Zendikar Spoilers! 25 / 229

Hello bloggers! Today I'll be writing about the Zendikar spoilers again, since FNM was very boring. As there's now 33 non-basics to analyse, I'll be analysing more Zendikar cards tomorrow. Let's get right to it!

Warren Instigator
Creature - Goblin Berserker
Double Strike Whenever Warren Instigator deals damage to an opponent, you may put a Goblin creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.

This isn't as broken as some people may think it is. Standard is well equipped to handle it, with Path to Exile, Lightning Bolt, Doom Blade, Terminate and any Zendikar removal 2 mana or less able to come down before the Instigator can swing. Yes, it's powerful, but this is more of a Legacy card than a Standard card.

Still, it might be enough to put Goblins to the top. Keep an eye on this little tribe. And in Extended, maybe Lorwyn's goblins (with up to 12 lords) might find a home...

Lullmage Mentor
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Whenever a spell or ability you control counters a spell, you may put a 1/1 blue Merfolk creature token onto the battlefield. Tap seven untapped Merfolk you control: Counter target spell.
"Many voices are needed to quiet this land.

A decent card to try to build around, but seven Merfolk would have to be prodigious, and countering spells really isn't worth it. I don't think this will see play.

Kazuul Warlord
Creature - Minotaur Warrior Ally
Whenever Kazuul Warlord or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on each Ally creature you control.
On expeditions, minotaurs are worth their weight in gold. Fortunately for the paymasters, most minotaurs don't know how much they weigh.
Illus. Kev Walker	3/3

This will be a great Limited card, I think. Since it enters as a 4/4 for 4 and only gets bigger and bigger, it'll probably be a bomb. I don't see it seeing play in Constructed, however. I'll keep my eye on this for Limited though.

Soul Stair Expedition
Enchantment
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a quest counter on Soul Stair Expedition. Remove three quest counters from Soul Stair Expedition and sacrifice it: Return up to two target creature cards from your graveyard to your hand.

 I really like the Quest mechanic. I like 'subgames' in Magic where you're going for another aim. This mechanic REWARDS YOU FOR PLAYING MAGIC, and that's always powerful. Hi, Tarmogoyf!

This probably won't see too much play since it's so reactive, but it's a cool sealed and Draft card. Tomb Lord's Quest on the other hand...

Electropotence
Enchantment
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may pay . If you do, that creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
Illus. Christopher Moeller

Electropotence is probably not going to be a great card outside of EDH, unfortunately. I like the card, but it takes 6 mana to do anything, and that's not a good sign.

Goblin Ruinblaster
Creature - Goblin Shaman
Haste Kicker -  When Goblin Ruinblaster enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, destroy target nonbasic land.
	2/1

Cool! This is a pretty decent card, and might see play in Constructed, as it's card advantage (and Fulminator Mage saw occasional play). I think this could work. Tempo = good.

Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warrior
, : Destroy target creature. If that creature is put into a graveyard this way, put a black Vampire creature token onto the battlefield. Its power is equal to that creature's power and its toughness is equal to that creature's toughness.
Illus. Todd Lockwood #99/249	5/5

Another Limited bomb. This could see play as a 1 or 2-of in MBC, or even an EDH general for Mono-Black. I see it's play being sporadic, however.

Mindbreak Trap
Instant - Trap
If an opponent cast three or more spells this turn, you may pay  rather than pay Mindbreak Trap's mana cost. Exile any number of target spells.
"Life is a maze. This is one of its dead ends." - Noyan Dar, Tazeem lullmage

At first it seems terrible, but this is actually an Extended / Legacy / Vintage card, made to counter Storm decks. Combined with Pact of Negation to protect it, this could hurt Storm a fair bit (though Storm will probably side in Guttural Response to fight it). This isn't a Standard card. No sir.

Vampire Nighthawk
Creature - Vampire Shaman
Flying Deathtouch Lifelink
	2/3

Nice. Even nicer with Vampire Nocturnus. Wizards is pushing Vampire Aggro as a deck, that's for sure. It might just work, too. I look forward to seeing how this develops.

Eternity Vessel
Artifact
Eternity Vessel enters the battlefield with X charge counters on it, where X is your life total. Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may have your life total become equal to the number of charge counters on Eternity Vessel.

As quoted from the Mtgsalvation forums:

"This is a card that will get me physically beaten, and I love it." This is the ULTIMATE annoyance, and an excellent card for control. If you drop this at 10+ life, you almost can't lose. This'll probably only see play as a 2-of in control, but may work in Sealed.

That's our 10 for today! Join us tomorrow for more Zendikar goodness!