Set mechanics are the most important part of every set. They define the game play, set the parameters for Standard, and are the unifying force behind the entire sets design.

While not every set mechanic "makes it" in Standard, the ones that do often tend to be format defining. Wizards of the Coast obviously wants their new sets to be powerful, exciting, and make it in Constructed, so they tend to push the set themes pretty hard power level-wise. As such, it is very important to make quick and accurate observations about a new set's mechanics if you want to have success early in Standard.

As such, let's jump right in to Ravnica Allegiance by looking at one new card from each guild and examining its accompanying mechanic, starting with a card that excites me more than most.

Azorius - Addendum

"If you cast this spell during your main phase, get a bonus"

At first glance, addendum brings two things to mind.

First off, it is a call back to an unnamed mechanic in Time Spiral used on cards like Might of Old Krosa and Careful Consideration. Both cards have seen significant play, as there's no doubt that more options is almost always good. Being an instant is very powerful in the options that it gives you, but often comes at a cost of power level. Addendum gives you the best of both worlds.

Secondly, it doesn't feel great when looked at through the lens of typical "draw-go" style control play. Nobody wants to tap five mana on their main phase to draw three cards, leaving their counterspells or Settle the Wreckage unavailable for their opponents turn. We are used to playing our instants as instants and that's that.

The reality is, though, that addendum is not a mechanic like Energy or Delirium; it's much more of a bonus like Kicker or Surveil. Just because you can get a bonus by playing it during your main phase doesn't mean you have to, but having the option later in the game to get a bigger effect is quite the upside. This of course means however, that our addendum cards we want to play are likely going to need to be good enough at face value to be playable, without needing to play them on a main phase.

As someone who's cast more Jace's Ingenuitys than probably anybody, I'm happy to say that Precognitive Perception fits that bill. Jace's Ingenuity is awesome, and having the ability to get a mini-Dig Through Time later in the game when necessary is also awesome. Also there's one more big cog in the addendum machine:

Teferi plays very well with addendum cards.

Because Teferi is untapping your lands anyway, you get to play Precognitive Perception on your main phase for full value for only three mana. Don't sleep on this interaction.

Gruul - Riot

"This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste."

The Gruul mechanic is simple and powerful, and asks you one simple question: "Fast or big?" This time, you get to choose! (Boy Fanatic of Xenagos looks real pathetic now.)

There's no denying that haste is one of the most powerful mechanics in the game, not only allowing huge tempo swings and unexpected board states, but also as a counter play to planeswalkers that are trying to get going on an empty board. Standard is typically a format all about board states and tempo, making haste a huge player.

But wait, there's more!

Going big is also quite good, as hasted creatures tend to be a little big smaller than average and can get outclassed. Having the option to just size up when needed is also fantastic. There's really not much more to it; riot is a simple and powerful mechanic and if it ends up on good creatures it will be a mainstay for its time in Standard.

Speaking of good creatures, Gruul Spellbreaker is quite the house. A Brazen Scourge or Loxodon Smiter with trample is already fantastic, with the option for either really throwing things over the top. But wait, there's more! Not only is Gruul Spellbreaker is a hard counter to Settle the Wreckage, but it's also immune to instant speed removal then turn it comes down. This means it can attack opposing planeswalkers untouched by Seal Away and friends, a very powerful ability.

Gruul Spellbreaker is a house.

Simic - Adapt

"If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put X +1/+1 counters on it."

Okay so Adapt is basically just Monstrous, but that's okay!

Monstrous was a powerful ability, offering both flexibility, a mana sink, and an effect that your didn't need to use for it to have a big effect on the game. When you attack with a creature with adept and open mana, your opponent has to respect the fact that you can use the ability and block accordingly. The mere threat of adept has power unto itself. Like a sort of Kicker for creatures, adept also provides an excellent mana sink later in the game to help guard against mana flood.

While it feels like a bit of an extra ability like scry or addendum, it remains to be seen how deeply rooted Simic is going to be with +1/+1 counter synergies. If Zegana, Utopian Speaker is any indication, it's probably going to be pretty major.

Similar to Gruul Spellbreaker, Zegana is an insanely pushed house. A 4/4 for four mana that draws a card when it comes into play is absurd, and while that is going to require some deck-building finesse to make sure you get the trigger, that's quite the floor. Adding on a huge adapt for the midgame is also nice, with the last ability of giving all creatures with +1/+1 counters trample is a great finisher.

Zegana would already be good as a 4/4 for four that could turn into an 8/8 trampler for some more mana, but the card draw throws her pretty far over the top.

Orzhov - Afterlife

"When this creature dies, create a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying."

Afterlife is my pick for "most underrated mechanic" so far in Ravnica Allegiance.

It's hard to overstate how good this sort of card advantage is. It's not super flashy, but "a few random fliers" has always been a powerhouse in Standard (think Bitterblossom, Lingering Souls, Spectral Procession). Getting those fliers for nothing other than your creature dying is simply awesome.

Cards like Doomed Traveler and Hunted Witness have always found their way into Standard decks, and they're literally just 1/1s for one mana - a card that would be completely unplayable otherwise. Putting the afterlife ability onto actual Magic cards is a recipe for some seriously good and grindy cards. And that's before even thinking about some sort of aristocrats-styled theme deck. Look how well afterlife plays with the powerful and underrated Plaguecrafter.

Do not sleep on afterlife!

As far as the cards themselves, Tithe Taker is the perfect start. A 2/1 body for two mana is far superior to a 1/1 body for one mana, and Tithe Taker also has a relevant ability to boot. If we're going to be seeing Afterlife on cards like this that are already reasonable, afterlife is going to be awesome.

Rakdos - Spectacle

"You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn."

However excited I am for afterlife, I am unexcited for spectacle.

We've seen this sort of thing before with bloodthirst, which was mostly a mechanical bust. Having to deal damage before your card is good is a huge cost; when you are dealing damage you are already likely winning, and if you can't deal damage and get the good effect your likely to be losing and the card is no help. Put simply bloodthirst is the definition of a "win more" effect, making it need to be extremely pushed to be worth it. The floor is usually simply too low.

This of course, makes the success of the mechanic dependant on how they end up using it. If it ends up being the primary focus of cards, it's likely to be too high variance to be useful. Think Scab-Clan Mauler; great if you're attacking, awful otherwise. However if it ends up being more like addendum or kicker, that is an additional bonus put onto already reasonable cards, then maybe we can talk.

Rix Maadi Reveler seems to fit that mold, giving me hope for the mechanic as a whole.

A 2/2 creature for 2 mana that can rummage a card, or even better just straight up draw a card if you have no cards in hand, isn't bad at all. If you're getting any value out of putting a card in your graveyard that's even better, but aggressive decks are always looking for ways to mitigate mana flood and Rix Maadi Reveler does that. Furthermore, if you actually do get to trigger the spectacle cost that's some pretty significant upside.

Spectacle cards must be viewed with the floor in mind, but if the floor is reasonable enough they could be very good.

Rankings

While we are still very much in "first impressions" mode, here is my initial ranking for the power level of each mechanic:

1. Riot
2. Afterlife
3. Addendum
4. Adapt
5. Spectacle

This of course is entirely predicated on how far they push the individual cards with each mechanic. A mechanic can be amazing but if they don't print any good cards with it then who cares?

As more and more Ravnica Allegiance previews come pouring out, I can't help but be excited for having all ten guilds in Standard, as well as fully powered mana bases with all the dual lands. It's an exciting time to be playing Standard and it's only getting better.