[MTG] Morningtide previews

[Shiny Umbreon]

This thread will be used to discuss preview cards from the Morningtide set as they are released.

First of all, I'm guided by the recent sets up to Ravnica when rating cards as I believe they are the most balanced ones. Since Time Spiral, I started feeling the cards were getting better (in a cheap way) and they are now ridiculous. I don't know what you think, though. Post your opinions.

Primal Beyond
Land
As this comes into play, you may reveal an Elemental card from your hand. If you don't, this comes into play tapped.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play Elemental spells or activated abilities from Elemental sources.

Why don't you just make a "T: Add one mana of any color" land? Really. This will be totally abused, and it even comes into play untapped for Elemental decks. And if somehow you are playing an Elemental (which is hard now because of the tribal type) you can still add one colorless mana. Broken for me.

Chameleon Colossus 2GG
Creature - Shapeshifter
Changeling.
Protection from black.
2GG: This gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is its power.
4/4

As with all new green cards, way too cheap. And too powerful abilities. Also, don't forget it works in any tribal deck. Broken, too.

Taurean Mauler 2R
Creature - Shapeshifter
Changeling.
Whenever an opponent plays a spell, you may put a +1/+1 counter on this.
2/2

For being red, this should cost at least 3RR or maybe more. As the Colossus, cheap, powerful ability, and a changeling. Broken.

Distant Melody 3U
Sorcery
Draw a card for each permanent you control of the creature type of your choice.

Okay for me. Useful, and a decent cost. Common, but good.

Stonybrook Schoolmaster 2W
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
When this becomes tapped, you may put a 1/1 blue Merfolk Wizard creature token into play.
2/1

Okay, too, and useful for things that care about numbers.

Preeminent Captain 2W
Creature - Kithkin Soldier
First strike.
Whenever this attacks, you may put a Soldier creature card from your hand into play tapped and attacking.
2/2

Following the steps of Paladin en-vec and that broken crew. Really, a white first strike 2/2 costs 2W. Why make it have an awesome effect at the same cost? Making it cost 3WW would be okay for me. And it would be good. Now it's ridiculous.

Stomping Slabs 2R
Sorcery
Reveal the top seven cards of your library. If a card named Stomping Slabs is revealed this way, this deals 7 damage to target creature or player. Then put those cards at the bottom of your library.

Makes me remember about that Coldsnap keyword and those strange mechanics. Can be exploited well, though. Seems creative for me.

Veteran's Armament 2
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has "Whenever this attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each attacking creature."
Whenever a Soldier creature comes into play, you may attach this to that creature.
Equip 2.

Not sure about the Soldier part. You're saving 2 mana. Anyway, the rest is fine for me.

I'm not rating any more for now. If this gets replied, I'll continue. Until then, discuss only these 8 cards, please.

 

[digi-kun]

? what about the pain-triple-tribe lands?

 

[RaikouRider243]

Primal Beyond
Land
As this comes into play, you may reveal an Elemental card from your hand. If you don't, this comes into play tapped.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play Elemental spells or activated abilities from Elemental sources.

Why don't you just make a "T: Add one mana of any color" land? Really. This will be totally abused, and it even comes into play untapped for Elemental decks. And if somehow you are playing an Elemental (which is hard now because of the tribal type) you can still add one colorless mana. Broken for me.

There is a "T: Add one mana of any color" land. It's called City of Brass. Also, you failed to notice the restriction upon the use of the mana: it can only be spent for Elemental spells or abilities. Elementals aren't played in tournaments because the only way to get a consistent multicolored mana base is to play painlands. Given elementals are a combo deck, it needs every point of life it can get. Primal Beyond gives elementals more consistent mana that comes into play untapped AND does not cause damage. I think this may cause an elemental deck to come about...perhaps R/u. Also, the only Elemental burn spell sucks, so you can't use it to play Lash Out or Incinerate. It may see play, but is nothing game-breaking.

Chameleon Colossus 2GG
Creature - Shapeshifter
Changeling.
Protection from black.
2GG: This gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is its power.
4/4

As with all new green cards, way too cheap. And too powerful abilities. Also, don't forget it works in any tribal deck. Broken, too.

I will agree with you, this card is very, very good. However, it won't be worth any more than $10. It's not "broken" like Tarmogoyf is. Green has had a 3/3 for 3 and a 5/5 for 5 for quite some time now. I see a place for this card in R/G mana ramp, considering it can get the mana to play Colossus then maybe double activate later. Protection from black is a good thing but about all it dodges is Shriekmaw and Sudden Death (the latter of which is seeing less play due to it being a reliable answer to Teferi, which is seeing less play. With Lorwyn, the format shifted to aggressive creature decks, away from control.) Even though being able to dodge Shriekmaw is nice, it would have been much more synergistic if it had trample. 4/4 for 4 with the ability to double in size if you have lots of mana open is still nice, though.

