Surprised to see me? Yes, I know, the writer’s strike has been a long and drawn out process, but I think that you’ll like what we’ve been cooking up since this whole strike thing was taken care of. Regardless of the past, what is done is done, and we’re back in action here at the Writer’s Guild. We’ve got a lot of fresh material, with most of it based on or focused with your comments as forum members. I’m deeply obliged to all of the people who stuck this one out. It’s good to be back.

So, Morningtide. Seems like a pretty interesting set, if I do say so myself. For a brief moment in Magic’s history, the art isn’t so damned depressing (soon to change in the upcoming Shadowmoor), and the card synergies are intelligent and thought provoking. There are some rare cards running about that are certainly going to be high dollar, and it will be interesting to see all the new mechanics and tribal interactions work their way into Standard and Extended formats.

Speaking of mechanics and interactions, that's what we are here to discuss this week with the First Impressions: Morningtide Edition articles. Here’s the schedule for the week:

My job, this week, is to give you a taste of all those “extra” cards you don’t often think about. Artifacts, lands, and multicolor cards are what I’m focusing on today. Unfortunately, there aren't any multicolor cards in Morningtide, so you'll have to live with an artifact and land review. Luthervamplord is also doing an artifacts and lands article; his will be based more on different casual formats like Two Headed Giant and Highlander. His review is going to rock, so definitely check it out.

But enough sitting around. Let’s get to the review!

Cloak and Dagger - 2
Tribal Artifact - Rogue Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has shroud.
Whenever a Rogue creature comes into play, you may attach Cloak and Dagger to it.
Equip 3

One of the five Tribal Equipment cards; this really shows how good free can be. Free is good. Moreover, a one-mana creature like Prickly Boggart with Cloak and Dagger in play suddenly becomes a 3/1 that can’t be hit with Shock. Cloak and Dagger may not be tournament playable, but if you’re doing the Rogue Tribal thing, don’t pass this card up.

Grade: B

Diviner's Wand - 3
Tribal Artifact - Wizard Equipment (U)
Equipped creature has "Whenever you draw a card, this creature gets +1/+1 and gains flying until end of turn" and "4: Draw a card."
Whenever a Wizard creature comes into play, you may attach Diviner's Wand to it.
Equip 3

This card is a casual player’s dream. Wizards are an amazing tribe, and with cards out there like Shadowmage Infiltrator, Patron Wizard, and Voidmage Prodigy, you can bet that this will find its place in a deck at someone’s kitchen table. The drawing ability is amazing, letting you use up some extra mana at your opponent’s end of turn, or during a pivotal attack step. Find some copies for your Wizards deck. You won’t be disappointed.

Grade: A-

Door of Destinies - 4
Artifact (R)
As Door of Destinies comes into play, choose a creature type.
Whenever you play a spell of that type, put a charge counter on Door of Destinies.
Creatures you control of that type get +1/+1 for each charge counter on Door of Destinies.

Door of Destinies is like a one-sided Coat of Arms, which is great, because Coat of Arms is expensive, costs too much mana to play, and doesn’t work with cards with the Tribal type (which Door of Destinies does). The down side, if there is one, is that the Door only works for one tribe. Sorry Tribal Mutant Ninja Turtles deck, this one’s not for you.

Grade: A

Obsidian Battle-Axe - 3
Tribal Artifact - Warrior Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+1 and has haste.
Whenever a Warrior creature comes into play, you may attach Obsidian Battle-Axe to it.
Equip 3
It's the flint that sparks a warrior's rage.

Warriors are an interesting tribe, especially because Warriors span the “conventional” tribes that you normally consider, like Goblins and Elves. This is bad and good; bad, because it makes deck building more difficult, and good, because it makes decks more interesting. In Limited, a fourth turn Lys Alana Huntmaster becomes an Axegrinder Giant with haste. That’s absolutely ridiculous folks. Absolutely. It makes Imperious Perfect make 4/3 hasty tokens. This card is great, and I expect you to see it in a Raiding the Dollar Bins deck soon.

Grade: B+

Thornbite Staff - 2
Tribal Artifact - Shaman Equipment (U)
Equipped creature has "2, T:This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player." and "Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, untap this creature."
Whenever a Shaman creature comes into play, you may attach Thornbite Staff to it.
Equip 4

I got Thornbite Staff at the prerelease this weekend, and the two times I played it, I loved it. It lets you kill one-toughness creatures before your opponent’s attack step and then untaps the equipped creature in time to block for you. Without Shamans, its equip cost is expensive, but most of the time it’s worth the price.

