Welcome back to another Ideas Unbound. We have another Prerelease coming up this weekend, so I thought I we would do a little Prerelease Primer today like I have done in the past. This Prerelease is for a core set, which generally has a simpler limited environment making it a little easier to build your sealed deck, but there are definitely some things to keep in mind when doing so. We will start with a few general pointers on building your deck and then look at some specific cards that you may want to look for this weekend.

Deck Construction

Since this is a sealed deck event, you will be given 6 booster packs and be expected to build a minimum 40 card deck. While the 40 cards is a minimum and you can go over, I strongly recommend against this. Every card you play over 40 makes you less likely to draw the best cards in your deck. While playing 41 or 42 cards probably won’t affect you that much, it does make a small difference so I do not recommend it.

Another thing to keep in mind when building your deck is the colors you use. In prereleases for Ravnica sets there was an abundance of mana fixing that allowed you to play many colors easily, sometimes as many as all 5. That is not the case with Magic 2014. There is a very limited amount of color fixing and most of it is at uncommon, so you will want to avoid playing more than 2 colors if at all possible. Remember, it’s usually better to play a weaker card in your first two colors than branching into a third color because you will be less likely to cast a card in a third color. You will also want to avoid playing cheap cards with multiple colored mana requirements of two different colors because it will be difficult to cast them. For example, if you are playing Kalonian Tusker, it is going to be very difficult to also cast Awaken the Ancient, so you probably don’t want to play both.

Best Commons

Commons are the foundation of any limit environment. Out of the 84 cards you get in your sealed pool, 60 of them will be commons, so they are the most important because they are the ones you will see the most. It doesn’t really matter if you open that mythic rare planeswalker if you don’t have enough good cards to play that color. What I’m going to do now is break down what I feel are the top 5 commons in each color. This are the cards I strongly recommend you play as well as the cards you can expect to play against.

White

5. Fortify

Fortify is an excellent combat trick because it does many things. On the offense it gets better the more creatures you have attacking. If your opponent chooses not to block 3 of your guys, then he is suddenly taking an extra 6 damage, sometimes enough to be lethal. Or, if he does choose to block, then you can play it for the +0/+2 bonus and make sure you the combat works more in your favor, saving creatures your opponent thought would be dead. This same theory works on defense as well. It allows you to block your opponent’s creatures more favorable when he attacks.

4. Celestial Flare

While it won’t be the best card every time, Celestial Flare is a pretty good removal spell. There are two things that hold it back from being the best common in the set. The first is the cost. WW means that you are solidly in white and this will not be an easy card to splash. That means if your white is weak, I wouldn’t go out of my way to play this card. The second issue is that your opponent gets to choose which creature he loses. This is fine if he is only attacking or blocking with one creature, but becomes less useful the more creatures your opponent is using. There is a very nice trick you can use with this card to keep in mind though. If you have a creature with first strike, you can wait until after first strike damage kills one of your opponent’s creatures, and then play this card to try to ensure you kill a better creature.

3. Charging Griffin

This is an excellent aggressive creature that you should always play if you are in white. The fact that it attacks with flying and three power will make it very difficult for your opponent to deal with. However, keep in mind that it doesn’t have three power all the time, so it will die very easily to a Shock. It also doesn’t block very well. However, it is a potent threat that your opponent will be forced to deal with.

2. Master of Diversion

This is an excellent piece to any aggressive army. It allows you to invalidate your opponent’s best block sometimes leaving him wide open to attack. It may make your opponent hesitate to attack so they can ensure they leave enough defenders back to stop you. If you can get multiple copies of this guy online, it will be very difficult for your opponent to keep up.

1. Pacifism

Pacifism has always been one of the best white commons in any set it’s printed in. It allows you to deal with any creature it can target for the low cost of 2 mana. You will probably want to play every copy of this you get. It also has the nice advantage of only costing one white, so it is much easier to splash than something like Celestial Flare. Just remember that the creature can still use any activated or triggered abilities it has. Plus there will be ways for your opponent to remove the Pacifism and still have the creature, so keep that in mind.

Blue

5. Messenger Drake

A 3/3 flier for 5 mana is definitely something you should consider in a limited environment. The fact that this guy gives you a card if he ever dies is icing on the cake. Blue is best known in limited for card advantage and flying creature and this guy wraps both up in a neat little package.

4. Nephalia Seakite

This guy is very similar to the Messenger Drake. For one less blue mana, you lose a point of power and the card draw, but you can flash. Flash is a very relevant ability in limited because it is so combat oriented. First of all, it allows you to play a surprise blocker that your opponent may not have been expecting swinging combat in your favor. Also, it works as a surprise attacker as well. You can play it at the end of your opponent’s turn after he taps out for something and then get him for two in the air. Sometimes this might be enough to lock up a game for you.

3. Frost Breath

Blue is not really known for its removal spells which can be a detriment in limited. However, this is one of the best “removal” spells blue has these days. It allows you to take out two attacks for two turns giving you time to build up an adequate defense or find a new way to deal with them. It also taps down two blockers for two turns giving you the opportunity to sneak in the final points of damage when necessary.

