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Today marks the last day for my set review of Amonkhet. We have a lot to go over. All the Green cards, multicolored cards, and the artifacts. By now I’m sure you know the drill. Let’s go over my grading scale and then we will dive right in.
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)
Benefaction of Rhonas — 2
Too slow for current Standard. Tireless Tracker is almost assuredly better. Especially since this isn't an enchantment themed set.
Bitterblade Warrior — 1
Strange that it gets deathtouch while attacking, that seems awful. Sylvan Advocate and things like Grim Flayer are much better options than this 2-drop.
Cartouche of Strength — 2.5
A much better Hunt the Weak especially since you can choose if you want to fight or not, Hunt the Weak wasn't nearly good enough for Standard. This one is a lot better though but again it doesn't kill the things that you need to kill like Heart of Kiran or Gideon. Saheeli is out now, though, and you can afford to tap out against some other decks. Giving something like Ishkanah, Grafwidow Trample so it can attack Gideon and kill a creature isn’t too shabby.
Champion of Rhonas — 2
A bad Aetherworks Marvel. If you want to put a big fatty into play like Ulamog than just play Aetherworks Marvel. Harnessed Lightning takes care of this and if you don’t have anything to put into play, you’ll be embarrassed.
Channeler Initiate — 2
Highly overrated. Dying very easily to Walking Ballista is not where you want to be and this is exactly where this Human Druid is.
Colossapede — 1
Crocodile of the Crossing — 2
I mean it kills Gideon, kind of? Also curves nicely into a Glorybringer. Maybe some sort of 
midrange strategy? Still not too impressive.
Defiant Greatmaw — 2
We obviously have a -1/-1 counter theme in Amonkhet. Three mana for a 3/4 is good for limited but I'd rather play Greenbelt Rampager in Standard if you wanted to go this route.
Dissenter's Deliverance — 2.5
Artifact removal that can be played main deck. I really like this card and I'm glad we have access to it. You can kill Heart of Kiran if they have it early or you can just cycle it away if they don't and not miss a beat since it's only a single Green to cycle.
Exemlplar of Strength — 2
Two mana 4/4 is strong. However, that's not what this is. The cost is real here and if you want this type of body I'd look towards Sylvan Advocate and Grim Flayer.
Giant Spider — 1
Giant Spider, baby! It's back, again, for the millionth time. It will still only be a playable card in Limited.
Gift of Paradise — 2
I like this more than Verdant Haven, mostly because of the life gain. You know what I like more than both those cards? Cultivate! Let me get some Cultivate in my life Wizards!
Greater Sandwurm — 2
Fringe playable maybe in a reanimator shell since you can just cycle it and bring it back with Liliana? Not being blocked by creatures with power two or less is very relevant since Gideon's tokens are 2/2s.
Hapatra's Mark — 2
Combo with Channeler Initiate and Exemplar of Strength! Still not worth it in my opinion. Just play Blossoming Defense and creatures that don't have -1/-1 counters.
Harvest Season — 2
This card is tilting. What it asks of you is so strange. It wants you to play at least two creatures and have them be tapped to get some amount of value out of this card. So, do I play this alongside my mana dorks? I don't want this with my Grim Flayer and Tireless Tracker creatures. Such a unique card, wish it was Cultivate instead.
Haze of Pollen — 3
YAUS! FOG! Fog is great alongside Planeswalkers or a deck that needs to buy more time so it can resolve something like Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. It's even better when the Fog spell can cycle. Angelsong cycled for 2 mana, but this one is in Green, the ramp color so I don't mind it costs three mana to cycle.
Honored Hydra — 3
You never want to cast this card for six, you'd much rather Embalm it. Alongside something like Noose Constrictor I could see this card being played.
Hooded Brawler — 1
We can do better than this in Standard. Three mana for a 3/2 that can become a 5/4 every other turn isn't where you want to be.
Initiate's Companion — 1.5
So many cats! 3/1 is a bad spot for Walking Ballista, and if you want to ramp you're better off playing actual ramp creatures. Good in limited since it lets you exert a creature then untap it.
Manglehorn — 3
A fine card in the main deck given the current Standard meta. Killing Heart of Kiran, Scrapheap, Gearhulks, Dynavolt Towers or even Thopter tokens is great.
Naga Vitalist — 2.5
If you don't use energy than you might have to go to this card or Ulvenwald Captive. Channeler Initiate is an option but again, I don't want a creature that dies to Walking Ballista.
Oashra Cultivator — 1
Way too slow of a ramp card for Standard. Wizards please!
Ornery Kudu — 1
Greenpelt Rampager or Tireless Tracker if you want to pay the full amount. Limited only.
Pouncing Cheetah — 1.5
Cool with curving into something like Tamiyo, Field Researcher but ultimately falls in the same group as Ornery Kudu.
