Aether Revolt Set Review - White
Aether Revolt Set Review - White
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 makewaves in limited and constructed play.
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: Blue, Black, Red, Green, Multi, Artifacts
So let's get on with it. Here's the limited and constructed review of every white card in Aether Revolt. Enjoy!
Aerial Modification
Limited: 6.0 (with Vehicles), 5.0 Otherwise
Constructed: 2.0
Aeronaut Admiral
Well, at the very least, it's a 3 power flyer for four mana which means it's automatically very playable. Tack on the added ability to make all of your random vehicles evasive and you've got a serious threat here. I'd take this card highly in draft and consider it a signal if I was passed this pick 3 or 4.
Limited: 7.0
Constructed: 3.0
Aether Inspector
The first thing that I think when I see a four mana 2/3 is "This better have some relevant abilities or it will be the last time I ever read this card." Fortunately for Aether Inspector, he passes the acceptable playability level even if he's still not really exciting. He adds energy, he can add Servo tokens, and he has vigilance. All of these things make him a fine roleplayer in whatever decks want these effects. However, this is absolutely not an early pick and should only be touched when you already have a gameplan and this guy fit into it.
Limited: 4.0
Constructed: 2.0
Aethergeode Miner
This card is the ultimate bluffer. Basically, no matter what, you attack with this card and then you can decide whether the two energy and the trade with whatever creature blocks this gal is worth her life. If not, pay the two energy and, poof, she's back on your side of the battlefield ready to go again. On an empty board, this card's fantastic with the ability to continuously generate energy for late game while pegging the opponent for 3 a turn. Her ability is highly synergistic so if you're sporting a high-energy deck, you'll love her, particularly if you can find a way to give her evasion. If not, she's still a solid two drop. She may see play in constructed with her aggressive stats and relevant ability but it would have to be a new deck.
Limited: 6.0 (with Energy Synergy), 5.0 Otherwise
Constructed: 4.0
Airdrop Aeronauts
Time to start up your airforce! This card is great in limited even if it was a simple 4 power flyer for five mana. The 3 toughness means it's a little weaker to removal and blocking but the occasional upside of gaining 5 life is relevant enough to make this a suitable Serra Angel for the set. Pick this highly if you have any interest in white cards.
Limited: 7.0
Constructed: 2.0
Alley Evasion
A mediocre trick combined with a random removal hoser seems fairly bad. That is until you consider that it is a one mana Revolt enabler. For one mana, being able to either enable a powerful revolt effect or kill an unsuspecting blocker brings this card above the threshold of playability and lets you play this without being embarrassed.
Limited: 4.0
Constructed: 2.0
Audacious Infiltrator
It's a 3/1 for two mana that doesn't trade with a puny Servo token. Decent for aggressive decks and can trade with a better card but never an exciting pick. Also important to note that this guy can pilot any Crew 3 Vehicles if that's relevant to your deck. Otherwise, this guys very, very medium.
Limited: 4.0
Constructed: 2.0
Bastion Enforcer
Meh. This card is meh. Play it if you have to. If you don't, then don't. He'll be coming around late so definitely don't spend any picks on him. Even worse in Sealed than Draft. In fact, just don't play this guy if you have any choice in the matter.
Limited: 2.0
Constructed: 2.0
Call for Unity
An expensive but potentially exponential Glorious Anthem is an interesting gambit. I'm generally in favor of effects like this and Call of Unity is no exception. It's annoying that you have to trigger the Revolt ability for the first counter but after that it's all gravy. On a stalemated board, this can simply win you the game with enough creatures and time. Make no mistake though, this is not an aggressive card. This is a card that you play with token generators and walls, hoping to drag the game longer so that this engine inevitably wins you the game. But as its own win condition, that means this card is a bomb in the right deck. Unfortunately, this engine is far too slow for constructed.
