Modern Horizons Overview

Well...that is certainly some list of cards, isn't it?

This is the first time, to my memory, that Wizards has produced a set that deliberately skews high on the power scale, in order to "compete" with eternal formats. Oh sure, ostensibly this set is about Modern but there's also no denying that Commander, Pauper and even Legacy stand to benefit from Modern Horizons in a way that most Standard sets don't roll out the carpet for.

So let's talk about 'em.

White
I don't see any reprints that I'm glad have made it into Modern: they don't suck (Shelter, Dismantling Blow, Battle Screech, Guided Light) but they're all draft role players.

Some of the colorshifted(ish) cards bring good stuff to the table: Generous Gift and Recruit the Worthy (as Beast Within and Lab Rats{ish}, respectively) might give some dimension to White that wasn't there.

I don't think Giver of Runes is being respected enough, as I believe the ability to protect creatures from colorless is not to be underestimated. How much impact that has I'm not certain, but it does give an out against the Eldrazi decks. Winds of Abandon will be an absolute blowout against so many Commander decks that are unable to take advantage of the land search. Sisay already has Commander players buzzing so I don't think there's much for me to add there, though I want to make a sixty card deck with it, because I'm contrary. Maybe worth considering in Oathbreaker?

Segovian Angel might be one of the best common one drops White could ever get and King of the Pride is something I'm fairly certain my friend Caitlin will be adding to a cat deck. Hell, I should make a cat deck. Reprobation is some fantastic creature removal and while I know Trustworthy Scout isn't constructed material, I still want it.

Vesperlark is the uncommon I'd look out for and Force of Virtue is really narrow and I don't think will see a lot of action. Still, it's free and free is a very good price, especially in decks with Monastery Mentor. Astral Drift has the most potential for creating a new decktype in Modern but I hesitate to look at its impact elsewhere. Still, making a new decktype in Modern possible is no small feature!

Blue
The reprints and colorshifted(ish) cards honestly seem really solid! Fact or Fiction has a very strong history and despite what some are saying, I think will be useful in the format. Sure, there's more draft stuff but a reprint of Future Sight? That's some spice, I say. I doubt it can be broken but again, it gets the deckbuilding gears turning. Plus, we're getting an unblockable ninja! Players have only been wanting that for fourteen years. (Yike. 2005 seems like a long way away).

Is Archmage's Charm the real deal? Triple blue isn't easy to come up with and I'm not sure there are decks that are asking for the choices it's offering. But, smarter people than I are saying it's the new hotness, so maybe I'm just blind. Scuttling Sliver will be in demand, though: there's always some way to create infinite mana from untapping creatures. It's just a matter of time. Mirrodin Besieged is incredibly cool, and I don't think Marit Liege's Slumber or Mist-Syndicate Naga are going to go unnoticed for long. The Naga will be great in Ninja decks (which Commander players have been hoping for support for) but the Slumber? It's easy for me to imagine having four snow permanents in play by turn two. Getting to ten shouldn't be hard.

I want a copy of Oneirophage because that artwork is great. Watcher for Tomorrow is a solid uncommon. A body that nets you a card for two mana and sifts through the top four cards seems really, really good. Pair it with Read the Runes or Perilous Research for extra good times. Pondering Mage might not seem like too much but a 3/4 body is decent, and the effect helps a lot of decks. It'll find a lot of use in Commander and with anyone playing blink effects.

All in all, I think Blue got a lot of really good stuff across rarities and playstyles.

Black
Yike, that new artwork for Carrion Feeder is naaaaaaaaaaaasty.

I can't identify anything colorshifted and most of the reprints are merely serviceable, but Nether Spirit anchored a mono-Black control deck back in the day, so maybe that'll open up some space for Black in Modern?

Umezawa's Charm probably has the best "Hey there," look I've ever seen on a Magic card. I'm down. But the most exciting cards for me are Endling (a 20 year old cycle complete!) and Force of Despair.

I'm sure Fuz will be happy to see Undead Augur; will it be enough to push zombies forward in Modern? Probably not, but I'm glad they're trying.

Sling-Gang Lieutenant is the card that screams the loudest; RB GOBLINS, DUDE and yeah, why not make that deck? Goblins are cheap to produce and the activation of the Lieutenant is free. It probably won't work in any competitive deck due to the 4 mana casting cost but I've got my eye on you, Lieu. Certainly as a final "burn" spell, Sling-Gang might work.

Red
As with Black, the reprints/shifted cards aren't eyebrow raising. I am surprised to see it took this long to get Juzam Djinn shifted to Red, though (Ravenous Giant). I'm also pleased to see Pillage make a return. I don't think that it will have a big impact on Modern, but Pillage has always been a solid, versatile card that could slot into a lot of decks.

