In this draft spot, we’re taking a look at the blue cards of Return to Ravnica. We won’t talk about the rares because if you see a good one, take it. In general, don’t forget to draft mostly creatures and things that kill creatures, if you stick to that, you’ll do better than a lot of opponents. There are plenty of exceptions but try to grab somewhere in the neighborhood of 14-17 creatures and the rest in tricks or removal. Try to avoid cards that are only good in certain situations when you could just have a creature in that spot. Blue seems to be best paired with white or red so you can take advantage of the multi-color love. Here we go…
Aguus Steed: Four mana for a 1/3, that’s all you have to know. This would only work if his ability was good, this guy is terrible. Avoid in all situations, straight booty.
Blustersquall: This is an instant tap opponent’s creature or creatures if you overload. This is a good game winner, count it as one of your tricks as long as your creature count is up there. When you cast this you want to take advantage with a big swing, if you don’t have enough creatures, it will really only delay them a turn which is not good enough.
Cancel: This card is not my favorite, never has been. There are some decks you can draft which counters can be good but I’d rather have more creatures, more beats, more removal, any of this in place of cancel. You could also grab a late one or two in the draft to have in your sideboard in case you run against a deck with just high-costing bombs but in general, leave this card alone and you’ll be better and live cleaner.
Chronic Flooding: I’ve heard people say they like this card, or they’re good in groups, or things like this card is not terrible. These comments are all wrong, this card is a loser, even in a mill their deck deck. This card is too situational, too hopeful, too many dreams of locking their lands down and making them crush themselves. Just take any solid card over this every time, if I play these and you play creatures, I die.
Crosstown Courier: Here’s a 2/1 for two mana with a little mill ability when it does damage. This is guy is the heart of drafting right here! Not too good, but he is a 2 power for two mana. Many decks will hope for better and have better cards but when your other creatures are higher costing or your creature count is lacking, take some two drops. If you can find better, take em, but you need a nice curve to apply the pressure.
Dispel: I’ve put this in out of the sideboard before in case they have several instant game-breakers. That’s the place it belongs and used carefully. It has to have several good targets that it could possibly hit to put in, you don’t want to just see them play creature, creature, creature while you’re holding a dookie instant that could have been a body.
“I’ve seen player’s run this card and I’ve seen it a bunch. I’m not a big fan at all”
– Sam Fog on Downsize
Doorkeeper: This is the 0/4 wall for two mana that can mill them out. This guy’s fine, you can try to pair with tons of defenders for a mill out strategy which can win if it’s all perfect. But this guy should be paired with a good amount of fliers, that way you can take advantage of that 4 butt. He can hold down the ground while you beat in the air or become another win condition in a longer game.
Downsize: I’ve seen player’s run this card and I’ve seen it a bunch. I’m not a big fan at all, I would rather play a 1/1 monkey for 1 if at all possible. It’s just one of the lower low low combat tricks that are available in these sets. I know it can win games as a fog-type card or it could help you gang block a beast coming your way but once again, there’s something better and more consistant that you can play to help you gain advantage in the game, not sit around waiting on your opponent to play creatures. Stay away!
Faerie Imposter: This little beast is a 2/1 flier for one mana but you have to bounce a creature you have out back to your hand. This guy is the best friends with the ¼ bounce guy and good against arrests, stab wounds, paralyzing grasps, and several other things. I really want to play this guy if I have something that takes advantage of his ability, if I can get a bonus out of him and grab a 2/1 flier, I’ll be happy. Also, he’s fine to have in the sideboard in case you are playing against removal enchantments, good to take late in a draft, not too early.
Hover Barrier: 0/6 flier for cheap, blocks all day. I’m not a fan of this guy even though, once again, he looks good. Its good to think of every spot in your deck being used to win the game and take your opponent to zero life. If you have a plan to win with fliers and just need something to hold it down, it’ll be fine but think aggressive, swing a ding ding!
“Fits easily in the sideboard until you see multiple targeting spells”
-Sam Fog on Mizzium Skin
Inaction Injunction: A blue and one for a detain sorcery, draw a card. I’ve played this in a few decks and like it most in a very aggressive deck with a great mana curve. If I have hard removal, I’ll play that first, but that’s hard to come by. Otherwise, I’ll run creature, creature, creature and try and bounce or detain on through. Don’t take this card early but don’t be scared to play one for sure, it draws a card.
Inspiration: Another card that is fine, gains you card advantage, but at a cost. You have to spend the four mana and your turn drawing cards instead of playing a dude or getting a dude out of the way. A 23rd card for sure, don’t get trapped in a deck that flounders.
