I have been playing lots of Eternal lately, and with the NDA lifted, it is time to put out my thoughts on the cards! I am going to work my way through reviewing all of the cards, starting with the Time faction. I am rating the cards 0.0 to 5.0, with 5.0 being the best. I will have both draft and ranked ratings.
Reviews | Time | Primal | Shadow | Fire | Justice | Elysian – Combrei | Feln – Stonescar |
Accelerate
Draft 0.0
Ranked 0.0
I don’t think I have ever seen this spell cast, and for good reason. It doesn’t really do enough to be worth playing in any normal deck. Perhaps there will be some bizarre combo which requires it, but nothing is jumping out in this set.
Ageless Mentor
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 1.5
This is a fine card to play in Draft and in my very early days in the beta I believe I tried this in Ranked as well. In the upper tiers of Ranked these days there is probably too much competition that is better.
Amber Acolyte
Draft: 3.5
Ranked 3.0
Very strong card all around – think Civic Wayfinder from Magic. I have been having a hard time finding room in Ranked for the card, I think Secret Pages is a little better because you will always have at least two power on a mulligan. Having a Pages in that situation is far better than an Acolyte.
Ancient Lore
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 2.5
Not super efficient, but there aren’t a ton of ways to draw cards and this is serviceable. It plays better in a deck with lots of units, something Time specializes in.
Ancient Terrazon
Draft 3.0
Ranked: 1.5
This is a powerful finisher in Draft as it is very hard to kill. In Ranked, it is hard to find room for seven drops but this one is a great answer to Relic Weapons. Unfortunately the deck that focuses on Relic weapons also plays many ways to kill this unit – Harsh Rule(Destroy all units) and Vanquish(Destroy a unit with 4 or greater attack) come to mind.
Bold Adventurer
Draft 2.0
Ranked: 1.0
A fine body in Draft but there are better things to be doing on turn two in Ranked.
Carnosaur Behemoth
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 0.5
This card doesn’t really do enough in either format to be playable. I could see running it in Draft if I was desperate for a late game card, but certainly don’t pick it highly.
Clockroach
Draft: 2.5
Ranked: 3.5
This card is the centerpiece of an entire archetype in Ranked involving ways to copy it or put it on top of your deck to re-trigger echo. The deck is probably not quite tier 1, but it is close. In Draft it gets a lot better if you have ways to put it back on top of your deck, but as is, getting a 2/2 and a 3/3 for one card is definitely playable.
Copper Conduit
Draft: 3.5
Ranked 3.0
This is a very strong unit all around. Being able to cast it on any point in the curve is powerful. It is seeing less play in Ranked lately, but certainly has a few homes out there. I run it in my Divining Rod deck centered on Overwhelm units. This is a bad thing to flip with the rod, but a necessary cheap body to target with the rod.
Dawnwalker
Draft: 4.5
Ranked: 5.0
This is one of the strongest cards in the set across the board. You definitely want to prioritize some 5 attack minions in draft to go with it, and don’t forget your Predator’s Instincts! Giving this unit Killer is basically just absurd. It lets you fight something, play a 5 attack minion, and then fight another thing. Rinse, repeat. In Ranked this card is a power house, with many decks built around it. It helps that it slots perfectly in front of one of the other most powerful cards on rate, Sandstorm Titan.
Decay
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 2.0
This is a fine card, but it is hard to find room for it. There are plenty of annoying attachments out there. Keep in mind this can destroy a Permafrost, Relic Weapon, and of course any Relic. Draft seems to be a lot about stacking weapons on evasion units, and this card can break up some of those things and potentially net you a 2 for 1.
Determined Stranger
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 1.5
This is an odd card in draft because most decks are playing at least a few of the two drop strangers that provide influence. This matches up poorly with those, as it enables them to trade up with your Determined Stranger. If your opponent doesn’t have strangers, this can be an absolute beating. On balance, I like the card and draft it fairly highly. You can definitely put together a strong stranger deck in draft. In ranked it is all about if there is a viable stranger deck. So far it appears it is not quite good enough, or we haven’t figured out the appropriate power base to make it work. My instinct is that there are too many Lightning Storms and Harsh Rules running around to risk running strangers.
