• Scattered Groves replaces Temple Garden
• Ash Barrens replaces Safewright Quest
• Jade Mage replaces Selesnya Guildmage
The +1/+1 mode just isn't as good when the core creatures are growing to be more spread out. Repeatable 1/1 chump blockers is the most appealing part of this and doubling at 6 and 9 being achievable makes this a good swap.
• Gnarlwood Dryad replaces Death-Hood Cobra
With multiplayer, this is attacking less, so having to hold up mana for deathtouch makes the snake pretty bad, even if it can block fliers. This one turns into a threat when drawn late to help end games.
• Deathcap Cultivator replaces Avacyn's Pilgrim
This solves the problem of bad mana dorks. In smaller settings, 1/1 bodies can be made relevant fairly easily. This setting needs more longevity when flooding out late. Deathtouch is natural even if this change prevents the deck from moonlighting as a commander deck.
• Clear Shot replaces Dromoka's Command
This is a questionable change, but it makes it harder for this to 2-for-1 combat tricks, allows it to BE a combat trick, and allows deathtouch creatures to damage big creatures without dying. The blow out scenario is also lessened with awkward interactions with removing aura-based removal in combat.
• Choking Restraints replaces Contagion Glasp
This interacts with a slightly different set of threats. Instead of being expensive and targeting utility creatures, it's cheap, and stops big creatures before being a mana sink to deal with creatures with abilities late.
• Provoke replaces Detainment Spell
Doesn't answer threats as easily, but allows social play and deals with utility creatures with no card cost.
• Blessed Alliance replaces Martial Law
This interacts with a slightly different set of threats but does untap creatures tapped down by tappers. Detain is awkward and was ultimately just a 1 for 1.
• Faith Unbroken replaces Vow of Duty
This has better gameplay as the vow typically clogged the board and didn't answer utility creatures. This cleans up utility creatures decently, especially those that accrue value over time.
• Elder of Laurels replaces Seedcradle Witch
This is less-dependent on the ability to ward off early plays and is less of an oppressive ability.
• Unstable Obelisk replaces Selesnya Keyrune
This is more tension and ramp-desiring / pay off. This may be less useful midgame though. This is one of the few remaining ways of getting an aura off your big threat.
• Become Immense replaces Beast Within
This targets combat rather than being efficient, flexible removal. This slot no longer destroys auras and doesn't leave behind a 3/3 token to be dealt with.
• Prepare // Fight replaces Test of Faith
Untap combat trick has more play to it than a flash aura that eats deathtouchers.
• Ainok Bond-Kin replaces Phyrexian Revoker
Early game 2/1s are just bad now and utility creatures are less important than in 1v1
• Heliod's Emissary replaces Wiltleaf Cavaliers
Aggro needs a bit more assist than beefy vigilance. This is now a mana sink and adds to delirium
• Benevolent Offering replaces Briarhorn
Testing out flying tokens and life gain. Might be too much of a liability, but Briarhorn was always too much of a blow out.
• Dragonscale General replaces Auriok Bladewarden
Trying something new.
• Sentinel of the Eternal Watch replaces Coalition Honor Guard
Flagbearers are significantly more awkward in multiplayer where they prevent opponents from killing each other's creatures.
• Conifer Strider replaces Acidic Slime
• Domesticated Hydra replaces Kavu Primarch
Golgari Decoy is now on the watch list because there are very few things it can actually interact against in a satisfying way compared to before. I think there are fewer permanent buffs it can acquire but it still may have enough buffs for it to be usable.
A 4 mana divination where they have to cast Heroic Intervention just in case or a board wipe you can cast safely into possible protection knowing you won't be left defenseless to their army.It's worth noting that I give the most praise to genre agnostic combat tricks and removal options since creatures tend to be far more easily replaceable. While I may not favor a particular mechanic, a Realm built around that mechanic or plane will find a way to make the theme work within constraints and then fill in the gaps with whatever applicable generic staples it needs.
Wilds of Eldraine
Set mechanics this time include the return of Adventures, Role tokens, Bargain, Food, and Celebration. I will continue to earmark token mechanics as logistical hurdles for a Realm's portability, so Role tokens and food mechanics will tend to want a bit more focus before the individual cards are considered. Adventures continue to offer the possibility of mana smoothing, though they continue to have a first exposure hurdle outside of the release windows. Take more care with instants for that reason when building for a wider audience. Bargain and Celebration can effortlessly mesh with general decks though may be harder to use without highly curated card pools. Bargain itself probably benefits from having a few more artifact or enchantment creatures running around depending on the nature of the bonus.
It's worth noting that there are very few denizen candidates this set as all the expensive mana sinks are stapled onto an adventure and there are several 5-drops straddling the line with an adventure pushing them into that space. There may be a general trend to avoid printing 7- and 8- drops in modern design and if this continues, there may be a need to revisit format structure.
WHITE
Frostbridge Guard - This is one of the rare 2/2s I think can work. It can still trade with 3/1s and can attack into 2/3s when threatening a trick. Three mana to lock down a denizen is, I think, a fair rate when the creature itself can be killed more easily than a pacifism.
Moment of Valor - Valorous Stance upgraded to actually be a combat trick makes this playable in normal scenarios when it's not able to wait for a denizen to snag.
⭐ Plunge into Winter - This continues to move the bleeding edge of white's support spell options. This has game play implications and could also conceivably work as a heroic trigger source. Not sure how much I like it for the role but it's highly relevant.
Savior of the Sleeping - A bit more themed than Tenth District Veteran, but more suited for a voltron list where you're likely already playing counters anyway. 2/3 + Vigilance is both rare and solid as a starting point for multiplayer.
Werefox Girlfriend - Temporary flash removal is significantly better than Banishing Priest. Has protection and combo angles. Sigrid, God-Favored is also in nearby space, but they both offer different things. I think Sigrid tends to be the better of the two for Realms, but there are some lists where the combo angle will be desired.
Discerning Financier - I see what you did. Makes sense!
BLUE
Brazen Borrower - Getting a reprint in a precon and remains something I desire.
