Ravnica Allegiance spoilers have just started rolling in!

They have done so in a convenient format for a Top 10 list. Here is your first of the new set.

1. The Actually Interesting Cards
2. The Maybe, Possibly, Relevant Cards
3. These Are Also Cards That Have Been Spoiled, I Guess

The Actually Interesting Cards

1. Growth Spiral

The first time there was a Ravnica Block, I made an Izzet Tron deck with Osyp Lebedowicz, Andrew Cuneo, and some other friends. The cool thing about the main deck was that almost none of the Blue or Red cards had more than just or in their upper-right-hand corners, so you could cast everything in the deck with any colored land.

There was this tension on the second turn, though; about whether or not to cast Izzet Signet.

Izzet Signet was obviously a colossally powerful Magic: The Gathering spell, evidenced by the fact that we've got nothing on the order of this in the last dozen or so years. Best case we've gotten artifact mana that enters the battlefield tapped, and there have been more than a few options that have been playable at three mana. Sure, we've been offered some solid accelerators on two (Rampant Growth and Explore most notably), but always requiring .

Here we have an accelerator that 1) yes, costs , but 2) also costs ... But still at only two mana. Think about how hard some designers work their mana bases to fit a Thunderherd Migration or to hit the jackpot with Ruin In Their Wake and you might get a feeling for how powerful this card is.

Okay, back to the Izzet Tron deck.

I always had this tension in this Blue deck with a two mana accelerator about whether or not to play it on turn two. The Tron deck was basically the Next Level Flores Tap-Out Blue of the day, and as we've established, a two mana accelerator of this type is way overpowered for Standard... So I tended to play the Signet on turn two. But the deck also played Remand and Mana Leak. Ergo, it was not at all clear.

So anyway, I get to Honolulu and distribute cards; start testing IRL with my friends.

For the first time ever I see Osyp wait until turn three to cast the Signet, which allowed him to play Remand or Mana Leak on turn two or turn three. While still advancing his mana! This was mind-blowing! I had basically never considered the "turn three Izzet Signet" play pattern. Yeah, he made Top 8 of that Pro Tour as the only undefeated player after Day One.

What does this have to do with Growth Spiral?

Growth Spiral doesn't make you pick. You can leave up your mana for Syncopate or Essence Scatter; if the opponent doesn't play into your two mana permission spell, you just Growth Spiral into four on turn three. It's almost offensively powerful. In addition Growth Spiral starts with the words "draw a card" meaning that late game, unlike a regular accelerator, you can use it to dig instead of just fading on a mana spell when you're getting beaten down and desperate to catch up.

I would not be surprised if Growth Spiral were simply the best card in Ravnica Allegiance.

The only question is whether there is a natural Simic deck to play it in, or if the card is good enough to force an archetype.

2. Mortify

Provided there is color support, this card is basically perfectly costed for Standard. We are clearly okay with spending three mana to kill a creature. Cue Fight With Fire. Cue Beacon Bolt. Mortify is simply more flexible (and oftentimes will be easier-to-cast) than somewhat-respectable also-ran, Murder.

Mortify will also limit the potential success of Simic Ascendancy and cards like it; plus give texture to games currently hinging on Conclave Tribunal and its cousins. I mean enchantments are all well and good as long as no one can remove them... But what happens when lots of people can?

The obvious assessment is that it's a one-for-one. But if the opponent sends in and you Mortify their Oblivion Ring, yeah you got one-for-one (Mortify versus enchantment) but maybe you get your guy back to block. So instead you spend a Mortify to get your guy (1) and a good block (2); and that's assuming it wasn't a juicy 187 fellow like Goblin Chainwhirler or Knight of Autumn.

Because Friendship is Magic, the addition of Godless Shrine to Dominaria's Isolated Chapel will create new splash opportunities. Both nearly-mono-Black decks and what we're currently thinking of as White Weenie will have potential access to this card; which is an upgrade to some of their slower removal like Walk the Plank or the aforementioned 'Tribunal. Many three-color decks will also be happy to have Mortify on the bus.

3. Lavinia, Azorius Renegade

Outlook for Standard: Not zero.

Not zero, you say?

So I say.

Obviously Lavinia is primarily targeted to the Nourishing Shoal / Force of Will crowds of larger formats, but she ain't half bad against a giant Banefire. As someone who has come back from manascrew to kill a Jeskai player with three land in play (one of which was a Sanctum of the Sun) I can heartily say "not zero."

Obviously flipping a Gateway is a little corner at this point, but it did win a Grand Prix near the start of the season. Not for nothing, as a combination is the one that benefits most by being able to shut off a giant Banefire. Coincidentally, it might be able to do so in games where the opponent is otherwise removal-poor. Curiouser and curiouser, yes?

Lavinia's bigger impact is likely to be elsewhere, as the umpteeth Hate Bear; but don't disregard her 100% for Standard.

4. Rix Maadi Reveler

Friendship is Magic!

I can imagine a Red Deck splashing Dragonskull Summit and Blood Crypt entirely to support the Spectacle on this card, in the same way that they did Scrapheap Scrounger in otherwise mono-colored builds.

Is it so great?

Nah, but it is so free.

As a 2-drop, this card is just fine. It can potentially even serve you under Experimental Frenzy! The sexiest ordinary play will be to empty your hand and cast Rix Maadi Reveler last. You have no card to discard, but you sure can draw one!

