Discussion Forum

Greetings and Salutations from Noteworthy Plays! Sorry for the long quiet, I've been busy what with the new year and all, but here I am with a preview article for Worldwake! Wizards just posted their Visual Spoiler, so I'm going to go over the cards that've been spoiled so far, including ones not on the spoiler just yet. Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/art...ldwake/spoiler

UPDATE 1/17/10: Ok, I'll be updating this post every time I get a new update, cards marked as NEW are up to a week old, so here's some new stuff. It's also organized by color and alphabetically now.


---NEW---
Admonition Angel - 3WWW
Creature - Angel
Mythic Rare
Text:
Flying
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may exile target nonland permanent other than Admonition Angel.
When Admonition Angel leaves the battlefield, return all cards exiled with it to the battlefield under their owners' control.
P/T:6/6

Wow, what a doozy! Ok, so not only do we have another good white creature, it's just plain bomby in whatever format it's in (that being Standard and Zendikar-Worldwake Limited, to be specific). 6 is usually steep, but for a 6/6 flier with a truly relevant ability, it's just really good. It O-Rings stuff! More than once! And, it doesn't die to Burst Lightning (I'm looking at you, Roil Elemental).

---NEW---

Join the Ranks - 3W
Instant
Common
Text:
Put two 1/1 white Soldier Ally creature tokens onto the battlefield.

Um....Wow. No really, wow. 4 mana for 2 1/1s at instant speed normally isn't good....or decent. Heck, we've got 1R for sorcery speed from alara. But, not only are they Soldiers, they're Ally soldiers. This card, mark my words, is what will make Allies a constructed force if it ever comes to that. This makes all sorts of stuff good. Kabira Evangel comes to mind... And they're Soldiers, so if you're running mono-W soldiers with the Kazandu Blademaster in there, just one of these and Kazandu's huge. Just saying, this card has the potential to be extremely good. We shall see.

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Kitesail Apprentice - W
Creature - Kor Soldier
Common

Text:
As long as Kitesail Apprentice is equipped, it gets +1/+1 and has flying.
P/T:1/1


Alright, this one's a pretty basic 1/1 for 1 with a nice little boost and an evasion ability if it's equipped. Constructed playable? Probably not, but it should see some small measure of play in limited, as Kor Equip's one of those strategies that'll randomly work in draft.

-----NEW------


Kor Firewalker - WW
Creature - Kor Soldier
Uncommon
Text:
Protection from red
Whenever a player casts a red spell, you may gain 1 life.
P/T:2/2

Wow. People were already playing Dragon's Claw in their boards, and they're gonna print this? Red decks just got some serious hate. I like it. This will be played in sideboards for sure.

-----NEW----------

Ruin Ghost - 1W
Creature - Spirit
Uncommon
Text:
W, {T}: Exile target land you control, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
P/T:1/1

This card...I don't know. It could potentially be randomly good for EtB abilities on lands like Kabira Crossroads and the like, but I'm not seeing it played in Constructed. Limited...maybe with shenanigans in your deck already, but it's gonna be a late pick in draft for certain.

-----NEW----------

Talus Paladin - 3W
Creature - Human Knight Ally
Rare
Text:
Whenever Talus Paladin or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may have Allies you control gain lifelink until end of turn and you may put a +1/+1 counter on Talus Paladin.
P/T:2/3

Another really good Ally. Constructed good even. Give my board lifelink, yes please. I see W/x Allies having a future. A really good future. I like this deck already. Anyways, It gives all your Allies lifelink, and it gets bigger. Think Turntimber Ranger good, but 1 mana less. That's good. Standard will probably have an Ally deck. Tier 1? I hope so.

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Halimar Excavator - 1U
Creature - Human Wizard Ally
Common
Text:
Whenever Halimar Excavator or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, target player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of Allies you control.
P/T:1/3

I'm gonna warn you now, I love mill, so I'm biased. I really love the flavor of this card, and I'm so glad that mill's on an Ally now. Definitely makes the mill deck draftable in Zen/Zen/WW draft. I doubt it'll have anything in constructed, but only time will tell.


