Zendikar Prerelease: A Gamer's Tale.

After finishing yesterday's blog post at 3 am, I then proceeded to fall asleep until 8 am. I got more sleep than half the players at the Prerelease. (We're GAMERS. It happens) I headed in, and the atmosphere was absolutely, positively...dull. This continued on in that vein, until...

WAIT A MINUTE. This isn't "How My Day Went", this is the Zendikar Prerelease report! So let's just skip right to the cards, shall we? Any objections?

...

...

...

*crickets chirp*

...

I thought not.

We got passed our cards and deck registration sheets, and I started sorting. It took a bit of time, since I had to open a kid's boosters for him (he broke his arm a few weeks ago and still hasn't missed a week. That's just awesome.) but I immediately realised, while I didn't have any bombs, I had a very solid pool. Here's what I opened.

Basic Land:

2 Island
2 Mountain
2 Swamp

Non-Basic Land:

1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

Artifact:

1 Adventuring Gear
1 Carnage Altar
2 Expedition Map
1 Stonework Puma
1 Trusty Machete

White:

1 Brave the Elements
2 Caravan Hurda
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Noble Vestige
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Sunspring Expedition

Blue:

1 Archive Trap
1 Caller of Gales
1 Gomazoa
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Sea Gate Loremaster
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Summoner's Bane
2 Tempest Owl
1 Trapfinder's Trick
2 Welkin Tern
1 Whiplash Trap

Black:

4 Crypt Ripper
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Feast of Blood
1 Giant Scorpion
2 Hideous End
2 Mindless Null
1 Ravenous Trap
2 Sadistic Sacrament
2 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire Hexmage

Red:

1 Geyser Glider
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Plated Geopede
1 Quest for Pure Flame
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Spire Barrage
1 Torch Slinger
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition

Green:

2 Grazing Gladehart
1 Joraga Bard
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Nissa's Chosen
2 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Savage Silhouette
2 Tajuru Archer
1 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Vastwood Gorger

Now, since you may not know all the cards in Zendikar yet (shame on you for not memorising the entire Visual Spoiler already!) here are some of the more interesting ones.

Crypt Ripper

2BB

Haste

2/2

B: +1/+1 til EOT.

I opened FOUR of these. Yeah. FOUR. As I mentioned in my own post, this card is actually pretty damn good. Combined with the two Hideous End, I knew instantly I would play black. We didn't end up deck swapping (we have a fairly lenient prerelease) so we got to brewin'!

The biggest problem I had was in deciding a second color. I could have made arguments for all of them. Red had some solid creatures and Zektar Shrine. Green had some great creatures. White had a Piece of removal and some combat tricks, and blue has a lot of decent playables, including two (Reckless Scholar and Sea Gate Loremaster) that can just win the game if left unchecked.

After much agonizing, I went with a blue-black build. I chose to add the Seacliff, but not the Piranha Marsh. Here's the build I ended up with:

Lands (17)

7 Island
1 Soaring Seacluff
9 Swamp

Creatures (13)

1 Caller of Gales
4 Crypt Ripper
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Gomozoa
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Sea Gate Loremaster
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Vampire Hexmage
2 Welkin Tern

Spells (10)

1 Carnage Altar
2 Hideous End
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
2 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Summoner's Bane
1 Trusty Machete
1 Whiplash Trap

I added Carnage Altar as an experiment. Cards like this can occasionally turn out uber-powerful, and if I was right, I'd look awesome and have a great edge.

It wasn't. It was terrible, and I should have taken it out after Round 1. Somehow I forgot about the 'Change your deck between rounds' rule at the Prerelease.

Trusty Machete, however, was bloody awesome.

Crypt Ripper, however, was my MVP. So good to have 4 of them. Let's move on to the games though, lest I wax about every card in my deck.

Round 1 vs. Heath

I lose the die roll. Both of us elect to keep. He leads with a Sunspring Expedition. I match it with a Soul Stair Expedition. He plays Kor Skyfisher, bouncing his Plains, and I pass. He plays Turntimber Grove and bashes me for 3. (17,20)

I pass. He swings again, and I give his Skyfisher a rather Hideous End. (17,18) He plays a Shieldmate. A 1/4 defender. Scary. I play Crypt Ripper, he plays Greenweaver Druid. I drop an Ior Ruin, then a land (I almost, out of habit, do it the other way round) and swing. He lets it through, and I triple-pump. (17, 13). He activates his Expedition. (17, 21). He plays Harrow and swings. I take 1. (16, 21). I attack with Crypt Ripper. His 1/4 blocks, and I pump the Ripper to kill it. At the end of my turn, he plays Baloth Cage Trap.

