Locations
*Editor's Note: The first several cards were missing from the original review. Those cards have now been added.*
Hello everyone and welcome to my set review! This week I’ll be going over all the cards from Amonkhet and ranking them for Standard playability. The White set review will be talking about everything before any banning announcement since the announcement is being made today. So, I’ll be evaluating cards as if Mardu and Four-Color Saheeli are both intact. The rest of my review will reflect whatever Wizards decides to do. Before we get into rating these cards, let’s go over my grading scale really quick!
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, it's rating is left off the list
0 — Will never see play in this format (0 ratings are not listed).
1 — Unlikely to see play (Hedron Alignment)
2 — Could see fringe play, or occasional sideboard card (Negate)
3 — Commonly played. Staple in a single deck, or frequent play in several decks. (Tireless Tracker)
4 — Format Staple, sees play in multiple decks, one of the best cards in the format. (Heart of Kiran)
5 — Format warping. Every deck plays this, or is built with this card in mind. (Gideon, Ally of Zendikar)
Angel of Sanctions — 3
This is a powerful ability that is being underrated. This card slides very well into Mardu and is good against Mardu. A creature that can exile Gideon, Heart of Kiran, or anything that is hard to deal with and comes on a body is very good. The downside is it competes with Avacyn and it can never attack into five open mana if your opponent is playing White in fear of being blown out by Avacyn. Aside from that, it has a decent body for the current metagame and control decks can buy him back late game. However, a thing this card has that Avacyn doesn't is that it has text in the Graveyard, so discarding this to a loot ability or to another spell is value.
Anointed Procession — 1.5
We've seen these types of affects before in Parallel Lives and Doubling Season. This time though, the card is in White. It's good with Nissa, Voice of Zendikar and Gideon, Ally of Zendikar but you'd rather just have those Planeswalkers or something else. I don't have much hope for this card in Standard.
Anointer Priest — 2
If we get a token deck or the token deck remerges I could see this card being played in the sideboard against aggressive strategies. A 1/3 body with lifegain to boot is very strong there.
Approach of the Second Sun — 2
Love this card but I expect it only to see play in a fringe deck or maybe we'll see it in the sideboards of control deck or grindy decks. Control already struggles as is and needs more tools early to survive, not late. All that being said, " . . . you win the game" is the strongest text you can put on a card. I'll be trying to build decks around this card but with where we left off with Mardu and Four Color Saheeli I don't have much hope.
Aven Mindcensor — 2
It's a fine card in the sideboard or if we had fetch lands legal in Standard. Currently this thing only stops Evolving Wilds and Traverse the Ulvenwald. Not worth it in my opinion. If we get more cards that let us tutor then I could see this seeing more play. As for right now, I'm going to keep this Mindcensor out of mind.
Binding Mummy — 2.5
I believe we have a 
zombie deck in Standard. If I'm right, then this could be a card that goes into that deck. Don't turn a blind eye to this one too quickly.
Cartouche of Solidarity — 2.5
This and the Blue cartouche are good. If we have a White weenie deck this could cartouche its way right in. Even in the mirror match this card is great. Making a creature 3/2 First Striker is hard to deal with in a Mono-White aggro mirror. On top of that you also get a 1/1 vigilance AND this can return any of the Trials of you are playing them.
Cast Out — 4
A card that would see play without Cycling, the fact that it has cycling means it will just see more play. It will be casting everyone and everything (including itself) ousside. Howbowdah?
Compulsory Rest — 2
Pacifism is Pacifism. The two life can be a deterrent for the aggressive decks but could be better than Declaration in Stone in certain matchups. It's worth it to note that you can bring this back with Renegade Rallier.
Devoted Crop-Mate — 2
A devoted card for the Sideboard against heavy removal decks. Attacking with this thing once against a heavy removal deck or a control deck can quickly spiral the game out of control.
Djeru's Resolve — 1
Nice trick for limited, but don't expect to face off against this card in Standard.
Fan Bearer — 2
It's a 1-drop that's decent in an aggressive White deck or even a zombie deck since it's a zombie. If the tap ability was one I would give this card a three. It being two is a lot more but it can lock down bigger annoying threats like Heart of Kiran. Is that really worth two mana every turn though? I don't think so.
Forsake the Wordily — 3
This card will see play in the main decks of control, midrange, and possibly even aggressive decks. Hitting things like Heart of Kiran, Aethersphere Harvester, Gearhulks, Screapheap Scrounger, and soon Cast Out makes it very valuable, especially since you can just cycle it and cast it later with a Torrential Gearhulk if you want.
Gideon of the Trials — 3
This card is being overrated. It's a fine card but not nearly as good as Gideon, Ally of Zendikar. The fact that it dies to Grasp of Darkness when you animate it makes it not stellar in the aggressive decks. However, I really like this card in control decks. Locking down any permanent every turn is strong. It's a good card but not worthy of the hype it is getting.
Gideon's Intervention — 2
Maybe in the Sideboard? Runed Halo saw little play and Nevermore saw none. This card is a little of both of those cards but at a much higher cost. I do like that it exists incase anything crazy happens like Approach of the Second Sun somehow becomes a Tier one deck. I would say it's decent against cat combo but I think you'd rather have something else like Authority of the Consuls or Thalia if you just want hate for that specific combo.
Glory-Bound Initiate — 3
Great card that I expect to die to a lot. Turn two Glory-Bound Initiate into Always Watching will ensure my opponent is bound for greatness while I'm bound to die. Also, great in the aggressive mirrors because of lifelink. The one downside to this card is Liliana, the Last Hope eats him. Liliana isn't seeing that much play though. If this card and these types of deck start surging up then I'd be ready for Liliana. Otherwise have a blast destroying your opponents!