Isperia’s Skywatch: This birdman is pretty nice. I’d like to have at least one in a deck unless I’m playing all super low curve creatures. A 3/3 flying body in this format is a pretty great finisher. You also don’t have to worry about playing him for 6 mana and getting beat in the face for it because of the detain ability. Don’t be scared to take this guy pretty high up in the draft to at least have one.
Mizzium Skin: This is my jam, if they have removal. It’s a fine card to run a one of as a trick. The hexproof is the usual gold on this beast, but the +0/+1 could matter at some point. Take it very low, it’s a 23rd card, and don’t play over a good good card. Fits easily in the sideboard until you see multiple targeting spells.
Paralyzing Grasp: A blue removal, that’s cool. Fine to have in a slow deck or a flier deck that can use help holding the ground down. However, not even close to as good as it would be if it would tap their creature. So that would mean that I’m not a huge fan of this card, if you’re mana curve is good, your creatures are aggressive, you’d much rather have something to get a creature out of the way for the beats. It takes a good amount of practice drafting a deck that tries to withstand getting beaten down and plans on winning slow and steady in the air. I’d take it if I have to when there’s no better card for my colors but it definitely wouldn’t sway into going blue.
Psychic Spiral: This is what you draft when your plan has failed. Take this and hope to mill them, go draft again.
Runewing: 2/2 flier for four mana that draws a card when it dies. This guys fine, when the pack has nothing amazing, I’ll take it. Definitely not a big impacter, but you got to do what you got to do, get it in. It’s a dude so that’s good, play if you don’t have better four drops because you don’t want too many. Also, good to have out of the sideboard against match-ups where you won’t be winning on the ground, you need every flier, call this guy out.
Skyline Predator: This guys a beast, a ¾ flier that gets flashed in for six mana. Six mana sounds pretty steep and it is, but this guy is bigger than 99% of the fliers you’ll face off against and come in to crush them. I’d take this guy pretty high most of the time unless there’s another great creature or removal that’s less mana, then I’ll pass him up. When in doubt, take the bird-like creature.
Soulsworn Spirit: AKA “Sir Dunks a Lot” as Brain has dubbed him. This dude is my dude, a detainer that is a 2/1 unblockable. Four mana is not bad at all because you’ve just played your three drop, then they play whatever, and you follow it up with this long armed freak and beat face. I could easily see playing up to two of these guys, probably boarding out against one damage stuff and pingers but unblockable is a big deal in this format. I’d say he’s an early pick if there’s no clear better pick.
Stealer of Secrets: My boy! A 2/2 for three that draws a card when he connects to your opponent. A great tempo creature, friends with bounce or detain, a go-getter. I’ve drafted and played up to three of these guys and they’re great against everything that isn’t million dudes on the ground. If you’re in blue, there’s no bomb or amazing flier, then take this guy and don’t feel bad. Just remember you’re going to have to have something to clear the way or give him flying. You can always sideboard him out if you go vs. white green, but take em, draw cards, and love life.
“AKA Sir Dunks a Lot as Brian has dubbed him. This dude is my dude”
-Sam Fog on Soulsworn Spirit
Syncopate: This card is definitely good in draft in most decks. I’ve played super aggressive decks where I couldn’t actually force myself to take this over another good creature or removal but most of the time, this will be a fine pick. You’ll be facing off against a good amount of bombs in other peoples decks and they’ll be tapping out to cast them. So best way is if you have low creature curve, get your dudes out, beat the face, and then sit on counter. You could take multiple but just keep the critter count up.
Tower Drake: A great go-to creature. A 2/1 flier for three mana that can be pumped up with white mana. A no-brainer if you’re playing blue white and most other blue decks will play him too. It’s just nice to start the pain in the air on turn three, I’d take this guy early, late, whenever I have to, just don’t pass a better uncommon or rare but he’s good.
Voidwielder: This kid is my kid, a ¼ that bounces a creature when he comes into play. This guy is the perfect creature in most blue decks. You’ll be serving in the air with fliers, voidwielder comes in after you play your fliers, bounces a ground pounder, and then blocks beasts on the ground. Also, if your opponents are trying any creature enchantments, bonus! I like at least two of these guys in most decks, another creature that you take whenever you can, you can draft a lot worse than fliers and this guy, Little big stuff.
Thanks for reading another draft spot, give me any feedback you can, anything you’re thinking, and I’ll crank out some more colors and then some draft reports.
samfog