Author: basilisk

Ballyrush Banneret – 1W
Creature – Kithkin Soldier (Common)
Kithkin spells and Soldier spells you play cost {1} less to play.
2/1
Illus. Ralph Horsley
#1/150

About the Bannerets in general: They're kind of like mana myr, except they don't color-fix and their mana is a little more restrictive? There is also the possibility of an explosive turn 3 if you have a two-drop and a three-drop. In general it seems like the bannerets in the more expensive races will be more valuable. This one is a 2/1 which isn't bad for two mana. It does seem like almost all the Kithkin are Soldiers and vice versa though, so this is one of the smaller effects.

Burrenton Bombardier – 2W
Creature – Kithkin Soldier (Common)
Flying
Reinforce 2 – {2}{W}
2/2
Illus. Ron Spencer
#3/150

This is obviously pretty good. If you have a lot of bears, you can probably force them to try to trade when they're tapped out, and this trick can wreck them. Also, wind drake.

Burrenton Shield-Bearers – 4W
Creature – Kithkin Soldier (Common)
Whenever Burrenton Shield-Bearers attacks, target creature gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
3/3
Illus. Daren Bader
#4/150

If you don't get any Plover Knights, I guess this is okay…. Some decks would have trouble blocking a 3/6 or a 3/3 and a 2/5.

Cenn's Tactician – W
Creature – Kithkin Soldier (Common)
{W}, {T}: Put a +1/+1 counter on target Soldier creature.
Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it can block an additional creature.
1/1

This still does not seem like a common to me at all. Nuts in general.

EDIT: Turns out it's believed not to be a common now, and instead we have:

Forfend – 1W
Instant (Common)
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures this turn.

This seems pretty awful in general. I guess you can use it sort of like a one-shot surprise Dolmen's Gate, or as a bad fog if you have enough blockers. It can answer Thundercloud Shaman and might combo with first strike.

Changeling Sentinel – 3W
Creature – Shapeshifter (Common)
Changeling
Vigilance
3/2
Illus. Chuck Lukacs
#6/150

A four drop that trades with a two-drop isn't that exciting, but I guess this guy can be a house with reinforce or any lord. Normally white decks aren't super tribal but that might change.

Coordinated Barrage – W
Instant (Common)
Choose a creature type. Coordinated Barrage deals damage to target attacking or blocking creature equal to the number of permanents of that type.

Seems like it will be big enough at any stage of the game. Kind of like Skred, I expect this to be underrated at first.

Kithkin Zephyrnaut – 2W
Creature – Kithkin Soldier (Common)
Kinship – At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it shares a creature type with Kithkin Zephyrnaut, you may reveal it. If you do, Kithkin Zephyrnaut gets +2/+2 and gains flying and vigilance until end of turn.
2/2

It's a little better than Springjack Knight because you at least know how big it is before you attack. I still don't like how it does nothing the majority of the time.

Mosquito Guard – W
Creature – Kithkin Soldier (Common)
First strike
Reinforce 1 – {1}{W} ({1}{W}, Discard this card: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.)
1/1

I don't think I would ever play this turn 1 unless I had a Wizened Cenn in hand. It's a bit worse than Triclopean Sight but that card can definitely play a role.

Order of the Golden Cricket – 1W
Creature – Kithkin Knight (Common)
Whenever Order of the Golden Cricket attacks, you may pay {W}. If you do, it gains flying until end of turn.
2/2

Seems pretty solid all around, but it gets worse if you're afraid to trade it early on.

Shinewend – 1W
Creature – Elemental (Common)
Flying
Shinewend comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.
{1}{W}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Shinewend: Destroy target enchantment.
0/0
#23/150

Sideboard material I guess.

Stonybrook Schoolmaster – 2W
Creature – Merfolk Wizard (Common)
Whenever Stonybrook Schoolmaster becomes tapped, you may put a 1/1 blue Merfolk Wizard creature token into play.
Merrow schools rarely form by design. They come together naturally as eager learners surround the wisest teachers.
1/2
Illus. Quinton Hoover and Val Mayerik
#25/150

As the token common white merfolk, you will pretty much know by the third pack whether you can support this. It needs more work than either Judge of Currents (which works with any of your guys that tap) or Fallowsage/Veteran of the Depths (which can just swing in if you have nothing better to do).

Weight of Conscience – 1W
Enchantment – Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack.
Tap two untapped creatures you control that share a creature type: Remove enchanted creature from the game.
#28/150

This is really unexciting for the average Kithkin deck, amazing for Merfolk, and somewhere in the middle for other decks. I think you take it around as high as Lignify.

Dewdrop Spy – 1UU
Creature – Faerie Rogue (Common)
Flash
Flying
When Dewdrop Spy comes into play, look at the top card of target player's library.
2/2
Illus. Wayne England
#30/150

A little worse than Pestermite, but still good assuming the UU won't be a problem.

