Epiphany Storm – if you’re looking for a possible way to help trigger your Inspired creature this cheap enchantment may be the way. Red has had this sort of pitch draw looting ability associated with it for a while now so it’s not out of place. The only problem you’ll run into is when you don’t have a card worth ditching in your hand.
Some of the Inspired creatures with their more fragile bodies leave you scrambling to find ways to tap them that don’t involve attacking but with this 4/5 Flying body that should rarely be an issue. Paired with manipulation of the top of your deck this should often gain you tons of value with the downside of turning the new permanent into an enchantment more of a nuisance then a hindrance.
Some ideas from Gerald Knight inspired by insomnia
Eater of Hope – the demon always demands a sacrifice, but this time the sacrifice is beneficial and nonobligatory. While he isn’t horrible as a 6/4 Flying body for seven mana his abilities are pretty good as long as you have fodder to satisfy his hunger for sacrifice. He’s got some built in protection with the first ability allowing him to sac another creature to regenerate. That second ability is what really makes him shine allowing you to feed the hunger of the demon to destroy pesky creatures. If you have a good token generator or naturally recurring creatures then this bad boy might be what you’re looking for.
Flame-Wreathed Phoenix – RDW gets a new bird and this one demands tribute! Your opponent gets the choice of either dealing with a 5/5 flyer or possibly a recurring 3/3 flyer. She’s more powerful than Chandra’s Pheonix if you get the 5/5 flyer for 4 mana, which is pretty crazy for red.
Forgestoker Dragon – a pretty standard dragon showing fairly typical stats but with a pretty intriguing ability. While fairly mana intensive if your opponent has a formidable air force that you are trying to bypass it isn’t always necessary to clear all blockers, just the ones that would be a nuisance. While not necessarily a dragon of choice for constructed this should definitely see play in casual formats and could be a great addition to a Kaalia Commander deck.
Hero of Iroas – This new hero could make a Boros heroic deck possible using auras like Madcap Skills and Ethereal Armor in modern. Although aura decks without hexproof aren’t that attractive there are things like Brave the Elements to protect the team and Gods Willing that pumps up your heroes as well. This guy might see some play in a Bant aura deck for Modern, but he’s still not hexproof! You could throw on some Canopy cover auras to protect him.
Kiora’s Follower – Pump, pump, pump it up! That’s what this Merfolk wants to do and he does it all day and everyday by unntaping lands, mana rocks, dorks and other abilities; the list goes on and on. He’s definitely going to find play in EDH for some added shenanigans. We already know that, but what about standard? The next set has Kiora, the Crashing Wave with her ability to Explore and also to “Release the Krakens”. Simic might be finally ramping up to some Prime Speaker Zegana, Prophet of Kruphix, Master Biomancer and something else, right!?!? Ramping up in a deck with flash, counters and draw sound like a party, maybe even Plasm Capture could find a spot. To be continued…
Mogis, God of Slaughter – This God means business by putting your opponent on a 10 turn clock on turn 4. Tic toc, tic toc its time for an good ol’ time killing! The sadistic party clowns from the Rakdos guild are going to be back in town. We already know a decklist that could use Mogis, check out the Rakdos aggro list from GP Santiago. Adding to your devotion playing Rakdos Cackler, Rakdos Shred-Freak, Spike Jester and Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch to come out of the gates delivering fast beats in combination with Madcap Skills and Mogis’s Marauder. Lightning Strike and Doom Blade to clear out the way. This is just if we directly port in the list from the GP, there are still more Rakdos cards from Born of the Gods coming.
Check out Gerald Knight’s write up about Nessian Wilds Ravager
While extremely high end as a seven drop and requiring an attack to trigger its ability the sheer power of that ability is what could see this card see some action. Commander players who are already abusing enchantments will likely find this ability very welcoming especially in Uril, the Miststalker decks.
Fated Intervention – I won’t proclaim this as a second coming of Advent of the Wurm but it is pretty good. With a triple green mana cost it is very restrictive the decks you’re looking to put it in but the effect is well worth the cost. With not one but two surprise blockers you can most often catch your opponent by surprise and swing games a full 180 back into your favor. And tack on a very handy Scry 2 if you use it on your turn.
Listed here are all the promos for the different events leading to Game Day. More info on Battle the Horde and the Hero’s path see this article.
Pre-Release Promos
Eater of Hope – the demon always demands a sacrifice, but this time the sacrifice is beneficial and nonobligatory. While he isn’t horrible as a 6/4 Flying body for seven mana his abilities are pretty good as long as you have fodder to satisfy his hunger for sacrifice. He’s got some built in protection with the first ability allowing him to sac another creature to regenerate. That second ability is what really makes him shine allowing you to feed the hunger of the demon to destroy pesky creatures. If you have a good token generator or naturally recurring creatures then this bad boy might be what you’re looking for.
Forgestoker Dragon – a pretty standard dragon showing fairly typical stats but with a pretty intriguing ability. While fairly mana intensive if your opponent has a formidable air force that you are trying to bypass it isn’t always necessary to clear all blockers, just the ones that would be a nuisance. While not necessarily a dragon of choice for constructed this should definitely see play in casual formats and could be a great addition to a Kaalia Commander deck.
Arbiter of the Ideal – Some of the Inspired creatures with their more fragile bodies leave you scrambling to find ways to tap them that don’t involve attacking but with this 4/5 Flying body that should rarely be an issue. Paired with manipulation of the top of your deck this should often gain you tons of value with the downside of turning the new permanent into an enchantment more of a nuisance then a hindrance.
Silent Sentinel – While extremely high end as a seven drop and requiring an attack to trigger its ability the sheer power of that ability is what could see this card see some action. Commander players who are already abusing enchantments will likely find this ability very welcoming especially in Uril, the Miststalker decks.
Release Promo
Tromokratis – Call the Kraken !!! Here it is, a legendary kraken. This humongous sea monster has some pretty interesting abilities. The first I find is largely ineffectual which grants him Hexproof unless he is attacking or blocking, but if you have spot removal for him there’s a good chance it’s an instant so once he attacks blammo. It’s the second ability that I much prefer where if you are either able to tap one of your opponents creatures or make the kraken fly you can basically make him unblockable. Or combo with a Bow of Nylea and you can probably take down entire armies with this monstrosity of the sea.
Buy-A-Box promo
Fated Conflagration – The ability to target a Planeswalker may be the saving grace of this removal spell. Five points of damage is really no small shakes but at four converted mana cost with triple red in there the amount of decks which will be able to cast this is very narrow.
Game Day promos
Pump, pump, pump it up! That’s what this Merfolk wants to do and he does it all day and everyday by unntaping lands, mana rocks, dorks and other abilities; the list goes on and on. He’s definitely going to find play in EDH for some added shenanigans. We already know that, but what about standard? The next set has Kiora, the Crashing Wave with her ability to Explore and also to “Release the Krakens”. Simic might be finally ramping up to some Prime Speaker Zegana, Prophet of Kruphix, Master Biomancer and something else, right!?!? Ramping up in a deck with flash, counters and draw sound like a party, maybe even Plasm Capture could find a spot. To be continued…
Pain Seer – What should be referred to as Confidant Lite this card definitely need an alternate tapping condition in order to ensure a steady stream of card advantage. This is without a doubt going to also be paired up with untapping abilities in order to gring out maximum value.
Gerald Knight was inspired from insomnia.
