Today I want to look at some of the cool White and Red cards from Foundations that pique my interest. Keep in mind these aren't going to be the best or most expensive cards in the set, and I can only cover the cards that have been spoiled as of writing this.

Ajani, Caller of the Pride

This is at least the second three-mana planeswalker in the set behind (or in front of?) the new Kaito, Cunning Infiltrator, and this Ajani has typically been pretty good. Usually he's being used to give flying and double strike to a creature that's going to kill you...or rather the opponent...you get it.

The thing about this Ajani is that he's kind of a combo piece in that there are certain creatures that, if you give them double strike and evasion, they can just end the game or nearly end the game on the spot. Something like infect for example is just able to distribute so many poison counters. In Standard, however, the card many are talking about with Ajani is Unstoppable Slasher.

With Ajani, the Slasher takes the opponent from 20 life to three life: Slasher deals two, putting the opponent to 18. They lose half their life, going to nine. The Slasher deals another two, putting them to seven. They lose half again rounded up, going to three.

B/W Midrange looking pretty strong...

Celestial Armor

This is a cool equipment, and the borderless version is absolute fire.

Whenever a new set comes out, I love looking for cards that work well with Stoneforge Mystic. Not only does this one do that, but it also acts as a sort of counterspell the same way a Dive Down (which is also in Foundations!) would. It also attaches for free and gives flying, which is huge.

I was a big fan of Maul of the Skyclaves, which had a very similar feel: White equipment for three mana, attaches for free when it enters the battlefield, four mana to equip, +2 power and flying. I think the Armor is a bit better in most ways, including an easier equip cost, flash, and the protection upon entering.

Herald of Eternal Dawn

Another creature with flash! There seems to be a lot of flash in this set...

I don't know if this card is any good outside of, like, Commander, but it's a cool design. A 6/6 Platinum Angel with flash is definitely going to ruin some days before cracking back for lethal.

Chandra, Flameshaper

The only downside of this card is that she costs seven mana. That's a lot, but this is also a very cool endgame card. Every ability is usable on the turn she's cast, and every ability is pretty good. Assuming you're rolling into your eighth turn after you cast this, her +2 ability is going to give you eleven total mana to work with. That's a lot. You can hard cast an Eldrazi.

The next ability is making tokens of whatever nonsense you have in play or cast that turn.

And dealing eight damage divided any way you choose is basically a one-sided wrath.

Hidetsugu's Second Rite

Oh man, what a throwback! This card was always so cool. Just like Phyrexian Arena, this card first released in 2005 and is literally nineteen years old. While it can't drink yet, hopefully it'll be voting come November 5th.

Hidetsugu's Second Rite was Sorin's Vengeance before Sorin's Vengeance was a thing, and for only four mana, I can only hope that it kills plenty of players who think they're safe at 10 life.

Kellan, Planar Trailblazer

I love cards with mana sinks on them, and I love cards that allow you to level them up so that they improve on later turns (like kicker). Usually these two things go hand in hand.

The only issue I have with Kellen is that he's a faerie that doesn't have flying, and doesn't get flying from any of his upgrades. There are four other Kellen cards (good grief, this guy has five cards?!), and three of them have flying...so clearly he can fly!

Anyway, one-mana red creatures are good. Kellan seems good.

Utility Cards

Once again, these are the utility cards that will be useful in decks for the next five years. These are the types of cards that Core Sets were originally intended to introduce into Standard, including versatile removal and interaction. As of me writing this, White and Red seem to include the following:

• Day of Judgment
• Devout Decree
• Disenchant
• Elspeth's Smite / Joust Through
• Knight of Grace
• Stasis Snare
• Stroke of Midnight
• Abrade
• Burst Lightning
• Mindsparker
• Seismic Rupture
• Slagstorm

Feels kind of weird that Foundations has both Elspeth's Smite and Joust Through. They both deal three damage to an attacker or blocker. One costs two mana, one costs one mana. It seems a little redundant.

I would have also liked to see a Combust or a Fry for Red's Blue/White hoser, but they instead went with Mindsparker, which is an interesting choice when they also have choices like Devout Decree and Deathmark, which are very powerful removal spells.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll be back soon to explore the rest of the other colors!

Frank Lepore

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