Drafting M15: White Commons

In this series I will try to review all the cards of M15, starting with the commons.

The Green commons: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/drafting-m15-green-commons.html
The Black commons: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/drafting-m15-black-commons.html
The Red commons: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/drafting-m15-red-commons.html

Now its time for the White commons.

Here they are, in order of perceived power for Draft.

Triplicate Spirits: If you have played any M15 limited, you know that this is a format defining card. Once again a white token making card breaks a limited format, just like Battle Screech in VMA. Just the fact that this card makes Negate maindeckable in M15 limited should make you take notice of it. This is the best common in the format by far.

Raise the Alarm: Its main use is to enable Triplicate Spirits. Still, two bodies for two mana is a great deal in this Convoke format. Draft this highly.

Pillar of Light: You deal with the small threats with your horde of white creatures. You deal with the big threats with this. Don't forget that Kinsbaille Skirmisher can help you get rid of those creatures with 3 Toughness. Do not be afraid to sideboard this out if you don't see at least one target in the first duel.

Sanctified Charge: It is so obvious but yet so powerful that your opponent really can't do much when you cast it. It will punish him severely if you play at least 15 creatures or creature creating cards.

Kinsbaille Skirmisher:  Just a bear with a solid upside. Helps with Convoke. Helps defend. Helps Pillar of Light. Overall quite hard working.

Oreskos Swiftclaw: He dies to everything but he will often take someone with him to the grave and, in those rare cases when your opponent stumbles, will punish an opponent early some of the time.

Razorfoot Griffin: Not the best flyer of all time, but this is a card that will be played and will do work. Put to shame by the blue flyers.

Midnight Guard: A solid body that untaps when you need him the most for Convoke costs or blocking. Very solid.

Sungrace Pegasus:  The Pegasus has impressed me. There are many ways in this format to make him extremely useful and can often trade for a x/1 creature if nothing else.

Heliod's Pilgrim: This guy goes in his deck and not in others. If you have three of him, a Spectra Ward and four more enchantments to target, you are set to win the draft. If not, be careful and think twice before maindecking him.

Oppressive Rays: Does a lot less than you think it will do. Most playable in a very aggressive deck.

Selfless Cathar: Useful 1-drops that are not dead draws in the late game are very good for the Convoke deck.

Marked by Honor: This risk of getting 2-for-1ed is huge and you really don't want to play this but it will serve quite adequatly as your Heliod's Pilgrim target 2-4 if you have to do that.

Ephemeral Shields: Often the creature you save with this is not better than the creature you would have played instead of it. Do not play unless you are starving for playables.

Solemn Offering: An excellent sideboard card.

Soulmender: Annoying and convoke enabler. Maybe a 23rd card, hopefully not in your main deck.

Divine Favor: If your opponents removal is all red and damage based, this actually becomes quite good. If he has any other color in his deck- which he probably has - you do not want to play this card. You could make a case for it in a heavy Pilgrim/Broodkeeper deck, but you really should be looking for something - anything - else.

Tireless Mercenaries: Horribly overcosted.

Meditation Puzzle: Never play cards that just gain you life unless you get 20+ life. This is not worth a card and will not help you get back in the game. Remember that when you draw this, your opponent draws yet another threat and develops his board while you accomplish very little. Never play except against a deck with three or more Lava Axes.

Here is an interesting vote about card ratings in M15 that I found useful: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ZdBVXiHLW55FUfFJsYBPgHnuUeXqgTii_PML9Px8VM/pubhtml#

Next time: Blue Commons!

Drafting M15: Red Commons

In this series I will try to review all the cards of M15, starting with the commons.

The Green commons: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/drafting-m15-green-commons.html
The Black commons: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/drafting-m15-black-commons.html

Now its time for the Red commons.

Here they are, in order of perceived power for Draft.

Lightning Strike: It turns out that paying 1 mana extra for Lightning Bolt is still awesome.

Borderland Marauder: He does not work well on the defensive but if you are on the defensive with a red deck, you are doing things wrong. Beat down! Hard and quick. I have found that he works excellent with in a Blue Red aggressive deck, but the truth is that he just works excellent in any aggressive deck. He is just way ahead of the curve. Draft him early.

Inferno Fist: I think this card is quite far behind the two above it, but it is still excellent removal and works great with creatures with evasion. Be careful when you play it! It might be worth waiting a turn not to get 2-for-1:ed. Play it only when you are sure it will stick and you have a spare red mana to fire it off (even if it is to the face in the worst case).

Generator Servant: Having a 2/1 for 2 is not really bad and the upside is there with this little guy. If you can get out a five drop on turn 3, you are way ahead. The value of Generator Servant goes up with the amount of bombs and semi-bombs you have. With four or more good targets I would maindeck all the Generator Servants I could get my hands on.

Krenko's Enforcer: Two evasive damage for three mana is usually good enough and this guy keeps suprising me with his utility. Beware those Bronze Sables!

Scrapyard Mongrel: The Mongrel looks so good in theory but you will find that you often can't get enough artifacts to utilize his full potential. Much better than the Ensoul Artifact plan in the artifact deck though.