Taurean Mauler 2R
Creature - Shapeshifter
Changeling.
Whenever an opponent plays a spell, you may put a +1/+1 counter on this.
2/2

For being red, this should cost at least 3RR or maybe more. As the Colossus, cheap, powerful ability, and a changeling. Broken.

You're right about it being undercosted, but red has gotten the shaft in Lorwyn regarding good creatures. This guy only gets out of control if he sticks around for a few turns. Being a changeling makes him immune to Eyeblight's Ending, but Shriekmaw and Nameless Inversion kill him all day. He's only a problem if you don't have an answer for him the turn you see him. Think of all the 3-damage burn played: Lash Out, Incinerate, Ghostfire, and some more specialized burn like Sunlance. It would have been much more useful as an alternate win condition in Storm decks if it cost 1 more mana and got a +1/+1 counter for every spell played--not just an opponent. Great in multiplayer, but often a lightning-rod for removal also.

Distant Melody 3U
Sorcery
Draw a card for each permanent you control of the creature type of your choice.

Okay for me. Useful, and a decent cost. Common, but good.

Awesome to play after you empty your hand in a Merfolk or Faerie deck, but often you'll find yourself discarding a lot of those cards. I'd rather play Mulldrifter for draw.

Stonybrook Schoolmaster 2W
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
When this becomes tapped, you may put a 1/1 blue Merfolk Wizard creature token into play.
2/1

Okay, too, and useful for things that care about numbers.

I can see this being a good card in limited for Merfolk if you can't get Summon the School. In constructed, it can accelerate your Drowner engine, but one toughness is a turnoff. Would have been more playable at 1/1 for 1W.

Preeminent Captain 2W
Creature - Kithkin Soldier
First strike.
Whenever this attacks, you may put a Soldier creature card from your hand into play tapped and attacking.
2/2

Following the steps of Paladin en-vec and that broken crew. Really, a white first strike 2/2 costs 2W. Why make it have an awesome effect at the same cost? Making it cost 3WW would be okay for me. And it would be good. Now it's ridiculous.

You have to remember that this is also a rare. Rares are supposed to be more powerful than uncommons and commons because of limited. A vanilla 2/2 first striker is 2W at common. He will definitely be 4-of in white weenie, but not a money card..

Stomping Slabs 2R
Sorcery
Reveal the top seven cards of your library. If a card named Stomping Slabs is revealed this way, this deals 7 damage to target creature or player. Then put those cards at the bottom of your library.

Makes me remember about that Coldsnap keyword and those strange mechanics. Can be exploited well, though. Seems creative for me.

Ripple? If this card had ripple 7 instead of what it does, it would actually be good. Anyway, this card is total junk, even in Limited. If it was common, it would be worth trying to collect a few. It's creative, but it's junk.

Veteran's Armament 2
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has "Whenever this attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each attacking creature."
Whenever a Soldier creature comes into play, you may attach this to that creature.
Equip 2.

Not sure about the Soldier part. You're saving 2 mana. Anyway, the rest is fine for me.

The Soldier part means this card counts as a Soldier for all purposes. Anyway, this is grotesque in white weenie, considering most of the good Kithkin are also Soldiers. This will see play, considering the equip cost in white weenie is basically free.

 

[Shiny Umbreon]

? what about the pain-triple-tribe lands?

I'll go with the ones revealed first. So those have to wait. =/

There is a "T: Add one mana of any color" land. It's called City of Brass. Also, you failed to notice the restriction upon the use of the mana: it can only be spent for Elemental spells or abilities. Elementals aren't played in tournaments because the only way to get a consistent multicolored mana base is to play painlands. Given elementals are a combo deck, it needs every point of life it can get. Primal Beyond gives elementals more consistent mana that comes into play untapped AND does not cause damage. I think this may cause an elemental deck to come about...perhaps R/u. Also, the only Elemental burn spell sucks, so you can't use it to play Lash Out or Incinerate. It may see play, but is nothing game-breaking.

I meant, without the damage. It was a joke because I think this card is too good.
Anyway, I know Primal Beyond is a much better choice than City of Brass or the Painlands themselves. (Even better than Ravnica duals, too.) I guess I'm a little outdated. I haven't exactly checked all Lowryn. =x If Elementals are not as threatening as I thought, the land can be okay, then.

