Well, I have been up since the break of dawn, regular not Fifth, with the dogs and then I spent the rest of the morning climbing around on the roof and in the attic trying to stop a leak. I have little left to give but Fifth Dawn is out and it has some additions I'm pretty psyched about so let's dive right in. Oh wait, we have to take a little side trip first.

Upcoming Tournaments:

Gen Con: Friday 8/20 10:00 AM; TCG00015

*Gen Con: Saturday 8/21 2:00 PM; TCG00402 (The Master of PEZ Tourney)

Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.

#20

R Spark Elemental Creature - Elemental 3/1 (Red Common)

Trample, haste At end of turn, sacrifice Spark Elemental.

The spark elemental is nice for the quick beats potential but a smaller body doesn't even bring him close to Ball Lightning. Even so, I expect a lot of players will bee playing him in their Red decks. Not quite good enough to make the cut for me but hey I only write the articles.

#19

1U Early Frost Instant (Blue Common)

Tap up to three target lands.

I like this card for additional tempo advantage in aggressive 2 color builds. Nothing special but taping 3 lands is enough to make a difference even in the mid/late game.

#18

2U Trinket Mage Creature - Human Wizard 2/2 (Blue Common)

When Trinket Mage comes into play, you may search your library for an artifact

card with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal that card, and put it into

your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.

Any fetch ability is good and finding one in the Common slots is really special. While there aren't too many super-powered artifacts to find a few do come to mind I'm sure Accelerated Blue decks would love to find another Sol Ring and multicolor decks would love an extra Lotus Petal. Not to mention Skullclamp or any of the Spellbombs. The 3 casting cost hurts but it is still solid.

#17

1W Leonin Squire Creature - Cat Soldier 2/2 (White Common)

When Leonin Squire comes into play, return an artifact card with converted mana

cost 1 or less from your graveyard to your hand.

Almost as good as fetching a card from your deck is returning one from the Graveyard. This card is a better pick than the Trinket Mage because a grizzly bear is always a solid investment.

#16

4 Krark-Clan Ironwork Artifact (Artifact Uncommon)

Sacrifice an artifact: Add [2] to your mana pool.

Isn't it great that WotC has given PEZ another combolicious card. The only problem is that, as an Uncommon, it has to be built around Commons and I just don't think enough card drawing effects are around to power the engine. Especially, card drawing in artifact form. Wait and see, however, because I this card has a chance of fueling a deck near you.

#15

1 Wayfarer's Bauble Artifact (Artifact Common)

[2], [Tap], Sacrifice Wayfarer's Bauble: Search your library for a basic land

card and put that card into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.

The cost is close to similar Green search spells but the card works on colorless mana which is a real plus. Solid, just like Braidwood Sextant but this gives you potential for an extra land drop.

#14

1 Myr Servitor Artifact Creature - Myr 1/1 (Artifact Common)

At the beginning of your upkeep, if Myr Servitor is in play, each player

returns all cards named Myr Servitor from his or her graveyard to play.

Lots of people have lots of ideas for this card, especially with Atog and Skullclamp. Don't get me wrong, the card is solid, but building a deck around a 1/1 critter that has to be around during your upkeep is probably a bad idea. Even so, the Servitor can add a little consistency to these plans and at 1 cost the price is right.

#13

0 Paradise Mantle Artifact - Equipment (Artifact Uncommon)

Equipped creature has "[Tap]: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."

Equip [1]

This card has a lot of interesting potential both in Affinity decks and others. It is unfortunate that the card is an Uncommon but 0 cost, 1 to equip is a good start on redemption. Just like cards that search, cards that fix/add mana are always going to be appreciated.

#12

2W Skyhunter Prowler Creature - Cat Knight 1/3 (White Common)

Flying Attacking doesn't cause Skyhunter Prowler to tap.

This is the second really solid White creature that we have seen in Fifth Dawn. At 3 mana it is on the high end of the curve for W.W. but evasion is always good and this mini-Serra is probably worth the cost.

#11

3 Battered Golem Artifact Creature - Golem 3/2 (Artifact Common)

Battered Golem does not untap during your untap step. When an artifact comes

into play, you may untap Battered Golem.

Okay, maybe I'm just weird but I think this card is very playable in Artifact heavy decks. That alone wouldn't have qualified him for #11, on the cusp of being the best of Fifth Dawn, but this Golem has something else. Something I want to exploit. He will be seeing work in an artifact version of a Quicksilver Dagger deck. Just wait and see.

