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Hello and welcome again to another colour and yet another Limited review. It is now white's turn to get the once over by Mr Ross and myself and I'll tell you now, the cards aren't too shabby. White has a strong common creature base in Mirrodin and a few neat tricks that will keep your opponents on their toes. However, because the cards are so powerful everybody is going to want to draft them, and there is nothing worse than being caught in between 2 players who are drafting the same colours as you. Some of the white cards make good splashes (Arrest, Soldier Replica) so even if your fellow drafters give you the shaft you can still play those cards.

My listing of the solid playable commons are as follows:-

1. Arrest
2. Skyhunter Cub
3. Skyhunter Patrol
4. Leonin Den-Guard
5. Soldier Replica
6. Auriok Transfixer
7. Gold Myr
8. Blinding Beam

1. Arrest

Do you know how many times I have heard "you are under arrest" when this has been played? Too many, and the set has only been out for just over a week. Stupid puns aside this is hands down white's best card. It shuts off the set's best common and with so little enchantment removal being played (Annul, Elf Replica and Razor Barrier are the only likely candidates) chances are this is going to stick around. I would even consider splashing Arrest if I drafted it early and I was forced out of white - it is that good.

[PR] Can I begin by offering enthusiastic congratulations to Mr Turner on his T8 at the Sydney GP. Not only is this a well-earned achievement for a man who I personally consider to be the second-nicest Magic player in Sydney (come back Neil, all is forgiven...) but it also lends a modicum of cred to this review series while simultaneously relieving any pressure on my half of the contributions as because Dan is obviously the man with the knowledge, and I merely the occasionally comic sidekick.
On the subject of Arrest, although I thankfully haven't been subjected to the pun hilarity that Dan describes above, I agree that it's easily the best white common, definitely worth splashing and even better than Terror in this format.

2. Skyhunter Cub

First or second turn Bonesplitter, third turn Cub, equip and you have a 5/3 flying beatstick on your hands. How is this not good? Even if you equip it with a Leonin Scimitar or a Longbow this is going to be a problem. I think that if you are drafting white then equipment needs to be taken a lot higher. This may sound obvious but I am surprised at how many times I have seen white drafters pass up Scimitars and the like for other cards when they already have Den-Guards and the Cub.

[PR] And straight away we're into the Ross Rant (tm) for this article: Enough with the early Bonesplitter fantasies already! I wish I had a dollar for every article that I'd read that proclaims Mirrodin Limited to be a slow format and then starts having wet dreams about equipped white creatures on the third turn. Yes, it's possible. Not to mention a little demoralising if it happens on the other side of the table. But in no way does that make a Gray Ogre that combos with maybe 3 cards in your deck better than a 2/3 flying first-striker, double-colour cost notwithstanding. End rant.

3. Skyhunter Patrol

There will be drafts when you find yourself taking the Patrol over the Cub and even then it's not the end of the world. Sometimes you may not see any decent equipment and your Cubs will be stranded on the table with glum faces while you beat your opponent down with 2/3 flying first strikers. The Patrol stops Hoverguards dead in their tracks and pretty much anything else when backed up by a Predator's Strike. It is the double white in the casting cost which slips it behind the Cub, but this is still a very fine card and worthy of a first pick.

4. Leonin Den-Guard

This is where the first pick stops but this is still quality. Bonesplitter, Vulshok Gauntlets, even a Leonin Scimitar - need I say more? It gets the number 4 slot because it isn't much of a beating by itself but it does a good job of defending your home turf because even without equipment it will fend off irritating early beats like Tel-Jilad Chosen and Alpha Myrs.

5. Soldier Replica

I initially had the Replica over the Den-Guard but the synergy with equipment won out. This is my personal favourite as it often goes late in the draft and it is a solid card which will always see play. I have even splashed this before in removal-light decks as it is great for stopping creatures like Somber Hoverguard, Skyhunter Patrol and Neurok Spy. As far as the replicas go I rank the soldier behind the goblin and wizardbut it is still a good pick, especially in U/W decks (it should also be picked a little higher in that archetype).

