After getting lots of positive feedback about the style of the M13 and Return to Ravnica reviews, I’m going to format this one the same way. We’ll talk about cards in four categories: Probably Won’t Get Played, Might Get Played, Probably Will Get Played, and Definitely Will Get Played. Remember that this is a Commander-only review. There are great cards for other formats, especially Limited, which don’t translate well into 100-card decks.
As fellow RC member Alex mentioned in our January 28th announcement, we’ve made no change regarding reminder text. It doesn’t count toward color identity. The hybrid mana symbol that goes along with extort is in the reminder text.
You may also note that I put multicolored and hybrid cards in the same category despite the fact that they’re split up on the Visual Spoiler. I know that there is a contingent of folks out there who think that mono-colored decks or decks with only one side of the hybrid symbol should be able to play them. By the rules of color in Magic and the rules of color identity, the cards are both colors. While I respect the argument that they were designed to do a different thing, to me it’s as simple as every hybrid card is all of its hybrid mana colors. You can’t kill them with Ultimate Price. While there isn’t too much that’s off the table for us as a discussion point, that’s where we are right now.
As far as the guild-specific mechanics go, I find them all well designed. I think battalion comes up short in the implementation. Cipher is really interesting when you can keep the creature alive. Extort might find a nice home in most Constructed formats. Bloodrush is certainly going to be a factor in Standard and maybe even Modern. Evolve might be the most breakable, especially in any format that has Birthing Pod and/or Survival of the Fittest in it.
This category is for cards that you’re simply unlikely to see in the format. It could be because they’re good only in draft or are simply outclassed by other stuff and don’t have any thematic or tribal tie-ins.
White
Aerial Maneuver; Assault Griffin; Daring Skyjek; Dutiful Thrull; Guildscorn Ward; Nav Squad Commandos; Righteous Charge
Blue
Agoraphobia; Frilled Oculus; Leyline Phantom; Metropolis Sprite; Skygames; Totally Lost
