Just did this dumb exercise: what are your top 10 most powerful and bottom 10 least powerful cards?
The meaning of "powerful" is going to vary by environment, so this can mean whatever you want it to me. Most powerful individual cards, cards best in their archetypes, top 10 highest picks, etc. Or just 10 most fun for that matter. After looking at what I came up with, I would not cut every card on either list (probably more cuts in the bottom 10 than in the top), but it was useful to think about.
Using a blend of raw power and pick order, my top 10 are probably:
My bottom 10 (in no particular order) are:
Rally never seems to get there for us. The games where its good it often feels like you would just win anyway.
Four mana is too much.
Five mana is a lot. Maybe I'll try Mystic instead.
Very fun. Very bad.
This card always seems to die without doing anything.
Good with the various wheel effects, but still hard to find a slot in a deck for it.
Doesn't do enough.
It has been very hard to find a deck for this guy. Gets cut even from some ideal land shells.
Card costs a lot of mana.
Seems good on paper, but I don't think we've ever made it work.
What do your top 10 from the high-end and low-end look like?
The meaning of "powerful" is going to vary by environment, so this can mean whatever you want it to me. Most powerful individual cards, cards best in their archetypes, top 10 highest picks, etc. Or just 10 most fun for that matter. After looking at what I came up with, I would not cut every card on either list (probably more cuts in the bottom 10 than in the top), but it was useful to think about.
Using a blend of raw power and pick order, my top 10 are probably:
10.
Lots of value on its own with fetches, but with a little help can generate 30+ power on their end step. One of the premier threats.
9.
Stopping non-creature spells is the single most important thing to do to stay alive in this format.
8.
A good combo enabler, but with 10 moxen running around, the power level spikes enormously.
7.
Very broken card. Once it's in play it's a zero mana draw seven for combo decks. With recursion it's a also a reliable mill plan for 40 card decks.
6.
This card scales with fast mana, plus it's an invaluable get out of jail free card.
5.
The premium sweeper in my format.
4.
The single best creature threat. With such high spell velocity available, turn 2 or 3 mentor gets them dead extremely fast.
3.
In a combo environment, a 2-mana tutor without card disadvantage is about as good as it gets.
2.
It is impossible to draft a functioning deck in my cube that doesn't draw a LOT of cards very quickly. This remains the fastest, most consistent clock in the format. I love the card, and the games where it hits play are always exciting, but phew.
1.
This card is insanely busted. It generates enormous speed which keeps creature-based decks viable in a format that would otherwise be oppressive, and it opens up countless go-infinite wincons.
Lots of value on its own with fetches, but with a little help can generate 30+ power on their end step. One of the premier threats.
9.
Stopping non-creature spells is the single most important thing to do to stay alive in this format.
8.
A good combo enabler, but with 10 moxen running around, the power level spikes enormously.
7.
Very broken card. Once it's in play it's a zero mana draw seven for combo decks. With recursion it's a also a reliable mill plan for 40 card decks.
6.
This card scales with fast mana, plus it's an invaluable get out of jail free card.
5.
The premium sweeper in my format.
4.
The single best creature threat. With such high spell velocity available, turn 2 or 3 mentor gets them dead extremely fast.
3.
In a combo environment, a 2-mana tutor without card disadvantage is about as good as it gets.
2.
It is impossible to draft a functioning deck in my cube that doesn't draw a LOT of cards very quickly. This remains the fastest, most consistent clock in the format. I love the card, and the games where it hits play are always exciting, but phew.
1.
This card is insanely busted. It generates enormous speed which keeps creature-based decks viable in a format that would otherwise be oppressive, and it opens up countless go-infinite wincons.
My bottom 10 (in no particular order) are:
Rally never seems to get there for us. The games where its good it often feels like you would just win anyway.
Four mana is too much.
Five mana is a lot. Maybe I'll try Mystic instead.
Very fun. Very bad.
This card always seems to die without doing anything.
Good with the various wheel effects, but still hard to find a slot in a deck for it.
Doesn't do enough.
It has been very hard to find a deck for this guy. Gets cut even from some ideal land shells.
Card costs a lot of mana.
Seems good on paper, but I don't think we've ever made it work.
What do your top 10 from the high-end and low-end look like?