We’re back! I hope you all enjoyed your festivities and I also hope you’re all ready to get the new year off and running. Rivals Of Ixalan has been fully spoiled and I think it would be a great way to kick off this year full of Game Changers content.
So without further ado, here are all the white cards from Rivals Of Ixalan.
Baffling End
I’ll be honest, I am a little baffled by this card. On the one hand it’s a cheap removal spell but on the other hand it’s an enchantment that can give you opponent another creature when it leaves play. It’s the type of card that white decks would love because it comes down early and deals with an early drop creature without there being much fear of enchantment removal in constructed. There tends to be even less enchantment removal in limited, unless there’s some cross over like a modal card so I guess I like Baffling End, though it does kind of stick out with its design.
Bishop Of Binding
This four mana vampire could end up being a great utility creature in white decks. It deals with an opposing creature quite nicely and doesn’t necessarily need to be played in a vampire tribal deck as it can target itself with its pump effect. The biggest issue is how fragile it is with one toughness and because of that I feel it won’t be able to live up to its potential. Limited playable but probably won’t see constructed play.
Blazing Hope
Cheap removal never felt so awkward. Blazing Hope looks great at first but the more you think about it the worse it gets. The reason it’s so cheap is because you’re never going to use it in the early game and hopes are you can use it on your opponent’s massive bomb creature, when the reality is they are likely to have multiple smaller creatures. I dread the moment I’m holding this on 5 life and my opponent is attacking my empty board with three 2 power creatures and it’s utterly useless. I don’t think Blazing Hope is going to be making much of a showing in limited and definitely not constructed. The only place I could ever think it would show up is in Death’s Shadow in modern just because of how much the deck deals itself.
Cleansing Ray
I like modal spells but Cleansing Ray is incredibly narrow. It only really has an impact in Ixalan limited, that is unless vampires become a thing in constructed, at which point Cleansing Ray becomes great sideboard cars for the mirror match. It’s already strictly better than Disenchant, so that’s a thing I guess.
Divine Verdict
We’ve seen Divine Verdict a few times before, it’s a great removal spell in limited and has no constructed application. Easy as that.
Everdawn Champion
I think Everdawn Champion could be the premium blocker of the set. It can only be dealt with via removal/burn spell so everything it gets in the way of, bar trampling over, does no damage. It’s also pretty good attacking too as trades aren’t an option for your opponent. Build this guy up with auras or equipment and you could have one powerhouse of a creature that could take over a game. I don’t think there’s any constructed application but it would surprise me, it’s tempting to try and make a creature like this work in a deck but it may feel little forced, plus removal is everywhere in constructed.
Exultant Skymarcher
Exultant Skymarcher is a perfectly good 2/3 flyer, you’ll play it in limited and you’ll be happy with it. No place in constructed.
Famished Paladin
The vampire tribe is going strong in Ixalan. This undercosted 3/3 is very powerful not to mention flavourful in requiring you to gain life in order for Famished Paladin to untap. It doesn’t have lifelink itself otherwise it would be incredibly good and not need the untap clause but I can see this maybe being a staple two drop for any aggressive lifegain decks.
Forerunner Of The Legion
Love this guy; he tutors up your best/most needed vampire at the time for next turn and gets a nice bonus just for playing Vampires. Works fantastically well in a heavy tribal deck but wouldn’t be awful just to help find the odd one or two other vampires you have in limited. I think Forerunner Of The Legion will see a lot more play in limited than constructed but it does have potential.
Imperial Ceratops
This is a defensive dinosaur apparent by its mass of toughness, it plays well in those slower decks in limited and can bring you back into the game thanks to its lifegain. It’s nothing special and won’t make any waves in constructed but when you’re in a ground stall or have a hand full of removal to compliment a block, you’ll be happy with Imperial Ceratops.
Legion Conquistador
You may be experiencing some deja vu with this one but don’t worry, this is a reprint from Ixalan. As I feel I’ve said before; Legion Conquistador is a fine creature and works very well in multiples.
Luminous Bonds
Every set has one, the “disable” enchantment. I like Luminous Bonds because it’s cheap and that’s exactly what you want in a set full of powerful and fast creatures. It’s also nice because you’ll come across multiples a lot easier thanks to the common rarity and it’s easy to splash, so with a low amount of removal this could turn out to be your go to removal spell.
Majestic Heliopterus
This four mana flying dinosaur is a great tempo creature in limited for your dinosaur deck. It can give another dinosaur evasion to get over the top so you can have a clock on your opponent. Heliopterus isn’t anything special but it’s a good utility creature to have in the early game and even if you don’t have another dinosaur it’s still a 2/2 flyer.
Martyr Of Dusk
A great two drop that leaves you with a 1/1 lifelinker. Brilliant in limited as it kind of works as two for the price of one, however in a block with so many pinging effects it may not be as strong as it looks.
Moment Of Triumph
It pumps a creature, gains you life and it’s cheap. Got nothing to complain about here, you’re going to play it in limited both in an aggressive and midrange decks as it can help close the game out and save a creature in combat.
Paladin Of Atonement
I think Paladin Of Atonement has a great ability but I’m not really sure how it will apply in constructed. Paladin Of Atonement could become a very powerful creature with its ever-growing nature but it will require stemming the damage, just enough to let some through but not end up dying. It can give regain some life for you on the back end but I can’t see it hitting more than 4 or 5 before you may be forced to through it in the way of something bigger or it succumbs to a removal spell. It is cheap so Paladin Of Atonement could get by on being an early drop utility vampire, which I think will be more effective in limited than it will in constructed.