Next turn, he plays Celestial Mantle and swings with a 7/7 that will double his life total if it hits. Yeah, I chump block. Next turn I kick Into The Roil to bounce his token, then swing, and pump +4. (16, 11). He plays Kor Hookmaster and Explorer's Scope. He swings for 1. (15, 11). I play Sky Ruin Drake and another Soul Stair Expedition, then pass.

He plays Stonework Puma, then Brave the Elements naming blue. He swings. (13, 11). I swing. He blocks with the Puma. I pump to kill it, and hit for 2 with my Drake. (13, 9). I then play Sea Gate Loremaster and Giant Scorpion. He untaps and plays Landbind Ritual. (13, 21). He swings. Giant Scorpion blocks. The Hookmaster dies. I swing. (13, 18). He blocks my Crypt Ripper with Greenweaver Druid. He passes.

I play Gomazoa and Trusty Machete. I equip it, and swing. (13, 8) He plays Kor Sanctifiers. I Summoner's Bane it. Next turn, I play Soaring Seacliff, pump my Ripper, and beat him to death in the air.

Game 2 he chooses to play. He keeps, and I mull to 6. His first play is Kor Outfitters. I draw Soul Stair Expedition, play it, then lay a land. He plays Greenweaver Druid, and swings. (20, 18). I play Giant Scorpion, and he kicks Kor Aeronaut. He swings. (20, 16). I play Crypt Ripper and swing. (18, 16). He plays Turntimber Larva. He swings again. (18, 14). I respond in kind, with a 5/5 Crypt Ripper. (13, 14). He swings (13, 10) and I block Turntimber Larva with Giant Scorpion. I get it back with the Expedition at EOT.

I play it, then swing, pumping twice. (9, 10). He plays another Kor Outfitters and swings. (9, 5). I play Gomozoa and pass. He plays Stonework Puma and knocks me to two. I play Carnage Alter and sacrifice Gomozoa. I fail to draw an answer, and concede.

On to Game 3!

I play, and we both keep. I play a Trusty Machete, he plays Sunspring Expedition. I play Vampire Hexmage, he plays Expedition Map. I swing, then play Welkin Tern. He plays Kor Hookmaster, targeting the Hexmage. I equip Trusty Machete to Welkin Tern. (This happens several times throughout the day. It becomes a running gag of mine about the homocidal bird carrying a machete in it's mouth.)

I swing. (14, 20). He uses Expedition Map to find Turntimber Grove, plays it, and hits me for 3. (14, 17). I play Sky Ruin Drake (or as I start calling it, Race Ruin Drake) and swing. (8, 17). He sacs the Expedition. (16, 17). He plays Territorial Baloth. I play Crypt Ripper. He swings. (10, 11). We have a race on our hands! I oblige. He then plays Kor Outfitters, attaching the Expedition Scope to the Basilisk. I play Crypt Ripper. I swing. He Pitfall Traps my 4/4 Ripper and blocks the other. (2, 11). He then plays Puma, and Harrow (making the Baloth an 8/8.) He swings. I go to 3. I win next turn.

1-0


Round 2 vs. Luke


I play first. I play a Swamp, he plays the R/G Refuge. (20, 21)
I play a land, he plays Zektar Shrine Expedition.
I play Reckless Scholar, he passes. I play Crypt Ripper, he uses Punishing Fire. He passes. I play a Sky Ruin Drake. He passes again. I play Ior Ruin Expedition and attack. He Harrows and Hideous Ends my Drake. (18, 19). He plays Tuktuk Grunts and swings. I block. I play Gomazoa, then Welkin Tern. I swing. (18, 17).

He plays Marsh Casualties. I play Trusty Machete and Crypt Ripper. I swing. (18, 15). He swings with the Zektar and a 4/4. I block the 7/1 and Gomazoa-shuffle it into oblivion, and take 4. (14, 15). I equip Crypt Ripper with my Machete, and attack. (14, 9). He plays Mark of Mutiny on it, and attacks. (6, 9). I swing, he blocks. I play Sea Gate Loremaster.