Disperse – 1U
Instant (Common)
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.

Whirlpool Whelm without the possibility of being great if you win the clash. Bouncing your own guys may be more useful with old and new evokers.

Distant Melody – 3U
Sorcery (Common)
Choose a creature type. Draw a card for each permanent you control of that type.
Oona's song is like a twisted dinner chime. All the faeries return home, but it is Oona who feasts – on the stolen dreams and rumors they serve her.
Illus. Omar Rayyan
#32/150

I don't think this is as good as people think it is. You need three creatures with the same type before it's any good. Decent in a stalemate, but you can't exactly dig for answers like you can by evoking Mulldrifter.

Fencer Clique – 2UU
Creature – Faerie Soldier (Common)
Flying
{U}: Put Fencer Clique on top of its owner's library.
3/2
#33/150

Powerful flyer that doesn't die. You can play a few clash/kinship tricks as well.

Floodchaser – 5U
Creature – Elemental (Common)
Floodchaser comes into play with six +1/+1 counters on it.
Floodchaser can't attack unless defending player controls an Island.
{U}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Floodchaser: Target land becomes an Island until end of turn.
0/0

I kind of liked Sea Monster to hold the ground in core set draft against green decks, and occasionally be awesome against other blue decks. This guy can do that, and also swing in a few times. It's no Aethersnipe, but really not bad.

Ink Dissolver – 1U
Creature – Merfolk Wizard (Common)
Kinship – At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it shares a creature type with Ink Dissolver you may reveal it. If you do, each opponent puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/1

I don't know if you could really get there with this and Broken Ambitions and the 1/1 below. I think you need a Drowner or Forced Fruition. Still it's a 2/1 for 2.

Latchkey Faerie – 3U
Creature – Faerie Rogue (Common)
Flying
Prowl {2}{U} (You may play this for its prowl cost if you dealt combat damage to a player this turn with a Faerie or Rogue.)
When Latchkey Faerie comes into play, if its prowl cost was paid, draw a card.
3/1
Illus. Warren Mahy
#39/150

This is huge if you prowl it out on turn 3-4. It's a decent flyer to hardcast, if a little fragile.

Merrow Witsniper – U
Creature – Merfolk Rogue (Common)
When Merrow Witsniper comes into play, target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
1/1

I think only if you really want a turn 1 prowl enabler.

Mothdust Changeling – U
Creature – Shapeshifter (Common)
Changeling
Tap an untapped creature you control: Mothdust Changeling gains flying until end of turn.
1/1
#42/150

Seems to be pretty much a Merfolk, and not a bad one for triggering assorted tap effects. Otherwise, I guess you side this in against faerie deck, or play if you need a changeling for whatever reason.

Negate – 1U
Instant (Common)
Counter target noncreature spell.
Masters of the arcane savor a delicious irony. Their study of deep and complex arcana leads to such a simple end: the ability to merely say yes or no

I don't think you ever maindeck this, but maybe you side it in if they have something like a planeswalker/final revels that you can't play around or deal with otherwise.

Stonybrook Banneret – 1U
Creature – Merfolk Wizard (Common)
Islandwalk
Merfolk spells and Wizard spells you play cost {1} less to play.
1/1
#51/150

There's a number of decent merfolk at 2 and 3 so this could make for a solid turn 3. Islandwalk lets this guy get in for a few points.

Stream of Unconsciousness – U
Tribal Instant – Wizard (Common)
Target creature gets -4/-0 until end of turn. If you control a Wizard, draw a card.

If you have enough wizards, this can be a great trick, or at least prevents a few damage and cycles.

Blightsoil Druid – 1B
Creature – Elf Druid (Common)
{T}, Pay 1 life: Add {G} to your mana pool.
1/2
Illus. Nils Haam
#59/150

I expect this to be underrated like Vesper Ghoul was. It's pretty solid though.

Festercreep – 1B
Creature – Elemental (Common)
Festercreep comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.
{1}{B}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Festercreep: All other creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
0/0

I like this guy a lot. Seems like he'll usually do something.

Frogtosser Banneret – 1B
Creature – Goblin Rogue (Common)
Haste
Goblin spells and Rogue Spells you play cost {1} less to play.
The Frogtossers thread feathers, bones, and trophies from past raids into their standards, believing they fuel the warren with the anger of its victims.
1/1
Illus. Ralph Horsley
#64/150

Oh boy, haste. I don't think this affects prowl costs? edit: apparently it does

Final-Sting Faerie – 3B
Creature – Faerie Assassin (Common)
Flying
When Final-Sting Faerie comes into play, destroy target creature that was dealt damage this turn.
2/2
#65/150

People may play into this by blocking your random guys with their Cloudcrown Oak or whatever. You may need to play this before combat if they have a skeletal changeling or something though.

edit: that is an awful example because you can just target the changeling. Now that I think about it, this is not very likely to backfire since there are not that many 1/4 type guys in the format.

