And full spoilers are out! I think the one that stands out the most is Gearseeker Serpent cause it brings back everyone's favorite mechanic: Affinity for Artifacts! And who doesn't like getting a 5/6 for only UU?
The Freighter is gonna be the one that I think sees the most play. Cheap to cast and a high upside. I can see it being the top end in a Stompy deck. Play it on turn 3 and the next turn you can tap Nettle Sentinel to crew it, then cast a spell to untap the Sentinel to swing in with it too.
I'm surprised there's not more love for Self-Assembler. A 4/4 for 5 isn't a bad rate and it lets you search up any Assembly Worker. Next to none in pauper besides itself but you could search up another copy of it or a changeling. Plus we don't know if they'll print more Assembly Workers!
Desperate Sentry is cool. If you have delirium it's a (fragile) beater. And if it dies you have a 3/2 left behind. Either way it's value. Will the mana cost hold it back?
Ironclad Slayer is cool. No creature grabs any kind of equipment from the grave so it lets you have some fun with Blazing Torch. And of course you can regrab all those nice auras like Dead Weight.
Lunarch Mantle is like Upkeep said. It's a big boost for so little. Plus it gives evasion if you need it. It could see some play in Bogles.
Thraben Standard Bearer could see play in human or soldier decks. Flooding out in the late game? Turn those lands into creatures! Heck, wanna play some kind of madness deck with White in it? Why not?! Let the janky fun flow!
Displace...honestly I thought if a card got banned in Drake decks it might be Ghostly Flicker but now we have a replacement for it if that happens.
Ingenious Skaab seems fun and would be worth a try but odds are it's a touch too fragile.
Spontaneous Mutation isn't bad. Low cost, flash, and it grows throughout the game.
Gavony Unhallowed could be used in Aristocrat decks. 4 toughness, grows when creatures die, but it costs 4 mana. Maybe it sees play as a 1-2 of at the very top of curve in the deck.
Olivia's Dragoon is a new friend to Madness decks. It competes with Putrid Imp but it starts at 2 power and doesn't lose the ability to block.
Strange Augmentation needs a little work but an aura that gives +3/+3 for only B is definitely worth consideration.
Succumb to Temptation well...what more can be said? 1 more than the best draw spells in black but instant speed. I'm sure it'll find a home somewhere though. Maybe B/x control decks?
Wailing Ghoul is cheap, defensive, and fills the grave for the zombie deck. Worth a try, right?
Weirded Vampire is our single new madness common in black. Will it find home in madness decks? Maybe. If only because it's another Madness card.
Distemper of the Blood is a solid combat trick for madness decks. Blocked my Wild Mongrel? Dang. Guess I'll discard this to give it +3/+3 and trample.
Otherworldly Outburst is so weird and fun. I'm tempted to try this in a RB aristocrats deck. Target Mogg War Marshal and sac it for a 1/1 and a 3/2. Fun!
Stensia Banquet will help more fun Vampire decks appear. Between that and Vampiric Fury you have a big reward for vampires so time to have some fun making those silly brews!
Thermo-Alchemist is going to be one of the most interesting cards coming from this set. It'll either be amazing (in the right deck) or just kinda average. But I'm gonna enjoy seeing and trying the decks with this one in it!
Backwoods Survivalists could see some play. Get delirium and you have a 5/4 trampler for 3G. Rumbles with the format's biggest creatures.
Bloodbriar Now here we go! Good mana cost and it grows off of so many things~! Imagine this with the infinite combo of Carrion Feeder + persist creature + Ivy Lane Denizen. Now your opponent has 2 (or more) lethal attackers to deal with. Only issue is it doesn't have evasion but that's nothing a simple Rancor can't fix.
Swift Spinner has a soft spot in my heart being a flash creature. But it's only a 2/3...oh if only it were at least a 2/4...
Waxing Moon gives our werewolf decks another small boost. So now werewolves and vampires are gonna start popping up more (hopefully) and that makes me happy!
And....that's all the interesting cards to me! Sure, most (or possible none) of these will see play but gosh darn it these are cool commons and I can't wait to see what happens! (also wow this was long. Dang.)
Kird Ape gets its first online common printing so get ready for the 'fur'y of this one in pauper.
Yavimaya Enchantress is kinda like Aura Gnarlid but it's looking for any enchantment, not just auras. I could see it being tried in bogles or even those 5 color aggro decks, but I'm not sure if it'll catch on.
Desperate Ravings is interesting to see. Maybe slots into UR decks? I'd try it.