He plays Giant Scorpion. He passes. I swing and he blocks and uses Slaughter Cry to kill my guy. He plays a Shrine, and a land. He swings. (5, 9). I equip the Machete to the Loremaster. I pass. He swings. (4, 9). I Hideous End his blocker next turn, and swing. (4, 4). He kicks Mold Shambler. I use Summoner's Bane. I play a Crypt Ripper next turn and swing for the win.


Game 2 he chooses to draw. I play a Turn 2 Ior Ruin, and he passes. I play Reckless Scholar. He plays Vampire Nighthawk. (The sheer IMPOSSIBILITY of this card to be dealt with profitably says that I want this as my Jund 3-drop.) I play a Crypt Ripper and pass. He swings. (18, 22). I play a land and sac the Expedition. I pass. He swings. (16, 24). He then plays Spidersilk Net and attaches it to the Nighthawk. He kicks Gatekeeper of Malakir, and I sacrifice my Reckless Scholar.

I play my combo: Caller of Gales plus Giant Scorpion. He swings. (12, 28). I play a Crypt Ripper. He plays Malakir Bloodwitch. (9, 31). He swings. I use my combo and block. (9, 33). I swing, and +3. He goes to 28. He Spidersilk Nets onto the Bloodwitch. I Whiplash Trap it at end of turn, since the only card I have to kill it is Summoner's Bane (in hand, too!)

I then swing. (9, 22). He plays Malakir Bloodwitch, I Summoner's Bane it. I swing. (9, 11). He plays Hagra Diabolist. (8, 11). I kick Into the Roil and swing for the win.

2-0.


Round 3 vs. Brian.


I mulligan, and he keeps. He plays the G/W refuge. (20, 21). I lay a land and pass. We both play lands, then I play Giant Scorpion. He passes. I play Crypt Ripper, and swing. (20, 18). He passes. I swing, pump the Ripper to a 4/4. He Burst Lightnings it (with Kicker). (20, 17). He passes. I play a Crypt Ripper and swing. (20, 12). Next turn I play Trusty Machete and Welkin Tarn and swing. (20, 3). He concedes.

Game 2 he plays Kor Duelist. I play Soul Stair Expedition. He plays Turntimber Grove and swings. (20, 18). I play Welkin Tern. He swings. (20, 17). He plays Nissa's Chosen. I play Trusty Machete, and equip it to the Tern. I swing. (16, 17). We both swing for a few turns. Here's how it goes:

16, 14.
12, 14.
12, 11.
8, 11.

He then plays an end of turn Baloth Cage Trap. He swings, and I Whiplash Trap his token and Chosen. (8. 9) He plays Oracle of Mul Daya. I swing. (4, 9). He plays Kor Hookmaster. I Summoner's Bane it. He Magma Rifts. I get it back with Soul Stair at EOT.

I equip the machete to my token and swing. He blocks. I play Sky Ruin Drake. He kicks Kor Sanctifiers and kills my Machete. I swing. (9, 2). I play Welkin Tern and Sea Gate Loremaster. He draws and concedes.

3-0.


Round 4 vs. Jarred


I've been hearing tales of Jarred's amazing deck all day. Let's see if it lives up to the hype.

He keeps, I mulligan. I play a land, he plays Piranha Marsh. (20, 19). Turn 3 he plays Quest for the Gemblades. I play Crypt Ripper and swing. (18, 19). He kicks Gatekeeper of Malakir. I play Sky Ruin Drake. He plays Territorial Baloth. I pass. He swings. I block the Gatekeeper. (18, 13). He plays some guys, and I Whiplash Trap them for U.

Aside: I totally punted this. For some reason I thought Whiplash Trap's U cost was only meant to bounce the creatures that were played. I should have gone for the Baloth instead. It probably wouldn't have helped though. See below.

He swings. (18, 7).

Next turn he plays Sorin Markov. He drains my life and beats me to death shortly after.

Game 2 I play Caller of Gales. He plays Piranha Marsh. (20, 19). I swing, and play Welkin Tarn. He plays Quest of the Gemblades. I swing. (16, 19). He plays Vampire Nighthawk. So much for out-aggroing him.

I play a Soul Stair and pass. He swings. (18, 17). I swing. (16, 17). He plays Crypt Ripper and swings. (18, 12)

I play Sea Gate Loremaster and swing. (16, 12).

He swings. (18, 4).

I draw, and concede.

3-1.


Ow...the pain...

