XLN Rare Creatures Evaluation.

In another thread I analyzed XLN rare cards compared to ORI at a very simple level: Mana cost of all types as well as power/toughness of creatures. Here I want to look at each creature individually and give my opinion of it as well as some potential changes.


I think cost and p/t are ok here. The problem is the vigilance and/or the trigger. You are paying 15 mana to bring back an 8 mana cost creature and if that creature is a vampire it is reinforced. There are only three standard legal cards that meet this criteria of costing 8 or less and being a vampire. The largest of the bunch is a 3/3 and admittedly one that could be interesting to play. That means you get a 4/4 that likely dies almost immediately (prevent the next damage you take) and a 6/6 for 15 mana. If you remove the vigilance, this card becomes instantly playable. Interestingly enough, they kept vigilance from the paper card but changed her trigger from when it attacks to when it enters. Keeping it to be on attack and not having vigilance my have been too powerful but again, at best, you get a 6/6 (even considering non-Vampires, there is only one creature bigger than a 6/6 - Bontu). If you increase it to 9 mana cost, it gives you two more vampires, a 3/3 from origins and a new mythic 4/4 from XLN. This small change just made this card infinitely more interesting and didn't really change it's individual power at all. (Small note, the largest non-vampire at 9 mana cost would technically get you an 11/11 split between priest of the blood rite's 6/6 and its etb summoned 5/5 demon token. No other creature is larger than a 6/6.)



Given the theme of vampires caring about being reinforced, I'm fine with his ability and p/t. I think the cost is too high for a one time effect. Drop him to 16 mana and he's good. (Time will tell if making a ton of 1/1 vampire tokens is easier than it seems which could make him much stronger.)


This card is perfect as-is. The cost is good, the p/t reasonable, the effect very strong, and enough activate gems to be hit reliably.


Compare this to a certain uncommon starfish that costs 8 mana, is a 3/5, and draws a card at the beginning of your turn. This has being a pirate in its favor but not a whole lot else where it currently stands. Activate 4 will allow it to survive combat but your deck should already be solving that problem for you. We also only get a loot effect and not true draw, and the extra card is delayed a turn because you get it after it attacks. All said, I'd reduce it to 12 and leave the rest alone.


I just like this guy. Not sure how good he'll be but I like the exile from opponent's GY effect. Leave it where it's at.


Same goes for this one. Effect is good, cost is good, body is good.


This guy can be compared very directly to Managorger Hydra. An 8 mana rare 3/3 that grows +1/+1 when any player casts a spell. This guy grows with supports too but only things you cast. Hydra also has trample with isn't a huge ability but it can be relevant. Once again though, Deeproot Champion has a very relevant creature type. I'd drop him to 8 and change nothing else.


I admit I have no idea how to evaluate this card. The cost and p/t are perfectly fine. I have no idea how well Explore 1 will be but I know this card does synergize very nicely with another rare at the bottom of this list. Leave him (them?) unchanged.


This guy is great and shows exactly what a free 2/2 should cost. You need another pirate to get him going but I think he's good where he's at. Menace to get by blockers, and a good p/t to cost ratio. The biggest downfall here is to make use of him you are using all your creature slots on two creature cards. I'm sure he will find a place though.


This is the make or break moment for my thread. At first glance this thing looks absolutely terrible. 28 mana for a 5/5? Moving on. But wait, read its last ability in quotes there. Free discard is a very powerful effect. Once you get an opponents hand under control, its smooth sailing. Good thing you have this ship to sail on! You could potentially drop a few cheap pirates to fuel its cost and then drop this to clear out their hand. I think this cards p/t is fine. It needs to either have its cost reduced, its crew effect raised, or both. I'd like to see this around 21 mana with crew 3. That said, I still might give it a whirl (ride?) when I get the chance just to see what it can do.


We got used to our big 8/8 (or bigger) mythics that cost much less but this guy isn't too bad. I like the effect, it's interesting and unique. I'd like to see it effect the top half of the opponent's hand and cost 20 mana.

I planned on doing the entire list of rares but ran out of time for now so I'm stopping at the first half. I will post the second half in this thread sometime soon. Hopefully this was enlightening for those of you that hate this set at first glance. I was definitely one of you but doing this break down has changed my opinion a lot.