Born of the Gods Card Review

Scott Meinecke
Monday, January 27, 2014 - 16:45

My Ratings for Mtg's Born of the Gods

Here's a link to the visual spoiler. Following are my rankings of each card for both
limited & constructed play.

http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/bornofthegods/cig

LIMITED RATING / CONSTRUCTED RATING

5 BOMB / All-Star

4 Very Good Card / Will See Play

3 Average Card / Might See Play

(3* not sure)

2 Weak / Won't See Play

1 Unplayable / Bad

(s) Sideboard Card

cars in bold are my favorites

cards in italics I don't like

(comments in parenthesis)

WHITE:

Acolyte's Reward: 4 / 3(s?) (a damage prevention that's also removal might make
constructed sideboard)

Akroan Phalanx: 4 / 2 (even without red, this is still a pretty good card)

Akroan Skyguard: 3.5 / 2.5 (am I undervaluing this card?)

Archetype of Courage: 4.5 / 3 (first strike is very strong, especially in limited)

Brimaz, King of Oreskos: 5 / 5 (this guy is bonkers)

Dawn to Dusk: 3 / 2 (good versatile card, but only really good when you get both
effects)

Eidolon of Countless Battles: 4 / 3 (when you have no creatures, it's bad.
otherwise...)

Elite Skirmisher: 3 / 2 (he's vulnerable, but he's got potential)

Ephara's Radiance: 2 / 1 (beautiful card, nice ability, but sadly not very good)

Excoriate: 4 / 2.5 (for a common, this is good removal)

Fated Retribution: 4.5 / 3 (it really is a bomb, but at 7 mana...)

Ghostblade Eidolon: 3.5 / 2 (fear of combining double strike with bestow makes this
quite expensive)

Glimpse the Sun God: 3.5 / 2.5(s?) (this effect can be very good)

God-Favored General: 3.5 / 2.5 (being a 1/1 makes him weak, but he's still good)

Great Hart: 2.5 / 1 (maybe he's your 23rd card in your deck. wish he cost 1WW,
especially for devotion)

Griffin Dreamfinder: 2.5 / 2 (unless you have an enchantment card in your graveyard,
he's not good)

Hero of Iroas: 4.5 / 4 (Bestow on this guy is gonna be busted)

Hold at Bay: 2 / 2 (if only this had scry 1)

Loyal Pegasus: 3.5 / 2.5 (he can't attack on turn 2, but turn 3 is pretty darn good)

Mortal's Ardor: 3 / 2 (nice effective combat trick)

Nyxborn Shieldmate: 3 / 2 (maybe 3.5 cause it is a pretty good card)

Oreskos Sun Guide: 3.5 / 2 (it's a bear with a small upside. that's good)

Ornitharch: 4 / 2.5 (either way you get real value for this guy)

Plea for Guidance: 3.5 / 2.5 (pricey but possible late game board stall solution)

Revoke Existence: 3.5(s) / 3.5(s) (good sideboard card. possible mainboard in limited)

Silent Sentinel: 4 / 3 (7 mana keeps this a 4. possible reanimator target in
constructed?)

Spirit of the Labyrinth: 3 / 4(s) (instant legacy/modern staple & good in
constructed sideboard too)

Sunbond: 2.5 / 1.5 (I love cards like this. They're fun, but sadly it probably won't
see much play)

Vanguard of Brimaz: 4 / 3 (weird looking card but that's a great heroic ability)

BLUE:

Aerie Worshippers: 3.5 / 2 (give Great Hart an ability & look what you have... a
nice card)

Arbiter of the Ideal: 4.5 / 2.5* (*Hidden Strings & Ral Zarek would love her)

Archetype of Imagination: 4 / 2.5 (so outside of Reach, your creatures can't be
blocked. wow)

Chorus of the Tides: 3.5 / 2 (nice card for limited)

Crypsis: 4 / 3.5 (Love the name. Love the untap ability)

Deepwater Hypnotist: 3.5 / 2.5 (He's a Merfolk Hypnotist. What's not to like)

Divination: 4 / 3 (a magic staple forever)

Eternity Snare: 3 / 2 (too expensive, but still a decent card)

Evanescent Intellect: 3 / 2 (I like this card because it's a unique mill card)

Fated Infatuation: 4 / 3 (triple blue might make it too difficult to play in limited?)

