Nemesis, Part Two

Gary Wise

The following is a preliminary look at the blue cards in Nemesis for the purpose of limited play. The list is in alphabetical order.

Accumulated Knowledge - An interesting card, as an instant you can bluff a counter and cast it at the end of an opponent's turn. This card can be used in three ways: a) as a way to thin one's deck, b) As a sideboard card against decks with a number or Accumulated Knowledges or c) As the basis for a Blue control deck, which would use a number of them. 6.5/10

Aether Barrier - Not fast enough to be effective in limited. 2.5/10

Air Bladder - Never great, this creature enchantment can be effective as a surprise card in aggressive blue decks. 5/10

Cloudskate - While 2/2 Fliers for 2 should be great, this one deals 6 points when optimized, and there are many ways to prevent this from actually happening. Marginal at best. 4.5/10

Daze - If you have spellshapers, this card can be pretty playable, especially in an otherwise slow deck, buying development time. Like Force Spike, you should probably cast it in response to anything that it can counter. 5.5/10

Dominate - The strongest blue card in the set, this card is a bit deceptive in the fact that the instant ability won't function as a Ray of command as much as the original as it doesn't untap the creature it targets. That said, you can take their best blocker, weakening their defense and gaining massive card advantage. A definite first pick. 9.5/10

Ensnare - A strong finisher, this card serves in a capacity similar to Shoving Match, but for the extra colorless mana, you get a sure thing. 6.5/10

Infiltrate - Is Cloak of Mists worse than this in any way? I never played it either. 2/10

Jolting Merfolk - While the Merfolk is more versatile than Ensnare, Ensnare is a sure thing. At 4 mana, this 2/2 doesn't make up for that uncertainty. 6/10

Oraxid - With Nemesis Red looking pretty strong, This card is better than it would be in straight Mercadian Masques. Solid at 2/3 against non red decks, the Oraxid should none-the-less be a mid-round pick, likely 5th or 6th. 6.5/10

Pale Moon - Only has a use if you're keeping the cards you draft. 1/10

Parallax Tide - It should be interesting to see if this card's inherent card disadvantage is worth the potential time advantage by removing an opponent's first three lands on turn 4, crippling them for a couple of turns while you develop. Doesn't seem awesome, but could be good when playing first. 5.5/10

Rising Waters - A card that will ice a win when you're in a winning situation, it should be especially effective in a deck with Waterfront Bouncer. Its draft value will be based completely on the contents of your deck, as a number of mana intensive activation costs could make it a liability. 7.5/10

Rootwater Commando - A very mediocre main deck card, the Commando's special ability makes it an excellent sideboard card in the blue on blue mirror match. 6/10

Rootwater Thief - Mike Long's card isn't as powerful as he originally wanted it to be, but in the right deck it can still be very strong, namely a blue control deck, allowing it's controller to deplete an opposing deck en route to decking its owner. This said, using its ability early will slow your development, and 3 mana is a lot for activation in almost any situation. 7/10

Seahunter - At 2/2 for 4 mana, you'd better have a lot of Merfolk in your deck, and there just aren't very many. With the right cards, it could be the center of a really cool UB deck though. 4/10

Seal of Removal - While it loses it surprise factor of a Boomerang, the Seal can be cast first turn, protect your important creatures and renew your fading card's counter-count. You don't want more than 1 or 2, but it's solid. 6/10

Sliptide Serpent - Its amazing how abusive 6th Edition rules make cards like this one. The Serpent provides a very fat 4/4 body that becomes harder and harder to kill as the game goes on. It's casting cost and activation cost are a little high considering how seldom land is discarded in this format, but regardless, in the mid to late game, this card will very likely provide victory. 9/10

Sneaky Homunculus - You know a card is weak when its most interesting feature is an unusual name. 1.5/10

Stronghold Biologist - This card appears pretty strong, but is very fragile, being susceptible to just about every kill spell in the environment. That said, it can counter the Kris Mages and Stinging Barriers that can kill it, and combined with the Stronghold Machinist, can make for a very cool board situation. 7/10

Stronghold Machinist - Better than the Biologist, the Machinist protects your creatures from elimination, counters opposing combat tricks and stops most of the bombs in the set. In a control deck, this card could be the final step in establishing a lock against a subdued opponent. 7.5/10

Stronghold Zeppelin - A beatdown machine, the Zeppelin is a force that dominates the air, with only one common creature in the environment even being able to trade for it. Lacking as a defensive card, it often won't matter, as this should help you win the life race. 9/10

Submerge - A card with a very underrated ability, Submerge 'kills' a creature, ensuring that your opponent will draw a creature. As an instant, this means it functions as creature enchantment kill, removes the essential blocker, and hinders top-decking capability. The alternate casting cost against Green, the best color to play it against, is a nice bonus, as is the ability to save that one creature on your side of the table whose survival ensures victory. 7/10

Trickster Mage - A card that can completely dominate the table, the threat of an untapping fatty will usually be enough to deter opposing attackers, as will the possibility of two tapped blockers. Extremely versatile, this card should be excellent in aggressive decks, all the while filling your one mana slot. 7.5/10

Wandering Eye - A fun and annoying card, the Eye alters the game's attitude, letting players know when those cards in hand are expendable spellshaper fodder or not. Regardless, 1/3 fliers are pretty good in this environment, so we should eventually see some interesting open handed situations in limited PTs. 7.5/10