Rivals Of Ixalan Set Review-Blue

It’s Tuesday which means its blue day. Today I’m going to take a look at all of the blue cards in Rivals Of Ixalan. So let’s jump right in.

Admiral’s Order

Cancel has gotten an upgrade once again, in a sense. The same mana cost, the same effect but it has Raid this time around. I’m not sure the Raid bonus really helps it much though as the deck that would want to play this would have a control element to it, however a control deck wouldn’t want this counterspell because an out and out control deck plays few creatures. Admiral’s Order belongs in a midrange tempo deck, a deck that likes to attack while also having the answers to everything. Admiral’s Order may start appearing in the sideboard of some decks to combat removal spells or flash spells, however I don’t think it will make a huge impact on the whole in either constructed or limited solely based on its Raid addition. 

Aquatic Incursion 

Aquatic Incursion could be a nice addition to the Merfolk tribe; It provides you with two Hexproof tokens and the option of pushing damage through. It is a little more costly than some players may like but at any less and suddenly Aquatic Incursion becomes an uncommon bomb, limited all star and constructed staple. It won’t be a four-of in any constructed Merfolk decks but one or two copies will pop up and as far as limited goes, well I’ll give you a hint; if you see this come round or possibly even up it in a draft and you’re anywhere near the Merfolk tribe, slam this.

Crafty Cutpurse

Pirates seem to be getting a fair few Flash creatures in Rivals Of Ixalan and most of them have interesting effects. At worst Crafty Cutpurse is a four mana 2/2 with Flash, it can also provide you with an opportunity to nab a couple of your opponent’s treasures. This ability immediately increases the power level of Crafty Cutpurse, if your opponent makes two treasures and you cast Crafty Cutpurse in response then it effectively turns into a two mana 2/2 with flash thanks to the extra two mana you’ve stolen from your opponent. It’s not just treasures though, any creature tokens they make can be nabbed with this tricksy little pirate as well. I’m interested to see what happens with this one but I feel the mana cost my be a bit high for constructed, perfectly fine in limited though even just as a four mana flash creature. 

Crashing Tide 

I like cards like Crashing Tide because it almost tells you when you play it. In a slower controly deck you are more content to sit back and cast temporary removal spells, whereas a tempo deck, like Merfolk tends to be, wants to do this more at the end of your opponent’s turn or at least in combat. You can essentially set your opponent back a turn by using Crashing Tide while having it replace itself and that makes it quite a good spell for limited, not just in a more Merfolk heavy deck but it’s easy to splash for other decks if you need an answer to creatures.

Curious Obsession 

It’s a cheap enchantment that boosts a creature, that’s the upside with Curious Obsession but the downside is that it does ask for you to attack with the enchanted creature every turn or you lose the enchantment. I don’t really like Curious Obsession because it feels out of place in blue and the “Ophidian” effect - drawing a card when the creature deals combat damage - isn’t the most powerful effect. It’s fine in limited if you can almost guarantee the creature connecting but there are probably better things.

Deadeye Rig-Hauler 

Deadeye Rig-Hauler is the type of creature that punishes your opponent for not getting to eager when blocking. Say they have the opportunity to block a creature and get rid of it, but there could be a combat trick sitting in your hand that they’re worried about. They may choose not to block so they can attack with it the following turn and tank the damage, that’s where the Rig-Hauler comes in. You’ve already hit them and now have the chance to temporarily remove that creature, setting your opponent back a turn if they choose to cast it again on their turn. Deadeye Rig-Hauler is fine even if you don’t get any damage through, it’s not the best situation but there may be a time you have to run your guy into a blocker just to trigger the Raid in Deadeye Rig-Hauler. This guy is a great tempo creature for limited but a tad too expensive for constructed

Expel From Orazca 

I really like this card, there is usually one in every set because permanent removal can always be necessary. Expel From Orazca is easy to splash thanks to its single blue and with the Ascend mechanic it could set your opponent back a turn if it puts a permanent on top of their library, effectively giving them a dead draw. Last point in this card, I love the art. I don’t know what it is but there something funny about a weird faces temple spitting out intruders like a child that’s just realised he doesn’t like peas.

Flood Of Recollection 

My first thoughts for this are “it’s perfect in a combo deck like storm”. The problem here is that a combo deck like storm doesn’t actually want Flood Of Recollection because it has Past In Flames, which is much better. Maybe it works in more of a control shell as a way to get back a counterspell or removal spell, but that just seems a bit of a roundabout solution. In all honesty I don’t think Flood Of Recollection will find a home in limited or constructed, it’s cheap but a little clunky and there are better versions.