⭐ Bitter Cold - This is an extremely high rate for this kind of card since Narcolepsy. I remain wary of aura-based removal this strong for locking out denizens, but aggressive lists will value that this isn't dead disadvantage to an untap trick.
Diminisher Witch - The overhead is high for this kind of card which is why I'm a bit down on these mechanics but it's definitely possible to craft a Realm to make them work and this is one of the cards that would be suitable there. It's interesting that this and Tenacious Tomeseeker are both 3/2s for 3.
Freeze in Place - This is a bit worse in Realms since you can't dig as far for a permanent answer or for gas. This also doesn't want to go in a multiplayer deck, but there could be a spells-focused list that doesn't want aura removal at all and four turns is enough to make some plays. This card pushes the game away from parity rather than towards it, like most other interaction.
Icewrought Sentry - This is extremely aggressive for blue. 1v1 games will swing a bit more wildly with this and multiplayer games will value this cracking board stalls.
⭐ Merfolk Coralsmith - This is a collection of stats! It's a 2/3 that can choose to trade rather than bouncing off another 2/3. It can aim to trade with a 4/4 denizen. When it dies, you get to sculpt draws in 1v1. This is quite the upgrade over Water Courser and cleaner than Ingenious Skaab, particularly for multicolor lists.
Misleading Motes - Mentioning this as there's been a recent trend of Gritide variants that let the opponent choose to bottom the creature. Realms has the interesting scenario where you can steal cards this way that these new variations undermine, but it's worth considering these as Murder variants compared to mind controls. They still remove the creature, but the rates should be scrutinized for this space more heavily. Griptides stealing the best creatures in a zero sum scenario make them much stronger and should cost more than the murder variants which merely remove the creature. There will be decks where you need catchall removal for large creatures that isn't an aura, and where removal for large creatures is so sparse that the mind control becomes too back breaking. Blue-Green is a possible home that might want this.
Quick Study - I generally haven't liked draw 2s in 1v1 Realms. Since pure card draw tends to draw into more card advantage. I do like the rate on this with respect to its use as a prowess trigger and would like to see it find a home with that context.
⭐ Water Wings - Hexproof is quite an upgrade on Wings of Velis Vel. This still requires a squashed p/t spread for it to be a trick below the denizen range and will be highly sensitive to auras and any counters that might be present. Prowess is quite notable here for not impacting portability.
BLACK
Candy Grapple - This is not a Vicious Hunger. It can't sacrifice creatures from under auras but has a higher base removal rate. I'm concerned it punishes combat tricks too heavily and that the bonus mode is going to be too hard to pull off to be worth the complexity. This can be used as a combat trick against denizens without upgrading it anyway, so it feels like a different card would better fill this slot.
Lord Skitter's Butcher - A 2/3 for 3 with a variety of desirable modes. Will require a token slot.
Shatter the Oath - This is a low rate but it is optional targeted enchantment removal in black and one of the few options at present.
⭐ Sugar Rush - Not Bladebrand. I've been waiting for this to be printed in red. This can be used as a tempo spell or in conjunction with lifelink in ways that Bladebrand cannot, but it's worse in black-green. Being able to deal surprise damage out of nowhere is an extra mode this has over Bladebrand that probably makes it a better experience in lists where not being deathtouch doesn't completely undermine its role of punching up.
RED
Boundary Lands Ranger - I want to like this but it's less good in Realms both as a 2/2 but also because it needs you to play a denizen which wants all the lands this would have you discard. Even if you aura with this, looting away lands is less helpful than normal.
Frantic Firebolt - There are already 4s for 3. This is only really interesting in red-green where support spells get this up to 5+ relatively trivially and where you'd need that damage to cut through green's size. Very specifically in green space, scaling burn damage is so much better than fixed since you can wait a little to get to the necessary threshold.
Monstrous Rage - Flash auras are generally rare. This is only +1 toughness but still flips all of the 2/3 matchups below denizen.
⭐ Redcap Thief - 2/3 for 3 and a treasure. This is a strong rate and grabs at denizens. It's nice and simple for an intro to Realms but it's a bit generic. I would think Sudden Breakthrough would be a healthier version of treasures for denizens since it requires nudging the game to a place where the trick can be used as a 1 for 1 and if it can't find a way to do that, be card disadvantage when played as a ritual. I like the look of Redcap Thief, but Plundering Barbarian or Swashbuckler Extraordinaire as a 2/2 might be the better game piece if ramp end is that strong. Or Patron of the Arts in a multiplayer setting where it has a bit more play to it and the social dynamics will account for one player getting head of the others.
Witchstalker Frenzy - For getting past the 4 threshold, this is quite a clean instant.
GREEN
Curse of the Werefox - Savage Stomp exists and I still prefer Clear Shot to that. This really needs themeing and a tight p/t spread for me to want to risk it. Fight spells tend to be very touchy in Realms since there's no deck vs deck disparity that green can leverage over other colors.
Hamlet Glutton - The first denzien I've mentioned. The set mechanic can be explained out in the open as a denizen. The discount costs something rather rare which means that mode won't be available to all players.
Rootstrider Faun - I don't favor mana dorks or 1/3s for Realms but for gameplay variety, this does push you towards stalling for a denizen early rather than curving out and being aggressive.
Johann, Apprentice Sorcerer - This would be extremely good in multiplayer where you get to look at four cards per turn cycle on top of timing your cantrips and cycle effects.
Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Discover - As an update of cascade, but able to fit into different bits of design as an expensive cantrip, this mechanic can slide into and work in any list, preferably with reminder text. With Denizens in a separate deck and a squashed curve, discover becomes a bit more predictable and less explosive at higher numbers while performing on rate at lower numbers. Typically few 1-drops are included which may make scaling discover cards feel odd at times and more impactful 2-drops have more opportunity to be relevant than typical draft environments. It's worth noting that the free card you get from discover will never be a land which means that the cantrip effect cannot help you hit land drops or cast a denizen. If you don't or can't cast the spell, it's also offering you a future mana sink, making the lands you do draw more valuable.