Grade: B

Veteran's Armaments - 2
Tribal Artifact - Soldier Equipment (U)
Equipped creature has "Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each attacking creature."
Whenever a Soldier creature comes into play, you may attach Veteran's Armaments to it.
Equip 2

Veteran’s Armaments is the card I like least of the five Tribal Equipment cards. It doesn’t do anything Cenn’s Heir isn’t already doing, and it’s really just icing on the cake. Sure, if you’re attacking with a lot of Soldiers, it’s a nice boost, but I think I’d rather have Equipment like Bonesplitter where I’m guaranteed the bonus.

Grade: C+

Murmuring Bosk
Land - Forest (R)
T: Add G to your mana pool
As Murmuring Bosk comes into play, you may reveal a Treefolk card from your hand. If you don't, Murmuring Bosk comes into play tapped.
T: Add W or B to your mana pool. Murmuring Bosk deals 1 damage to you.

Murmuring Bosk is great for a few reasons. First, it produces three different types of mana, and it produces one type out of those three without a drawback. Second, it can be searched for with Treefolk Harbinger, and it can found with cards like Skyshroud Claim (which can be an important consideration). Finally, in a Treefolk deck, it effectively comes into play untapped. I think this card is going to see tons of Standard play, and maybe even some Extended play. Time will tell.

Grade: A

Mutavault
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1: Mutavault becomes a 2/2 creature with all creature types until end of turn. It's still a land.
Some changelings born at Velis Vel never return, but their essence never leaves.

Reprinting Mishra’s Factory is an idea I like, and adding the Changeling flair makes it great for the block. Man lands have always been good; this is going to see play in Standard.

Grade: A

Primal Beyond
Land (R)
As Primal Beyond comes into play, you may reveal an Elemental card from your hand. If you don't, Primal Beyond comes into play tapped.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play Elemental spells or activated abilities of Elementals.

Primal Beyond is something I wanted to see in Lorwyn, but now that it’s here in Morningtide, I’m not sure what I think about it. Sure, it makes any color of mana for Elemental spells and abilities, which is pretty nice, but at the same time you have to be running a dedicated Elemental build to get anything out of it. I like it, but I’m not holding my breath here. I don’t think outside of that Elementals deck it’ll see any play.

Grade: C

Rustic Clachan
Land (R)
As Rustic Clachan comes into play, you may reveal a Kithkin card from your hand. If you don't, Rustic Clachan comes into play tapped.
T: Add W to your mana pool.
Reinforce 1 – 1W (1W, Discard this card: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.)

Rustic Clachan is an interesting land because of its Reinforce ability. Still, when it comes down to it, I don’t really like Rustic Clachan all that much. It’s a Plains that comes into play tapped if you aren’t playing Kithkin, and Reinforce 1 isn’t going to be an amazing combat trick most of the time. However, I do believe that it’ll see play in Limited. Combat tricks are essential in colors that don’t have large amounts of removal, and this acts as both a trick and a mana source.

Grade: C-

It’s over so soon? Which card do you think I graded incorrectly? Check out the poll, and then head over to the forums and defend your choice.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you in the Morningtide.

~Death_By_Beebles~

Alex Hoffman has been parading around with the pseudonym of Death_By_Beebles for three years now. He’s a writer for Magic Deck Vortex, and can often be found tinkering with his latest decks while working on biochemistry homework. He is the author of Raiding the Dollar Bins and Going Blind series at MDV, and the recent startup series Pauper Chronicles. Alex likes kittens, reading, and generally enjoying life. He doesn’t like Brussels sprouts. You can send him deck ideas, combos and suggestions at deathbybeebles@yahoo.com.

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Articles Spotlights from 2008:
How to Win with Milling: A Guide to a Slow Painful Death
Memories of an Old Magic Player 10: The Outsiders Journal #3.
The Apprentice Magician, Part Three.
Class-Wars Deckbuilding Contest Results!
Tribal Coffee: The Smaller Tribes.
[Mini-Article] Controlling the Game: Without Blue.
Raiding the Dollar Bins: Return of the Vault Ninja.
A Fresh Perspective: Stasis - Part One.
More Evil Than Evil.
Memories of a Jarhead.