Hello Everyone! I'm Levi from The Thought Vessel Show, and today we're looking at some cards from my favorite set of the year, Bloomburrow. This set has some really sweet cards, and I'd like to share some that I think are going to make an impact in the Commander format. For this particular article, I am only looking at the cards in the Standard legal set, meaning the cards from the precon are not going to be discussed.
Ral, Crackling Wit - From the prowess token makers to the very powerful emblem as a finisher, this card seems very strong in spellslinger decks. The ability to have every non-creature spell add a loyalty counter is really going to help keep Ral around for longer. I think this planeswalker has potential, and I am looking forward to giving it a try.
Maha, Its Feathers Night - This beauty is most likely to get you banned in your playgroup! First off, the artwork is phenomenal. Locking your opponents out of creatures all together with cards like Karavek, the Spiteful, finally gives Mono-Black Stax a hard creature lock, similar to what Selesnya has had for a while. I am a huge fan of this fresh take on Mono-Black Stax.
Patchwork Banner - I think this card is a little underrated. For a typal deck that utilizes a creature type that benefits from working in masses, like humans, goblins, and birds, this is an incredibly easy lord to slide into your deck since it is also a mana rock. For casual power level, I could see this becoming a staple.
Baylen, the Haymaker - For a total of three mana, we have card draw, mana production, and creature buffs. This could work well in a Najeela deck, a token deck, or even as a commander itself. This is a powerfully designed card that should definitely be on your radar. It won't be a staple, but the decks that add this card will definitely notice the impact.
Kastral, the Windcrested - This card is giving another huge but much-needed boost for our feathered friends. In the command zone or in the ninety-nine of a bird typal deck, this card is going to be an absolute value engine with a lot of different options for payoffs. I'm definitely building a bird typal deck to try this card out!
Mockingbird - As far as clones go, this card has a lower floor but a higher ceiling. In games where there is value at lower mana values, like cloning a Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer but with evasion from flying seems very strong. However, playing a clone on something like Koma, Cosmos Serpent for seven total mana feels really bad when there are clones with four or even two mana that are just as effective. In a deck like Edric, Spymaster of Trest, that might care about a 1/1 flying creature, there could be a nice floor in that capacity. I think there's a place in this format for Mockingbird.
Season of Weaving - I'm a huge fan of these types of modal spells. With Season of Weaving, you can refill your hand entirely, bounce the whole board, or clone some attractive targets in different capacities.
Season of Gathering - The other "season of" modal spell I wanted to speak about is Season of Gathering. This spell also has the capabilities of wiping the board of artifacts and enchantments, buffing your creatures with vigilance and trample, and a draw effect that could result in ten-plus cards. I personally am a fan of this new wave of modal board wipes that can be used for other effects. It makes them easier to put in decks and can be cast for value when your board is the problem.
Warren Warleader - This is a Hero of Bladehold type of card that can also be used for an anthem. Decks that care about token making, attack triggers, or combat in general are going to appreciate this card.
Portent of Calamity - Assuming you cast this spell with X being four or more, I think this card has the potential to be a finisher on its own. A lot of the time with these types of spells, there is usually a mana value restriction on the spell you can cast for free. This is not the case with Portent of Calamity. The ceiling of this card is refilling your hand and getting a free Eldrazi or big mana spell like Time Stretch/Expropriate. I think this card might fly under the radar a bit, and I'm excited to see how it goes.
Dawn's Truce - I do find it funny that Wizards finally decided to give Heroic Intervention to White by making it slightly worse. Hexproof and indestructible are a great trump against board wipes and removal, so I definitely think this will see play.
Three Tree City - This is an immediate addition to any typal deck in Commander. Effectively being a typal version of Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is incredibly powerful. I would stock up on them now before the price starts moving up.
Dour Port-Mage - This card has a lot of blink synergies. This set is also using the offspring mechanic, which allows you to make a 1/1 copy of a creature on cast. The activated ability to bounce your cards to your hand will allow players to use offspring effects over and over again. It is a very solid effect, and I think offspring effects are going to be very strong.
Rottenmouth Viper - I'm very curious about how much play this card is going to get. I really like the design of this creature, with its ETB and attacking trigger being a smaller version of Torment of Hailfire. The cost reduction ability is an added bonus for aristocrat and sacrifice decks, providing a bit of a sac outlet. Overall, I think this card is incredibly powerful and unique in its design. I'm excited for it, even though I'm sure at some point in the near future I'm going to get blown out by this card.
There are many more cards in this set that are going to be amazing in Commander. I definitely recommend looking through the new releases and picking up your favorites. I hope you enjoyed the article and that I was able to introduce you to some new amazing cards. Until next time!