2. Trained Condor

I like this guy a lot. A 2/1 flier is sometimes enough to take over a game especially against decks that are weak to fliers. The fact that this guy gives someone else flying as well is really good. It allows some of your biggest threats to bypass whatever defense your opponent might have set up. Your opponent is going to want to find a way to deal with this guy quickly. Keep in mind this guy is not as good though if most of the creatures in your deck already have flying.

1. Time Ebb

As I mentioned earlier, blue doesn’t generally get removal spells. Time Ebb is very good at serving as removal for blue. It will remove their best creature forcing them to recast it next turn. However, it also has the advantage of making them miss their draw step. This is a huge tempo gain especially in limited. The only strike against this card is that it’s a sorcery. However, the advantage it creates far outweighs the drawback.

Black

5. Altar’s Reap

While Altar’s Reap is not the best card draw spell out there, it is still a good card in a non-blue color. The fact that it does cost you a creature can be mitigated. If the game goes long, it may be better to sacrifice a creature you played on turn two to and dig for better cards. Also, it is great in response to your opponent’s removal spell. If the creature is going to die anyway, might as well make better use of it.

4. Deathgaze Cockatrice

In case you haven’t noticed, several of the creatures on these lists have had flying. That’s because flying is a huge advantage in limited when there aren’t many ways to deal with creatures. This guy is a great way to deal with opposing fliers. A 2/2 for four isn’t exactly great on the cost scale, but the fact that he has deathtouch means he is almost a removal spell as well. This guy takes care of opposing griffins and drakes with the best of them. He even trades with dragons. I probably wouldn’t play too many of this guy in my deck, but I would for sure play one or two of them if I had them.

3. Quag Sickness

Black is king of removal and this is a pretty good removal spell for common. It is limited in that you have to cast it as a sorcery and it might not always kill the creature, but it will target any creature. And, even if doesn’t kill the creature it can reduce it to a manageable size. The fact that it counts your swamps means you will want to be playing a lot of Swamps to get the most advantage out of this card.

2. Accursed Spirit

Against non-black decks, this guy is going to be pretty much unblockable. And with three power this guy is going to eat up your opponents life total pretty quickly. He will give you a very aggressive game plan against the non-black decks and can probably be sideboarded out if your opponent has plenty of black creatures available.

1. Liturgy of Blood

“Destroy target creature” is a pretty powerful effect and one that is very desirable in limited. The cost on this card is a little high, but the fact that it refunds you three mana can help offset that cost. It is unfortunate that it is a sorcery so you can't surprise your opponent with it, but because of the mana bonus, you would probably want to it as a sorcery anyway.

Red

5. Academy Raider

If your opponent is not playing red, this is going to be a great way to dig through your deck. As we’ve seen in red before you do have to discard the card first, but in the late game, it will be easier to know which cards won’t matter. He also will get in for a few points of damage which will help end the game.

4. Shock

While red is certainly not the best burn spell ever printed it is still capable of getting the job done. There are several creatures in this set with 2 toughness or less allowing you to get them out of the way. Even in the late game, this will allow you to trade a smaller creature for a larger one by providing the last couple points of damage.

3. Pitchburn Devils

A 3/3 that deals 3 extra damage on the way out is a great way to two-for-one your opponent. Your opponent will be afraid to block this guy because of the potential of losing a second creature in the process. Since he does cost five mana, I would probably a lot of them but certain one or two would very easily make my deck.

2. Act of Treason

This card has always been an all-star in limited. Not only does it get a pesky blocker out of the way, it also provides another body to attack with. A lot of the time when you cast this card, it will be the last turn of the game. It’s hard to come back from the kind of swings this card can generate. Especially if you have some way to sacrifice the opponent’s creature after you are done using it.

1. Chandra’s Outrage

This card is incredible. Not only does it deal 4 damage to a creature, which will kill a good number of creatures outright, it also deals two your opponent. This is a great way for red decks to end the game quickly, which is what they are generally trying to do. Just remember to be aware of the double red in the mana cost, and build your deck accordingly.
Green

5. Predatory Sliver

A 2/2 for 2 is not really something to write home about, especially in green. However, where this guy shines is in multiples. If you have just two of them out, then you are really start to put pressure on your opponent. If you have other slivers to combine this with things can get out of hand quickly. This is the best common sliver by a wide margin.

4. Deadly Recluse

Green does not typically get removal spells. Because of that, a deathtouch creature with reach can really is something to value highly. It really puts a bind on your opponent when it comes to attacking because you can kill pretty much anything they attack with.

3. Elvish Mystic

Mana acceleration can be very important. The fact that you can start playing things faster than your opponent allows you to get in a position where your opponent is overwhelmed. While this guy might not be great in the late game, he is so good in the early game it is worth playing him.

2. Giant Growth

This card does a lot of work. It protects your guys from burn spells. It can serve as a removal spell if played during combat. And it can be the same as direct damage to your opponent. You get all of this for one mana. This is a very versatile card that I strongly recommend playing in any green deck.

1. Giant Spider

Anytime this guy is in a set he is almost certainly the best green common. As you noticed earlier a lot of the best creatures have flying. This guy puts a stop to all of that craziness. He has a big body and really gets in the way of your opponent giving you time to attack back with your big threats.


I hope I have given you some information to help you through this weekend’s events. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate. See you next week.

-Eddie