[Ryuzaki]This is Ryuzaki, and today I will be reviewing and most likely telling you how bad most of these cards are. Let's talk about video games or something.

...Oh, we have to talk about the cards? That sucks, I was hoping to stall for as long as possible. Oh well. Let's see how many cards prove to me this shard doesn't suck that much; I'm betting not that many.

[hamsandwich] Alrighty then. I have to say I think I'm a bit more excited about this set than Ryu. Having attended the prerelease and pulling some good stuff really got me salivating over the potentially large impact this entire year has had on the casual game. The multi-colored cards and the combinations within the Shards have got me wanting more. Luckily for you, I didn't pull much out of the Jund Shard at the prerelease, nor did I play against it much, so these will truly be my First Impressions of most of these cards.

Today I'll mostly be responding to Ryu's comments and offering my own viewpoint on what I think is shaping up to a much more exciting set than I had originally anticipated. On to the cards!

Blister Beetle - 1B
Creature - Insect (C)
When Blister Beetle comes into play, target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
1/1

Not too bad, kills weak creatures for relatively cheap while leaving you a creature. For a common, I'm not expecting too much either.

Grade: D Mostly useless, but it is a common, so yay.

Agreed. To me Festercreep is infinitely superior.

Grade: F Entirely Useless.

Deathgreeter - B
Creature - Human Shaman (C)
Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may gain 1 life.
1/1

Inversion-of-Soul Warden? Not amazing, but it might help in sealed.

Grade: D+ Cool, but not that cool.

I have to bump this one up for its Limited value. In a format bent on filling graveyards with creatures, this guy can net you some very important life in the early game. Beyond that I wouldn't play it.

Grade: C

Scavenger Drake - 3B
Creature - Drake (U)
Flying
Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Scavenger Drake.
1/1

You need to kill other creatures for this to be worth your investment... well if you Firespout the ground, I'm sure it'll grow nicely. I'm iffy, but I think it could work, shame it's very fragile starting off.

Grade: C It starts off fragile to most burn, but eventually gets up there.

This may find a home in some casual decks, but for anything constructed there are much better alternatives.

Grade: C

Tar Fiend - 5B
Creature - Elemental (R)
Devour 2
When Tar Fiend comes into play, target player discards a card for each creature it devoured.
4/4

With a few creatures this can get really big. It also destroys your opponent's hand too, so it's not that bad. It's easily splashed, and is only a bit expensive.

Grade: C+ I think you can accelerate into a huge creature and stomp some heads.

I'll have to bump this one up as well: splashable and versatile.

Grade: B

Bloodpyre Elemental - 4R
Creature - Elemental (C)
Sacrifice Bloodpyre Elemental: Bloodpyre Elemental deals 4 damage to target creature. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
4/1

This card makes little sense. If you attack for four and they block, you effectively do four damage. If you sacrifice it, you can choose. I don't really see it as useful, more fragile/worthless. So far I'm not seeing anything telling me this shard is worth playing.

Grade: D No thanks, I'll keep my Shriekmaws.

Agreed. Sorcery speed does not help me much. Should be called "Bloodpyre Elemental Augur."

Grade: D For lame.

Caldera Hellion - 3RR
Creature - Hellion (R)
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
When Caldera Hellion comes into play, it deals 3 damage to each creature.
3/3

This tries to clear the board of everything but itself - definitely a Hellion. Devour all of your creatures, destroy all of your opponent's, then smash some heads in. It says each creature, and the no restriction makes me like it more.

Grade: B There may be hope yet, but I won't hold my breath... then you can't breathe.

Could be a gamebreaker with a higher devour number, but for me it's just... not worth it.

Grade: C

Crucible of Fire - 3R
Enchantment (R)
Dragon creatures you control get +3/+3.

I've not seen too many pumping cards, but this is probably the worst. Dragons by nature are strong, so why waste four mana on a card to pump them excessively? It's a waste really, most Dragons are out of range of burn, and straight removal still removes your Dragon even if it is bigger.

Grade: F-- Way to waste a card.

Silly Wizards. Why would I need to waste this card on pumping Dragons? They are big already....

Grade: F

Dragon Fodder - 1R
Sorcery (C)
Put two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens into play.

Fodder for chump-blocking, yes I will have some maybe. It's good for devour, and chump-blocking. It's... slightly useful.

Grade: C It will help, and is fitting for this shard.

Awesome devour enabler. Cheap tokens. Oh, it's a sorcery.