Limited: 8.0
Constructed: 2.0
Caught in the Brights
Three-mana Pacifism effects are popular in this format and Caught in the Brights is no exception to their usefulness. The flavor-filled second clause is hilarious and makes for great art but barely changes the effectiveness of the card. A strong, always playable card in limited that might see a tiny bit of play in decks that favor Smuggler's Copter. It is a permanent way to deal with problematic creatures though an unwieldy one.
Limited: 7.0
Constructed: 4.0
Consulate Crackdown
Perhaps the greatest limited sideboard card of all time? Yes, it'll feel great when you run this in your main board and hit three Servos and a Vehicle. However, most of the time, it'll either be a dead card or you'll be able to take out a single card for five mana. While, this is a format where I endorse a single piece of artifact hate mainboard but I recommend one of the cheaper varieties that has the word 'Instant' on it. My recommendation is to not go out of your way to pick this up and don't play it in your mainboard if you have any other artifact hate but remember that it's in your sideboard so that when you do deploy it, it's a massive, thunder crunching blowout. I can actually see this making quite a few sideboards in constructed particularly if a new artifact deck emerges.
Limited: 5.0
Constructed: 5.0
Conviction
I don't like this card almost ever. It's a reprint and it never really felt great. I'm convinced that remains a bad card that shouldn't be played. Not a fan.
Limited: 2.0
Constructed: 2.0
Countless Gears Renegade
Now this is a two drop that I can enthusiastically support. For two mana, you get a grizzly bear on curve in the early game and in the late game you can get an additional Servo token. I love effects like this where you have a solid creature that has utility at most points in the game. A perfect curve-filler that you'll want in every white deck.
Limited: 6.0
Constructed: 2.0
Dawnfeather Eagle
A perfect curve-topper for decks that want to go wide. If you made a bunch of Servos early in the game, Dawnfeather Eagle is your best friend immediately making them far more threatening while not giving up the defense thanks to the universal vigilance buff. On his own, he's a 3/3 flyer for five which is perfectly reasonable but you'll certainly want to take advantage of his ETB ability.
Limited: 5.0
Constructed: 2.0
Deadeye Harpooner
While this guy certainly loves it when you chump block, I'm actually not all that hyped about this guy. Part of this is because I'm not entirely sure how easy it will be to trigger Revolt but with a insubstantial body and a slew of conditions, I feel that this guy may be a bit of a trap. Regardless, he does have those three magic words in his card text, "Destroy target creature," so I'll play every copy of him and he'll be good but my advice is to not pick this guy as aggressively as other removal or even high powered evasion creatures.
Limited: 6.0
Constructed: 2.0
Decommission
Decommission seems primed to simply be an auto-include in most limited decks. With so many powerful artifacts floating around, in addition to the plethora of enchantment removal, Decommission will easily and always make my deck. It's the instant speed that seals the deal but the occasional life gain never hurt anybody. Depending on how the format breaks down, this has a slight chance of seeing sideboard play in constructed even with it's efficiency and relevant lifegain (one Copter hit blanked).
Limited: 7.0
Constructed: 4.0
Deft Dismissal
Removal is removal is removal. Worded extremely carefully, Deft Dismissal is versatile removal that can completely destroy combat either offensively or defensively. While 3 damage doesn't seem like a lot, it is in fact exactly enough to generate an easy two or three for one during combat. A high pick for white mages who know they're going to be getting in the red zone with their deck.
Limited: 7.0
Constructed: 2.0
Exquisite Archangel
Well a massive angel for a ton of mana that an opponent literally MUST find an answer for is naturally going to be a beast in limited. At seven mana, Exquisite Archangel is right on the cusp of the playable curve but if you drafted a conservative deck, you should be able to get there fairly easily. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the design of this card because, in some limited games, she will literally be unbeatable. If you don't have a removal spell for a 5/5, you simply lose the game. While this is a rather boring design for limited, it does brings me to constructed and... I actually don't think she gets there either. The only spot I could see this guy is as a control finisher but even that's loose seeing as she has no natural protection. Unfortunately, I'm simply not impressed with this card.