---------------

Jace, the Mind Sculptor - 2UU
Planeswalker - Jace
Mythic Rare
Text:
+2: Look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player's library.
0: Draw three cards, then put two cards from your hand on top of your library in any order.
-1: Return target creature to its owner's hand.
-12: Exile all cards from target player's library, then that player shuffles his or her hand into his or her library.

Wow, new Jace is cool. But is it good? Brainstorm for free every turn's really nice, and the ultimate's fancy, but I don't see it going off ever. The bounce can protect him, and he's just really nifty. All at the low low price of 4 mana. Yeah, he's good in constructed and limited, and he'll see play in control decks. Whether they'll use him as a win-con? I hope so, cuz it'd be neat.

-------------

Mysteries of the Deep - 4U
Instant
Common
Text:
Draw two cards.
Landfall - If you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn, draw three cards instead.

Ok, so it seems we finally hit a blue spell. And man do I like it. 3 cards for 5 is top notch these days, and at instant speed the blue players are getting some love. I expect it to replace the slots that Mind Spring takes up in blue decks, because it's an instant. However, I could be wrong. The landfall ability makes it so that you either have to crack a fetch, get pathed, or play it during your turn, which defeats the purpose of instant speed draw. Still, I see it getting some play in constructed. Draft? Mayhap, it depends how the format turns out, if control in limited's actually viable.

----NEW----

Wind Zendikon - U
Enchantment - Aura
Common
Text:
Enchant land
Enchanted land is a 2/2 blue Elemental creature with flying. It’s still a land.
When enchanted land is put into a graveyard, return that card to its owner’s hand.

This is my favorite common so far. It's a 2/2 flier for 1. How good is that! And it returns the inevitably destroyed land back to your hand, which all the Zendikons do (apparently, after seeing 2 so far). So, this is confirmed as a common cycle of Enchant Lands that make lands into creatures. So far, so good. This one's definitely going to be drafted, maybe even played in Standard. Probably not, but I can dream.

-----NEW----------

Kalastria Highborn - BB
Creature - Vampire Shaman
Rare
Text:
Whenever Kalastria Highborn or another Vampire you control is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay B. If you do, target player loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
P/T:2/2

This card? Is good. Is very, very good. Like Vampires needed another good card. Definitely played in Standard, because people love their vampires, in general. Draft? You could make a pretty sick Vampires deck with this, but since it's rare it'll be difficult.

------NEW--------

Quest for the Nihil Stone - B
Enchantment
Rare
Text:
Whenever an opponent discards a card, you may put a quest counter on Quest for the Nihil Stone.
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, if that player has no cards in hand and Quest for the Nihil Stone has two or more quest counters on it, you may have that player lose 5 life.

Here's why I like it: One Blightning or Mind Rot turns it on. Here's why I don't: I felt exactly the same way about Bloodchief Ascension as I do about this card, so it probably won't work. Won't stop me from building the Bloodchief Nihil Stone deck though. It seems fun, but the fact it's a do-nothing enchantment 'til it's on is kind of lackluster. Them's the quests though.

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Ruthless Cullblade - 1B
Creature - Vampire Warrior
Common
Text:
Ruthless Cullblade gets +2/+1 as long as an opponent has 10 or less life.
P/T: 2/1

Alright, now we get into Vampires, the tribe that's getting its greatest support from this block. Ruthless Cullblade is kind of vanilla, so i don't expect it to be picked highly in draft or played heavily in constructed. Still, 2 for a 4/2's not bad, it's just not great.

--------------

Smother - 1B
Instant
Uncommon
Text:
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 3 or less. It can't be regenerated.

Smother is a reprint, and one that is certain to see play across both extended and standard. And it's removal, so it's good in limited too.

----NEW------

Chain Reaction - 2RR
Sorcery
Rare
Text:
Chain Reaction deals X damage to each creature, where X is the number of creatures on the battlefield.

This makes the Eldrazi deck sad. Other than that, it's amazing in limited, but might only see the light of day Constructed-wise in sideboards. Even then, it's a big maybe.