Grade: C Make it an instant and I love it.

Dragon's Herald - R
Creature - Goblin Shaman (U)
2R, T, Sacrifice a black creature, a red creature, and a green creature: Search your library for a card named Hellkite Overlord and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.
1/1

Seems so much more complicated then a simple tutor. Sure it counts as one of the requirements so you only need a Black and Green, but I'm not sure if it's worth it.

Grade: C I'm iffy, it gets it into play, but it takes a lot to do it.

Lame and unimaginative, just like the rest of this cycle.

Grade: F This game comes with enough instructions.

Flameblast Dragon - 4RR
Creature - Dragon (R)
Flying
Whenever Flameblast Dragon attacks, you may pay XR. If you do, Flameblast Dragon deals X damage to target creature or player.
5/5

Yes. Finally real firebreathing, none of this +X/+0 crap, one of my favorite Dragons now.

Grade: A+ This is how you design a Dragon.

I agree on the firebreathing end of it. As an ability it has always seemed that something like this makes more sense than just pumping power. I don't like the idea that as a player you don't have the option of placing one of your summoned critters between you and the flames, but that's just me. I'll take it down a notch.

Grade: A Not quite perfect.

Goblin Assault - 2R
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a 1/1 red Goblin creature token with haste into play.
Goblin creatures attack each turn if able.

This can help you with devouring, keeping your opponent's life down little by little. The new Bitterblossom? Probably not. They don't have flying, nor can they have the option to not attack. Still nice.

Grade: B Doesn't cost you life, and still makes tokens every turn, easily blocked though.

I like the concept, but I think the drawback is too great. I would rather stockpile my Goblins so that my Dragons might devour them. Oh, well, no enchantment is perfect.

Grade: B For better than average.

Goblin Mountaineer - R
Creature - Goblin Scout (C)
Mountainwalk
1/1

With everyone using three colors, this creature is almost there to being unblockable. Cheap, slowly whittles down life. Not too bad.

Grade: C+ Pretty decent.

I agree on the fact that in seven out of ten matchups this guy will be unblockable, especially in a Limited format where everyone is building around a shard and splashing colors now and again, but he is a 1/1 and when I faced him at the prerelease he was more annoying than anything.

Grade: C+ Okay late in the draft, and being unblockable will keep him on the board long enough to sac to a larger creature.

Hissing Iguanar - 2R
Creature - Lizard (C)
Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may have Hissing Iguanar deal 1 damage to target player.
3/1

Just one damage? It's like what, spitting someone? It isn't that bad though, as we've seen, most creatures have one toughness, so apparently one damage is a death sentence. Decent common, nothing amazing.

Grade: C I'll kill your stupid drake before it gets bigger. Eh...okay.

Lame. Filler for Limited, but nothing special here.

Grade: D

Jund Battlemage - 2R
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
B, T: Target player loses 1 life.
G, T: Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.
2/2

Interesting. If they can block Saprolings, we make them lose life. If not, Saprolings for devour!

Grade: B Decent, make them lose life each turn or make an army.

Agreed. Cheap enough to be effective, combo ready with options. I like it. Not a fan of the art.

Grade: B

Magma Spray - R
Instant (C)
Magma Spray deals 2 damage to target creature. If that creature would be put into a graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.

A bad Shock? Can't target players, instead removes the creature. I guess in this block that's more important.

Grade: C Simple burn, removes instead of targeting player. Not much different then a Shock.

I actually pulled three at the prerelease, thought on them for a moment, and cast them aside. In retrospect they would have been nice to remove some of Esper's artifact creature junk from the board in the early game, but in the long run there is simply much better removal out there.

Grade: D

Predator Dragon - 3RRR
Creature - Dragon (R)
Devour 2 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with twice that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
Flying, haste
4/4

Another Dragon, another finisher. This is definitely an, "I want to end things...now" set. All those Saprolings you have? Fuel for the fire. Sacrifice everything for glory! Just hope they don't have removal, and you'll be fine.

Grade: B Finishers are good, and cool.

This is tied for my favorite Dragon out of this set; the other would have to be the Broodmate. Flying, haste, and devour make this a card to be feared.

Grade: A+ I like the art as well.

Resounding Thunder - 2R
Instant (C)
Resounding Thunder deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Cycling 5BRG
When you cycle Resounding Thunder, it deals 6 damage to target creature or player.