Round 5 vs. Nicholas


He wins the roll. I mulligan. Turn 1, he plays Guul Draz Vampire. I play Caller of Gales. He swings, and I block. He plays a second Guul Draz Vampire. I play Welkin Tern. He plays Kor Hookmaster and swings. (20, 19). I pass. He swings (20, 18) then plays Kor Cartographer.

I swing. (18, 18). He swings. (18, 15). He plays Kazandu Blademaster and Adventuring Geat. I swing. (16, 15) I play Carnage Altar, again cursing it's very existence.

He swings. (16, 10). I pass. He swings (16, 4). I kick Into The Roil, fail to find something next turn, and concede.

Game 2 I choose to play. I play Soul Stair, he plays Vampire Lacerator and Spidersilk Net. I pass. He swings (19, 18) and plays Bloodghast. I play Gomazoa. He swings. I block Bloodghast. (18, 16)

I play Reckless Scholar. He swings. I block Bloodghast and shuffle them away. (17,14). he swings next turn. (16, 12). I play Crypt Ripper, and swing. (14, 12).

He swings, I block, and he casts Disfigure. (13, 12). I swing, and he casts Hideous End. (13, 10). I remark that now I'm at 10, I'm basically screwed. He agrees. I play Hexmage. He swings. After double-checking for a combat trick, I blow him out with my guys. He forgot Hexmage had first strike. a Hideous End was also involved. (He played a Hookmaster at one point. My notes suck.) (11, 10).

I swing. (6, 10). I win quite quickly, and we're on to Game 3.

Game 3 I keep, and my heart turns to ice. How could I forget that his deck was so fast, and I have so little early action!?

He plays Vampire Lacerator. I play Carnage Altar. He swings. (19, 18). I pass. He swings. (18, 16). He plays Kor Sanctifiers.

I play Gomazoa, acting as if I had it all along. Don't know if I fooled him. He swings. (17, 14) then plays Heartstabber Mosquito. I play Ior Ruin Expedition, lay a land, and pass. he swings. (16, 10). Once again, past the 10 mark. I play Sky Ruin Drake. He swings, I block Lacerator. (16, 6) He plays another couple of guys next turn and swings. (16, 2). I have nothing off the top, and that's the tournament.

3-2.


Well, in the end thanks to high resistances, I come 8th out of 33, so I'm happy. I get some Zendikar packs for my troubles, and had a cool day of Magic. I'll need to play at the Launch Party and participate in some Zendikar draft before I make a formal conclusion as to the format, but here's my view:

As spoken by someone who's name I don't know at the Prerelease: Games in Zendikar go really fast or really long. There's not really a middle ground. I totally agree. Zendikar's early drops and bombs are so good that midrange decks get flanked on either side. Either play aggro or play late-game: but make a choice. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Thank you, nameless guy.

Quests are very useful. They're also a big part of Limited.

Black is the best color in Zendikar. Most of the top 8 played with it. I advise trying to play it in Sealed. I don't know about Draft yet.

Thanks for reading!

Final Zendikar Spoilers

The prerelease approaches here in Melbourne: it'll be here in 10 hours, and I'll be there competing (and writing a tournament report). I have close to a dozen articles planned already, so it's time to analyse the last Zendikar cards in the set. All 49 of them. This is the first time I have ever disliked spoiler season. Remind me to keep up better in Worldwake and Prosper (rumoured to be 'Rise of the Eldrazi' as in Eldrazi Monument, which'd be freakin' sweet. The Eldrazi are the ancient race that created the hedrons.)

Now, let's move into the home stretch! WARNING: SERIOUSLY LONG ARTICLE.

WARNING: No really, this'll take like, 15 minutes to read.

Or more.

Let's go!

Quest for the Holy Relic
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may put a quest counter on Quest for the Holy Relic. Remove five quest counters from Quest for the Holy Relic and sacrifice it: Search your library for an Equipment card, put it onto the battlefield, and attach it to a creature you control. Then shuffle your library.
#33/249

Quest for the Holy Relic
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may put a quest counter on Quest for the Holy Relic. Remove five quest counters from Quest for the Holy Relic and sacrifice it: Search your library for an Equipment card, put it onto the battlefield, and attach it to a creature you control. Then shuffle your library.
#33/249

Very flavorful for the Kor. I don't know if this'll see play, but if it is, it'll almost certainly trigger eventually, and there are a few good equipment cards in Zendikar. I guess it depends on what you open.