-------------------

Comet Storm - XRR
Instant
Mythic Rare
Text:
Multikicker 1
Choose target creature or player, then choose another target creature or player for each time Comet Storm was kicked. Comet Storm deals X damage to each of them.

What more can I say, they made Fireball better. Way better. Constructed playable? We'll see.

---NEW----

Cunning Sparkmage - 2R
Creature - Human Shaman
Uncommon
Text:
Haste
T: Cunning Sparkmage deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
P/T:?/? (Unknown as of this time.)

You ever hear of a card called Vulshok Sorcerer? Back in Fifth Dawn, there was a card that was all this for 1RR. It was a 1/1. Will this be a 1/1? Probably, but thankfully it's an Uncommon. They get really irritating in draft otherwise. Might see play in constructed, but probably not. The haste is good and all, but 1 damage just isn't enough usually.

----NEW---------

Dragonmaster Outcast - R
Creature - Human Shaman
Mythic Rare
Text:
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control six or more lands, put a 5/5 red Dragon creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
P/T:1/1

It's Scute Mob, but sturdier. Basically, the longer your opponent leaves it alone, the harder it is to kill (and the dudes it brings in). Better Scute Mob, save for one small problem: It's red. Red players aren't usually in the habit of seeing 6 or more lands. Still, it's easily splashable, so it should see play in Standard. Maybe even in a silly extended deck, though I doubt it, it's too slow. Legacy? nope. Limited? Bomb.

---NEW-----------

Ricochet Trap - 3R
Instant - Trap
Uncommon
Text:
If an opponent cast a blue spell this turn, you may pay R rather than pay Ricochet Trap’s mana cost.
Change the target of target spell with a single target.

It's a Swerve for R! I like it. It's anti-blue, it's a trap, and it counters blue exactly the way Red should. Plan on seeing it in Sideboards near you. Limited you say? Tricks, but playable. Just not top pick.

-------------------

Skitter of Lizards - R
Creature - Lizard
Common

Text:
Multikicker 1R
Haste
Skitter of Lizards enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each time it was kicked.
P/T:1/1

Alright, a red card! But this one seems a bit...underpowered. I'll rave about the elf Lord (who I will talk about shortly) who is essentially the same, but this one's just...lacking. Limited it'll see play because it's so multifunction, but otherwise, i doubt it. Anyways, Let me take this time to explain Multikicker.

Multikicker X : You may pay an additional X any number of times as you cast this spell. Basically, it's just like kicker, but you can do it more than once. I'm sure later multikicker cards will use this in some complicated way, but I expect there to be little deviation from the basics for Worldwake. I'm reading the spoiler as I type, so I don't know yet.

Moving on!

----NEW-------

Bestial Menace - 3GG
Sorcery
Uncommon
Text:
Put a 1/1 green Snake creature token, a 2/2 green Wolf creature token, and a 3/3 green Elephant creature token onto the battlefield.

This card is a functional reprint of a card whose name I cannot remember. Only it made a 1/1 Squirrel, a 2/2 Bear, and a 3/3 Beast. I think. Props to whoever finds out what it was. Anyways, good in limited (because it makes 3 guys for 1 card, all at 5 mana). Probably won't see the light of constructed's day, but I could be wrong. I highly doubt it though.

---NEW-----------

Canopy Cover - 1G
Enchantment - Aura
Uncommon
Text:
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach.
Enchanted creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.

It gives stuff Flying (without calling it flying, weird) and Troll-shroud. Good in limited, bad in constructed. Creature Enchantments are bad most of the time in Constructed, and this one's no exception. I'd draft it though.

---NEW---------

Joraga Warcaller - G
Creature - Elf Warrior
Rare
Text:
Multikicker 1G
Joraga Warcaller enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each time it was kicked.
Other Elf creatures you control get +1/+1 for each +1/+1 counter on Joraga Warcaller.