Here's some burn. Simple three damage for three, or it is six damage and a card for eight? If you can cycle, it's definitely worth it, if not, hey a burn's a burn's a burn's a burnbait. Wait, he has nothing to do with this, my bad.

Grade: B Burn baby burn.

Weak, even in all its cycling glory.

Grade: C

Rockslide Elemental - 2R
Creature - Elemental (U)
First strike
Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a +1/+1 counter on Rockslide Elemental.
1/1

First strike is good, and it gets bigger. Get a few creatures in the grave and hey, look what I got. Big stick, and I'm going to poke you with it!

Grade: B Decent uncommon.

No. It's not decent. It's too expensive.

Grade: C It could be worse.

Thorn-Thrash Viashino - 3R
Creature - Viashino Warrior (C)
Devour 2
G: Thorn-Thrash Viashino gains trample until end of turn.
2/2

Is able to get trample, that's good, very good. Huge power + trample = proper combat tactics.

Grade: A- Devour 2 can make this huge, with trample, amazing.

Versatile. Could benefit from haste, but now I'm just getting picky.

Grade: B+ I just can't let Ryu be right.

Thunder-Thrash Elder - 2R
Creature - Viashino Warrior (U)
Devour 3
1/1

*Blinks* Wha? I saw devour for not three, but this is simply amazing. This guy in the mid-late game can just get really huge. Someone give this guy trample!

Grade: B- You'll see it's not the spoon that bends, but actually yourself.

I like this guy better, even without trample. Devour two creatures and he's bigger than his "younger" counterpart at a cheaper overall cost. Giving him trample shouldn't be difficult. That's why they make other cards like Mosstodon.

Grade: A No, seriously, Ryu cannot be right.

Vicious Shadows - 6R
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may have Vicious Shadows deal damage to target player equal to the number of cards in that player's hand.

Surprised me, that's for sure. If your opponent has a few cards, this card slowly gets them over and over. Shame it costs so much.

Grade: C Nice, but bit expensive to do I'd guess one-two damage on average per creature.

Okay, I guess Ryu can be right on this one.

Grade: C I guess we'll have to settle this with a cage match.

Volcani Submersion - 4R
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target artifact or land.
Cycling 2

Way too expensive, I'd only use this to cycle. By the time you destroy their "Mountain" to mana-screw them, they probably got another, or something to make Red for them. No thanks.

Grade: D You, sir, have failed.

It's not that Ryu and I are competitive, I mean we were at one time really good buddies. Until of course that moose hunting excursion last summer....

Grade: D You see, we were out there in the bush, and I took a shot at this moose. At least, I took a shot at what I thought was a moose....

Algae Gharial - 3G
Creature - Crocodile (U)
Shroud
Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Algae Gharial.
1/1

We just saw something like that, but it had flying, and wait... what? Shroud? Yes, YES, I can get by with shroud. No flying, but shroud. Okay we can do that.

Grade: B- Attack, and destroy, and attack again!

Well, it turns out it wasn't a moose. Now if you ask Ryu, he'll say that he was screaming at me not to shoot, and that it wasn't a moose, but it was big and brown, and let's face it: I didn't spend all that time and money getting to Alaska to go home empty handed....

Grade: B Who wouldn't want a trophy? I mean grizzly bear, moose... tomato, tomahto....

Manaplasm - 2G
Creature - Ooze (R)
Whenever you play a spell, Manaplasm gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.
1/1

No evasion or anything, just massive pump. This guy will get chump-blocked more then I want to think about.

Grade: C Evasion please, then we can talk.

Well the shot just winged him anyway, no harm done. Suffice it to say our relationship hasn't been the same since I stuffed that bologna sandwich I'd brought for lunch into Ryu's pants pocket, screamed, "Free Lunch!" and took off running back to the Jeep. It's the law of the wild, man. That bear was pissed and it was gonna eat one of us... I mean, hey, I got kids....

Grade: C The bigger they are, the harder they fall....

Mycoloth - 3GG
Creature - Fungus (R)
Devour 2 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with twice that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each +1/+1 counter on Mycoloth.
4/4

Destroy everything you have, get this guy into play. Make a huge army, play another one... whoa....

Grade: A Fungus always were good with numbers.

Wow, now that's a Fungus. I mean, like a "really pesky toenail fungus that just won't go away" kind of Fungus. Somebody break out the tea tree oil.

Grade: A I've been telling him all year it's time to bury the hatchet.

