My Top 40 Born of the Gods Magic Cards 1/2
Honorable Mentions Part 2:
Just a few more I wanted to mention that all seem like decent, good Limited cards. They probably won't sniff the light of Constructed day though. Standard is too quick to play these.
Spiteful Returned can be a nice punch on a hard to kill creature or as a almost 3/1 for 2.
Raiders can take over the game if you are in a long control game.
Snake will almost always gain you 4 life. If only you could bounce this thing though.
Elightenment is still a creature aura and +1/+1 flying for 3 mana isn't the best deal, but it also lends itself to a long game where you can slowly pump your creatures.
Also considered Forlorn Pseudamma, unblockable beastie that can create other creatures is a good deal.
The Bottom Five:
5. Felhide Brawler
Innistrad just had a Black 2/2 for 2. Now we can't get one again with this drawback nonsense again. Common designers. Make it 2/3 or something.
4. Evanescent Intellect
Heroic isn't a consideration for me here. You aren't going to make a good creature your mill threat. I guess it does do some Inspire work, but all the other colors have better ways to do this. I would rather White's gain life, or Green's mana.
3. Hold at Bay
It doesn't make your creature bigger, just saves it from a trade. I guess it fogs as well. You go ahead and play this card in Limited, but it's awful in any other formats and bad in multiples. I much prefer Acolyte's Reward or Crypsis which either gives the element of surprise or can actually kill something.
2. Heroes Podium
Completely unplayable in Limited, basically unplayable in Standard. Not viable in Modern. That doesn't leave much wiggle room. You can't remake Aladdin's Lamp and get away with it!
1. Culling Mark
Three mana for a sorcery that simply forces blocking is not good removal even for Green.
Provoke at least cantriped and untapped a creature. That would have at least allowed you to Heroic or Inspire your own creature. This didn't have to cost 3 mana though.
Also considered Sunbond which is awful in Limited and probably really bad in Standard. I could see it having Constructed uses though.
Whims of the Fates also was considered. It isn't a good strategy, it won't often work but maybe just maybe this can save someone's game.
Best Reprint:
There are only two or three of them, but this is useful with Inspired Chromanticore decks.
Best Removal:
Bolt of Keranos, Excoriate, Asphyxiate and even Gild all cost too much mana or are too slow. Here we have an instant that can allow you to take out many cards and all it takes is a beastie of your own.
Best Counterspell
This beats the only other one I can think of, but useful though right?!
Best Multi-Player Card:
5 damage to each opponent might actually come up, though you will probably just get your 5/5 still.
Best Lord:
They keep trying to make Minotaurs work. The problem though isn't the casting cost of the creatures. It is the power level and overall lack of usefulness of the creatures which Ragemonger doesn't fix.
Best Overrun:
Probably costs too much, but it hits and it hits hard.
Best Multicolor that's not Multicolor Card:
The Izzet scry creature costs too much to use. The Phalanx is good for aggressive strategies. The zombie River Trawler though can gain you card advantage at an instant speed, or block and search. There are many uses for Orzhov.
20. Pain Seer
Bob he is not. But severally underrated he is. It actually works better with Springleaf Drum and other mechanics in this set than Confidant would. Card advantage is card advantage even on a grizzly bear.
19. Fated Retribution
We get another wrath variant which isn't a bad thing. Seven mana is just a different kind of effect. You aren't counting on this to survive, this is a setup to something much greater. Killing planeswalkers is kind of nifty.
18. Searing Blood
It would be so much better if it hit a creature for 3, but even as is - it's pretty good. It gives Magma Jet a run for it's money. It's obviously been compared to Searing Blaze.
17. Archetype of Courage
A three mana 2/2 first strike would be playable in Limited. But to affect every other creature on the board is very efficient for a three mana enchantment. But to put them together at that cost is just good value.
