Today is an exciting day! Why you ask? Because my article came out today and we get to evaluate more cards, we’ll be going over all the Blue and colorless cards in Kaladesh. I know I said Green and multicolored yesterday but with the Open in Orlando and a college exam I finished Blue/Artifact instead since I had already started on it. Anyways, we have a lot of ground to cover but before we do, here’s my grading scale for reference.

0 Will never see play in Standard (Geyserfield Stalker)

1 Unlikely to see any play (Isolation Zone)

2 Could see fringe play, or occasional SB card (Caustic Caterpillar)

3 Commonly played. Staple in a single deck, or frequent play in several decks. (Reflector Mage)

4 Format Staple, sees play in multiple decks, one of the best cards in the format. (Sylvan Advocate)

5 Format warping. Every deck plays this, or is built with this card in mind. (Spell Queller/Collected Company)

Okay, now that you have that in mind let’s get down to it.

Aether Meltdown - 2

Not a terribly exciting card but I could see some application for it in control deck sideboards. It’s a good way to deal with Vehicles in Blue. You could also use them on any creature or vehicle to buy yourself time then cast something like Crush of Tentacles to buy them all back. I know, I’m on it.

Aether Theorist - 1.5

So unexciting after losing Jace. Sigiled Starfish saw super fringe play. This isn’t a strictly worse Sigiled Starfish since it gives you Energy. Its activated ability is worse however.

Aether Tradewinds - 2

Has seen minimal play in previous formats. Has some nice synergy with your Planeswalkers being attacked. You can bounce your would be dead Planeswalker and their best permanent.

Aethersquall Ancient - 2.5

Great energy producer, user, and a solid control/ramp finisher. Can easily see this beside Simic Crush in Standard.

Ceremonious Rejection - 3

All constructed format all star. A staple in many a sideboard from Vintage to Standard. A very solid answer to Emerge and Emrakul decks. So much easier to cast than Summary Dismissal. They still get the triggers but you only had to pay 1 mana to stop their 7+ drop. Sign me up!

Confiscation Coup - 2.5

I could see this as a Sideboard card or maybe a singleton in a couple of decks. Kind of reminds me of Exert Influence except it’s easier to get the desired effect and it gives you energy for other things if you don’t use it all. Stealing a Spell Queller to block with doesn’t seem all that bad, especially if said Spell Queller has a removal spell under it.

Curio Vendor - 1

I miss Jace, Vryn's Prodigy already.

Disappearing Act - 2

Faerie Trickery and Deprive got together and made this. Not very exciting but it does have potential to be abused with emerge creatures like Elder Deep-Fiend. With Torrential Gearhulk you can counter a spell then re-buy your Gearhulk as well. Wouldn’t be shocked to see a couple decks running this card to re-buy one of those creatures or an Oath of Jace.

Dramatic Reversal - 1.5

This thing really wants to untap mana to be broken. Sure you can use it with Cryptolith Rite but if you have Cryptolith Rite out do you really need any more mana? Same thing goes for mana rocks. I don’t see this one doing much.

Era of Innovation - 2

Big energy creator, will see play if energy is needed in large quantities The mana/time/energy investment isn’t worth three cards unless you are gaining energy in other ways as well.

Experimental Aviator - 1

White got Cloudgoat Ranger. Blue? This little failed experiment.

Failed Inspection - 1

Really wish this spell was 3 mana instead of four. We just had Ojutai's Command and that along with a bunch of other counterspells put this one to shame. We have better ways to counter spells and better ways to filter our hand.

Gearseeker Serpent - 1

Limited only. If I’m casting a 7-drop creature it better be Emrakul, Bruna, the Fading Light, or Aethersquall Ancient.

Glimmer of Genius - 3

“Shine bright like diamond!” This is light in a beautiful sea and it makes me happy! Even without the energy gain, this card would be good enough. I’m looking forward to casting this better Inspiration. Maybe Blue draw spells will one day catch up to Tireless Tracker, Duskwatch Recruiter, and Seasons Past. Not holding my breath, but this is a start in the right direction.