Prowling Serpopard — 2
In a world where control is king then I could potentially see this card in the Sideboard. Even then as a control player I'd much rather see this Cat Snake across the table than a Tireless Tracker. Especially since I can kill it with Harnessed Lightning or Dynavolt Tower.
Quarry Hauler — 2
Meant to be played with -1/-1 counters but cool that it can also add or take away loyalty counters from Planeswalkers.
Rhonas the Indomitable — 3
Arguably the best God since it is so cheap and you can turn it on easily. I expect this one to see play as a singleton in some of the midrange decks.
Sandwurm Convergence — 1.5
Awesome card but not playable in Standard. Wouldn't it be sweet to live in a format where you could tutor this up with a Planar Bridge? Yea, I'll keep on dreaming. At least until Gideon is out of here.
Scaled Behemoth — 2
I look at this crocodile and I don't think it's playable, but then I think about it a little bit and if my opponent played this instead of a Verdurous Gearhulk against me playing a Dynavolt Tower deck then I'd fear this more. However, it's just worse everywhere else. You really want Trample against everything else.
Shed Weakness — 2
Again, I'd just rather play Blossoming Defense and creatures without -1/-1 counters in Standard. Decent combat trick in limited though.
Shefet Monitor — 3
This is an awesome card! It's an Explosive Vegetation where you trade one land for a random card in your deck. It also has the upside where you can just play it as a 6/5 if you don't need any more lands.
Sixth Sense — 1.5
I see dead people! Thankfully this card isn't Keen Sense, otherwise you'd be able to suite up your Walking Ballista and draw a bunch of cards while killing things. I don't expect this card to see play in Standard when Fatal Push and other removal spells are everywhere.
Spidery Grasp — 1
Much better ways to kill fliers in Standard. Ones that don't require you having a creature in play either.
Stinging Shot — 2
Speaking of killing fliers. Stinging Shot is a great one to do it with. If Spell Queller picks up, this is a great answer to the counterspelling spirit. I also like make Heart of Kiran a 1/1 with this card effectively destroying it since a 1/1 Heart of Kiran you don't want to crew, it also forced them to play another Heart of Kiran in order to put a lot of pressure on you.
Synchronized Strike — 1
Good limited card but pump spells aren't good enough for Standard unless they offer some sort of protection usually.
Trial of Strength — 2
A solid Trial, one of the better ones for sure. I like that it also plays well with the Green Cartouche. If you had the time to continuously tap out and make 4/2 beasts while also fighting your opposites things then I'd give this card a higher rating, but you don't have that kind of time.
Vizier of the Menagerie — 3
A very cool and powerful card. Basically, an Oracle of Mul Daya but for creatures. I'm also glad they fixed cards like these so you no longer must reveal the top card of your library, you can just look at it. Hopefully we can get a deck with this card and Nissa, Steward of Elements. Now that we can tap out, since Saheeli is gone, it means slow 
Strategies will start popping up, and Vizier of the Menagerie is a great one to grind them out.
Watchful Naga — 1
Draw cards with Tireless Tracker instead, you can thank me later!
Mouth // Feed — 2.5
Call of the Herd that trades the second 3/3 token for a Harmonize-esque type card. If you can hold the fort with an Ishkanah and maybe a Mindwrack Demon then I can see this card being picked up. It’s a nice one to mill over to Grapple with the Past or Liliana, the Last Hope.
Top 5 Green cards
Rhonas and Manglehorn are the two huge ones here. I’m biased toward Haze of Pollen because that type of card is great in a deck trying to stall or Planeswalker decks. I love that it cycles. I look forward to playing Shefet Monitor and Vizier of the Menagerie.
Next up, we have the multicolored cards!
Gold Cards
Ahn-Crop Champion — 1
Even for an Exert deck we have better options than this guy, like Always Watching.
Aven Wind Guide — 1
Way too much of a mana investment for this affect in Standard.
Bounty of the Luxa — 2.5
I really wanted this card to be good, I love everything it's doing. With Saheeli out of the picture, it could slowly start seeing play. Especially if the metagame moves to a midrange format. Midrange decks have a card time beating decks that draw a lot of cards or that are casting Eldrazi Titans.
Decimator Beetle — 1
Five-mana cards in Standard should win you the game, this one doesn't. Sorry Mr. Beetle.
Enigma Drake — 2
Cool card, love the design. Maybe in a 
Fevered Visions deck. Maybe in a Counterburn style of deck.
Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons — 2
This card needed evasion. Something like Deathtouch or Menace. Since it doesn't, I wouldn't play this one over Grim Flayer since it must connect to put -1/-1 counters on creatures. If I connect I'd rather get Grim Flayer's ability.
Honored Crop-Captain — 3
Best multicolored card in the set because it's fast, aggressive, and cheap. Perfect for the format we are currently in and great for week one formats.
