The Elder Dragon War – Dominaria United
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2022
Ratings:
Constructed: 4.13
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4.50
Multiplayer: 4.00
Commander [EDH]: 4.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
The Elder Dragon War is certainly an eye-catching representative of Dominaria United‘s Sagas, and while it’s another card that seems kind of like a collection of famous red abilities, the read ahead ability gives it a degree of versatility that we’d never have seen in red cards a decade ago. Skipping to II or III means you get the effect in question at a discount compared to most other examples, and a 4/4 flying creature for four mana is particularly appealing to aggressive decks. I and II are also good topdecks in a back-and-forth game or one where you’re behind. I’m not sure it’s quite as powerful as, say, the Commands or the Confluences, but the number of different things that can happen when you cast the spell at least rivals those, and it’s worth considering for that reason alone.
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
Four mana for a 4/4 with flying, the “worst case” scenario, is pretty good. Four mana to refresh your hand and get said dragon is also nice. And four mana for a Pyroclasm and all of the above is also lovely. The ability to start at the one of the three you most value in the current circumstance is very nice to have, and while you might not need one of the parts, even just slamming this as a 4/4 that swoops is solid. There’s not a ton to say: this is a value-oriented Saga, able to give red decks a bit of everything they could want, and that flexibility makes The Elder Dragon War the kind of card that will see a lot of play in the Standard format to come.
Constructed: 4.25
Casual: 4
Limited: 5 (evasive fliers win games, and this does a lot besides)
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
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