Channel Fireball Set Review War of the Spark

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Ratings Scale

Retired and inducted into the Limited Hall of Fame: Pack Rat. Umezawa's Jitte. The Scarab God.
5.0: The best of the best. (Niv-Mizzet, Parun. Skarrgan Hellkite. Ethereal Absolution.)
4.v: Incredible bomb, merely not unbeatable. (Thief of Sanity. Judith, the Scourge Diva. Experimental Frenzy.)
4.0: Practiced rare or top-tier uncommon. (Gate Colossus. Mortify. Biomancer's Familiar.)
three.5: Peak-tier common or solid uncommon. (Bract Juggler. Skewer the Critics. Skyknight Legionnaire.)
3.0: Good playable that basically always makes the cutting. (Sauroform Hybrid. Watcher in the Mist. Wojek Bodyguard.)
2.5: Solid playable that rarely gets cut. (Ornery Goblin. Syndicate Messenger. Plague Wight.)
2.0: Good filler, simply sometimes gets cutting. (Radical Idea. Noxious Groodion. Ghor-Clan Wrecker.)
i.5: Filler. Gets cut about one-half the fourth dimension. (Wall of Mist. Axebane Beast.)
ane.0: Bad filler. Gets cutting most of the fourth dimension. (Feral Maaka. Knight of Sorrows. Prying Optics.)
0.5: Very low-end playables and sideboard material. (Expose to Daylight. Persistent Petitioners.)
0.0: Completely unplayable. (Font of Agonies. 1 with Nothing.)

War of the Spark Fix Review: White

Ajani'southward Pridemate

Limited: two.0/3.0

At a base level, Ajani's Pridemate is a passable menu, and y'all may randomly end up with one or 2 life-proceeds cards in your deck. Once you lot have 3+, especially repeatable ones, this becomes a powerhouse, largely considering the opportunity cost is so low on a ii-mana 2/ii.

Battleground Promotion

Limited: i.v

This isn't much of a promotion—it comes with a minor pay crash-land, but I bet the new boss is gonna pile on tons of new responsibilities. Basically, this is a fine trick if you're in the market for one, but about decks will want 0-ii cards in this vein, and this doesn't help your 2/2s have down 4/4s.

Bond of Subject area

Limited: 1.5

I'k not very high on Bond of Discipline, despite it having a potentially powerful effect. This is the kind of card that really captures people's imaginations—while in that location are games where this taps down six creatures and lets you attack for lethal (or near-lethal while you gain 10+ life), it also rots in your hand virtually games.

When y'all have this in mitt instead of another creature or a removal spell, you lose games where you but needed one more game piece, every bit this by itself doesn't get you alee. If you compare information technology to Slumber, it's largely worse—it just gives you one set on step, and the life proceeds is similar to preventing a counterattack. Add that to the fact that Sleep varied by format (it was good in fast formats and mediocre in slow, removal-heavy ones), and you have a card I retrieve will exist overrated. It is worth mentioning that with more planeswalkers, this does give you a way to kill opposing 'walkers, but well-nigh of them provide value immediately, so spending a card killing them is often not the most heady proposition.

Overall, this card is playable as a way to win races and break lath stalls, only I'd only run it if I had a ton of creatures and little removal. I'd also side it out against decks with lots of removal, and so please exist disciplined and don't just look at this and think it's the next Overrun.

Barrier Giant

Limited: 1.5

This is expensive enough that I'd be looking to side it in confronting decks with reach (similar burn, or funnily enough, cards like Bail of Field of study that become extra impairment through). It'south a mediocre master-deck card, given the stats and cost, but if you lot're playing a command deck and accept no expensive cards, feel free to do your best Tormund Giantsbane impression. Yum.

Charmed Stray

Limited: ane.0

Charming, yeah. Constructive, no. I'd more often than not exist looking to side this in confronting an aggro deck full of 2/1s, or peradventure run this if I had multiple Ajani's Pridemates and a life-proceeds theme. In that location will be around iii of these per draft, and I would want v+ before even because them. A stray i of these won't do much—you need the whole pack earlier they become a threat.