Map Tokens and Explore - Explore as a surveil variant runs into the issue of timing where you'll more often sculpt opponents' draws than improve yours, though you'd typically want the +1/+1 counter for your trouble unless you're playing to their outs. This gameplay is ideally silo'd to a deck already doing heavy library manipulation for a curated audience. Explore requires the hurdle of counters which map tokens will also inherently share while also consuming a token slot. Unfortunately without an additional draw mechanic, you cannot use maps to sculpt your own draws in the shared library space without added rules scaffolding for scry-like mechanics. The oddities all really squeeze the number of good homes for these rather neat designs, particularly when portability and general audience are overlapping concerns. Another factor to consider is that a lot of +1/+1 counters running around will destabilize any sort of parity that was crafted and make removal more important to find to deal with threats. As such, most fight spells and combat tricks will have to account for a wider spread of numbers.
Descend - As a threshold variant, this collection of cards scale well with shared graveyards. Some of these cards care if you've put permanents into your graveyard during the turn which also rewards attacking and punishes blocking as well as playing removal on one's own turn. Milling also counts though the milling variant space continues to remain best savored with the appropriate audience.
Craft - As a pseudo delve variant, this once again scales well with shared zones. There may be some hidden zone confusion for new players with a few different parts of the mechanic including from needing to know the back side of the card, so they may tend to play best when clustered in a single deck that's played repeatedly rather than as singular cards added to a deck intended for a wide audience. The set introduces a variety of ways to make use of artifacts which would continue to pair well with these.
Landcycling Dinosaurs - Soaring Sandwing, Marauding Brinefang, Rampaging Spiketail, Seismic Monstrosaur, Nurturing Bristleback Landcyclers continue to be printed which continues to add more deckbuilding options, particularly when not all of them fit constraints. After a few years, there may be a density of these that invalidates the need for denizens and reduces Realms back to a general shared deck, but with a theme. It remains worth noting that deck-searching with a shared library and a fixed public decklist will make the opposing hand a known quantity by process of deduction which is an unfortunate consequence but the effective peek does make the inefficiency less bad. It would be kind of a drag to require that element of bookkeeping generally speaking.
Discover Caves - Hidden Courtyard, Cataract, Necropolis, Volcano, Nursery. These exist and are interesting, but for my own purposes, I don't think I have a home for them as yet. Since splitting off denizens to a separate list, the mana smoothing has been super clean with basic lands and having to teach an additional mechanic on mana sources was a huge drag on play time due to the first exposure problem. I probably would want to avoid pairing them against blue in general lists due to weird pressures with them on-board while holding a Griptide variant.
WHITE
Acrobatic Leap - Flavor neutral functional reprint of Escape from Orthanc.
Deconstruction Hammer - Another equipment + Disenchant variant. This one is leaning hard into the equipment and away from the disenchant which makes it less punishing when used as removal. However, equipment are what you typically want to destroy with disenchants so the list that has this probably wants to have a reason for playing more than one.
Family Reunion - In a list with a really narrow P/T spread, this can be a trick or a protection spell and is unique for white in that it can offer hexproof to more than one creature. Red-White feels like the home where this is likely to matter, though unlikely.
Guardian of the Great Door - As a denizen, this has built-in convoke and improvise. It's going to be easily cast on 4 mana given the lowered curve from pulling denizens out. Conclave Equenaut and Flight of Equenauts are in a similar space but less aggressively pushed.
Oltec Archaeologists - It's very rare for white to have library sculpting that works in this space. This has the ability to swing a game back in one's favor while taking a gamble the opponent doesn't have a cycling card, which is usually a safe bet in lists not centered around library control. 4/4 is already quite large for white spaces and it could instead just grab an artifact creature, making this quite pushed outside of WG spaces where the size becomes modest by green's typical denizen offerings and the associated removal that comes with handling green. There is a world where Platinum Angel is a denizen of a realm this is in.
Oteclan Landmark - This ends up slow and clunky to flip without the easy access to tokens, but is a good siege tool late. Especially in WG where there are fewer flying blockers. You will need more artifact creatures than normal so this can have something to flip with. Though it will make drawing an artifact creature as the opponent feel quite bad.
Petrify - A flavor neutral version of Realmbreaker's Grasp. This is a way to include arifacts in the mainline creature removal suite at the cost of how it interacts with denizens. Auras like these probably play out a bit more reasonable when the denizen suite starts at a higher curve and is more splashy since you'll feel pressured to cast it sooner and there would be less opportunity for it to shut off extra land draws later into the game. These still warrant multiple ways to escape, either by getting rid of the aura or sacrificing the creature so a new denizen can be played.
⭐ Quicksand Whirlpool - We've come a long way since Rebuke. This catches all sizes while punishing things that attack or that have attacked. You aren't stuck with a dead card at parity since you can play it at full price to remove a large blocker. Vigilance in the same color will let some cards charge an effective ward tax. This probably feels the best in white-green where you really don't mind paying 6 to get rid of their big monster but it could easily go in any list. Swift Response, Piercing Rays, Take Vengeance, Swift Reckoning, Seal Away, and Runic Shot are all nearby. Swift Reckoning I favor more than the others for not shutting down combat tricks until later in the game when the denizens show up and being able to prevent a denizen from having to hit you to destroy it. I still think I favor Swift Reckoning over this in situations where they fight for a slot, but it's close and I would be happy having both. It is worth noting that spells costed this way will be excluded by lower discover numbers.
Spring-Loaded Sawblades - This is playing in the exact same space, but it unfortunately carries with it the learning curve of Craft, Double-faced cards, and Vehicles all at once on top of not being crewable in a lot of situations anyway. As an artifact it's good fuel for hanging other cards on but it's undeniably going to be very complex and I just look to avoid that level of complexity on cards that are supposed to remain a surprise from the opponent rather than a source of questions that require revealing them or warranting desleeving in order to inspect the rest. To its credit, the front face allows you to get full value before then asking anything about the rest of the three mechanics.
Thousand-Moons Infantry - For a multiplayer setting, 2/4 with vigilance becomes really powerful when there are any voltron elements in the lists. For realms that would generally mean auras, though especially for multiplayer, you'd rather it be counters. At 3/5, this ends up fitting in with green pretty easily and wants to play around with any of the combat tricks there.
