Theros Beyond Death Standard Set Review: Blue

Posted on January 21, 2020

Find the the other parts below!

White | Black and Gold | Red and Artifacts | Green and Lands

I will not be going over cards that I believe will not see play in Standard and I will not be going over the Commander cards that will not see Standard play. For example, cards like Elspeth, Undaunted Hero (Planeswalker duel deck rare) and Archon of Falling Stars will be omitted since they are just Limited/Commander cards and 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 actual Theros: Beyond Death 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 mention Modern applications if I believe the card has some.

Each card will be listed by color, then alphabetically by name.

Each card will be given a rating of 1-5. If a card would receive a 0, meaning it will see no play in that format ever, its rating is left off the list.

Rating | Explanation | Standard Examples

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

1 - Unlikely to see play. (Light of the Legion)

2 - Could see fringe play, or occasional sideboard card. (Drowned Secrets)

3 - Commonly played, staple in a single deck, or frequent play in several decks. (Oath of Kaya, Thought Erasure, Lava Coil)

4 - Format staples. Sees play in multiple decks, one of the best cards in the format. (Hydroid Krasis, Risen Reef, Narset, Parter of Veils)

5 - Format warping. If you're in these colors, you play that card. (Teferi, Time Raveler, Nissa, Who Shakes the World)

Now that we have that out of the way, let's begin!

	3 - 3 mana for 5 power and 5 toughness split across two cards is good! Almost as good as a Green card like Lovestruck Beast. Alirios's Reflection isn't legendary, so the man himself isn't a bad target for blink effects while also being solid on his own.
	3 - While I'm not a fan of counterspells countering spells that can't be countered, at least this one costs 4 mana. Seems like a decent answer to Shifting Ceratops if you can time it right. The best part about Ashiok's Erasure is when it's destroyed, the spell doesn't go back on the stack like Spell Queller but instead goes back into its controller's hand. It's also interesting in that it's a counterspell that counts for devotion and an enchantment!
	2 - X for power instead of toughness is good but, even still, 3 mana is a lot for a 2/3. Fringe playable but overall not that good.
	2.5 - Being an easy counterspell to cast and splash makes this card playable, especially since it exiles. Pretty big in Historic to hit Nexus of Fate.
	2 - Overall a worse Think Twice but it's a Think Twice you can flashback a couple of times. I can see this in control decks as a singleton.
	3 - My favorite Saga in the set! Each chapter is just so powerful and fun. I expect this card to see play in ramp shells.
	3 - A good way to fix your draws, and, if you're able to draw two cards from the third chapter, you've gained a lot out of this Saga. Pretty powerful overall for just 2 mana.
	2.5 - A decent finisher in midrange and control decks while also being solid for devotion strategies. It's not the best card but being so versatile and allowing you to turn your draws into 1/1 tokens makes this card playable.
	4 - Instant speed Preordain for one more mana is good. Especially since it sticks around and you can buy it back with Teferi, Time Raveler or use it as fodder for something like Enigmatic Incarnation. Plays very well with Setessan Champion too.
	2 - I think this card is just asking for a lot. Are you a creature deck or an enchantment deck? Heaven forbid it's just a 2 mana 1/1 for several turns...
	2 - I've seen control decks play all sorts of cards for aggro in their Sideboard, especially control decks. In the right metagame, this can see play in the Sideboard of control decks.
	2.5 - Being able to bounce Fires of Invention and enchantment Gods is relevant but overall I believe this card to be just worse than Unsummon since you can't save your own creatures with this or buyback something like Frilled Mystic.
	3.5 - Thassa is worded in a way that if you cast Claim the Firstborn or Act of Treason on a creature then blink it with Thassa the creature will come back onto the battlefield under your control indefinitely. Thassa is a cheaper Conjurer's Closet and I think she's good enough to see play in Standard.
	4 - A very powerful Intervention. Good in control, ramp, and flash decks. It gets my vote for strongest Intervention of the cycle. It's just so verastile and useful. Drawing two cards for 4 mana is like Hieroglyphic Illumination early game and late game it's Dig Through Time. Not to mention that it also doubles as a counterspell.
	2.5 - Pretty powerful replacement for Laboratory Maniac in older formats and seems really fun in Standard to brew around. Quirky card but a also a sweet one. Could possibly make it work with Drowned Secrets and Jace, Wielder of Mysteries. Sounds like a brew to me!
	3.5 - Thirst for Knowledge saw a lot of play in Standard and I expect the same for Thirst for Meaning. It's just a good way to filter your hand, great for reanimator strategies, or just card advantage if you discard an Enchantment.
	3 - Faerie Duelist sees play so I don't see why Threnody Singer wouldn't. I'd even play the Singer over Duelist as it has higher upside and a bigger body.
	2.5 - I love this for big mana decks. Reducing the cost of your spells and making them uncounterbale? Yes, please! It can also be flashed in combat as a combat Trick. Pretty sweet card for Ramp decks. Thryx turn five into Kiora Bests the Sea God? Sign me up. Even a solid finisher for Control decks. Also works in Historic with Nexus of Fate.
	2.5 - If flash decks can untap with Wavebreak Hippocamp, the game is probably over. This horse fish also works well with Wilderness Reclamation. Maybe it's enough to get Reclamation going again in Standard.
	2 - This card is excellent in older formats, hitting all those Valakut or storm triggers. In Standard it's amazing against Hydroid Krasis, countering the creature, life, and draw entirely.

Top 5 Blue Cards

Omen of the Sea

Thassa's Intervention

Thirst for Meaning

Thassa, Deep-Dwelling

Kiora Bests the Sea God

Blue also got some solid cards, especially for control. With all the great White and Blue cards, is sure to make some sort of come back. It will most likely be enchantment themed so it can abuse cards like Thirst for Meaning and the best Omen, Omen of the Sea. Blue also has the best Intervention in Thassa's Intervention. Overall, Blue did well in Theros: Beyond Death!