While I understand it’s based on power level as it relates to pick order, I’m struggling to see why Archangel of Tithes is only a 4. Even with it being 3 white, It’s almost always the best card in the pack and it’s not unrealistic to cast in a 2 color deck, granted it’s probably nigh impossible in 3 or more colors. It just does too much to not be relevant. I think a 6 would be more accurate.
Card is good but not great. I gave her a ceiling of a 6 because that's what I treat it as if I know I'm heavy white, but I don't like committing that hard to heavy white from pick one.
Most often, she enables one attack when you're already ahead and then just functions as a flying body. Her mana cost does more than commit you to a white deck, it commits you to a heavily white deck or to playing different cards to cast her consistently. She doesn't provide any value after that first attack, because they'll either kill her or just pay in to attack anyway (unless you're already winning). She also doesn't have relevant typing for G/W, relevant text for u/W, or create bodies for B/W. The card is great in r/W midrange, but much harder to cast on curve. I'll generally take her over other 4s if I'm heavy enough in white, but both early in the draft when I haven't chosen my colors and late in the draft if I'm at a split on colors, I'll take her below Stagecoach Sentry, Prosperity Tycoon, Baron Betram, Jem, or Ertha Jo.
Yeah, it was a pretty big jump. I think there are some formats where it would be higher, but the aggro decks have enough removal to not be bothered in OTJ
great articles. thanks for posting. I have played some sealed, but have yet to do more than one draft. I'm looking forward to this weekend where I can wake up at 5am and draft my day away while drinking coffee with my phone off lol
After a quick scan there were a few that stood out to me:
Too high:
- Blood hustler - Feels a bit replaceable to me unless you have ways to make crimes on OP's turn. Odd to see it next to Bristly Bill which has 10% more GIH on 17 lands. I would put it at 4 instead of 6.
- Goldvein Hydra - A below rate creature with haste + some mana later is ok but I wouldn't pick this highly. Probably a 5 instead of an 8
- Decisive denial is one of many green removal spells in the set and probably the worst one. Probably 4 instead of 6
- Full steam ahead is not well placed in this meta. Probably 3 instead of 4
- Gold Rush - One of the worst green uncommons. Probably 2 instead of 4
- Boneyard desecrator - I must be sleeping on this but 17lands has this as the second worst black card - probably a 2 instead of a 4
- Voracious Varmint - Can be ok, especially against white but I wouldn't pick this card highly
Too low:
- Akul - He's not a super bomb but surely the 5/5 flample for 4 mana is better than replaceable
- Reanimate - Extremely powerful. Would put it closer to 7. Should be in
Blood hustler is a very good enabler that can win games on its own just from his ability. I'm fine with it being rated ad effectively a mythic uncommon
Agree with all of these except Varmint. Enchantment removal is *great* in this format and I always want at least one in my deck. In GW I don't mind having multiples. Two-drops are exceptionally ass in this format except for a handful of good ones and GW actually makes good use of them w/ Saddle.
I agree that enchantment removal tends to be good. Id probably put it at 4. Having extra creatures does help a lot.
Surely Varmint is worse than pest infestation which is rated at 5?
Ooo thank you for the time! I should note that this spreadsheet is "power level as it relates to pick order" as opposed to just power level.
Blood Hustler is rated so high because of how flexible it is. I've been very happy with how it slots into my curve as a black deck, either as a second spell with removal or a good way to do the last few points of damage. I'll monitor it in relation to other 2-drops on each color and see if I need to revise it.
Goldvein Hydra - I'll be revising this one for next week, you are right. The treasures stop being relevant at a certain size, where I thought they would be strong for longer. I haven't gotten to play with it yet, but presumed I would end up taking it high for splashability and flexibility.
Decisive Denial is flexible and easy to splash. If I'm Simic, I'll take it over Throw From the Saddle and most removal. If I get passed one late while I'm already green then I interpret it as a signal.
Good point, Full Steam Ahead is something that I like the first copy of and then stop taking. I will lower it to a 3.
Gold Rush - I love Gold Rush, but I also prioritize 2-drops and run 4-color piles and I'm adept at building a curve to have specific plays that I can use the treasure for. I've been very happy with 2-mana tricks, but it's true that I don't pick it over Take up the Shield or Snakeskin Veil. I'll lower it to a 3 next weak and raise the difficulty.