16. Fated Intervention
Goes really well in an aggressive deck. But whether you decide to combat trick this or scry two you are getting a deal. Six power toughness for five mana is quite good. Pseudo card advantage. Scrying two can set you up well even if the creatures are sacrificed for a noble cause.
15. Kiora's Follower
Untapping permanents works well in all sorts of formats. Limited has inspired. Vintage has Time Vault. All sorts of wonderful things can be had for cards that don't normally untap during their untap phase. Allowing your creatures to attack and give one Vigilance at instant speed is a thing. So many functions.
14. Hero of Iroas
Cheap bear with an ability to make other cards cost less. Good start. Heroic to boot. Kind of Goblin Electromancer like. Also reminds me of Skylasher, a good two drop with lots of upside depending on what you are trying to do.
13. Drown in Sorrow
The Black Pyroclasm. Works well in a control deck. Some Blue White decks or Green decks get moving quickly and there is no better way to stop an aggressive hoard except by destroying the board.
12. Nessian Wilds Ravager
Both Tribute abilities work well though this card more than any can mess your opponent up if chosen incorrectly. You aren't likely to get a 12/12 unless there is chump blocking coming for some time/removal or some other Pacifism like plan.
11. Spirit of the Labyrinth
It's most important function is as a sideboard card. A normal sideboard card won't get much love from me, but this also brings three power on turn two. So even if your opponent doesn't have anything to lose from the ability, you've got a good blocker that can trade with a three drop, or an aggressive beater.
10. Fanatic of Xenagos
Great deal no matter how it gets played. A 3/3 Trample Haste for three is pretty nice for Gruul to mess around with. No one would cry for a 4/4 Trampler either. It combos well with other aggressive strategies you can have. This set has many good three drops for lots of colors that are powerful.
9. Eidolon of Countless Battles
Maybe this should be higher, it's big and quick. It's probably best used aggressively, but there's no reason you can't build around him either. However Eidolon is also vanilla. It's an insane version of Keldon Warlord. That bestow cost is so cheap for what it brings.
8. Herald of Torment
You exchange life for a lower casting cost here. It's at least a good option to have. Quick aggressive decks would love to have this guy. I don't know if a Black White Control deck is going to run this in Standard but it at least has potential to be good. It sure does work well as a creature by itself, though I'm sure bestowing even a sunchaser would have benefits.
7. Temple of Enlightenment
Essentially Guild Gates which also allow you to scry 1. That makes them better than the gates at least except maybe flavor wise. Does scrying and the mana fixing alleviate the pain of being a turn slower than your opponent. I think it depends on how fast your deck needs to be. In an aggressive deck, you can't afford to waste a turn on a land even if it were an attempt to alleviate mana problems. In a three color or more deck it's a different story. The Blue White one is my favorite of the color combos as it is the most likely to be con-trolly.
6. Bile Blight
Good cheap removal at instant speed. Attacks indestructible beasties and can hit a whole swarm. Reminds me of Homing Lightning from Gatecrash. It attacks all sorts of creatures from Pack and Relentless Rats to Boros Reckoners.
5. Courser of Kruphix
Great set of abilities on a good bodied three drop. Gains life and draws cards, hard to ask much more out of a card. The four toughness is huge is surviving all types of removal. Isn't going to win any offensive categories, but drawing a card every one or two turns it isn't meant to. Does hurt the element of surprise and multiples just simply gain you more life.
4. Gods
Harder to become creatures compared to Theros which doesn't seem possible with two colors. The idea is the same though. Large Indestructible creatures that have abilities.
(E)Karametra, God of Harvests
Definitely the weakest God yet. But that doesn't make it a bad card that so many people have said. Is it Primeval Titan? No, but it's in the conversation. It's also cheaper, larger and Indestructible. It's not black and white a bad card. It could be really good.
(D)Ephara, God of the Polis
Actually quite similar to Karametra. The difference being card draw is better than a free land and four mana is much better than five.Works with Spirit of the Labyrinth and Brimaz well. Good combos with Azorious's flickering.
