When Aftermath Analyst enters the battlefield, mill three cards.
{3}{G}, Sacrifice Aftermath Analyst: Return all land cards from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
“Could someone bring me more evidence markers? Like … a lot more?”
1/3
This is in the same vein as Satyr Wayfinder. It mills the same number of cards, assuming you hit a land with Wayfinder, but doesn't "draw" you a land. It does have 2 extra toughness, which makes it a reasonable blocker early. And it becomes a literal Splendid Reclamation. At instant speed to boot.
I think this card is worth a look in cubes that have decks that have graveyard synergies and/or cubes that run a higher density of fetchlands than normal.
I think people aren't giving enough consideration to these being fetchable. That's a huge boon. Some cubes have broken singleton to run more fetches, creating a more balanced land base of fetches and fetch targets. And I think the Surveil lands will be great includes in environments like that.
Thank you as always for the content! Like most people, this set is on the weaker side.
I do think the Surveil lands are better than people are giving them credit for, especially in cubes that care about the graveyard. They're still safely below Triomes to me, but being fetchable is huge.
One card I'm into that you didn't mention is Aftermath Analyst. Besides thinking it's not a top 20 card in the set, what's your opinion of it?
Feldon creates a token of Gruff, though. And Gruff doesn't create additional copies of itself when it's a token, right?
I can see this being fine if the "real" Gruff dies, and the other tokens are still on the board, and then you use Feldon to make another Gruff token. That seems like a pretty unlikely scenario, though. And not even that strong, unless I'm not doing the math right.
How's this card doing for everyone? I noticed a lot of people aren't running it anymore. I love tinkering with my cube, but don't get to play as often as I'd like so I don't have many reps with it.
I love the passion you have for cube and the effort you put forth. As always, this was a great read!
I have a 360 unpowered cube. I'm honestly not super interested about any of these cards. Can't remember the last time I went a set without changing my cube at all. Do you think it's a "mistake" not to include Woe Strider along with the rest of THB for a small cube like mine?
Thanks for taking the time to write this up once more! I largely agree with your takes. The card I'm most excited for from this set is Rankle. It just does a lot potentially and is exactly the kind of card that is great in cube since it can fit in several archetypes. Hoping he sticks!
Minor typo in the verdict section for Fabled Passage where you typed 350 instead of 360.
For tylorlilley, I count Phyrexian Metamorph as colorless.
I rank those 6 3 drop blue creatures as such (blank lines denote tier drops):
True-Name Nemesis
Vendilion Clique
Trinket Mage (this gets much worse if you don't have Moxen and Sol Ring and such)
Man-o'-War
Exclusion Mage
Champion of Wits
As for the white 4 drops, I think Gideon of the Trials is the worst card you mentioned. Exalted Angel is next worst.
For nShinFF Lotus Cobra is a better inclusion in cube IMO. Paradise Druid is solid and better in many situations, but the upside of Lotus Cobra gives drafters a reason to pick it and draft around it. The upside is realized often enough if you're running all the fetches (and Primmatic Vista) plus any other lands matters cards.
{1}{G}
Creature — Elf Detective
When Aftermath Analyst enters the battlefield, mill three cards.
{3}{G}, Sacrifice Aftermath Analyst: Return all land cards from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
“Could someone bring me more evidence markers? Like … a lot more?”
1/3
This is in the same vein as Satyr Wayfinder. It mills the same number of cards, assuming you hit a land with Wayfinder, but doesn't "draw" you a land. It does have 2 extra toughness, which makes it a reasonable blocker early. And it becomes a literal Splendid Reclamation. At instant speed to boot.
I think this card is worth a look in cubes that have decks that have graveyard synergies and/or cubes that run a higher density of fetchlands than normal.
I do think the Surveil lands are better than people are giving them credit for, especially in cubes that care about the graveyard. They're still safely below Triomes to me, but being fetchable is huge.
One card I'm into that you didn't mention is Aftermath Analyst. Besides thinking it's not a top 20 card in the set, what's your opinion of it?
I can see this being fine if the "real" Gruff dies, and the other tokens are still on the board, and then you use Feldon to make another Gruff token. That seems like a pretty unlikely scenario, though. And not even that strong, unless I'm not doing the math right.
I have a 360 unpowered cube. I'm honestly not super interested about any of these cards. Can't remember the last time I went a set without changing my cube at all. Do you think it's a "mistake" not to include Woe Strider along with the rest of THB for a small cube like mine?
Minor typo in the verdict section for Fabled Passage where you typed 350 instead of 360.
Cheers
1. Natural Order
2. Channel
3. Rofellos
4. Craterhoof Behemotn
5. Birds of Paradise
6. Noble Hierarch
7. Sylvan Library
8. Joraga Treespeaker
9. Survival of the Fittest
10. Green Sun's Zenith
11. Gaea's Cradle
12. Primeval Titan
13. Oracle of Mul Daya
14. Ramunap Excavator
15. Arbor Elf
16. Reclamation Sage
17. Woodfall Primus
18. Carnage Tyrant
19. Eternal Witness
20. Deep Forest Hermit
1. Sneak Attack
2. Wheel of Fortune
3. Goblin Guide
4. Young Pyromancer
5. Wildfire
6. Sulfuric Vortex
7. Lightning Bolt
8. Fiery Confluence
9. Fireblast
10. Goblin Rabblemaster
11. Chandra, Torch of Defiance
12. Hellrider
13. Inferno Titan
14. Purphoros, God of the Forge
15. Imperial Recruiter
16. Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
17. Rolling Earthquake
18. Faithless Looting
19. Light Up the Stage
20. Dreadhorde Arcanist
Lightning Helix
I rank those 6 3 drop blue creatures as such (blank lines denote tier drops):
True-Name Nemesis
Vendilion Clique
Trinket Mage (this gets much worse if you don't have Moxen and Sol Ring and such)
Man-o'-War
Exclusion Mage
Champion of Wits
As for the white 4 drops, I think Gideon of the Trials is the worst card you mentioned. Exalted Angel is next worst.
For nShinFF Lotus Cobra is a better inclusion in cube IMO. Paradise Druid is solid and better in many situations, but the upside of Lotus Cobra gives drafters a reason to pick it and draft around it. The upside is realized often enough if you're running all the fetches (and Primmatic Vista) plus any other lands matters cards.
1. Demonic Tutor
2. Vampiric Tutor
3. Recurring Nightmare
4. Reanimate
5. Dark Confidant
6. Toxic Deluge
7. Griselbrand
8. Bitterblossom
9. Braids, Cabal Minion
10. Thoughtseize
11. Entomb
12. Grave Titan
13. Dark Ritual
14. Liliana of the Veil
15. Damnation
16. Living Death
17. Snuff Out
18. Bloodsoaked Champion
19. Animate Dead
20. Sinkhole