Pride Of Conquerors
A good instant speed anthem effect with a built in Ascend mechanic bonus. Thematically it falls into place with the vampire tribe but it’s perfectly serviceable in most decks in limited. Constructed probably doesn’t need this because there are better things a white deck can be doing.
Radiant Destiny
I love an anthem effect, especially a cheap one, and I think that with a deck like black/white vampire tokens this card will shine. Aside from creating a mass of tokens for a power/toughness boost with Radiant Destiny it can also help with the Ascend mechanic. Ascend asks for ten or more permanents to be in play, so including Radiant Destiny you only need another nine which lands and creature tokens will happily contribute to. With Ascend comes the added Vigilance to all your creatures making them formidable in ability to attack and block. I am definitely going to be trying this enchantment out for constructed where I think it will be very effective, less so in limited but in a more tribal heavy deck will be good.
Raptor Companion
Another reprint from the first set, it’s a good aggressive early drop than will do work in limited.
Sanguine Glorifier
Good stats, good effect as long as you’re on a vampire tribal strategy. The +1/+1 counter in the right place can be very advantageous, but even if it’s not on a creature with lifelink or first strike or whatever it’s still a bonus. Good limited creature.
Skymarcher Aspirant
Vampires are getting access to some powerful aggressive one drops through Ixalan block. Duskborn Skymarcher and Vicious Conquistador have another friend to contend with in the vampire tribe and Skymarcher Aspirant will be a worthy addition to both limited and constructed vampire decks. It’s aggressive nature only gets better when you Ascend and it turns into a one mana 2/1 flyer.
Slaughter The Strong
As you know I’m a big fan of tokens. If there is one thing that a tokens deck needs, in this age of Temur running rampant and Hydras with Hexproof, its a Wrath effect. What’s better than a Wrath effect, how about one that won’t hit your own creatures. Slaughter The Strong gives you a nice mix; the ability to hit multiple creatures without having to target them, the kicker being that it’s cheap and can bypass any small creatures you have. I’m going to keep my eye on this card just for its anti Temur application, I’m sure it will see play in control and tempo decks alike and is in great standing for limited thanks to all these huge dinosaurs.
Snubhorn Sentry
I have a feeling the Ascend mechanic will be easier to trigger in limited than people think. Because of that I see Snubhorn Sentry as a one mana 3/3 with no drawback. Even if you haven’t Ascended it’s still a good blocker that can hold off some early creatures and I’m all for that.
Sphinx’s Decree
A good cheap utility spell here. Sphinx’s Decree is the type of spell that you would see in a combo deck to stop any removal or countermagic, or at least to draw a counterspell out. I think it would see play in a sideboard for some constructed decks but the metagame may have to develop a couple more decks better suited for it. I can’t see many limited applications for Sphinx’s Decree but allowing your creatures to get through a turn unscathed could be good enough.
Squire’s Devotion
For three mana you can boost a creature, give it lifelink and have a 1/1. There has to be a good reason for you not to play this in limited and even then I would probably advise playing this in limited. The lifelink can draw you back into a game quite nicely and the extra body gives you another blocker to stem the beating.
Sun Sentinel
A bear with vigilance. It’s good for limited because it comes down early and can get some damage in while sitting back on blocks if needed. Not good enough for constructed because it has no immediate impact on the game and two drops nowadays are pretty good, so Sun Sentinel may get pushed out of playability.
Sun-Crested Pterodon
This overcosted flyer is good at blocking but a little mediocre at attacking for a five mana dinosaur. However if you control another dinosaur Sun-Crested Pteredon gains vigilance and is slightly more effective, but not by much. It’s fine in limited and nothing in constructed due to its high cost and minimal impact.
Temple Altisaur
Temple Altisaur is easy to splash thanks to its single white mana and does have a decent 3/4 body. It’s ability benefits your other dinosaurs, almost nullifying most burn spells directed at any with two or more toughness, but doesn’t protect itself so it quickly makes itself the prime target. I can see dinosaur tribal becoming a more streamlined deck in constructed but I’m not so sure Temple Altisaur will comfortably make the cut. Limited is more it’s home becoming a powerhouse creature that allows you to be more reckless with your attacks and blocks.
Trapjaw Tyrant
Trapjaw Tyrant easily earns its name with its impressive stats; five mana 5/5 with the upside of being able to Exile creatures when it’s dealt damage. I was expecting a catch when I first read this big white dinosaur but none came, leaving me to conclude that this dinosaur will be a limited bomb and may even make strides in constructed with its versatility. It can just be a big, lumbering dinosaur that attacks each turn, incredibly hard to block profitably, or maybe one of the best blockers you could ask for and with a relatively cheap cost Trapjaw Tyrant could and will win you games by turns 3 onwards.
Zetalpa, Primal Dawn
This eight mana elder dinosaur is the perfect creature to close a game out with. It does cost a lot of mana but if you can get there with enough resources to survive, Zetalpa, Primal Dawn will end the game sharpish. A mix of some of the more powerful keywords make this dinosaur a powerhouse creature that’s not to be trifled with, probably more of a limited bomb than constructed but the potential is there.
That’s all of the white cards done and dusted. Tomorrow is the turn of the blue cards, so I hope you’re going to check back for some more Rivals Of Ixalan. If you’re after some Rivals Of Ixalan singles for the upcoming format introduction, check out https://arcanecardshop.co.uk/
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