Crowd's Favor: Being able to combat trick for zero mana is always respectable. Impossible to play around.

Goblin Roughrider: Just a solid beater than I personally pick above Crowd's Favor. Often replaces the Borderland Marauders you did not get.

Rummaging Goblin: Exactly what you need to beat those control decks. Beware using him against an aggressive opponent. If your opponent is faster than you are, this might just be the guy to sideboard out and replace him with anything that can block early.

Blastfire Bolt: It is so clunky but you probably have to maindeck one and maybe two of this very expensive removal. Don't expect to 2-for-1 anyone with this.

Torch Fiend: We already know that 2 power for 2 mana is a great deal and Torch Fiend's ability to deal with Juggernauts and other dangerous artifacts makes me want to maindeck at least one and have a few more in my sideboard.

Thundering Giant:  This is just so unexciting. You should be able to do something better for five mana with your other color. I cringe when I have to maindeck the Giant.

Miner's Bane:  Very similar to the Giant. He hits much harder though and trample is relevant. But six mana is a ton in this format and your opponents will have better sixdrops than you if you are forced to maindeck Miner's Bane.

Forge Devil: Can be utterly useless but if you have convoke plans, I would maindeck this little guy. There are plenty of decks where you want to sideboard him in.

Hammerhand: Deceptive card that does very little for the value of a card. Almost only good when you are winning. Avoid cards like this.

Wall of Fire: Why are you playing such a defensive card in the most aggressive color in the format. You are doing something wrong.

Foundry Street Denizen:  Quite useless but might be the 23rd card in a convoke heavy deck to get those Triplicate Spirits or Siege Wurms into play.

Lava Axe: Only good when you know that you are the beatdown against a much more controlling deck. Great at closing out games in that case but otherwise often a dead draw that will cost you the game.

Clear a Path: I am glad to see that they still print skill testers to give the good drafters a chance to win some drafts.

Here is an interesting vote about card ratings in M15 that I found useful: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ZdBVXiHLW55FUfFJsYBPgHnuUeXqgTii_PML9Px8VM/pubhtml#

Next time: White!

Drafting M15: Black Commons

In this series I will try to review all the cards of M15, starting with the commons.

The Green commons: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/drafting-m15-green-commons.html

Now its time for the Black commons.

Here they are, in order of perceived power for Draft.

Flesh to Dust: This is what the world has come to. Five mana! I guess Murder was overpowered. Now we have both the double black casting cost and then three more mana on top of that. Still, you will need those. The big question is how many you can play in a deck and still be competetive? Four perhaps? Unconditional removal rules the world and this is, by far, the best black common. Being able to kill Ancient Silverback is very relevant.

Accursed Spirit: This is often the way you win. This card and Krenko's Enforcer are the reason why Bronze Sable is a perfectly maindeckable card. Most decks don't have an answer. Sit back, Flesh to Dust their threats and enjoy winning with the Spirit. This format is faster than M14 but Accursed Spirit is still a workhorse.

Sign in Blood: Against some of the ultrafast decks, this can feel bad, but it is often a huge advantage to resolve Sign in Blood. This card is a reason to play Urborg and a reason never to maindeck colorless lands with minor effects.

Covenant of Blood:  This removal spell is surprisingly useful. More playable if you combine black with white for the token making. Still, I always want to see one or two Covenant of Blood at the top of my curve.

Typhoid Rats: If you are playing an aggressive build (such as Rakdos) you should rate this lower. But if you are defensive, trying to win with your Accursed Spirits or blue flyers, this will protect the ground very efficiently.

Carrion Crow: The drawback has been suprisingly relevant in my games. This may deserve a higher rating as it is still a 2/2 flyer for three mana.

Rotfeaster Maggot: This is a card for the Green-Black Dredge deck, where it will work extremely well. Will be very decisive against aggressive decks. If you have a Gravedigger, this can get really out of hand, not to mention a Roaring Primadox.

Child of Night: Very efficient at stopping the early beatings. Would be better if there wasn't so much hate against 1-toughness creatures in the format.

Shadowcloak Vampire: This is often a necessary evil and the evasion can prove decisive. Still, there are plenty of good five-drops in this format and I often put the second Shadowcloak Vampire in the sideboard.

Witch's Familiar: Being a 2/3 means that you can block a lot of things and live in this format. This is a cornerstone of the defensive Black deck.

Crippling Blight: Another card that makes Child of Night worse. I often start this in the sideboard and bring it in against many of the decks in the format.

Zof Shade: Good late game card that often never gets online but just gets to block a Runeclaw Bear so that you can survive.

Necromancer's Assistant: I play these only for curve reasons or in the Green-Black deck. They constantly underperform but can block Juggernauts. Much better in a defensive deck but once you get Forge Devilled, you will regret maindecking this card.

Festergloom: Maindecking one Festergloom is said to be OK. Varies a lot with your secondary color and how many 1-toughness creatures you bring to the table. It deals with Triplicate Spirits, which helps it a lot.

