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A Complete Review of Judgment (white)

1. Ancestor's Chosen U, 5WW Creature - Cleric 4/4
First Strike
When ~this~ comes into play, you gain one life for each card in your graveyard.
Empowered by generations of strength.

==> FUN: 5
Ancestor's Chosen looks seriously overcosted at first sight. Seven mana is a lot for a 4/4 with first strike, but it's exactly the kind of card I love to play with. In the right deck, based on filling your graveyard, you can get 20 life from Ancestor's Chosen without too much trouble. It'll take a while before this becomes a good card, though, because as long as Odyssey block is still reasonably fresh, people will be careful to play with plenty of graveyard destruction.

--
2. Aven Warcraft U, 2W Instant
Creatures you control get +0/+2 until end of turn.
Threshold - Creatures you control also gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.

==> FUN: 2
Pumping toughness like this hasn't proven to be a very strong effect in the past and I doubt it will now. Solidarity, from Urza's Destiny, is only one more mana for an extra +0/+3. Sure, this also has a threshold effect, but most of the time +0/+2 should be enough to save your creatures. Protection from a color is a useful bonus, though. It means you can use it to counter spot removal or to make your creatures unblockable for a turn against a monocolored opponent.

--
3. Battle Screech U, 2WW Sorcery
Put two 1/1 white Bird creature tokens with flying into play.
Flashback: Tap three untapped white creatures you control.

==> FUN: 4
Any single card that has the potential of creating up to four creatures is interesting, no matter how much it costs. Four mana for two 1/1s may seem a bit much, but they do fly and the flashback is very castable. Imagine you have a random untapped white weenie in play and you cast Battle Screech. You now have three untapped white creatures in play and a Battle Screech in your graveyard. The perfect situation to use its flashback for two more birds at no extra mana cost. Of course it goes without saying that Battle Screech is also a must in any birds theme deck, using Kangee, Aerie Keeper and Soraya the Falconer.

--
4. Battlewise Aven C, 3W Creature - Bird Soldier 2/2
Flying
Threshold - ~this~ gets +1/+1 and first strike.
Experience is a good teacher, not a kind one.

==> FUN: 3
Battlewise Aven is a nice, solid weenie, but it doesn't gain enough from threshold to be any more than that.

--
5. Benevolent Bodyguard C, W Creature - Cleric 1/1
Sacrifice ~this~: Target creature you control gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
"My destiny is to save others so their destinies may be achieved."

==> FUN: 3
It's no Mother of Runes, but it'll do the job. Once anyway. On the up side, it can be used while it's summoning sick or tapped, unlike Mother of Runes. The flavor text is wrong, though. It makes it sound as if Benevolent Bodyguard can save several creatures at once, instead of just the one before dying.

--
6. Border Patrol C, 4W Creature - Nomad 1/6
Attacking doesn't cause ~this~ to tap.
"We have been victims of treachery, of the Cabal, and of our own ambitions. No more." - Commander Eesha

==> FUN: 3
Compared to Standing Troops, this costs two more mana for two more toughness. That's not very mana efficient, but a 1/6 that doesn't tap to attack is still a creature to reckon with. It can block 5/5 beasts all day long while still attacking every turn, slowly bringing your opponent's life total down to zero. Of course, I'd still rather have a Serra Angel for the same amount of mana, but you can't have everything.

--
7. Cagemail C, 1W Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and can't attack.
"Power often costs too high of a price." - Commander Eesha

==> FUN: 2
The flavor text sounds especially clunky. It should be something like "Power often comes at too high a price." for a much better flow. It's not really important, but as a writer, I notice stuff like that and it bugs me. The card concept is interesting, similar to the red version which doesn't allow enchanted creature to block, Maniacal Rage. The problem with Cagemail, though, is that it's defensive, whereas Maniacal Rage is strictly offensive. Maniacal Rage can be used to pump your own creature or to stop an opposing creature from blocking. In an aggressive deck that's almost as good as removal. Cagemail, on the other hand, can't be used to strengthen your attackers or to get a blocker out of the way. It can only be used to make your blockers bigger or to stop an opponent's creature from attacking for a while, at least until your opponent finds a Disenchant or the like to get rid of your Cagemail.

