Locations
Though we didn't do a set review for Rise of the Eldrazi, we are back with our set review. This time around I sat down with Billy Postlethwait, one of the top 50 Magic players in the world and the current reigning WoW TCG World Champion. Along with him are Shane Myerscough, an ex-Pro player (well... he's been to one) and Jason Brown, a solid deck builder and Magic player with no real credits to his name. And of course myself. The humble host of ManaNation, Trick Jarrett.
Over the course of two lunches we reviewed the entire set. No ratings this time around, just observations and thoughts. In these reviews you will skipped cards, largely commons. These are cards that any comments end up being fluff or pointless and so we chose to skip them in our review. They're included here for completeness.
See our reviews of Magic 2011 White & Blue & Black & Red also.
Green
It's nothing astonishing, but it might see some play alongside Fauna Shaman as part of a toolbox style system. The ability for it to destroy three types of permanents makes it ideal to be called upon when needed.
The effect is very limited, it could serve the same purpose as Vines of the Vastwood did in Zendikar limited, slipping in a shield in response to something your opponent does. Otherwise it's unlikely it will really take off in constructed.
Awakener Druid - Skipped
It's Tranquility but cheaper and faster. And it has a place as Enchantments and Auras are taking up more and more design space.
Birds of Paradise - Skipped
Brindle Boar - Skipped
Cudgel Troll - Skipped
This card is awesome. A functional reprint of the Kamigawa block Kodama's Reach. Though it's a sorcery, the acceleration it provides is going to be noticed and played in both constructed and limited. As a common it won't be hard to pick up, but if you're playing or splashing green this card makes the team.
Dryad's Favor - Skipped
It's a 7/7 for 7 with trample. Will win limited games in decks which can power it out, but it is quite expensive and won't be a first pick nor will it see constructed play.
I very much wanted to do a fake newspaper cover with "Rumors of ArchDruid's Demise Greatly Exaggerated" -- I found it hard to believe that Imperious Perfect would get the nod over the Archdruid, but I was ready to accept reality if it did happen. I'm glad it didn't though. This guy is so good and his mana producing ability will prove key if Elves are to stand a chance in Standard.
Highly hyped but she's really good. She's going to have many opportunities and people trying to use her as a vital piece of a deck. There are obvious applications with cards like Vengevine and Bloodghast as well as the myriad of Enter the Battlefield creatures. It should be interesting to see how she does.
Fog - Skipped
It has definite potential but the big question is, "Is it as good as or better than Avenger of Zendikar?" My belief is no in the majority of matchups. The ability for token generation and to pump them on land drops is big in terms of card advantage and board position. But Gaea's Revenge is likely going to stick against most opponents and the fact that it has Haste means that it's going to hit for some immediate damage. Both have their merits, the Pros and tournaments will show us the truth, but I am willing to guess that Gaea's Revenge sees constructed play.
So good. Still. He's a very strong player and though Nissa has stolen some of his thunder in Green, he's not to be discounted. With him and Green's mana acceleration package seems like it's ready to explode with absurd plays.
This guy impressed a lot of people at the pre-release and we liked him even before that. It's interesting that he's slightly weaker than Watchwolf while being marginally more difficult to cast. 
vs 
is a very close weight in casting cost, but by most logic, double of the same color is more difficult to attain in multicolor decks. Obviously with the proper tuning it isn't extremely difficult.
Obvious synergy with Garruk is obvious. But unfortunately he's too expensive to be awesome in constructed, however he will be a house in limited with a deck that properly supplies 3 power creatures to spurn card advantage.
Giant Growth - Skipped
Giant Spider - Skipped
Greater Basilisk - Skipped
Holy color pie abuse Batman! So many people seemed unhappy at this card's existence when in fact it's a tried and true green card motif. There used to be Unyaro Bee Sting. The card is fine but nothing astonishing. It will be in limited as Green uses it for removal of chump blockers and to force last points of damage through.
Summer of Multiplayer. Great for political moves in group games as well as for team formats.
Llanowar Elves - Skipped
Very good. Might even be good enough to replace Sprouting Thrinax in Jund. The ability to cast one creature and get 7 creatures out of it (including itself) is just ridiculously good. A 4/4 for 5 is nothing good for green, but the additional creatures make it ridiculous. You're talking about 12 power from the creatures. Just ridiculous.
Naturalize - Skipped
Nature's Spiral - Skipped
Blightning just got a whole lot worse against Green. Obstinate Baloth puts a fear in discard players. He's pretty hyped in value right now, so expect him to come down some in coming weeks, but he will see play in sideboards or main deck as a 4/4 for 4 with life gain.
