage, if you have seven or more cards in hand, you gain 7 life. */* ~ One of the new Maros, all of which have the Maro ability and extras that trigger with cards in hand. This one is particularly uninteresting. While not very good in constructed due to its mana cost and its inconsistent power and toughness, it is playable in Limited. Limited: 4 Block: 2 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1
#19: Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker Legendary Creature — Human Advisor Whenever a source an opponent controls deals damage to you, that player sacrifices a permanent. 2/2 ~ A very interesting as well as powerful card. Your opponent hates this card. If they attack, they lose a permanent. They burn you, they lose a permanent. No matter what they do they are in a bad position. In Limited it is even better due to the lack of answers. If you are playing against a deck without Red or Black and this hits your opponent is in trouble. It is worse in constructed due to the more widely used removal as well as the obvious power level increases but still may warrant a spot in whatever W/U Control deck that seems likely to form in this Block Season. Limited: 4 Block: 3.5 T2: 3 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #20: Moonwing Moth Creature — Insect Flying : Moonwing Moth gets +0/+1 until end of turn. 2/1 ~ Well, it is a 2 power flyer, what else do you want for a three-drop? Also it blocks larger flyers and lives to tell the tale in Limited. I would not expect to see this, however, in any more than a 40-card deck. Limited: 3.5 Block: 2 T2: 2 Extended: 1 L/V: 1
#21: Nikko-Onna Creature-Spirit When Nikko-Onna comes into play, destroy target enchantment. Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may return Nikko-Onna to its owner’s hand. ~ I like this card. I admit it. Wither it be induced by the eyes in that art or if on its own merit I still have not determined. It is a 2/2 for 3, which although horrible when compared to even Glory Seeker still qualifies as a weenie. And considering Terashi’s Grasp, a 3 casting cost spell which also destroys Artifacts and is not reusable is played in WW sideboards I see this taking its place. This also has good synergy with Tallowisp in block weenie. Outside of T2, though, this card fails to compete with other Enchantment destruction. Limited: 3 Block: 3.5 T2: 2.5 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #22: Plow Through Reito Instant-Arcane Sweep - Return any number of plains you control to their owner's hand. Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each plains returned this way. ~ While obviously not as good as the other White sweeper this is still a very good white common. It is a good and adaptable combat trick that can be used in a lot of ways. Need to screw with your opponent's combat math? Sure. Need to get in that extra damage at the end? Okay. This card's power comes in its versatility, not stature. In constructed there are just many better options than this. Limited: 4 Block: 2 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #23: Presence of the Wise Sorcery You gain 2 life for each card in your hand. ~ I guess for a set the revolves around cards in hand they had, to bring this back. Honestly I wish they would not have. It wasn't good then and is not good now. In Limited life gain has never been good and at most you're wasting your fourth turn for maybe ten life. The fact you lose that in the curve could cost you that much in the long run. In Constructed you still have Pulse of the Field in T2, a card infinitely better than this, and in block the only white deck worth playing is Aggro and last I checked WW does not play Life Gain. Limited: 1.5 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1
#24: Promise of Bunrei Enchantment Whenever a creature you control is put into a graveyard from play, sacrifice Promise of Bunrei. If you do, put four 1/1 colorless Spirit creature tokens into play. ~ Ever since Wizards previewed this card it has stumped me. In Constructed I am pretty sure this is good, at least in T2 post-rotation, assuming Wrath of God sticks aroudn. Turn three this, Wrath turn four, run in with tokens turn five. It is a good base for a control deck, possibly one with Celestial Kirin. Also a possible inclusion in post-rotation Temporary Solution. In Limited it is harder to judge. You have no sure-fire way to make a creature dies with this card. You can send in an underpowered creature but with this on the board your opponent just takes the damage. You are assured that if you play this on turn 3 you will break it eventually but but it seems more likely than not that it will be in the late game when 4 1/1s take out a creature and little else. Regardless, if only that it is still playable so I will put it at 3 for now although it could be a lot worse or a lot better. Limited: 3 Block: 3.5 T2: 4 Extended: 2 L/V: 1 #25: Pure Intentions Instant - Arcane Whenever a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard cards this turn, return those cards from your graveyard to your hand. Whenever a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard Pure Intentions, return Pure Intentions from your graveyard to your