⭐ Vanguard of the Rose - White's first sacrifice outlet at a managable cost. And on a 3/1 for 2 of all things. This is exactly what you want when your denizen is locked up under a Petrify. Excellent utility. Without access to tokens, this is less likely to be used to ward off 3/3s, but it does punish aura-based removal by making them threaten to be 2-for-1s. White does have fliers that can siege past it, but would have to devote their 4/4 to keep it from attacking, so things get pushed to parity letting cards have their utility shine.
BLUE
Cogwork Wrestler - I'm not typically a fan of this genre of creature trick, but it does a lot of little things on top of being multiple card types, meaning it has more of a likelihood of finding a home. It picks on 3/1s and punishes 2/3s that get too arrogant. The creature composition greatly affects how useful the trick is.
Confounding Riddle - This is the best iteration of this archetype so far which allows it to become a noncommittal counterspell which is pretty uncommon.
Eaten By Piranhas - Being both an aura and having flash make this a flexible combat trick removal hybrid and removing evasion lets you block the creature to kill it, though if it's a denizen, they'll have to block with it to get it off the table without shenanigans. This is likely to be the best iteration of this effect thus far. This prefers there to be fewer +1/+1 counters or other voltron effects to maximize its ability to do its job.
Frilled Cave-Wurm - A simple contender for the mill list though there are other cards already competing for the slot this wants to fill. This joins the 2/3 pile of bouncing off each other until the threshold is reached. This being blue does tend to make it differ from the usual black versions possibly creating a blue-green list where the size this offers is managed without the need for black's removal.
Hurl into History - A silly clunky counterspell that draws and casts a spell is a silly kind of chaotic fun that realms is suited for.
Inverted Iceberg - This sets a game play expectation when you cast it without putting you down a card if you never get around to finding the rest of the plan. It making a 6/6 would constrain the deck choices, but as an artifact creature, every deck can handle it with removal, but only black and green have creatures that can reasonably trade with it. Though blue bounce spells do slow down the threat this produces considerably.
⭐ Kitesail Larcenist - Multiplayer removal that is relatively temporary on top of a flier with a smidge of protection. Turning things into treasures without the need for tokens and those treasures fueling the opponents to grab an early denizen or to sacrifice the one trapped under this. It probably plays just as well in 1v1. Hitting green creatures just as easily. This just looks great. Easy contender for MVP of set.
Oaken Siren - Flying Vigilance version of Etherium Sculptor which would be an easy upgrade if the card weren't so dependent on the theme. Wants a voltron element but with a heavy artifact theme that likely means an equipment and being paired with white, red, or rarely green. I like the idea of creatures that can pay for a small subset of denizens but this doesn't do enough beyond ramp you to a denizen. That may be enough to drive game play choices, particularly if there are a lot of artifact denizens but I'm not particularly drawn to it.
Orazca Puzzle-Door - This is a glue card being small hand-fixing while keeping an artifact count high. It will feel rough to have to cycle through this when your opponent's crafting artifact is in play. And this seems a bit oppressive as an on-board trick in a heavy library manipulation list. This could play the role of a support spell were the list to completely avoid topdeck-dependent tricks or otherwise flex into Anchor to the Aether cards that optionally bottom the card so it can't be sniped when it's in play on the other side.
Relic's Roar - This wants to sacrifice an artifact to destroy an attacking 4/4 on the ground. Without the scaffolding of +1/+1 counters from explore, this struggles to leave the creature with enough toughness to survive the encounter. This archetype of card tends to need a little bit more out of the creature its helping. Other tricks offer an extra point of toughness to the prowess creatures that are around.
Sage of Days - I typically don't like 3/2s for 3, but this is making an active stand. Its utility is actively controlling one of your opponents' draws and then beating down. This is a good way to introduce the concept on a singular card while allowing it to scale into card selection later in the game with a second card.
River Herald Scout, Spyglass Siren, Waterwind Scout - I like the numbers, variance, and play patterns of all these cards were the overhead cost of counters and tokens already paid. Getting a free land is huge for realms and it not being a guarantee will make them play out differently between games. And when you get multiple explores happening, you end up with a bunch of different pairs of outcomes.
Unlucky Drop - This is a reminder that Run Out of Town has already introduced catchall blue removal that isn't an aura and isn't a mind control variant. This new card at least avoids the term "nonland permanent" which might be troublesome for the widest of audiences, though that audience would still probably stumble over when to cast this the first time and making choices about where to put the card based on the turn cycle. This version is probably better than the Griptide variants, particularly in Blue-Green where big threats just need to go away for good since they can't be traded off easily. I don't yet have any play experience with these newer griptides in either setting, so I'm not entirely sure, but 4 mana murder is going to be looking quite good when you're blue green and looking at your options.
Zoetic Glyph - I really want to like this archetype of card but the combination of haste and 5 power is, I think a bit too spicy for me outside of a highly curated dandan shell. Realms built with singleton tends to not have as many targets for this, but I do like the discover when it falls off, assuming something does eventually deal with it.
BLACK
Tithing Blade - I don't tend to favor edicts in Realms. This as a modest mana sink after it kills a creature is a cute thing to do when you end up at parity.
Abyssal Gorestalker - This is exactly the kind of creature that I find problematic as a denizen. You can sacrifice it to itself for free value and then get another denizen the next turn and it's face up on board so people want to play around it and the nature of the edict means you want to be the one that casts it so you don't lose a creature. It IS admittedly a 6/6 so if you can stick it, it's huge. This wants to go in a mutliplayer list but not as a denizen, which ends up being the same exact problem as not having the denizens split out of the main list, but now with even fewer mana sources to hit it on curve. This will have a lot of tension whereever it ends up and likely will drag the game out when people reanimate it repeatedly.
Acolyte of Aclozotz - 1/4 for 3 is quite passive but would work for multiplayer to hold off 3/1s and 2/3s. If you were ever locked in on a Denizen, you could free yourself from it or flex into a new one. This misses not having tokens and wants lifegain payoff.
