One of my favorite parts of spoiler season is the itching feeling that I get; no matter how many cards get hyped, overhyped, or underhyped, I always get the feel there’s something I didn’t quite catch when looking for the next sweet piece of constructed technology; or the card people aren’t quite respecting enough in draft and sealed when the set is released. For example, Fanatic of Mogis or Gray Merchant! That keeps my curiosity burning! If I dig a little deeper into the broader picture that a mosaic of interlocking individual cards creates, what patterns will I find? I’ll use this article today to go over some of the new spoilers from Born of the Gods, including a surefire hit, a card that might have a shot to be seen swimming around in the cutthroat waters of constructed, and a few bits of chum that might just have the chops to cut it with the sharks.

Brimaz, King of Oreskos

Let’s start with a strong contender for best card in the set so far. As revealed by Luis Scott-Vargas of ChannelFireball fame,  Brimaz, King of Oreskos provides enormous power and board presence for a minimal cost, giving those of us familiar with the days of Hero of Bladehold a misty eye.

Two numbers that stick out to me as crucially important in determining this card’s place in the Standard metagame: Its converted mana cost of only three mana, and the cat king’s toughness. Toughness is important because it dictates the ability of Brimaz to hold dominance over a game state by outclassing other creatures, but also by defining which pieces of damage-based removal Brimaz can safely ignore. Four toughness means every burn spell except Mizzium Mortars is ineffective in dispatching the feline monarch, a level of damage endurance at three mana that previously belonged only to Loxodon Smiter. This also gives Brimaz the ability to compete with Boros Reckoner at the three-mana creature slot, when previously any non-elephant 3-mana creature would simply be outclassed by the mighty minotaur wizard.

The token generating ability of Brimaz means it plays extremely well with Spear of Heliod (not to mention putting the king himself out of Mortars range), and I would be extremely surprised if Heliod’s favorite toy did not have an increased presence in Born of the Gods Standard. It also triggers Ephara, God of the Polis‘s ability more easily and efficiently than any other card in Standard currently, and I would expect the curve of turn three Brimaz, turn four Ephara, attack, pass to become commonplace.

Another use of Brimaz might be as a defensive creature in control deck’s sideboards, allowing those decks to provide a significant board presence for little investment against aggressive decks packing Soldier of the Pantheon and friends.  This level of versatility and power all point towards an impactful role in the upcoming metagame. Without a doubt, I expect to see the king of Oreskos claim a ringside seat in Standard’s ongoing game of thrones.

Xenagos, God of Revels

Here’s a card that many people seem to be excited about, but I have trouble understanding why. While the art is admittedly sweet, comparisons to Fires of Yavimaya seem to be generous at best. While the promise of a 6/5 indestructible creature with additional abilities for only 3RG may be tempting, if we’ve learned anything from the mono-colored gods of Theros, it’s that the gods are not always willing to come out and play.  Achieving the devotion necessary to get Xenagos, God of Revels’ feet on the ground is going to be difficult, and therefore the card needs to stand on its abilities first if the satyr is going to have legs of any shape in Standard.

So what does the ability really offer us? As a five-mana repeatable pump spell until proven otherwise, Xenagos is too expensive to fit into a traditional red-based aggressive deck that might be packing Burning-Tree Emissary, Ash Zealot, Chandra’s Phoenix or the like. If we were looking for this effect for less of an upfront cost, Ogre Battledriver has been available this entire time, providing haste to the entire team as well as a guaranteed body to add to an aggressive game plan. However, the M14 ogre has seen a grand total of no play in competitive Standard decks, which leads me to believe that Xenagos needs a different home in order to show his darkly grinning face in the realm of competitive Magic.

A pseudo-anthem effect on a midrange-costed card tends to support a strategy filled with mana creatures like Elvish Mystic, Voyaging Satyr, and Sylvan Caryatid, which become less of a dead draw later in the game as well as providing additional devotion, especially after powering out your fatty. Xenagos falls short of providing this service as well however, as enhancing an Elvish Mystic from a 1/1 to a 2/2 is not exactly a game-breaking boost. If our Xenagos deck were also full of large beefy threats, we might as well cast those to begin with and get the beatings going, as opposed to casting Xenagos first. Given that Xenagos cannot even target himself with his ability to allow him to attack the turn he enters play, the God of Revels makes for a poor competitor with the likes of Stormbreath Dragon at the same mana cost. I am not hopeless about this card; Burning-Tree Emissary is one of the most powerful devotion-enabling creatures in the current standard format, leading me to believe that Xenagos may well end up being a creature more often than most other gods, but I would expect that his time in Standard will be brief, if it ever comes.

Ephara’s Enlightenment

This is certain to be one of the premium Heroic enablers in Limited play; being able to target multiple heroic creatures, or even the same one, with only a single card is what made Dauntless Onslaught, Triton Tactics, and friends so powerful in Theros limited. If it were going to be found in a constructed deck however, it would have to be competing with some stiff competition to make the cut. Making Brimaz soar above the battlefield and out of Mizzium Mortars range is certainly appealing, as is providing two devotion to turn on Ephara herself; however, Ajani, Caller of the Pride is capable of doing all of these things and more for the same cost, while also possessing a -3 ability capable of ending games in devastating fashion. If Ephara’s Enlightenment were to see play, it would need to be because of the synergy present with Ajani’s Chosen. Is there a deck capable of exploiting that interaction? What do you think?

Herald of Torment

I don’t think I need to convince anyone when I say don’t pass this card in draft, and consider yourself lucky to open it in sealed. When it comes to constructed, however, I think this card may just be looking for the right home to wreak some havoc from. Boon Satyr is already seeing significant Standard play, and the Herald is nowhere near as demanding as Nighthowler about the kind of deck it wants to be in. In an aggressive deck that’s welcoming to both a 3/3 flier for 3 as well as a powerful set of wings to bestow upon an otherwise uninspiring body (Pain Seer, anyone?) Herald of Torment should be on your radar in the upcoming months.

Fanatic of Xenagos

Here we have the closest example so far of the new Tribute mechanic being powerful in either mode, regardless of the opponent’s situation. Minotaur Skullcleaver and Viashino Firstblade are outstanding creatures – for a turn. Fanatic of Xenagos however, remains at a size capable of outclassing Nightveil Specter, Mutavault, Ash Zealot, and many other commonly played creatures, regardless of whether or not the tribute cost is paid. While the presence of Mono-Blue and its ever-present Tidebinder Mages and Masters of Waves may prevent this from becoming part of a powerful aggressive strategy at the moment, if the metagame shifts in such a way that Mono-Blue is not as potent as it has been the previous season, I would expect this card to fill an important role in any aggressive decks capable of casting it.

That’s all I’ve got for today! Were there any cards you disagreed with? Any cards you’d love to see me review? While my focus as a player is primarily on the competitive aspect of Magic, the most fun I’ve ever had playing the game has been around the kitchen table, not the tournament hall; if there’s a card you’d love to see me break down and analyze, let me know in the comments!

DZK

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