Ravnica Allegiance Standard

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

This very weekend, Magic: the Gathering players will be vying for glory at their local gaming stores around the globe in Ravnica Allegiance pre-release events.  The set appears to have all the correct successful ingredients and something for every fan, no matter what their favourite format - Commander, Standard, Modern, or limited.  

Suggested reading ahead of this weekend's event is the Ravnica Allegiance pre-release primer, from Gavin Verhey as well as the Ravnica Allegiance Release Notes, posted to Wizards of the Coast Daily MTG page today.  As an side-note, we had seriously misunderstood a particular card and now clarified, it may now be one of our favourites in the set.

Anywhoos, let's get on to today's topic - post Ravnica Allegiance Standard format. As the official previews were under way, it had become evident that (1) Riot was a particularly good mechanic, and that (2) Gruul Spellbreaker & Rhythm of the Wild is a solid card.  As a result, we expect a lot of the early decklists will lean towards Aggro and specifically these cards.  Just be cautious of cards, now being splashed with the improved mana-bases that threaten to put a damper on your Simic 'Adapt' or Gruul 'Riot' tech, such as Suncleanser.

Also of note - the much anticipated HareruyaWayfinder 晴れる屋 deck suggestions have been posted to Hareruya should you want to either confirm your similar build or looking for a direction.  Here are the creative offerings :

• Deck 1 Rakdos - Good Stuff - By Grzegorz Kowalski
• Deck 2 Rakdos - Aggro - By Christian Hauck
• Deck 3 Rakdos - Theatre Burn - By John Rolf
• Deck 4 Gruul - Almost Mono Green - By Javier Dominguez
• Deck 5 Gruul - Midrange - By Lee Shi Tian
• Deck 6 Gruul - Riot - By Immanuel Gerschenson
• Deck 7 Azorius - Control - By Luis Salvatto
• Deck 8 Esper - Control - By Marcio Carvalho
• Deck 9 Temur - Prime Speaker Vannifar - By Lucas Esper Berthoud
• Deck 10 Bant - Midrange - By Piotr Glogowski
• Deck 11 Izzet Living End (Modern) - By Pascal Vieren
• Deck 12 Light Up the Burn (Modern) - By Jason Chung

• Deck 13 Pteramander Delver (Legacy)  - By Jason Chung

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Ravnica Allegiance PW Decklists

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

As the last Magic: the Gathering cards are being previewed for the new Ravnica Allegiance set, the mother-site has posted the Planeswalker Deck Lists (conveniently linked right here).  Should you not know, Planeswalker deckds have been around for a while now and are well suited product developed by Wizards of the Coast to familiarise new players with basic game strategy as well as a great introduction into the flavour and mechanics of the new set.

The Planeswalker Decks introduced today are -

• Dovin (White/Blue) Dovin, Architect of the Law
- and -
• Domri (Red/Green) Domri, City Destroyer

Contents of each PW Deck -

• 1 x Ready-to-play 60-Card Deck Featuring a Foil Premium Planeswalker Card
• 2 x Ravnica Allegiance Booster Packs
• 1 x Strategy Insert
• 1 x Magic Learn-to-play Guide

Each Planeswalker deck produced to date generally features five cards that won't be found in the corresponding booster pack of the associated set, however, these cards are considered as a part of that expansion, and therefore will be legal to be played in any format, including Standard, as long as that set is legal in that format. 

The special cards included in each deck consist of:

One foil copy of a mythic rare planeswalker, typically with a high casting cost, designed to be fun and splashy but not pushed for tournament play. 

Two copies of a rare spell that has an effect and also searches your library for the specific planeswalker. The rare usually will cost one mana less than the planeswalker. This card will only looks for the Planeswalker Deck's version of the planeswalker and not any version.

Three copies of an uncommon permanent that is enhanced by having the planeswalker (or any other version of that planeswalker) on the battlefield.

Four copies of a common flavoured to the planeswalker with a basic staple effect.


Four copies of a supporting common dual land.

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Ravnica Allegiance Previews 1-03

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

There is a whack (wallop?) of new Magic: the Gathering previews out today from Wizards of the Coast as well as a number of other sources.  Here is a quick round-up of all the Ravnica Allegiance previews so far ::

Jaharg, Beefy Ogre Warrior (Bolrac-Clan Crusher), Thop-Thop (Depose // Deploy) are some of the uncommons.

• Ravager Wurm, illustrated by Svetlin Velinov
Griffin - Boom.  Utility Land - Boom.  This Riot Wurm bellows 'Fight Me!'.  Those flipped Ixalan lands now have a target on them, but will there be enough mana acceleration to drop this earlier than turn six in standard ?