Arrow Volley Trap
Instant - Trap
If four or more creatures are attacking, you may pay  rather than pay Arrow Volley Trap's mana cost. Arrow Volley Trap deals 5 damage divided as you choose among any number of target attacking creatures.
#2/249

Since in Constructed, it's too weak, and in Limited, it'll rarely trigger, we need to debate this on it's full-mana merits in Sealed and Draft. 5 mana for 5 damage divided is good: but only among attacking creatures. This card is a lot like Divine Verdict, so I'd value it similarly. It's about a fourth to sixth pick, simply because removal, even bad removal, is so damn good.

Summoner's Bane
Instant
Counter target creature spell. Put a 2/2 blue Illusion creature token onto the battlefield under your control.

Awesome staple for Draft and Sealed. I'd like a couple of these in any Draft deck with blue as a main color. Effectively, you're paying for Essence Scatter, plus a Grizzly Bears Runeclaw Bears in blue. I find it worth it, even though keeping 4 mana up is hard. Probably a fifth-to-seventh pick, middle of the road card.

Explorer's Scope
Artifact - Equipment
When equipped creature attacks, you may look at the top card of your library. If it is a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield tapped. Equip

Difficult to evaluate, as so much of this card is conditional. I compare this mostly to Rampant Growth, but it's repeatable, if at a condition. If you're attacking, this card is good, if not, it's bad. I would play this: if I had a deck with evasion. I might play this in a midrange deck, too, for the ability to look at your library. I reserve judgement here.

Khalni Gem
Artifact
When Khalni Gem enters the battlefield, return two lands you control to their owner's hand. : Add two mana of any one color to your mana pool.

Useful to aid Landfall and also as manafixing. Khalni Gem allows you to play a land twice without losing a mana investment except for the investment to play the land. This is useful for Landfall decks.

Spidersilk Net
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +0/+2 and reach. Equip

A sideboard card, but a good one. Try to pick one or two of these up late if you don't have many fliers.

Grim Discovery
Sorcery
Choose one or both - Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand; and/or return target land card from your graveyard to your hand.

If you open and play a fetchland, this is quite useful. Sac the fetchland, get it back, next turn sac it again. Double Landfall for 2 turns and great deck-thinning. That said, this card won't see too much play. If you want it though, you can pick it up tenth pick or later.

Makindi Shieldmate
Creature - Kor Soldier Ally
Defender Whenever Makindi Shieldmate or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Makindi Shieldmate.
	0/3

Only should be played to reach a critical mass of Allies. Other than that, it's not too great.

Guul Draz Vampire
Creature - Vampire Rogue
As long as an opponent has 10 or less life, Gull Draz Vampire gets +2/+1 and has intimidate. (It can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)
	1/1

Vampire Aggro now has one-drops 5-8. I think Vampire Aggro should look at splashing Red to get it's opponent to the 10 life that really drives it over the top. I'll be doing a post or two on Vampire Aggro in the next few weeks, so stay tuned (I have a heap of posts I want to write about the new metagame).

Heartstabber Mosquito
Creature - Insect
Kicker  (You may pay an additional  as you cast this spell.) Flying When Heartstabber Mosquito enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, destroy target creature.
	2/2

4 mana for a 2/2 flier, or 7 mana for a 2/2 flier plus a Terminate. Hmm...Removal is good, but this is a bit much. I reserve judgement, once again.

Tanglesap
Instant
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn by creatures without trample.

Try Vines of the Vastwood if you want a combat trick. Dear god, this card is terrible.

Highland Berserker
Creature - Human Berserker Ally
Whenever Highland Berserker or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may have Ally creatures you control gain first strike until end of turn.
	2/1

Useful in specific situations: not in others. Another 'critical mass' Ally. Not one you'd play under it's own merits.

Nimana Sell-Sword
Creature - Human Warrior Ally
Whenever Nimana Sell-Sword or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Nimana Sell-Sword.
"He asked if I had work for him. No wasn't the right answer." - Samila, Murasa Expeditionary House
	2/2

See above. Though with all these common Allies, an Ally deck might just work here...

Slaughter Cry
Instant
Target creature gets +3/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
"Since when did 'AIIIEEEE!' become a negotiation tactic?" - Nikou, Joraga bard

Kindled Fury in overdrive. This is a seventh-to-ninth pick. Not spectacular, but it'll make the cut about as often as not.