Dispel
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 1.0
This will never be unplayable in draft because you can always cycle it, sometimes with a little extra value. I wouldn’t take it highly and often won’t play it though. There are better things to do in ranked.
Divining Rod
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 4.0
This is probably too hard to make work in draft, but there are a few ranked decks that are centered on this card. The first most popular version focuses on flying units and there is also a build focused on Overwhelm units. The card is very powerful in these decks and reminds me of Collected Company from Magic. It can lead to some really absurd turns. The decks are probably tier two due to Harsh Rule being so heavily played, but against decks without the sweeper it can do a lot of work.
Dune Phantom
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 1.0
Fliers are very strong in draft, and this blocks just about all of them well. You can also suit up the Phantom with weapons and attack with it. The card isn’t great, but it is certainly playable in draft. It is not really playable in Ranked, however.
Elysian Pathfiner
Draft: 3.5
Ranked: 2.0
I find this to be a very strong card in draft as a value card that can run away with the game if you give the right unit Echo. It is harder to find room for it in Ranked, but it is a powerful effect.
Ephemeral Wisp
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 1.5
A repeatable chump blocker probably isn’t worth a slot in draft, but there are some cute things you can do with this in Ranked as it retains any buffs gained from other cards.
Excavate
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 4.0
This card reads terribly. Reclaim is notorious for being a horrible Magic card and this is essentially the same. I can’t give you any real logic as to why the card is good in Ranked, but it feels essential to make the Time/Justice/Primal control deck work. Putting Harsh Rule and Channel the Tempest back on top has been very important to winning games with the deck. Perhaps the card is just a little bit of training wheels and can be safely cut for other things. Though a new version of the control deck is running Elysian Trailblazer to give Excavate Echo, which lets you loop them infinitely to deck your opponent. I haven’t gone that deep yet!
Forcefield
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 0.5
This a loose trick to play. I would say that your deck is bad if you have to run it in draft and I would say similar things if you played it in ranked.
Friendly Wisp
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 3.5
This is a powerful card as Time decks often are happy to run many 5 attack units. I run three copies in my Time/Justice good stuff deck as a way to help grind against midrange/control decks. It is a solid play to run this and Sandstorm Titan on turn 6.
Hall of Lost Kings
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 1.0
It is very hard to make this work in draft. I have had it played against me in Ranked, but that was very early in the beta. The card is probably just too hard to make work.
Healer’s Cloak
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 0.5
This is a passable card in draft but I wouldn’t try it in Ranked.
Horned Vorlunk
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 0.5
A playable, if unexciting card to include in draft. You shouldn’t touch this in Ranked unless you are just starting out and need to fill out your deck.
Idol of Destran
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 0.5
This isn’t a good card in either format, but at least it can attack and block in draft.
Infinite Hourglass
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 1.0
This is a little less horrible than it looks. Permafrost is such a widely played card, that having a blanket answer to it is nice. The endurance combat benefit is a nice cherry on top. Still not a great card, and hard to find room for it generally.
Initiate of the Sands
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 4.0
I have been not that impressed with this card in draft. Games are rarely decided in the first 5 or 6 turns and thus the ramp seems not as important. In Ranked, the card is very powerful and can lead to some truly broken starts.
Lumen Defender
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 2.5
This card makes attacking a nightmare for your opponent. Pretty much the perfect card for any Time/Primal flying deck in draft as a way to lock down the ground. This card is underrated in ranked, but probably a little too underpowered to make an impact.
Lumen Shepherd
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 1.0
A reasonable body in draft but the rate is too bad for ranked.
Marisen’s Disciple
Draft: 4.0
Ranked: 3.0
Very powerful unit all told. You should be slamming this in draft most of the time. Unfortunately it faces a lot of competition in ranked with Sandstorm Titan, but it can be run alongside it in some builds. Pairs very well with Xenan Obelisk.