--
8. Chastise U, 3W Instant
Destroy target attacking creature. You gain life equal to its power.
"Why do we pray to the Ancestor? Because She listens." - Mystic Elder

==> FUN: 4
Compare Chastise to Path of Peace to appreciate just how much better Chastise is. This is an instant and it gains you life instead of your opponent. I don't like Chastise as much as Second Thoughts, mainly because Second Thoughts removes creatures from the game completely and doesn't allow regeneration and annoying graveyard tricks, but Chastise should fit well in lifegain decks.

--
9. Commander Eesha R, 2WW Creature - Bird Soldier Legend 2/4
Flying, Protection from Creatures
"War glides on the simplest updrafts while peace struggles against hurricane winds. It is the way of the world. It must change."

==> FUN: 3
Commander Eesha is surprisingly bland for a legend. A 2/4 flier for four mana is ok, but nothing more. Protection from creatures fits well on Beloved Chaplain, but Commander Eesha will avoid most creatures by flying over them. I think Eesha is mostly meant as a blocker, which fits with all the lifegain and defensive control we've seen so far in Judgment. Still, lifegain decks don't work well if you're counting on just blocking your opponent's creatures until you're ready to win. In casual play, everybody plays with four aces up their sleeves.

--
10. Funeral Pyre C, W Instant
Remove target card in a graveyard from the game. Its owner puts a 1/1 white Spirit token with flying into play.
"Raze the body. Raise the soul." - Mystic Elder

==> FUN: 4
Funeral Pyre is a nifty idea. Get a cheap 1/1 flier with a marginal drawback or hose your opponent's graveyard strategy at instant speed at the cost of giving him or her a weenie that you should have no trouble dealing with by the time you're likely to cast Funeral Pyre on your opponent. Also, any easy way to make sure your opponent has a creature can come in handy. This could be a very good card in Oath of Druid decks for example. Give your opponent a creature at the end of his turn and during your upkeep, use the Oath to get a Thorn Elemental or the like.

--
11. Glory R, 3WW Creature - Incarnation 3/3
Flying
2W: Creatures you control gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. Play this ability only if ~this~ is in your graveyard.
"Glory was gone; Glory was everywhere." -Scroll of Beginnings

==> FUN: 4
Glory isn't that great as a creature, but the graveyard ability is just too sweet. Filling your graveyard fast is becoming a better and better idea. With Glory in your graveyard, most of your opponent's removal will be useless as long as you have mana to spare. It looks like there are several more incarnations in Judgment, so look for Morningtides and Funeral Pyres to become very popular.

--
12. Golden Wish R, 3WW Sorcery
Choose an artifact or enchantment you own from outside the game, reveal that card and put it into your hand. Remove ~this~ from the game.
She wished for nobility, but not for a nation to honor it.

==> FUN: 4
The only reason Golden Wish doesn't get a 5 is that some of the other colors have even better wishes. The wishes bring back an old mechanic, previously only seen on one card, Ring of Maruff (or however it's spelled). In tournaments, the wishes aren't going to be very interesting, because they'll only be able to get you cards from your sideboard or from the removed-from-game zone. So the wishes will probably be used as tutors and as protection against remove-from-game effects. But, in casual play, you can have access to whatever you desire. Low on land? Get a Land Tax. Need a reset button? Get a Nevinyrral's Disk. Is your opponent playing an annoying combo deck that involves him drawing the same card over and over again? Get a Booby Trap. Of course the downside is that it'll be very tempting to go for outright color hosers, like Karma and Circles of Protection. That'll quickly take the fun out of it, though, so I suggest using a house rule that bans wishing for color hosers.

