Apocalypse - a Complete Review (blue)
Ceta Disciple (C) U Creature - Wizard 1/1 R, T: Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn. G, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. ==> FUN: 3
The mana washing ability doesn't look very useful. You already need blue and green mana just to be able to use it. If you already need green mana anyway, why not use something like a Birds of Paradise, which increases your available mana at the same time. Still, the first ability makes up for a lot. ---
Ceta Sanctuary (U) 2U Enchantment At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a red or green permanent, draw a card then discard a card from your hand. If you control a red permanent and a green permanent, instead draw two cards, then discard a card from your hand. ==> FUN: 4
Like the other sanctuaries, it's a vulnerable strategy, but there's something to be said for reusable card drawing. Even with just one of the colors in play, it'll help to find the other color, as well as additional sanctuaries. Be careful, though, because the draw isn't optional, so you'll run out of cards much faster than your opponents. ---
Cetavolver (R) 1U Creature - Volver 1/1 Kicker 1R and/or G If you paid the 1R kicker cost, Cetavolver comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it and has first strike. If you paid the G kicker cost, Cetavolver comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it and has trample. ==> FUN: 3
It's very similar to the white Volver, but arguably slightly worse, because trample only becomes useful when the creature is big, which means you have to pay both kicker costs for it. And even then, it'll only be 5/5. ---
Coastal Drake (C) 2U Creature - Drake 2/1 Flying 1U, T: Return target Kavu to its owner's hand. ==> FUN: 3
I'm not convinced that Kavu are so strong that they need specific hosers like this, but it should come in handy against Kavu Chameleon. Of course you can also use it on your own Flametongue Kavu for a reusable 4 damage. ---
Evasive Action (U) 1U Instant Counter target spell unless its caster pays 1 for each basic land type among lands you control. ==> FUN: 2
It's been obvious this card would come since Invasion introduced the "different basic lands" mechanic. It's a useful card, but it only shines in domain decks with plenty of Harrows and Yavimaya Elders. That's a bit too narrow for my tastes. ---
Ice Cave (R) 3UU Enchantment Whenever a player plays a spell, any other player may pay that spell's mana cost. If a player does, counter the spell. ==> FUN: 5
Note that it doesn't say "converted mana cost", so you'll need to have the right color mana available as well. That makes Ice Cave less powerful, but also more fun. It makes it harder for your opponent to use it against you and more challenging to design your deck around it. I'm not sure how much fun Ice Cave will be in multiplayer, though. It could really kill the pace of a game if every important spell gets countered. ---
Index (C) U Sorcery Look at the top five cards of your library, then put them back in any order. ==> FUN: 1
I like library manipulation and I've even been known to play with Portent, but Index doesn't cut it for me. Because it's not a cantrip, it's card disadvantage. Looking just five card deep isn't enough to make up for that. ---
Jaded Response (C) 1U Instant Counter target spell if it shares a color with a creature you control. ==> FUN: 1
Another counterspell that only fits in a very specific deck. Because creatures are easier to kill than lands and harder to get into play, I wouldn't even play Jaded Response in a 5 color creature deck. ---
Jilt (C) 1U Instant Kicker - 1R Return target creature to its owner's hand. If you paid the kicker cost, Jilt deals 2 damage to another target creature. ==> FUN: 3
Unsummon with an optional Shock. That should be a very useful card in creature combat: save your own creature from lethal damage and finish off your opponent's. It's a bit expensive at four mana, though. ---
Living Airship (C) 3U Creature - Ship 2/3 Flying 2G: Regenerate Living Airship. ==> FUN: 3
The regenerate cost is a bit more than I'd like. On a big creature like a Rhox it's worth it to keep 3 mana open to regenerate it if necessary, but a 2/3 isn't really enough of a threat to tie up that much mana every turn. ---