It's a worse Overrun, but in some ways it feels like a correction for a card that might have been too good. This card is great in limited as a game winner, but it may not be good enough for aggro in constructed.
Green's answer to Baneslayer and the final straw that has brought her back into line. Rather than the outrageous diva, she's now just a bright star among Standard's creatures. Plummet serves a lot of purposes in addition to BSA hater, it gives Green removal for limited and a way to deal with the air force when most of Green is ground pounders.
This one is a bit odd but we're learning it can be a house in limited. One fun combo was Triskelion and this aura. The other way we saw this making sense was to drop it on a mana dude early to buff him and draw out removal before the big guns hit the table.
Another of the powerful titans, one getting a lot of chatter as it provides mana acceleration in a big way, allowing a player to quickly churn through the lands in their deck leaving only meaty draws. It's definitely going to see play and possibly going to be ridiculous. First pick in limited and expect it at FNMs.
Prized Unicorn - Skipped
Was glad to see him moved down to Rare. It makes much more sense, and though I can see his Mythic flavor he just isn't impressive enough to truly benefit from it.
Runeclaw Bear - Skipped
Sacred Wolf - Skipped
Spined Wurm - Skipped
He seems good, a better Borderland Ranger. The fact that he's a 1/1 really doesn't matter as he's not meant to bash face, he is meant to accelerate your mana and possibly get in somebody's way.
Wall of Vines - Skipped
Yavimaya Wurm - Skipped
Artifacts
Angel's Feather - Skipped
It's going to be popular in legacy as a tool that Trinket Mage can call upon. It'll be awesome in limited as removal that can go into any colors, and it might even make constructed Standard but not sure yet.
This was a break out of the Pre-release. It seems awesome and ready to succeed Sensei's Divining Top in Extended. As an uncommon it'll be a mid to high pick for its ability to smooth the deck and help draws.
Demon's Horn - Skipped
Dragon's Claw - Skipped
Made for Johnny players everywhere. It's going to have it's uses and could prove an interesting tool in the right deck. Not going to do much in limited, though it's cheap life gain, it doesn't help you win the game or deal with your opponent's threats.
We were unimpressed with him, he'll be in limited obviously but will not make it anywhere else.
Gavin Verhey says that this card is going to be big. Not sure if we believe him, but it could definitely find a home in token or weenie decks with creatures to spare against control decks.
The days of walls are behind us, though he's aggressively costed, a 5/3 for 4 is no longer the wow-factor it used to be.
Kraken's Eye - Skipped
Ornithopter - Skipped
It's too expensive to run on its own in constructed, the whole reason for its success during Mirrodin block was it was a part of the Tooth and Nail decks that powered it out along with something else. Though we have the inverse of the Angel now in Abyssal Persecutor, the Platinum Angel is still not going to make its splash in constructed.
Rare is the Pro who relies on a random effect, luckily this one has no downside other than wasting mana if you lose the flip, that allows it to be a not-terrible card. But four mana to initially cast and then 2 to possibly draw makes it pricey.
This seems like the obvious Nocturnus of this set, laying the ground work for what is to come in Scars of Mirrodin. Will it prove ridiculous? Perhaps not, but only time will tell.
Stone Golem - Skipped
It is indeed the sword used by Akroma, thus giving us what feels like a mini Akroma's Memorial. While a bit pricey, likely will be used with the Kor and could find a home in constructed as a way to bash that much more face. Anyone care to put one of these on their Baneslayer?
An upgrade to the beloved Howling Mine. Why is it better? Your opponent no longer benefits from the artifact first. And in fact you draw the card at your convenience, rather than just during your upkeep. The most proper time for use being the end step of the opponent's turn directly before yours. Allowing you to potentially use it again on your turn should the need arise.
Made worse by the combat rules changes for M10, but still a great creature and one that will be a high pick in Limited. It might make a showing in constructed should a deck find a way to combo with it, but otherwise it's going to be in the shadows lurking until Scars of Mirrodin makes it broken.
When we found out this was reprinted everyone went WTF. Right before Scars of Mirrodin!? R&D must be mad!!! Unfortunately this tells us that R&D is confident they fixed any potential abuse in Scars. We'll see if that's true or not.
Way too expensive. 3 to play and 4 to equip just to get +3/+1? This relegates it to limited I fear.
Whispersilk Cloak - Skipped
Wurm's Tooth - Skipped
Land
Dragonskull Summit - Skipped
Drowned Catacomb - Skipped
Glacial Fortress - Skipped
Very close to the Brittle Effigy, this time just as a land. Going to possibly see play in mono color control decks despite the activation cost.
Rootbound Crag - Skipped
Sunpetal Grove - Skipped
Terramorphic Expanse - Skipped
And that concludes our set review!