I will agree with you, this card is very, very good. However, it won't be worth any more than $10. It's not "broken" like Tarmogoyf is. Green has had a 3/3 for 3 and a 5/5 for 5 for quite some time now. I see a place for this card in R/G mana ramp, considering it can get the mana to play Colossus then maybe double activate later. Protection from black is a good thing but about all it dodges is Shriekmaw and Sudden Death (the latter of which is seeing less play due to it being a reliable answer to Teferi, which is seeing less play. With Lorwyn, the format shifted to aggressive creature decks, away from control.) Even though being able to dodge Shriekmaw is nice, it would have been much more synergistic if it had trample. 4/4 for 4 with the ability to double in size if you have lots of mana open is still nice, though.

Well, green has had 4/4 with trample for 4G if I remember correctly. As far as I've seen, protection from one color costs as much as trample since it can be pretty effective, too. Maybe 3GG could have worked. It's green after all. =/ And, by the way, I'm not sure if trample would have been better. As you said, it protects it from Shriekmaws (or Deathmarks D8) and black creatures with targetting black spells means an open field to him.

You're right about it being undercosted, but red has gotten the shaft in Lorwyn regarding good creatures. This guy only gets out of control if he sticks around for a few turns. Being a changeling makes him immune to Eyeblight's Ending, but Shriekmaw and Nameless Inversion kill him all day. He's only a problem if you don't have an answer for him the turn you see him. Think of all the 3-damage burn played: Lash Out, Incinerate, Ghostfire, and some more specialized burn like Sunlance. It would have been much more useful as an alternate win condition in Storm decks if it cost 1 more mana and got a +1/+1 counter for every spell played--not just an opponent. Great in multiplayer, but often a lightning-rod for removal also.

Of course, this will be ultra targeted as soon as players see it. And the fact that it's a 2/2 makes it easier to kill with Incinerate, for example. Changeling can be both good and bad but if you are using it it's because you want to do something with it, which means you wouldn't choose a non-Changeling. So Changeling should cost at least 1. If you forget the fact that it's red, you can say it should cost 3, but it's counter ability can't cost 0. And remember the +1/+1 counters interaction that will appear in Morningtide. Okay, I know the guy isn't really wow if it's well countered but if it's not, there are problems.

Awesome to play after you empty your hand in a Merfolk or Faerie deck, but often you'll find yourself discarding a lot of those cards. I'd rather play Mulldrifter for draw.

I find this card better than Mulldrifter depending on the situation, though.

I can see this being a good card in limited for Merfolk if you can't get Summon the School. In constructed, it can accelerate your Drowner engine, but one toughness is a turnoff. Would have been more playable at 1/1 for 1W.

I know, but they make it 2W on purpose to make it fair. And they give +1/+0 to compensate. It's still good for me with 2W.

You have to remember that this is also a rare. Rares are supposed to be more powerful than uncommons and commons because of limited. A vanilla 2/2 first striker is 2W at common. He will definitely be 4-of in white weenie, but not a money card..

Well, yeah, rares should be better, but not unfairly better. That means you have advantage if you spend more money. For some reason, I think Serra Angel and those alike are a waste of space, because they are not creative at all. But that's just a personal opinion. I won't get offtopic.

Ripple? If this card had ripple 7 instead of what it does, it would actually be good. Anyway, this card is total junk, even in Limited. If it was common, it would be worth trying to collect a few. It's creative, but it's junk.

I'm not the kind of player who likes messing up the libraries for Ripple or this kind of cards, but there are ways. Okay, this may be not played much (I know 2R for a possibility of 7 damage isn't good enough), but they tried.

The Soldier part means this card counts as a Soldier for all purposes. Anyway, this is grotesque in white weenie, considering most of the good Kithkin are also Soldiers. This will see play, considering the equip cost in white weenie is basically free.

That's what I meant. It costs 2 mana, and then you play your normal Soldier and save 2 mana to equip. And this is cumulative. Four of these with lots of cheap soldiers/tokens.... Ouch.

Okay, I'm tired so I won't give my opinion on the next cards. I'll just list them.

Earthbrawn 1G
Instant
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Reinforce 1 - 1G.

Moonglove Changeling 2B
Creature - Shapeshifter
Changeling.
B: This gains deathtouch until end of turn.
2/2

Latchkey Faerie 3U
Creature - Faerie Rogue
Flying
Prowl 2U - When this comes into play, draw a card.
3/1

Wandering Graybeard 3WW
Craeture - Giant Wizard
Kinship - You gain 4 life.
4/4

Rusting Clachan
Land
As this comes into play, you may reveal a Kithkin card from your hand. If you don't, this comes into play tapped.
T: Add W to your mana pool.
Reinforce 1 - 1W

Wolf-Skull Shaman 1G
Creature - Elf Shaman
Kinship - Put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token into play.

Supreme Exemplar 6U
Creature - Elemental
Champion an Elemental.
Flying.
10/10

Sage of Fables 2U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Each other Wizard creature you control comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.
2, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Draw a card.

By the way, some of these seem undercosted to me, too. I may be a little strict with costs, though.