Bringer of the Last Gift - This is a sweet creature at a clunky cost of 8 which would be a great denizen option if the effect actually worked with shared zones, though any kind of reanimation would likely devolve to getting extra denizens or giving opponents that don't have denizens a new one.
Deep-Cavern Bat - An upgrade over Brain Maggot for a very specific deck that wanted to avoid Kitesail Freebooter's extra toughness. The smidge of lifelink backed up with any sort of voltron is appreciated for narrowing races without being a threatening clock on its own.
⭐ Echo of Dusk - While this 2/2 is going to be locked behind so many 2/3s, once it's activated, it charges in and bolsters life totals. This also has the privelage of being one of the very few 2-mana spirits that black can soulshift into while also trading with the various 3/3s of past eras. It's like this card was made for my exact deck.
Fanatical Offering - I like getting a map way more than a treasure if I have to jump through the hoop of killing one of my own creatures. Unfortunately, that means having a token slot, counters, and awkward library manipulation, but if I'm not getting a land, I for sure want a +1/+1 counter more than I want to give my opponent a bad card.
⭐ Fungal Fortitude - It feels like it's been a while since I've seen a flash aura I liked. This typically doesn't actually play out like an aura since you're rarely getting a free card with this. However that depends on the creatures in question. This particular set has a lot of 1/1 fliers running around and this is able to flex into a voltron element when you find yourself wanting a tempo some aggression. The lifelink fliers in particular highly value this option. Lots of texture to this one.
Gargantuan Leech - This is another overcosted creature that would be neat to have a few caves for discounted denizen access. On average, this wants to be an 8-mana denizen to help someone who is flooding out, but not having any caves would feel weird and giving people a cave at the start for free also feels weird if this is one of the denizens since you won't want to sacrifice yours.
Join the Dead - I can only assume these numbers exist to allow the common to kill one of the set's mythics in limited. For a particular Realm, I'm not sure why you wouldn't go with a simpler Murder or Ob Nixilis's Cruelty. I do tend to prefer the -N/-N to the destroy for experienced players since it creates more combat tension around dealing with the largest creatures with opportunities to bluff play and counterplay. This then leads into shields down moments when developing the board more. The 2-mana versions of these tricks tend to feel like they squeeze combat tricks out of the picture when they're self-sufficient kill spells closer to Candy Grapple than Vicious Offering or Final Flourish.
Primordial Gnawer - I like this. There's the jousting minigame where both players want to line up favorable trades but then you get something for free. I think I would want to start exploring this in multiplayer first rather than 1v1, though it does cost 5 which can be unreliable to reach. Aura-based removal is the desired counterplay to lead into a sacrifice effect to complete the sequence with the acknlowledgement that auras are a risky space to push for denizens. Exile-based removal could work as well but wouldn't let this card do the cool fun thing.
⭐ Soulcoil Viper - I really REALLY like this being a 2/3 Doomed Necromancer. This wants to sit at parity for a while and then snipe something cool from the graveyard and that extra point of toughness does exactly that. For casual multiplayer settings, not having that instant speed activation cleans up a lot of the fog of war interactions as well.
RED
Ancestors' Aid - Flavor treatment for Sudden Breakthrough. I haven't gotten to playtest with either version but I still love this trick conceptually since you will sometimes just cast it to get a denizen by surprise a turn early. The new flavor treatment helps with thematiclly appropriate realms.
Daring Discovery - I want the amount that I like this to be more justified. Admittedly with how I build realms, the fail case is a 5-mana 3/1 that can threaten to trade with an opposing 4/3 or 3/3 but rarely will the random spell have utility that lines up with removing their ability to block for a turn. This probably wants to go into a tight power and toughness red-white list with a lot of vigilance for the free damage that no blockers gives combined with some haste creatures you could flip into that can get in while the getting's good. If you get to sneak your Fortress Cyclops through, you're probably pretty happy. Also of note: this will trigger Heroic.
Etali's Favor - Provided you can resolve this, the rate is very good given how stat dense the low drops tend to be. This does more good in a 2/3 than a 3/1 but it's just free value for your trouble and will make them more willing to trade their 2/3 for your 3/1. This also highlights the improvement you get over cascade where early removal don't need a target since you can just put it in your hand. The rate on lower discover numbers is just better/more easily managed variance. It's worth noting that as the number goes down, the value of deck knowledge goes up which disproportionately favors people experienced with a particular list, namely you, the builder. Unless you have someone you play the same list with a lot, it's probably better for your players if you reduce the reward for knowing the deck list.
Geological Appraiser - This is where the individual rate is a bit too good. A 3/2 is a managable body but might have to double block to trade with a denizen, but if it's too early for that, this can dump six power on the board easily. If the card quality is all even, this is just a value piece that wins a player along card advantage lines. More variation in card quality, agnostic of any discover cards, will leave who is favored a bit more up to chance which can fractionally overcome skill differentials to let everyone have a chance to win. This being a stronger card than the rest of the deck is at least doing something cool, interesting, and exciting instead of merely being a draw a cantrip.
Hotfoot Gnome - 3/1 for 3 is a clunky rate I'd tend to only want in 1v1 settings and the utility of granting haste is also best served in that setting as well, though in this case coming at the cost of not attacking for 3. This is a fantastic card for a deck that's going to be discovering a lot since it can attack immediately or give haste to any randomly drawn creature. Where it's the most interesting to me is for denizens that have a combat requirement such that you get a tangible value from not trading it off. Having multiple card types helps to find ancillary synergies as well.
Idol of the Deep King - The front face numbers I don't like but the back is very good. It pushes you in some directions and probably pays off in the long run if you can keep the game at parity long enough. It's just very clunky when you draw it late and are staring down a 5/5.
Plundering Pirate - We had a 2/3 for 3 that made a treasure and now this is a 3/2 for 3. It doesn't get to play the stalemate game the other one did and instead will trade off if they attack their 2/3 in, but that's probably better for you since they're very unlikely to have multiple 2/2s or even a single 2/2 in this space. I think last time I came down with this being too passively good with the denizen system and I think the added point of power makes it both better when ahead and also less passive since they can't hide behind their 2/3. Drawing this on curve is definitely going to be a power spike. In multiplayer, this is probably worse than the 2/3, but I think I still would prefer this in either setting since it means you can't just sit back and block indefinitely until you get your denizen before them which gives them a little bit more agency in counterplaying against your treasure.
