Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Avacyn Restored Limited Review: White

Hello everyone and welcome to the review of Avacyn Restored in limited, prerelease time is over and it's time to check out how i think Avacyn Restored limited will do as a stand alone draft format, much similar to Rise of the Eldrazi from 2 years prior, i will explain the ratings down below as always and give my utmost thoughts on each color of the set, remember this limited review will only cover Uncommons and Commons in the set, rares will be a seperate entity and covered in one article.

A - Very Good, draft this at all times in this color.
B - Easily playable, focuses heavily on the color in question
C - Middle of the Road, splashable and semi playable.
D - Sideboard Material, for tough matchups only.
F - Never play this, ever.

Without further ado let's begin.

#3) Angel's Mercy - C, in this format reprints like this are highly under valued, sure it gives 7 life for 4 mana, but it's a splashable card that kinda requires a little too much for what it does, but it goes and keeps you alive for a few more turns at least, unless your facing down Griselbrand.

#4) Angelic Wall - B, How often in this format are we going to play a 2 drop, lots of times, 2 mana basically say no damage for me, for at least 3 turns, allows you to pretty much set up and is easily playable for it's cost and it flies.

#5) Archangel - A, A serious bomb in this format, got a down grade from rare to uncommon as a reprint, 7 mana 5/5 flying vigilance is going to get you there, fits with the theme of the set, plus having some angelic back up is always kinda nice.

#7) Banishing Stroke - B, Some serious tuck effects in limited, it gets this particular grade due to it's Miracle cost, got a threat staring you down, draw this and play it for 1 white mana and boom threat is gone, it's going to come in real handy in this limited format.

#8) Builder's Blessing - D, if you are having some serious survival problems with big creatures always staring you down, maybe this enchantment is for you, but only giving untapped creatures a +0/+2 boost is sorta like saying here's maybe a extra turn, even for 2 mana, but it goes great with Angelic Wall.

#9) Call to Serve - C, Due to this being a aura i'm a little skeptical here for what it does, sure it gives a boost, flying and turns it into a angel along with it's other types, but there is usually a answer for everything in this format, even this.

#11) Cathedral Sanctifier - A, Ok so who thought on this one, a 1 drop 1/1 that when it hits the field it's basically saying i've got 23 life and you've got 20, deal with it, a serious threat in white, probably one of the better commons you can draft, always take this one.

#12) Cloudshift - B, Instant speed blink effects like this one are going without saying one of the better combat tricks in the format, allowing you to essentially abuse enter the battlefield effects for a single white mana, it goes without saying, no white deck should go without at least 2 of these.

#13) Commander's Authority - B, A aura that's actually pretty good for 5 mana, it churns out those 1/1's every upkeep and having a small army here is kinda nice, goes without saying it's still a decent aura for what it does.

#14) Cursebreak - A. one of the better pieces of enchantment removal in this set, it's highly valued and probably the best thing you get for 2 mana, gaining 2 life as well is nothing to scoff at for what it does.

#15) Defang - D, A situational piece of lock down, only really good for most big heavy damage dealers, of which there is a few in the format, but not as many threats as one would anticipate at all, even for a large set such as this, still a great piece for the sideboard for what it does.

#16) Defy Death - C, recursion here is very rare in limited, maybe 2 or 3 cards do the job well enough, this is one of those spur of the moment cards in the set, fitting with the angelic theme here, sure it returns stuff but the bonus applies to angels, of which there is enough in this set to at least justify one copy of this in the deck.

#17) Devout Chaplain - B, How good is this you ask, well if you got lots of humans to play with, consider this removal on a stick against any artifacts or enchantments in this set, one of the better forms of removal here, sure it's requirement is a little steep but in limited this guy is highly valued.

#19) Emancipation Angel - A, best uncommon angel of the set, period, 3/3 flier, returns stuff so you can abuse enter the battlefield effects again and again, is a serious 3 drop threat and basically is perhaps the best uncommon in white

#21) Farbog Explorer - B, 2/3 swamp walkers are nothing to scoff at for limited, so your facing a black player, i'll just hit you direct to the face, non black players, i'll just attack, great 3 drop in this set, goes without saying white is showing why it's highly valued in a large set such as this.

#22) Goldnight Commander - B, One of the better non flying uncommons in this set, 2/2 and whenever a creature enters the battlefield all creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn, ok really this is like the ultimate pump, great material here.

#23) Goldnight Redeemer - A, Second best uncommon in white for this set, due to the sheer fact it gains you 2 life for each creature you control, 6 mana, basically negate all damage and gain back a serious crap ton of life, for a 4/4 body with flying too, oh joy.

#25) Holy Justicar - D, there really isn't enough zombies in this format for this guy to be effective, a 2/1 for 4 mana is lack luster, considering it's main effect is dealing with zombies here, if there were then it's say run him but again not enough to justify him.

#26) Leap of Faith - B, a instant that's a mini Fog, gives that creature flying and prevents all damage to it, can you say combat trick much, i like this and it's cost is balanced enough to make me wanna play it for limited in white.

#27) Midnight Duelist - B, pro vampires and a being a 1/2 for 1 white is pretty good, it hits well, it blocks little guys at will, provides a nice comfort zone against vampires and allows for perhaps a easy going time in white.

#28) Midvast Protector - B, A mini Sejiri Steppe here on a body is not bad honestly, protection from the color of your choice when it enters the battlefield, plus being a 2/3 for 4 mana is kinda nice.

#29) Moonlight Geist - D, this guy is serious sideboard material, 3 drop for a 2/1 flyer that has a mana ability to prevent all damage done to it and by it, but it flies, so at least that makes it non F worthy here.

#30) Moorland Inquisitor - A, 2 drop 2/2's that have first strike potential is serious business here for white, sure it costs 3 mana to give it first strike but it's a instant speed ability which you can use as a blocker ability.

#31) Nearheath Pilgrim - B, Lifelink in this format, along with set mechanics is kinda nice i suppose, considering it is a 2/1 body for 2 mana.

#34) Righteous Blow - B, Being able to Shock other creatures that are blockers or attackers is a very nice thing indeed, since white kinda needed this instant speed removal, it's a nice welcome limited addition.

#35) Seraph of Dawn - C, 2/4 that flies and has lifelink for 4, the imbalance of power and toughness makes it a C for obvious reasons.

#37) Spectral Gateguards - D, Soulbond is not all it's cracked up to be for this format, all the good ones are rare, for a reason, 2/5 vigilance granter that can be easily dealt with since it's ability requires another creature, so in a sense this is kinda lack luster.

#39) Thraben Valiant - B, 2/1's with vigilance are very good on my list of limited material cards, considering this only costs 2 mana, makes it a very nice attacker and blocker

#40) Voice of the Provinces - C, 6 mana for 4 power worth of creatures is great in the late game, but only 4 power worth is middle of the road material here, itself being a 3/3 and it puts a 1/1 white human into play.

#41) Zealous Strike - B, Combat tricks like this are highly valued, considering 20% of your deck is going to be spells most of the time, having this in hand with a bomb creature in the format is nothing to scoff at all.

And that was white for this set, blue will be tommorow and it will continue till this set is fully reviewed, till maybe next week, until tommorow stay tuned, this is vergil signing off.

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