Things to Note:
This is in regards mainly to Std only. I will mention some extended and Block possibilities where applicable, but on the whole, I'm generally reviewing in regards to std.
Star Ratings are from 1-5, here's how I break it down:
*-Absolute Jank, should not have been printed
**-Casual only card, will not see tournament play
***-A good stable card. Good sideboard material
****-These are what great decks are made of
*****-Bombs! These will almost singlehandedly win you the game
Constructed-***Limited-***1/2
So here we have a creature version of Pillar of Paruns. I think it will be played more then it's predecessor due to it being a creature deck type of format. You might see 1 or 2 in a std decklist, but I think it will stay more popular in limited and casual.
Constructed-***Limited-***
So here the artifact basic land searcher of the set. I can see this this being a very big mana fixer in limited. In std, Shards Convergence is a better mana fixer for 4 mana. Course spreading the cost over 2 turns has it's benefits, and it will be interesting to see which of these two mana fixers will make it into std and block.
Constructed-*Limited-**
The zero casting cost in nice on an equipment, but I don't think +1 attack is enough to replace another more useful card in any deck.
Constructed-****Limited-****
It's a reflecting pool for your opponents. Ok, reflecting pool is the most played land in std right now, and in this multi-color environment, you think having 4 more copies in your deck could hurt? Of course not. For any five color deck, a playset of these is almost mandatory, and I bet you'll see it pop up as a 1 or 2 of in alot of std decks.
Constructed-**Limited-**
I've never been a fan of howling mine, and here they make a better one. Considering that howling mine is in std, some kind of decking deck might come out of it, but I doubt it. Giving your opponents cards is never relly a GOOD idea.
Constructed-***Limited-***
I'm having trouble deciding on this card. On the one hand it's a cheap artifact that draws you a card. Late in the game is can help with all the 5 color casting costs in conflux. I think it might be played by a five color deck, but it's hard to say.
Constructed-**Limited-***
Here we have an artifact version of Shimmering Grotto. I know it will be used in limited, but it has almost no hope in constructed.
Constructed-**Limited-***
Manaforce mace is the equipment card for the Domain mechanic. Like almost all the other Domain cards in the set, it's just not quite there yet. I think if either the casting cost or the equip cost was reduced by 1, then we could have had something to talk about, but this is just too expensive of a mana investment to be anything more then a limited equipment card.
Constructed-****Limited-*****
I think that we will be seeing this card in control decks for a long time to come. Yes, it is a 6 mana investment, but once it's online, the stuff you can do every turn is nuts. I mean, wanna do an incinerate or giant growth a turn. Gain 5 life, or screw with combat math, this is your card. In limited it is a legitimate bomb. It's a great first pick because no matter what colors you end up in, it'll help you.
Constructed-***Limited-**
They made spellbook into a land...ok. I've never seen spellbook be put to any good use, but as a land it might have a different future. You might see it pop up in control decks so they can draw cards to their hearts content without discarding.
Constructed-****Limited-****
So here is a land that comes into play tapped, and you have to pay 1. Then when it untaps, it can tap for ANY color. Wow, that is really really good. This must be a rare or at least an uncommon...wait, it's a common! The 1 mana investment and coming into play tapped is essentially the same cost as the Karoo lands from Ravnica. This is a really good land. It should be present in a lot of limited decks, and it might even make it into some constructed decks once the Vivid lands from lorwyn rotate out.
Constructed-**Limited-***
This is the land that drafters will pick when they are scrouging for mana fixing at the end of a draft. It has no constructed potential whatsoever.
So the artifacts were kind of a bust, but the lands had 2 or 3 winners
cards to watch:
1)Exotic Orchard
2)Ruture Spike
3)Obelisk of Alara
Flavor: Conflux continued the flavor of Shards of Alara, which was chocked full of it. The flavor was continued into Conflux in spades. First off, I have to say that I am happy that there is such an abundance of Flavor text in this set. It really shows where the different cultures of Alara are coming from and how they handle the merging of the world. It really paints a detailed picture which i appreciate in a fantasy world.
All in all I really like the set, and I'm really interested to see how it will affect standard.
Until next time remember...all work and no play...
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