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Avacyn Restored Set Review: Green and Wrap Up!
Conley Woods
4/27/2012 11:09:00 AM The white half of the set review was also posted today, so be sure not to miss that. Now we've made our way to green though! Let's see what it has to offer before we finish up with the Top 8 cards of the set and the wrap up! Green
Abundant Growth Constructed: 2 I actually really like this in constructed. I mean, while it is certainly short of Birds of Paradise, the fact that it cycles right away and allows you to mana fix from there on out could be huge. I could even see Enchantress in Legacy maybe trying this out, although the actual lack of mana acceleration might deter that from happening. Limited: 2.5 I love mana fixing and I especially love mana fixing that does not cost you a card. I can imagine this being a pretty high pick for me when I dive into Green as it allows you to pull off so many sweet things.
Blessings of Nature Constructed: 1 While most of the Miracle cards are excited to work toward and feel like that effort is rewarded, this is pretty blah, even when you do get it for just a G. Not a bad card, but not one I want to be relying on to win matches of Standard. Limited: 3.5 In limited though, this is a whole different animal. Four counters is a lot, as Travel Preparations has recently taught us and 5 mana is certainly not too much to pay for that effect. At a single mana this is a steal of course, although I can definitely see skipping playing it for the cheap when the board is not favorable to do so.
Borderland Ranger Constructed: 2.5 Somewhere, Mike Flores is weeping at the return of his lost friend. Borderland Ranger has always been a card I have liked and I am glad to see it back. It is a very fair card but helps enable midrange decks, like Birthing Pod, quite well and I expect to see a decent amount of play once again. Limited: 3.0 A Grey Ogre will rarely rate this high, but enabling splashes in a world filled with multicolor angels and steep mana costs seems essential. I love mana fixing in limited and this guy will go higher than you would think as a result. Expect him to be missing by around pick 4 or 5 most of the time.
Bower Passage Constructed: 1 I suppose this is a weapon against Lingering Souls in control decks who want to block with the tokens, but much like every other “answer” to Lingering Souls so far in this review, better answers exist elsewhere. Limited: 1.5 This makes for a very potent sideboard card against the UW deck or any angel based deck, although I would not feel comfortable adding this to my main deck most of the time. It is worth noting that the creatures with flying can't block anything of yours, this includes your own fliers for that matter.
Champion of Lambholt Constructed: 1.5-2.0 This guy is interesting in that he has a very strong effect, but I don't know how often that effect will be relevant in constructed. I only see this out of sideboards for creature mirror matches, and even then, outside of Birthing Pod, I am not sure this will ever find a home. That said, the effect is powerful, and Lingering Souls does exist, which is relevant offensively and defensively here, so it can definitely make a few rounds in Constructed. Limited: 3.5-4.0 This guy seems pretty absurd in limited though. When this is played, you need to have an answer in the next 1-2 turns or the game is going to be over. Granted, 1 toughness, or even 2, is not difficult to manage, which is why this only scores what it does, but left unchecked, within a few turns, none of your team will be able to block their side of the field.
Craterhoof Behemoth Constructed: 1.5 While this guy hardly screams out constructed playable, he might have a very small home in some Birthing Pod lists as a one-of. They currently do not dip into the 8 drops, as they are mostly just bad, but this could be an exciting one to tutor up. I would not be surprised if he never made a splash anywhere, but he does bring a powerful effect to the table, only at a little too steep of a cost. Limited: 4.0 I can't imagine resolving this and not winning some absurd amount of the time. That said, this is 8 mana, expensive even in a world of Angels and Demons and it also costs triple Green, which might be tough considering the other steep mana costs in the set. The ability on this deserves a 4.5, but the mana cost is a bit prohibitive, dropping the ranking down a bit.
Descendants' Path Constructed: 1 Maybe some type of tribal Elf deck or Human deck can rise up to take advantage of this, but as of right now, I am just not seeing it. The effect is powerful, but the enchantment does nothing immediately, in a deck that apparently has a bunch of creatures that probably do. You are probably better off just including another creature in your deck over this. Limited: 1.5 I could see this being fun in very tribal heavy decks where you are actually going to hit from time to time. Most decks will not want this card though, and understandably so.