_________________________________________

#10

XU Condescend Instant (Blue Common)

Counter target spell unless that spell's controller pays [X]. Scry 2

Spell Blast was a decent Counter but Condescend is great. While the countering power may be less than you are used to, Control decks need to manipulate the draws if they are going to have any chance of pulling a win and Scry fits the bill without increasing the casting cost or power of a traditional 2^nd string counter.

#9

W Stand Firm Instant (White Common)

Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Scry 2

We get our second Scry spell of the evening. While +1/+1 may not be much it can be enough to save creatures from lethal damage or to take down one of the bigger guys. Scry just makes the card that much more powerful especially when you are searching for that Prismatic Strands or Empyrial Armor.

#8

2RR Furnace Whelp Creature - Dragon 2/2 (Red Uncommon)

Flying [R]: Furnace Whelp gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

It takes a lot for an expensive Uncommon to make the top 10 list but I think the Whelp may have what it takes. Flyers are rare for Red so that makes this dragon desirable but the fact you can pump him makes him a real threat.

#7

B Lose Hope Instant (Black Common)

Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Scry 2

This card seems puny after dealing with the Furnace Whelp but just like Stand Firm, a core effect with Scry has to get respect. I see this card as playable in both aggressive and control Black builds.

#6

1G Tangle Asp Creature - Snake 1/2 (Green Common)

Whenever a creature blocks or is blocked by Tangle Asp, destroy that creature

at end of combat.

The Tangle Asp may not look like much at first glance but it can drastically alter the mechanics of combat as the Asp is cheap enough to make most trades worthwhile. I really like this guy and a lot and 2 on the backside is a nice bonus.

#5

2 Horned Helm Artifact - Equipment (Artifact Common)

Equipped Creature gets +1/+1 and has trample. [G][G]: Attach Horned Helm to

target creature you control. Equip [1]

Rancor was, and always will be, one of the best creature enchantments of all time. While the Horned Helmet only gives a slight boost to power it is in most other ways just another Rancor and that is what we love to see.

#4

1B Night's Whisper Sorcery (Black Uncommon)

You draw two cards and lose two life.

Card drawing is one of the best abilities you can find in Magic. Even when you aren't drawing the cards you need you are getting closer. While this card doesn't have the power of Skullclamp or Demonic Tutor it is a strong card with a nice cheap cost associated with it. Aggressive Black builds, rather than control decks, will enjoy this card and run a few Skeletal Scrying to back it up.

#3

1GG Eternal Witness Creature - Human Shaman 2/1 (Green Uncommon)

When Eternal Witness comes into play, return target card from your graveyard to

your hand.

Regrowth is an amazing card and 2/1 for 3 mana isn't the worst deal in the world. Putting the two together is just gravy especially when you consider that Stompy decks are the most likely to have unused Uncommon slots. It fits perfectly and gives Green decks a little extra flexibility and kick.

#2

2 Pentad Prism Artifact (Artifact Common)

Sunburst Remove a charge counter from Pentad Prism: Add one mana of any color

to your mana pool.

This is an absolutely fabulous card for mana acceleration. In a worst case scenario you can shift available mana colors on a 2:1 basis, which is about standard, or in the best case you can perform the color trade as a 1:1 ratio. Also, the card can be used to change mana the turn it drops or latter in the game to provide a 2 mana boost. Sure this isn't Dark Ritual but it is respectable. I particularly like this card in Affinity builds where it generates the consistency needed in a 3 color deck and provides an artifact for both the Affinity ability and the Atog.

#1

2 Cranial Plating Artifact - Equipment (Artifact Common)

Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each artifact you control. [B][B]: Attach

Cranial Plating to target creature you control. Equip [1]

Without a doubt this is the single most powerful spell available for PEZ and is one of the better cards from the whole set. In Affinity builds the Plating will often pump a creature by 7 power or more which spells a win in just a turn or two. Even better the card can be moved as an instant if needed and it is cheap. Just amazing.

Conclusion

While other cards like Blasting Station or Grinding Station may well suggest decks of their own the cards above, with the exception of the powerful Iron Works, are there to make existing decks better, or at least provide a wider range of options. It isn't often that a set gives so much to PEZ. >From this set I think that Affinity clearly gets the biggest boost but Stompy gets 2 solid creatures, Black gets 2 solid spells, and multi-color decks also get a nice push.

I want to thank many of you for the number of e-mails I have recently received and I hope you will all tune in next week when I cover another selection of decks for the summer season. When I am done with all 5 colors I hope you will have found something you like and will sign up for one of the events at Gen Con and show us all what improvements you have made to the decks.

Jason Chapman - chaps_man@hotmail.com

 

Jason Chapman - chaps_man@hotmail.com