Khenra Charioteer — 2
Needed to be faster to compete. Haste would've been miles better, as is, we have no home for this Jackal.
Merciless Javelineer — 2
You can't be casting this when your opponent is threatening to kill you with Gideon, Ally of Zendikar. Standard cards just outclass this guy by a mile.
Neheb, the Worthy — 2
Sweet tribal lord! If Zombies is struggling to be a tier one deck with all the zombie cards it has, no way Minotaurs has a chance.
Nissa, Steward of Elements — 3
Another card that I really like. I wish it didn't revolve around creatures, but what can you do? Now that we can tap out, Nissa gets much better. She’s kind of slow but mid to late game she can take out opposing Planeswalkers easily with her ult. I have a feeling people will try to milk value out of here with Scry 2 then -0 when the correct play is going to be just Scry 2 every turn and kill your opponent with her ult. Really depends on the matchup but I like the kill’em plan a lot with Nissa.
Samut, Voice of Dissent — 2.5
So much text and a lot of mana. Samut is a card that will end the game quickly if left unchecked. It's possible Samut sees play in some midrange deck with Glorybringer.
Shadowstorm Vizier — 3
Super solid sideboard card for the cycle decks. Your opponent will be bringing in ways to deal with your enchantment and you can just bring Shadowstorm Vizier as a solid alternate win condition.
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun — 2
Tokens is a 
deck, you'd have to play Bant to abuse Temmet. Even then, the payoff isn't worth it.
Wayward Servant — 2.5
If we have a zombie deck, this is where this goes. Again, I'm hopeful we have a good zombie deck because we have access to so many good zombies now!
Weaver of Currents — 2
A Palladium Myr shifted to . Palladium Myr wasn't really played and I don't see this one being played much either unless the format drastically becomes slower. If it does then this could see play alongside Vizier of the Menagerie and Nissa.
Start // Finish — 2.5
Awesome in a tokens deck but we'd need more ways to make tokens. Something like Sram's Expertise comes to mind, cool concept and now casting Finish won’t mean you can just die to the combo.
Reduce // Rubble — 2
This could very well be fringe playable in some wacky deck. Rubble works well with Fevered Visions not allowing them to cast their spells and in turn take more damage to Fevered Visions.
Destined // Lead — 1.5
Combat trick mostly for limited. Not strong enough in Constructed.
Onward // Victory — 2
This card could allow you to do a much of damage with Samut. On the other hand if you have Gideon, Ally of Zendikar out on turn six you can make Gideon a 10/5 indestructible creature with double strike. Twenty damage anyone?! Probably overkill if you already have an active Gideon though.
Spring // Mind — 2
Fun card but it's too slow for Standard. You can't take the turn off on turn three to just get a single land out. You really need to be doing more or you will get run over by Heart of Kiran. If Ishkanah decks pick up this gets a little better but I still don’t think it’s quite good enough.
Prepare // Fight — 2
Powerful trick but for it to see Standard play it would need to be as powerful as Temur Battle Rage and Prepare // Fight is no Temur Battle Rage.
Failure // Comply — 2
The fact that this card exists is sweet. I hope Comply sees play in older formats, maybe to protect your combo or something. Right now, though Censor is just the better two-mana counterspell. Censor, Essence Scatter, or Horribly Awry.
Rags // Riches — 1.5
If Yahenni's Expertise sees no play, no way Rags // Riches will.
Cut // Ribbons — 2.5
Would be a lot better at instant speed to kill Heart of Kiran. Since it doesn't, it really makes this card a lot worse. I can't envision a world where you play this over Harnessed Lightning or Fatal Push.
Heaven // Earth — 1
Cool if spirits were a thing, even then they would have Archangel Avacyn and Selfless Spirit. 5 mana to kill Heart of Kiran is too much, same for Avacyn. Not in this environment.
Top 3 Best Multicolored Cards
Mulitcolored cards in this set are very fun and can do powerful things if they find the right home. Honored Crop-Captain packs the most punch early in the format but gets a lot weaker as the format develops. As soon as people start picking up Ishkanah is when this sees less play.
Now, the artifacts!
Artifacts
Bontu's Monument — 2.5
The second-best monument in my opinion. If an aristocrats style of deck pops up, then I would expect Bontu's Monument would see play there.
Edifice of Authority — 2
Tumble Magnet saw play but that was mostly due to Sword of War and Peace and Sword of Body and Mind seeing play. If cat combo didn't exist then this would honestly be a decent control card for decks that can't wipe the board or has a tough time removing things. Mostly notably in a type of deck.
Embalmer's Tools — 1.5
Basically, makes Embalm cheaper since we don't really have anything else in Standard. Right now not enough embalm creatures, maybe in Hour of Devastation.
