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Another day, another set review! It's Black Wednesday so make sure to go and do all your MTG shopping at Gathering Magic. Black got some interesting cards in this set. Two creatures killing creatures, a wish card, and some graveyard strategies. I'm ready to explore but before we start, let's review what I will be doing and my rating scale.

I will not be reviewing cards that I believe will not see play in Standard. For example, cards like Divine Verdict and Imperial Ceratops will be omitted since they are just Limited cards and me saying, "This is just a Limited card" repeatedly gets old rather fast. Don't worry though, I will be covering all the rare and mythic cards in the set. So, if you like a certain rare or mythic, it will be mentioned in the review.

Keep in mind I'm rating all these cards for Standard playability. I will also mention Modern applications if I believe the card has any.

RATING -- Explanation -- Standard Examples

0 -- Will never see play in Standard. (0 ratings are not listed).

1 -- Unlikely to see play. (Dubious Challenge)

2 -- Could see fringe play, or is an occasional sideboard card.(Authority of the Consuls, Deadlock Trap)

3 -- Commonly played, staple in a single deck, or frequent play in several decks. (Harnessed Lightning, Abrade)

4 -- Format staple, sees play in multiple decks, one of the best cards in the format. (Torrential Gearhulk, Vraska's Contempt, Glorybringer)

5 -- Standard all-star. When building a deck, you keep this card in mind. If you're playing this color you have this card in your main deck or at the very least, in your sideboard. (The Scarab God, Hazoret the Fervent, Chandra, Torch of Defiance)

And we're off to the races

	2 -- The first thing people will think about when they see this card is Mind Rot. However, it's much more like Blightning. Blightning dealt three damage but it was in two colors. Arterial Flow is a four-point life swing, but you need to control a Vampire. I personally do not believe vampires will be an archetype. If I'm wrong, I expect to see Arterial Flow at least in the Sideboard. It's a terrific way to combat slow midrange or ramp decks.
	2.5 -- Very powerful ability. You don't even need to run a ton of Vampires to play Champion of Dusk in your deck. Gifted Aetherborn and Oathsworn Vampire are good enough. If Champion of Dusk draws two cards, it's already Mulldrifter value. More than that and you're going to bury your opponent in card advantage if they don't kill you.
	2 -- This is a fun concept, but not one I believe is viable. It's essentially a two card combo (since you'll need a removal spell) that doesn't affect the battlefield. I love to durdle, but durdling with this card doesn't have enough reward.
	2.5 -- If pirates are a thing, Dire Fleet Poisoner is why. She's great on offense and great on defense, making combat very annoying for your opponent.
	3 -- A color shifted Elvish Visionary is still an Elvish Visionary. This card is great. The fact that it's a vampire is just gravy. I expect this card to see play some time during its life in Standard.
	2 -- Infest has seen plenty of shine Sideboards, and Golden Demise is no different. Where could this see play where Ascend would matter? Probably the Abzan or Esper Tokens mirror match. It's also a solid option for decks to have to deal with aggressive strategies.
	2 -- Speaking of tokens, this could spawn a different take on the archetype. If you want to speed up how fast your token deck kills people by sacrificing some attrition, Gruesome Fate is a fantastic way to do that.
	3 -- I love this card and it will absolutely see play in Standard. This card lets you play Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh main deck without having it in your main deck. It can also get you that Lost Legacy Game 1 against your Approach of the Second Sun opponent. Maybe you need to kill all creatures on the battlefield ASAP. Bontu's Last Reckoning is an option that you don't want main deck, but could be a clutch play in the right circumstance. Picking up a Silent Gravestone to stop The Scarab God Game 1? Sign me up! Mastermind's Acquisition is just a sweet, sweet card to have in Standard.
	2 -- A great option for control decks to have in their Sideboards. Main deck you'll just want Fatal Push, but having access to Moment of Craving against small creature decks could give you just the right amount of time you need to turn the corner.
	2.5 -- A Grizzly Bear Vampire that you can bring back from your graveyard. Bloodghast and Prized Amalgam type cards usually manage to see play in Standard. It's harder to trigger Oathsworn Vampire than the other two. I'm imagining sacrificing this vampire to something to just regrow it later in the game to sacrifice again for more value. I'm thinking of pairing this card with Bontu's Monument, Bontu the Glorified, and/or Yahenni, Undying Partisan.
	4 -- Watch out! April the dog is here and she's a little bit mean. Ravenous Chupacabra is on par with Hostage Taker in power level. While doesn't destroy Gods, you also don't have to play a second color or play Blossoming Defense. She just comes down and eats up whatever big creature your opponent has, she also plays very well with The Scarab God allowing you to kill creatures at instant speed while creating a 4/4 doge token.
	3 -- Why am I rating this card is highly? Well, imagine it in a ramp deck. If you top deck it and have 10 mana available you can destroy four creatures. Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger is obviously over all better than Tezimoc, but it's comparable. Obviously Tetzimoc can't end the game as abruptly as Ulamog, but it is a lot more flexible.
	2 -- I'm not a God-Pharaoh's Gift person, but I feel like this is a possible inclusion in that deck. It's also something to think about including in your Reanimator deck. Discard Zacama, Primal Calamity, draw a land, and then bring it back with Liliana, Death's Majesty, eh eh? It's a stretch but nevertheless a possibility.
	2.5 -- A very powerful ability, but getting eatin' by Glorybringer and Chandra, Torch of Defiance isn't a good spot for a four-cost creature. You also need to have the City's Blessing to trigger the ability. Possible Sideboard card for token strategies out of the Sideboard after your opponent has cut all their creature removal of their main deck.
	2.5 -- This is one of the worst three cost Diabolic Edict we've seen in Standard. It's worse than Tribute to Hunger and To the Slaughter. To trigger the other ability, you'll need the City's Blessing; and, for getting it, your opponent will have to sacrifice half their creatures rounded up. How are you still alive when this might remotely matter? If your opponent is sacrificing three creatures it means they had five or six in play already. How are you still alive? I'm just not seeing it. Vona isn't hungry enough. I'll stick to Doomfall.

Top 3 Black Cards

Okay, I have four. Only reason this is the case is because they all have the same amount of points. Can you forgive me? Thank you. Ravenous Chupacabra is the obvious winner here because it just slots into everything. Are you a midrange Black deck? You'll want her. Are you an aggressive Black deck? You'll want her. Are you a Scarab God Control deck? You'll want her too. She just slides into every deck easily and she doesn't require you to do anything other than just pay her mana cost. It's like a Murder that you pay one more for and get a 2/2 body out of the deal that also happens to be in the same colors as The Scarab God. Mastermind's Acquisition is just an awesome a unique tool to have access to in your midrange or control deck. It may be slow, but the utility it gives you is insane. Your opponent won't even know what card you get because you don't reveal it. That's awesome! They'll have to wonder if the card you got was from your main deck or your Mastermind's Acquisition card. Dusk Legion Zealot is just a good card and Tetzimoc is a wonderful way to use leftover mana. Your opponent will have to decide if they want to overextend into your Tetzimoc or just play more creatures to feed your Elder Dinosaur. Mind games are to be had!

Black got some solid and unique cards from Rivals of Ixalan. I'm personally most excited for Mastermind's Acquisition.

Time to call it a day and I'll see you all back here tomorrow as we explore the Red cards in Rivals of Ixalan!

Thanks for reading,

Ali Aintrazi

Follow me @AliEldrazi

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