Chaos Wins!

I thought I'd put together a brief review of all the new cards that appear in M11. You can find the full spoiler here. I do a rating system that splits cards into both limited and constructed values. Here is how the value system breaks down.

4: Bomb. Should see significant play in the format. Will see play in constructed decks. A first pick in draft and worth building a deck around in sealed.

3: Good. Should see play in constructed, even if only as a powerful sideboard option or combo piece. High limited pick but not necessarily worth splashing for.

2: Playable. Worth using if you are already in the color or need filler for your deck. Might have constructed ramifications in specific decks or sideboards in a certain meta.

1: Poor. Avoid this card if you're trying to win. If it's in your deck you're either doing it wrong or playing a casual deck.

I'll start with White and I'll be updating additional colors going forward.

M11 Review - White

Ajani's Mantra

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

I see this as more of a stalling technique in limited over anything else. Might be useful in decks where life races are relevant. I wouldn't main deck it. In constructed it's a sideboard card at best, and only in formats where Red deck wins is prevalent and better hate options aren't available.


Ajani's Pridemate

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

Pretty cool bear that has a neat ability when combined with the right cards. In limited the combo is tough to pull off consistently without forcing bad cards into your deck. In constructed there is more flexibility here and it might be solid but it requires support cards to make it good.

Angelic Arbiter

Limited - 4
Constructed - 2

It's a big giant flying Angel that trumps almost anything in the air. Top limited pick. If it hits the battlefield you win. In Constructed it might see play but the casting cost might be prohibitive. Could see some use out of the board.

Assault Griffin

Limited - 3
Constructed - 1

Snapping Drake for white. Great in limited. Too expensive in constructed.

Cloud Crusader

Limited - 3
Constructed - 1

Another functional reprint. Great in limited. Over-costed in constructed.

Inspired Charge

Limited - 2
Constructed - 1

A mediocre combat trick in limited but way too expensive for constructed.

Knight Exemplar

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

I'm looking forward to playing this in a knight deck for tribal wars. Certainly playable in limited since first strike is a really good ability in that format.

Leyline of Sanctity

Limited - 1
Constructed - 3

Looks like sideboard hate against burn or discard decks. This should see a lot of play in constructed sideboards.

Mighty Leap
Limited - 3
Constructed - 2

Combat tricks like this are really neat in limited and basically count as removal. Unlikely to see play in constructed but I could see it showing up in some sideboards.

Roc Egg

Limited - 2
Constructed - 1

I really don't like cards like this. By themselves they do absolutely nothing and they often rely on your opponent to make a mistake. If you can combo it with a sacrifice effect it's probably playable.

Serra Ascendant

Limited - 1
Constructed - 2

I think you'll have a really hard time making this guy good in limited play. In constructed he could be fun in a goofy combo deck, but he looks like a casual card to me unless some really high quality life gain cards show up in constructed that we were going to use anyway.

Squadron Hawk

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

The 1/1 body is less interesting than the card advantage it yields. If you can get multiples of these in limited play by all means use them. In constructed I see it looks more like a combo piece to me than a creature.

Sun Titan

Limited - 4
Constructed - 3

A giant body with a potent ability. Should see play in lots of formats.

Tireless Missionaries

Limited - 1
Constructed - 1

This is a bad card. Do not play it.

Vengeful Archon

Limited - 3
Constructed - 2

The only problem with this card in limited is the triple white mana cost. It's a sure thing is sealed deck but I might not take it as a top pick in draft. In constructed it's probably too expensive but might see play in re-animator or something similar.

War Priest of Thune

Limited - 2
Constructed - 3

This will be a sideboard staple if there are threatening enchantments to kill.

So a pretty decent selection of new cards for white here. Some quality limited cards are in there and some very large expensive creatures that could have an impact on constructed. There are plenty of notable reprints as well. Baneslayer Angel is back, Pacifism is reprinted, White Knight, Day of Judgement and Condemn.