Marisen, the Eldest
Draft: 5.0
Ranked: 3.5
Probably one of the best cards in draft in the set as long as your deck is capable of getting to the late game. Criminally underplayed in ranked. One of the better follow ups after your opponent Harsh Rules you. Though it is pretty bad against future Harsh Rules. Pairs very well with the Obelisk as well.
Merciless Stranger
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: .5
If you have enough of the two drop strangers, this can be playable in draft. I am not sure the card is even playable in the ranked stranger deck, though it goes nicely with the quick draw stranger.
Mystic Ascendant
Empower: +2/+2 and draw a card.
Legendary Unit — Mystic
Draft: 4.5
Ranked: 4.0
Very powerful unit, just make sure to play it and a power on the same turn. Pairs hilariously with Vodakhan in Ranked. The Ascendant will run away with the game if left unchecked.
Nomad Healer
Draft: 0.0
Ranked 0.0
I would never play this card in any format.
Oasis Sanctuary
Draft: 0.0
Ranked: 0.0
Also not playable in either format.
Ornamental Daggers
Draft: 2.5
Ranked: 1.5
This card is better than it looks in draft. Being able to make two units slightly bigger is worth the card. There are ways to pump the weapon in your hand or deck with Warcry, Inspire, or Tinker Apprentice. If you pump it even once, the card is great. There is some room for this sort of thing in ranked too – Icaria anyone?
Passage of Ages
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 1.0
There are enough attachments running around in draft that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to play this. I wouldn’t be excited either. Clearly intended to be a side deck card in ranked, one that is great against Clockroaches, but not really a main deckable card right now.
Pillars of Elysia
Draft: 4.0
Ranked: 2.5
Very powerful card in draft, just make sure to play plenty of power in your deck and play it on a turn when you can also empower. I have definitely played it in ranked, but it probably is not quite good enough. You could do worse if you are just starting out and need a finisher though.
Praxis Displacer
Draft: 2.5
Ranked: 1.5
This card does interact nicely against weapons, but there are a lot of 2/2s on the ground that make this pretty bad in combat altogether. If it cost 3, we would be in business in both formats probably.
Predator’s Instinct
Draft: 2.5
Ranked: 2.5
This is an underrated card in both formats. Absurd with Dawnwalker, but also just a fine removal spell if you have enough large units.
Predatory Carnosaur
Draft: 4.0
Ranked: 3.5
Very powerful card which often kills your opponent’s best unit and leaves a 6/6 behind to kill the opponent. Matches up very nicely against Sandstorm Titan in ranked. A strong reason to play a heavy Time deck.
Refresh
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 0.0
I don’t think I have seen this played. It is a very mediocre trick in draft and not playable in ranked.
Sanctuary Priest
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 1.0
Not a good card all the way around. The life gain is not really enough to overcome the unplayable body.
Sand Warrior
Draft: 1.5
Ranked: 0.5
It is hard to get enough time early enough for this to matter. As discussed previously, a 3/2 body isn’t that impactful in draft and certainly not enough in ranked.
Sandform
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 3.5
Another cornerstone of the Clockroach deck, this card is excellent with Echo cards. Still reasonable without them in draft, but not a crazy high pick.
Sandstorm Titan
Draft: 5
Ranked: 5
Perhaps the strongest card in the set on rate alone. I was going to rank it a little lower in draft because it won’t necessarily be amazing on turn 10, but shutting down fliers is a huge game. I would say flying based draft decks are amongst the best archetypes, and they probably can’t beat this card. The card is a cornerstone of most Time decks in ranked and pushes out most other four drops. Luckily, the game is not purely about rate as there are plenty of synergy based decks that can go over the top of this card. As far as a fair game goes, this is pretty much the stones.
Sauropod Wrangler
Draft: 2.5
Ranked: 3.0
A fine two drop in draft which causes you to draft/include a few more 5 attack units. A cornerstone of the Time based ramp decks. Turn 3 Titans for everyone!
Scorpion Wasp
Draft: 4.0
Ranked: 3.0
Great removal card in both formats. Excellent against Aegis units and the common draft strategy of stacking up a unit with weapons. Starting to be underplayed in ranked, but it seems excellent against the Rakano weapons decks.