Gate to the Afterlife — 1.5
Card like Eye of Ugin and Dark Intimations where the card references a card that is not out yet. So right now, this card is unplayable but depending on what God-Pharaoh's Gift does, it might be good enough later.
Hazoret's Monument — 1.5
Aggressive creatures don't really want to loot. You'd rather just have burn, more creatures, or Hazoret herself. Decks that want to loot will play Tormenting Voice or Cathartic Reunion instead.
Honed Khopesh — 1
We've seen these types of cards a million times, okay in limited, need better for constructed.
Kefnet's Monument — 1
If it tapped the creature then possibly but since it doesn't, then it doesn't have a chance. Sorry Kefnet!
Luxa River Shrine — 1
Why can't you be Pristine Talisman! If you want to gain life, play Renewed Faith or better yet, Approach of the Second Sun.
Oketra's Monument — 3
The best artifact and monument! A great card in a white aggressive deck. Reducing the cost of all your creatures and then making them make more guys? Craig Wescoe dreams about all the white creatures. I bet he resides in this monument.
Oracle's Vault — 2
Way, way too slow. If you play it on turn four and activate it every turn then by turn eight you can start getting free spells. Ain't nobody got time for that!
Pyramid of the Pantheon — 1.5
Like Oracle's Vault, you need it very early; and, by the time it turns on, the game is almost over if not over. Tying up my mana every turn isn't what I want to be doing either. Hopefully we get Gilded Lotus next time!
Rhonas's Monument — 2
I can't imagine a green deck playing this over Rhonas. Maybe alongside Rhonas, but I think Rhonas is plenty good on his own.
Throne of the God-Pharaoh — 2
Doesn't have a home in Standard and we don't have the card to really build around this one. Maybe in older formats in like Elves.
Watchers of the Dead — 1.5
A little too late for graveyard hate. Even then it's bad graveyard hate. Doesn't exile Scrapheap Scrounger and Delirium isn't really a deck anymore since it lost Emrakul, the Promised End. Even if Delirium does make a reappearance, this card wouldn't be good enough.
Top 3 Best Artifacts
After Oketra's Monument, the rest fall off hard. Even Oketra's Monument isn’t the end all be all. The artifacts overall are underwhelming. Luckily, we did just get an artifact set in Aether Revolt so we don’t need many more powerful artifacts.
Lastly, we have lands!
Lands
Canyon Slough, Sacttered Groves, Fetid Pools, Irrigated Farmland, and Sheltered Thicket — 4
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All the cycle lands will see play through their course in Standard. They'll all fluctuate in price depending on what's seeing play. They are very good lands allowing you to play a few more land in your deck. For example, in my control decks I'd feel comfortable playing 27 or even 28 lands since 4+ I'll be able to cycle away late game. They also work well with the check lands like Fortified Village.
Cascading Cataracts — 2
Cool in Commander with Fist of Suns! We don't have a Chromanticore type of card in Standard so we don't have a need for this one. Neat that it's indestructible meaning it survives things like Armageddon. Maybe if we get a few more indestructible lands that add color they'd make their way into Legacy!
Cradle of the Accursed — 2
The blighted lands in Zendikar barely saw any play. These are also sorcery speed. These lands needed to be stronger in order to reward players for playing them. Right now, the payoff of being able to play three-four color decks is much better than playing a one or two color deck with these deserts in them.
Evolving Wilds — 3
Solid land for Standard that I hope always remains in Standard.
Grasping Dunes — 2.5
Again, Sorcery speed really hurts here, but this one seems ot be the better one of the bunch. Killing Toolcraft Exemplar is pretty nice if you didn't just die to Heart of Kiran, Gideon, and Scrapheap Scrounger.
Painted Bluffs — 2
The lands in Standard are already very good at manafixing. No need for you to play this one.
Sunscorched Desert — 2
A neat interaction with Sunscorched Desert is that you can tutor it up with Shefet Monitor to stop the Saheeli combo. Oh wait, that combo is gone! Kind of funny because this card gets worse with that combo gone. I’m not complaining! A Mono-Red deck could play a couple of these for reach. Basically, like how control decks played one or two Radiant Fountains. Not likely, but possible.
The best lands here are obviously the Bi-Cycle lands. They’re arguably the most influential cards in the set behind Magma Spray, Pull from Tomorrow, Manglehorn, Rhonas the Indomitable, Glorybringer, and Cast Out. Before I head out I want to say thank you if you tuned into the whole review. Amonkhet is a super sweet looking set and the theme is amazing. Now that Felidar Guardian is banned the format opens a lot. Being able to tap out is huge! Control got so many powerful cards in this set, I expect it to make a comeback! I can’t wait to start brewing more decks!
As always, thanks for reading!
Ali Aintrazi
@AliEldrazi on Twitter