Ooze Garden - 1G
Enchantment (R)
1G, Sacrifice a non-Ooze creature: Put an X/X green Ooze creature token into play, where X is the sacrificed creature's power. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
Jund has little necromancy. Instead, the flesh of its dead gives rise to algal fiends.

Someone kills a creature, no, you will instead sacrifice it to make an Ooze copy... interesting. I like it really, and if you play a little Conspiracy, then you'll get to have renewable creatures forever. *Wink*

Grade: A I like you sir, and I like ooze. I prefer Jello though.

It seems that each of the last couple of sets has dropped us a decent, cheap Green enchantment meant to mess with other various styles of play. Think Eyes of the Wisent.

Grade: A Ooze creatures have fascinated me since my D&D days.

Skullmulcher - 4G
Creature - Elemental (R)
Devour 1
When Skullmulcher comes into play, draw a card for each creature it devoured.
3/3

Mid-game this guy can help you come back and hit some heads in. Devour a little, draw a little, block a little. Not too bad.

Grade: C Seems fairly cost, and good for your mid-game.

He'd be cooler if he was Black. But hey, who wouldn't?

Grade: B I like the flavor here.

Blood Cultist - 1BR
Creature - Human Wizard (U)
T: Blood Cultist deals 1 damage to target creature.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Blood Cultist this turn is put into a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Blood Cultist.
"To immortality."
1/1

Creature-pinger that gets bigger for killing. After awhile I'd probably stop pinging, but hey, long way to immortality.

Grade: C Quite a few creatures can be killed with one ping.

I like the art here, and I've heard some good things about this card for Limited, but in reality she's just another pinger.

Grade: C

Branching Bolt - 1RG
Instant (C)
Choose one or both - Branching Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature with flying; and/or Branching Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature without flying.

That's just amazing. Kill two creatures for the price of one if you really want to. I like it.

Grade: B+ I'll kill two creatures for three mana.

No, not me, I would rather kill my opponent. It’s an interesting take on creature burn, but useless in a free for all when you're the only one playing weenie creatures.

Grade: C I know you'll disagree, but I need to be true to myself here.

Broodmate Dragon - 3BRG
Creature - Dragon (R)
Flying
When Broodmate Dragon comes into play, put a 4/4 red Dragon creature token with flying into play.
4/4

Two 4/4 flying Dragons for six. Yeah, that sounds good.

Grade: A Simple, efficient, and wonderful.

Good art, burnt meat, good god let's eat! I love this card because he brings a friend.

Grade: A+ Well done. (No pun intended.)

Carrion Thrash - 2BRG
Creature - Viashino Warrior (C)
When Carrion Thrash is put into a graveyard from play, you may pay 2. If you do, return another target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4

It brings back another creature, that's kind of cool. I like it.

Grade: B- Bringing back dead creatures is cool, but I don't like paying for it.

Extremely expensive recursion, have you ever heard of Gravedigger?

Grade: C For common trash.

Goblin Deathraiders - BR
Creature - Goblin Warrior (C)
Trample
3/1

That's crazy....

Grade: B+ No words, just crazy.

Agreed. I will draft this one every chance I get... and in Constructed he'll make a difference.

Grade: A- You know why.

Hellkite Overlord - 4BRRG
Creature - Dragon (MR)
Flying, trample, haste
R: Hellkite Overlord gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
BG: Regenerate Hellkite Overlord.
8/8

This is that Overlord we are getting into play for three creatures? Oh it might actually be worth it.

Grade: A Regeneration, firebreathing, flying, trample, haste... wow wow wow wow wow.

Hey let's make a really big, pumpable, regenerating Dragon! It’s nice, but we don't really need it.

Grade: B It doesn't do much for me. Sorry.

Jund Charm - BRG
Instant (U)
Choose one - Remove target player's graveyard from the game; or Jund Charm deals 2 damage to each creature; or put two +1/+1 counters on target creature.

Lots of decisions, good for lots of things. Versatility is nice.

Grade: B I'll do this, no this, no no, this one....

I like choices, and this Charm gives you some good ones.

Grade: A I like this card in Constructed. Removing things from the graveyard may be utterly important.

Kresh the Bloodbraided - 2BRG
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior (MR)
Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may put X +1/+1 counters on Kresh the Bloodbraided, where X is that creature's power.
3/3

No evasion and that makes me sad.

Grade: B- Gets really big, but no evasion to use it evil-like.