Rumbling Rockslide - Probably doesn't get played over Earth Tremor or Inner Struggle. If you're playing 4 mana removal that deals 5+ damage, the deck has to be pretty slow and tall, typically red-green and at that point for a sorcery, you have Ground Assault.
Saheeli's Lattice - Does a support job but would be too disruptive to game play to use it in that slot and too complex to start the game with. As a card just in the deck adds smoothing and glue to artifact synergies and probably wants a dinosaur denizen to go nuts with later. Conveniently only scales with power so medium burn spells can handle the threat alone.
Trumpeting Carnosaur - This is the kind of card that would be needed in the body of a denizenless multiplayer list. It's over the top when you cast it for full but if you need the removal mode, it can do that. You might be able to make it work for a 1v1 list but it would be quite swingy and you'd probably want to pair with a color other than blue to handle this thing's size.
Volatile Wanderglyph - I don't favor 2/2s for Realms, but if there were a color they would work best in, it would be red, leaning into more 3/2s than 2/3s. I like the utility here if you end up with an artifact shell that needs more glue. I think I tend to underestimate how hard looting is for players that aren't as familiar with the decisions and this does tend to require more deck knowledge since you have to discard first. If the denizens were included in the main body, this becomes a little easier since you have more of a need for hand smoothing and the lack of free endgame means excess lands can be pitched freely. Though on the topic of looting, even traditional blue looting asks for a decision and still has a nonzero element of deckbuilding knowledge that it will ask.
Zoyowa's Justice - Efficiently interacts with creatures of any size, tending to perform better on bigger creatures or creatures that have been voltroned up to disrupt the pile. If used on a 2-drop, has a high likelihood of returning it to play, which may be clear the board state with some deck knowledge. Likely to be cast on a denizen or mid-combat where there's a much lower likelihood of this having minimal effect. As a combat trick disrupter without the 2-for-1 element, it seems like it serves an interesting role that few other red spells do. Your removal will often tend to be lower mana value, however and if it turns their creature into a removal spell, that may be problematic, particularly since they can cast those auras and sorceries in the middle of combat. The calculations that go into this give me the impression that this involves far too much deck knowledge to hedge and favors the deckbuilder over the people they play with far too much in any streamlined list. At the very least, have a digital decklist with a QR code that your serious opponent can scan to peruse midgame before committing to a play if they so choose.
GREEN
Bedrock Tortoise - This looks like a fun and fair card for green-X multiplayer. It seems a bit too swingy to me to be in a small 1v1 list where it would show up every game, though green does have access to deathtouch and deathtouch tricks that wouldn't be blunted by hexproof and this doesn't have trample by itself so maybe. When this gets attacked into, things are afoot.
Cavern Stomper - This feels overstatted as is but it's notable that as a green creature, this can come down and make sure they don't topdeck removal. Being able to dodge the deathtouch blockers designed to kill it feels like a problem, however. This definitely pushes away from parity and I feel like I may not value that role in cards enough. This being on 6 makes it want to be one of the few topend creatures in a denizenless deck rather than an overcosted threat you get for free when reaching land number seven. Different resources systems have different efficiency needs.
Coati Scavenger - Trades with their 3/1 early but late draws you a duplicate denizen or aura removal. The 3/2 late will typically not be as relevant. Particularly at 2 toughness. But getting something else back is going to be quite strong. And getting to four permanents is going to be relatively trivial with both graveyards as one. It's probably fine but I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of effect is just too easily the best card in the deck, though it couldn't be as bad as Griptide can be in 1v1.
Disturbed Slumber - This seems like a 3-mana edict early that gets worse and worse as a stalemate develops. This probably wants to go in a red-green deck that ends up on the lower end of power and toughness for the sake of burn. While I don't like edicts, this has the wrinkle in that if the creature is tapped because it attacked, it can't be picked which will open a variety of angles and I like the idea that you'll have to look for an opening to fire this off. This will occasionally trade your land off as well which will hurt here more than in the draft environment.
Huatli's Final Strike - This lacks the ability to 2-for-1 that Clear Shot can do, which I miss. Though it would definitely hurt to have your burn spell countered by their removal spell.
Ixalli's Lorekeeper - Compared to the blue mana dork from before, this is far more all-in on the ramp being the utility. This can color fix for dinosaurs which can also be an angle to snipe denizens away, but I certainly wouldn't want every denizen to have something this all in on a side plan but it's probably good for some of them to since it keeps the lines you're forced down to maximize what you draw from all being the same. Dinosaurs aren't going to be removal like artifacts could be. This really wants to find itself next to Poison the Blade.
Malamet Battle Glyph - This is worth playing even without proper counters on hand. Denizens always allow this to kill something from earlier in the game, though it's less likely that you will get the +1/+1 counter with a denizen. What this does is let your mid-game 2/3 kill their 2/3 or 3/1 without dying.
Malamet Scythe - I like this in the flash aura space for multiplayer where you can get a trick now that doubles down on your board state while getting a bonus later after your current creature dies and you're in top deck mode.
Walk with the Ancestors - Thinking about Discover from a multiplayer perspective does bring up where, all things being equal, you'd prefer to hit a card that develops your board over a card that disrupts an opponent's board where as in 1v1, both of those outcomes tend to be synonymous with the removal tending to be a bit better. In multiplayer, there's a lot more variance in the outcome which makes it an interesting gamble in that space rather than two of the best endgame effects.
(2024)
Murders at Markov Manor
Investigate - Clue tokens are relatively simple, but are tokens, so would use token space. For a multiplayer list, cards that make clues overcome card disadvantage inherent in 1-for-1 interaction. The onboard nature of clues will make knowledge of the top of the library matter and that can become awkward with certain card interactions.