Diregraf Escort Constructed: 1 I don't think I will be seeking protection from Zombies anytime soon, and if I was, I would probably just turn to Elite Inquisitor. Limited: 1.5 Protection form Zombies is less likely to be relevant in your main deck, making this more of a sideboard card most of the time.
Druid's Familiar Constructed: 1 A 4/4 for 4 just isn't what it used to be, even if this does pump up another creature. The vulnerability aspect is a big negative as is the fact that this is a terrible top deck on an empty board. Limited: 2.5-3.0 This can be a total beating in limited though, where you are more likely to boost some flier and end up with a large ground creature with air support. Killing a 4/4 is not an easy task in this set either.
Druids' Repository Constructed: 1 My issue with this is that it pulls you in two different directions that do not work all that well together. Attacking with a bunch of cheap creatures and casting giant spells just seems to be too conflicting for this to make it into constructed. Limited: 2.0 Here, this acts as a mana fixer, which can be quite potent at times and there are a bunch of expensive spells in your deck that you don't mind casting, so I think the card works dramatically better in limited.
Eaten by Spiders Constructed: 2 With Delver decks packing multiple equipment these days, I can definitely see this thing making the occasional sideboard. Flying creatures with equipment are not as rare as they might seem. Limited: 2.5-3.0 A very strong card that will be main decked more often than because of the structure of the block, even though this would traditionally be a sideboard option. Some decks will still opt to run this out of the board, but the option is a nice one to have.
Flowering Lumberknot Constructed: 1 While this guy might be undercosted, he is also a bit of a pain to make into any kind of consistent threat. Soulbond only has a handful of constructed quality cards as well, which hurts the stock on this a little bit. Limited: 2.0 This is much easier to turn on in limited where you have access to more Soulbond guys, but this still does require work and leads to potentially even bigger blowouts than a traditional soulbond pairing. Still a playable card, but do not let the stats fool you too much.
Geist Trappers Constructed: 1 As much as I love blocking Delver of Secrets, I think this is a bit deep down the list of answers we have to turn to. Limited: 2.0 In limited, Reach is not that impressive of an ability to grant something via Soulbond, but there are enough fliers in the set that it can be quite relevant. Beyond that, 5 for a 3/5 reach is not a bad price to pay, even if it isn't pushing any rates.
Gloomwidow Constructed: 1 He's back! And I predict he will see exactly as much constructed play, despite existing in a format with Faeries the last time around. Limited: 3.0 This is an extremely aggressive rate for limited and the fact that this deals with some of the problematic cards that might stare you down is awesome. Not being able to block ground guys does suck, but you can just turn this guy sideways instead if that is what it comes down to.
Grounded Constructed: 1 Plummet called... Limited: 0.5 I really never want to be caught dead boarding this in, but sometimes you will be short answers and desperate for this effect so you will be forced to bring it in. Pick up any of the other 35 ways to deal with fliers so you don't have this problem.
Howlgeist Constructed: 1 Neat ability and neat body, but this infringes on the Titan range. Even when the Titans rotate, they have set a precedent that will always make cards like this look terrible. Limited: 2.5-3.0 Maybe I am valuing this guy a little too highly, but he seems like he can often just be an unblockable giant monster with built in protection. Pair this with your favorite Aura or Equipment and go to town my friend!
Joint Assault Constructed: 1 There are quite few cool Giant Growth effects in Standard right now and this is possibly the least appealing of them all due to the infrequency at which the second half of this will actually occur. Limited: 2.5-3.0 Meanwhile, in limited, a combat trick is a combat trick and I can imagine this leading to some truly insane combat swings. This is obviously better in a deck with a threshold of soulbond guys, but it is perfectly reasonable even in a deck with 0 of them.