--
13. Guided Strike C, 1W Instant
Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Draw a card.
"May the Ancestor strengthen my hand and guide my blade." - Nomad war prayer

==> FUN: 2
A nice strategic card with the potential for card advantage. Downgraded because it's a reprint.

--
14. Lead Astray C, 1W Instant
Tap up to two target creatures.
"Never underestimate our enemy's strength, brutality, or stupidity." - Commander Eesha

==> FUN: 1
Eh... Lead Astray could be useful in a fun Stasis deck. I've seen Tidal Surge used in one to devastating effect, but other than that it doesn't do enough to make it worth a card.

--
15. Nomad Mythmaker R, 2W Creature - Cleric 2/2
W, T: Put target enchant creature card from a graveyard into play enchanting a creature you control.
Nomads weave tales thicker than tapestries.

==> FUN: 5
I've had a lot of fun playing with Hakim, Loreweaver and Nomad Mythmaker looks even better, because Hakim could only get the enchantments to enchant himself. Nomad Mythmaker can spread your enchantments around. If I understand the wording correctly, you can even put them on untargetable creatures. And all of this for only W, no matter how expensive the creature enchantment normally is. Especially cantrips like Frog Tongue and Krovikan Fetish are good candidates.

--
16. Phantom Flock U, 3WW Creature - Bird Soldier Spirit 0/0
Flying
~this~ comes into play with three +1/+1 counters on it. If damage would be dealt to ~this~, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from ~this~.

==> FUN: 3
Phantom Flock is only one of several creatures with this mechanic. It's an interesting one, because it can be a good thing or a bad thing. Phantom Flock can't be killed by a Lightning Bolt, which will just turn it into a 2/2, but it *can* be killed by a Prodigal Sorcerer over three turns. Any 1/4 blocker or Caltrops will also be a big problem for Phantom Flock. With a Glorious Anthem or similar under your control, Phantom Flock can eventually end up as a 1/1 with no +1/+1 counters to remove. That means that, if the wording on the spoiler is accurate, it will be a 1/1 has all damage to it prevented.

--
17. Phantom Nomad C, 1W Creature - Nomad Spirit 0/0
~this~ comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it. If damage would be dealt to ~this~, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from ~this~.

==> FUN: 3
The same goes for Phantom Nomad. Phantom Nomad is better costed than Phantom Flock, because a 2/2 for 2 mana is just about right, but Phantom Nomad will normally only get one use out of its damage prevention ability before it runs out of counters. And even after one use, it's already a very non-threatening 1/1.

--
18. Prismatic Stands C, 2W Instant
Prevent all damage that sources of the color of your choice would deal this turn.
Flashback: Tap an untapped white creature you control.

==> FUN: 3
Prismatic Stands has some potential, especially against mono-colored decks. A horde of attacking weenies will be stopped from dealing their damage to you, while allowing your creatures to safely block and kill as many of them as you can. Even without the potential card advantage, it's always nice to be able to prevent the damage from an Earthquake or a Drain Life aimed at you. The flashback is just a bonus so you can do it again, albeit at the cost of leaving a potential attacker untapped so you're able to use it.

--
19. Pulsemage Advocate R, 2W Creature - Cleric 1/3
T: Return three target cards from an opponent's graveyard to their hand. Return target creature card in your graveyard to play.
Our unity revives our hopes.

==> FUN: 4
I don't think Pulsemage Advocate is a very strong card, but it certainly has potential in the right deck. A deck with Black Vice and similar cards springs to mind. Your opponent takes three extra damage from the Vice, while you get a creature back into play. Cards like Windfall and Storm Seeker work well with Pulsemage Advocate as well. Keep in mind, though, that you can only use him if you have an opponent with at least three cards in his or her graveyard and when you have a creature in yours. That precludes him from any possible greatness.

--
20. Ray of Revelation C, 1W Instant
Destroy target enchantment.
Flashback: G
Webs of illusion unravel in the light of truth.