Moonglove Changeling – 2B
Creature – Shapeshifter (Common)
Changeling (This card is every creature type at all times.)
{B}: Moonglove Changeling gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Whenever it deals damage to a creature, destroy that creature.)
2/2
Illus. Wayne England

Seems decent, although having to keep a mana open can be annoying.

Morsel Theft – 2BB
Tribal Sorcery – Rogue (Common)
Prowl {1}{B}
Target player loses 3 life and you gain 3 life. If Morsel Theft's prowl cost was paid, draw a card.
#68/150

Seems marginal unless you're really turbo-prowl.

Pack's Disdain – 1B
Instant (Common)
Choose a creature type. Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each permanent you control of that type.

Doesn't count your opponent's stuff like the white one, but still not bad. You don't have the option of just removing their 2/1 if you get manascrewed though.

Prickly Boggart – B
Creature – Goblin Rogue (Common)
Fear
"Not now chief, I'm in the zone"
1/1

Some people like Lantern Kami a lot. This guy probably gets in for a fair amount, and enables prowl.

Pulling Teeth – 1B
Sorcery (Common)
Clash with an opponent. If you win, target player discards two cards. Otherwise, that player discards a card.

Costing a mana or two less than it usually does to make them discard 2 isn't really that much help, because you often wait on those kind of spells until they're low on cards anyway. It doesn't help that clashing at sorcery speed is usually a disadvantage.

Squeaking-Pie Grubfellows – 3B
Creature – Goblin Shaman (Common)
Kinship – At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it shares a creature type with Squeaking-Pie Grubfellows, you may reveal it. If you do, each opponent discards a card.
3/2
#78/150

Seems okay, nothing special.

Violet Pall – 4B
Tribal Instant – Faerie (Common)
Destroy target nonblack creature.
Put a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying into play.
Illus. Jeff Miracola
#81/150

It doesn't kill people as fast as Shriekmaw, but this is still great removal. Especially good with Dreamspoiler Witches on their attack.

Weed-Pruner Poplar – 4B
Creature – Treefolk Assassin (Common)
At the beginning of your upkeep, target creature other than Weed-Pruner Poplar gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
3/3

People will underrate this guy. This format has almost no ping effects and a lot of annoying x/1 utility guys (Douser, Ameboid Changeling, Spitfire, Harrier, Judge, Skeletal Changeling). A number of faeries die to this too. If it doesn't kill something, it can help get your guy in by downgrading their 3/3 or whatever.

Brighthearth Banneret – 1R
Creature – Elemental Warrior (Common)
Elemental spells and Warrior spells you play cost {1} less to play.
Reinforce 1 – {1}{R} ({1}{R}, Discard this card: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature)
1/1

I like this one a lot because reinforce is useful in the midgame. Warrior hits a lot of stuff in R/G too.

Fire Juggler – 2R
Creature – Goblin Shaman (Common)
Whenever Fire Juggler becomes blocked, clash with an opponent. If you win, Fire Juggler deals 4 damage to each creature blocking it.
2/2
#90/150

Your opponent may well be terrified of losing this clash and let this guy through too often. Kind of like Mudbutton Torchrunner.

Hostile Realm – 2R
Enchantment – Aura (Common)
Enchant land.
Enchanted land has "{T}: Target creature can't block this turn."

The effect is okay. I liked Goblin Rimerunner a lot more because it was a 2/2 body.

Kindled Fury – R
Instant (Common)
Target creature get +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
#92/150

Guided Strike minus the draw, or Hundred-Talon Strike minus the splice. In white or green this would mostly suck, but Brute Force showed that combat tricks are somehow more valuable to a red deck. I think you'll be able to catch someone with this.

Lunk Errant – 5R
Creature – Giant Warrior (Common)
Whenever Lunk Errant attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 and gains trample until end of turn.
4/4

Seems fine for a six-drop, maybe better than Axegrinder.

Mudbutton Clanger – R
Creature – Goblin Warrior (Common)
Kinship – At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it shares a creature type with Mudbutton Clanger, you may reveal it. If you do, Mudbutton Clanger gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1

It's like a Goblin Cohort that works less often. Yay.

Roar of the Crowd – 3R
Sorcery (Common)
Choose a creature type. Roar of the Crowd deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of permanents of that type you control.

So in exchange for hitting players, it becomes a sorcery and costs twice as much? Probably still playable, but unexciting.