Lair Delve Constructed: 1 This just seems like a bad Gift of the Gargantuan to me. It even goes against the block and dumps things to the bottom of your library. For 3 mana, I am hoping to get a Divination and usually just end up milling myself for 2. Even in a deck with 100% creatures and lands outside of this spell, I did all that work and walked away with Divination, Yippee!!! Limited: 1.5 I basically have the same feeling for the card in limited, although here it is more likely that you lack other options and have to play something mediocre as your last card, which this does a good job of providing.
Natural End Constructed: 2 Taking an extra mana on to Naturalize for 3 life seems like a fair deal most of the time. I would imagine there will be decks that want this and there will be decks that want Naturalize, so this seems like a good place to be. Limited: 1.5 Certainly better than the more narrow Cursebreak, but still primarily a sideboard card. I feel better about main decking this than most effects of this nature, but that does not change where it goes most of the time.
Nettle Swine Constructed: 1 More bacon! Every Magic set needs more bacon, lets be honest here... Limited: 2.5 This body has typically been in the Red portion of the color pie, but I am glad to see Green dipping its toes into this area, and even knocking a colored mana off of the cost. This should be good but not insane and is basically where I want to be if I am going Green.
Nightshade Peddler Constructed: 1 Paying 2 mana for a 1/1 better come with big upside, and this, even when it works, is not a big upside. Limited: 2.0 This seems like it will often be the target of whatever small removal the opponent can throw at it, due to Deathtouch on other creatures. This, by itself, is a blocker at its best, but most of the time this will act more like an enchantment than a creature.
Pathbreaker Wurm Constructed: 1 Craw Wurm has been far from constructed playable for about forever and adding conditional trample, even if it comes on an additional body, is not enough to swing the tides in its favor. Limited: 2.5 Giant creatures are sometimes too slow for a format, but this format seems to be slow enough that they can flourish. Trample is a big deal and putting it on an additional creature is certainly a non zero bonus, even though this is likely to be the biggest thing on your side of the field.
Primal Surge Constructed: 2 I am giving this a 2 simply because of the abusability factor. This is insanely expensive and will often be clunky, but there are plenty of scenarios and decks where this just wins the game, and this is anticipatory for those scenarios. Limited: 0.0 10 mana is just too much and I am going to assume you were not unlucky enough to end up with the all permanent deck. Leave this one for the EDH crowd.
Rain of Thorns Constructed: 1 I have been known to cast a Mold Shambler, so giving this a 1 hurts me a little bit inside, but I can't see getting the full 3 for 1 enough times to warrant spending 6 mana on this versus something a little more specific and cheaper. Limited: 0.5-1.0 This is almost exclusively a sideboard option, but it is a versatile one there. If you are bringing this in as just a Naturalize or Stone Rain, it works but isn't great, but if you can get multiple permanents off of this, it becomes a solid sideboard card.
Revenge of the Hunted Constructed: 1 I can't really see this being all that hot in Constructed despite being a great rate at the Miracle cost. The fact that you can't really control the timing on Miracle and the cost is too high to consider actually casting this. Fun idea, but I don't think it quite delivers. Limited: 4.5 This seems like it is going to win most games in which it is cast, and in the times where you don't win, you are probably getting 2-for-1ed, which sucks, but is quite worth the risk. Take this, and enjoy the revenge on all of those people who formerly hunted you.
Sheltering Word Constructed: 1 Ranger's Guile is likely going to be better than this in almost every situation and Ranger's Guile is far from seeing any constructed play. Limited: 1.5 This is going to be similar to a Momentary Blink effect most of the time whilst saving your creature, but the life gain can be a nice touch. I would include this if I had a lot of bombs in my deck, but otherwise it makes for a solid sideboard option.
Snare the Skies Constructed: 1 Speaking of Ranger's Guile, this has many of the same attributes, but like Sheltering Word, is also bad in constructed. Limited: 1.5-2.0 This is not an overly impressive combat trick in the world of Avacyn Restored, but it will get the job done most of the time and often act like a Plummet effect. This will make your main deck much of the time, but will be a great sideboard option for those times when it doesn't.