Hornswoggle

It’s Essence Scatter but you pay an extra mana and get a Treasure. I don’t think the extra mana is necessary when a control deck wants to minimise the mana spent on countering spells. Even though Hornswoggle gives you a mana after the fact I think Essence Scatter is going to be preferred over it. Counterspells are fine in limited but you usually could be playing something better, the Treasure would help in limited though as you are playing less lands and more bombs swingy spells than constructed.

Induced Amnesia

Not sure how I feel about this one. There is definitely a combo deck feel about Induced Amnesia, being able to Exile a bunch of cards essentially protecting them from hand disruption while doubling up as a weird personal Windfall. It could just act as a mass sudo Thoughtseize or maybe milling component. I’m very interested to see where Induced Amnesia will end up because I have no clue, gonna go out on a limb and say it’s not for limited though. 

Kitesail Coursair 

It’s cheap, it’s on curve and it flys when attacking. It’s pretty good. 

Kumena’s Awakening

Everyone likes additional repetitive card draw and Kumena’s Awakening is happy to oblige. Unfortunately it does effect both players so you are helping your opponent in a way but as an enchantment Kumena’s Awakening does give you a permanent towards its Ascend. It’s playable in both limited and constructed, although I think control decks are the ones that want this the most and have better things to do with four mana. 

Mist-Cloaked Herald

This is the perfect creature that wants all of your auras and equipment. Obviously it is still prone to removal but in limited the chances of your opponent not having much is fairly high, so you could get away with this unblockable one mana 1/1 for your early drop. It’s not the best but if you’re looking for a one drop in limited then Mist-Cloaked Herald will do.

Negate

It’s Negate. A good, situational counterspell that will always see constructed play. Maybe not necessarily limited play because counterspells aren’t as effective but f there is a particular noncreature spells you’re afraid of, go ahead.

Nezahal, Primal Tide

The elder dinosaur cycle all seems to be hitting that big, splashy feel that a dinosaur, especially an elder one, should do. Nezahal is a perfect creature against any control decks in the metagame as it can’t be countered and poses a huge threat that’s fairly difficult to deal with. It can draw you a bunch of cards, uncaps your hand size and has evasion for any removal spells pointed at it, I can definitely see this being a one of in control sideboards and tempo decks that need a big scary finisher. Obviously nuts in limited and probably should be played all the time you can. 

Release To The Wind 

Not sure how I feel about this card. It can act as a cheap sudo removal spell but they could just play the removed permanent in question for free again next turn so you’ve just postponed the inevitable. Another, maybe better way of using Return To The Wind is on your own permanent preferably one with an enter the battlefield trigger so you can get it again for free. It’s an odd one but I think it’s going to see a little play as a way to counteract removal spells and trigger your Whirler Virtuoso or whatever a second time, which as things go isn’t bad at all. 

River Darter

A good three drop with evasion and great flavour. River Darter will see play in limited both in Merfolk tribal decks and just as a decent creature that’s easy to splash.

Riverwise Augur 

This is a really powerful effect for a creature to have, being able to stack your deck can provide you with a huge advantage of either digging deeper to find an answer or maybe even hiding a card on top of your library to protect it from hand disruption. In limited this guy is going to be an all star and if you can find multiples or abuse Riverwise Augur’s enter the battlefield ability the card advantage alone could win you games. Unfortunately it’s been ever so slightly costed out of constructed at four mana which is a shame because I think it could have done quite well if it was even just one cheaper.

Sailor Of Means 

Another reprint from Ixalan, Sailor Of Means is a great creature for slower decks looking to get to the late game. It’s cheap, it blocks well and provides you with a way to ramp or fix your mana. It’s nothing special but you won’t be unhappy to see Sailor Of Means in limited. 

Sea Legs

Another fantastically flavourful card that doubles up as a cheap combat trick. For one mana you can make it harder for an opposing creature in combat or save one of your own, be it a pirate. There’s not much more to say about it so I’ll keep harping in about the flavour. It ties in so well with the pirate theme and showcases a great difference people that are unused to the sea to pirates, people very accustom to it. I love this card.

