Sam loves overlooked cards, and these five some that he really enjoys using from Shadows Over Innistrad.
After hosting our midnight pre-release event and playing in the events on Saturday and Sunday, I have to say that I am really impressed with this set. There are a ton of really powerful cards, lots of flavor in the overall set, and most importantly, there's tons of variable deck-building options for limited play. It may be a little early to say whether or not this set will have such a positive impact on constructed formats like standard and modern, but I already know that this set is fantastic for sealed and draft. Below are 5 cards that I really enjoyed playing with over the course of the weekend. It's important for me to note that I'm not making financial predictions or ranking cards based on power level. Anyone who's ever played me in Magic before knows that I love overlooked cards and that I don't necessarily follow the "metagame," and I think these cards reflect that. Take a look:
1.) Tireless Tracker
I think that this is an overall excellent card. Clue tokens proved to be incredibly useful in limited, and this card gives you one nearly every turn. In addition, it gets stronger every time you SACRIFICE a Clue token, meaning that you can use those Clue tokens as resources for your other spells, and there are quite a few spells that require you do just that in Shadows. I like this card a ton simply because as you gain card advantage, you also gain strength on the battlefield. I'm likely going to use this card in almost every commander deck that runs green, but who knows! I might try it in standard too.
2.) Sinister Concoction
Is it just me, or is this card insane? Maybe it's just me, but this cards seems really effective in a set that has as much madness as it does. Just as a black removal spell, it has a cheap mana cost that allows you to play it turn one, all the conditions are easy to meet, and you can destroy any creature with its effect, not just non-black.
3.) Slayer's Plate
Okay, admittedly this isn't a terribly attractive card, but let me make a case for it. The mana cost and equip cost make it a little bulky for fast aggro play, which is where it seems that this card should go. +4/+2 is no joke, and in Oath of the Gatewatch, there are a few red and red/white cards that can utilize equipment early. Not only does a Human creature with this equipped pack a mean punch, but if your opponent wastes removal on it, you get a 1/1 flying spirit! And there are tons of Human creatures that could make good use of this.
4.) Gibbering Fiend
This guy is a real pain, and if you already meet the conditions for Delirium (which is an awesome mechanic, by the way) this is a threat that will gradually and efficiently chip away at your opponent. Not to mention, he's cheap and has decent stats for such a cheap cost.
5.) Behold the Beyond
I love this card. It costs a lot and it may not be ideal for Standard and Modern, but this will end games almost every time it's cast. Sure, discarding your hand may not always be desired, but you get to look for any three cards from your deck! This is the opportunity to get the exact three cards you need to win! This should be an absolute must for any commander player with black in their deck.
We're going to have tons of opportunities to make these and other awesome cards from the new set available. Shadows Over Innistrad officially drops this Friday, on which day we'll host a Shadows Over Innistrad draft, one of my favorite ways to play with new cards. Check out this set and tell me what your favorite cardsare! - Sam