RTR Spoiler 15

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

This is our second post for today.  If you've missed the first (linky HERE), we covered off Return to Ravnica promo cards previewed on the mothersite.  In this post, we are at it again providing derpy comments to all the new Return to Ravnica spoilers 'n' previews.  Our Return to Ravnica Spoiler List now sits quite nicely at 107 of 274 cards, so click on over to check out all the Guild Goodness, and don't forget to get your pre-orders organised at MTG Mint Card.  Anywhoos - let's get to them new Magic the Gathering cards we're certain you will want to game with come the release next month on 5th October.

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Martial Law, 2ww
Enchantment, Rare
At the beginning of your upkeep, detain target creature an opponent controls.

This one from our long-time friend JMGH, who runs the  Spanish MTG site Magic Madrid.  The decision players will have to make here is whether it is worth the four mana to shut down opponent threats on turn five in today's relative fast meta-game.  This would be pretty sweet if you have set up a board wipe (like Supreme Verdict) with this as long as your opponent is not holding onto an Abrupt Decay to shut down your Martial Law.

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Precinct Captain, ww
Creature - Human Soldier, Rare
First strike
Whenever Precinct Captain deals combat damage to a player, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.

This preview from Italian MTG website Magic Titans.  If you are a long time reader of MTG Realm, you know we have a soft spot for tokens, and times have been good in standard with Intangible Virture.  This could be casual decent in a build with Captain of the Watch and Odric, Master Tactician, but you can't really count on Precinct Captain to land damage as there is no evasion, and other options to get him there may be too costly or unwieldy.

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Bell-Chime Sphinx, 4uu
Creature - Sphinx, Rare
Flying
Discard two nonland cards with the same name: Draw four cards.
5/6

This Sphinx was previewed on Japanese website Dengeki.  Well this certainly is not for EDH players.  Having two nonland cards with the same name is situational unless you are manipulating your library or running this Sphinx in a Modern Relentless Rats deck.  Props to artist / illustrator Greg Staples for that epic ZZ Top beard on the winged-kitteh.

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Cyclonic Rift, 1u
Instant, Rare
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload 6{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each".)

This may not see popular play in standard given the current tempo but dang will this shine in EDH.  Evacuation is a damn scary card and a player won't be playing Cyclonic Rift's overload unless there wasn't something very unpleasant for you being hatched.

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Jarad's Orders, 2bg
Sorcery, Rare
Search your library for up to two creature cards and reveal them. Put one into your hand and the other into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.

We like this card a lot - digging in your library for any two creature cards is solid.  Get an answer in your hand and get the other one to the yard where you've set up some shenanigans sounds pretty decent.  We'll think about a build with this.

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Cryptborn Horror, 1(b/r)(b/r)
Creature - Horror, Rare
Trample
Cryptborn Horror enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total life lost by your opponents this turn.
0/0

Certainly not a card you want to draw early game, and also a bit difficult late game as you would likely want to spend that mana for burn instead.  It's almost like Bloodthirst took a wrong turn down a sketchy alley here, but perhaps there may be something for EDH fans who may be able to set up an Exsanguinate ahead of this drop.  We'll pass for now.

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Growing Ranks, 2(g/w)(g/w)
Enchantment, Rare
At the beginning of your upkeep, populate.

This one from StarCity Games.  We love the populate tech and love this card as well.  Now - please Wizards, just print a decent token generator that doesn't suck.  If your target for populate is a 1/1, then just scoop.  We see from the art that there may be Wolf, Centaur and perhaps Dryad token critters - if that's it, we'd be upset if we pulled this outta a pack. EDIT - Please see comment from cheshire vash below for solid comments regarding tokens in RTR.
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