The Spectacle is kind of expensive, but can make this Human Shaman an exciting topdeck in the midgame. If you can rip it in topdeck mode (or any time after you have fewer than three cards in hand, really) Rix Maadi Reveler will threaten to bury your opponent.

Fits right in as a 2-drop, of course. For the twenty-two land Red Deck, it can both help you hit the four necessary for your Phoenix or Frenzy... Or get rid of excess land (or that stupid Lava Coil in the Control matchup).

5. The Haunt of Hightower

The Haunt of Hightower slides in at the tail end of the good cards. A 3/3 for six? Yes, it is at least initially fragile. But! This card is highly reminiscent of another 3/3 for six to me...

For those of you who didn't play Ravnica Block Constructed, Skeletal Vampire was the best creature in the format, outperforming both Loxodon Hierarch and Simic Sky Swallower, ultimately.

Don't sleep on The Haunt of Hightower.

For one thing, this card is already built to encourage discard. Maybe you cleared the path before you cast it. Maybe you have a point removal card in hand to whip it to 4 toughness at instant speed.

Maybe you just untap with it in play.

Unlike most "Hypnotic Specter" types, The Haunt of Hightower doesn't actually have to connect to rock and roll with the discard. Moreover, it can exploit the opponent's own strategy. Cantrip-driven Drakes deck? Um... Those cards go to the graveyard, right? Surveil? Search for Azcanta? All free value.

Because this card starts with lifelink; even when it is small, it can trade with value, even if 3/3 for six isn't the kind of blocker that inspires fear into the hearts of opposing Planeswalkers to begin with.

Just don't sleep on The Haunt of Hightower.

The Maybe, Possibly, Relevant Cards

6. Rakdos Firewheeler

This card is not going to be a picnic to cast. In fact, there is no present archetype for it. But assuming you can cast it? The ceiling is comparable or higher than Flametongue Kavu or Sand Strangler; cards that performed in Standard formats eighteen years ago and eighteen months ago.

If there were an actual Rakdos shell to put it in, I might rate this higher than Mortify. It doesn't make you play Deserts. If the opponent doesn't play creatures, you can still beat up on his Teferi. Could be good buddies with a certain Goblin. Because, you know, Friendship is Magic.

7. Light Up the Stage

If this didn't have the "until the end of your next turn" clause, Light Up the Stage would be a high Role Player somewhere... Just a Red Divination. However it is much more limited than that.

Even in a deck that has [let's call it a Sulfuric Vortex] (i.e. a consistent source of Spectacle setup that requires no ongoing mana), you might turn over Mountain, Mountain and therefore not get the full use of your Red Divination.

But it's not a zero.

There are certainly Red Decks that are going to appreciate the ability to grind a little bit; in particular if they can do so at . Just getting in with creature damage is probably fine.

I am very skeptical that the configuration is going to be preferred by anyone. Practically speaking, this card is probably worse than Simic Ascendancy, especially given the presence of Risk Factor in the same block.

8. Simic Ascendancy

Realistically this is the most interesting card of the first ten; comparable to Growth Spiral from that perspective, if on the other end of the impact spectrum.

Before we get into all the other text - the upside text - let's think about putting +1/+1 counters on our guys, and how much we might want to spend to do that.

The Hardened Scales decks of Standard past and Modern present should remind you of how viable such a strategy might be. If you're into paying three mana for a +1/+1 counter, two +1/+1 counters are probably even better! That said, the additional prices of 1) a second color, and 2) a full card demand a long, hard, look from the aspiring deck designer.

Further, this card doesn't do much if you don't have any creatures; so it can theoretically be neutralized by either side of a Mortify.

But let's get past all that for a second. Would you pay three mana for a +1/+1 counter?

This fellow would suggest that paying four is a fine choice:

How about this upstanding lady?

Lots of stuff going on with that one, right? You might be paying more than three (or more than four) for your +1/+1 counter; but you also might be getting a ton of them, which would accelerate the last clause on Simic Ascendancy!

I love alternate win conditions (see the next card hot take) but outside of Poison... They don't perform very often. I would be the first person to run a lap pumping the fist if Simic Ascendancy worked out... It just requires an enormous effort in cards devoted and mana... And most importantly, time. Even if you get your twenty growth counters... How did you not just clock that guy for twenty? Wouldn't you have won already?

Moreover, people play all of this kind of stuff to get in your way before your next upkeep:

And many, many more will be playing this:

If you look across the room and see Ali Aintrazi, some head scratchers might even add:

It's a tough world for Simic Ascendancy, resource-wise. If exciting to think about!

Would not mind this two-card combination, though; not one bit:

Also, I think Chamber Sentry, though slow, is probably better than its popularity to date might indicate.

These Are Also Cards That Have Been Spoiled, I Guess

9. Gate Colossus

One thing that I like about this card is that it offers some measure of inevitability. An 8/8 ain't no slouch... Even though you don't really want to pay 8 for it.

If there is a true Gates-based deck this time around, I think it's worth exploring. Maze's End is really powerful; maybe that'll come back.

Obviously if you're not playing it in the right shell, this creature is kind of eh.

10. Rafter Demon

This card just isn't sized for Constructed. Compare it to Crackling Drake. Crackling Drake is more durable, potentially just bigger, and most importantly, hits its card advantage consistently. This creature is less consistent, smaller when it comes in, and can't consistently win the game by itself. Also, being 4/2 and all might disqualify it at four all by its lonesome.

LOVE

MIKE