MTG Salvation

These look great (for Intro Packs). Each deck gives you a solid introduction to the Clan's primary theme as well as a subtheme (Mardu Tokens, Temur Morph). Each deck has two Trilands, a Charm, a copy of the "five drop limited bomb" uncommons for each clan (Warden of the Eye, Bear's Companion), and at least one copy (but almost always two!) of the clan's best mechanical uncommon (like Heir to the Wilds, War-Name Aspirant, Abzan Falconer, etc). That means that buying two of these will give you a fairly competent casual or even FNM-y deck for each clan (with a lot of unplayable jank leftover of course, but that's par for the course).

Quote from Xylek »

Serra Angel...Thundering Giant. Does each deck have one of these "kinda-but-not-really-in-M15" cards?

Thundering Giant and Serra Angel are both from M15. Its a weird trend they developed awhile back so that each new set with intro decks that come after the core set will always come with cards from the core set.

The Abzan decklist looks super strong. I mean, look how synergistic it is!

Oh, I know they've been including Core Set cards, but that M15 Serra Angel has only been obtainable in the White 30 card sample deck and the deck builders tool kit (thought the Thundering Giant was the same but I was wrong). Interesting that this now third way to get the angel at least

Thank you for hijacking the OP, and title, Wildfire. Should have thought to do that.

I am much more interested in the 2nd rares in each pack. Some of them I was concerned would be excessively priced but ready availability in intro packs inhibits speculation.

With Core Set gone in the future, I wonder how they will incorporate extra cards into the precons, perhaps by including cards from previous block?

I recall that the reason intro decks have so many 1-and-2 ofs is because new players find multiple of the same card boring.

Quote from 0evil_overlord0 »

I recall that the reason intro decks have so many 1-and-2 ofs is because new players find multiple of the same card boring.

that does make sense.

These look pretty good for intro packs.

Mardu is particularly strong.

Sultai seems ok as the self mill theme is strong but I'd of liked more cut and cruise.

Seeing tireless missonaries in Jeskai makes me cringe though.

Definitely surprised by the quality here. Temur's rares are embarrassing, but I really like most of the construction choices on these. The quality makes me realize that some of the inclusions are bad on purpose so that new players will really FEEL the sensation of wanting to switch in new cards after playing with the bad ones. I am learning. The pile of multicolor lands in each will also be very useful to new players.

Quote from Hawk7915 »

These look great (for Intro Packs). Each deck gives you a solid introduction to the Clan's primary theme as well as a subtheme (Mardu Tokens, Temur Morph). Each deck has two Trilands, a Charm, a copy of the "five drop limited bomb" uncommons for each clan (Warden of the Eye, Bear's Companion), and at least one copy (but almost always two!) of the clan's best mechanical uncommon (like Heir to the Wilds, War-Name Aspirant, Abzan Falconer, etc). That means that buying two of these will give you a fairly competent casual or even FNM-y deck for each clan (with a lot of unplayable jank leftover of course, but that's par for the course).

Agreed completely. I like that a couple of the non-foil rares are actually things that I suspect are going to be $1 rares that see a fair bit of kitchen table play (like Flying Crane Technique and High Sentinels of Arashin), along with the fact that they've not gone easy on the lands and just thrown one or two in - I suspect that when these start getting cleared off the shelves at the local Wal-Mart (or, if you're in Australia like me, the local K-Mart, Target or Big W), they're going to disappear pretty quickly, if only for the lands, the odd rare, and the chance of pulling a fetch out of the boosters for a few bucks.

Where are the fetches???!!!

Quote from Bolas, the Mindsculptor »

Where are the fetches???!!!

I think the rollseyes smiley is more appropriate than the mad smiley

Nah. I'm absolutely mad that Wizards didn't put that in for casuals...

Competitive players aren't the only ones needing them at tourney tables.

Fetches for the kitchen table top!!!

Quote from Bolas, the Mindsculptor »

Nah. I'm absolutely mad that Wizards didn't put that in for casuals...

Competitive players aren't the only ones needing them at tourney tables.

Fetches for the kitchen table top!!!

It's an intro pack. Not an event deck.

You do realize that all 60 card intro packs, except Flames of the Dragon from M15 because of an error, always have 2 rares, 12 uncommons, and 36 commons and basic lands right? Flames of the Dragon had 13 uncommons and 35 commons and basic lands, but even so, theme decks also had 13 uncommons and 35 commons and basic lands, as well as the 2 rares.

Don't kid yourself, for a product that is targeted at not so established players, or should I say, newbie, a land is the last thing they want as one of the rares.

So let's say the second rare was a fetchland, then what, you still can't fetch 2 out of 3 colors.

You also know that either way, by adding fetchlands into the intro packs, stores are going to jack up the price anyway.

Quote from mattkru »

Do the decks contain all basic lands or only the ones aligned to their clan.

The decks contain only the type and number of basic lands noted in the deck lists. E.g. the "Abzan Siege" deck contains 8 plains, 7 swamp and 6 forest (and no mountains or islands).

In addition you get basic lands from the 2 indluded booster packs (i.e. one random basic per booster + a small chance for a foil basic).

weird, sultai is missing the GU refuge

They have all the arts of the lands they contain, unfortunately.