==> FUN: 2
Although Ray of Revelation has the potential to net you card advantage, it's too narrow to be worth playing with, unless perhaps in Madness decks. I can see a green/red madness deck playing Ray of Revelation in the sideboard for enchantment destruction. As long as you can reliably get Ray of Revelation into your graveyard, you won't need any white mana in the deck. In any other deck, though, I'd rather use Disenchant or Creeping Mold for their versatility.

--
21. Selfless Exorcist R, 3WW Creature - Cleric 3/4
T: Remove target creature card in a graveyard from the game. That creature deals damage equal to its power to ~this~.

==> FUN: 1
It's just a weak graveyard hoser when you think about it. You can only use it on creature cards and if they're too big, you'll even lose your Selfless Exorcist. That makes it an expensive 3/4 with a mediocre ability that can't be used on the offensive.

--
22. Shieldmage Advocate C, 2W Creature - Cleric 1/3
T: Return target card in an opponent's graveyard to their hand. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn from one source.
"Our unity conquers all fears."

==> FUN: 3
One of the more useful damage preventing creatures around. Shieldmage Advocate's three toughness makes it at least somewhat resistant to damage, so it won't have to stay untapped to protect itself from Shocks. Unlike the clerics which only prevent one damage at a time, Shieldmage Advocate prevents all the damage. That means it'll often cost your opponent a card anyway, so returning a card to their hand isn't a big drawback anymore, especially if you consider that you get to pick the card. Even if you can only pick a good card, you'll still stall him.

--
23. Silver Seraph R, 5WWW Creature - Angel 6/6
Flying
Threshold - All other creatures you control gain +2/+2
A symbol of hope for hopeless times.

==> FUN: 4
Eight mana is a bit steep if you're planning on casting it the hard way, but a 6/6 flier is pretty good, especially if it turns all your 1/1 bird tokens into flying Hill Giants. Sure, that only kicks in when you have threshold, but by the time you get Silver Seraph into play, you should be well on your way.

--
24. Solitary Confinement R, 2W Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice ~this~ unless you discard a card. Skip your draw step. You can't be the target of spells or abilities. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you.

==> FUN: 3
Solitary Confinement is an Ivory Mask and a Worship in one, but the cost is steep. Normally, it'll cost you two cards per turn to keep it into play and that's a big risk. Unless you're using something like Squee, Goblin Nabob, you'll end up only stalling your opponent for a few turns, without getting much of a chance to mount a counter-offensive.

--
25. Soulcatcher's Aerie U, 1W Enchantment
Whenever a Bird is put into a graveyard from play, put a feather counter on ~this~. All Birds get +1/+1 for each Feather counter on ~this~.

==> FUN: 5
Endless fun with all the birds in this set, especially Battle Screech. Not a bad match with Ordered Migration or Welkin Hawk either. Soulcatcher's Aerie is really going to make bird theme decks fun and strong. All that and it's not even a rare. Two thumbs up!

--
26. Spirit Cairn U, 2W Enchantment
Whenever a player discards a card from their hand, you may pay W. If you do, put a 1/1 flying spirit white token into play.
It marks the border between here and hereafter.

==> FUN: 5
Spirit Cairn is another card with serious potential. Too bad it creates spirit tokens instead of bird tokens. Other than that, it's a great card, though. Most types of madness decks do so much discarding, they should have no trouble getting a small army of spirit tokens. If you splash a bit of black for discard, you'll get even more tokens if you have enough white mana available. Add Confessors for extra life and you have a promising fun deck.

--
27. Spurnmage Advocate C, W Creature - Nomad 1/1
T: Return two target cards in an opponent's graveyard to their hand. Destroy target attacking creature.
"Our unity humbles our foes."