Ok, so this card's good. Like really good. Like Eldrazi Elves just got a nice upgrade. It's not the end-all of everything, but for people playing against eldrazi, it's a major threat they die to or deal with, their choice. In limited, if you could build the right elf deck, it'd be sick, but since you won't see him 'til pack 3 at the earliest, I doubt it'll happen. Still, really good card.
UPDATE: I looked back over this and realized something: Legacy Elves might run this. It's the first preview card I'm positively happy in Eternal formats for.

-----------------

Leatherback Baloth - GGG
Creature - Beast
Rarity Unknown, probably Uncommon
Text: (none)
P/T: 4/5

It's a 3 drop 4/5. Kinda telling about what Wizards is doing to creature powerlevels, but otherwise not truly noteworthy.

--------------

Vastwood Zendikon - 4G
Enchantment - Aura
Common

Text:
Enchant land

Enchanted land is a 6/4 green Elemental creature. It's still a land.
When enchanted land is put into a graveyard, return that card to its owner's hand.


Wow, looks like we're starting out with a pretty cool looking enchantment! Normally I'm not a huge fan of Auras in general, as they usually leave you open for 2 for 1s (destroy your creature and the enchantment you're trying to get on it? Don't mind if i do!), but this one's pretty good, all things considering. It's a 6/4 for 5 mana, which is average. However, if you play it on sixth turn on an untapped land that you didn't play this turn, it essentially has haste! Seems pretty good in limited, and it might find its way into a standard deck, though its mana cost is certainly prohibitive on that respect. We shall see!

---NEW---------

Lodestone Golem - 4
Artifact Creature - Golem
Rare
Text:
Nonartifact spells cost 1 more to cast.
P/T:5/3

Finally, an Artifact! And what an artifact it is! 4 for a 5/3's par as far as price to power goes, but look at that nifty ability! I don't know what would play it, but something may. I hope this gets played, because without a kill spell Cascade gets much weaker. Still, good. As far as limited goes...eh. Oh, wait, I take that back, it's got a 3 toughness, which makes it ok in limited, bad in Constructed. Dies to bolt. Sad face.

-------------------

Celestial Colonnade
Land
Rare
Text:
Celestial Colonnade enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W or U to your mana pool.
3WU: Until end of turn, Celestial Colonnade becomes a 4/4 white and blue Elemental creature with flying and vigilance. It's still a land.

This one got spoiled a while ago, but it's on the list so it deserves some commentary. Yes I like it, Yes I think it'll get played, and I really really hope there's going to be a full cycle of man lands like this. That is all. It's good, period.

----NEW---------

Dread Statuary
Land
Uncommon
Text:
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
4: Dread Statuary becomes a 4/2 Golem artifact creature until end of turn. It's still a land.

It's a man land! At uncommon! yay. However, let's break it down. it's a 4/2, which is normally pretty good, but for 4? ew, I don't like it. Call me crazy, but I liked Mutavault. Anyways, It's good in limited because it's a land that does something, but outside that, the other cycle of man-lands will get played above this for certain.

-----NEW----------

Lavaclaw Reaches
Land
Rare
Text:
Lavaclaw Reaches enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add B or R to your mana pool.
1BR: Until end of turn, Lavaclaw Reaches becomes a 2/2 red and black Elemental creature with "X: This creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn." It's still a land.

Now this is a man-land! 2/2 for 3 on a dual-color land. I love it. and it's got colorless firebreathing. Casual combo-players take note, had Standard been Lorwyn-Shadowmoor-Zendikar, there'd be a cool combo with this land and Ceaseless Searblades. As it is, it's a land that's good in standard and Limited.

-------------------

Quicksand
Land
Uncommon
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T, Sacrifice Quicksand: Target attacking creature without flying gets -1/-2 until end of turn.

Why are they reprinting Quicksand? It makes no sense. It's removal you can see coming. Yay? I dislike this card. Wait, you play it in the Knight of the Reliquary deck! No. Bad in Constructed (unless the format's changed that much from when Tenth was in Rotation), decent in limited.


To my original comments, I have nothing to add but this: I really like this set so far, the land theme's getting better, and I called man-lands. I have no proof of this, but I'm just sayin'. I didn't call Man-land-enchantments though. Those are pretty nifty. Anyways, 'til next update.