Pashalik Mons; now THAT is the card that might make goblins work in Modern. It's on curve and has a free activation. The only issue is that it's competing at the 3 slot with a LOT of really good goblins.

This is where the Slivers get exciting for me, too: Hollowhead and Spiteful Sliver could give the Sliver deck some legs to see play across formats and that's very exciting! Bladeback Sliver could also be helpful in Pauper-just aggro that deck out and then if the board stalls, start tapping your slivers to finish off opponents.

Aria of Fire is weird and I'm here for it. I'm so glad Wizards still brings these cards to the game.

There's a little undercurrent that Planebound Accomplice might be overpowered but I'm not quite seeing it. Planeswalkers get value when they stick around, giving you instant/sorcery effects that you don't need to pay mana for. It's good, don't get me wrong: paying R instead of anything else for a Planeswalker is usually nice but I don't see it as broken, unless you can get another card to blink/bounce the Planeswalker.

It's a lot of work, for what reward? And once we've figured out the reward, is it broken enough?

Green
I was definitely surprised to see Regrowth on this list! Of the green cards I thought they'd reprint, that effect is often thought of as too powerful-but maybe that's part of the statement being made. Spore Frog coming back is certainly welcome too, since that card was going for $5 just a year ago. Five American Dollars. I cannot believe it.

I don't know that Modern decks were clamoring for Nimble Mongoose but it's not a bad card. As opposed to Nantuko Cultivator which nobody wanted and is clearly here to reinforce Modern Horizon's 'land in graveyard' themes for R/G. That said: Krosan Tusker is an underrated card and more people should get on it.

It seems like Green got a lot more reprints than the other colors-9! compared to Red: 6, White and Black: 5 each, Blue: comes closest at 7- and I wonder if that's because there is a lot of filler needed, or because there are more gems in Green from pre-Mirrodin times than we thought and this was a chance to show off. Maybe both.

Null Rod as Collector Ouphe I ain't mad at though. Artifacts have long been too powerful, so gimme those hatebears.

Speaking of: Yes, Ayula is cool and yes, I want to build a bear deck (again). Force of Vigor will probably be a decent sideboard card and Genesis will allow for graveyard shenanigans-though will they help existing decks (obvoiusly Dredge)? Probably not. Llanowar Tribe is aggressive and I like where they went with it, and Treefolk Umbra is a gem, as far as I'm concerned.

I like Winding Way, since that seems like a good card whenever you draw it and while I know it won't do what I wish it would, I still want to cast Weather the Storm in response to someone trying to storm the game out.

It's a little things, but the little things get you through the day.

Multicolor
Now here's where the slivers get some real boosts and I'm sure I don't have to convince anyone that Cloudshredder and Lavabelly Sliver are good. The First Sliver is funny and I admit, I want to give that a go in a straight up 60 card sliver deck.

But sliver diversion aside; It's great to see Kess reprinted because that should boost a new deck and while I don't know that anyone wanted Eladamri's Call it's a solid card none the less. One honest to god 'no, no don't do that' is Nature's Chant. I just don't know that anyone was hoping for a Disenchant/Naturalize that could use either mana. Not very interesting, and not very necessary, I just don't see where this card slots into a deck. It must be for draft but it's so booooooring.

Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis looks VERY interesting and again: thanks for printing a weird card, Wizards.

Colorless/Artifact
What tribal fan isn't excited about Morophon, the Boundless? (I consider myself a fan of the lesser {non Elves, Merfolk, Goblin} tribal strategies, as you'll see in a moment).

Altar of Dementia was not something I expected but it's possible it does open up a mill strategy for Modern, plus the price was getting very high. I'm also psyched to see a new scarecrow, as my Reaper King deck could always use a new one-and this has the untap symbol on it!

It's easy to dismiss Universal Automaton, since the competitive decks that could use a one drop have them already. However, for every tribe that doesn't have a one drop, I'm glad it's here! Something for everyone, right?

I'm also glad they figured out the lessons of the underwhelming Swords from the Scars of Mirrodin block as the new swords look really cool, even if the Sword of Truth and Justice is inherently more playable due to protection from White characteristic.

Lands
Reprinting the cycling lands from Onslaught was a great idea! These are useful cards for any deck and I'm glad to see more players have access to them.

I think Prismatic Vista is overcharging for what it does but I can't argue that it might bring some utility to decks that need it. The Hall of Heliod's Generosity should definitely find a place in my Brawl deck!

As for the new dual lands: Hey, glad they're here. They should do good stuff and hopefully won't break the bank to acquire.

So: it's what we thought it would be, a strong set with impactful cards. How it translates to draft or sealed, I don't know but from a pure brewing perspective, it's interesting and it definitely adds some cards for decks I have that could use the boost.