Well, he is a Warrior. He just doesn't excite me.

Grade: B- What do you say buddy? Let bygones be bygones?

Necrogenesis - BG
Enchantment (U)
2: Remove target creature card in a graveyard from the game. Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.

If it has no use, you recycle it. Not too bad.

Grade: C Eh, not good, but not bad.

Love it. Goes well with any casual graveyard heavy build. Well, not any, but could certainly be useful for producing chump blockers, and it doesn't just affect your own graveyard....

Grade: B

Rip-Clan Crasher - RG
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Haste
2/2

Not bad, and a common.

Grade: C+ I like it.

Not bad? It must be all the lithium in the drinking water up there, because down here in the lower 48 we get excited about cards like this.

Grade: A Good art as well.

Sangrite Surge - 4RG
Sorcery (U)
Target creature gets +3/+3 and gains double strike until end of turn.

Another finisher card. Is that what this entire block is, finishing the opponent off in one turn? Silly.

Grade: B- Costs a lot, but probably because it'll end the game.

Make it an instant. Red and Green should have powerful instants, not sorceries.

Grade: C Another unfortunate uncommon.

Sarkhan Vol - 2RG
Planeswalker - Sarkhan (MR)
+1: Creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain haste until end of turn.
-2: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
-6: Put five 4/4 red Dragon creature tokens with flying into play.
4

*Epic chorus plays*

Grade: A+ *More epic chorus*

*sheds a tear* To quote Luke Wilson in The Anchorman, "That's ri-god-damn-diculous."

Grade: A+ Dragon lovers everywhere rejoice.

Sprouting Thrinax - BRG
Creature - Lizard (U)
When Sprouting Thrinax is put into a graveyard to play, put three 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens into play.
The vast network of predation on Jund has actually caused some strange creatures to adapt to being eaten.
3/3

I like it; it dies and brings three 1/1s, just wonderful.

Grade: B- Three colors of course, that makes it a bit harder to play.

This guy was phenomenal in Limited. I could never make up my mind whether to block him or not, so he was basically continually dealing three damage a turn until I drew into my Excommunicates.

Grade: A He will work well as a combo card, too.

Violent Ultimatum - BBRRRGG
Sorcery (R)
Destroy three target permanents.

I believe one of the lamest Ultimatums, it only does three... I keep thinking at LEAST four. No, that's too much. It costs seven mana, and is hard to play, and you only get to destroy three?! At least change target to choose, and make them sacrifice them. It's just wrong, and mean, and stupid.

Grade: F No. You suck, and you cost a lot, and you only destroy "targeted" things. I hate you.

Well, he will destroy planeswalkers, unfortunately its cost may keep it from being effective in time, as all of the current planeswalkers can go off sooner rather than later. But it's Black and Red and it targets, so it's not all that pretty.

Grade: D It does destroy planeswalkers.

Obelisk of Jund - 3
Artifact (C)
T: Add B,R, or G to your mana pool.

You're very useful.

Grade: A Very useful. I'm still upset at the last card, so I'm making this quick.

Ooh. Yay. It’s an Obelisk.

Grade: C We all expected this cycle.

Quietus Spike - 3
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has deathtouch.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses half his or her life, rounded up.
Equip 3

You, sir, are epic Equipment. If they block it, their creature dies, if not, they mostly die. HA!

Grade: A Damned if you do, damned more if you don't.

What now? Really?

Grade: A Hope I pull one of these...

Jund Panorama
Land (C)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1, T, Sacrifice Jund Panorama: Search your library for a basic Swamp, Mountain, or Forest card and put it into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.

Useful land, you are.

Grade: B Talk like Yoda, I shouldn't do.

Terramorphic Expanse is still in Standard, so no thank you.

Grade: D Maybe in Limited if I don't pull any other mana fixers.

Savage Lands
Land (U)
Savage Lands comes into play tapped.
T: Add B, R, or G mana to your mana pool.

Slightly better then the above, very nice.

Grade: B+ I like choosing my mana.

I love these lands. And the art is good.

Grade: A Ryu, really, I'm sorry about the lunchmeat thing. I panicked. It was a grizzly, who wouldn't? Enough said. Good luck in England.

I'm too sad to make an average, but some cards were nice, a lot made me want to cry. Jund isn't that amazing, but there are a handful of cards to steal out of here and splash in better decks. We'll have to see what happens then. I'm outta here.

L out.

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