Magic: the Gathering's latest expansion release is Scars of Mirrodin. The sequel to the artifact-heavy Mirrodin expansion is similar to its namesake with the abundance of artifacts. The Imprint mechanic is back and with lots of improvements. No more Affinity of course (and thank goodness not so many artifact lands). Poison is back as Infect mechanic. There's Proliferate to help out on those poison counters. Metalcraft encourages the player to put artifacts into the deck. There's a sub-theme on Myrs which is uber-fun. And lots more.
I've done quite my own share of ranking the top 10 cards in expansions. As I went through my list, I knew in my mind that I might be getting a lot of heat with my rankings. First off, I'd like to mention that this ranking is just one fan's perception.
How do I rank the cards? I rank them in terms of how powerful the card is on its own. It might not be a win-by-itself card but mostly the cards do not need another card for an unstoppable combo. The card might also be a huge influence to make a deck around.
While I try to look at the whole Standard metagame for reference, it is difficult to do so considering how decks continually change. Rather than be influenced by the current metagame, I've focused on the current expansion since it can be influential for the next two years.
So, without further ado, let me begin. Note that there are a lot of bombastic cards in this set. And with artifact as a theme, a lot of the colors are left out of the rankings. The artifacts are just that good.
Honorable mention: Asceticism
Troll Ascetic has always been a bane for blue mages and every other player who can't collectively destroy or remove creatures. As the name implies, your creatures gain the Troll Ascetic ability of not allowing your opponents to target your creatures. An added plus is the ability to regenerate each target creature.
Granted that the card is a costly enchantment and does not protect itself but once it's down, your creatures get a mini shroud of sorts.
10. Semblance Anvil
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Here is an example of how Imprint has "improved" in Scars of Mirrodin. For one, it encourages the use of the card. Semblance Anvil is sort of a silent harmless artifact that just simply makes other cards cheaper. The exiled card shouldn't be too much of a waste compared to the benefits that can be reaped from the 2 less mana casting cost. And if the deck is an artifact deck, it should be more advantageous. Somehow, I'm hearing Myrs.
9. Geth, Lord of the Vault
Geth is a powerhouse legendary creature. It tries to mix two good abilities (getting a creature or an artifact from an opponent's graveyard and milling the opponent) into one. Any of the two abilities is already a good ability if slapped into a permanent. Putting them together seems just too much.
8. Cerebral Eruption
Here is an example of how Imprint has "improved" in Scars of Mirrodin. For one, it encourages the use of the card. Semblance Anvil is sort of a silent harmless artifact that just simply makes other cards cheaper. The exiled card shouldn't be too much of a waste compared to the benefits that can be reaped from the 2 less mana casting cost. And if the deck is an artifact deck, it should be more advantageous. Somehow, I'm hearing Myrs.
9. Geth, Lord of the Vault
Geth is a powerhouse legendary creature. It tries to mix two good abilities (getting a creature or an artifact from an opponent's graveyard and milling the opponent) into one. Any of the two abilities is already a good ability if slapped into a permanent. Putting them together seems just too much.
The reason why I'd rank Geth this low is because it relies on an opponent's graveyard - which may or may not have a creature or an artifact. Still, Geth warrants inclusion in my list.
Yet another tweak to mass damage dealing for red. At first glance, I thought that it wouldn't do much. At the very least, Cerebral Eruption should be able to deal 1 damage to the opponent and to each creature or just return back to the caster's hand.
One thing of note is that Cerebral Eruption continues the randomness theme of the color red with the revealing of the card from the top of the library. What makes it better is the ability to have Cerebral Eruption come back to the hand if the revealed card is a land thereby nullifying the randomness part.
On a different note, Psychic Miasma would have been included in this list. Considering that it is just a marked improvement for a discard spell, I opted not to have it among the top 10. Besides, there are still much more good cards to consider.
7. Liege of the Tangle
In the tradition of Avenger of Zendikar comes a bigger and badder version. Instead of having growing plants, how about just getting a lot of 8/8 Elemental lands. Talk about massive creatures and lots of them. Of note is that it only needs to deal combat damage and not any specific number of damage (well, it should be at least 1) to go off. Liege of the Tangle is of course too costly but 8 mana is easy especially for green.
6. Sunblast Angel
Sunblast Angel is yet another variation of white's ability to destroy numerous creatures. This time, selective destruction lets the angel destroy only tapped creatures. Somewhere there's some kind of drawback that will make an owner frown. For one, white likes to have the Vigilance ability. But nevertheless, opponents with lots of attacking creatures are sure to feel the (sun)"blast" once this angel enters the battlefield.