(C)Phenax, God of Deception
In the right deck this thing is going to be nuts. Just play a bunch of giant walls and defend yo'self. If mill is what you want look no further. Five mana is quite a bit for something that might not affect the table immediately. Does turbo win with Eater of the Dead. Kick in the pants with Consuming Arberration.
(B)Mogis, God of Slaughter
This thing is dumb, it might actually be the best card in the set. The ability is incredible. A 7/5 isn't even on my radar.Well costed, works in all sorts of colors - Jund, Dega, Grixis. I can see a 4x Mogis and 4x Fate Unraveler as a good start to any crazy aggressive deck.
(A)Xenagos, God of Revels
A little more restrictive than Mogis, but this thing makes a giant creature every turn and can just wreck a game plan. Goes well with Ruric Thar, Kalonian Hydra or Nova Chaser, heck any 3 power creature or bigger is going to be nuts.
3. Flame-Wreathed Phoenix
Tribute isn't good.The Tribute can't go wrong here though. You might get your 5/5 if it can be dealt with, but that's the name of the game. Draw some hate with your four drop. Sad it is a mythic, but it gets all the good parts of Chandra's Phoenix and Rathi Dragon all in one. Scary in a deck full of Storm Breath Dragons or Hammer of Purphoros.
2. Brimaz, King of Oreskos
It hits and it hits hard. Super aggressive for a three drop. Thankfully it's Legendardy to prevent it from completely being broken. But as it is it's a hard to kill beastie that can gain pseudo card advantage. Fits into a Selesnya tokens mold or a White weenie deck.
1. Kiora, the Crashing Wave
It starts off with a low loyalty which is the worst thing I can say for it. It's still pretty nutty at four mana. Holding back your opponents biggest threat every turn is very Icy Manipulator like. The occasional card draw can help you win the game and if you ever ultimate, forget about it. Even if it just replaces itself while adding a land it's still worth the cost. Smoothing out a mana flood, or stopping a beastie this gal is a wave of excitement.
Honorable Mentions Part 2:
Just a few more I wanted to mention that all seem like decent, good Limited cards. They probably won't sniff the light of Constructed day though. Standard is too quick to play these.
Spiteful Returned can be a nice punch on a hard to kill creature or as a almost 3/1 for 2.
Raiders can take over the game if you are in a long control game.
Snake will almost always gain you 4 life. If only you could bounce this thing though.
Elightenment is still a creature aura and +1/+1 flying for 3 mana isn't the best deal, but it also lends itself to a long game where you can slowly pump your creatures.
Also considered Forlorn Pseudamma, unblockable beastie that can create other creatures is a good deal.
The Bottom Five:
5. Felhide Brawler
Innistrad just had a Black 2/2 for 2. Now we can't get one again with this drawback nonsense again. Common designers. Make it 2/3 or something.
4. Evanescent Intellect
Heroic isn't a consideration for me here. You aren't going to make a good creature your mill threat. I guess it does do some Inspire work, but all the other colors have better ways to do this. I would rather White's gain life, or Green's mana.
3. Hold at Bay
It doesn't make your creature bigger, just saves it from a trade. I guess it fogs as well. You go ahead and play this card in Limited, but it's awful in any other formats and bad in multiples. I much prefer Acolyte's Reward or Crypsis which either gives the element of surprise or can actually kill something.
2. Heroes Podium
Completely unplayable in Limited, basically unplayable in Standard. Not viable in Modern. That doesn't leave much wiggle room. You can't remake Aladdin's Lamp and get away with it!
1. Culling Mark
Three mana for a sorcery that simply forces blocking is not good removal even for Green.
Provoke at least cantriped and untapped a creature. That would have at least allowed you to Heroic or Inspire your own creature. This didn't have to cost 3 mana though.
Also considered Sunbond which is awful in Limited and probably really bad in Standard. I could see it having Constructed uses though.