Seafloor Oracle

It’s not the biggest creature for its mana cost but having an effect like this can be such an advantage in a Merfolk deck. Having your four drops be Seafloor Oracle and Aquatic Excursion, with the potential to sneak your Merfolk through for severe card advantage, could be back breaking. It will be a great utility creature in limited but I don’t know how convince I am with its place in constructed.

Secrets Of The Golden City 

Moving back to card draw, Search For The Golden City could very well be a player in constructed. Three mana for two cards is a good mana to card ratio and if you can find the permanents to Ascend three mana for three cards is a no brainer. It is a sorcery, so you could sacrifice an early turn in exchange for some gas the following turn but unless you’re facing a particularly fast deck, like Ramunap Red, you should be ok. Almost every time in limited and I think it’ll pop up in constructed a little.

Silvergill Adept

For anyone that wasn’t playing back in Lorwyn block, Silvergill Adept is a reprint and a pretty good one. It can come down early, provided you have another Merfolk to reveal for it, is a good attacking creature and it replaces itself. If there is a Merfolk deck in constructed then Silvergill Adept will surely be a staple and as for limited, we’ll it’s kinda the same situation. 

Siren Reaver 

A four mana 3/2 flyer is fine in limited, it’s not the best but if you need a creature than in a pinch it will do. What I like about Siren Reaver is that it’s another card that teaches you how to play magic. Traditionally you should be playing your creatures post combat to keep up mana during combat for tricks and things, keeping your opponent on their toes. Siren Reaver rewards you for playing it post combat by reducing its cost which can be a bit difference. In limited it’s going to be a great creature in tempo decks whether you play it for four mana or three mana, I don’t think you’re going to be upset playing Siren Reaver as a three power flyer always has its uses. 

Slippery Scoundrel 

This 2/2 pirate sits on the curve quite nicely for a limited pirates deck; it comes down early and can have evasion when you Ascend, and fittingly enough Slippery Scoundrel allows you to Ascend. It’s the type of creature that once you’ve Ascended you can start pulling auras and equipment on and get a huge damage advantage. It has no immediate impact so it has no place in constructed but I think it will overperform in limited.

Soul Of The Rapids 

This is a great five mana flyer. It hits well and can’t be targeted, so provided your opponent has no flyers Soul Of The Rapids can go about its business. Again it could do with an enchantment as it is aggressive by nature and not particularly powerful but as a 3/2 it does the job in limited. 

Spire Winder 

A flying snake huh? Well whatever that nonsense it Spire Winder is a pretty good card by most accounts. Okay a four mana 2/3 might not be that impressive but it still blocks well in the early game and has some offensive potential. If you can Ascend though that’s when Spire Winder comes into its own as it turns in a brilliant blocker and a great offensive creature sitting on the curve nicely. It probably plays best in a slower limited deck, a deck that’s content with making creatures or treasures and can use removal to control the board. 

Sworn Guardian 

It’s a cheap Merfolk that blocks well and loves to help out Merfolk tribal decks.

Timestream Navigator 

Timestream Navigator is a weird card, in a good way. It’s cheap, can provide you with the ability to Ascend and can give you an addition turn for four mana, and it doesn’t even sacrifice itself. If you were offered an extra turn with that being the criteria in sure you would jump at the chance so I’m keen to see what people choose to do with this creature. Navigator has applications in both limited and constructed having more of a combo feel with the latter.

Warkite Marauder 

Who wants a cheap tempo creature? Well you’re in luck (assuming you said yes). Warkite Marauder is exactly what you’re looking for if you want to put early pressure on or trying to bypass a tricky blocker, plus it can allow you to take out an opposing creature slightly easier. It is a little fragile itself but I think it sits in a sweet spot of not quite threatening enough to draw a removal spell, but can rack up a fair chunk of damage if left unchecked.

Waterknot 

This is blues premium removal spell in limited as it doesn’t have access to permanent removal like black or red does. Three mana for this effect is pretty good seeing as cards before this with similar effects have costed four or more. Waterknot is double blue so it’s hard to splash but sometimes it’s your only removal and you might have to. It’s a good enchantment and you should always play it in limited when in blue. No place in constructed as there are better, cheaper spells.

Blue cards down and we’re just getting started. Tomorrow it’s all of the black cards and there are some gems among them I can assure you. Check back for more Rivals Of Ixalan set reviews and if you’re after any singles from this set then check out https://arcanecardshop.co.uk/.