Somberwald Sage Constructed: 2.5 I am not sure if this guy will ever catch on, but the ability is so powerful that I have to remain hopeful that it does. Powering out Titans on turn 4, or even Elesh Norn for the complete blow out is just an insane thing to consider doing. Obviously this just dies most of the time, but the potential for abuse is there. Limited: 2.5 In limited, this provides some insane mana fixing for creatures and also powers out your 7 and 8 drop Angels and Demons on the cheap which is a highly desired effect. This being a 0/1 limits its usability a little as it will often die, but left unchecked, it can be absolutely gross.
Soul of the Harvest Constructed: 2 While this is certainly not quite a Titan, I think it is close to rivaling it and might be a decent replacement once the Titans rotate out. This has the same stats as Primeval Titan but a completely different source of card advantage, which might be pretty powerful eventually. Limited: 4.5 A huge monster that draws you cards whilst killing the opponent is about all you can ask for out of your first pick bomb, This might have trouble battling Angels in 1 on 1 fights at times, but the card advantage it provides should be enough to get you ahead in the race.
Terrifying Presence Constructed: 1 Fog typically only makes the cut in constructed when it finds its way into TurboFog, and unfortunately, in TurboFog, the upside on this actually becomes a downside as you have to still take damage. Maybe this becomes some sideboard option for creature on creature combat, but I doubt it. Limited: 2.0 This seems like it can often be a Safe Passage that limits the level of blow outs you can actually pull off. This is perfect removal for green though and should be a decent card out of most decks and a sideboard option for the rest.
Timberland Guide Constructed: 1 Once again we have the slight Birthing Pod clause, although I can't imagine Pod players going this far out of there way for just a +1/+1 counter. Limited: 2.0 This is either a Bear or in the late game he buffs a different creature and actually provides value. This is essentially on the power level of an Ambush Viper or something similar that provides early pressure and has late game value, although the starts you can have with this might push it over that power level.
Triumph of Ferocity Constructed: 1.5 This is actually an effect that is powerful enough to work for, so I can imagine some tier 3 decks trying to take advantage of this. The truth is that this probably doesn't help any match up outside of control, but maybe that is good enough. Limited: 2.5 This has a high upside and the only downside is that maybe you do not draw a card. Once you have drawn one card off this, it has paid itself back, and if you keep the engine going, this can quickly turn into something ugly for your opponent.
Trusted Forcemage Constructed: 1 3/3s for three have not been constructed playable for some time, just like most things on this list. Soulbond is nifty, but it brings a downside along with the upside, so it doesn't actually increase the power level of this much, especially because the soulbond ability is not all that powerful. Limited: 2.5 While 3/3s for three have not been hot in constructed for a while, they remain strong in limited, and this even grants a bonus to some other creature. I love just getting in there turn after turn with the other soulbond creature and then enhancing a future guy once you deal with the it.
Ulvenwald Tracker Constructed: 1 I can't really see a 1/1 for one seeing play when it requires so much to go right on your side of the board to actually get an advantage. You need to have your fighting creature live, plus this needs to live, plus your opponent needs to be playing creatures smaller than yours. Too much to really rely on this for constructed. Limited: 3.5 While the 1/1 body is still quite fragile in limited, the effect is much more likely to dominate a game once you do get her/him/it online. Repeated removal is sweet and this certainly qualifies, just be sure to keep this safe in the meantime.
Vorstclaw Constructed: 1 Craw Wurm might be weeping inside with 2 cards in the same set that put him to shame, but this is still not making a push for constructed. Limited: 2.5 This is large and scary, but it still remains a vanilla creature for 6 mana, so it won't be doing much more than getting chump blocked for a while. This pairs well with various soulbond creatures, which is a great feature of the card in this set.
Wandering Wolf Constructed: 1 The mostly vanilla bear-like creatures just don't pack enough of a punch to be a real consideration for competitive constructed. Limited: 2.0 This ability is nice in that it generally will end up trading across or up, but rarely down, and once you put some extra work into it, this becomes a legitimate unblockable threat, which is quite the offering from your late pick common.