[PR] They're very close, but my leaning is towards the Replica, again because wearing Equipment is, by definition, a COMBO and I was taught (perhaps wrongly?) long ago that Limited formats are no place to rely on combos. Nice if they inadvertently come up, but you don't want cards that suck in their absence (like the inexplicably popular Isochron Scepter). And while (as Dan correctly opines) the Den-Guard isn't a complete waste of cardboard unequipped, the Replica is always a force to be reckoned with.

6. Auriok Transfixer

I found this card hard to rate as it is great in some situations and next to useless in others. R/G for example tends to play fewer artifact creatures (as they have plenty of solid creatures in their colours) so the Transfixer doesn't do much. But it doesn't get a 6 slot on my list for nothing. The main reason it deserves a place is Myr Enforcer, every deck can and will play this card and it can come out really quickly. The Transfixer is great for gumming it up so you can use your artifact removal on more important artifacts. When should you draft this card? Not sure, but I wouldn't pick it that early, then again if you are white it is always good to have one in your deck so you may find yourself taking this over a Den-Guard or Soldier Replica.

7. Gold Myr

Every deck wants some of these guys and I'm now prepared to take myrs out of my colour just for the mana acceleration. In a way they define the format because he who has more mana has more options and is most probably winning. In fact if you don't believe me try drafting a deck without any Myrs and see how you go, because in your next draft you will even contemplate taking one of these first if you don't have one by the time you open your last booster. They also make colour splashing easier and you can play with lower land counts - woohoo!

[PR] And here's yet another good toss up. I think the mana Myr is better than the Transfixer. But note that a Transfixer is an excellent choice for shutting down an opponent's mana Myr for the first couple of turns after which it can be re-deployed to probably weightier assignments. I'd rate the Transfixer above an off-colour mana Myr, but would happily snap up on-colour ones until I had at least three. Then and only then would the Transfixer become competition.

8. Blinding Beam

The Beam rounds out the solid playable commons in my opinion as it is a great combat trick when players are trying to race each other. I have seen this go around the draft table a few times now and have been on the receiving end of it many a time so respect its power! You only need one of these for your deck, however, and you will probably be able to draft it late but if you open your third booster and you don't have one you may have to first pick it.

[PR] Yeah, I don't know about the Beam. It can certainly change the dynamics of a race, but still feels like a victim of Equipment-squeeze (i.e. if I have 15ish decent creatures, 3ish decent pieces of Equipment and 5ish decent removal spells then Blinding Beam is not getting a look in).
For example, I would definitely play Titanium Golem and/or Raise the Alarm as 14th/15th creatures before I considered the Beam, and I even rate over it. So many times, Razor Barrier reads "remove target Arrest and swing through annoying white blocker(s)" and that's just one of its many uses. The Barrier can also fail to make the cut.

Titanium Golem, Raise the Alarm, Razor Barrier, Leonin Elder

All four of these are playable (i.e. maindeckable) but I wont be too depressed if I don't have them in my deck. The Golem ranks up there with the Malachite, that is behind all of the other ones, and come to think of it Malachite is actually better than this. But if your deck needs creatures I wouldn't feel too bad about playing him. I had 2 Raise the Alarms at the sneak peek and included them in my meagre creature count (it came to 11). If it wasn't for my Loxodon Warhammer I would have lost a lot more matches that day. This is a nice trick but I think white can do a lot better than this. However it isn't terrible so don't feel too embarrassed if you have to run it. Razor Barrier is good and it is definitely suited to players that love their tricks, but you will often find there are cards you want to run over this. Note this targets any permanent so you can even protect lands! I prefer Disciple of the Vault to the elder but there are some obscure combos he works well with - Nuisance Engine for instance, but in general I wouldn't want to maindeck this.

Awe Strike, Loxodon Mender, Sunbeam Spellbomb, Sphere of Purity

These all fall into the "I'm only going to play this because my deck is so bad" category. I give a little bit of credit to Awe Strike because it is a good combat trick especially if your opponent is fond of Predator's Strike. I can't understand why some people actually like the Mender as 6 mana is way too much for a 3/3 and if you want to regenerate your artifacts, play Welding Jar instead. The other 2 cards don't really warrant an explanation, except "don't play them".

[PR] No arguments.

Onto the uncommons...

The white uncommons pale in comparison to reds but there are a couple of diamonds in the rough.

