Welcome to the first set review of 2021 for Kaldheim. For those new to Pauper, Standard sets have a lower likelihood of having cards breaking into Pauper as the bar to entry is high and Standard cards are usually of a lower overall power level.
I’m going to feature the cards that I think have the potential to make an impact and hopefully identify a few cards that flatter to deceive.
The Mechanics
We have some interesting mechanics within Kaldheim.
Boast
Boast doesn’t look that inspiring at common and as we don’t see Basking Rootwalla as a staple in the format, I can’t see any really making a difference.
Foretell
By far the most interesting of the new mechanics. Spreading the cost of spells over two turns looks like it could be impactful, especially if you can use surplus mana to get ready to cast your spells later. This may well play well with Storm spells.
Snow
We have some amazing dual lands at common, not only are they Snow lands but they are a complete cycle including the land types Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain and Forest making them extremely flexible. We also have Shimmerdrift Vale which you can select which you select the colour of mana it will provide when it enters play. If you need an extra snow permanent it could be useful but personally Snow Basics with a search land probably a better option as will thin your deck and stock the graveyard too for a pair of marginal gains.
We also have the potential for an alternative ramp strategy possible as Into the North can get any snow land, whilst Three Visits and Nature’s Lore can get any Forest. This will be interesting to see if we can build a ramp deck without Tron.
Now on top of Snow lands we have cards in every relevant card type with the Snow supertype and we have cards from Coldsnap and Modern Horizons that utilise Snow so there is a chance a Snow deck will emerge from the shadows.
White
Axgard Braggart
As the first card in the set with Boast, let us have a look at this card in more depth. A 3/3 for 4 cmc doesn’t feel great as it fails the Lightning Bolt test, then if we get to attack with it, we get the chance to add a +1/+1 counter to it. This falls very much into the, well if it was a mana less to cast then maybe, but as it stands there are so many better options available starting with Palace Sentinels.
Battlefield Raptor
I’ve seen lots of people getting all excited that we have a flyer to deal with all the faeries in the format. Well, the thing is Rustwing Falcon has the same power/toughness but sees no play so I’m doubtful that Battlefield Raptor can break the mould.
Giant Ox
Giant Ox is really popular with many forums alive with what it can crew, to be fair though the better common vehicles crew costs are much lower. Not sure Aradara Express would make the cut for a vehicles deck.
Gods’ Hall Guardian
I feel this has an outside chance of seeing play as whilst a 3/6 for 6 is not great but as the foretell cost is only 3W could mess up many aggro strategies. That being said, for four mana Palace Sentinels will still usually be a better option.
Iron Verdict
This is a difficult card to evaluate, Sunlance as a sorcery deals 3 damage for W and saw play. Now Iron Verdict can kill a Gurmag Angler though. I feel that with Journey to Nowhere and Crib Swap both legal it is unlikely Iron Verdict will see play.
Master Skald
Looks like a deceptive card, returning an artefact or enchantment is appealing and at five cmc it will likely to be able to meet the additional cost to exile a creature. Whether the 4/4 is a help or hindrance is another matter.
Stalwart Valkyrie
Well, we have a great addition for a white weenie strategy, or do we? We have the potential on turn two to have a 3/2 flyer but we still cannot attack until turn three. The ways to cast it on turn two are out there with looting, self-mill or even sacrificing a Benevolent Bodyguard. Reminds me very much of Bone Picker that makes you jump through hoops and is still quite fragile.
Starnheim Courser
Well, we already have Foundry Inspector and Transcendent Envoy which do similar things and you’d think a suitable shell would already be present looking to be improved upon. Maybe we could see something along the lines of Assembly Worker’s, multiple Self-Assembler’s searching one another out is nothing to be sniffed at.
Warhorn Blast
A white weenie strategy needs something better than Charge and Ramosian Rally hardly sees play either. Pump spells are better when they are a surprise and no real surprise when it is foretold swallowing up your mana over two turns.
Blue
Augury Raven
I’m a sucker for a reasonably sized flyer and a 3/3 for 4 is okay. The option to use foretell to accelerate it out on turn three is okay. My issue when we have a card named Augury Raven, I’d expect some kind of card draw or scrying to make it truly playable.
Behold the Multiverse
A very excited community like the card draw options here, scry 2 and draw 2 is already an interesting option, when you can foretell for 1U means people will be brewing with this card.
Bind the Monster
Has WOTC a Vendetta against non-blue players? This is going to see play in limited amounts as it offers diminishing returns. Feels like a card that Mono Blue Delver wants to push past a Kor Skyfisher.
Brinebarrow Intruder
On the face of things, I’m not sure this is any better than Zulaport Duellist or Faerie Duellist but it may find a role as it is a human.
Pilfering Hawk
Oh my! The only mistake they made with this card is the name, someone missed the opportunity for Snow Crow.
Ravenform
On the face of it a blue Crib Swap is pretty good. Add in the fact it has foretell is even better.
Black
Deathknell Berserker
I really like the feel of this card and the fact it is an elf is even better. However, to get the pay off is going to be interesting with maybe a combination of Supernatural Stamina style effects.
Duskwielder
A sweet card with relevant power and toughness so it does have a chance to attack with impunity before enabling the additional drain effect from boasting. In addition, does being an Elf help.
Feed the Serpent
Now I was happy to discount this card straight away as it generally too expensive for a removal spell in Pauper. Sure, it has the same cost as Snuff Out but Snuff Out is at its best when you control a swamp and pay the life cost. However, Oblivion Strike saw some sideboard play and if you need to Exile a creature rather than just destroy it then it has a chance to make its mark in the sideboard.
