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David Chapman
Email: jedit@dsl.pipex.com

So the question is: is a poor man's Enduring Renewal still a good card?

I would say not. I've not yet seen it played in Constructed but I *have* seen it played in Limited, and far from being the game-defining bomb that you would think, I've yet to see it be activated even once. I'm sure you all have your story of how it swung a losing game around, but in my experience there's just too many ways of dealing with it.

It's weak in White Weenie because your creatures are meant to be expendable and many of them are tokens unaffected by the Sigil. Also, WW cannot run many 4cc cards and it has to play Battle Screech (and probably Eesha) before it plays this.

U/W Control can defend it, but if it can defend the Sigil it can also defend the board. Its only real use in U/W Control is to get back one of your few creatures if you're forced to Wrath - which means tapping an extra 1W in your own turn.

In the end, the Sigil is strictly inferior to the cheap and spalshable Oversold Cemetery. The Cemetery can return creature cards lost by any means, not just destruction, and its limitation is marginal for most decks. Sigil is only better in decks running very few creatures, and those decks would be better served playing other cards.

Value: £4 until people work out it's not so hot, then £2.

David

Dan Turner
Email: daimyodan@yahoo.co.uk

There are definitely some power enchantments in Onslaught - Oversold Cemetary, Mobilisation and Enchantress's Prescence to name but a few.

So where does Sigil of the New Dawn fit in?

Limited

This is obviously a bomb in limited and is a first pick in draft. I think it is best suited to a B/W deck and combos nicely with cards like Nantuko Husk, Cabal Archon and Festering Goblin. As for other colour combinations, it becomes a handy recursive enchantment that should win the battle of creature attrition.

Constructed

Type 2

Could this be playable in white weenie? Yes it could but there are 2 other really good enchantments that suit this archetype in Onslaught, namely Mobilisation and Shared Triumph. They both complement the tribal theme well which the Sigil doesn't so we may have to look to other formats.

Extended

Off the top of my head I can see this seeing some play as there are many recursive creatures and it looks like it could be strong in a U/W control deck that plays Meddling Mage, Blinding Angel and Wrath of God.

I'm sure this will see use in Onslaught Block Constructed but it is early days yet.

A sleeper card that may become part of a combo deck (think Enduring Renewal), Sigil of the New dawn is worth about $7.

Until next time

Dan

Jason Street
Email: mastervillain@hotmail.com

With Sigil of the New Dawn white gets another way to save it's creatures - though we should really say "reuse it's creatures".

The first thing I think of when I see a card that lets you get a creature back is Echo. Remember that? Here's a refresher:

Echo (During your next upkeep after this permanent comes under your control, pay it's casting cost or sacrifice it)

So you decline to pay the Echo cost, sacrifice it and then get it back. Recurring Nightmare decks did it, and then with Mercadian Masques you could pay B and put the creature back on top of your library with Haunted Crossroads - this of course let you play a Bone Shredder, Avalanche Riders or Keldon Vandals repeatedly (with a way to sacrifice creatures you can use any "comes into play" effect, and you can also use a creature that sacrifce for an effect). Sigil of the New Dawn lets you do the same trick and still draw new cards. It's a moot point whether it matters about the draw if the creature is the thing you need. Hey, with the Sigil you can always pass on the draw and throw 2 damage at someone's head with Words of War.

That controlling strategy is a bit expensive in terms of acquiring cards, so is the Sigil good on its own? Well, with a deck of small creatures you can certainly make use of it to keep your forces on the board. Against Red it will be a hiding - Red tends to trade one for one, using a single spell to kill creatures. This card destroys the parity Red enjoys against a weenie deck, letting them merely buy time instead of gaining board control. Even if a player plays a mass destruction spell you're going to be able to save one or two of your creatures and keep yourself in the game.

As for price, I'd say you can expect it to go for $6. A certain other White enchantment from Onslaught is going to be more popular....

Jason

Daniel Merrifield
Email: s106565@students.ntu.edu.au

Last time on MTG Paradise reviews, Worldgorger Dragon shows his true power. But can Sigil of the New Dawn be a life saver for the defenders of Magic? Find out this episode of MTG Paradise Reviews! (OK, it's not as catchy as DBZ, but I tried.)

Onto the review...
Sigil of the New Dawn says to me "As long as you control untapped lands and one is a plains, your creature can't die."

This card can be a life saver in the right situation. If you have no creatures left in your library and it seems that they are the only way to beat the opponent, Sigil of the New Dawn and white mana suddenly become your best friend.

Situation:
You are playing white weenie against a Beast deck. You are on 6 and your opponent is on 3. You are holding a Wrath of God or some such effect card in your hand. The only way to win is to destroy your massive army (which are pointless against trampling beasts). You control a Sigil of the New Dawn. You decide to WoG in order to survive your next turn. You save your best creatures with the Sigil's ability.

You save your Mystic Crusader and then play it. You have a 3/2 flier and your opponent controls no creatures.

I believed you just saved yourself.

In the right deck, Sigil of the New Dawn can be a powerful card and a great life saver. So remember, "Sigil is your freind!"

Until next time, protect Magic at all costs!

Daniel

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