Defiant Strike

Limited: 2.0

The flooring on a 1-mana carte du jour that replaces itself isn't very depression, and so I don't heed Defiant Strike if you are a couple cards brusque. It'due south besides pretty prissy in U/W or R/W, as there's a spells-matter theme going on in blue and cherry, so sometimes you'll end up enabling your Thunder Drakes or Spellgorger Weirds with this.

Divine Arrow

Limited: 3.0

Divine Arrow is efficient enough that it's across reproach, every bit it kills most things and does then pretty cleanly. It'due south at its worst in aggressive decks, every bit they get to cake before you tin kill their creature, just fifty-fifty then information technology withal removes 4/4s from play for only 2 mana.

Enforcer Griffin

Limited: ii.0

At no point volition you be excited to play Enforcer Griffin, only it should still make the cutting more oftentimes than not. It's a solid combination of stats and cost, and fills out the five-drib slot with a beefy evasive threat. It'south nix fancy, but it gets the job done.

Finale of Celebrity

Limited: iv.5

At 4 mana, Finale of Glory is a slightly worse Call the Cavalry, simply it scales up quickly afterward that. The sweet spot is 6-vii mana, though information technology's absurd if you somehow become to 12. The reason cards similar this are so good is that they are very strong with lots of mana, withal still castable and constructive if you're stuck on 4-v mana. That flexibility plus power is worth a lot, and as a effect this is ane of the better cards in the set.

Gideon Blackblade

Limited: iv.0

Gideon is powerful, but he can't protect himself, which unfortunately may pb to him getting killed. When you lot are ahead, Gideon will stomp your opponent—an indestructible four/4 aggressor plus a expert keyword each turn is a lot to handle. He eventually gets to exile anything he wants, though at that point your opponent is probably on the ropes anyway. That's a lot for iii mana, and Gideon is a legit early pick. Still, if yous are behind, he doesn't stop the opponent from bashing him, so he's a pace below the bombs in the gear up.

Gideon's Cede

Limited: 0.5

It'south actually hard to get even one carte's worth of value from Gideon'due south Sacrifice, much less multiple. If somehow you lot terminate upwards with a actually big lath, this could help sway a combat involving tons of creatures, simply that'southward just not all that likely, and on the face of things this is menu disadvantage.

Gideon'south Triumph

Limited: iii.0

While I normally don't like Edicts (cards that make your opponent choose and sacrifice a creature, named after Diabolic Edict, Killer of Morphlings, First of Its Name), Gideon's Triumph works a bit differently. It only interacts with creatures that attacked or blocked, which means your opponent's 5/v tin can't hide behind their one/i, every bit the ane/i won't be getting into combat. Even if they do send both creatures, note that yous can block and impale a smaller creature, then bandage Gideon's Triumph after damage to brand the opponent cede the bigger i. Y'all will take damage, just that's normally going to be worth it. I think this volition play out pretty well, and I'd look at it like a slightly worse Divine Arrow.

God-Eternal Oketra

Limited: v.0

So this is finer a 5-mana 6/6 (slightly better, as double strike stacks nicely with gainsay tricks and is harder to multiblock), and the drawbacks are that it's unkillable and provides a constant stream of value? I'm in! God-Eternal Oketra is easily one of the all-time cards in the set, and you should slam information technology if you tin—I'd fifty-fifty consider switching into white if I opened this in pack two.

Grateful Apparition

Limited: 1.0/3.5

Without any other synergies, this is mediocre, only the synergies with proliferate are arable and easy to observe. If yous have two other cards that work well, I'd be grateful for Grateful Apparition, and at 3+ it becomes one of the improve cards in your deck. I'd by and large look for +1/+1 counters, though planeswalker loyalty is another practiced combo.

Ignite the Buoy

Limited: ane.0

Paying five mana to depict two cards is a tough sell, and unless you accept 3-4 planeswalkers in your deck, you may not have two cards to draw. It is true that Ignite the Beacon finds two of your amend cards, so I'd consider it if I had i great planeswalker and a couple decent ones, simply it'due south tedious enough that you have to make sure your deck has plenty early on game that you tin afford to take a turn off to start igniting things.

