This set is smaller than usual. Not by that much however. It’s around that Gatewatch era small set size, so 183 cards before draft lands and basics. The argument this time is that this set size is more suitable for Two Pick draft of 4 players with just 5 allied pairs archetypes. How does that possibly work out? Good question.

The R/M slot is the normal amount of a large set of old, these numbers are chosen because 15+53*2=121, exactly as large as a print sheet, and $\frac{15}{121} \approx \frac{1}{8}$ (nowadays we want 1/7th). The two lower rarities see uncommons finally returning to having less cards than common, which is reflected in the wildcard slot no longer brutally favoring uncommons. Through I do find the number off 55 really blizzare, like if you’re basing off 121 cards print sheets divided, you can get there by 15 + 40 or 24 + 30 + whatever slots remain, which all sound very weird.

It’s certainly better than a 5 or 7 cards booster pack not meant for any kind of limited whatsoever.

2.1 Mythics

I don’t think one of the first thing that comes to mind with this IP should be the evil color of black. Or maybe this is a subtle way to protest against this whole mess. 8 of the 15 mythics have black somewhere on themselves, whether it’s 2 of the DFC cycle, three black monocolored cards or three black multicolored cards.

We’ve already talked, or glossed over, the commanders of this set, so we got just five cards remaining. For obvious reasons, none of them are normal creatures.

Instead, you got each color of Temur having a different enchantment. All three are about getting stuff on the board, whether through copying (Izzet) or from the topdeck (Green). Considering that Marvel sets seems to be MaRo’s dream project and he just so happen to like copying thing, those copiers makes too much sense to be here.

Then you got black, which instead has a sorcery that gets stuff reanimated… also to the board. Thing is, it flaunts the number six so much the mana cost is… six generic and a black, so 7 mana. Did Griselbrand design this? Lastly we get the first stone Thanos needs to be a funny meme. The interesting observation is that it took this long for a 2 mana value mana rock to be made with colored mana. Every observation from this one will be far more cynical I feel.

This thing doesn’t just stop at being a 2 mana untapped mana rock, this thing also has indestructible. So it just so happens that that rules out a huge chunk of shatters that can’t exile, especially when unlike creatures, removing indestructible isn’t as easy on these prowess permanents. This thing also doesn’t just stop at all of that, it also have a mana sink to… harness it. Why don’t you just transform? DFCs is in this very set. The symbol also looks oddly long as well. Ultimately, the effect there is basically WOE’s black virtue enchantment, and that one was more annoying for its removal adventure, so maybe this rant is just yelling at clouds.

2.2 Rares

Finally, color balance is back, something that even in universe sets struggle at times. And no, we aren’t having any Orzhov off colored shenanigans here.

The cycle to note here are five Sagas with artwork done by the same artist. Because they’re all also 1 devotions and having 3 distinct chapters each. Let’s analyze what are on these things. Actually loosely, one of each of the black and green’s chapters do overlap on two of these categories. Flavor wise, three of the five cards references character names, while two begins with “The” to just make the red one seems all the weirder with its name.

What else are here? White has three enchantments all have creatures somewhere in the equation, red has a third of that. Blue has two instants, black is somewhere in the middle and it takes the brunt of the boardwipe this time instead of white. And lastly, green have a combat trick and… a normal creature.

Onto multicolored, the only two non-commander cards are one snap on equipment and… the second normal creature, last one of this rarity I kid you not. Colorless, in addition to its one commander, has two normal artifacts and two Equipments, and these all forgot the mana cost of 2.

And lastly there are three lands, all with the gold frame. All of which reeks of this feeling of “wow it took this long for them to do these, and in an UB set no less? Weird”. Whether it’s an Evolving Static that finally got the shockland treatment to rub in the salt of you waiting for Lorwyn to bring the RTR shocks, or trilands that get to try on some set mechanics, thank god they don’t have basic types like the triomes.

2.3 Uncommons

Blue has the only normal artifact creature while red and green gets two normal creatures each. This way green and blue is balanced with artifacts and enchantments, while white has two artifacts and black just have one enchantment, and red feels balancing between instant and sorcery is more important.

Multicolored wise, what are the two cards the allied pairs left? A sorcery, and… another normal creature, in Naya colors no less, what’s not to be infuriated by. And well, the enemy pairs are entirely missing here, so that’s how each allied pairs get three whole cards I have to assume.

Colorless wise, what’s there after the commanders? One vehicle, one equipment, and one Unknown Shores with a combat trick.

2.4 Commons

Please give a warm long time no see to the cycle of colorless artifacts with colored activated abilities. One is a colorless bad rate removal that have a Shatter channel attached, two are eggs that either way would provide card advantage and spending the colored mana would give another resource, and the last two are Vehicles with either kicker or an attack bonus.