So last time I did this I didn't exactly adorn myself with glory. I was pretty spot on with a lot of stuff but there were some glaring mistakes too - Glimmerdust Nap in blue's top 5 commons? Well, you win some, you lose some.
Lessons have been learnt. At least a wee bit. Listen guys, let's get this out of the way nice and early - I am not a limited god. I am not the person you should be looking to for the savaj tek. There are plenty of Rich Hoaen's out there if that's what you are after. But I have an opinion and I have a forum to voice it so voice it I shall. Whilst I'm not planning on it, there will most likely be some mistakes.
The rules are fairly simple. I will look at each common one by one and give you my thoughts and feelings. At the end of each colour I will give you a rough first stab at pick orders. Your lists and my lists will not match and you will not share every feeling I have. I urge you to tell me why because this is a two-way thing. I have much to learn as a Magic player and I'm sure if we find some common ground it will benefit us all.
So, once more into the breach dear friends....
Ballyrush Banneret
SetMorningtide
Cost
1W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Kithkin Soldier
P / T
2 / 1
Rarity
C
Card Text
Kithkin spells and Soldier spells you play cost 1 less to play.
If you are in that particular colour then you are generally going to play 2/1s for 2 mana - as long as they don't have any drawback they are on the normal, acceptable card. So, on the face of it, Ballyrush Banneret looks pretty damned good. That's when it is taken as a solitary unit...
The problem is that in LLL, unless you got the god mono-white build, Kithkin weren't very good. I don't see Morningtide brining much to the mix. Sure there are some cool Soldiers out there such as Sntinels of Glen Elendra but what ultimately lets this card down isn't its core stats but its environment. That said, this is still a fine card, just don't expect miracles.
Burrenton Bombadier
Set
Morningtide
Cost
2W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Kithkin Soldier
P / T
2 / 2
Rarity
C
Card Text
Flying Reinforce 2-2W (2W, Discard this card: Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature.)
I have a lot of love for Burrenton Bombadier. 2/2 flyers for 3 mana are always decent. Reinforce is the kind of ability that when used properly will seperate the good from the bad, the men from the boys. My best way of looking at this is how would you rate a 2W instant which said 'Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature'? I think that would be given a lot of respect. Add the fact that this can beat for two a turn evasively and you have a high pick.
Burrenton Shield Bearers
Set
Morningtide
Cost
4W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Kithkin Soldier
P / T
3 / 3
Rarity
C
Card Text
Whenever Burrenton Shield-Bearers attacks, target creature gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
You really need to be doing something a lot better with the top end of your curve than this. This is the kind of card you'll end up having to play sometimes to fill your curve but you'll always feel a little dirty doing it. Burrenton Shield Bearers is a pretty bad card which ever way you look at it.
Changeling Sentinel
Set
Morningtide
Cost
3W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Shapeshifter
P / T
3 / 2
Rarity
C
Card Text
Changeling (This card is every creature type at all times.) Vigilance
Changeling Sentinel is another card where you really have to consider the environment in which it exists. There are a lot of cheap 2 powered dudes kicking around out there which makes you wonder how relevant Vigilance really is. On the flip side of that however is that the fact that the addition of Morningtide makes Changeling more important than ever, especially with the addition of the Kinship mechanic. This is a card you'll never be disappointed to have in your deck but will never set your heart pulsing either.
Coordinated Barrage
Set
Morningtide
Cost
W
Color
White
Card Type
Instant
Rarity
C
Card Text
Choose a creature type. Coordinated Barrage deals damage to target attacking or blocking creature equal to the number of permanents you control of the chosen type.
Now let's not get too excited here - Coordinated Barrage isn't exactly Swords to Plowshares. That said it is cheap removal at instant speed. You are probably going to want to wait until you have developed your board a bit but once you get there, Barrage will be exactly the kind of card which can swing games purely because it is much harder to see coming. In a tribal block such as Lorwyn, these should be picked highly.
Forfend
Set
Morningtide
Cost
1W
Color
White
Card Type
Instant
Rarity
C
Card Text
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures this turn
That I really don't know what to say about Forfend should speak volumes. Expect this to become bedding in a mouse cage near you soon.