Glint-Nest Crane - 2.5

Will see play, very good to bridge the gap for Blue artifact decks. Also has a solid body for the mana investment.

Hightide Hermit - 1

This hermit is gonna stay hermit . . . 

Insidious Will - 2.5

Competes with Summary Dismissal. Options are always good, flexible card for sure, but not powerful and you won’t generate much value as something like Ojutai's Command. I just can’t get off Ojutai's Command.

Janjeet Sentry - 0

Tireless Tracker’s Blue cousin.

Long-Finned Skywhale - 1

Can you imagine if Daenerys had skywhales instead of dragons? Princess of Whales / Mother of whales has a nice ring to it. Water and Blowholes!

Malfunction - 0

Limited to limited removal.

Metallurgic Summonings - 2

Can see this seeing play if Standard becomes very grindy. Decent Sideboard card for control mirrors if that ever becomes an actual thing.

Minister of Inquiries - 1

Would say this will never see play but people love some mill. I don’t expect this to do anything great but if we get a ton of mill support, this might see fringe play.

Nimble Innovator - 1.5

Youthful Scholar didn’t see play with emerge and this one isn’t likely to either. Unlike Youthful Scholar it does give you the card right away instead of later. Filigree Familiar is better however.

Padeem, Consul of Innovation - 2

Even if artifacts are huge in Standard, 4 mana is a lot for a subpar body and hexproof for your artifacts since this will be the main target instead of your artifacts.

Paradoxical Outcome - 1.5

There is a combo somewhere for this card. I predict it’s on the other side of the portal.

Revolutionary Rebuff - 3

How the mighty have fallen. They keep giving us worse and worse countermagic but we keep on playing them. This shouldn’t be any different. It’s the best that we have currently for cheap countermagic in the early game. I’d want to play some filter card like Oath of Jace if I was running this though, I’d really like to discard it late game for better cards.

Saheeli’s Artistry - 2

Hulks will see play. So this card will see minimal play since it can copy the same hulk twice if you only control one.

Select for Inspection - 2.5

Not nearly as good as Vapor Snag but it’s a decent ability if you’re just trying to stay alive until you can do something busted like kill someone with Aetherflux Reservoir.

Shrewd Negotiation - 1

You can trade up but for 5 mana I’d much rather cast a powerful spell.

Tezzeret’s Ambition - 1

Until Pore over the Pages rotates I don’t see this card seeing much play. Sorry to burst your Ambition Tezzeret. Go back to Amonkhet.

Thriving Turtle - 1.5

Very medium Blue energy creator, but it’s an 0/3. Needs more to see play. Only thing this has going for it is it fuels Aethersquall Ancient.

Torrential Gearhulk - 3.5+

It needs cards like Dig Through Time to be truly busted. I’m sure Wizards kept an eye on instants just for this reason though. This card just gets better the more instants we get in Standard. Most potential of all the Gearhulks.

Vedalken Blademaster - 1

Just stick with Thermo-Alchemist and Stormchaser Mage.

Weldfast Wingsmith - 0

:(

Wind Drake - 0

Just Limited fodder.

Top 4 Best Blue Cards

1. Torrential Gearhulk
2. Glimmer of Genius
3. Ceremonious Rejection
4. Revolutionary Rebuff

Blue doesn’t seem too exciting in this set, but that’s okay, Blue always manages to do well no matter what cards you give it. It just needs a couple of good ones and it will thrive. Now let’s take a look at the wonders of Kaladesh.

Accomplished Automaton - 0

Not sure how is robot Accomplished in any way.

Aetherflux Reservoir - 2.5

Most fun card in the set and I think it’s a good one. It’ll be one of the first cards I brew with. Great in a Blue prison type shell, turbofog, or alongside Felidar Sovereign.

Aetherworks Marvel - 2.5

Card has a lot of potential but you really need to work for it.

Animation Module - 2

How good is Verdurous Gearhulk. If it’s fantastic then this could do some work.

Ardara Express - 1

Pretty sure you’d rather be casting Reality Smasher or Skysovereign, COnsul Flagship here. Crew four isn’t cheap either.