• Skarrgan Hellkite, illustrated by Svetlin Velinov
We like the new GloryPinger here, with the nice Riot option of haste or +1/+1 counter as the particular gameplay dictates.  A lot of mythics are flashy but not necessarily easily adapted to standard, this may make the cut.

• Spawn of Mayhem, illustrated by Victor Adame Minguez
A 4/4 flying trample which could potentially get dropped on turn three seems pretty strong.  We could even nuke the board with a Ritual of Soot (<3 1="" a="" as="" be="" bit="" clock="" cmc="" every="" font="" for="" may="" nbsp="" of="" pings="" player="" point.="" spawn="" the="" there="">

• Teysa Karlov, illustrated by Magali Magali Villeneuve
The Orzhov card that we have been waiting for has finally been delivered !  Most definitely picking this up for Commander and am very excited to brew something for standard.  Hopefully there will be an easy sacrifice outlet to get an Aristocrats build off the ground.  Starting with Elenda, Doomed Dissenter and friends.

• Mass Manipulation, Illustrated by Anthony Palumbo

• Seraph of the Scales, Illustrated by Magali Villeneuve


• Amplifire, Illustrated by Dan Scott
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Ravnica Allegiance Spoilers Jan. 2

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

A Happy New Year to you as well.  Official Ravnica Allegiance previews are now under full steam today.  Here is a handy link to the Wizards of the Coast Card Image Gallery which will be updated each day.  For the first day of previews, here is what we have rounded up for you today - 

Shocklands
Five rare dual lands in guild colors, originally printed in the Ravnica: City of Guilds block. Each has the respective basic land types, and enters the battlefield tapped unless its controller pays 2 life.

Guildgates
Five common dual lands in guild colors, originally printed in the Return to Ravnica block. Each has the Gate subtype and enters the battlefield tapped. Each is printed twice in the set, with two different sets of art and flavor text. The first shows the guild's "main gate" and has flavor referring to its leader, whereas the second shows a "back door" and has flavor referencing to its lieutenant.

Lockets
Five common mana stones for {3}. each of which tap for either color mana of its corresponding guild, and can be sacrificed by tapping and paying four hybrid mana of the same colors to draw two cards.

• Dovin, Grand Arbiter, illustrated by Kieran Yanner

Many had suspected with the preview of Assassin's Trophy (Guilds of Ravnica) that there would be a shake-up.  Specifically suggesting that Vraska petrifies Isperia (Supreme Judge), with the possible insertion of a character loyal to Bolas.  Given the particular moral flexibility of Dovin from the previous story on Kaladesh, Dovin was practically a shoe-in.  Essentially we need a bunch of evasive creatures for Dovin to do any heavy lifting for us.  Not certain that this will make a big splash in standard, but should it, it will most likely be with tokens.  Do very much like the life-gain and thopter tokens including the potential jetting to Dovin's ultimate.

• Sphinx of Foresight, illustrated by Titus Lunter
A 4/4 flyer for 4 mana in blue is a good deal, so everything else that follows is pretty much honey.  The 'Leyline' effect is good, and if there is a standard tempo decklist for standard, this card will demand some consideration for inclusion.

• Hydroid Krasis, illustrated by Jason Felix
So Simic - 'All the Creature Types!'.  We very much appreciate the 'when you cast' trigger to be able to still get the life gain and draw those cards, even should this be countered.  We do not think there is anything (yet) in standard which may kill this while on the stack.  This very much feels like a Mythic Card.

• Deputy of Detention, illustrated by G-host Lee
The Wizard creature type may be relevant here, and best served spicy with perhaps Naban, Dean of Iteration to have that the enters the battlefield effect fire twice.  Also, this is a serious threat against token-based strategy decklists.  It is nice to have a Detention Sphere on legs, but one bolt could end the fun rapidly.

• "Biomancer's Pet" (translation?), illustrated by Izzy
Creature — Mutant, Rare
Activated abilities of creatures you control cost up to {2} less to activate. This effect can’t reduce the amount of mana an ability costs to activate to less than one mana.
Tap : Until end of turn, the next time target creature adapts, it adapts as if it had no +1/+1 counters on it.
2/2


Did you like the Rise of the Eldrazi Card 'Training Grounds' ?  Within that set, not so much, but this new card is set to be pretty damn good when paired with the new 'Adapt' mechanic looks solid.  Although this cannot reduce the activated abilities less than 1, there may be a good chance that this will see popular play in standard.  There may be seveeral Merfolk (G/U - like Shapers of Nature) cards in Ixalan Block, or perhaps hooked in with a third colour - example - white with Dominaria's Shalai, Voice of Plenty.

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