Welcome to my fourth installment of reviewing Scourge for the purposes of Limited play. Today I'm examining Blue. Let's take a look!

Aphetto Runecaster

This is probably better in Constructed, where you can stuff your deck full of morphs. That said, it's still a quick beater and should score a few points of damage before the big boys come out. 3rd-5th pick.

Brain Freeze

A Blue mage's best strategy is to stall the ground with Wizards and eventually deck his opponent. This card should speed up the process nicely. I expect fifty to sixty card decks will become the norm because of this spell. A 2nd-4th pick.

Coast Watcher

Who even plays Green nowadays? 12th-14th.

Day of the Dragons

If I had eight Dragons, it'd be nice if they stuck around. Complete chaff. 15th pick.

Decree of Silence

Now we're talking! An utter bomb. Counter 3 spells for free? Don't mind if I do! The best of the Decrees, as you can abuse Blue's strong bounce spells and play it again. And again. And again. Shhhh! 1st pick.

Dispersal Shield

A good cheap counter; it comes in handy when you have a Dragon Tyrant or Krosan whatever on the table. I'd take it high, and I might even take it sober. 2nd-11th pick.

Dragon Wings

I can't seem to make up my mind about this one. Yes, it cycles. 1st pick. But it's really only useful when you're playing with expensive guys. 15th pick. But it gives evasion to those big guys! 1st pick. But evasion sucks in Limited. 15th pick. After days of agonizing, I decided to compromise. 7th and a halfth pick.

Faces of the Past

There's like one awesome combo with this card, so it's good enough for me. 1st pick.

Frozen Solid

Yes Virginia, there is common blue removal in this block! Just imagine, your opponent plays an Exalted Angel. Frozen Solid, Shock, dead. Rorix Bladewing? Frozen Solid, Shock, dead. 3rd-turn morph? Frozen Solid, Shock, dead. A 1st pick all the way.

Hindering Touch

At least Discombobulate has the nifty "Sage Owl" mechanic going for it. What's this got? Nothing. Basically, what I'm saying is that my cat hacks up better cards than this, and then he eats them. 15th pick.

Long-Term Plans

Brr-oken! Gee, only 3 more turns 'til I Decree of Whoopass your ass! What you gonna do about it? Cry? Huh? Huh, little baby? Are you gonna go cry to your mommy 'cause you're dead in three turns? Huh? Why don't you stop hitting yourself?Look, the baby likes hitting itself! Why hit yourself? Doesn't it hurt? Look, now you're bleeding. The little baby is all crying and bloody! What a baby. 1st pick.

Mercurial Kite

A 2/2 flyer for 4 is OK in this format, but when you slap an awesome ability on it, I've got seven simple words for you: this is a first pick card, indubitably.

Metamorphose

Or as I like to call it, Humpus Morphus. Ugh. Dear God, that's horrible. I should leave the comedy to Geordie Tait. Anyway, this is Blue removal at its finest. 1st pick.

Mind's Desire

BOB! IT CRAPS, TRUE. See, that means it's a BOmB In limiTed, CRAP in conSTRUctEd. It's the sort of lingo me and my teammate use when reviewing cards. My teammate's name is Bob. 1st pick.

Mischievous Qanar

I wanted to nickname this card Mischievous Queer, but that might offend the gays. Besides, I can only make so many "Fork on a stick" jokes before it gets really, really old. So stick a fork in me, I'm done. 1st pick.

Mistform Warchief

The best of the Warchief cycle, as this one makes ANY of your critters cheaper. Plus it's an excellent Skill target. Me rikey Mistfolm Wallchief. 1st pick.

Parallel Thoughts

As if Blue didn't have enough Tutors? Draw your six best bombs and another Parallel Thoughts! Lather, rinse, 1st pick.

Pemmin's Aura

I hear they made this as an anagram of I Spam Manure, which is pretty ironic because this card is absolute horseshit. You'll be spamming plenty of manure when you pass it and don't look back. 15th pick.

Raven Guild Initiate

Well, at least it has Morph. Kinda fun with Imagecrafter, but with one less Onslaught pack you won't be seeing too many of those. Quoth the raven, "15th pick."