Flitterstep Eidolon: 3.5 / 2 (6 mana. Wizards obviously fears too many unblockable
creatures - lol)

Floodtide Serpent: 3 / 2 (if there's an enchantment you "want" to return to your
hand, watch out)

Kraken of the Straits: 3.5 / 2 (cool blue monster. possibly deadly)

Meletis Astronomer: 3 / 2 (a beautiful card with a potentially good ability)

Mindreaver: 3 / 3.5 (almost made favorites due to excellent design)

Nullify: 4 / 3.5 (really good counter spell. how do they keep coming up with new
ones?)

Nyxborn Triton: 3 / 2 (a nice simple bestow card. I like it)

Oracle's Insight: 3.5 / 2.5 (beautiful card. cool & potentially strong ability,
especially on a hexproof creature)

Perplexing Chimera: 3.5 / 2 (I LOVE cards like this, cause they're crazy)

Retraction Helix: 3.5 / 3* (amazing art, a most interesting design)

Siren of Fanged Coast: 3 / 2 (this could be good in limited, but almost useless if
they have no creatures out)

Sphinx's Disciple: 3.5 / 2 (nicely costed common)

Stratus Walk: 4 / 3 (the draw a card ability might get this into constructed. watch
out, regardless)

Sudden Storm: 3.5 / 2.5 (nice frost breath card. well designed)

Thassa's Rebuff: 3 / 2.5 (the 1 problem with this card is sometimes it's unplayable.
otherwise it's good)

Tromokratis: 4 / 3 (cool design. almost made my favorites. possible reanimator
target for constructed)

Vortex Elemental: 4 / 3(s) (target creatures blocks it if able? It's a 0/1. Now
that's weird - lol)

Whelming Wave: 3.5 / 2.5 (should've also included sharks & whales. Colossal Whale?)

BLACK:

Archetype of Finality: 4 / 2.5 (the 6 mana cost probably keeps it out of constructed)

Ashiok's Adept: 3 / 2 (making your opponent discard cards is usually good, but he
still seems a little weak)

Asphyxiate: 3 / 2 (problem is, creatures tend to be tapped on your turn, but this
still could be good)

Bile Blight: 4.5 / 4 (Burning-Tree finally gets whacked) : )

Black Oak of Odunos: 4 / 3* (allows you to tap your creature with inspired)

Champion of Stray Souls: 3.5 / 2 (looks great & all, but I don't think it will play
well. seems clunky)

Claim of Erebos: 3 / 2 (another great target for creatures with inspired)

Drown in Sorrow: 4 / 3(s) (if this was an instant, it might be a bomb)

Eater of Hope: 4 / 3 (the 7 mana cost prevents a higher rating. possible excellent
reanimator target)

Eye Gouge: 4(s) / 3(s) (killing all those dreaded cyclops creatures in mtg) ; )

Fate Unraveler: 3.5 / 2 (not sure why this is a rare, but it's a decent card)

Fated Return: 3.5 / 2.5 (can't see this 7 mana cost card making constructed)

Fellhide Brawler: 2.5 / 1 (it's normal in mtg for a "black" "bear" to have a
drawback, but still)

Forlorn Pseudamma: 3.5 / 2.5 (nice card, but 4 mana probably keeps it out of
constructed)

Forsaken Drifters: 3 / 2 (maybe someone will make this work well with a self mill
deck)

Gild: 4.5 / 3 (beautiful card. even at 4 mana this card might see constructed play,
cause mana is mana)

Grisly Transformation: 3 / 2 (the card draw effect makes this playable)

Herald of Torment: 4.5 / 3 (this guy is nasty. I'm just telling you now. you'll see)

Marshmist Titan: 3.5 / 2 (cool use of the devotion mechanic)

Necrobite: 3.5 / 2.5 (from Dark Ascension, I believe. It remains one of my favorite
combat tricks ever)

Nyxborn Eidolon: 2.5 / 2 (the Bestow cost should've been 4)

Odunos River Trawler: 4 / 3* (almost made my favorites. what a cool looking &
interesting card)

Pain Seer: 2.5 / 3 (in the right deck, this could be amazing)

