It's that time of the year again, when Wizards of the Coast delivers a new card expansion for Magic: The Gathering. Be prepared for a pre-release event on April 21, when you will have the chance to try out all the new mechanics in Sealed format.
Dominaria is the title of the new set, which consists of 269 cards. It introduces a new type of card -- the Saga; a new type of sorcery spell -- the Legendary Sorcery; and a new type of Planeswalker -- Jaya. You will also see a returning keyword -- the Kicker.
If you want to know which cards will be the most impactful during Sealed drafts in the Dominaria block, then be sure to check out this guide for:
- 5 common cards
- 9 uncommon cards
- 3 rare cards
Llanowar Elves
Who would've thought that a tiny little 1-drop would survive for 25 years to this very day and get reprinted over and over again? But Llanovar Elves is so good that you just can't ignore its significance in Magic: The Gathering.
So here it is once again with new artwork. The effect is a quick ramp in the early game, which is exactly what you need in Sealed. All green decks will want to have at least one copy of Llanovar Elves, but the more the better.
Gideon's Reproach
Here is another reprint, this time from Battle for Zendikar. It's a powerful and cheap removal that can deal with mid to late game creatures. The fact that it costs only 2 mana is great, and it will definitely make white color really powerful in this meta.
Think of it as a cheaper Sandblast, and you will see what an effective removal Gideon's Reproach actually is.
Deep Freeze
Let's take a look at the brand-new cards as well. Deep Freeze is an interesting new removal that probably carries one of the best arts in the entire Dominaria set.
This card is meant for dealing with some really big and annoying -- even indestructible -- creatures. That is something other removals simply can't take a hold of. Just cast it and watch your opponent shrink.
Vicious Offering
If you're planning on playing in black, then be sure to check your packs for Vicious Offering. This cheap removal is designed to deal with both small and large creatures.
Even if you can't remove the opponent's creature with this spell alone, then you can do it when blocking and sacrificing the creature you're blocking with. This is where the Kicker part comes in very handy.
Keldon Overseer
So far we've looked at the four colors, and now it's time for the most aggressive one -- the red one. Keldon Overseer is a common card that can either provide a necessary tempo in the early game or just plain win a game in the final turn.
The Kicker allows you to steal your opponent's creature and help you finish them off. This will be a really, really fun card to play with!
Cast Down
Since legendary creatures are such a big deal in Dominaria, this little spell may not look so exciting at first glance. However, most of the new legendary creatures are in the rare slot, which doesn't impact Limited as much as Constructed.
This means that Cast Down will be a premium removal in Sealed for only 2 mana. And if you do need to remove a legendary creature, then there are a few other options ahead.
Merfolk Trickster
Blue decks have just got a new OP tool in the form of Merfolk Trickster. This little fella also has Flash, which means that you can cast it whenever you feel like it.
The effect of tapping a creature would be more than enough for such a low-cost spell, but Wizards decided to give it an additional trigger that strips the tapped creature of all its abilities. What a fantastic card!
Seal Away
Every Magic player who has played with white or against white in the past year has had to deal with one very annoying spell -- Cast Out. Seal Away is very similar, but it's cheaper and has a little remark concerning the tapped creatures, which wasn't the case in Cast Out.
But it doesn't matter, because Seal Away is still a very powerful removal in Sealed. And you could always draft Icy Manipulator to force creatures to tap if needed.
Untamed Kavu
Flexibility is the best strategy in any format, and Untamed Kavu gives you that flexibility. You need an early creature? There you have it for 2 mana. You need a mid-game creature? No problem, kick it and you have a 5/5 Kavu.
In both cases it will have Vigilance and Trample -- both exceptionally useful creature abilities in Sealed. This card alone could lead you to draft in green color.
Fight with Fire
The Kicker part on this card is utterly unrealistic in Limited, but the original combination of a 3 mana spell that deals 5 damage instantly turns Fight with Fire into a premium removal in Sealed.
Also, it's in red, which can significantly boost the power level of the red decks by removing the annoying blockers with too much health early on.
On Serra's Wings
This is quite an expensive Aura, but it also offers so much that it is totally worth the price of 4 mana. First of all, it turns your creature into a legendary one, which prevents it from being removed with spells like Cast Down.
Secondly, it gives your creature Vigilance, which prevents such removals as Seal Away.
And lastly, it makes your creature fly and heal you. All this is very tasty, especially in the late game when you need to pass by a wall of blockers to finish off your opponent.
Time of Ice
Time of Ice is one of the newest types of cards to appear in Magic -- the Saga. It works like an enchantment with three consecutive triggers on each of your upkeeps. Time of Ice is an uncommon Saga, and it is perfect for Limited play.
The first two triggers will keep two of the biggest creatures on the opponent's side to stay passive, and the last one will make them leave the table for good.
Serra Angel
Llanowar Elves is not the only card that managed to find its way into Dominaria 25 years later after the initial release. Serra Angel is a true blast from the past, and quite a powerful one.
Flying creatures have always been the most desirable creature class in Sealed, but this one also has Vigilance, which makes it even more attractive. This angel will win you a few games or more, you can be sure about that.
Thorn Elemental
Once upon a time, Thorn Elemental was a rare card. It was first released in the Urza's block in 1999, and it was a real stomper back in the day. Today, it's an uncommon card, which is not a bad thing at all, especially for Limited players. It simply means that you will see it way more often than if it were a rare. And if you do see it, then you will also draft it because it's so darn good.
It's a typical finisher that doesn't care about blockers, so there is a big chance that this elemental will win you many games in Sealed.
Aryel, Knight of Windgrace
Now it's time for some real rare cards in Dominaria. We'll take a look at only a few since you will open only one in each pack. But when it comes to rare choices, Aryel is a true winner.
It's a sturdy 4/4 Human Knight with Vigilance for only 4 mana. It has two abilities, one of which produces 2/2 tokens, although it also taps Aryel. This is probably the only drawback, but even without this ability, Aryel is worth drafting.
Josu Vess, Lich Knight
How about a 4/5 Knight with Menace for 4 mana? Not a bad deal at all. But Josu Vess is so much more than just a solid body. It offers an incredibly OP late game if you manage to get 10 mana.
The Kicker creates eight 2/2 creatures with Menace that will fill your table with an unbreakable wall of blockers or attackers, depending on your situation. This card will be simply fanastic in any black deck in Sealed.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty
Here's another white rare creature, and it has Flying ... again! But it's the next ability that explains why you will want to draft and play this in Sealed -- it makes you and all of your other creatures untargetable.
If you play this in your green-white deck, then you can also buff your minions each turn for 6 mana. Shalai is a true Limited bomb, no doubt!
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Published: Apr 17, 2018 05:25 am