Ironclad Krovod

Limited: 1.v

Maybe I'm thinking too fondly of Wishcoin Crab, but I could come across this providing ironclad defense of your planeswalkers. Granted, this format is shaping upwards to be slower than Guilds of Ravnica, but Crab was a 2.0 there, so I like starting this at 1.v.

Law-Rune Enforcer

Limited: 3.five

We oasis't seen a tapper this good in Limited for quite some fourth dimension (this set has a bunch of intentionally juiced commons, which should exist interesting). I similar that it can't tap other copies of itself, equally the "tap your tapper" dynamic can rune a game. This is cheap, locks down the creatures yous care well-nigh (with the Zombie Ground forces from aggregate beingness the near notable miss) and does a skilful job dealing with the progressively larger threats your opponent will produce. Law-Rune Enforcer is efficient plenty that I'd play 2 with no trouble, and three still sounds pretty good to me.

Loxodon Sergeant

Limited: 1.5

Loxodon Sergeant may look appealing, only information technology's mediocre. A three/3 for 4 is passable, and adding vigilance to both it and your team for one turn doesn't practise a lot, so y'all end up with a filler card you're non thrilled to end upward playing.

Makeshift Battalion

Limited: 2.0

In a creature-heavy aggro deck, Makeshift Battalion does its task. It'south a decent threat if you can trigger it one time, and if you go at that place twice you got a very skillful deal.

Martyr for the Cause

Limited: 2.0

A bear with upside is a fine playable, and Martyr for the Crusade goes up in value if you cease up with a agglomeration of planeswalkers and +1/+1 counters. Information technology is pretty neat that it may cease your opponent from attacking entirely if y'all can chump and threaten a planeswalker ultimate, which actually lets this alive up to its proper noun.

Parhelion II

Limited: 3.0

Despite costing 8 mana and requiring multiple creatures to crew (or one big one), I'm nevertheless into it. It basically wins the game if it attacks, and this format does not seem like information technology punishes 8-drops as much every bit most. I wouldn't slam it in an aggro deck, but as a finisher for command or midrange it doesn't get much more than powerful than Parhelion II.

Pouncing Lynx

Limited: 2.5

I don't like Pouncing Lynx much in defensive decks, but it's a dandy attacker if you lot're in the market. I'chiliad non surprised we are starting to meet more than first-strike-on-your-turn cards—information technology'southward a clean mechanic that plays well.

Prison Realm

Limited: iii.5

Cheap removal that likewise scrys? Sign me up! There's zero fancy nigh this card, and it'south good in and against any Limited deck.

Rally of Wings

Limited: 1.0/2.5

Not many decks will be able to play this, simply it's a beating when yous practice accept a good Rally deck. A teamwide +2/+2 and an untap for just 2 mana is powerful—I'd await to have eight+ fliers in my deck before Rallying. Note that this works very nicely with Trusted Pegasus, and I'd count Pegasus every bit two fliers for this calculation.

Ravnica at War

Limited: ane.5

If your deck by and large dodges Ravnica at War, I'd lean toward maindecking information technology, as it does hit hybrid cards, and in that location are a lot of multicolored cards overall. This is too a proficient sideboard card, though pay shut attention to what your opponent has—you'll desire to side it out or in depending on how much it hits, and it'due south critical you accept the most authentic info possible.

Ascension Populace

Express: iii.0

As long as you have a decent number of creatures/planeswalkers in your deck, this bill of fare volition perform. Its stock rises especially quickly with planeswalkers, as those tend not to final too long on the battlefield.

Single Gainsay

Limited: i.0

I'one thousand not a big fan of Single Combat. Your opponent getting to keep their best carte means there's no fashion to really punish them, and having both players wait a plow earlier reloading isn't that huge either. I like this in Constructed, just in Express I'm less optimistic.