==> FUN: 5
This guy may not be as strong as most assassins, at only one mana for a 1/1 creature, he doesn't have to be. For serious play, those two cards you'll have to return are likely to be high quality, so I doubt Spurnmage Advocate will be played much in tournaments, but for casual play this is a good card. It fits smoothly into a defensive white deck as an early weenie and a way of dealing with the inevitable late-game Thorn Elementals. For maximum effect, though, put Spurnmage Advocate into a deck with Howling Mines and Black Vices. The Howling Mines will cancel out the card disadvantage and fill your opponent's graveyard faster, so you can use the Advocate more often. Meanwhile, your opponent will be unable to empty his hand for the Black Vices. The best part of Spurnmage Advocate, though, is that it's a common.

--
28. Suntail Hawk C, W Creature - Bird 1/1
Flying
"Our forebears once flew like this - carefree, needing nothing but a warm nest and a full belly. Our intellect may be more burden than blessing." -Commander Eesha

==> FUN: 3
A white version of Flying Men. Suntail Hawk is undercosted compared to other 1/1 flying creatures, but that's all it has going for it. A white weenie deck will usually prefer a 1/1 creature with a useful ability to cast on the first turn, like Mother of Runes. A 1/1 is just too fragile and takes too long to kill your opponent. Still, it's a good candidate for a bird theme deck.

--
29. Test of Endurance R, 2WW Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 50 or more life, you win the game.
"If we have learned nothing else, we have learned to survive." -Mystic Elder

==> FUN: 4
My first reaction to Test of Endurance was: "Only 50 life? Are they nuts?!?!" That may be a challenge in tournaments, but in casual play that's almost trivial to achieve. Congregate, especially in multiplayer, can do it by itself. Ancestral Tribute works as well, not to mention using a bunch of minor lifegainers to slowly work your way up while keeping your opponent in check. I would have preferred needing 100 life for a better challenge. This leaves only a green win condition enchantment to go.

--
30. Trained Pronghorn C, 1W Creature - Antelope 1/1
Discard a card from your hand: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to ~this~ until end of turn.
"The desert asked the Ancestor for children, and the antelope were born." - Nomad myth

==> FUN: 2
A nice ability on the wrong kind of creature. It's not worth discarding a card to save a 1/1.

--
31. Unquestioned Authority U, 2W Enchant Creature
When ~this~ comes into play, draw a card.
Enchanted creature has protection from creatures.
"Only the Ancestor should be revered." -Mystic Heretic

==> FUN: 4
Unquestioned Authority can turn pretty much any creature into a very nice blocker. But that's not all, the enchanted creature is also effectively unblockable and immune to Prodigal Sorcerers and similar creatures. Because Unquestioned Authority is also a cantrip, you run less risk of losing card advantage than with normal creature enchantments, but you still have to be wary of instant removal in response to casting this. A good candidate for use with Nomad Mythmaker, because you can save a creature in combat and draw a card at the same time.

--
32. Valor U, 3W Creature - Incarnation 2/2
First Strike
As long as ~this~ is in your graveyard and you control a Plains, creatures you control have first strike.
"The cracks widened, the shell crumbled, and Valor spread through the land." -Scroll of Beginnings

==> FUN: 3
Funny, I had assumed there would be five incarnations, one for each color. That's usually how it's done. This one isn't even rare. It's also not very strong, though. First Strike won't save your creatures nearly as often as protection from a color of your choice. On the up side, you don't need to leave mana open to use this. You can also do some tricky with it if you can discard it at instant speed during combat.

--
33. Vigilant Sentry C, 1WW Creature - Nomad 2/2
Threshold - ~this~ gets +1/+1 and gains "T: Target attacking or blocking creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn."

==> FUN: 4
Assuming you manage to reach threshold without problems, Vigilant Sentry is a 3/3 for three mana, which is pretty good for white, and it gives you the option of a Giant Growth every turn. It's basically a huge version of Infantry Veteran, always a useful way to complicate combat calculations for your opponent. On the defensive, it can even become a 6/6 blocker with little problem.

 
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