hand at end of turn. ~ Of all the discard hosers that have ever been printed, this certainly lies near the top of the heap in terms of effectiveness. The problem, of course, is that in no constructed format do you want to dedicate any number of card slots to defeating such a small portion of the opponent's deck. If this sees play anywhere, it will be in Extended sideboards of decks that really fear four Cabal Therapy and four Duress. But they'd likely rather play good cards. Limited: 1 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1.5 L/V: 1 #26: Reverence Enchantment Creatures with power 2 or less can't attack you. ~ In block the WW mirror is defined by this card. In T2 it is also large in the mirror. Really this card could have as far reaching sideboard inclusions as Extended where there are quite a few of Weenie decks running around. This card is a Weenie hoser and does so surprisingly well. In limited it really is just not worth it. By the time you play this, turn four/five, the game is already moving away from the Early game to the Mid-game, a point where the board is rather clear, and in the coming turns will not see many creatures with a power less than 2. Limited: 2 Block: 3 T2: 2.5 Extended: 2 L/V: 1
#27: Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant Legendary Creature - Fox Monk When you have 30 or more life, flip Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant. 2/2 /// FLIP /// Rune-Tail's Essence Legendary Enchantment Prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control. ~ Given that non-arbitrarily-large life gain never has been and never will be a good thing to build a constructed deck around, this won't see play in any constructed format, especially considering that the flipped enchantment is underwhelming at best considering what you have to do to get it. In Limited, as a 2/2 for , it might see play in an act of desperation. Despite all that, though, expect to see this card continually if you're a casual player.Limited: 1.5 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #28: Shinen of Stars' Light Creature - Spirit First strike Channel - , Discard Shinen of Stars' Light: Target creature gains first strike until end of turn. 2/1 ~ A decent combat trick glued to a decent creature. First Strike seems very good in CBS Limited and the Channel cards all seem decent in Limited. Limited: 3 Block: 1 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #29: Spiritual Visit Instant - Arcane Put a 1/1 colorless Spirit creature token into play. Splice: ~ What an interesting card here. Obviously not worth it if you're low on Arcane spells (diminishing its usefulness in most Limited decks), this card lives through its cheap reusability. However, if you play a deck with a huge number of spells to Splice onto, chances are you're playing a control deck where the 1/1s won't be excessively useful. Certainly not a bad chump blocker machine, of course, and that could be where it earns its stars. The only alternative use I can think of would be if there were a white aggro deck sporting a large number of Arcane spells (Blessed Breath and Otherworldly Journey perhaps). Limited: 3 Block: 3 T2: 2.5 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 #30: Torii Watchward Creature - Spirit Vigilance Soulshift 4 3/3 ~ Not exciting in any way in Constructed. However, in Limited a 3/3 for five that can play defense and offense will see its way to your deck most of the time. The Soulshift is a notable addition as well, of course. Limited: 3.5 Block: 1.5 T2: 1 Extended: 1 L/V: 1 Thanks: This is for all the people I owe thanks to. First I would like to thank Binary and Goblinboy for being the great editors they are. Special props to them for putting up with my horrible grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Thanks, guys! As in every article wrote here on MTGS Iloveatogs was a big part of the visible presentation of them, just as much so here. Thanks! Also thanks to Qwerty for being an overseer over everything that goes on in the Writer's Forum Finally thanks for Batular for his help on Limited ratings, especially for correcting my misguided opinions on the bomb that is Hail of Arrows. Jake's Notes Hello, my faithful readers. For those of you who did not read my first article, this is the section where I talk about what a great person I am. No, actually this is just where I ramble. So on to the rambling. The NBA Finals: I have to make a prediction for all you betting folk out there. I will help you all out and say Pistons in 6 although I think it should be a good series. My Lack Of Writing: I know I said I was going to write often. Three months later and I am yet to recieve my Writer's tag. Sadly that thing called life keeps getting in my way but expect alot more from me in the coming weeks and months My Top 5 Songs: 5: Speed of Soud, Coldplay 4: Don't Phunk With My Heart, The Black Eyed Peas 3: Best of You, Foo Fighters 2: The Hand That Feeds, NIN 1: Be Yourself, Audioslave Yes, yes, I am stuck two months ago. Well this is Jake signing off, good day! By Jake Sticka on June 9th, 2005 · Filed in General Magic · 16 Comments About Jake StickaAge: 14 |
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