Locations
Hey, my dudes! Welcome back!
This week, I want to take a look at what I think are the Top 5 Throne of Eldraine cards. I used to do an article called Top 8 Sleepers for each new set, where I would pick out eight of my favorite cards that I wanted to try out, and those were really well received. So this time I'm doing something similar, only I don't think these cards are sleepers by any means. Here I just wanted to pick out five of the cards that I thought were some of the most powerful from the set, while hopefully getting your thoughts on them as well down below. Let's get started!
5. Murderous Rider
This guy ends up at number five solely because he is the most boring on the list. By no means does this mean that it's the least powerful of the five! The fact is, every single "destroy target creature or planeswalker" card has seen excessive amounts of play, whether they exiled and gained you two life, or had awaken, or were also able to create a zombie. Truth be told, this version is closest to Never // Return. In fact, it's almost identical, if we're being honest. Both cards kill a creature or a planeswalker. One is an instant, but you pay two life for that convenience. Both cards also allow you to make a creature after you've used the first half of the spell.
Both cards also remove themselves from your reach after you've cast both halves, one by exiling and one by putting it on the bottom of your library. Truth be told, this is probably totally necessary, as using something like a Gravedigger to repeatedly recur a Hero's Downfall and a 2/3 lifelinker might be too good; it's basically the best Ravenous Chupacabra ever.
4. Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
For six mana, we want some pretty memorable abilities on our planeswalker. While a lot of people are talking about Oko, Thief of Crowns, Garruk, Cursed Huntsman appeals to my big, splashy sensibilities a little bit more. In fact, he kind of reminds me of Garruk, Apex Predator, and not just because he's Black and Green. Instead of making a single 3/3, here we make two 2/2 wolves. While the ability creating these adds no loyalty, if they both die before your next turn, you're immediately ready to ultimate Garruk, which is pretty crazy.
I'm a big fan of plays like a turn five Garruk, Cursed Huntsman (we have ramp, okay?!), make two wolves, turn six Liliana, Dreadhorde General, -4 Liliana, draw two cards, ultimate Garruk, leaving him at one loyalty. Now both planeswalkers are making 5/5s. The ease with which you may be able to -6 Garruk seems almost comical, especially when the wolves he makes to protect himself are actually aiding that endeavor. And that's not even discussing his -3 ability which can kill any creature and draw you card!
While he's a sizable six mana, this Garruk seems pretty impressive, and I can't wait to try him out.
3. The Great Henge and The Circle of Loyalty
 |  |
These are two of the same cycle of cards, so I figured I would lump them together. I also think they are the two strongest options printed, even though The Magic Mirror happens to scare me the most.
The Circle of Loyalty has a lot going for it, and it reminds me of similar cards that can simply churn our creature after creature. The best part about this card is that it not only slots quite obviously into any Knight deck, but it also slots extremely easily into control decks. Control decks often love recurring ways to make creatures (see things like Mastery of the Unseen and Urza's Factory). The best thing a control deck could ask for is a way to spend their unused mana on their turn, while simultaneously making disposable-yet-repeatable threats. It also doesn't hurt that you get free Knights if your deck happens to have legendary spells in it, which includes any planeswalker. The only problem I see this having in the control deck is the 6 mana investment, but as a one-of, I think this could be a powerful win condition.
The Great Henge, on the other hand, has a real Ghalta, Primal Hunger feel to it. Well, the mana cost does anyway. The funny thing about this card is that, when you have enough mana or creatures in play to actually cast this, the GG it creates is likely inconsequential. More often than not you'll simply be tapping this bad boy to gain two life every turn, which is not nothing. Additionally, the most powerful aspect of the card is the Beast Whisperer + Good-Fortune Unicorn combination, turning this into a really efficient engine in the late game as it produces beefier creatures, life gain, and card advantage. This thing kind of does it all, and while it may seem like a "win more" if you're able to cast it, it just does so many things.
2. Once Upon a Time
This article is mostly about cards that are going to have an impact on Standard, but I think we all know that Once Upon a Time is going to see play in nearly every format. This is a free spell on your first turn, and when have free things ever been a problem? There are so many different applications for this card, which is funny, because it's actually very simple.
You can play it on turn one after playing your land to look for a one-drop. You can play it on turn two to look for your two-drop. You can play it on turn one to find a land. You can have it in your opening hand and keep a zero land hand. You can play it in the late game to find a creature you may need. You can play it at instant speed, at the end of your opponent's turn. You can play fewer lands in your deck, using this as a kind of Crop Rotation-type effect. This card is incredibly versatile for how simple it is. This card is a turn zero cantrip that lets you select the card you get to draw
This card is so good, for so many reasons, and it doesn't really seem to have any drawbacks. Heck, even the recently printed Adventurous Impulse was a sorcery that only let you look at the top three cards. This one is letting us look at five, ala Ancient Stirrings. This is a Green Impulse that you can cast for free if it's your first spell. I cannot imagine a single Green deck that isn't going to be running four of these once Throne of Eldraine is legal.
1. Realm-Cloaked Giant
I keep coming back to this card over and over, and I keep having the same feeling: this card may end up being a mistake (nah, probably not). While four-mana sweepers are harder and harder to come by, and contain more and more restrictions, we're pretty much used to five-mana sweepers being all encompassing nowadays. Think about cards like End Hostilities, Fumigate, Cleansing Nova, and Planar Outburst. They all basically took care of every creature imaginable, aside from some pretty obscure set-related options (land creatures!), and then some.
Realm-Cloaked Giant is basically the same thing in this way, or should I say Cast Off is. The funniest thing about this card to me is that this is an Adventure that you're almost always going to play as an Adventure first, so it's funny that the card itself isn't actually called Cast Off.
Rob and I talked about this card a good bit on our Throne of Eldraine Set Review, and how it just hits all the boxes. It's a sweeper, which control decks, desperately want, but it's also a huge threat in the late game, and all on a single card! And the best part about this is that it's not some dead piece of junk in your hand against opposing control decks. You still get a huge 7/7 in the late game. There's a clear reason that this card is mythic, and Wizards knew how good it was. Heck, with Teferi, Time Raveler you can even cast this at instant speed on the opponent's turn (shudder). The only downside on the entire card is that it can't kill Giants, which means the card also isn't great against opposing Realm-Cloaked Giants. You'll just have to find another way to deal with them, so maybe this card isn't that great after all...(Just kidding.)
Honorable Mentions:
 |  |  |
As always, thank you guys so much for reading. I'm looking forward to jamming the new cards at the Prerelease this weekend at The Game Grid in Logan, Utah, so if you're close or in the area, be sure and stop by. Leave me a comment below with your thoughts on my picks, tell me what your top cards are, and use promo code FRANK 5 to get 5% off your CoolStuffInc purchase! Love you guys, and I'll catch ya next week!
Frank Lepore