 

[RaikouRider243]

Earthbrawn 1G
Instant
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Reinforce 1 - 1G.

Reinforce reminds me of cycling, but instead of every color having card draw, now every color has combat tricks. Anyway, this is Lorwyn block's "Giant Growth" variant, which is a decent card in limited.

Moonglove Changeling 2B
Creature - Shapeshifter
Changeling.
B: This gains deathtouch until end of turn.
2/2

This is a solid black creature in limited--2B for a 2/2 is pretty standard size, and deathtouch can make it easy for you to make a favorable trade with your opponent. Not phenomenal in limited, but pretty good--I'd say it's usually gone by 5th pick.

Latchkey Faerie 3U
Creature - Faerie Rogue
Flying
Prowl 2U - When this comes into play, draw a card.
3/1

Not something you will want to see in your opening hand, but it's solid on say, turn 4. You never want to hard-cast this creature. This is decent card advantage for Faeries, even though they should be running four Mulldrifters already. It might see Constructed play, but don't count on it.

Wandering Graybeard 3WW
Craeture - Giant Wizard
Kinship - You gain 4 life.
4/4

Not bad in limited if you have enough Giants to support him, but there aren't a whole lot of board-clearing/global damage effects in either set, and most of them are at rare. Giants will never see constructed play simply because they are too slow and it's too easy to just Incinerate their Daredevils, leaving them with a bunch of creatures they cannot pay for.

Rusting Clachan
Land
As this comes into play, you may reveal a Kithkin card from your hand. If you don't, this comes into play tapped.
T: Add W to your mana pool.
Reinforce 1 - 1W

Terrible, terrible land. I would be embarrassed and rather angry if I opened one. Kithkin needed a G/W dual land to play Teeg off of without shooting itself in the foot like it has to with Brushland.

Wolf-Skull Shaman 1G
Creature - Elf Shaman
Kinship - Put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token into play.

You forgot the P/T, which is 2/2. Anyway, this would be a solid card in constructed elf decks if it didn't have so much competition at the 2 mana slot--namely, Wren's Run Vanquisher. This will be a high-priority pick for green decks in limited, but not powerful enough to hate-draft.

Supreme Exemplar 6U
Creature - Elemental
Champion an Elemental.
Flying.
10/10

If you can open up one of these in limited, you should win the game almost every time you get it out. As far as constructed goes, this is garbage. It costs way too much for what it does and goes against what elementals do--they're combo aggro.

Sage of Fables 2U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Each other Wizard creature you control comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.
2, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Draw a card.

Again, you forgot the P/T, which is 2/2. This card reminds me of Novijen Sages from Dissension, but is appropriately costed for what it does. I might run a couple in my Simic deck. I doubt this will be run in any Standard deck, but is a decent alternative to Mulldrifter or Fallowsage in blue decks if they're all gone by the time the cards get to you.

Mind if I post a few cards next? Maybe some cards more relevant to Constructed?

 

[Shiny Umbreon]

Reinforce reminds me of cycling, but instead of every color having card draw, now every color has combat tricks. Anyway, this is Lorwyn block's "Giant Growth" variant, which is a decent card in limited.

I like Giant Growth variants for some reason. They seem fair compared to the one-mana original. (Though I used three of them and three Brute Forces in my R/G aggro deck. XD) Anyway, Reinforce suits well with this spell. I like it.

This is a solid black creature in limited--2B for a 2/2 is pretty standard size, and deathtouch can make it easy for you to make a favorable trade with your opponent. Not phenomenal in limited, but pretty good--I'd say it's usually gone by 5th pick.

Pretty decent card for me, too. Deathtouch for B makes it good.

Not something you will want to see in your opening hand, but it's solid on say, turn 4. You never want to hard-cast this creature. This is decent card advantage for Faeries, even though they should be running four Mulldrifters already. It might see Constructed play, but don't count on it.

I think it's a good replacemente for Mulldrifter. Costs one mana less (Without the effect) and two mana less with it, just by hitting with a Faerie/Rogue, which fly. And the Prowl matches Mulldrifter's Evoke but keeps the creature. I'd have maybe put the cost a bit higher (4U and Prowl 3U) but it's not really wow as it is now, so it's okay.

Not bad in limited if you have enough Giants to support him, but there aren't a whole lot of board-clearing/global damage effects in either set, and most of them are at rare. Giants will never see constructed play simply because they are too slow and it's too easy to just Incinerate their Daredevils, leaving them with a bunch of creatures they cannot pay for.

The ability is cool and everything, but, as you said, Giants aren't really that accessible. Cool card, but not the deck it should fit in. =/

Terrible, terrible land. I would be embarrassed and rather angry if I opened one. Kithkin needed a G/W dual land to play Teeg off of without shooting itself in the foot like it has to with Brushland.

