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| Core Set 2015 Booster Box |
Honest Opinion. When they first announced the new look, I was pretty unhappy. Not because the new design of the card sucks (kinda look like Yu-gioh as my friends complained) or the new font is bad (I actually like the font...); It's because the holo-foil mark is only available in the rare and mythic rares (which makes sense, but it provides inconsistency with the cards... why not at the expansion set's logo or something?!), but come on.. Does it really have to be at the bottom? And look! the bottom of the card is pretty much going to mistake itself as a Planeswalker being pulled out from packs!
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| Comparing the base of the cards (From Left): Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, Ajani Steadfast, Genesis Hydra |
Just by looking that the picture... It does kind of give an impression you are opening a Planeswalker at first glance. Okay; it's not that similar, but really, at first glance they really do alike. Rants aside, I'm now kind of accepting the change of MTG card design and in fact, I kind of like the new font. Looks something magic-ky or some sort like you feel like you are back at reading something from Harry Potter; I digress.
Now, I have done a quick review on the recently spoiled cards and came up with my Top 10 picks as the best card in the set as first impression. It may not be because of power level or price. The picks are merely based on my interest in the card and the rated based on the uniqueness of the card. The ranking do not determine which card is better than the other.
10: Sliver Hive
This card is every Sliver fan-boys' dream! No really, I'm not a sliver fan but I actually find myself adoring this card for 2 reasons. This actually will become the staple of any sliver deck. It's their very own Cavern of Souls with a special spawning ability. Plus, they still generate colourless mana. This likely may not see constructed play, but the demand will come from the casual groups and EDH players themselves. Reason number 2, THEY FIXED THE ART! If you looked at the new sliver arts in M14, you will definitely cringe if you are a hardcore sliver fan. Even if you are not, but a long time MTG player, you may be pretty upset in the alteration of slivers becoming.. non-sliver like... thing... Look at the response here and here. It's not that the entire community is against the change, but I'm sure majority were unhappy with the art change. Well, in M15, they "fixed" the art! But... why not give us this in M14 and then Mutavault in M15? Oh wait... yea... potential sliver overrun..
9: Genesis Hydra
Slap a watered-down version of Genesis Wave onto a growing Hydra? Yes please! for EDH! I'm sure you know how crazy Genesis wave was and how it became a deck in modern when the synergy between mono-green devotion and the abuse of the massive mana accumulated. This card is sweet in its unique ability. It's not as powerful as its predecessor, but it is still a lot of fun to cast and resolve it, getting a big creature with another permanent with it. I may get the foil for my EDH.. You know... cos I want more stuff on board when trolling my opponents with my Saprolings.
8: Yisan, the Wanderer Bard
A variant of Birthing Pod. This may not seem to be as powerful at first glance but hey, give it sometime and it may rock standard as a archtype of itself (or it just goes into the junk pile...). What really interest me is that although this card is not an auto-include for EDH and may not see constructed or limited play, It may well be tested in EDH as a general. Also, It's pretty darn cool to see him in action with Birthing Pod, Genesis Hydra and Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx. The only drawback is the need to protect him once he enters the battlefield. Hmm... a potential mono-green EDH in the brew?
7: Waste Not
This is created by the MTG community and honestly speaking, it's quite overpowered for a 2 mana enchantment. However, I'm not following the hype of this card. Strictly speaking, this card is on my top 10 because it's unique; never have we been given a card that gives us such a power level for discard strategies. So far we have just picked, discard and the game goes on. It's rare that we explore additional effects with discard. Sure, reanimator and living end strategies do work, but that's on self rather than opponent. Burning Inquiry / Megrim combo came close, but it's still limited with discard strategies IMO. Waste Not may bridge in what many mono-black or B/X deck variants may lack; the additional firepower for the decks when locking down the opponents with discard or simply giving additional tools to play. The 3 abilities will definitely aid the player. be it a 2/2 Zombie, additional BB mana or a card advantage. Hmm... Duress, Inqui, Seize with Raven's Crime may see some sort of play with this deck. B/G rock skeleton with Ooze, Liliana, Abrupt Decay and we're good to go!
This is created by the MTG community and honestly speaking, it's quite overpowered for a 2 mana enchantment. However, I'm not following the hype of this card. Strictly speaking, this card is on my top 10 because it's unique; never have we been given a card that gives us such a power level for discard strategies. So far we have just picked, discard and the game goes on. It's rare that we explore additional effects with discard. Sure, reanimator and living end strategies do work, but that's on self rather than opponent. Burning Inquiry / Megrim combo came close, but it's still limited with discard strategies IMO. Waste Not may bridge in what many mono-black or B/X deck variants may lack; the additional firepower for the decks when locking down the opponents with discard or simply giving additional tools to play. The 3 abilities will definitely aid the player. be it a 2/2 Zombie, additional BB mana or a card advantage. Hmm... Duress, Inqui, Seize with Raven's Crime may see some sort of play with this deck. B/G rock skeleton with Ooze, Liliana, Abrupt Decay and we're good to go!