Raven Guild Master

See Brain Freeze. Swing as many Pathmages as you can in Onslaught and Legions and you won't be sorry you did when you bait this Master. Punishes Break Open as well. 1st pick.

Riptide Survivor

The tribe has spoken. You suck. 15th pick.

Rush of Knowledge

Card drawing has historically been weak in Limited, but Rush of Knowledge just might have what it takes to be the exception. Nahh. 15th pick.

Scornful Egotist

What?? This has got to be a misprint. Take him early while you can, because he'll have errata in nanoseconds. 1st pick now, later 15th.

Shoreline Ranger

I'm not a huge fan of the landcycling ability. If I fetch an Island, he's in the graveyard. If I hold on to him, I have no Island! Derp derp derp. Pure rubbish. 15th pick.

Stifle

I keep hearing the late Archie Bunker in my head whenever I see this card. "Ah, stifle yourself, Edith!" could have become the next big catchphrase to hit the Pro Tour, but too bad this can't counter anything decent, like an actual spell. 15th pick.

Temporal Fissure

Bouncy bouncy! It's best to save this in your hand until about turn 9 or 10 when you can really maximize the storm ability. "Ooh, you have no permanents in play, and I have nine lands! Boys, that's the game!" 1st pick.

Thundercloud Elemental

Thunder! Thunder! Thundercloud Elemental! Hooooo! (For those of you who didn't get the reference, it's from this old cartoon where the guy would go "Thunder! Thunder! Thundercats! Hooooo!" and be all badass and shit.) Firstest pick.

So yes, Blue scored some great cards in Scourge, but I'd expect that it'll all be dried up by the time it gets to you, so don't draft Blue.

Next week I'll look at the worst color in Scourge. With painful Zombies hacking at your life, Birds that Infest your team, plenty of enchantment-speed "removal", and a one-drop that doesn't even live up to Accursed Centaur (it can't even block!), Scourge Black is fuckin' retarded.

And that's my Limited IQ.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!

Welcome to my fourth installment of reviewing Scourge for the purposes of Limited play. Today I'm examining Blue. Let's take a look!

Aphetto Runecaster

This is probably better in Constructed, where you can stuff your deck full of morphs. That said, it's still a quick beater and should score a few points of damage before the big boys come out. 3rd-5th pick.

Brain Freeze

A Blue mage's best strategy is to stall the ground with Wizards and eventually deck his opponent. This card should speed up the process nicely. I expect fifty to sixty card decks will become the norm because of this spell. A 2nd-4th pick.

Coast Watcher

Who even plays Green nowadays? 12th-14th.

Day of the Dragons

If I had eight Dragons, it'd be nice if they stuck around. Complete chaff. 15th pick.

Decree of Silence

Now we're talking! An utter bomb. Counter 3 spells for free? Don't mind if I do! The best of the Decrees, as you can abuse Blue's strong bounce spells and play it again. And again. And again. Shhhh! 1st pick.

Dispersal Shield

A good cheap counter; it comes in handy when you have a Dragon Tyrant or Krosan whatever on the table. I'd take it high, and I might even take it sober. 2nd-11th pick.

Dragon Wings

I can't seem to make up my mind about this one. Yes, it cycles. 1st pick. But it's really only useful when you're playing with expensive guys. 15th pick. But it gives evasion to those big guys! 1st pick. But evasion sucks in Limited. 15th pick. After days of agonizing, I decided to compromise. 7th and a halfth pick.

Faces of the Past

There's like one awesome combo with this card, so it's good enough for me. 1st pick.

Frozen Solid

Yes Virginia, there is common blue removal in this block! Just imagine, your opponent plays an Exalted Angel. Frozen Solid, Shock, dead. Rorix Bladewing? Frozen Solid, Shock, dead. 3rd-turn morph? Frozen Solid, Shock, dead. A 1st pick all the way.

Hindering Touch

At least Discombobulate has the nifty "Sage Owl" mechanic going for it. What's this got? Nothing. Basically, what I'm saying is that my cat hacks up better cards than this, and then he eats them. 15th pick.

