Aether Revolt Set Review - Multicolored

Aether Revolt Set Review - Multicolored

The beginning of 2017 ushers in one of the most powerful and dynamic Magic: The Gathering sets in recent memory. Aether Revolt is filled with fascinating interactions bound to make waves in limited and constructed play. Next up to review are all of the multicolored cards.

I will be reviewing each card on it's applications in both limited and constructed with a score out of ten. Here are examples of cards that have been scored on each level from Kaladesh:

Limited:
10 - First Pick, Monster Bomb - Angel of Invention, Saheeli's Artistry
9 - Excellent, Cream of the Crop - Aetherstorm Roc, Skyship Stalker
8 - Powerful but Specific Cards - Marionette Master, Cultivator of Blades
7 - Great but Not Worth Switching Colors For - Insidious Will, Architect of the Untamed
6 - Strong Cards on Curve for the Backbone of your Deck -Thriving Rhino, Thriving Grubs
5 - Always Playable Cards to Fill Out - Aether Theorist, Riparian Tiger
4 - Decent Cards that Might Serve a Purpose - Wayward Giant, Sage of Shalia's Claim
3 - Unexciting Picks You Don't Want to Play - Nimble Innovator, Ghirapur Guide
2 - Bad Cards You Want to Avoid - Terror of the Fairgrounds, Curio Vendor
1 - Stone Cold Unplayable - Demolition Stomper, Perpetual Timepiece.

Constructed:
10 - Multi-Format Staple, Instant Classic - Smuggler's Copter
9 - Extremely Powerful, Create Standard Archetype - Aetherworks Marvel
8 - Will See Play in Multiple Decks and Archetypes - Harnessed Lightning
7 - Strong Roleplayer in Certain Decks - Nissa, Vital Force
6 - Decent Chance to See Play - Noxious Gearhulk
5 - Might See Play, Likely Sideboard - Cloudblazer
4 - Probably Not But Just Might Squeak In - Filigree Familiar
3 - Almost Certainly Not Going to Make It - Aethersquall Ancient
2 - Never - Ghirapur Orrery
1 - So Bad That People Will Challenge Themselves to Make a Deck Where it Works - Madcap Experiment

Click here for other Aether Revolt Reviews: Black, Red, White, Green, Blue, Artifacts

So let's get on with it. Here's the limited and constructed review of every multicolored card in Aether Revolt. Enjoy!

Ajani Unyeilding

Kicking off the multicolored set review with a bang, we have the friendliest of the super friends in Ajani Unyielding. At six mana, he comes with quite a price tag and, at first glance, his abilities are not all that exciting. To be honest, the first ability really doesn't look all that great, providing a mediocre amount of card advantage generally netting you one or two cards. If they didn't put the 'nonland' modifier in the ability he'd be much, much better. As it is, three cards is not very deep into your library. However, being able to Swords to Plowshares twice is quite powerful, taking care of any incoming threat with ease. The ultimate is amusing but it relies heavily on you having other threats on the board, something the first ability should help with. Now, where this card will find an everlasting home is in a super friends commander deck because once you ultimate... EVERYTHING ULTIMATES. Yes, it will see a smattering of play in standard, probably along side Rishkar who can power out Ajani on turn four but it's rather weak when compared to more recent efforts. In limited, it's a super bomb but since it doesn't immediately win you the game it's not getting a perfect score.

Limited: 9.0

Constructed: 7.0

Dark Intimations

This card is such a tease. Especially since they released it rather early and everyone assumed that that meant Bolas was incoming. Either way, even if the second ability is currently worthless in Standard, the card is decent in it's own rights, as a miniature Cruel Ultimatum. The fact that it can force a player to sacrifice a planeswalker is a big deal but is slightly undercut by the fact that they can sacrifice any creature instead. Also, casting this and leaving yourself shields down for a turn feels bad.  Regardless, I think we'll have to wait until the true return of the ancient dragon planeswalker to see how powerful this card can be. In limited, this card is extremely good but difficult to cast and it doesn't actually have an immediate effect on the battlefield. Screwing up your mana base to fit this sorcery in seems like a bad idea so, unless your confident in your mana, I wouldn't bother. If you can though, do it.

Limited: 6.0 (With reliable mana)

Constructed: 4.0 (Until Bolas shows up)

Hidden Stockpile

The permanent Revolt enabler, Hidden Stockpile, continuously gives you value throughout the game. To put this in perspective, the last ability should read: (1, Sacrifice a creature: Scry 1 and put a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token onto the battlefield.) Now, every time that a creature you control leaves the battlefield, you'll get a scry and Servo out of the deal if you have a mana up. There are a ton of creatures and artifacts that blend well with this enchantment so if you're in W/B already, it's worth throwing this in. However, don't go out of your way to cast this as the effects are not strong enough to splash in.

Limited: 5.0

Constructed: 2.0



Maverick Thopterist

Always play this card in limited if you can. If you can safely splash for this single card, then do it. If you have other artifacts, that makes this card even better but if you don't then still play this card. Getting four power split across three bodies, two of which are flying is an incredible deal.  During a draft, if this is passed to you fifth pick or higher and you're in one of these colors, it's a sign to take this and start building your deck accordingly. Bombs and premium removal are the only things that should be taken over Maverick Thopterist.

Limited: 7.0

Constructed: 2.0





Oath of Ajani

I'll start this off by saying that even though in limited you'll almost never have to worry about the second ability, the first one is strong enough in certain decks that this card can be worth playing. If you're making a bunch of white Servos and you have a fair amount of green +1/+1 counters matter cards, then Oath of Ajani is exactly what you want. However, you definitely want a reason to have this in your deck. Don't just play it because it's a rare. You need to be going wide or care about counters. As for constructed, this might get there, simply because if you play this turn two, you can play a Gideon on turn three which is absolutely disgusting.  You'll have to be playing some sort of superfriends deck and even then you might as well just use a mana dork to ramp instead of this.