Limited: 9.0
Constructed: 3.0
Felidar Guardian
I actually really like this guy. His ability works well with all Revolt cards or cards with ETB effects, his body is a reasonable 1/4, and the artwork makes me want to pet it. A very solid supplemental pick up to any deck that can find a synergy with his ability. Also, it's important to note that this guy crushes most enchantment removal.
Limited: 6.0
Constructed: 2.0
Ghirapur Osprey
A white Wind Drake is always playable. Maybe not exciting but playable regardless. With that being said, I would let this bird fly past you in the first couple of packs until you need to nail down your strategy. There are simply more powerful things to be doing in this format.
Limited: 4.0
Constructed: 2.0
Restoration Specialist
Hot damn, I love good two drops! Man, does this dwarf do everything or what? Drop him early for some added pressure then pop him later to not only bring back an artifact from your graveyard but also, if you're lucky enough, an enchantment removal spell. Wow, this guy does all the things. A high pick always. This guy is so efficient that I actually expect to see this guy pop up in constructed at some point. For three mana, you can potentially get three cards (an early 2/1, an artifact, and an enchantment). Keep an eye out and keep your copies. Bringing back Copters is powerful stuff.
Limited: 7.0
Constructed: 6.0
Solemn Recruit
Yep, this is busted in limited. Essentially, Solemn Recruit is a 3/3 Doublestrike for three mana. This card is so good that you hope and pray that your opponent trades their grizzly bear for yours when you attack on turn three. Windmill slam this badass chick as soon as you open her and don't look back. For constructed, I think she narrowly loses out to the other three drops in the format but I could be wrong. I believe she's been as pushed as far she can be and there's at least a chance that she makes it in but I'm not going all in on her.
Limited: 9.0
Constructed: 4.0
Sram, Senior Edificer
Sram is a just a guy that makes you feel good no matter what he's doing. Play your deck and he draws you cards and you feel good. Opponent uses premium removal to kill Sram after he's drawn you a couple cards and you feel good. There are a couple of important things to note when checking out Sram. The first of which being that he is in fact a legendary creature which makes him an incredibly viable choice in commander. Secondly, you draw a card when you CAST the spell which basically means you always get value. Great in limited with support and a probable contender for constructed due to all the value gained after Sram's been cast.
Limited: 8.0
Constructed: 5.0
Sram's Expertise
Standing as the first in the 'expertise' cycle, Sram's expertise demonstrates that Wizards of the Coast has thrown all the rules out the window and decided that you should be able to do seven mana worth of things on turn four. Getting three Servos for four mana is already a deal, especially in limited where white is trying so hard to go wide, but then you get to cast a three mana spell for free. For nothing. For zilch, zippo, zadda. Just put it on the battlefield and it resolves. What?! Incredible value, incredible rate. While I think that Sram's Expertise is one of the weakest of the cycle, that's like saying that you'd rather have an Inferno Titan over a Sun Titan... they're still both titans! If a new Servo deck emerges in Standard, this will be a key part of the formula but as of now, it doesn't have an easily identifiable home.
Limited: 8.0
Constructed: 5.0
Thopter Arrest
A new set comes and so does a new variation on Oblivion Ring. We all know these are fantastic in limited and usually make an appearance in Standard. Fortunately, this version has a little more utility than your run of the mill Banishing light seeing as you can target artifacts *cough* Smuggler's Copter *cough* Aetherworks Marvel *cough* and will undoubtedly see widespread constructed play. Also, I'm a huge fan of the flavor on display here. Well done.
Limited: 8.0
Constructed: 8.0
Overall
Three Best Cards for Limited: Solemn Recruit, Thopter Arrest, and Exquisite Archangel
Three Best Cards for Constructed: Thopter Arrest, Sram's Expertise, and Restoration Specialist
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