Come on. The fact that it doesn't make green mana doesn't mean it's bad. It's almost a Plains (comes untapped if you don't have a Kithkin... as if that was going to happen), and has a little Reinforce added. Seems okay for me. Don't ask me why it's rare, though.

You forgot the P/T, which is 2/2. Anyway, this would be a solid card in constructed elf decks if it didn't have so much competition at the 2 mana slot--namely, Wren's Run Vanquisher. This will be a high-priority pick for green decks in limited, but not powerful enough to hate-draft.

Distracted about the T/P. A bit undercosted maybe? At least tokens are not Elves (but they interestingly interact with deathtouch Wolves that Lowryn legendary elf makes). Since there are more undercosted cards, this should fit well among them. A good card overall, anyway.

If you can open up one of these in limited, you should win the game almost every time you get it out. As far as constructed goes, this is garbage. It costs way too much for what it does and goes against what elementals do--they're combo aggro.

Are you suggesting another type to Champion (and the type itself and color maybe) would have been better? I remember a red 10-power Championing Elemental in Lowryn, but I think it championed a creature, I don't remember. Anyway, the card itself is good. It may not be in the best context, though.

Again, you forgot the P/T, which is 2/2. This card reminds me of Novijen Sages from Dissension, but is appropriately costed for what it does. I might run a couple in my Simic deck. I doubt this will be run in any Standard deck, but is a decent alternative to Mulldrifter or Fallowsage in blue decks if they're all gone by the time the cards get to you.

Again, distracted. Seems like a good card to me. +1/+1 counters interaction may be better than what I thought, but, yeah.

Mind if I post a few cards next? Maybe some cards more relevant to Constructed?

I was posting 8 cards according to the date in which they were revealed, but, sure, go ahead.

 

[RaikouRider243]

Indomitable Ancients [Rare]
2WW: Creature - Treefolk Warrior
"Odum and Broadbark were the only beings mighty enough to challenge the giant Moran the Destroyer. Their battle lasted a hundred dawns, until Moran became so exhausted that he fell into namesleep. He awoke as Moran the Gardener."
-The tale of Odum and Broadbark
2/10

Doran makes this into a 10/10 for four mana, but it'll be too difficult to get WW even with Murmuring Bosk and Caves of Koilos. Too situational--really needed protection from black to be tournament viable.

Declaration of Naught [Rare]
UU: Enchantment
As Declaration of Naught comes into play, name a card.
U: Counter target spell with that name.

Every story, even a faerie tale, comes to an end.

Pithing Needle for spells. I can see this sided against the more combo-y aggro decks and the many control decks out there. It cannot stop Pickles though. It'll be worth money, but not $15 like Needle is.

Disperse [Common]
1U: Instant
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
Gryffid scowled at the sky. A perfect day for the hunt tainted by clouds. He wished them gone. High above, the clouds looked down, scowled, and made a wish of their own.

Splashable, good bounce. Multicolored control decks will love it. Good in limited.

Bitterblossom [Rare]
Tribal Enchantment - Faerie
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life and put a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying into play.

Money card for certain. Get your hands on these before the price goes up more. This is just plain ridiculous for Faerie decks.

Maralen of the Mornsong [Rare]
1BB: Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
Players can't draw cards.
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player loses 3 life, searches his or her library for a card, puts it into his or her hand, then shuffles his or her library.
Maralen sent Veesa, Endry, and Illiona - the Vendillion clique - on the gravest of tasks.
2/3

A very interesting card...you may want to get your hands on a set before someone breaks this card. Someone will. Also notice the searching/life loss is not optional, and affects your opponent.

Mind Shatter [Rare]
XBB: Sorcery
Target player discards X cards at random.
Dark thoughts hatch and twist within the mind, straining to take wing.

...Wow. Mind Twist is back. It's not as powerful as it was back when Dark Ritual was still around, but it's still pretty good considering how strong random discard is. This will see a lot of play, more so when Time Spiral block rotates and we lose Stupor.

Stenchskipper [Rare]
Creature - Elemental
Flying
At end of turn, if you don't control a Goblin, sacrifice Stenchskipper.
6/5

...Wow. Changeling Zoo and Goblin decks will love this card. I can even see Faeries splashing changeling cards for this--a powerful beater that doesn't die to every removal card not named God/Damn and Eyeblight's Ending. You can't even Sudden Death it.

Boldwyr Heavyweights [Rare]
2RR: Creature - Giant Warrior
Trample
When Boldwyr Heavyweights comes into play, each opponent may search his or her library for a creature card and put it into play. Then each player who searched his or her library this way shuffles it.
Even if giants bring nothing else on a journey, they bring attention.
8/8


Thanks for the free Shriekmaw. This card sucks. I would be angry to open up one of these.