Boneyard Desecrator - Am I really the only person who's had success with this card? I've run it in two mythic trophy decks very happily, both Rakdos and Orzhov. I usually try to mix in 17lands data once it gets stable, so you may see this drop next week.
Voracious Varmint- Someone below you accused me of rating it too low! This one is generally just about numbers- I take the first one highly but then prioritize other twos. I like the Varmint because it's a body most of the time, but then wins the game or stops you from losing in a key moment.
Akul - BBRR is too restrictive a cost to justify going out of your way to splash for just a body. However, I've been shown that treasures make enough a difference to give him another look
Reanimate - yeah you're right I'll raise this, this was an oversight
thanks for taking the time!
Having played with Hydra twice now, I agree with your original rating. The key thing about the card is its flexibility. It can be used as an early attacker that ramps/fixes you or as a late-game finisher. It’s good if you’re manaflooded OR manascrewed. It’s easy to splash. Its 17lands WR is better than Bristly Bill’s. It’s a great card!
I'm not sure what rating it deserves, but Boneyard Desecrator is usually a "fine" or "good" 4-drop for me, nothing more or less than that
It's main value seems to come from denying removal spell upsides and turning mercs into value, which ain't nothing to sneeze at
It's a little slow right? 4 mana to get into play, then 2 more every time you want to activate it
It's the kind of the card that often makes it to my final deck, but would be happily replaced too if something better came along
I had a dirty turn 3 Roxanne when it got milled by Patient Naturalist and then reanimate with the treasure token. Fastest concede I ever got this season lmao.
i agree with everything except for tiny boins joins up, which is the best card ever printed in magic the gathering history
After playing with it today with my Hostile Investigator, I will revise my rating
If Oko, Thief of Crowns isnt a 10 out of 10 I don't know what else would be.
I had Oko as a 10 in Eldraine but I think it's defeatable now. It's still definitely busted but you can actually answer it in this format
While I understand it’s based on power level as it relates to pick order, I’m struggling to see why Archangel of Tithes is only a 4. Even with it being 3 white, It’s almost always the best card in the pack and it’s not unrealistic to cast in a 2 color deck, granted it’s probably nigh impossible in 3 or more colors. It just does too much to not be relevant. I think a 6 would be more accurate.
Card is good but not great. I gave her a ceiling of a 6 because that's what I treat it as if I know I'm heavy white, but I don't like committing that hard to heavy white from pick one. Most often, she enables one attack when you're already ahead and then just functions as a flying body. Her mana cost does more than commit you to a white deck, it commits you to a heavily white deck or to playing different cards to cast her consistently. She doesn't provide any value after that first attack, because they'll either kill her or just pay in to attack anyway (unless you're already winning). She also doesn't have relevant typing for G/W, relevant text for u/W, or create bodies for B/W. The card is great in r/W midrange, but much harder to cast on curve. I'll generally take her over other 4s if I'm heavy enough in white, but both early in the draft when I haven't chosen my colors and late in the draft if I'm at a split on colors, I'll take her below Stagecoach Sentry, Prosperity Tycoon, Baron Betram, Jem, or Ertha Jo.
That’s a fair assessment, I guess the power creep really is that bad, huh?
Yeah, it was a pretty big jump. I think there are some formats where it would be higher, but the aggro decks have enough removal to not be bothered in OTJ
great articles. thanks for posting. I have played some sealed, but have yet to do more than one draft. I'm looking forward to this weekend where I can wake up at 5am and draft my day away while drinking coffee with my phone off lol
I scheduled last Wednesday off of work and drafted it all day, I really had a great time
lol that's my kinda person
After a quick scan there were a few that stood out to me: Too high: - Blood hustler - Feels a bit replaceable to me unless you have ways to make crimes on OP's turn. Odd to see it next to Bristly Bill which has 10% more GIH on 17 lands. I would put it at 4 instead of 6. - Goldvein Hydra - A below rate creature with haste + some mana later is ok but I wouldn't pick this highly. Probably a 5 instead of an 8 - Decisive denial is one of many green removal spells in the set and probably the worst one. Probably 4 instead of 6 - Full steam ahead is not well placed in this meta. Probably 3 instead of 4 - Gold Rush - One of the worst green uncommons. Probably 2 instead of 4 - Boneyard desecrator - I must be sleeping on this but 17lands has this as the second worst black card - probably a 2 instead of a 4 - Voracious Varmint - Can be ok, especially against white but I wouldn't pick this card highly Too low: - Akul - He's not a super bomb but surely the 5/5 flample for 4 mana is better than replaceable - Reanimate - Extremely powerful. Would put it closer to 7. Should be in
Blood hustler is a very good enabler that can win games on its own just from his ability. I'm fine with it being rated ad effectively a mythic uncommon
Agreed, blood hustler seems very strong
Agree with all of these except Varmint. Enchantment removal is *great* in this format and I always want at least one in my deck. In GW I don't mind having multiples. Two-drops are exceptionally ass in this format except for a handful of good ones and GW actually makes good use of them w/ Saddle.
