Ravnica Allegiance Thoughts and Additions

As ever I seem to be a bit of a fan boy and rather like this set. It has more to offer than most recent sets, if only by a small amount. It is the first review that has made it to fifteen segments! Like most recent sets this offers nothing that seems oppressive or broken and much of the interesting stuff, as with all newer sets, is too niche to be playable in limited cubes. For the more constructed side of things and really for any constructed singleton formats this set has masses to offer. It does also appear to also do better for the drafting cubes than other sets with slightly more cards looking like they have a shot long term than usual. There are a lot of holes plugged and relevant redundancies padded out. Blue got two new one drops which is a huge help for them. I like this focus on "best of one" cards too as far as it helps out cube play. Versatile cards that bring narrower effects into the realms of playable are great for the game. I am expecting to get a lot out of this new set. It is a lot of content relative to the number of cards. I look forward to playing with the new stuff but I am already enjoying the creative process the new cards offer. As ever I will have three lists of cards, the few I think are lock in cards for the drafting cube. Those I will test for suitability in the drafting cube and lastly those that will be useful for singleton constructed purposes that I will store away in my cube reserves! I have not bothered with a top ten list from the set but it likely wound'y be far off the expected mana cost of the lock in cards with the cheapest as the best! Light Up the Stage is the card I am most excited for and it could be the best. Probably the other one mana spectacle cards are going to get more play and would certainly all be in the top five. Dovin is the only other card that jumps out at me for potential potency above and beyond.



The Lock In Cards


Light Up the Stage
Rix Maadi Reveler
Tithe Taker
Dovin, Grand Arbiter
Judith, the Scourge Diva
Depose // Deploy
Gutterbones
Drill Bit
Mesmerizing Benthid
Pteramander
Skewer the Critics
Incubation Druid
Deputy of Detention
Consecrate // Consume



The Tester Cards


Bedevil
Gruul Spellbreaker
Incubation // Incongruity
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper
Mass Manipulation
Spawn of Mayhem
Rhythm of the Wild
Titanic Brawl
Silhana Wayfinder
Essence Capture
Unbreakable Formation
Domri, Chaos Bringer
Benthic Biomancer
Thrash // Threat
Angel of Grace
Font of Agonies
Orzhov Enforcer
Priest of Forgotten Gods
Biogenic Ooze
Forbidding Spirit
Footlight Fiend
Collision // Colossus



The Constructed, Narrow, and Exotic Cards


Emergency Powers
Growth Spiral
Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
Emergency Powers
Biomancer's Familiar
Sphinx's of Foresight
Hydriod Krasis
Wilderness Reclamation
Prime Speaker Vannifar
High Alert
Rampage of the Clans
Frilled Mystic
Bankrupt in Blood
Electrodominance
Nikya of the Old Ways
Theater of Horrors
Kaya's Wrath
Ministrant of Obligation
Spirit of the Spires
Cindervines
Tomb of the Guildpact
Cavalcade of Calamity
Regenesis
Resolute Watchdog
Lawmage's Binding
Final Payment
Saruli Caretaker
Stony Strength
Open the Gates
Deface
Wall of Lost Thoughts
Shimmer of Possibility
Faerie Duelist
Clear the Mind
Impassioned Orator
Arrester's Zeal