Gilt-Leaf Archdruid [Rare]
3GG: Creature - Elf Druid
Whenever you play a Druid spell, you may draw a card.
Tap seven untapped Druids you control: Gain control of all lands target player controls.
3/3

The last ability may as well read "Tap seven untapped Druids you control: Win target game." But if you can keep seven creatures on the board, you've probably already won the game. This is a definite Timmy "win more" card.

Scapeshift [Rare]
2GG: Sorcery
Sacrifice any number of lands. Search your library for that many land cards, put them into play tapped, then shuffle your library.

This will be a Vintage card--one of the precious few cards that can search for a nonbasic land and put it into play. I'll go fetch Tolarian Academy, Gaea's Cradle, and all the other broken lands I feel like.

Mutavault [Rare]
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1: Mutavault becomes a 2/2 creature with all creature types until end of turn. It's still a land.
Some changelings born at Velis Vel never return, but their essence never leaves.

This will be the priciest card in the set. Aggro decks will love it because it's a 2/2 manland that only costs 1 to animate instead of 1C, AND it comes into play untapped. This has a shot of being $20. Also of note is that this land enables any deck running black to play Stenchskipper, since players get priority at the end of each phase.

 

[Shiny Umbreon]

Indomitable Ancients [Rare]
2WW: Creature - Treefolk Warrior
"Odum and Broadbark were the only beings mighty enough to challenge the giant Moran the Destroyer. Their battle lasted a hundred dawns, until Moran became so exhausted that he fell into namesleep. He awoke as Moran the Gardener."
-The tale of Odum and Broadbark
2/10

Doran makes this into a 10/10 for four mana, but it'll be too difficult to get WW even with Murmuring Bosk and Caves of Koilos. Too situational--really needed protection from black to be tournament viable.

Did you say rare? Nice variation of the Kami of the Old Stone, but a bit undercosted in my opinion. (2WWW for me, or a 2/9 or 1/10 for that cost). And, yes, interactions with Doran, but that's being a bit specific, and many can do that, too.

Declaration of Naught [Rare]
UU: Enchantment
As Declaration of Naught comes into play, name a card.
U: Counter target spell with that name.

Every story, even a faerie tale, comes to an end.

Pithing Needle for spells. I can see this sided against the more combo-y aggro decks and the many control decks out there. It cannot stop Pickles though. It'll be worth money, but not $15 like Needle is.

"Shriekmaw" or "Tarfire"? XD; Not my style, but I like this kind of cards. A very good defense for those Shocks you see in every deck. >_>

Disperse [Common]
1U: Instant
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
Gryffid scowled at the sky. A perfect day for the hunt tainted by clouds. He wished them gone. High above, the clouds looked down, scowled, and made a wish of their own.

Splashable, good bounce. Multicolored control decks will love it. Good in limited.

The best Boomerang in the world. And I bet this will become the standard for the next Core Set. It was annoying to have UU for that, or even worse. 2U for Regress. And, yes, much better choice for non-mono-blue decks.

Bitterblossom [Rare]
Tribal Enchantment - Faerie
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life and put a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying into play.

Money card for certain. Get your hands on these before the price goes up more. This is just plain ridiculous for Faerie decks.

Now you missed the cost. XD
1B for a Faerie each turn. For 1 life! Wow! Imagine those cards that need yuo to sacrifice creatures. It would as simple as this? Pretty good, but not the card you'd play on your second turn anyway. XD
Or, who knows? You can use combos with this. I mean, an army of Faeries easily made. Just anything you can think of. And they fly. o.O; Really good card.

Maralen of the Mornsong [Rare]
1BB: Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
Players can't draw cards.
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player loses 3 life, searches his or her library for a card, puts it into his or her hand, then shuffles his or her library.
Maralen sent Veesa, Endry, and Illiona - the Vendillion clique - on the gravest of tasks.
2/3

A very interesting card...you may want to get your hands on a set before someone breaks this card. Someone will. Also notice the searching/life loss is not optional, and affects your opponent.

The Lord of the Tutors. Aside from actually choosing each turn what card you will draw, it drains life, too. Of course, this can be damaging to you, too, in both sides. Really one of the best cards for Johnnys.

Mind Shatter [Rare]
XBB: Sorcery
Target player discards X cards at random.
Dark thoughts hatch and twist within the mind, straining to take wing.