Ballista Charger - 1

Again, have you talked to our lord and savior Skysovereign, Consul Flagship?

Bomat Bazaar Barge - 1.5

Too much to crew, we have better vehicles too.

Bomat Courier - 4

It raged at the world, at its family, at its life. But mostly it just raged and drew cards. Doesn’t even need to connect to start getting counters.

Chief of the Foundry - 2

I never count out lords. Don’t think it will see play but wouldn’t be shocked if it popped up in some crazy aggro artifact deck.

Cogworker’s Puzzleknot - 1

White lacked artifacts for delirium but with the addition of Filigree Familiar I doubt any deck really wants this card.

Consulate Skygate - 1.5

Some decks colors really struggle against fliers. While I’d rather have a removal spell, this Wall will block fliers and gain you life against non fliers too. Could see it as a sideboard card to try and buy time for your end game.

Cultivator’s Caravan - 2.5

Nissa really wants you to ramp with lands, not artifacts. That being said this mana rock is a solid way for the ramp decks to fight Planeswalkers. I have a feeling Lumbering Falls will be crewing this caravan more than once.

Deadlock Trap: - 3

This card seems fantastic in a fog strategy or a Crush of Tentacles Strategy since you can re-buy your Deadlock Traps with Crush of Tentacles and get more energy. Usually these type of decks can struggle against Planeswalkers, this should help a ton!

Decoction Module - 2

The fact that this counts tokens makes me want to keep my eyes on it. The activated ability costs a lot of mana but with all the cast and enter the battlefield triggers it’s still useful.

Demolition Stomper - 1

I need to pay 6 mana, wait a turn, then crew it with 5 power? I’ll just attack with my Reality Smasher, thanks though!

Dukhara Peafowl - 0

If the dragon monuments saw no play, this has no chance.

Dynavolt Tower - 2

This card would be so good if you didn’t need to tap it to use the ability! Otherwise it’s a solid energy generator for your spells and creatures if that’s what you’re looking for.

Eager Construct - 1

For one more mana we get a cute fox construct that does so much more. Sorry little buddy, someone made a better you.

Electrostatic Pummeler - 1

Way too energy hungry. You need a lot of energy and ways to pump it AND it has no evasion. Sorry little guy, maybe next time.

Fabrication Module - 1.5

Not really seeing it. You’ll need to jump through not one, not two, but three hoops of fire to get this bad boy going, if you do though, the payoff might be worth it!

Filigree Familiar - 4

You like this thing is cute face? Good. It’s gonna be EVERYWHERE! Here I thought Bottle Gnomes was good. It’s great in control, emerge, aggro, and midrange decks. It’s even colorless to boot. Super sweet card.

Fireforger’s Puzzleknot - 1

5 mana for Twinbolt? I don’t need an artifact that bad for Delirium.

Fleetwheel Cruiser - 3

Most likely one of if not the best vehicles. This can come down after Chandra and make her planeswalk away. What’s better if you have one laying around is Chandra can’t deal four damage to it to kill it.

Foundry Inspector - 2

Infinite Storm with this and two tops? Eh? Not good enough. This card seems innocent at first glance and not great but cost reduction is always scary. Look at every card in Magic that can have its cost cheapened in some way. It usually ends up being very, very good.

Ghirapur Orrery - 2

Noose Constrictor loves this card. 4 mana Rites of Flourishing is still Rites of Flourishing. Now if only we could get some good Fogs . . . 

Glassblower’s Puzzleknot - 1.5

All the puzzleknots seem subpar outside the Green one. This one isn’t any different unless your really want some energy. If you do, then this could be for you.

Inventor’s Goggles - 2.5

Many artificers creature types are on Kaladesh cards. I expect Tom Ross or Craig Wescoe to play some aggro deck with this card.

Iron League Steed - 0

Four needs to have some huge impact on the board or game in order to be played since it fails the Spell Queller test. This one isn’t even worth thinking about in your 4-drop slot.