Whims of the Fates also was considered. It isn't a good strategy, it won't often work but maybe just maybe this can save someone's game.
Best Reprint:
There are only two or three of them, but this is useful with Inspired Chromanticore decks.
Best Removal:
Bolt of Keranos, Excoriate, Asphyxiate and even Gild all cost too much mana or are too slow. Here we have an instant that can allow you to take out many cards and all it takes is a beastie of your own.
Best Counterspell
This beats the only other one I can think of, but useful though right?!
Best Multi-Player Card:
5 damage to each opponent might actually come up, though you will probably just get your 5/5 still.
Best Lord:
They keep trying to make Minotaurs work. The problem though isn't the casting cost of the creatures. It is the power level and overall lack of usefulness of the creatures which Ragemonger doesn't fix.
Best Overrun:
Probably costs too much, but it hits and it hits hard.
Best Multicolor that's not Multicolor Card:
The Izzet scry creature costs too much to use. The Phalanx is good for aggressive strategies. The zombie River Trawler though can gain you card advantage at an instant speed, or block and search. There are many uses for Orzhov.
20. Pain Seer
Bob he is not. But severally underrated he is. It actually works better with Springleaf Drum and other mechanics in this set than Confidant would. Card advantage is card advantage even on a grizzly bear.
19. Fated Retribution
We get another wrath variant which isn't a bad thing. Seven mana is just a different kind of effect. You aren't counting on this to survive, this is a setup to something much greater. Killing planeswalkers is kind of nifty.
18. Searing Blood
It would be so much better if it hit a creature for 3, but even as is - it's pretty good. It gives Magma Jet a run for it's money. It's obviously been compared to Searing Blaze.
17. Archetype of Courage
A three mana 2/2 first strike would be playable in Limited. But to affect every other creature on the board is very efficient for a three mana enchantment. But to put them together at that cost is just good value.
16. Fated Intervention
Goes really well in an aggressive deck. But whether you decide to combat trick this or scry two you are getting a deal. Six power toughness for five mana is quite good. Pseudo card advantage. Scrying two can set you up well even if the creatures are sacrificed for a noble cause.
15. Kiora's Follower
Untapping permanents works well in all sorts of formats. Limited has inspired. Vintage has Time Vault. All sorts of wonderful things can be had for cards that don't normally untap during their untap phase. Allowing your creatures to attack and give one Vigilance at instant speed is a thing. So many functions.
14. Hero of Iroas
Cheap bear with an ability to make other cards cost less. Good start. Heroic to boot. Kind of Goblin Electromancer like. Also reminds me of Skylasher, a good two drop with lots of upside depending on what you are trying to do.
13. Drown in Sorrow
The Black Pyroclasm. Works well in a control deck. Some Blue White decks or Green decks get moving quickly and there is no better way to stop an aggressive hoard except by destroying the board.
12. Nessian Wilds Ravager
Both Tribute abilities work well though this card more than any can mess your opponent up if chosen incorrectly. You aren't likely to get a 12/12 unless there is chump blocking coming for some time/removal or some other Pacifism like plan.
11. Spirit of the Labyrinth
It's most important function is as a sideboard card. A normal sideboard card won't get much love from me, but this also brings three power on turn two. So even if your opponent doesn't have anything to lose from the ability, you've got a good blocker that can trade with a three drop, or an aggressive beater.
10. Fanatic of Xenagos
Great deal no matter how it gets played. A 3/3 Trample Haste for three is pretty nice for Gruul to mess around with. No one would cry for a 4/4 Trampler either. It combos well with other aggressive strategies you can have. This set has many good three drops for lots of colors that are powerful.
9. Eidolon of Countless Battles
Maybe this should be higher, it's big and quick. It's probably best used aggressively, but there's no reason you can't build around him either. However Eidolon is also vanilla. It's an insane version of Keldon Warlord. That bestow cost is so cheap for what it brings.