Sunblade Angel

Express: 3.0

Sunblade Angel is expensive, so early on in the Draft I wouldn't prioritize her (y'all accept then few spots for expensive cards that I like to get-go out with cheaper ones). Nevertheless, once she hits the battleground she does work, and she scales very nicely with any sort of pump spells. All those keywords add together up, and she tin easily dominate a game, even if it is unfortunate that she dies to a bunch of common removal spells.

Teyo, the Shieldmage

Limited: 2.5

Like whatever good shield, Teyo's value is predicated on what he has to protect. If he's guarding other powerful planeswalkers, he can be dynamite, but if you're lacking in finishers he is more than likely to interruption your centre than get annihilation meaningful done. I practice like that he provides a lot of toughness and hexproof, so if you selection your spots right you can get plenty of value for iii mana.

Teyo'due south Lightshield

Limited: 2.5

I like this a scrap more than I idea I would, all thank you to context (it'south what makes Limited not bad). A +1/+ane counter is just worth a lot more with proliferate in the set, and this gets you started when you take multiple ways to get value from counters. Teyo'due south Lightshield also combines nicely with fliers, and at worst provides a ane/4 blocker to protect your planeswalkers. Annotation that this isn't a defender, and so if it gets enough counters it can commencement bashing.

Tomik, Distinguished Advokist

Limited: 3.0

Yous can safely ignore all of Tomik's fancy lands text, and evaluate Tomik every bit a two/3 flier for 2. That is practiced, even with a WW casting price.

Topple the Statue

Express: 2.0

Tin anyone say best-of-ane artifact hate? Topple the Statue does actually practice the trick, equally it's Water ice for iii mana, and a cantrip Shatter if they happen to have an artifact. Killing Parhelion with this is gross, and even if they don't have whatsoever skillful targets yous can still tap downwardly a key blocker or fifty-fifty a land on their budget.

Trusted Pegasus

Limited: iii.5

Having this at 2/2 instead of one/3, like the last couple incarnations of the effect, is a big modify. This slants much more ambitious than Pegasus Courser, and tin can really pressure both opponents and their planeswalkers. Trusted Pegasus is fantastic in aggressive decks and actually solid everywhere else, with only the nearly glacial of control decks not beingness interested.

The Wanderer

Limited: ii.v

This wanders back and along between being nearly a dead carte and virtually unbeatable, all depending on your opponent's deck. If they accept a lot of big creatures, information technology can eviscerate their board, and lead to an insane ii-for-ane. If not, it'due south basically blank, which makes me want to sideboard information technology unless I'm very short on removal. It'due south also relevant that it protects your creatures from fire spells, even if you lot won't always know when that role is beingness practiced.

Wanderer'due south Strike

Limited: 3.0

Wanderer's Strike is a solid piece of removal, and in some sets would be among the better options. This set has a bunch of pushed commons, which makes Strike more of a decent card than a truly desirable i. I also wouldn't worry too much most the proliferate part—in some decks that volition be a good bonus, just even if you accept nothing combos, it'south a fine card.

War Screecher

Limited: 2.5

I like cheap creatures with expensive activated abilities, equally they tend to be good at any indicate in the game. State of war Screecher is no exception, as it's a relevant early drib and a groovy style to use your mana later in the game. It does go meliorate in aggressive decks, but it's still fine in any deck that needs a 2-drop.

Meridian 5 White Commons

5. War Screecher
4. Wanderer's Strike
iii. Divine Arrow
2. Law-Rune Enforcer
ane. Trusted Pegasus

White leans aggressive, every bit it usually does, merely has enough removal that in that location are definitely the tools to play a more than decision-making game. I'1000 curious how this much good removal impacts the format – it looks to me similar it will be slower, and all of the planeswalkers seem to lean that fashion besides.

Tags: Express Fix Review, LSV's Set Review, LSV's War of the Spark Set Review, Ravnica Allegiance, Ravnica Allegiance Set Review, Gear up Review, WAR, WAR Limited Fix Review, State of war of the Spark, WAR Set Review, White

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