Friday, August 26, 2016

Conspiracy Set Review: Black Cards

Two colors in and I get it: at $4, these packs will be considerably overpriced. They are all about having fun, and that's great, but almost none of the cards so far are good in any of the constructed formats. The formula seems to be:

pile of limited and commander cards + a sprinkle of great reprints to make people want to crack packs

This set so far is a reprint lottery with what I am sure will be a really fun multiplayer experience. Let's keep going.


Archdemon of Paliano: I would hate to have this be my first rare. Quite the handicap in a draft.
Deadly Designs: fun, fun, fun. If I was playing control with next to no creatures, I would play this and then drop all of my mana on it.


Capital Punishment: great for taking the game closer to a finish. Every game with five players needs to have someone play this card.
Garrulous Sycophant: [Monarch Card] If you are not the monarch, it's a vanilla limited creature. If you are the monarch, that's a great effect turn after turn.


Custodi Lich: [Monarch Card] You get to pick who sacrifices a creature. This is a great way to take out something with Hexproof.
Child of Night: limited classic.


Marchesa's Decree: [Monarch Card] Nice small tax against all of your opponents.
Death Wind: needed removal.


Regicide: Do the colors have to be different? If they are, this is creature removal in three colors. That's allright.
Smuggler Captain: Nice tutor. Another note to keep.


Sinuous Villain: Menace is great for multiplayer. Not much else here.
Thorn of the Black Rose: [Monarch Card] Except for the monarch bit, it's just another common creature to get that limited creature count up.


Absorb Vis: Is that 7 mana a miss-print? It can take out an opponent with a low life count.
Avatar of Woe: Old classic. That graveyard count is a lot easier to attain in multi-player. A rare instance where a card that is no longer relevant in a constructed format shines in this format.


Blood-Toll Harpy: another card that is limited jank yet at a table with five players is hitting them all for one.
Altar's Reap: because this is a set geared for limited. I really this card, though.


Diabolic Tutor: I wish this slot had one of the money tutors. It's a nice inclusion, though.
Farbog Boneflinger: it's still a 5 drop... There are so many other uncommons this could have been...


Driver of the Dead: There's a lot of limited jank in this set, much more than in a normal set, even a core set..... I have been stuck doing my review at this card... anyways, yes, limited needs this.
Festergloom: limited needs this


Fleshbag Marauder: a solid card in all formats, especially ones with lots of creatures.
Harvester of Souls: another junk rare in constructed that can be incredible in multi-player. This thing can draw you many cards in a multi-player game. Deathtouch is really a small bonus by comparison.


Guul Draz Specter: after a board wipe, this would be an amazing play. With a bunch of creatures on the board mid-game, not so much.
Infest: Great effect, definitely a high pick if I choose to be in black. You can wipe-out a lot with this in multi-player, especially early in the game. Remember that it applies to your creatures too!


Inquisition of Kozilek: Because the jank is in $4 packs.
Unnerve: really good in multiplayer. That is a lot of discard when you have four opponents.


Keepsake Gorgon: I guess it will be OK in some situations. The target removal is much more useful in other formats. It will be OK with more players.
Stromkirk Patrol: because this is a limited set.


Mausoleum Turnkey: this card requires great graveyard manipulation and this set is not a graveyard-focused set. Still, it should be a fun play.
Phyrexian Arena: great reprint, and a great pull in a sea of not-so-great rare pulls. I would probably try to gain some life somewhere else in my deck. Just like Dark Confidant, this card can kill the person who plays it.


Murder: the set needs it.
Public Execution: the set needs it, maybe.... it's not a miss-print, this thing is a 6 drop uncommon with a small effect.


Raise Dead: Sure, we need one of these.
Shambling Goblin: another missed opportunity to include a better reprint. Maybe it's because I have been stuck playing this in the current Standard.


Sangromancer: This is a really strong card with four opponents.