Collect Evidence - This is a new kind of cost to pay that comes up on a few cards. It exiles cards from the graveyard and cares about their mana value. At the time of this writing, I am with the understanding that there is no upper bound on the number of cards it can exile and since that could lead to a complete graveyard exile, I am inclined to suggest not playing any of these cards in this space. For decks where the utility of graveyard disruption would be beneficial, Delve offers an alternative.
WHITE
Auspicious Arrival - Simple combat trick that can work in multiplayer.
Griffnaut Tracker - Graveyard interaction on a body is rare in white.
Make Your Move - This is a Disenchant variant that also answers denizens and pump spells. Getting noncreature removal into lists where they matter is hard without being narrow is hard and the flexibility here doesn't come with the cost of giving the opponent a token (or even having to devote space in the box for a token). That aspect feels new and is a nice tool to have.
Not On My Watch - Swift Reckoning remains my favored iteration of this effect. This can hit threats with vigilance and through indestructible tricks in ways that Swift Response and Take Vengeance do not.
Wrench - This is notable for Realms in that it's filling a lot of different jobs at the same time. Equipment themes can be tricky to make work. If you have too many equipment, this replaces itself. If you need interaction, it can also do that as a mana sink and the vigilance lets you block with the creature since you're devoting two cards to it. This is worth remembering. The other four equipment in this cycle will also have the clue angle, but I think this one will remain the most relevant due to the vigilance, interaction, and being in the color that where having an equipment would matter.
Immortal Obligation - This can't be cast early outside of Tormenting Voice lists, but the creature can't block for you and this gets awkward when you give an opponent a dead denizen.
Redemption Arc - Solid white goad in multiplayer. Additional interaction that can handle the indestructible aura is desired for counterplay by the third party. Every color but red have easy answers at common, though Soul Sear exists as do others in white, but ideally they would kill the creature rather than the aura.
Unexplained Absence - This looks really fun and high variance. Someone is going to hit something, but they will not be big because the denizens are stripped out, so the caster can't be punished too hard. Auras and counters can get tricky with the ward and this making 2/2s will greatly favor 2/3s over 3/1s. WG feels like where I'd look to put this for handling big creatures since that means the spell is shrinking things on average compared to WR.
BLUE
Behind the Mask - This being able to grow or shrink solves the problem of always working in the 3/1 vs 2/3 scenario regardless of which side you're on. It doesn't solve the 3/1 vs 6/6 and doesn't remove flying off an attacker. The manner in which this does graveyard disruption is probably also a nonstarter.
Burden of Proof - By comparison, this is always awkward if you're the one with the 3/1, but it's a solid mix of options. Eaten by Piranhas is still fresh and removes abilities. Even if you can't trade off with it while it's small, it stays small. If this can be a pump trick in some cases, it's a lot more interesting. Mystic Subdual is also in this space but not removing toughness on denizens pushes it a tick closer to the punishing space of Pacifisms.
Conspiracy Unraveler - 6/6 for 7 is a strong rate for a denizen. The text here is wild, but denizens were the expensive thing you were going to cast. This is a strange graveyard disruption utility. Perhaps this interacts with an expensive flashback cost.
Deduce - A fixed variant of Think Twice for this space. Would tend to prefer the draw or artifact presence matter rather than just a draw spell more maximum interest. Notable that the clue won't trigger prowess for those spaces.
Forensic Researcher - In a Realm where the graveyard already doesn't matter, this is ramp with built in removal. Your choice of a support spell vs a cycling land matters a bit more here.
Hotshot Investigators - On rate for a denizen.
Living Conundrum - Perfect denizen attributes for the right list, but at 5 could just go inside the library. Can't block fliers while you wait, which is noticeable, particularly against other denizens once you've locked in.
Steamcore Scholar - Flying vigilance maximizes opportunities to use combat tricks. This is a perfect body for multiplayer.
Sudden Setback - A Griptide variant that can also target removal spells. This is awkward in multiplayer and highly dependent on when it is cast, which you can softly influence with attacking/blocking decisions. The baseline is playing it on endstep to threaten drawing a creature so it gets put on the bottom. It additionally 2-for-1's combat tricks with a wrinkle of card quality in that the creature might be drawn again. There are more wrinkles if draw spells or clues are involved. It can be neat to play just as a soft chaos effect but it might be too hard to figure out for the audience drawing it for the first time.
Final-Word Phantasm - Flash flying 1/4 for 3 is already a card I would be happy to have. This is neat in multiplayer too. 1/4s don't apply pressure though, so other than making 3/1s even worse, this ends up waiting to die to a combat trick, so it probably values auras, flying synergies, and combat damage incentives like Monarch.
BLACK
Extract a Confession - Edict that upgrades into hitting multiple denizens is a good premise, but this is awkward in black due to black so often caring about the graveyard. If the exile was capped, it would be a great card to include. Instead consider Liliana's Triumph, Mire in Misery, Soul Shatter, Gravelighter, or Virtus's Maneuver.
Festerleech - Probably ideal for a 1v1 graveyard-focused list.
Illicit Masquerade - This is super solid for a multiplayer Realm if you can get a couple creatures out first. The awkward bit will be having counters and interactions with denizens in the graveyard.
⭐ Toxin Analysis - Yet another Bladebrand. This isn't You are Already Dead levels of efficiency, but isn't dead if you are the one with the large creature since you can use it to gain life and cycle it freely. I think it may be the best mechanical iteration of this effect so far. Unfortunately it's got three different keywords, only one of them with reminder text. Core set Bladebrand would still be prefered for certain target audiences.
Undercity Eliminator - Silumgar Butcher that can actually interact with denizens. This will tend to just be a 5-mana kill spell given that creature sizes are relatively narrow, so this wants a list where you're sacrificing creatures all over the place. Or extraneous artifacts.
RED
Caught Red-Handed - Suspect making you unable to 2-for-1 make this not do the job you wanted it to do. If you need that, see Blind with Anger and/or Act of Aggression. It would have been cool if you could do it and leave behind "can't block" if the 2-for-1 attempt was foiled.
The Chase is On - While 3-mana tricks are hard to hold open, you'll eventually get there with the gap between the topend and denizens. This ends up being a 2-for-1 when you manage to pop the clue and the tempo you have to spend doing that will help moderate the game speed. +3/+0 is also going to be a relevant amount in RG compared to the +2/+0 of Sudden Breakthrough.