8. Herald of Torment
You exchange life for a lower casting cost here. It's at least a good option to have. Quick aggressive decks would love to have this guy. I don't know if a Black White Control deck is going to run this in Standard but it at least has potential to be good. It sure does work well as a creature by itself, though I'm sure bestowing even a sunchaser would have benefits.
7. Temple of Enlightenment
Essentially Guild Gates which also allow you to scry 1. That makes them better than the gates at least except maybe flavor wise. Does scrying and the mana fixing alleviate the pain of being a turn slower than your opponent. I think it depends on how fast your deck needs to be. In an aggressive deck, you can't afford to waste a turn on a land even if it were an attempt to alleviate mana problems. In a three color or more deck it's a different story. The Blue White one is my favorite of the color combos as it is the most likely to be con-trolly.
6. Bile Blight
Good cheap removal at instant speed. Attacks indestructible beasties and can hit a whole swarm. Reminds me of Homing Lightning from Gatecrash. It attacks all sorts of creatures from Pack and Relentless Rats to Boros Reckoners.
5. Courser of Kruphix
Great set of abilities on a good bodied three drop. Gains life and draws cards, hard to ask much more out of a card. The four toughness is huge is surviving all types of removal. Isn't going to win any offensive categories, but drawing a card every one or two turns it isn't meant to. Does hurt the element of surprise and multiples just simply gain you more life.
4. Gods
Harder to become creatures compared to Theros which doesn't seem possible with two colors. The idea is the same though. Large Indestructible creatures that have abilities.
(E)Karametra, God of Harvests
Definitely the weakest God yet. But that doesn't make it a bad card that so many people have said. Is it Primeval Titan? No, but it's in the conversation. It's also cheaper, larger and Indestructible. It's not black and white a bad card. It could be really good.
(D)Ephara, God of the Polis
Actually quite similar to Karametra. The difference being card draw is better than a free land and four mana is much better than five.Works with Spirit of the Labyrinth and Brimaz well. Good combos with Azorious's flickering.
(C)Phenax, God of Deception
In the right deck this thing is going to be nuts. Just play a bunch of giant walls and defend yo'self. If mill is what you want look no further. Five mana is quite a bit for something that might not affect the table immediately. Does turbo win with Eater of the Dead. Kick in the pants with Consuming Arberration.
(B)Mogis, God of Slaughter
This thing is dumb, it might actually be the best card in the set. The ability is incredible. A 7/5 isn't even on my radar.Well costed, works in all sorts of colors - Jund, Dega, Grixis. I can see a 4x Mogis and 4x Fate Unraveler as a good start to any crazy aggressive deck.
(A)Xenagos, God of Revels
A little more restrictive than Mogis, but this thing makes a giant creature every turn and can just wreck a game plan. Goes well with Ruric Thar, Kalonian Hydra or Nova Chaser, heck any 3 power creature or bigger is going to be nuts.
3. Flame-Wreathed Phoenix
Tribute isn't good.The Tribute can't go wrong here though. You might get your 5/5 if it can be dealt with, but that's the name of the game. Draw some hate with your four drop. Sad it is a mythic, but it gets all the good parts of Chandra's Phoenix and Rathi Dragon all in one. Scary in a deck full of Storm Breath Dragons or Hammer of Purphoros.
2. Brimaz, King of Oreskos
It hits and it hits hard. Super aggressive for a three drop. Thankfully it's Legendardy to prevent it from completely being broken. But as it is it's a hard to kill beastie that can gain pseudo card advantage. Fits into a Selesnya tokens mold or a White weenie deck.
1. Kiora, the Crashing Wave
It starts off with a low loyalty which is the worst thing I can say for it. It's still pretty nutty at four mana. Holding back your opponents biggest threat every turn is very Icy Manipulator like. The occasional card draw can help you win the game and if you ever ultimate, forget about it. Even if it just replaces itself while adding a land it's still worth the cost. Smoothing out a mana flood, or stopping a beastie this gal is a wave of excitement.
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