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Editor: Michael Mason. Monday 7 June 2004.
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 Fifth Dawn - Black Review Welcome to the first of my Limited reviews of the new set. To be honest, I wasn't too impressed with this new set of spells, full stop. I didn't really have to pre-test before the prerelease this time like I did with Mirrodin and Darksteel. However, I did all-right at the prerelease and the sneak peek; my team won the teams event, and in singles I was unbeaten in two flights. It's given me enough packs to trade for tickets at my city's main games center until Nationals in July. I probably gained 25 points in a couple of weeks, making up much of the lost ground in March-April, which really saw me sliding deeper into scrubdom. Anyway, I'm starting with my favourite colour again, and I'd like to hear your opinions...... Being far from a great player, your criticism is always greatly appreciated. I haven't done that many drafts yet, so these ratings are really subject to change.
Beacon of Unrest Hmm, a recurring and more flexible Zombify, and it works on creatures and artifact. Works best in a B/R deck with plenty of removal after you've disposed of a bomb and now you can to steal it. It's definitely way better than either Zombify and Scrounge. Is it a first pick? It's definitely up there, but in a fast set I'm always wary of high casting cost spells at five mana, and admittedly it's dependent on the game state. Grade: A-
Blind Creeper In my opinion, this is as good if not better than Wretched Anurid, and it works best in either LashDraft or a fast W/b equip deck. A two-drop 3/3 is nothing to be sneezed at and early game it's almost impossible for your opponent to cast three spells and remove it. He will always attack without having a spell cast, and even if your opponent can cast an instant he's still a 2/2 for two. Chucking a Bonesplitter will often send your opponent to a very early grave. Grade: B+
Bringer of the Black Dawn This is one of the better Bringers, the Vampiric Tutor effect means that as long as you are on reasonable life, you can draw into any card you want in the next three or four turns, virtually guaranteeing you victory. The big drawback is of course the nine casting cost, and nine casting cost is exactly why Plague Wind is not a first pick despite that fact that it might as well be called "Win Game". If you can draft Sunburst, however, he's much easier to get out. Grade: B (A in Sunburst)
Cackling Imp A less than efficient flyer which, in a block thin in evasion, will still be a viable halfback for most teams' line-ups. The fact that it's double casting cost diminishes his status somewhat. The accessory ability can surprise you, often scoring that crucial three or four points that swings control of the game around in terms of late-game combat math. A decent, middle of the range, sixth or seventh pick. Grade: B-
Desecration Elemental Well, I think every set there's always going to be a couple of cheesy creatures which tempt people. We all know about Eater of Days, don't we! Unfortunately, early in the game you'll be sacrificing creatures en masse making this spell less than efficient. This card is surprisingly good late-game depending on the conditions, and I mean depending on the conditions. Which means that most of the time, don't bother. Grade: C-
Devour in Shadow Sadly, this deck is very sparse in black removal. Devour in Shadow is good, like any removal is, but its double casting cost means it's not as splashable as Vendetta or Terror, even though it can remove any creature on the table. You're also going to pay a price in life when removing a bomb. That's better than dying, of course, and if you're short on removal in the first two packs you'll have to mop this up. Grade: A-
Dross Crocodile Most men with higher power than converted mana cost (CMC) have some kind of disability. The drawback of this card is the one toughness - he's a real stick-like bean-pole who looks like he'll get blown over by the slightest breeze. Unless you can get a Hoversail or Cloak on him (neither of which are all that highly prized themselves) he'll get taken down by the tiniest little kid. Not a nice way for a four CMC guy to go. Grade: D+
Endless Whispers Unless you can somehow build a deck around it, this symmetrical effect is as bad as any other. You've just wasted a turn playing a useless spell that's your opponent is going to get first use out of. The only word I can think of appropriate for this is: NO!!! Grade: F
Fleshgrafter Best in an artifact-heavy LashDraft or Affinity build, this is a Gray Ogre at the very least but his ability will keep your opponent guessing as to whether to block or attack, knowing full well that almost half of all cards are artifacts and very little can take care of a 4/4, let alone a 6/6. I'm not saying that Fleshgrafter is the next Jonah Lomu or Psychatog, but this one is fairly high up there and deserves a spot every game. Grade: B+
Lose Hope Lose Hope is clearly more of a combat trick than removal, but of course you know the feeling when you're stuck on two land and it gets played on your precious Myr. Scrying definitely makes you feel depressed in that situation even more - when will you draw more land? Not a really early pick but definitely playable. Grade: B-
Mephidross Vampire Now you can turn all your creatures into mini-Sengirs! This is going to have an effect on combat math which your opponent is going to have to take into account when attacking and blocking. The net effect is, depending on the circumstances, it will probably force them to accept some of your attacks through. Although costing six mana, a four-toughness flyer is hard to find in this block and unless you have something in the order of a Dirigible or a Qumulox, blocking it is going to be at least a one-for-two trade. While he is expensive, the ability and the evasion pushes him up there with the best of them. Whether this is a first pick is probably debatable; there are definitely higher picks in the other two expansions, but with Fifth Dawn fairly shallow in general, sometimes this might be the one you'll have to grab. Grade: A-
Moriok Rigger Moriok Rigger is one of the few guys in this set that's going to get some action on the constructed playing field. He only needs one artifact to die to make it a 3/3 for three, a fine deal by any standards. In the games which I have seen he's virtually always grown to four or five power unless he was immediately removed. By the way, Pyrite Spellbomb does no good! A very high pick for those going black, and especially in an artifact heavy deck. Grade: A-
Night's Whisper Any spell that draws you two cards for 2 is obviously going to be played. Two life is really negligible early game and even later on when drawing cards becomes more important it's probably an acceptable price to pay. However I do think this card will go around a bit and there's a chance you might get it back around. Grade: B
Nim Grotesque I've never liked seven casting costing spells in limited. Most of the time he'll be about as big as an Enormous Baloth that's patently chump-blockable thanks to the glaring lack of trample. I'd rather something smaller and more effective than something big and vanilla. If you're really short on big creatures then go for it, but surely I think you can fit someone better in the front row of your XV. Grade: C+
Plunge into Darkness Personally, I don't think the former ability is going to be played as widely as the latter. Four or five life is an acceptable price to pay for the latter ability early game and realistically I think later in the game in a stalemate, it can still help you draw into that one card you need. A very high pick. Grade: A-
Relentless Rats Don't bother hoping to get seven or eight rats in your deck; they're only Uncommon and I'd rather have Chittering Rats any day. Most, if not all the time, Relentless Rats in draft is only a lousy Gray Ogre with double black in the casting cost - clearly good reason it will never get a stint on the playing field. Grade: D
Shattered Dreams Duress for an artifact? Interesting. However, discard isn't exactly the same as true removal, and more often than you think it's going to yield nothing. At least you do get to look at your opponent's hand. Personally, I don't think I would play this card, but some of you might disagree. Grade: C
Vicious Betrayal A totally inefficient way of getting through damage. It has no surprise factor, is hideously expensive for what it does, and pretty much forces you to pin all your hopes on that one attack which is going to be only useful when it wins you the game. I've yet to see anyone who's imbecile enough to bother with this.Grade: F |