Kithkin Zephyrnaut
Set
Morningtide
Cost
2W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Kithkin Soldier
P / T
2 / 2
Rarity
C
Card Text
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.
Kithkin Zephyrnaut will spend a lot of time on your side of the table as Grey Ogre. Grey Ogres are generally ok in limited assuming they have some kind of reasonable ability. In this cards case, roughly one turn in three, he will take to the skies, almost certainly be bigger than anything there and smash face for four.
As with every Kinship card, if you can pick up a Runed Stalactite at some point, Zephyrnaut becomes a very legitimate threat. Just worth keeping at the back of your mind...
Mosquito Guard
Set
Morningtide
Cost
W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Kithkin Soldie
P / T
1 / 1
Rarity
C
Card Text
First strike Reinforce 1-1W (1W, Discard this card: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.)
Mosquito Guard is a pretty poor trick and a pretty poor creature. If you are paying 1 drop 1/1s in limited they better do something significant such as Mogg Fanatic. This just doesn't fit the bill, even for a common.
Order of the Golden Cricket
Set
Morningtide
Cost
1W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Kithkin Knight
P / T
2 / 2
Rarity
C
Card Text
Whenever Order of the Golden Cricket attacks, you may pay W. If you do, it gains flying until end of turn.
There aren't too many Bears in this format so Order of the Golden Cricket will likely be the biggest guy on the table in early turns making the 'jump' not that much of an issue. When you need him to fly in later turns you should have the mana available. This card seems like the classic card you probably won't want to waste removal on but might find yourself having to. And any time your opponent wastes a Nameless Inversion on Order, you should have a wee smile to yourself.
Shinewend
Set
Morningtide
Cost
1W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Elemental
P / T
0 / 0
Rarity
C
Card Text
Flying Shinewend comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it. 1W, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Shinewend: Destroy target enchantment.
I look at Wispmare then I look at Shnewend and I know which one I would rather have in my deck. Of course sometimes you will have to take it on the chin and run Shinewend against multiple opposing Oblivion Rings or whatever if you haven't got the afore mentioned 'Wend but hey-ho...
Stonybrook Schoolmaster
Set
Morningtide
Cost
2W
Color
White
Card Type
Creature — Merfolk Wizard
P / T
1 / 2
Rarity
C
Card Text
Whenever Stonybrook Schoolmaster becomes tapped, you may put a 1/1 blue Merfolk Wizard creature token into play.
One card machines tend to be rather special and Stonybrook Schoolmaster is no exception. This is a card that immediately requires answers. Of course it really shines when you see it paired up with a Drum, Drowner of Secrets or a Mothdust Changeling. This will be picked very, very highly indeed. Just when you thought Merfolk couldn't get any more powerful...
Weight of Conscience
Set
Morningtide
Cost
1W
Color
White
Card Type
Enchantment — Aura
Rarity
C
Card Text
Enchant creature Enchanted creature can't attack. Tap two untapped creatures you control that share a creature type: Remove enchanted creature from the game.
I really do like this Pacifism variant because of the potential it has. I puts the shackles on anything big at least temporarily then, unlike alternatives such as Lignify or Zephyr Net, gets rid of them. And not just to the graveyard but from the game which is significant against the likes of the Elemental Incarnations. Solid white pseudo-removal.
The List
So where does that leave us? Well this is my first stab in the dark at a pick order. When you consider this list please remember that you have to consider the list as flexible to your needs. I shouldn't need to point out that Stonybrook Schoolmaster is a helluva lot better in a Merfolk deck for example. Without further ado...
1) Stonybrook Schoolmaster
2) Burrenton Bombadier
3) Coordinated Barrage
4) Kithkin Zephyrnaut
5) Weight of Conscience / Order of the Golden Cricket
Sorry, I really couldn't make my mind up over number 5. The Kithkin is probably very, very marginally better than both cards beneath it but even then, it's close. The top 3 I am fairly happy with though.
As always, you know where to get me. I appreciate opinions as always. Blue coming up next.
-Flame on-
Dave
Tags: Limited Prospects Morningtide White Midi Dave Mtg Magic