Hagra Crocodile
Creature - Crocodile
Hagra Crocodile can't block. Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Hagra Crocodile gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
The creatures of Zendikar are opportunists, eating whatever is available to them. Like goblins. Or boats.
	3/1

I wouldn't play this if I could help it. It's a 5/3 that can't block at best. (Maybe a 7/5, but not too likely). No thanks.

Blood Seeker
Creature - Vampire Shaman
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, you may have that player lose 1 life.
	2/1

This card is a lot better than you think. It'll probably take out at least 2-3 life before it goes, and added to the fact that it's a 2/1, I'd pick this a lot higher than people will. This card can really make a difference.

Pillarfield Ox
Creature - Ox
hurf durf
	2/4

This card, like Siege Mastodon, is a defender. Also like Siege Mastodon, you'll play it, but you'll be kind of 'meh' about it as you do.

Kor Duelist
Creature - Kor Soldier
As long as Kor Duelist is equipped, it has double strike.
	1/1

Wow. Equip THIS guy with Trusty Machete. This card could see play in Limited. It all depends on how many pieces of Equipment you have. Mostly though, it's not too great.

Caravan Hurda
Creature - Beast
Lifelink
	1/5

This is a good wall. I would play this card. Excellent at holding attackers back. Dromar Purebred saw play, and this card is better.

Crypt Ripper
Creature - Shade
Haste : Crypt Ripper gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
	2/2

This. At common. Wow. In the late-game, this is just an AMAZING topdeck. A 6/6 haste from nowhere just tips the scales. This is a great card. I would play 3 of them if I got them in Limited.

Surrakar Maurader
Creature - Surrakar
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Surrakar Maurader gains intimidate until end of turn.
	2/1

Solid: not spectacular. Still, about as good as Dread Warlock, and he saw play, so go ahead and draft him seventh pick or so.

Shoal Serpent
Creature - Serpent
Defender Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Shoal Serpent loses defender until end of turn.
	5/5

Finally, a half-decent serpent. A 5/5 in Limited is always good, and this one can attack reasonably regularly. Go ahead and play this guy. Not quite a bomb, but no slouch either.

Shatterskull Giant
Creature - Giant
When he puts the boots to you, it won't be medium-style.
	4/3

Better than Canyon Minotaur. This guy's big enough to play with the big-boys. One of the best vanilla creatures in the set.

Bladetusk Boar
Creature - Boar
Intimidate
	3/2

Red seems to be getting some creature love in Zendikar. A 3/2 with red fear? Count me in! Fourth pick, definitely.

Magma Rift
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Magma Rift, sacrifice a land. Magma Rift deals 5 damage to target creature.

Too bad this can't hit players. Nevertheless, this is a fine card, especially since you're likely to play extra lands for Landfall. Third pick, or around that area. Good removal is hard to find in Limited.

Spire Barrage
Sorcery
Spire Barrage deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of Mountains you control.

Not that great. 5 mana is too overpriced, AND it's a sorcery. I wouldn't play this.

Mark of Mutiny
Sorcery
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Put a +1/+1 counter on it and untap it. It gains haste until end of turn.

Act of Treason is always good. The +1/+1 counter is interesting, as it benefits both of you. This bears further examination.

Bold Defense
Instant
Kicker  Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. If Bold Defense was kicked, those creatures get +2/+2 and first strike instead.

Glorious Charge sucked: this is worse. At 3 mana I want to do more than this, and at 7, I want a LOT more than the kicked version of this.

Sunspring Expedition
Enchantment
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a quest counter on Sunspring Expedition. Remove three quest counters from Sunspring Expedition and sacrifice it: Gain 8 life.

A good tempo card. Lifegain alone is usually terrible, but one mana for EIGHT life is a huge bargain. I'd play it if I opened it.

Mindless Null
Creature - Zombie
Mindless Null can't block unless you control a Vampire.
"Call me Mr. 15"
	2/2

Wow. A Grey Ogre. Wait, wait, a CONDITIONAL Gray Ogre. This gets my vote for one of the worst cards in Zendikar. If you are forced to play this, may God or any other deity have mercy on your soul.

Bog Tatters
Creature - Wraith
Swampwalk
	4/2

At 4 mana, this guy might be half-decent. At 5 mana, he's pretty terrible, actually. Tenth to twelfth pick.