Gust Walker — 2.5
Another card that is great in an Always Watching deck. Not as strong as Glory-Bound Initiate but I could see a couple copies of these in an aggressive White weenie shell. Especially since he can just fly over your creatures and walk all over you and your Planeswalkers.
Impeccable Timing — 1
This card is already legal in Standard. Its timing is anything but impeccable. Immolating Glare, Blessed Alliance, and Gideon's Reproach are just better cards than this one.
In Oketra's Name — 2
Oketra pumps zombies?! So, strange to see a White card growing zombies. Maybe in a zombie deck but I highly doubt it.
Mighty Leap — 1
We've seen this card plenty of times and it's good in Limited while always being bad in Constructed. Nothing to see here, keep on moving.
Oketra the True — 2
Meeeeeeeee-ow! Oketra is the White God in Amonkhet and is very similar to Heliod, God of the Sun. She is better than Heliod because she's much easier to turn on than Heliod. Card is sweet but don't expect it to see any play while Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is a card. After that then I could see it as a singleton or two in a couple of decks.
Oketra's Attendant — 2.5
Cycling and Embalm? Not bad, even if the stats on this card aren't great. Being able to cycle it and then get a 3/3 flier out of it later is a good deal. I could honestly see this card attending some cycling decks.
Protection of the Hekma — 2
Stops cat combo and it's decent against other creatures like Thopter tokens or a deck that makes a bunch of 1/1 tokens if that becomes a thing. Five is a lot to ask though. I could see it in a control deck in the sideboard but not really anywhere else. If we had an enchantment deck then I could see Protection of the Hekma being decent there, but since we don't I'll say just a possible sideboard card.
Regal Caracal — 3
This card good, but it being a cat is making a lot of people look the other way. 7 power and 7 toughness where four of that power has lifelink for 5 mana is a bargain. I'm not sure where Regal Caracal will find a home but I'm sure it will. You wouldn’t leave three cats out on their own to defend themselves against the harsh heat and sands, would you?
Renewed Faith — 4
I love the cycling mechanic and I love this card. It's great in a control deck in general and even better if you're playing Drake Haven or Faith of the Devoted. I expect to see this card a lot in Standard and you should too.
Rhet-Crop Spearmaster — 1
Limited card, not much else to really say here.
Sacred Cat — 1.5
When you have Toolcraft Exemplar and Thraben Inspector in the format, I don't expect to see a 1/1 for one see play. Even with Lifelink. This cat gets an extra 0.5 points for being a cat, though!
Seraph of the Suns — 1.5
What a strange card. So odd to see the keyword Indestructible on a non-artifact, non-rare card. Its best chance is seeing play in some reanimator shell but why not just reanimate Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger if you want something with indestructible?
Sparring Mummy — 1
Hill giants haven't seen Standard play for a long while, especially ones with irrelevant abilities.
Supply Caravan — 1
For five mana we want a lot more out of our cards in Constructed. While I love me a good camel, this one will have to stick to supply duty.
Tah-Crop Elite — 1
We have better creatures, better pump spells, and just better everything for four mana in Standard. Sorry Mr. Bird Warrior, you're not elitist enough for Standard.
Those Who Serve — 2
These zombies have big butts and control decks have been known to love big butts. This has a slim chance of seeing Sideboard play against aggressive decks. Could serve you well depending on how everything shapes up.
Time to Reflect — 2
I can't quite tell if this is good enough or not in a Zombie deck. My gut says no since it's pretty situational. It's hard to block a flier with a zombie and it can be crucial to kill that two-mana flying Heart of Kiran. Maybe in the sideboard but I don't have too much hope for it.
Trial of Solidarity — 1
Sure, this one comes back to your hand for you to reuse if you play a Cartouche but do you really want to play this over Always Watching? I don't think so.
Trueheart Duelist — 2
A 2/2 that can block another creature isn't exciting. What is exciting is that I can bring it back for 3 mana. It's a really bad Lingering Souls on a 2/2 creature.
Unwavering Initiate — 1.5
Better creatures out there and some even cheaper for your aggressive White deck.
Vizier of Deferment — 1.5
I was very excitied for this card until I read, " . . . Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next step." Would've been a Fiend Hunter with flash! Oh well, blinking your Thraben Inspector maybe? Felidar Guardian may cost more but it's just a better version of this card.
Vizier of Remedies — 2
Could be a sideboard card against a possible 
deck that likes to put a bunch of -1/-1 counters on your stuff. Or maybe just a small counter against Archfiend of Ifnir. Not a main deck card but could be solid Sideboard card depending on how things shape up.
Winged Shepherd — 2
One-mana cyclers are very good for a cycling deck. Depending on how many you need in your deck, you could possibly play this card just as a cheap cycle enabler.
Dusk // Dawn — 2
As it stands, this card doesn't really kill much of anything. No way you could play it main deck in the current Standard environment. Doesn't do much against Scrapheap, Heart of Kiran, Gideon / his tokens, or Felidar Guardian. All that being said, it's possible you might want it in the Sideboard one day, I just don't see that happening at dusk, dawn, or really anytime in the future.
Top 5 White Cards
I’m glad that top five cards in White aren’t all super aggressive. It’s nice to see midrange and control cards filling out the top five more than anything else. Hopefully it means the format will slow down a little. Well, that’s all I have for you today folks. Make sure to tune in the rest of the week for all the other cards! Tomorrow’s article will be with the banning in mind. Here’s to wishful thinking!
As always, thanks for reading!
Ali Aintrazi
@AliEldrazi on Twitter