...Wow. Mind Twist is back. It's not as powerful as it was back when Dark Ritual was still around, but it's still pretty good considering how strong random discard is. This will see a lot of play, more so when Time Spiral block rotates and we lose Stupor.[/quote}
What? You reprint Mind Twist with an additional B and you think it's fair. Okay, it's not really that abusive, but it can be well exploited. I'm scared now. D8

Stenchskipper [Rare]
Creature - Elemental
Flying
At end of turn, if you don't control a Goblin, sacrifice Stenchskipper.
6/5

...Wow. Changeling Zoo and Goblin decks will love this card. I can even see Faeries splashing changeling cards for this--a powerful beater that doesn't die to every removal card not named God/Damn and Eyeblight's Ending. You can't even Sudden Death it.

3B. Cost again. XD
Now this is wow. And you just need any Goblin. Like any token created with a random card. May be even Sarpadian Empires. As you said, you need more than one regular removal card to take it off the field. Scary, too. I know you can still Giant Growth a blocker or something, but, yes, this card can work very well. Especially because Goblin decks are meant to be part black, too.

Boldwyr Heavyweights [Rare]
2RR: Creature - Giant Warrior
Trample
When Boldwyr Heavyweights comes into play, each opponent may search his or her library for a creature card and put it into play. Then each player who searched his or her library this way shuffles it.
Even if giants bring nothing else on a journey, they bring attention.
8/8


Thanks for the free Shriekmaw. This card sucks. I would be angry to open up one of these.

Give it a chance...
Okay, yes, red sucks for this. I prefer if the player put something from his hand, or maybe something similar, but if you give the player the chance, as you said, they can easily know what to search to stop it.

Gilt-Leaf Archdruid [Rare]
3GG: Creature - Elf Druid
Whenever you play a Druid spell, you may draw a card.
Tap seven untapped Druids you control: Gain control of all lands target player controls.
3/3

The last ability may as well read "Tap seven untapped Druids you control: Win target game." But if you can keep seven creatures on the board, you've probably already won the game. This is a definite Timmy "win more" card.

Scapeshift [Rare]
2GG: Sorcery
Sacrifice any number of lands. Search your library for that many land cards, put them into play tapped, then shuffle your library.

This will be a Vintage card--one of the precious few cards that can search for a nonbasic land and put it into play. I'll go fetch Tolarian Academy, Gaea's Cradle, and all the other broken lands I feel like.

I don't know... what can you search for that's worth it? Well, yes, broken lands, but Vintage only.

Mutavault [Rare]
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1: Mutavault becomes a 2/2 creature with all creature types until end of turn. It's still a land.
Some changelings born at Velis Vel never return, but their essence never leaves.

This will be the priciest card in the set. Aggro decks will love it because it's a 2/2 manland that only costs 1 to animate instead of 1C, AND it comes into play untapped. This has a shot of being $20. Also of note is that this land enables any deck running black to play Stenchskipper, since players get priority at the end of each phase.

Mishra's Factory without the ability to give bonuses, but, yes, the changeling part makes it really good for most decks.

 

[Dragonsfreak]

Quote:RaikouRider243

Stenchskipper [Rare]
Creature - Elemental
Flying
At end of turn, if you don't control a Goblin, sacrifice Stenchskipper.
6/5

...Wow. Changeling Zoo and Goblin decks will love this card. I can even see Faeries splashing changeling cards for this--a powerful beater that doesn't die to every removal card not named God/Damn and Eyeblight's Ending. You can't even Sudden Death it.

Shiny Umbreon:
3B. Cost again. XD
Now this is wow. And you just need any Goblin. Like any token created with a random card. May be even Sarpadian Empires. As you said, you need more than one regular removal card to take it off the field. Scary, too. I know you can still Giant Growth a blocker or something, but, yes, this card can work very well. Especially because Goblin decks are meant to be part black, too.

hmmm...sounds like there´s someone afraid of a flying 6/5 creature...without protection or other stuff...sure it´s cheap but
your just talking about killing that thing...there are so much other possible solutions for the stenchskipper

1.why destroy something, if you could tap it?take cards from the azorius-guild from dissension, like the ministry of impedemants(2(w/u),(not sure if its right spelled, cause i´m from germany and i dunno all english card names),the guildmage((w/u)(w/u)) could help also...then dehydration(3U),the same but you have to pay the price just one time

2.cards like plumes of peace(1WU) that stop creatures attacks and blocks...
the orzhov from ravnica is even meaner:they´ve got an enchantment that stops attack and blocks from one creature and costs the owner of the creature 1 life per turn(1WB)

3.deathtouch!!combinate it with viridian longbow (for example) and you´ll get a tap-dead-creature
...uhm i think it´s sosuke of the kamigawa block...he gives snakes deathtouch,and i know there are snakes with reach in the game

4.damage. play red spells if you can afford the mana.things like blaze, you know...
or the jagged-scar archers: tap them and they do damage to a flying creature equal to the archers power.(P/T = the number of elves you control)

if you still want to use destroy-effects
5.there are enough black cards saying "destroy target creature".for example big-game hunter(3B) from time spiral destroys a creature with power 4+ if it comes in play

well...guess that´s all i have to say...wait, don´t forget it´s a rare so i think you shouldn´t worry to much

 

[RaikouRider243]

Here's the thing: the vast majority of cards you mentioned are not in Standard. Eyeblight's Ending is the only good death card in Standard that kills this. Shriekmaw can't kill it, and it's too large to burn.