Marsh Casualties
Sorcery
Kicker  Creatures target player controls get -1/-1 until end of turn. If Marsh Casualties was kicked, those creatures get -2/-2 instead

This might see Limited play. It'd be good if it was an Instant, but as a Sorcery, it's relegated to 23rd-card purgatory.

Torch Slinger
Creature - Goblin
Kicker -  When Torch Slinger enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, it deals 2 damage to target creature.
	2/2

A Limited utility creature, if a bit expensive. This guy'll see play though, due to the 2-for-1 ability of this card. A good Sealed and Draft roleplayer.

Joraga Bard
Creature - Elf Rogue Ally
Whenever Joraga Bard or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, all Allies you control gain vigilance until end of turn.
	1/4

Vigilance is very good in Limited, which is all about creature combat. This is actually a pretty good Limited ally.

Shieldmate's Blessing
Instant
Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.

A worse Healing Salve. Just what we needed. This card may see play as a combat trick, but certainly not beyond a Limited trick: and not too great either, since it'll almost never be a 2-for-1.

Merfolk Seastalkers
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Islandwalk : Tap target creature without flying.
	2/3

This card seems weak, but can really shine in the late-game where it can tap multiple creatures. This is better than most people think.

Lethargy Trap
Instant - Trap
If three or more creatures are attacking you, you may pay  rather than pay Lethargy Trap's mana cost. Attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.

A good combat trick, which can foil an alpha strike and/or make combat suddenly work in your favor instead of more or less even. Very reactive though, which drives it's value down.

Spreading Seas
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant land When Spreading Seas enters the battlefield, draw a card. Enchanted land is an Island.

This is a decent card. People play cyclers after all. The ability to slightly mess up your opponent's mana and draw a card is worth it. Probably an eighth pick or so.

Vastwood Gorger
Creature - Wurm
	5/6

Another common draft-winner. If there isn't any other good cards in the pack, like removal or a bomb, and you're in Green, you basically always take a card like this.

Timbermaw Larva
Creature - Beast
Whenever Timbermaw Larva attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each Forest you control.
	2/2

A good offensive card, since it should be at least a 4/4 when attacking when you play it, and just gets bigger. Probably around sixth pick.

Seismic Shudder
Instant
Seismic Shudder deals 1 damage to each creature without flying.

Very narrow application. Not even a sideboard card in Limited. NEXT!

Molten Ravager
Creature - Elemental
: Molten Ravager gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
	0/4

Another firebreathing card, and this one simply isn't very good. More chaff.

Goblin Shortcutter
Creature - Goblin Scout
When Goblin Shortcutter enters the battlefield, target creature can't block this turn.
	2/1

See above. Chaff.

Landbind Ritual
Sorcery
You gain 2 life for each Plains you control.

More crap. Hasn't Wizards heard of saving the best til last?

Cliff Treader
Creature - Kor Scout
Mountainwalk
	2/1

Potentially a sideboard card, but even then, it's simply not that good.

Noble Vestige
Creature - Spirit
Flying : Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target player this turn.
	1/2

This could prevent a bit of damage over a game, but I don't think it's worth playing, even with that potential.

Inferno Trap
Instant - Trap
If you've been dealt damage by two or more creatures this turn, you may pay  rather than pay Inferno Trap's mana cost. Inferno Trap deals 4 damage to target creature.

Now this is a good Limited card. It'll be picked very highly, since even in it's non-trap form, it's a very good piece of removal. This is a second pick card. Maybe first in a weak pack.

Tajuru Archer
Creature - Elf Archer Ally
When Tajuru Archer or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, Tajuru Archer deals damage equal to the number of Ally creatures you control to target creature with flying.
	1/2

Not a great card. Maybe it'd be okay with reach.


And that, at last, is all the cards in Zendikar analysed. Now I can rest. Oh wait, I have to be up in 4 hours to get ready to go to the Prerelease. Bugger.


Such is the life of a Magic blogger! I can sleep when I'm dead. Night, everybody!


Also, bonus question, and I compel everyone to respond:


What did you think of this series? Would you like me to analyse every card in Worldwake? What should I have done differently? Your feedback makes this a better blog for evertone, so don't keep your opinions to yourself. Tell me what you think, either by e-mail (Salivanth@live.com), Twitter (mtgsalivanth) or the comments on this blog. I read it all.


See you tomorrow, with a Prerelease tournament report!