For this set, we swapped Michael out for two of our sponsored creators, Pixie Kitten Plays and Joe Dyer, The Eternalist join the Cardsphere team with their picks for War of the Spark. As always, we encourage people to choose their picks on whatever basis tickles their fancy. Often it's via the lens of potential in someone's favorite format, but just as often we'll look at cards from a finance or Vorthos perspective.
Efren
I made a mono-red Experimental Frenzy deck on MTG arena because it was all I could afford with my wild cards at the time. I never play red because I don’t like the way it tends to fizzle especially your opponent starts gaining life, but Frenzy solves that most times and has me actually enjoying the “balls to the wall” nature of mono-red. I can’t wait to add Mizzium Tank to the mix to use it as a finisher for the times that Frenzy draws me that damn second mountain right when I’ve got an opponent on the ropes.
Although there is no shortage of great art in War of the Spark, no one quite draws angels like Johannes Voss. I first played Magic just before the first Return to Ravnica and the art for Restoration Angel was the first Magic art that really made me stop to appreciate the tiny windows into the Magic world found on the art of these cards. Voss illustrates angels in a way that gives them a powerful yet still ethereal beauty, and in that regard, Sunblade Angel does not disappoint, although it does make me wish he would have been given the chance to illustrate Feather, the Redeemed.
I’m so tickled that Wotc is finally giving us cards for characters that have only existed in flavor text and Magic lore, and Massacre Girl is far and away my favorite. I love the heavy metal artwork, I love that I can jam this into my Teysa, Orzhov Scion EDH deck as a fun and funny board wipe, and I love the flavor in the design of the card, which like to imagine is her dancing through a crowd of people, slicing indiscriminately, and finally coming to a stop when there is nothing left but red bits and pieces.
Ted
Ravnica at War feels a lot like old school color hosing cards, which I really like under some circumstances. In this case, I like that it works as a mono-colored equalizer against some of the more powerful cards you can see with the current Standard mana bases.
I always enjoy a good defenders deck, and Huatli, the Sun's Heartis a great enabler that I expect will see some fringe Standard play in Orhov lifegain jank, and supports Doran, the Siege Tower in Commander. The single hybrid mana in the casting cost gives deckbuilders lots of range to get this planeswalker slotted in, also.
Storrev, Devkarin Lich gives me the creeps. I find the art very unsettling. I like the card for all kinds of Commander decks. Fun for general graveyard shenanigans, or for tribal elves or zombos! I just won't cast this one last game of the night.
I need to sleep.
Pixie Kitten Plays
God-Eternal Oketra -- I can't wait to get my hands on this card! Double strike is bomb dot com, obvs. And I love playing creatures, so getting a 4/4 zombie token with VIGILANCE whenever you cast a creature spell sounds like a fun time!
As much as I love playing creatures, I also love destroying my opponents creatures. I like the flexibility Finale of Eternity offers, and if you can get it up to 10 well then it's probably game over!
I mean, duh. A 1/1 with lifelink for 1 mana; this is a really good common and I can't wait to build a Charmed Strays deck! Pixie Kitten Strays?
Joe Dyer, The Eternalist
Teferi, Time Raveler is probably the best Legacy card in the entire set hands down.
Liliana's Triumph is powerful, but it does not fully replace Diabolic Edict due to situations where being able to target yourself is necessary.
Being able to cast Crop Rotation for Blast Zone is very powerful and should not be overlooked.