Infernal Pet
This very much feels like a blue creature as it gets bigger by casting extra spells. It is also, another 3 drop for black decks which are pretty well stocked already but maybe with the correct mix of foretell spells it will make its mark.
Jarl of the Forsaken
I was ready to discard this card of having any significance as it looks like just another Lurking Deadeye that doesn’t see play. Then I realised it has foretell, this may well make things a little more interesting as it could be used to draw out an attack, throw off the thought process of an opponent or just allow for greater flexibility in what to cast on opponents turn.
Skull Raid
This is a card I intend to at least try out and one of my favourites. Mind Rot effects can rapidly become dead in hand when opponent has no cards in hand. However, as this also allows for card draw when this happens or has only one card then it becomes much more relevant.
Weigh Down
Ouch, what a seductive card! This looks pretty sweet but I am not convinced that I will be making a Tragic Slip by playing it. It has a really good effect but I wonder how many times it will be stranded in hand when you have no creature to sacrifice. Black has so many good one drops with Defile, Disfigure, Dead Weight, Vendetta and Innocent Blood that I can name off the top of my head, I would feel much more comfortable with a reliable removal option.
Red
Demon Bolt
I don’t see this making an impact, Bombard hasn’t seen play and Flame Slash seems strictly better.
Dwarven Reinforcements
Well, this isn’t Empty the Warrens or even close. I love token strategies but I can’t get any love here.
Hagi Mob
I have seen talk that this could make a difference but I haven’t a clue where? Unfortunately, we have no way to increase the number of times we can increase Boast activations at common so unlikely we will see this being used as a credible threat or mana sink.
Green
Arachnoform
Probably one of the most versatile enchantment auras in a while. Reasonable stats, reach and interestingly every creature type sounds like it has a lot of potential.
Elderleaf Mentor
I was undecided on this one, when it comes to Elves I tend to defer to my wife Rachel as she plays Elves. She rolled her eyes and went back to watching TV.
Jaspera Sentinel
Elves have numerous ways to generate mana and do we really require another? So, I deferred again to Rachel. Awesome! another mana fixer for splash colours and can block annoying Faeries. This card works extremely well with Quirion Ranger allowing it to be used for mana and untapped to be able to block flyers or for a second black mana for Eyeblight Massacre. Rachel’s card of the set.
King Harald’s Revenge
This looks brutal for a deck like Elves where it is akin to Timberwatch Elf but with added Trample. It is unusual to see a Sorcery pump spell do well but this could be the one.
Mammoth Growth
This doesn’t look like this could become an immense card, its not so much of a Fosbury flop but Sergei Bubka would struggle to cross the bar for new green instants. Mutagenic Growth and Vines of Vastwood are solid cards, but could it replace something like Ground Swell?
Masked Vandal
I’ve been instructed to pick these up in foil by fellow magpie Rachel, so if you are reading this and open a copy you don’t need, message me for my address as you can make a present to your hard-working content creator. So, the reasons for this are simple, the ability to exile an opponent’s artefact or enchantment is very strong to begin with, we then have the fact it is a Changeling so synergises with tribal decks like Elves or Slivers who coincidentally have a high attrition rate of creatures so you will usually have something to exile in your graveyard.
Sarulf’s Packmate
I am rather fond of this card; we already have many green creatures that let you draw a card on entering the battlefield. However, none of these creatures have the stats of a Hill Giant 3/3. The ability to foretell is interesting and using the mana from Burning-Tree Emissary on the foretell cost could prove to be interesting.
Snakeskin Veil
This looks like a card built for Infect, protection from removal and a +1/+1 counter feels really strong.
Colourless
Funeral Longboat
Boom, we get a decent body at 3/3 with Vigilance and Crew 1. This feels like it should be playable. My only reservation is Affinity is a popular and powerful deck, many decks include sideboard hate for artefacts so vehicles can get caught up with collateral damage.
Raiders’ Karve
This is a sweet vehicle 4/4 for Crew 3 already looks reasonable but the triggered ability to look at your top card is good, allowing you to put lands onto the battlefield is great. Now traditionally Vehicles are best served in Mardu colours, Black, Red and White, but with blues library manipulation we may see some interesting alternatives possible.
Scorn Effigy
A cunning little minx of a card, scarecrows tend to be a personal favourite of mine and part of that is from being a Batman fan. I do hope we get to the point we can make a decent scarecrow tribal deck as the artwork is usually top drawer. So, back to the card in question, we have a 2/3 body that absorbs a Fiery Cannonade which makes it worth a second look but the interesting element is the foretell cost of 0. If you can wait a turn you effectively get a cheap blocker.
Conclusion
I’m actually quite pleased at what Kaldheim is bringing for Pauper.
Did someone say White it the worst colour in Magic? Well, the Pauper cards look very interesting this time around.
Well Blue looks like its reign as the best colour in Pauper isn’t going to be tampered with.
Black looks to have a couple of new toys which is great.
I feel red has not really have received any new cards worthy of the format.
Green looks like it has really had some love.
The top tier decks get some new toys like with Bind the Monster and Ravenform.
Brewers get the chance to work with some new build arounds and whilst they may not be in Tier 1 decks, we should see Vehicle decks making an appearance and build arounds like Starnheim Courser.
In the next few weeks, I’m going to be brewing with the new cards and I’ll have some fun deck lists to present.
On_Common_Ground 