Long-Term Plans

Brr-oken! Gee, only 3 more turns 'til I Decree of Whoopass your ass! What you gonna do about it? Cry? Huh? Huh, little baby? Are you gonna go cry to your mommy 'cause you're dead in three turns? Huh? Why don't you stop hitting yourself?Look, the baby likes hitting itself! Why hit yourself? Doesn't it hurt? Look, now you're bleeding. The little baby is all crying and bloody! What a baby. 1st pick.

Mercurial Kite

A 2/2 flyer for 4 is OK in this format, but when you slap an awesome ability on it, I've got seven simple words for you: this is a first pick card, indubitably.

Metamorphose

Or as I like to call it, Humpus Morphus. Ugh. Dear God, that's horrible. I should leave the comedy to Geordie Tait. Anyway, this is Blue removal at its finest. 1st pick.

Mind's Desire

BOB! IT CRAPS, TRUE. See, that means it's a BOmB In limiTed, CRAP in conSTRUctEd. It's the sort of lingo me and my teammate use when reviewing cards. My teammate's name is Bob. 1st pick.

Mischievous Qanar

I wanted to nickname this card Mischievous Queer, but that might offend the gays. Besides, I can only make so many "Fork on a stick" jokes before it gets really, really old. So stick a fork in me, I'm done. 1st pick.

Mistform Warchief

The best of the Warchief cycle, as this one makes ANY of your critters cheaper. Plus it's an excellent Skill target. Me rikey Mistfolm Wallchief. 1st pick.

Parallel Thoughts

As if Blue didn't have enough Tutors? Draw your six best bombs and another Parallel Thoughts! Lather, rinse, 1st pick.

Pemmin's Aura

I hear they made this as an anagram of I Spam Manure, which is pretty ironic because this card is absolute horseshit. You'll be spamming plenty of manure when you pass it and don't look back. 15th pick.

Raven Guild Initiate

Well, at least it has Morph. Kinda fun with Imagecrafter, but with one less Onslaught pack you won't be seeing too many of those. Quoth the raven, "15th pick."

Raven Guild Master

See Brain Freeze. Swing as many Pathmages as you can in Onslaught and Legions and you won't be sorry you did when you bait this Master. Punishes Break Open as well. 1st pick.

Riptide Survivor

The tribe has spoken. You suck. 15th pick.

Rush of Knowledge

Card drawing has historically been weak in Limited, but Rush of Knowledge just might have what it takes to be the exception. Nahh. 15th pick.

Scornful Egotist

What?? This has got to be a misprint. Take him early while you can, because he'll have errata in nanoseconds. 1st pick now, later 15th.

Shoreline Ranger

I'm not a huge fan of the landcycling ability. If I fetch an Island, he's in the graveyard. If I hold on to him, I have no Island! Derp derp derp. Pure rubbish. 15th pick.

Stifle

I keep hearing the late Archie Bunker in my head whenever I see this card. "Ah, stifle yourself, Edith!" could have become the next big catchphrase to hit the Pro Tour, but too bad this can't counter anything decent, like an actual spell. 15th pick.

Temporal Fissure

Bouncy bouncy! It's best to save this in your hand until about turn 9 or 10 when you can really maximize the storm ability. "Ooh, you have no permanents in play, and I have nine lands! Boys, that's the game!" 1st pick.

Thundercloud Elemental

Thunder! Thunder! Thundercloud Elemental! Hooooo! (For those of you who didn't get the reference, it's from this old cartoon where the guy would go "Thunder! Thunder! Thundercats! Hooooo!" and be all badass and shit.) Firstest pick.

So yes, Blue scored some great cards in Scourge, but I'd expect that it'll all be dried up by the time it gets to you, so don't draft Blue.

Next week I'll look at the worst color in Scourge. With painful Zombies hacking at your life, Birds that Infest your team, plenty of enchantment-speed "removal", and a one-drop that doesn't even live up to Accursed Centaur (it can't even block!), Scourge Black is fuckin' retarded.

And that's my Limited IQ.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!