Amonkhet Spoilers

[Firegriff]

Add in Leyline of Anticipation and Tamiyo, The Moon Sage, plus the fact that blue is the best color for drawing cards...

[KouriNick]

These two cards....




As Fortold is interesting to me becuase its a massive tempo swing, but is actually card disadvantage (since it doesn't actually do anything the turn it comes into play). This card has potential to go completely nuts, but will need to be carefully built around. I can see it going into a Dynavolt Tower deck with just heaps of card advantage (Take Inventory, Anticipate, Glimmer of Genius, Torrental Gearhulk and the like. That keeps your hand loaded and you cassting stuff for free. Maybe a couple Metalurgic Summoning as alternate won conditions.

ANyway, the new Gideon seems a bit insane... mainly because it's a 3 mana planeswalker, which are ALWAYS incredible (modern more than Standard). I can imagine a Green/White modern planeswalker deck that plays a T1 Mana dork, T2, this with emblem, then goes nuts with Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, and Gideon Jura. sprinkle in some Oaths, Ghostly prison, Deploy the Gatewatch, and some removal, and you get a solid Green/ White control deck with planeswaker win cons. As for standard.... I like the idea of Boros or Orzhov Planeswalker control with Big Chandra or Sorin as the major win conditions. Black / white is probably better since it gets Liliana, Sorin, and Ob Nix, but the Chandras and Nahiri are pretty sweet pulls too...

Looks like it's going to be a fun Standard (fingers crossed)

[Jabilac]

As Fortold is interesting to me becuase its a massive tempo swing, but is actually card disadvantage (since it doesn't actually do anything the turn it comes into play). This card has potential to go completely nuts, but will need to be carefully built around.

Maybe a Modern Simic deck?  Ramp into it on t2.  Leyline of anticipation (from firegriff) is a pretty good idea but what about Prophet of Kruphix?  Untaps lands and flash creatures seems like a decent place for it.  I think it is as much card disadvantage as Aether Vial though to be fair Aether vial is a t1 play.

ANyway, the new Gideon seems a bit insane... mainly because it's a 3 mana planeswalker, which are ALWAYS incredible (modern more than Standard). I can imagine a Green/White modern planeswalker deck that plays a T1 Mana dork, T2, this with emblem, then goes nuts with Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, and Gideon Jura. sprinkle in some Oaths, Ghostly prison, Deploy the Gatewatch, and some removal, and you get a solid Green/ White control deck with planeswaker win cons.

I like the idea of Prison BW Planeswalker deck or Esper Planeswalker deck using this.  Mono-W Devotion might not be a bad place since this on t3 with Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx works out great.  If you had a 1 and 2 drop this could ramp you up to 8 on t4 which is enough for Avacyn, Angel of Hope or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.  Shoot its even enough for Planar Bridge (if you felt so inclined)

Edit: Did my math wrong... Forgot about Nykthos activation fee.... Still works for Planar Bridge

[Mnemosyne]

Ruling by gatherer on  Kari Zev's Expertise and then  Goblin Dark-Dwellers

Kari Zev's Expertise 2/9/2017 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay any alternative costs, such as emerge costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, such as that of Cathartic Reunion, you must pay those to cast the card.

Goblin Dark-Dwellers 1/22/2016   If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay alternative costs such as surge costs. You can pay additional costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.

Cheers for the clarification mate!

[Mnemosyne]

The new Liliana, I saw this art released on Wizards of the Coast, so I wasn't surprised seeing this, but I have to say that it isn't the 'best' (5) drop planeswalker released recently, compared to Nissa, Vital Force, which I think is generally better.
While her +1 does provide a board state, you self-mill 2 cards when delirium seems to be becoming vastly redundant.
Her -3 is useful, but then again a resurrection spell at 5 mana when your graveyard can be purged is tricky. (Nissa can return any permanent card, for -3 to your hand, which lets you recast instead of just an ETB effect.)
Her -7 isn't an emblem and is a board wipe for zombie decks if isn't dealt with turn ( 8 ) not as great as something like Fumigate, but I guess there is some potential.



These three I wanted to spoil from what has already been released so far. The Manglehorn will be useful against artefact decks that rely on improvise, but is still within shock range!
Glory-bound initiate is a beast for 2 mana, I think that turn (3) 4/4 with lifelink is awesome. (It isn't even legendary) combine with a red deck, and we can get some powerful combos.
Regal Caracal is something that will be a great addition to anyone with a cat fetish, and I sense this can make Cat tribal in Standard a possibility.



Special mentions

Obvious reasons, whilst we've had no real good playable Sphinx' recently, I really rate this one! Lots of potential for a 4/4 flyer for (4) mana! Scry when you cycle, is like a mini Glimmer of Genius, without the energy.
God-King Bolas! - tokens = improvise = tapped creatures = DAMAGE SON!