Wakedancer has made its way to common online! Aristocrats will love this one!
Night's Whisper Easier to cast Sign in Blood without the "target player" clause. I could see this in B/x decks or even some mono black decks running a few more colorless utility lands
Elite Vanguard Hard to believe this hasn't been common yet but now pauper has a 2 power 1 drop without any drawback or conditions at all. (I could be mistaken of course about this being the first)
Cephalid Sage In case you didn't think Threshold would have help, here's some help! 4 mana to get 3 power on the board and draw three cards! This could see play in....well...anything not running Delve cards.
Elvish Vanguard Another rare moved down to common and one that's great too! I think elves would run this no problem. If it goes unanswered it just wrecks face.
Prowling Pangolin A nice one, but I'm not sure what deck would run it.
Orcish Oriflamme This time they didn't get the casting cost wrong, but it's hard to tell what deck wants it. 4 mana is a lot of any aggro deck that would want this effect.
Avarax Another card that searches for more copies is cool. 3/3 is kinda bland but haste and firebreathing for 1R makes up for it. A GR ramp deck would be cool to see this in.
So that's, like, every interesting downgrade to common! Well...interesting to me, anyway. But yeah! Things are gonna get interesting for pauper! Between price drops and new cards things will be really interesting!
Edit: Whops! Zephyr beat me to the punch but I had to let my excitement be shared!
So...Angelic Purge (Card text: 2W, Sorcery. As an additional cost, sac a permanent. Exile target creature, enchantment, or artifact) Is this going to be pauper's Vindicate or is it being overrated? I think it could do well in token decks or in Kuldotha decks that don't mind cashing in those Ichor Wellspring to handle pretty much anything for good.
You know, my mind completely blanked on Altar's Reap. I thought it was a sorcery, not an instant. A fault on my part there. But yeah, only upside to Merciless Resolve being 3 mana is it can sac lands too. So not really worth it.
Merciless Resolve is a nice instant. Costs 2B and you need to sac a creature or land but you get to draw two cards. Maybe aggro decks or some B/x token decks might want it as a less color intensive (though more costly) Sign in Blood.
Twins of Maurer Estate is a 3/5 vampire for 4B but it's got a madness cost of 2B. A vanilla 3/5 probably isn't what madness decks are after, but it's a new option. And 5 toughness makes it hard to kill and a good blocker.
and last we have Stromkirk Mentor. A 4/2 vampire soldier for 3B that gives another vampire you control a +1/+1 counter. Too slow and weak but if you like vampires then here's another option for ya!
Hinterland Logger for 1G you get a 2/1 human that flips (under the normal werewolf conditions) into a 4/2 Werewolf with trample. Okay. Not bad. doubt it'll see much play without some ways to flip it past the trigger but hey! If you're lucky you could get a 4/2 on turn 3. This is probably only gonna be great in limited. Moving on we have...
Warped Landscape! A brand new version of Evolving Wilds. What makes it new? You have to pay 2 to get the search effect but in the meantime it'll tap for colorless mana. So it's like the common land cycle from Alara except it can find any land.
Thraben Inspector is a simple 1/2 for W that investigates when it comes into play. I could see it being used in white affinity decks. Gives you an artifact early and, once not needed, a cantrip.
Now here's a simple, but fun one. Just the Wind. It's an Unsummon for 1U but....it has madness for U! UG madness has a fun new tool to use! Yay!
And our last common on the day shows off the skulk mechanic for the first time officially: Farbog Revenant. 2B for a 1/3 spirit with Skulk and Lifelink. Hmm...i mean, it's a spirit for those Thief of Hope decks, so it's got that going for it. And skulk continues to be an interesting and balanced form of evasion. Is getting in damage more important than gaining life? Seriously, I'm really starting to come around to Skulk. and we've only seen it on two cards!
So next week spoilers officially begin and hopefully we continue to see cool cards.
If anything it would be Eye of Ugin to get banned. Eldrazi Temple does provide two mana, but you actually have to tap the land to add two mana for one spell. Eye's just giving away two mana to every eldrazi spell meaning you have the classic Turn 1 Eldrazi Mimic (or more) and 2/2 Endless One coming out. 4 mana (or more) used without tapping any lands. Plus Eye provides inevitability. You grind the game out and then the eldrazi player has enough mana to activate the eye and start searching out more threats for you to deal with. Ban the Eye then it's Turn 1, Temple, and tapping it for either the Mimic or a 2/2 Endless One. A painless Ancient Tomb (with no extra abilities) still isn't fair but it at least reaches a balance of letting Eldrazi stay around without them being so explosive.