Limited: 5.0

Constructed: 3.0

Outland Boar

A 4/4 in R/G is exactly where you want to be. The fact that it can't be chumped by Servos is another bonus. However, this card has absolutely no synergy with anything and, from the looks of things, energy and counters synergy in red and green seem to be what makes that deck tick. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't play Outland Boar but just make sure that you're not sacrificing some important synergy piece in order to play him.

Limited: 6.0

Constructed: 2.0






Renegade Rallier

The ability on Renegade Rallier actually has some powerful things going on for it. On turn two, if you and your opponent both play a grizzly bear, a not uncommon occurrence, then on turn three you can offer the trade with them. If they go for it, you simply play Renegade Rallier and bring back the guy that you just 'traded' with your opponent. Because of that and this card's late game utility, I'm convinced that you should be playing this creature whenever possible.

Limited: 7.0

Constructed: 2.0






Renegade Wheelsmith

This card is absolutely one of the best cards you can have if you're planning on going down the vehicle plan. Making it so one your opponent's creatures can't block the massive, incoming vehicle is incredibly powerful. If you open a dangerous and rare vehicle, the next card you want to see is Renegade Wheelsmith. Also, since the ability triggers every time the card taps and not just when you crew a vehicle, you can also just attack with the wheelsmith to get rewarded. Unfortunately, the two toughness is pretty bad in this format and since you don't immediately get value out of him, it brings this card just slightly lower than it would be otherwise.

Limited: 6.0

Constructed: 2.0



Rogue Refiner

As I've come to expect from most of these multicolored cards, Rogue Refiner is simply an excellent and efficient card. A 3/2 for three mana that gives you an extra card and a couple of energy is value stacked on value piled on more value. There's literally nothing bad about this card in limited in terms of what you want to be doing in a green blue deck on turn three. Not to mention the great synergy you can get if you find a way to blink this bad boy. If you're in these colors, you always want this card to be a part of your deck.

Limited: 7.0

Constructed: 2.0





Spire Patrol

As I've come to expect from all the multi-colored cards, Spire Patrol fits nicely with a given archetype and is one of the best cards for that the white blue flyers deck. Locking down an opponents flyer or spider while so your birds can get through is a powerful move. Then attach that ability to a 3/2 flyer for the same mana cost is simply a fantastic rate. You'll always want this if you're in white blue.

Limited: 7.0

Constructed: 2.0







Tezzeret the Schemer

Clearly meant to be played in an artifact deck of some kind, Tezzeret the Schemer thrives on artifact synergies.  A huge bonus that Tezzeret has going for it is that after a single activation, he'll be sitting at six loyalty which is massive for a four mana walker. His first ability essentially creates a one-time use mana token that fuels both his second and third ability. Pretty weak really. However, his second ability should be able to pick off pesky creatures or jack up one of your own fatties for combat. His ultimate is rather underwhelming but does provide a sense of inevitability with every artifact you cast representing a 5/5 body. This card, along with a few other artifact matters cards, gives me hope that there is a standard artifact deck that can compete with the current meta. I'm going to bet on that with my score of this card as it just feels like WotC has something up their sleeve with artifacts for this set. In limited, Tezzeret is stellar, especially in an artifact-centric deck. Ramping, killing and ultimating two turns after it comes into play is huge in limited.

Limited: 9.0

Constructed: 8.0 (If a U/B artifact deck emerges, it'll be because of this card)

Tezzeret's Touch

While a perfect opening hand with this card can lead to some remarkably quick starts, it's still reliant on drawing another, very specific card, in order to make Tezzeret's Touch worth it. I think that the only way that you can justify this card, is too build your entire plan around it. For example, if you open a sealed pool with 2-3 of these and 6-7 artifacts that cost three mana or less, then you should move in and just go for it. A turn three 5/5 that can attack right away is a huge, sometimes unbeatable, swing. Otherwise, I think that you should just wait to pick this up late and only play it if you've got the appropriate amount of artifacts. As for constructed, the baby brother of this card, Ensoul Artifact, saw a decent amount of play so I don't wan't to dismiss it out of hand but that was a format with Darksteel Citadel and blue devotion so I'm not convinced.

Limited: 5.0

Constructed: 3.0

Weldfast Engineer

I'm already liking this card because it comes with that magical three toughness in a format with Shock. So, for three mana, you get a 3/3 with a major upside. Yep, sounds great, sign me up. The upside is highly specific to artifact creatures but that shouldn't be too hard to figure out with vehicles and Servos.

Limited: 7.0

Constructed: 2.0









Winding Constrictor

You'll definitely be wanting to pick up Winding Constrictor if you are anywhere near the counters matters deck that is in black and green. The ability to double your counter output from certain cards is completely broken. Imagine dropping that green 5/5 uncommon that gives a counter to every single creature with Winding Constrictor out. Everything you have suddenly gets +2/+2 forever and that's a game breaking ability in limited. Even the statistics on the snake are aggressive as a 2/3 for two mana. Definitely, a synergy payoff card that deserves to picked up early by people in that archetype.

Limited: 7.0

Constructed: 2.0




Best Multicolored Cards in Limited: Ajani Unyielding, Tezzeret the Schemer, and Spire Patrol.

Best Multicolord Cards in Constructed: Ajani Unyielding, Tezzeret the Schemer, and Dark Intimations

Click here for other Aether Revolt Reviews: Black, Red, White, Green, Blue, Artifacts

Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for Artifacts and Lands!