1. Soul Nova

Is 5 mana too much for removing a creature (and its equipment) from the game? I don't think so, and that is why Soul Nova is in the #1 spot. It doesn't discriminate on colour or artifact status either and you may even get a Loxodon Warhammer or Bonesplitter thrown in with the deal, what else would you want! Watch out for tricks like Razor Barrier and Regress as they can really ruin your day. First pick material though.

2. Altar's Light

Artifact removal is at a premium in white which is ironic considering it used to have so much of it. Unfortunately the double white in the casting cost prevents this from being easily splashed but this is solid removal in a set full of artifacts, and it also gets enchantments.

3. Slith Ascendant

3 mana for a 1/1 flying dervish? Don't be fooled though because if this gets through more than 3 times the game won't be lasting long. In my mind this is the ONLY playable slith and a first pick to boot. Also tends to work well with equipment...

4. Leonin Skyhunter

There hasn't been a 2/2 flyer for 2 since Legends, which makes the Skyhunter a powerhouse in Limited. I ranked the Slith higher because of its ability to dominate the table (which the Skyhunter won't) but this is still very good.

5. Pearl Shard

This is where the first picks run out but it is still a borderline call with the Pearl Shard. The blue and black shards are obviously the best but this and the Granite Shard are still very playable. The question is though, would you play this if you weren't white? I don't think I would as leaving open 3 mana a turn is not really worth it. However, if you are white this is a good draft pick.

[PR] Pretty happy with things so far. Just wanted to bob up and say that this is the only "healer" in the format, and that healers have always been good in Limited, regardless of the set. Dan's ranked it about right (removal and fliers are better) but it doesn't seem to be getting the respect it deserves in the drafts I've been watching.

6. Auriok Bladewarden

Timberwatch Elf he isn't but it is a little cheaper and it is not too hard to boost up the Bladewarden's power with equipment. However you do need to draft the equipment first so this becomes a midrange draft pick.

7. Taj-Nar Swordsmith

It is pretty close between the Bladewarden and the Swordsmith but the Warden wins out because he is more efficient. For 5 mana the Swordsmith nets you a Bonesplitter and a 2/3 body but it does suck if you have already drawn your equipment or have costly equipment in your deck.

[PR] You and your bloody Bonesplitters. Far classier to pay 6 to retrieve AND equip some Lightning Greaves then smash face. I'd play this if I had any more than one piece of playable equipment, but the Bladewarden's better (and is an entirely solid option even if he remains at his initial power).

8. Roar of the Kha

Nasty combat trick you that gives you some decent card advantage but will probably be passed around the table because everyone else will be scrabbling to draft creatures.

9. Tempest of Light

Not much to say about this really but will come in handy if you passed your opponent 2 or 3 Arrests, but... hang on a minute, why would you be passing them!

[PR] I actually like the Roar better than its common counterpart (looks like I really don't rate the Beam) but it's definitely another ESV (equipment-squeeze victim). And the Tempest is the dodgiest of sideboard options.

And finally the rares...

It doesn't take a genius to work out that Solar Tide is a bomb and Leonin Abunas is close behind. Leonin Sun Standard is up there as well with Luminous Angel rounding out the first pick rares with the equipment dependant Auriok Steelshaper and Loxodon Punisher both solid early picks. The Steelshaper is very powerful especially if you have multiple Den-Guard, Skyhunter Cub/Patrol, etc and turns a simple Viridian Longbow into a pinging machine.

[PR] No argument about the holy trinity. But from first-hand experience, I can say that the Steelshaper is not necessarily anything special, even if you manage to combo it with some equipment. By all means draft it if there's nothing else noteworthy left in the pack, but don't rate it above any of the less common playables above. The Punisher is more straight-forwardly solid but, again, very ignorable if there's something less equipment-dependent to be drafted.

Rule of Law, Loxodon Peacekeeper and Second Sunrise round out the crap with only Second Sunrise being the only borderline playable.

Overall white has a lot of depth and it won't be uncommon to have half of the draft table dipping into it. Next week Paul will be giving his take on the green cards in Mirrodin and I'll be adding some insightful comments along the way.

[PR] I am already beside myself with anticipation.

Until then, behave nicely

Dan

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