Sanguimancy: 3.5 / 2.5 (potentially a very strong card. if it was an instant it
would've made constructed)

Servant of Tymaret: 3 / 2 (neat card, but sadly it probably won't play well)

Shrike Harpy: 3 / 1 (can be good, but if your opponent doesn't have a creature out,
he's almost unplayable)

Spiteful Returned: 4 / 3 (awesome art & a very strong card)

Warchanter of Mogis: 3 / 1 (neat, but the 5 mana cost makes him kinda average)

Weight of the Underworld: 3 / 2 (if this had flash, it would be cool)

RED:

Akroan Conscriptor: 3.5 / 3* (a built-in Act of Treason makes this card scary)

Archetype of Aggression: 3.5 / 2.5 (cool card but red doesn't usually benefit much
with Trample)

Bolt of Keranos: 3 / 1 (double red & sorcery?)

Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass: 3 / 1 (well... giving him Trample will work)

Epiphany Storm: 3 / 1 (how to weaken the looter effect, by WotC)

Everflame Eidolon: 3.5 / 2.5 (nicely designed)

Fall of the Hammer: 4 / 3 (very strong common, especially for Gruul)

Fated Conflagration: 3.5 / 3 (I'm glad it doesn't hit a player, but triple red is
tough)

Fearsome Temper: 3 / 1 (nice fun common Aura)

Felhide Spiritbinder: 4 / 2 (very nice card that can be quite nasty)

Flame-Wreathed Phoenix: 5 / 4 (for 4 mana it's either a 5/5 flier or a 3/3 haste
that comes back. Yikes!)

Forgestoker Dragon: 4.5 / 2.5 (fun strong card, but I doubt it'll make constructed)

Impetuous Sunchaser: 3 / 2 (at 1 mana this guy would be nasty. at 2 mana he's just
okay)

Kragma Butcher: 3.5 / 2 (how to turn a 2/3 for 3 into a good card)

Lightning Volley: 3.5 / 2 (an amazing deadly combat trick on defense)

Nyxborn Rollicker: 3.5 / 2.5 (a really nice simple bestow card)

Oracle of Bones: 4 / 2.5 (I'd pay tribute if I were you)

Pharagax Giant: 4 / 2 (a really nice tribute card, cause I don't mind either way)

Pinnacle of Rage: 3 / 1 (boy, burn is expensive & slow in Theros, isn't it)

Reckless Reveler: 3(s) / 3(s) (a good sideboard card)

Rise to the Challenge: 3 / 2 (a nice simple yet effective combat trick)

Satyr Firedancer: 4 / 3.5 (being a 1/1 makes him vulnerable, but he's potentially
very powerful)

Satyr Nyx-Smith: 3.5 / 2.5 (if you can attack with this on turn 3 & survive until
turn 4? uh-oh)

Scouring Sands: 3(s) / 3(s) (another good sideboard card)

Searing Blood: 4 / 3.5 (so that's what blood looks like when it sears?)

Stormcaller of Keranos: 3.5 / 2 (sweet. I like cards that use different colored mana)

Thunder Brute: 3.5 / 2 (so I get a 5/5 haste for 6, which is fine, or I get an 8/8,
which is good. nice)

Thunderous Might: 2 / 1 (cute, but no)

Whims of the Fates: 2 / 1 (another whacky red card from WotC. what fun)

GREEN:

Archetype of Endurance: 3.5 / 3 (well, if you get to 8 mana, goodnight. Nykthos
anyone?)

Aspect of Hydra: 4 / 4 (the sheer potential of this card gives me shivers)

Charging Badger: 2 / 1 (seriously? seriously, wizards? Oh, I see. Badger + Aspect of
Hydra. RUN!)

Courser of Kruphix: 4 / 4 (it's not a bomb. it's just a really solid awesome card)

Culling Mark: 2(s?) / 1 (I don't mind this card existing, even though it's weak)

Fated Intervention: 4.5 / 3.5 (triple green is a lot, but this is still a very
strong card)

Graverobber Spider: 4 / 2 (he's big, he's nasty & he likes playing with dead
creatures. ICK!)