Necrobite: Significantly worse than in Vultron-laden Theros block. I don't play these at all but I might be underrating the card. Its often my 27th card.

Unmake the Graves: I find this card very weak. I know decks can be built to profit from it and it is probably good against the control decks.

Mind Rot: Sideboard card. Bring in Mind Rot against the control decks and the bomb-laden decks you can not otherwise deal with.

Black Cat: Violently overrated by drafters. Better against bad players that refuse to lose their cards. Do not play these in 8-4 drafts.

Eternal Thirst: Auras are not good in draft. Auras that do not boost power and toughness are the worst. Stay away. Unless you have a very clear plan for this card and why it fits into your deck, do not play it.


Black is a deep color with many playable cards. The upside is not exciting, but you will often find more than enough playables so you can cut your Necrobites and be happy about it.

Here is an interesting vote about card ratings in M15 that I found useful: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ZdBVXiHLW55FUfFJsYBPgHnuUeXqgTii_PML9Px8VM/pubhtml#

Next time: Red!

Drafting M15: Green Commons

In this series I will try to review all the cards of M15, starting with the commons.

Here they are, in order of perceived power for Draft.

Netcaster Spider: This little guy just does it all. He is a huge improvement over Giant Spider. He blocks most things and stops blue decks dead in their tracks (until he is Frost Lynxed). He laughs in the face of Shadowborn Vampires.

Siege Wurm: A 5/5 that can relatively reliably come out on turn 5 is not to be sneezed at. The trample ability makes it so much extra useful.

Elvish Mystic: So many things are wrong for the mana elf of this set which puts him down a notch or two. - x/1 creatures are having a hard time in a world of Forge Devils and Festerglooms. Every creature can tap for mana some of the time when convoke is a thing. This card also does very little when you draw it late game. Still, it can power out some explosive starts that just win you the game.

Charging Rhino: Just a very reliable creature that will do a lot of work once it hits the battlefield. Unexciting but stable.

Living Totem: There is a chance you have no target but if you have built a deck with a solid curve you shoudl be fine. Often, the extra point of power can be added to an evasive creature. Best in Blue Green.

Invasive Species: Casting him on turn three is often a very sad experience. There is a deck for him where he acts as a complement to Roaring Primadox. Often you have to cast Invasive Species later than turn three for maximum value. If you have to return a land to cast this guy turn three you are not enjoying yourself.

Hunt the Weak: This is what you get when you are green. That is a lot of cost added to a Prey Upon. Still, you have to take what you get, unless your other color is Red or Black.

Shaman of Spring: It feels so good to cast this guy. There are many reasons to pick him higher: Invasive Species, Roaring Primadox and if your deck has an expensive top end (which is probably not a good idea anyway). Better in Sealed Deck.

Titanic Growth: Two mana is not cheap for a combat trick. Giant Growth is much better. Still, it does what you want it to do most of the time. Then you draw it without a creature some of the time. It is best as a tempo play but given that you are green, you are probably not the deck with the best tempo. Most creatures are better. Gathering Courage is better.

Runeclaw Bear: Just a very reliable creature. There are a lot of irritating 2/3s in the format though.

Plummet: Excellent sideboard card. Maindecking one is OK as three colors have playable flyers and it is very likely that your opponent is playing at least one of those colors (especially as you are green).

Ranger's Guile: Best used as a sideboard card against a deck with a lot of removal. Wasting a card to get a temporary +1/+1 bonus is hard to get a card worth of value from. The fact that you can't use it on your opponent's creatures really hurt this card.

Undergrowth Scavenger: You will only see this card when he is really good and appears on turn 12 to win the game. You will not see every game your opponent has this card in hand when you run him over with Grizzly Bears. Play only if you have plenty of removal.

Satyr Wayfinder: The ability is very useful but the 1/1 body is unimpressive unless you can use it to power out Siege Wurms.

Carnivorous Moss-Beast: This format is faster than M14 was. If you are going to play six-drops you want them to be souls or at least Ancient Silverbacks. You do not want to put this flesh-eating plant in your deck.

Verdant Haven: You have to be three colors AND you have to need the acceleration for some powerful five or six drops for this card to be good and even then you should be looking for other cards. Goes well with In Garruk's Wake, but that is just something you play for fun.

Hunter's Ambush: Combat tricks are generally overrated and this is not a good one. After the first time you have managed to set up a situation where this actually was really good you are in danger of being result oriented and then overvalue the card. It is a fog with upside. Play a creature instead.

Naturalize: I have had fantasies about main decking this card but I don't think this is the format for it, despite the artifact sub-theme.

Vineweft: This card does not do a lot. Play the 19th land instead.


Overall, Green commons are not that impressive. If you are playing green, you are probably doing it because of some rares or uncommons you picked up in the draft.

Bonus video: My buddy Bava 3-0s this draft with UB Tempo

Here is an interesting vote about card ratings in M15 that I found useful: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ZdBVXiHLW55FUfFJsYBPgHnuUeXqgTii_PML9Px8VM/pubhtml#

Next time: Black!