Hello Illumineers! Welcome back for another installment of reviews from Azurite Sea. Today, we'll be evaluating one of my favorite ink colors, Steel. Steel continues to bring the raw power of removal and defense through its characters and actions in the newest set. We'll take a look at some honorable mentions as well as my top picks. Are you ready? Let's go!

Check Out the other parts of our Azurite Sea Review!

• Amber - Stefen Delgado
• Amethyst - Garrett Farrington
• Emerald - Dan Eckstein
• Ruby - Dan Eckstein
• Sapphire - Garrett Farrington

Honorable Mentions

These picks didn't quite make the top cut, but that's okay! With the right innovations and synergies, we can easily see these choices make it as some spice in a top tier deck or a neat rogue deck.

Jim Hawkins - Stubborn Cabin Boy makes the honorable mentions for the fact that this card will be absolutely bonkers in a ramp focused Sapphire/Steel deck. RMB from Team Labyrinth is really high on this card since Challenger +2 is a static effect and stacks. That means this can carry over to the Floodborn version and carry over those same effects, altering the strength when challenging. But even if you don't get the opportunity to shift, you're looking at either a 2/4 or 4/4 when challenging for only 2 ink and it's inkable. This card will carry some pretty good value in both Constructed and Limited formats.

Since we're on the topic of Jim Hawkins, let's go over his Floodborn version as well, Jim Hawkins - Rigging Specialist. Remember those static effects we discussed earlier? This is where they'll come into play. At worst, we're looking at a possible 7 strength that can deal 1 damage to a chosen character or location. That already clears an extremely threatening The Queen's Castle - Mirror Chamber. Need a little more umph? Ramp against before shifting and you can bump that up to 9 strength which can clear an exerted Tamatoa - So Shiny! The applications here are endless, and this seems exactly like the tool Sapphire/Steel needs in their decks to bring a larger representation in this set's meta.

Ambush brings a mechanic that I feel is unexplored in Lorcana. This calls back to Magic: The Gathering's First Strike ability, allowing you to keep a character on the board with no reduction of damage if your strength meets or exceeds the defending creature's toughness. In this case, we actually get to target the character instead and deal with threats that are either readied or have Evasive. Not having to challenge also allows you to keep board pressure through character presence, which is always a plus.

Gantu has been redeemed! Poor Gantu has been meme-worthy since The First Chapter, but he's back and with a vengeance! Being an inkable 5 cost character with 4 strength, 3 willpower, and 4 lore pips, he's a threat that cannot be ignored. This is a perfect example of a well-stated character that needs no ability that can share the ranks with other characters and still provide insane value. I expect to see him in some Constructed play, and a ton of Limited play as well.

Wreck-it Ralph - Ham Hands is a 6 cost uninkable characters that has 4 strength, 4 willpower, and 3 lore pips. His ability, I Wreck Things, provides some range when dealing with threats such as items or locations, effectively questing for 5 lore each swing. Whether they're your items or locations or your opponents, we have opportunities to keep applying strong lore swings turn over turn unless he's dealt with. With 4 strength, he's extremely resilient to the majority of targeted Ruby removal, and 4 willpower means your opponent will need some decent damage removal or characters to challenge him. I expect to see him in both Constructed in the lower tier and rogue decks and Limited formats.

Pluto - Guard Dog is an insane value addition to Steelsong decks. At 4 ink, being inkable, and effectively 5 strength and 5 willpower when undamaged, he's overstated and definitely frustrating to deal with from the opposing side of the table. Bodyguard lets you safely quest or sing with weaker characters earlier on instead of waiting for Chien-Po on turn five. I see Pluto making it in many Steel-based decks in the constructed format, as well as limit formats.

I'm not going to lie here, when this card was revealed, I was just as high on her as Fix It Felix was in the movie. This Dynamite Gal may be uninkable, but that is expected with her stats and ability. With 3 strength, 2 willpower, Resist +1, and the ability, Level Up, you have the same effect as the legendary Robin Hood - Champion of Sherwood up to a turn earlier. Not only does Calhoun have some staying power, but in decks that can add Resist and additional stats or heal will maximize the most value from Calhoun. She will not only be great in constructed formats, but pretty much an instant pick in limit formats as well.

Conclusion

Here are my top picks from Steel in the latest set, Azurite Sea! What are your thoughts? What of these cards will you be adding to your deck? What changes or additions would you make from this list? Let me know on X!

This article was brought to you by CoolStuffInc, your number one place for all Disney Lorcana products, whether competitively-priced singles, or sealed products. They carry the most popular TCGs, and even have a buy list! Check it out! My name is Stefen, and until next time Illumineers, I'll see you on the Azurite Seas!