In tournaments, rarity is irrelevant. You have to assume every player can get a playset of the cards necessary to build their deck.

 

[Shiny Umbreon]

hmmm...sounds like there´s someone afraid of a flying 6/5 creature...without protection or other stuff...sure it´s cheap but
your just talking about killing that thing...there are so much other possible solutions for the stenchskipper

1.why destroy something, if you could tap it?take cards from the azorius-guild from dissension, like the ministry of impedemants(2(w/u),(not sure if its right spelled, cause i´m from germany and i dunno all english card names),the guildmage((w/u)(w/u)) could help also...then dehydration(3U),the same but you have to pay the price just one time

2.cards like plumes of peace(1WU) that stop creatures attacks and blocks...
the orzhov from ravnica is even meaner:they´ve got an enchantment that stops attack and blocks from one creature and costs the owner of the creature 1 life per turn(1WB)

3.deathtouch!!combinate it with viridian longbow (for example) and you´ll get a tap-dead-creature
...uhm i think it´s sosuke of the kamigawa block...he gives snakes deathtouch,and i know there are snakes with reach in the game

4.damage. play red spells if you can afford the mana.things like blaze, you know...
or the jagged-scar archers: tap them and they do damage to a flying creature equal to the archers power.(P/T = the number of elves you control)

if you still want to use destroy-effects
5.there are enough black cards saying "destroy target creature".for example big-game hunter(3B) from time spiral destroys a creature with power 4+ if it comes in play

well...guess that´s all i have to say...wait, don´t forget it´s a rare so i think you shouldn´t worry to much

I know how to stop a creature. But a bunch of these would hurt a bit. I remember a G/W/U snow deck I had. It could stop a lot of these, as long as they weren't a ridiculous number. That's the thing. It seems easy, but imagine facing four of these. You can stop three, but because of one you'll take 6 damage. So, yeah, that's what I meant.

 

[Dragonsfreak]

hmm...i see your points. in standard the stenchskipper could be quite nasty. but it´s also, at least in my opinion, in question of "taste" in which tournamentformats you may enter.i personaaly don´t like standard cause i could use only cards of the last 7 or 8 editions, irather play with all of my cards...but this is another topic

and still i´m not very impressed by losing 6+ life...perhaps i played to much with my elvish lifegain deck to fear it....
well enough with this

what do you think about this one:

Grimoire Thief
UU
Creature - Merfolk Rogue (rare)
Wheneever Grimoire Thief becomes tapped,
remove the top three cards of target opponent´s
library from game face down.

You may lok at the cards removed from game with
Grimoire Thief

U, sacrifice Grimoire Thief:Turn all cards
removed from the game with Grimoire Thief
face up. Counter all spells with those names.
2/2

this is a really cheap card for its effects, but i guess it´ll only show his whole potential in a merfolk deck

 

[Shiny Umbreon]

hmm...i see your points. in standard the stenchskipper could be quite nasty. but it´s also, at least in my opinion, in question of "taste" in which tournamentformats you may enter.i personaaly don´t like standard cause i could use only cards of the last 7 or 8 editions, irather play with all of my cards...but this is another topic

and still i´m not very impressed by losing 6+ life...perhaps i played to much with my elvish lifegain deck to fear it....
well enough with this

Standard can be fun in theory, but I agree. Keeping up with sets isn't the easiest thing. And, well, I have very few life gaining resources so I just make sure I'm protected.

what do you think about this one:

Grimoire Thief
UU
Creature - Merfolk Rogue (rare)
Wheneever Grimoire Thief becomes tapped,
remove the top three cards of target opponent´s
library from game face down.

You may lok at the cards removed from game with
Grimoire Thief

U, sacrifice Grimoire Thief:Turn all cards
removed from the game with Grimoire Thief
face up. Counter all spells with those names.
2/2

this is a really cheap card for its effects, but i guess it´ll only show his whole potential in a merfolk deck

Don't count it. You can still rely on Second Wind, and that makes it a very good miller, aside from its awesome effect. I wouldn't want to face one of these anyway, especially with a Storm deck or something. >_>

 

[Dragonsfreak]

uhm...dammit...i knew it was bad that i had no money for the future sight block...so i don´t know all of this block´s cards...

second wind+Grimoire thief is a kickass mean combo, you´ll just need something additional for it´s protection...hmm i should get my hands on one of those...