6: Indulgent Tormentor
I personally think it's a good upgrade over Bloodgift Demon. The abilities are the same, well if you think about it, most of the time you'll target yourself to draw the card and lose that one life. In this case, you get to draw without the life penalty, plus the opponents pay THAT penalty for you or sacrifice a creature. Either way, it looks pretty sweet to me. It's kind of a sure to include in any B/X EDH variants. As the saying goes, if the card allows you to draw a card, it can't be that bad.
5: Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
This Demon is really insane. Literally shuts down any tutor strategies with its insane penalty. 10 life and sacrifice a creature is really a heavy price to pay and even more painful is this creature grows with each creature dying. Flying and Trample included? This may very well replace Desecration Demon post rotation for mono-black devotion decks in standard? Time will tell. But in the meantime, reanimator decks, mono-black or black-based and even Mimeoplasm or Kaalia EDH decks can abuse this guy. Not a guaranteed staple, but it's definitely something that will wreck the EDH tables.
4: Perilous Vault
A new toy for Tron decks... Enough said... The old one needs some sort of upgrading so here we go. Even not, it's a pretty powerful mass removal for EDH. Note, the keyword here is Exile, not destroy or sacrifice. so it's a big boost over Oblivion Stone if used for the same intention as a mass removal. Tad more expensive than the latter, but I think 1 more mana casting wouldn't hurt too much. Besides, if you can pull this off, it's kind of like your deck have access to mana ramps or excess mana so... point given. The foil would look kind of nice actually... with the lighting from the cracks and glow effect.
3: Nissa, Worldwaker
Long time no see Nissa! When we last saw you in Zendikar, you are pretty much irrelevant as how you are supposed to boost an elf deck, but your casting cost made it seem as an odd choice given your abilities. Now, you woke up the world with your new abilities by making them into 4/4 Elementals. If Liege of the Tangle does see you in the same deck, he'll be pretty darn happy working along side you. So is the likes of Terra Eternal and Armageddon. this card is actually pretty insane. Her second +1 ability allows you to untap 4 forests, essentially making her a "1 mana" planeswalker if you think about it. This synergies well with Garruk Wildspeaker actually now that I think about it... Seriously, my new mono-green EDH is really coming together by itself!
2: Soul of Phyrexia
Mark my words. This card IS insane. M15 features a new cycle of cards; Soul of planes. Namely, the Soul of New Phyrexia, Innistrad, Theros, Ravnica, Zendikar and Shandalar. They are all pretty sweet, reminding us of the Titan cycle in M11 and M12. For this case, I picked to feature this on my top 10 is that it's an incredibly powerful 6 mana creature. 6/6 PT with Trample and it has an extremely powerful abilty, giving everything you control indestructible. Even more annoying for being doing the same thing when it goes into the graveyard! Also, bonus, it's an artifact. So go ahead and abuse with pili-pala/Grand Architect combo. Sweet art (foiled especially), powerful ability to boot and yay! Mythic!
1: Ajani Steadfast
First look at the core set on the whole. Not much of impressive spoilers for the first couple of weeks and I'm getting bored of the new cards and reprints with the announcement of returning mechanic; Convoke, until they have spoiled the recent new Ajani; Ajani Steadfast. Hell! This guy is AWESOME! Okay, Let's break it down here. 4 mana cost, at a splash-able range of 3W casting cost, starting 4 loyalty, this gives the new ajani to be considered immediately as a constructed powerhouse! At 4 mana, with 4 starting loyalty, he escapes bolt range and is sure to be picked up with some nasty decks to be brewed with him. Aggro/midrange decks can immediately pick him up as a 4-mana slot for his relevant abilities; the +1 ability is sweet! Giving a +1/+1, vigilance, lifelink and first strike, that's almost a mini Baneslayer Angel! -2 Ability is like a Doubling Season effect which is sweet and his Ulti-ability at -7 is something like a Intervention Pact! I can foresee that this walker is going up to my top 5 list and it will definitely see some action in the constructed format.
So that's my top 10 picks that I'm interested for M15. You did realise that there are no commons and uncommons in this list; it is because the list is not fully spoiled and I'm waiting for the full spoilers to talk more about the commons and uncommons, along with a Full set review of Core Set M15. At the moment now, most of those are reprints and how good they were previously will remain as that way. Until then, I'll pick up more cards from the spoiled M15 list to discuss!
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