Key to the City - 2

Making a big creature unblockable is always nice. Making something like your 8/8 Kraken token get through is something I am interested in. It’s also nice for pushing through the last few points of damage that you might need. On top of that it also draws you card on your next turn if you have extra mana laying around. Not a great way to loot since 2 mana every turn is a lot, but it's something to keep an eye on.

Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot - 1

Why do all these Puzzleknots cost so much? Again, I don’t need an artifact that badly in my graveyard.

Metalwork Colossus - 1.5

If you have that many artifacts in play already, is that what you really want? A 10/10 that can easily be killed or bounced by Relector Mage? I’ll pass.

Multiform Wonder - 3

This card will be very annoying to play against if you like short games of Magic. An artifact Morphling.

Narnam Cobra - 0

If you really want a creature with Deathtouch, play Gnarlwood Dryad.

Ovalchase Dragster - 2.5

Ball Lightning in vehicle form. Flavor text is appropriate.

Panharmonicon - 2.5

In my dream world this is the most played card in the set alongside Aetherflux Reservoir.

Perpetual Timepiece - 2

Perpetual very medium way of looting tacked on a Rogue's Passage. I mean I guess if we can’t play Wharf Infiltrator I could be interested in this.

Prakhata Pillar-Bug - 2

This one could see play in sideboard of control decks. Jorubai Murk Lurker saw play in this past, so this one has a shot too.

Prophetic Prism - 2

A nice way to fix your mana while not losing cards. However you do lose tempo when you play this card, it’s usually played in some sort of combo deck that can recur it but I’ve seen it played in three plus color decks for mana fixing.

Renegade Freighter - 2.5

What a nightmare for control decks. Can see this as a decent sideboard card against control decks if they become a thing. Make any 2 power creature into a 5/4 Trampler AKA basically Reality Smasher? Gross.

Scarpheap Scrounger - 3

Graveyard based decks needed more help right? And we still don’t have a good graveyard hoser in sight.

Self-Assembler - 1

Currently only find itself in Standard. People will be looping Elder Deep-Fiends. You should do that instead of Self-Assembler.

Sky Skiff - 0

Why play this over Smuggler’s Copter? When you don’t like looting and want to deal less damage, ride a Skiff.

Skysoverign, Consul Flagship - 3

INFERNO FLYTAN ASSEMBLE! Like Fleetwheel Cruiser you don’t need to crew this for it to do something when you cast it. That’s a huge plus in my book for any Vehicle. Also my Lumbering Falls or Wandering Fumarole can crew this thing? Sign me up, Cid!

Smuggler’s Copter - 3.5

Great way to loot with mana dorks to draw new cards and discard your other mana dorks. Also good with the many 1/1 creatures I’m sure we’ll have running around. Can also be played in aggressive strategies and it has evasion, so many options. So cool that it also triggers when you block.

Snare Thopter - 0

Again, way better things at 4 mana for every deck.

Torch Gauntlet - 1

Kaladesh is a world of inventions and marvels. However, they haven’t quite figured out how to make a Bonesplitter.

Weldfast Monitor - 1.5

We have better creatures but if you really need an artifact creature just play Filigree Familiar unless you really think this can push damage through. I’m not convinced.

Whirlermaker - 0.5

Who has time to do this? People are trying to cast Emkraul or out tempo me in this format. This isn’t going to do much. Better cards for control mirrors too.

Woodweaver’s Puzzleknot - 2.5

One of the best ways to gain quick energy, if that’s what you’re in the market for. Nice that you gain some life in the process to possible use all this energy.

Workshop Assistant - 2

Gets better the more the artifacts we get into Standard. With two you can loop them. Okay to Emerge off of but I still really like Filigree Familiar or Prized Amalgam for that.

Top 3 Colorless cards in Kaladesh

1. Filigree Familiar
2. Bomat Courier
3. Smuggler’s Copter

That’s it for today ladies and gentlemen. I just want to say thank you for tuning and reading the article. I’d really like to thank the people that come here and read my articles no matter where I write. You guys make all this worthwhile. Thank you so much for the support and make sure to tune it tomorrow where we evaluate more of this set!

Ali

@Alieldrazi

Previous Reviews:

1.Red and Lands