Hero of Leina Tower: 3.5 / 3 (potential is great, but she's not as powerful as you
think. just do the math)

Hunter's Prowess: 4.5 / 3.5 (potentially a bomb & an all-star, but no guarantees.
love it)

Karametra's Favor: 3.5 / 3 (a really nice aura that might actually see constructed)

Mischief and Mayhem: 4 / 2.5 (like Hunter's Prowess, this has lots of potential)

Mortal's Resolve: 3.5 / 3 (similar to Ranger's Guile, but potentially more powerful)

Nessian Demolok: 3.5 / 2 (I can't imagine not paying Tribute, unless you just can't
deal with a 6/6 I guess)

Nessian Wilds Ravager: 3.5 / 2 (if my opponent has a creature in play, this guy is
really good)

Noble Quarry: 2 / 1 (beautiful card, but the lure effect here is too expensive, imo)

Nyxborn Wolf: 3.5 / 2 (another nice simple Bestow effect + it's a Wolf. that could
matter)

Peregrination: 3.5 / 3 (good card. nice mana fixer)

Pheres-Band Raiders: 4 / 2 (Nice, cause you're quite likely to attack with him)

Pheres-Band Tromper: 3.5 / 2 (another very nicely designed card)

Raised by Wolves: 4 / 3 (a very good aura, giving you 2 creatures)

Satyr Wayfinder: 3.5 / 3.5 (he's weak, but very effective. should see constructed
play)

Scourge of Scola Vale: 4 / 3 (cool card. awesome design)

Setessan Oathsworn: 3.5 / 2 (I don't get the double green, since he's only a 1/1 to
start)

Setessan Starbreaker: 2(s) / 1 (no way should this cost 4, but as a sideboard card,
it's fine)

Skyreaping: 4(s) / 3(s) (oh, "each" creature with flying. okay then)

Snake of the Golden Grove: 4 / 3 (a 4/4 + 4 life or a 7/7 for 5. I'll take 2)

Swordwise Centaur: 3.5 / 3 (sure, she's good, but I believe M14 has a 3/3 for GG,
so...)

Unravel the Aether: 4(s) / 4(s) (great sideboard card)

GOLD:

Chromanticore: 3* / 3* (I love him. How can you not love him. He's freaking FUN)

Ephara, God of the Polis: 4.5 / 4 (She's probably an All-Star too)

Ephara's Enlightenment: 4 / 3 (A very cool Aura, but Aura's are very risky in
constructed)

Fanatic of Xenagos: 5 / 4 (dam)

Karametra, God of Harvests: 4 / 3 (still pretty good, but what a disappointment
compared to the other gods)

Kiora, the Crashing Wave: 5 / 5 (a GREAT planeswalker)

Kiora's Follower: 4 / 4 (good in limited, good in constructed. maybe great in both)

Mogis, God of Slaughter: 4.5 / 4 (1 word... nasty)

Phenax, God of Deception: 4.5 / 3.5 (to mill or to self mill... hmmm...)

Ragemonger: 4 / 3.5 (nice Minotaur. just wish he was a 3/3)

Reap What Is Sown: 3.5 / 3 (a good card, obviously, but not always as effective as
you'd like it to be)

Siren of the Silent Song: 4 / 2 (wish he was a 2/2, but he's still a very cool card)

Xenagos, God of Revels: 5 / 5 (is this card overpowered? gee... let me think...
hmmm... )

ARTIFACTS:

Astral Cornucopia: 3 / 2.5 (I wanna see someone cast this for 9 mana) : )

Gorgon's Head: 3 / 2 (Ick!)

Heroes' Podium: 1 / 3* (so now I have to try to build a legendary creature deck???)

Pillar of War: 4 / 2 (what's not to love. it's a Golem, but if you enchant it, it
can attack. cool)

Siren Song Lyre: 3 / 1 (this card is just too much. there are two things I'd like to
tell you about it too) : )

Springleaf Drum: 4 / 3 (with Inspire, this card is gonna be really good)

While not many cards made my favorites, almost none were cards I didn't like. All in
all an excellent job by WotC in designing interesting unique & not overpowered
cards. This set looks very well balanced. Hope I'm right.

Can't wait to find out which cards I'm right about, as well as which cards I'm wrong
about.
In the meantime though... please... feel free to comment. I'd love to hear where you
agree/disagree with me.