An aggressive GB self-mill wants it? Maybe? Hmm....you're right. It's hard to tell who wants this card. IT's unique and strong but what deck could efficiently use it? Or really want it?
And it's been awhile but we have a new common! Shard of Broken Glass Honestly, I'm not sure how to feel about it honestly. Not as cheap as Bone Saw but it's good for self mill and that self mill is even optional! That's crazy cool! What do you all think?
I'm sorry, I think I'm misunderstanding you somewhere. How does Delver of Secrets make the flash deck better? Flash decks are more creature heavy than most Delver decks. Plus the flash deck didn't succeed until the RTR/Theros block unless there was a flash deck lingering around during the scars/inn and inn/rtr standards.
Personally, I've always liked green and blue. And I know this is a recent card, but my favorite card is Horizon Chimera. It is just such a wonderful card. Flash, trample, flying, and lifegain all rolled into a nifty package. I have had many games won off of the back of this one card. 3 damage in the air helps end games fast, and that lifegain is very helpful. I remember having two of them down alongside a Bident of Thassa. Drawing 2 cards and gaining 4 life each time they attacked kept me alive that game.
Desperate Sentry is cool. If you have delirium it's a (fragile) beater. And if it dies you have a 3/2 left behind. Either way it's value. Will the mana cost hold it back?
Ironclad Slayer is cool. No creature grabs any kind of equipment from the grave so it lets you have some fun with Blazing Torch. And of course you can regrab all those nice auras like Dead Weight.
Lunarch Mantle is like Upkeep said. It's a big boost for so little. Plus it gives evasion if you need it. It could see some play in Bogles.
Thraben Standard Bearer could see play in human or soldier decks. Flooding out in the late game? Turn those lands into creatures! Heck, wanna play some kind of madness deck with White in it? Why not?! Let the janky fun flow!
Displace...honestly I thought if a card got banned in Drake decks it might be Ghostly Flicker but now we have a replacement for it if that happens.
Ingenious Skaab seems fun and would be worth a try but odds are it's a touch too fragile.
Spontaneous Mutation isn't bad. Low cost, flash, and it grows throughout the game.
Cemetery Recruitment will be fun to try in Zombie decks. Will it replace Ghoulcaller's Chant or will a mix of the two be used?
Gavony Unhallowed could be used in Aristocrat decks. 4 toughness, grows when creatures die, but it costs 4 mana. Maybe it sees play as a 1-2 of at the very top of curve in the deck.
Olivia's Dragoon is a new friend to Madness decks. It competes with Putrid Imp but it starts at 2 power and doesn't lose the ability to block.
Strange Augmentation needs a little work but an aura that gives +3/+3 for only B is definitely worth consideration.
Succumb to Temptation well...what more can be said? 1 more than the best draw spells in black but instant speed. I'm sure it'll find a home somewhere though. Maybe B/x control decks?
Thraben Foulbloods has a lot of potential but only 3 toughness...
Wailing Ghoul is cheap, defensive, and fills the grave for the zombie deck. Worth a try, right?
Weirded Vampire is our single new madness common in black. Will it find home in madness decks? Maybe. If only because it's another Madness card.
Distemper of the Blood is a solid combat trick for madness decks. Blocked my Wild Mongrel? Dang. Guess I'll discard this to give it +3/+3 and trample.
Otherworldly Outburst is so weird and fun. I'm tempted to try this in a RB aristocrats deck. Target Mogg War Marshal and sac it for a 1/1 and a 3/2. Fun!
Stensia Banquet will help more fun Vampire decks appear. Between that and Vampiric Fury you have a big reward for vampires so time to have some fun making those silly brews!
Thermo-Alchemist is going to be one of the most interesting cards coming from this set. It'll either be amazing (in the right deck) or just kinda average. But I'm gonna enjoy seeing and trying the decks with this one in it!
Backwoods Survivalists could see some play. Get delirium and you have a 5/4 trampler for 3G. Rumbles with the format's biggest creatures.
Bloodbriar Now here we go! Good mana cost and it grows off of so many things~! Imagine this with the infinite combo of Carrion Feeder + persist creature + Ivy Lane Denizen. Now your opponent has 2 (or more) lethal attackers to deal with. Only issue is it doesn't have evasion but that's nothing a simple Rancor can't fix.