⭐ Demand Answers - We've come along way since Tormenting Voice. The sorcery is possibly better for a Support card when library manipulation is involved or if graveyard typing would become disruptive. This could also pair with an artifact dual land as further optioned interactions.
Galvanize - My gut tells me that this will be a snowbally card in shared library space since it can only kill denizens when you already have a means to draw more cards on hand. This does interact favorably with the support spell in a way that encourages you to play it differently. I'm not a fan of the spell countering combat tricks in the middle of the game, but it's reasonable sometimes. This has a very different set of play patterns from Fire Prophecy, which would probably be my go to card in this space if I wanted one. Being able to do 5 helps to address different power and toughness spreads should that be a factor. Soul Sear and Rebel Salvo are in nearby space. More cards with cycling can help with this too.
Reckless Detective - This feels a bit too awkward to make a Realms list since as a blocker, it can only hold off 2/3s but for the first few turns it is out, you get to fix your hand. Axiom Engraver, Goblin Picker, and Akki Ronin feel a bit more flexible at this role, but don't offer the same variance spike this will produce.
Torch the Witness - For multiplayer, the rate is pretty good for sorcery removal.
GREEN
Bite Down On Crime - This is very wordy for a bite+2 but if it all works out, you're getting a sorcery removal spell in green that scales to the 6/6 vs 8/8 fights that can happen in green Realms, which makes it relatively mechanically unique for green's current offerings. The graveyard disruption won't matter in GB since black has better removal, but might in a graveyard-focused GU list. GR values the scaling removal but the graveyard disruption is largely irrelevant there. The bigger hurdle is the wordiness.
Glint Weaver - I already like Wurmskin Forager in denizen space despite the undesired play pattern of buffing something else and then chump blocking to make a new denizen. The rate on Forager is about what I want to see for 7 generally. The list that is running it has much bigger denizens so the +1/+1, reach, and life gain power creep for this slot are actually fine there. I also like how this encourages you to put all three on the same creature even if you're still putting them on something else.
Hide in Plain Sight - This is a perfect and clean use of Cloak that I like for multiplayer spaces since you can sort of guarantee that they'll be creatures. It's notable that the lack of denizen-sized creatures in a library will mean that the upgrades you can get won't be very big and the ward being left behind will make removal awkward if auras are also involved. In a denizenless list that runs more landcyclers, this has more variance of size.
Topiary Panther - We only get one landcycler this set and it requires green to cycle, meaning it can only colorfix from a base green list into other splashes. Still, it's reasonable at that role in places where it matters. I suspect there will be an overhaul to how land searching works in Realms at a later date that makes landcycling reveal less information.
Other
Blood Spatter Analysis - In multiplayer, this can't kill a denizen, but is a slow burn 2-for-1 with strong card quality on the back end.
Buried in the Garden - Oblivion Ring effects are decent but not great in a multiplayer setting as a sorcery speed 1 for 1 that can be reverse. This gives you an additional mana ramping you into denizens early or when drawn late, automatically scales to hit an opposing denizen itself. Quarantine Field is the previous card I considered for that space and this is significantly better at helping you stabilize to the endgame rather than being just a late game sink.
Coerced to Kill - As an eventual 2-for-1, this is potent while not directly ending the game with a stolen 10/10.
Runebrand Juggler - I tend to not favor 2/2s for 2, but this has menace which breaks through single 2/3 blockers at the cost of not trading off with 3/1s. This ends up being removal that can topple a denizen late, but makes your board awkward before that. This probably wants to play with one or two of the other few cards that suspect creatures for a bit more variation, though if creatures aren't blocking or able to block at all, everything is just a race. Still, the card is interesting and as a creature, black can recur it as removal.
Cryptex - This... sort of actually can work out in Realms? In a multiplayer Red-X list using a Tormenting Voice variant, this is a solid mana rock that draws you a good grip five turns later. It's a bad top deck without blue to untap it multiple times or other effects that want to sacrifice artifacts, but it does have a chance at being useful. It also will tend to not exile the whole graveyard when used as a mana rock and AS a mana rock, gets you a denizen sooner, even if it's not in your starting hand. Whatever URW artifact pile exists can just run this which is interesting, though that list might prefer Impulse to Demand Answers to help find exact card synergies and fill gaps that the hand lacks. I'm excited for this in a way that I'm not interested in Corrupted Grafstone because Cryptex seems just hard to make work at all anywhere. This may no longer be the case if certain strucutal elements of Realms change later.
Ransom Note - It took me a while to figure out where this would feel right. Some kind of voltron list values the ward 2 that a random body would provide. It can cycle if you need to find something better and contextually, you can buy time redirecting a built up voltron somewhere else. The only issue is that none of the printings have reminder text for cloak. There's also an argument to be made that it could be a support spell for a WB or WR deck where cloak can be explained at the start and where the power-toughness spread would be narrowed, making a 2/2 easier to work with.
Edit, here it is.
If people are treating you poorly in the store for any reason, but especially for reasons beyond your control like your medical history, I think the best course of action if you want to continue playing there is to talk with the store management beforehand so they know your needs how they can help you when conflicts arise.
I'm not sure I understand the reason why it matters whether they think you're a new player or not. Are they actively not sending their creatures at players who are new, for example? Are they unwilling to help answer game play or rules questions?
The one thing I can think of that this does well is that its cheap cost allows monowhite to cast an indestructible spell alongside it which used to be hard to do. Hour of Revelation is already in this space, though it needs a spell to protect your artifacts, which makes this easier to play in budget decks since there's a slew of budget spells that only protect creatures.
High Floor, Low Ceiling is what I like to see out a commander. Reliably get your deck going without it being a threat so it doesn't get killed so you don't have to recast it.
The only thing I don't like is that the +1/+1 counter, if you give one, makes the effect targeted and the draw effect will be countered with a spot removal spell which will feel rough if you're relying on the trickle of card flow. Still, this is the power level of commander I want to see.
Grab a Fertilid and Dusk / Dawn if they're not in the precon.
https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=530495