Favorite cards from Magic 2011

Hello again, I hope all four of you who read my blog haven't been turned off already. As promised I am here to give my favorite cards from both constructed and limited Magic 2011. As a rule, I have chosen not to pick any card from magic 2010, because otherwise lightning bolt and Baneslayer would have to receive consideration. Now keep in mind these wont necessarily be the five best cards, just what I am most excited about seeing play. I have decided to pick at least one card from each color, and then poorly articulate why it is in my list.

Hmm lets start with.....

RED!!!
For anyone who accidently stumbled upon this page. My favorite color is red. It all started one night at a party, I saw Chandra across the room, she approached, and lets just say the burning sensation has persisted to this day.

Constructed picks:
1. Destructive Force
Each player sacrifices five lands. Destructive Force deals 5 damage to each creature. Socery. 5RR

One of my favorite cards of all time is Wildfire, that card saw play in every "type two" format. This is probably not going to see much play for the next couple of months. giving the current quick format and jund hanging around. However, I think if scars provides some artifact mana, you may see me chuckling as I smash in with a 6/6 each turn and my opponent has no board. It dealing five to flyers and nonflyers could also be its down side. Otherwise we may have been able to see a baneslayer, or sphinx team up with a wild fire effect. Rolling terrain, demolish and goblin Ruinblaster are all type two legal these days and will be post rotation. So it is definately something that can make a splash.

2. Ember Hauler
Card type: Creature

Creature type: Goblin(<3)

Power/Toughness:2/2

Casting cost:RR

Card text: 1, Sacrifice Ember Hauler: Ember Hauler deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

What did I do to get this printed? Lets just say that burning sensation has spread into R&D. For those who don't about sligh/RDW decks, he is a perfect two drop. He might even take Kargon and Geopede's role. Each of those guys can be better than him, but a lot of times are inconsistent. Ember hauler, is both a quick creature, and a seal of fire on the board. He will always do part of the job. If only combat damage went on the stack still....
3. Leyline of Punishment
Card type: Enchantment

Casting cost: 2RR

Card text: If Leyline of Punishment is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield.
Players can't gain life.
Damage can't be prevented.

HAW HAW, KORE FIREWALKER is unbanned. The only problem is that white and red mages are gonna have to have sideboard head games, altough it is awesome against baneslayer. Red mages will now just attack in, and not have the five life from lifelink to deal with anymore.

Black.
1. Grave Titan
Card type: Creature

Creature type: Giant

Power/Toughness:6/6

Casting cost: 4BB

Card text: Deathtouch
Whenever Grave Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, put two 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens onto the battlefield.


Nice, I have always been a fan of siege gang comander, and this could be the "black" siege gang. Only it could be better in many ways. Siege gangs two damage ability sure is pretty good. However the 6/6 power/toughness makes it a big efficent creature, that adds dude each turn. Ten comming in off of one card at six mana is quite efficent after all.
2. Nantuko Shade.
Guess whose back? Back again? Shady's back, Tell a friend. For those who don't remember Nantucko Shade he was in a word a "beast". I could see mono black aggroo become big post rotation. Wizards has been praying for it after all.

3. Demon of death's Gate
Card type: Creature

Creature type: Demon

Power/Toughness:9/9

Casting cost: 6BBB

Card text: You may pay 6 life and sacrifice three black creatures rather than pay Demon of Death's Gate's mana cost.
Flying, trample


There is gonna be a lot of great stories with this guy in limited. Will they have an answer or not. If your play red/green in Magic 2010, definately think about bringing him in. The main play i see this guy though is an alternate win condition for dredge decks, altough he is competing with tombstalker for that role.
3. Blue.
1. Mana Leak.
if you dont what it does, just tap down every turn at each fnm for the next couple of months and then you will learn :)

2. Leyline of Antcipation
Card type: Enchantment

Casting cost: 2UU

Card text: If Leyline of Anticipation is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield.
You may cast nonland cards as though they had flash. (You may cast them any time you could cast an instant.)

I am huge fan of the new leylines that have come out. This seems to have more vintage applications. In draft I hope to get one of these, just to be like,declare blockers overwelming stampede, or Aether adept eot seems pretty sweet.

Honestly I think blue didn't get too much for this core set...altough it is the color of Trickery, so they may have fooled Dave 'too Nice' Rice.

White

ehhh, white, the color of boringness. While I was catching that burning sensation from Chandra, Ajani got up and halted the whole party. For what reason do you ask??? to show everyone a powerpoint presentation of quebecois nationalism. BUZZ KIll(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHYYkZpZGjo). White is the color of toast, pocket protectors, and canada. Its just plain boring.
That said, I guess I should do my "least favorite cards" from this set.

1. Leyline of Sancity,

Card type: Enchantment

Casting cost: 2WW

Card text: If Leyline of Sanctity is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield.
You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.

This a great sideboard card for white decks. I could see this seeing sideboard play in all formats. A big hose of storm combo decks, burn and many strategies.

2. Condemn
Card type: Instant

Casting cost:

Card text: Put target attacking creature on the bottom of its owner's library. Its controller gains life equal to its toughness.

White totally needed another one mana removal spell in standard...


Green
1. Fauna Shaman
Card type: Creature

Creature type: Elf Shaman

Power/Toughness:2/2

Casting cost: 1G

Card text: G, Tap, Discard a creature card: Search your library for a creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library

Wow! For those who are new to the game. Survival of the fittest is one the best green cards of all time. To temper this a bit, it has summoning sickness, you can only use it once per turn, and creatures are much easier to deal with than enchantments. That said, it has great synergy with Vengevine, one of the best creatures in the current format. It also could pair Vengevine and blood braid together, but that would be nuts, one cool thing is could is, in response to blightning you discard vengevine and grab.....

2. Obstinate Baltoth
Card type: Creature

Creature type: Beast

Power/Toughness:4/4

Casting cost: 0 with the discard lol(really its 2GG)

Card text: When Obstinate Baloth enters the battlefield, you gain 4 life.
If a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard Obstinate Baloth, put it onto the battlefield instead of putting it into your graveyard
This is the card that has to see play. Its impossible for it not too. Ravenous baloth and Hierarch tore it up back in there hay day. This guy is better than baloth, not counting the discard ability. Counting the discard ability he hoses the best deck in the format. Blightning thank you very much.

Now for ARTIFACTS,

Crystal Ball

Card type: Artifact

Casting cost: 3

Card text: 1, Tap: Scry 2. (To scry 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

I am suprised I wasn't crass and put this in the blue section. If you rip this in sealed consider yourself really lucky, he can shift all of your bad cards and make sure you draw your bombs. In constructed, he could turn into a "rocco" card. Thus making the games take forever. Sensei's divining top was ridiculous, and this guy has a built in shuffle effect, albeit a higher cost to play, but I could see if the format becomes slower crystal ball seeing a lot of play.

Well that is my list for magic 2011. I hope to see all three of my readers tonight at the release event.

Until next time...