Swift Spinner has a soft spot in my heart being a flash creature. But it's only a 2/3...oh if only it were at least a 2/4...
Waxing Moon gives our werewolf decks another small boost. So now werewolves and vampires are gonna start popping up more (hopefully) and that makes me happy!
And....that's all the interesting cards to me! Sure, most (or possible none) of these will see play but gosh darn it these are cool commons and I can't wait to see what happens! (also wow this was long. Dang.)
Peregrine Drake Hi again, familiars! Not as busted as Cloud of Faeries but it does what you want it to for the combo!
Warden of Evos Isle Wow! Will UW flyers be seen now?
Kird Ape gets its first online common printing so get ready for the 'fur'y of this one in pauper.
Yavimaya Enchantress is kinda like Aura Gnarlid but it's looking for any enchantment, not just auras. I could see it being tried in bogles or even those 5 color aggro decks, but I'm not sure if it'll catch on.
Desperate Ravings is interesting to see. Maybe slots into UR decks? I'd try it.
Rally the Peasants Oh boy! Boros tokens now has their Guardians' Pledge
Wakedancer has made its way to common online! Aristocrats will love this one!
Night's Whisper Easier to cast Sign in Blood without the "target player" clause. I could see this in B/x decks or even some mono black decks running a few more colorless utility lands
Elite Vanguard Hard to believe this hasn't been common yet but now pauper has a 2 power 1 drop without any drawback or conditions at all. (I could be mistaken of course about this being the first)
Cephalid Sage In case you didn't think Threshold would have help, here's some help! 4 mana to get 3 power on the board and draw three cards! This could see play in....well...anything not running Delve cards.
Elvish Vanguard Another rare moved down to common and one that's great too! I think elves would run this no problem. If it goes unanswered it just wrecks face.
Prowling Pangolin A nice one, but I'm not sure what deck would run it.
Orcish Oriflamme This time they didn't get the casting cost wrong, but it's hard to tell what deck wants it. 4 mana is a lot of any aggro deck that would want this effect.
Avarax Another card that searches for more copies is cool. 3/3 is kinda bland but haste and firebreathing for 1R makes up for it. A GR ramp deck would be cool to see this in.
So that's, like, every interesting downgrade to common! Well...interesting to me, anyway. But yeah! Things are gonna get interesting for pauper! Between price drops and new cards things will be really interesting!
Edit: Whops! Zephyr beat me to the punch but I had to let my excitement be shared!
Vessel of Volatility!Pretty cool ritual! What kind of decks will want this card? Any combo decks out there that this could help?
Merciless Resolve is a nice instant. Costs 2B and you need to sac a creature or land but you get to draw two cards. Maybe aggro decks or some B/x token decks might want it as a less color intensive (though more costly) Sign in Blood.
Twins of Maurer Estate is a 3/5 vampire for 4B but it's got a madness cost of 2B. A vanilla 3/5 probably isn't what madness decks are after, but it's a new option. And 5 toughness makes it hard to kill and a good blocker.
and last we have Stromkirk Mentor. A 4/2 vampire soldier for 3B that gives another vampire you control a +1/+1 counter. Too slow and weak but if you like vampires then here's another option for ya!
Hinterland Logger for 1G you get a 2/1 human that flips (under the normal werewolf conditions) into a 4/2 Werewolf with trample. Okay. Not bad. doubt it'll see much play without some ways to flip it past the trigger but hey! If you're lucky you could get a 4/2 on turn 3. This is probably only gonna be great in limited. Moving on we have...
Warped Landscape! A brand new version of Evolving Wilds. What makes it new? You have to pay 2 to get the search effect but in the meantime it'll tap for colorless mana. So it's like the common land cycle from Alara except it can find any land.
Thraben Inspector is a simple 1/2 for W that investigates when it comes into play. I could see it being used in white affinity decks. Gives you an artifact early and, once not needed, a cantrip.
Now here's a simple, but fun one. Just the Wind. It's an Unsummon for 1U but....it has madness for U! UG madness has a fun new tool to use! Yay!
And our last common on the day shows off the skulk mechanic for the first time officially: Farbog Revenant. 2B for a 1/3 spirit with Skulk and Lifelink. Hmm...i mean, it's a spirit for those Thief of Hope decks, so it's got that going for it. And skulk continues to be an interesting and balanced form of evasion. Is getting in damage more important than gaining life? Seriously, I'm really starting to come around to Skulk. and we've only seen it on two cards!
So next week spoilers officially begin and hopefully we continue to see cool cards.