Reef Shaman (C) U Creature - Merfolk 0/2 T: Target land's type becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn. ==> FUN: 4
In the grand tradition of Dream Thrush and Sea Snidd. Reef Shaman isn't really that good, because its lack of power means it isn't a threat. Still, it poses an interesting challenge to make a 5 color deck with only Islands for land. ---
Shimmering Mirage (C) 1U Instant Target land's type becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn. Draw a card. ==> FUN: 3
The effect is very minor, but it should be useful in a Merfolk deck. With a Lord of Atlantis in play, turning an opponent's land into an Island will give a free attack with your islandwalkers. That's not bad for a cantrip. ---
Tidal Courier (U) 3U Creature - Merfolk 1/2 When Tidal Courier comes into play, reveal the top four cards of your library. Put all merfolk cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest on the bottom of the library. 3U: Tidal Courier gains flying until end of turn. ==> FUN: 4
Like Enlistment Officer, Tidal Courier looks made for a Merfolk theme deck. As a bonus, Brainstorm is blue as well. A Brainstorm can make sure the top two cards of your library are merfolk before you cast Tidal Courier. ---
Unnatural Selection (R) 1U Enchantment 1: Choose a creature type other than Wall. Target creature's type becomes that type until end of turn. ==> FUN: 3
Changing creature types opens up a lot of possibilities. I would have really liked this card, but it doesn't work as a rare. Putting a single copy in a deck will rarely be useful. To build a deck around it, you'll need three or four copies, which means spending money or using proxies. It's probably a good thing it can't turn creatures into walls, because that would make it a bit too useful. It can turn creatures into legends, though. I'm not sure how the legend rule goes exactly, but if two copies of the same creature are in play and you turn both of them into legends, at least one of them should be gone. Maybe you'll only need to make one a legend. Another special creature type is flagbearer. The question is if it's really a special creature type, though. The spoilers don't really make it clear if the flagbearer text is meant as reminder text or as rules text. If it's rules text, turning a creature into a flagbearer with Unnatural Selection may not do anything unless there is a real flagbearer in play. ---
Vodalian Mystic (U) 1U Creature - Merfolk 1/1 T: Target instant or sorcery spell becomes the color of your choice. ==> FUN: 2
Probably designed to be used with Jaded Response. There are other possibilities, though, like Douse and other color hosers. ---
Whirlpool Drake (U) 3U Creature - Drake 2/2 Flying When Whirlpool Drake comes into play, shuffle the cards from your hand into your library, then draw that many cards. When Whirlpool Drake is put into a graveyard from play, shuffle the cards from your hand into your library, then draw that many cards. ==> FUN: 4
It's a bit risky, but if you cast it at the right time, with nothing useful left in your hand, it could be pretty good. Of course, your opponent had better not have a Phyrexian Tyranny in play. I normally wouldn't use Whirlpool Drake, because as long as it's in play, your hand is vulnerable. If you're trying to save up a few counterspells, a single Shock can turn them all into Islands. Whirlpool Drake may have some potential in a Zur's Weirding deck. Cast a Zur's Weirding with a Drake in hand and let your hand fill up with anything useless your opponent lets you have. Then cast the Drake to force your opponent to spend valuable extra life to prevent a few of your 7 new draws. He or she will then also be faced with a 2/2 flier that's too dangerous to kill. ---
Whirlpool Rider (C) 1U Creature - Merfolk 1/1 When Whirlpool Rider comes into play, shuffle the cards from your hand into your library, then draw that many cards. ==> FUN: 3
The Rider is pretty similar to the drake, except that you don't get a useful creature in the bargain. A 1/1 is too easy to ignore. ---
Whirlpool Warrior (R) 2U Creature - Merfolk 2/2 When Whirlpool Warrior comes into play, shuffle the cards from your hand into your library, then draw that many cards. R, Sacrifice Whirlpool Warrior: Each player shuffles the cards from his or her hand into his or her library, then draws that many cards. ==> FUN: 4
An interesting card in multiplayer.
|