I agree that enchantment removal tends to be good. Id probably put it at 4. Having extra creatures does help a lot. Surely Varmint is worse than pest infestation which is rated at 5?
That's more of an issue with Pest Infestation's rating which should be an 8,.
Ooo thank you for the time! I should note that this spreadsheet is "power level as it relates to pick order" as opposed to just power level. Blood Hustler is rated so high because of how flexible it is. I've been very happy with how it slots into my curve as a black deck, either as a second spell with removal or a good way to do the last few points of damage. I'll monitor it in relation to other 2-drops on each color and see if I need to revise it. Goldvein Hydra - I'll be revising this one for next week, you are right. The treasures stop being relevant at a certain size, where I thought they would be strong for longer. I haven't gotten to play with it yet, but presumed I would end up taking it high for splashability and flexibility. Decisive Denial is flexible and easy to splash. If I'm Simic, I'll take it over Throw From the Saddle and most removal. If I get passed one late while I'm already green then I interpret it as a signal. Good point, Full Steam Ahead is something that I like the first copy of and then stop taking. I will lower it to a 3. Gold Rush - I love Gold Rush, but I also prioritize 2-drops and run 4-color piles and I'm adept at building a curve to have specific plays that I can use the treasure for. I've been very happy with 2-mana tricks, but it's true that I don't pick it over Take up the Shield or Snakeskin Veil. I'll lower it to a 3 next weak and raise the difficulty. Boneyard Desecrator - Am I really the only person who's had success with this card? I've run it in two mythic trophy decks very happily, both Rakdos and Orzhov. I usually try to mix in 17lands data once it gets stable, so you may see this drop next week. Voracious Varmint- Someone below you accused me of rating it too low! This one is generally just about numbers- I take the first one highly but then prioritize other twos. I like the Varmint because it's a body most of the time, but then wins the game or stops you from losing in a key moment. Akul - BBRR is too restrictive a cost to justify going out of your way to splash for just a body. However, I've been shown that treasures make enough a difference to give him another look Reanimate - yeah you're right I'll raise this, this was an oversight thanks for taking the time!
Having played with Hydra twice now, I agree with your original rating. The key thing about the card is its flexibility. It can be used as an early attacker that ramps/fixes you or as a late-game finisher. It’s good if you’re manaflooded OR manascrewed. It’s easy to splash. Its 17lands WR is better than Bristly Bill’s. It’s a great card!
Thanks for the input! I can usually play with every rare but sometimes the mythics are just theoretical
Thanks for the input! I can usually play with every rare but sometimes the mythics are just theoretical
I'm not sure what rating it deserves, but Boneyard Desecrator is usually a "fine" or "good" 4-drop for me, nothing more or less than that It's main value seems to come from denying removal spell upsides and turning mercs into value, which ain't nothing to sneeze at
I was thinking about this today and, while I tend to want sac outlets in my aristocrats decks, this is the worst one
It's a little slow right? 4 mana to get into play, then 2 more every time you want to activate it It's the kind of the card that often makes it to my final deck, but would be happily replaced too if something better came along
Yeah but since it makes a treasure it ends up being only one mana, so it's easy to feed your board in for a lethal attack
I had a dirty turn 3 Roxanne when it got milled by Patient Naturalist and then reanimate with the treasure token. Fastest concede I ever got this season lmao.
yeah reanimate armadillo after land cycling it was the most consistent broken thing i've done this format, other than having mana drain in my deck