Wild Defiance Constructed: 1 This seems like a fun card to build around, but for a card to be worth building around in Constructed, you have to provide a higher pay off than just a free Giant Growth., As a defensive spell, this is only good against Red decks really, so it is definitely a pass for me. Limited: 1.0 This makes for a solid sideboard option if you see a lot of damage based removal, and maybe can make your main deck if you have a heavy amount of synergies with it, but in general, I would avoid playing this as it is more of a trap than anything.
Wildwood Geist Constructed: 1 This could probably get +5/+5 and still not be good enough for constructed Magic, so... Limited: 1.5 Hollowhenge Beast was a decent card, but nothing special, and this only gets to “live the dream” as a Hollowhenge Beast on offense, which is definitely a notch against it. This is fine, but I don't imagine it making my main all that often.
Wolfir Avenger Constructed: 2 I actually feel like this might be playable somewhere as the abilities are pretty unique. There is not much room for this with a card like Thrun in the format, but Thrun will not always be around which may open the door up for this sneaky little man. Limited: 3.0-3.5 This is not only a combat trick, but it also holds off their largest monster or rumbles on into the redzone himself. His body can become outclassed relatively quickly, so it is hard to rate him too high, but he is still very good.
Wolfir Silverheart Constructed: 2.5 When you actually do the math, you see that this guy is 12 power for 5 mana, which is a giant steal compared to most creatures of this variety. This seems pretty awesome in some type of Birthing Pod list or possibly RG aggro. He is a little slow, but the immediate impact of the +4/+4 makes this hit for a ton of damage quickly. Limited: 4.0 You end up with an 8/8 which is difficult to kill, plus a huge bonus on some other creature of yours. Again, put on a flier that impact is gigantic. Unlike other soulbond guys, this one is actually tough to kill, making his ability that much more reliable.
Yew Spirit Constructed: 1 This guy clearly harkens back to Chameleon Colossus, but his stats are dramatically weaker and he loses all of the flare of Changeling. He will be an exciting casual card, as anything that doubles is, but he won't be winning too many competitive games anytime soon. Limited: 2.0 This guy can actually be an annoying menace once you reach the point where you can afford to dump mana into this. Killing him can be difficult at times and with any equipment or aura, he can escalate from there. That said, he is still a 5 mana 3/3 to start. Top 8 Constructed Cards So naturally, as with every review, there comes a time for us to round up the Cream of the Crop, the best of the best, and pit them head to head in a Top 8 constructed cards list. This set has quite a high amount of large impact cards though, so this might be a closer one than we are accustomed to. Lets get to it: 8: Temporal Mastery 7: Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded 6: Vexing Devil 5: Restoration Angel 4: Slayers' Stronghold 3: Griselbrand 2: Desolate Lighthouse 1: Cavern of Souls Older formats, like Legacy, had a huge influence on why this list is the way it is. Things like Griselbrand, Cavern of Souls, and Temporal Mastery are going to be heavily played cards in that format for a long time to come and they all also will see play in newer formats like Standard. The lands in this set are so amazing. We don't have an Alchemist's Refuge list even and it could easily be in the top 15. Other honorable mentions include Tamiyo, the Moon Sage, Pillar of Flame, and Zealous Conscripts. I think this Top 8 list does a pretty good job of showcasing all of the different elements of Avacyn Restored though, even if the order is not perfect. I think Cavern of Souls has the potential to be the most heavily played card in the most formats though, which is why it tops the list. Wrap Up Green and White actually added a lot of depth to the constructed quality list of cards, with a lot of fringe playables and some solid staples as well. They finished telling the story that is Avacyn Restored and we appear to be getting an extremely high number of tier 1 and 2 playables, which is something that has not happened in a while. Standard looks like it is going to be a lot of fun in the near future. As always, thanks for reading, and good luck in your local Prerelease this weekend!!! --Conley Woods-- |
  
 Voice of Resurgence - as low as $32.00Ral Zarek - as low as $16.95Blood Baron of Vizkopa - as low as $7.75Advent of the Wurm - as low as $4.99Legion's Initiative - as low as $4.98Deadbridge Chant - as low as $4.49Progenitor Mimic - as low as $4.38Master of Cruelties - as low as $3.50Savageborn Hydra - as low as $3.24AEtherling - as low as $3.00
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