[Mnemosyne]

You do realize that if Gideon, Ally of Zendikar went head to head with The New Gideon



Gideon of the Trials could just lock down Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

You'd be stuck 0-ing the entire time.

True enough, but I would never be in a situation where I would play a Gideon, ally of Zendikar after someone has played Gideon of the Trials.
Gideon on his own is vulnerable. Which is why you support him. Aggro decks like Mardu Vehicles use multiple threats in combination with him. You can only prevent damage from one permanent with Gideon of the Trials, not multiple. Gideon becomes a creature, yes but the turn he comes into play he cannot attack, so that leaves you with only one ability to use, the fog. He doesn't provide anything to the board state in Standard, unlike his counterpart, which generates a 2/2 ally.
Therefore I would only play him in control decks if I needed to stall the board state long enough to pull a win condition. I don't play to force a draw, I play to win. Mwhaha! *coughs*

[Jabilac]

Special mentions

Obvious reasons, whilst we've had no real good playable Sphinx' recently, I really rate this one! Lots of potential for a 4/4 flyer for (4) mana! Scry when you cycle, is like a mini Glimmer of Genius, without the energy.
God-King Bolas! - tokens = improvise = tapped creatures = DAMAGE SON!

These cards were a surprise to be sure.  That Sphinx slots right into Modern Living End decks.  Its exactly what they want 1 mana cyclers that have a good body.  This one has scry stapled to it though after it hits the battlefield that should almost be moot.

Throne looks like it will slide into Modern Elves very easily not to mention all the other wide aggro decks.  I like it.  Chord of Calling likes it too

[Mnemosyne]

I'm at a severe disadvantage when it comes to knowing modern legal cards! I will defer to your expertise Mr Jabilac! 

I am going to write a lore post soon, so hopefully, the significance of Throne of the God-Pharaoh and Gideon of the Trials will be revealed and the storyline will be up for debate! =)

[KouriNick]

Special mentions

Obvious reasons, whilst we've had no real good playable Sphinx' recently, I really rate this one! Lots of potential for a 4/4 flyer for (4) mana! Scry when you cycle, is like a mini Glimmer of Genius, without the energy.
God-King Bolas! - tokens = improvise = tapped creatures = DAMAGE SON!

These cards were a surprise to be sure.  That Sphinx slots right into Modern Living End decks.  Its exactly what they want 1 mana cyclers that have a good body.  This one has scry stapled to it though after it hits the battlefield that should almost be moot.

Throne looks like it will slide into Modern Elves very easily not to mention all the other wide aggro decks.  I like it.  Chord of Calling likes it too

Hadn't thought about throne in an Elves deck. Good catch! that would be insane! and at the very least a great sideboard card when they need to be more aggressive! Hell, maybe the cohort mechanic from BFZ will see some love because of this come to think of ti. There's also some sweet synergy here with Rise from the Tides and all those other token makers whose tokens come in tapped. Gives you some immediate value.

[Firegriff]

The Throne with a vehiccle deck could hurt, too, especially if you can find ways to untap on opponent's turn.  Night Market Lookout and Spireside Infiltrator would combo well with it.

[WWolfe]

Vizier of the Menagerie looks pretty freaking good.

[ladof]

Oketra the True is the best looking for so far, to me. Neheb, the Worthy makes me wonder if they're going to try and get the RB Minotaur deck going again. That'd make me happy, since it was the first deck I homebrewed in standard when I came back to Magic.

[Jabilac]

Oketra the True is the best looking for so far, to me. Neheb, the Worthy makes me wonder if they're going to try and get the RB Minotaur deck going again. That'd make me happy, since it was the first deck I homebrewed in standard when I came back to Magic.

Yeah that was the first thing I thought when I saw Neheb, the Worthy.  Listening to the fans.  That should make anyone looking for a Minotaur tribal deck or EDH deck happy.  3 drop, first strike anthem, and (slightly better) hellbent bonus

Oketra, the True is the most "open and play" of the Gods so far.  Double Strike and Indestructible is an interesting keyword combo for sure.

[ladof]

Nissan is UG now and has an x in her casting cost. She looks pretty solid, too.

[Jabilac]

Here are a few of the spoilers from earlier today



That new Nissa is really interesting... First Planeswalker with an X casting cost?  I can't think of one.  She scales well into the late game and her Abilities are really useful for almost any stage of the game.

Rhonas the Indomitable is exactly what I think people were expecting at this point.  His attack/block requirement is fairly easy to fulfill... this one feels a lot like Nylea, God of the Hunt.

Lord of the Accursed really drives home the Zombie tribal theme.  Second zombie anthem in this set and a few of these cards might make it into my Zombie deck maybe even an Esper list