Secret Pages
Draft: 3.5
Ranked: 4.0
Very powerful card that lets you fix your influence and ensure power drops at no loss in card economy. Enables you to mulligan a bit more aggressively as you are guaranteed at least two power. Essential to help with splashes in draft.
Seer’s Companion
Draft: 1.0
Ranked: 0.0
A very loose final card to include in a draft deck, but otherwise unplayable.
Silence
Draft: 0.0
Ranked: 0.0
I forgot this was in the set! The effect is not worth a card.
Slow
Draft: 0.0
Ranked: 1.5
You can sort of trade for a card in draft if you hit a 6 or 7 drop, but most of the time you are just down a card when you play this. I have seen it do a thing or two in ranked, mostly by targeting a Harsh Rule, but probably not worth a slot.
Steward of Prophecy
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 1.5
A fine body in draft with a somewhat useful ability. This is an example of a card pushed out by Sandstorm Titan in ranked. If this were a 2/2 for 2 or 3/3 for 3, we would be seeing it in ranked I believe. Being able to silence champion cards is a big game.
Striking Snake Formation
Draft: 3.5
Ranked: 2.0
If you have large units in your deck, and lots of them, this card is absurd. Can be combined with Overwhelm units to do lots of damage to the opponent directly while picking off small units. It does require a lot of set up to be good though which keeps it from being one of the best cards in draft. Has its uses in ranked, but usually won’t make the cut.
Synchronized Strike
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 0.0
A fine trick in draft, but not enough going on for ranked.
Talir’s Favored
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 1.5
A playable, if unexciting card in draft. Does not compete well with Secret Pages in ranked.
Talir, Who Sees Beyond
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 2.0
One of my favorite cards in the set from an excitement standpoint. Not great in draft unless you have a majority of Time units. Probably too cute for ranked as well, but it is too fun not to try!
Teleport
Draft: 2.5
Ranked: 1.0
I like that this breaks up weapons in draft, but it doesn’t do enough in ranked.
Temple Scribe
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 3.0
One of the better two drops all around. I have found myself cutting it for Secret Pages in ranked, but it would be the next best two drop a lot of the time.
Timekeeper
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 1.5
The card just dies to silence effects, which is unfortunate because there are too many of them running around in ranked for the card to be playable. It is okay in draft though.
Towering Terrazon
Draft: 3.5
Ranked: 1.0
Excellent rate in draft, should always make the cut. Not enough going on for ranked.
Towertop Patrol
Draft: 2.0
Ranked: 0.0
Not that much different from Dune Phantom, a fine card to play to help against the flying decks. Also a good target for weapons.
Treasure Hunter
Draft: 4.0
Ranked: 1.0
Awesome card in draft. You can’t go wrong with attacking or blocking! Too small of a body for cost in ranked unfortunately.
Twinbrood Sauropod
Draft: 4.0
Ranked: 3.0
The body is just good enough to make the card pretty great in draft and playable in ranked. I like it in the Clockroach deck to give your Crown of Possibilities other big echo bodies to put abilities on.
Unlock Potential
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 2.0
Powerful effect in both formats, especially in conjunction with fliers in draft and token decks in ranked.
Voice of the Speaker
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 3.0
Powerful value two drop in both formats. Combos really well with Vodakhan to draw most of your deck and put all of your power into play in ranked.
Water of Life
Draft: 0.0
Ranked: 0.5
Wildly unplayable in draft. I could see side decking it in ranked against a burn deck, but there are probably better options.
Xenan Guardian
Draft: 3.0
Ranked: 0.0
A fine body in draft that can win games if the game goes long. Not nearly good enough rate for ranked.
Xenan Obelisk
Draft: 5.0
Ranked: 3.5
As long as you draft enough units, this card is bonkers in draft. Widely played in constructed as well. The only thing holding it back from dominance is the cost. This card used to cost 3 and was all over the place. Competing with Sandstorm on the curve hurts it a lot. It pairs really well with the cheap value Time units to make them relevant bodies in the late game.