Seething Pathblazer – 2R
Creature – Elemental Warrior (Common)
Sacrifice an Elemental: Seething Pathblazer gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
2/2
Illus. Steve Prescott
#101/150

Huskerrific. Note this triggers the uncommon leaves-play guys. Pretty solid, although you can definitely get blown out with it.

Shard Volley – R
Instant (Common)
As an additional cost to play Shard Volley, sacrifice a land.
Shard Volley deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
"Let the mountain's teeth pierce our oppressors"

Worse in a number of ways than Lightning Axe, but it seems worthwhile in general. Like the axe, I think being a one-mana removal spell can let you make up the card disadvantage, when you use it in response to a pump spell or something like that.

Stingmoogie – 3R
Creature – Elemental (Common)
Stingmoogie comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it.
{3}{R}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Stingmoogie: Destroy target artifact or land.
0/0

I hope I don't have to play this.

Sunflare Shaman – 1R
Creature – Elemental Shaman (Common)
{1}{R}, {T}: Sunflare Shaman deals X damage to target creature or player and X damage to itself, where X is the number of Elemental cards in your graveyard.
2/1

I heard Barbarian Lunatic was never very good. This is cheaper though, and in the late game could deal 4-5 to the face.

War-Spike Changeling – 3R
Creature – Shapeshifter (Common)
Changeling
{R}: War-Spike Changeling gains first strike until end of turn.
3/3
Illus. Mark Poole
#112/150

This guy seems huge. 4+ toughness is fairly rare in the format. Also, changeling etc.

Green (28/)
Ambassador Oak – 3G
Creature – Treefolk Warrior (Common)
When Ambassador Oak comes into play, put a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token into play.
3/3
#113/150

I think it's a bit worse than Cloudcrown Oak, but I can't really see ever being unhappy to play this.

Bosk Banneret – 1G
Creature – Treefolk Shaman (Common)
Treefolk spells and Shaman spells you play cost {1} less to play.
1/3

I like this guy a lot with the assorted 4-5 drop treefolk guys. He blocks for a few turns too.

Deglamer – 1G
Instant (Common)
Choose target artifact or enchantment. Its owner shuffles it into his or her library.
#118/150

A slightly worse Naturalize that you may or may not play in sealed.

Earthbrawn – 1G
Instant (Common)
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Reinforce 1 – {1}{G} ({1}{G}, Discard this card: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.)
Gremil finally felt in touch with nature – and felt a need to share the experience with others.
Illus. Kev Walker

I think this is normally just the Giant Growth, but once in a while the reinforce will be a blowout.

Elvish Warrior – GG
Creature – Elf Warrior (Common)
2/3

Good if you have 10+ green sources, less so if you don't. 2/3 isn't the magic p/t like it was in morph block though.

Everbark Shaman – 4G
Creature – Treefolk Shaman (Common)
{T}, Remove a Treefolk card in your graveyard from the game: Search your library for up to two Forest cards and put them into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.
3/5

The ability gives you a little thinning, and maybe you can cast Cloudthresher with it? Shuffling is an interesting ability with clash/kinship in the format, and you could use this guy on upkeep if the board is stalled or you're desperate.

Fertilid – 2G
Creature – Elemental (Common)
Fertilid comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it.
{1}{G}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Fertilid: Target player searches his or her library for a basic land card and puts it into play tapped. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
0/0

It's a lot of work if you really need the mana. I think it's probably best to just get a land or two when this trades in combat. Note that you can force your opponent to shuffle.

Game-Trail Changeling – 3GG
Creature – Shapeshifter (Common)
Changeling
Trample
4/4
#123/150

Fangren Hunter was a solid guy in a block where people played 14 land and Bonesplitter was common. Now he also has changeling. Seems pretty awesome.

Luminescent Rain – 2G
Instant (Common)
Choose a creature type. You gain 2 life for each permanent you control of that type.

I'm having some trouble thinking of when a green deck might want this. Maybe you board it in against faeries. Or merfolk could splash?

Lys Alana Bowmaster – 2G
Creature – Elf Archer (Common)
Reach
Whenever you play an Elf spell, you may have Lys Alana Bowmaster deal 2 damage to target creature with flying.
2/2
#130/150

I usually play guys like this that are mediocre most of the time but sometimes flat-out win.

Reins of the Vinesteed – 3G
Enchantment – Aura (Common)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
When enchanted creature is put into a graveyard, you may return Reins of the Vinesteed from your graveyard to play attached to a creature that shares a creature type with that creature.
#134/150

It may take a little work to make this useful. You can't just equip it somewhere else if your guy gets lignified or whatever.

Winnower Patrol – 2G
Creature – Elf Warrior (Common)
Kinship – At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it shares a creature type with Winnower Patrol, you may reveal it. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Winnower Patrol.
3/2
Illus. Eric Fortune
#139/150

Solid guy, and he could get out of control fairly quickly.