5. Myr Galvanizer
The only uncommon card in my list is the enabler for the Myr tribe. Myr Galvanizer can be looked at in two ways: one, go combo with the untapping all other myrs or just be a +1/+1 for all the other myrs. Are myrs a sure bet to win? They could be and the deck can surely be built.
4. Hand of the Praetors
Hand of the the Praetors is a wonderful reason to have an Infect deck. If Myr Galvanizer can be described as a myr enabler, Hand of the Praetors is the Infect version. Its ability does not need much explaining. Play it in an Infect deck and keep the poison counters coming.
3. Steel Hellkite
For me, this is how a dragon should be. It is destructive enough to destroy a lot of nonland permanents. It doesn't require a lot of mana issues. It's one big artifact that can kill your opponent and his/her nonland permanents. Enough said.
It is of note that a creature with its casting cost and power/toughness and flying ability is already worth it. Add up the firebreathing ability and the destruction ability and this is one bad ass creature.
2. Wurmcoil Engine
This is one bad ass card. 6 to cast (and again no mana color issues) 6/6 with deathtouch and lifelink. Destroy it and it spawns to other creatures albeit smaller. Still, it is a powerful creature by itself. It's probably one of the best recent prerelease giveaways and I'm sure to see a lot of creature based non combo decks to pack it in. Not much needs to be said on how this creature can be used. Just cast it and attack next turn. Gain 6 life and smile.
1. Koth of the Hammer
Koth of the Hammer is the bomb in Scars of Mirrodin. In a mono red deck with enough creatures to protect it, it's bound to reach ultimate status and ping away opponents. The first ability is typical of red in having 4/4 creatures attacking on that turn. If there's no need to attack, just hold on and blow away your opponent later. Need lots of mana now, use the second ability and cast away the biggest creatures in your hand. Koth is that good. By itself, it can win games.
In the tradition of Avenger of Zendikar comes a bigger and badder version. Instead of having growing plants, how about just getting a lot of 8/8 Elemental lands. Talk about massive creatures and lots of them. Of note is that it only needs to deal combat damage and not any specific number of damage (well, it should be at least 1) to go off. Liege of the Tangle is of course too costly but 8 mana is easy especially for green.
6. Sunblast Angel
Sunblast Angel is yet another variation of white's ability to destroy numerous creatures. This time, selective destruction lets the angel destroy only tapped creatures. Somewhere there's some kind of drawback that will make an owner frown. For one, white likes to have the Vigilance ability. But nevertheless, opponents with lots of attacking creatures are sure to feel the (sun)"blast" once this angel enters the battlefield.
5. Myr Galvanizer
The only uncommon card in my list is the enabler for the Myr tribe. Myr Galvanizer can be looked at in two ways: one, go combo with the untapping all other myrs or just be a +1/+1 for all the other myrs. Are myrs a sure bet to win? They could be and the deck can surely be built.
4. Hand of the Praetors
Hand of the the Praetors is a wonderful reason to have an Infect deck. If Myr Galvanizer can be described as a myr enabler, Hand of the Praetors is the Infect version. Its ability does not need much explaining. Play it in an Infect deck and keep the poison counters coming.
3. Steel Hellkite
For me, this is how a dragon should be. It is destructive enough to destroy a lot of nonland permanents. It doesn't require a lot of mana issues. It's one big artifact that can kill your opponent and his/her nonland permanents. Enough said.
It is of note that a creature with its casting cost and power/toughness and flying ability is already worth it. Add up the firebreathing ability and the destruction ability and this is one bad ass creature.
2. Wurmcoil Engine
This is one bad ass card. 6 to cast (and again no mana color issues) 6/6 with deathtouch and lifelink. Destroy it and it spawns to other creatures albeit smaller. Still, it is a powerful creature by itself. It's probably one of the best recent prerelease giveaways and I'm sure to see a lot of creature based non combo decks to pack it in. Not much needs to be said on how this creature can be used. Just cast it and attack next turn. Gain 6 life and smile.
1. Koth of the Hammer
Koth of the Hammer is the bomb in Scars of Mirrodin. In a mono red deck with enough creatures to protect it, it's bound to reach ultimate status and ping away opponents. The first ability is typical of red in having 4/4 creatures attacking on that turn. If there's no need to attack, just hold on and blow away your opponent later. Need lots of mana now, use the second ability and cast away the biggest creatures in your hand. Koth is that good. By itself, it can win games.
