Scars Spoilers: Part 1

While less than a third of the non-land cards in Scars have been spoiled at the time of writing this, many of them are certainly very powerful, and with the current standard format on the decline its time to start looking forward.

We have 3 Planeswalkers spoiled so far, and being the most obvious "chase" mythics, they seem like a good place to start.

Elspeth Tirel 3WW
+2 Gain 1 life for each creature you control
-2 Put 3 1/1's into play
-5 Destroy all non-land, non-token permanents
4

Lets first compare this card to the old Elspeth. Version 1.0 was most strong by the fact that it cost 4 (a critical turn in the current standard mostly due to jace, bloodbraid, and vengevine), and gained loyalty while making dudes to protect itself. 2.0 is certainly no slouch, since it can make 3 dudes (insert Evan Erwin impression), but by doing so falls into bolt range, and lacks the ability to force through damage by jumping a guy. Because of this, new Elspeth is significantly weaker in something like a GWx aggro deck, though I don't believe it's unplayable in these decks.
However, the real strength of the card comes in a control deck. Making 3 chump blocks is extremely powerful when trying to protect your other walkers, and counterspells can protect it while its at low loyalty. The life gain is also not irrelevent when you add the wall of omens or other defensive dudes you could have. Lastly, being able to +2 and immediately threaten ultimate is good, though Akroma's Vengeace with suspend 1 is not by itself a reason to play the card. Like the old Elspeth and most of the powerful walkers, the fact that all of this guy's abilities are relevent makes it strong.


Koth of the Hammer 2RR
+1 Untap a mountain. It becomes a 4/4 until EOT
-2 Add R for each mountain you control
-5 For rest of game your mountains tap to ping (I don't really like the emblem wording)
3

Wow, I guess they wanted to make a good red walker finally. This guy has a lot going for him. +1 immediately puts him out of bolt range (and the land is immune to bolt as well). It is also an effective 4/4 with haste for 4 mana, which is pretty insane. The -2 ability falls shouldn't be relevent as often, but when it is they're probably dead. Lastly, the ultimate ability should win the game by itself, and it can come down 2 turns after you play Koth.
This card does have some important weaknesses, however. The most obvious is that it takes several mountains to really do anything, so obviously you can't play it in a deck that isn't heavy red. More importantly, this guy doesn't have a built-in way to protect itself and doesn't get much value if immediately removed. The best comparison I can think of is Sarkhan Vol, which was extremely hyped until people realized that none of its abilties were worth the cost and the card always just died.
However, I expect the upcoming standard format to be less hostile towards walkers than previoius ones with the loss of Bloodbraid Elf+Blightning+O-ring+Maelstrom Pulse. Also the card is probably worth it just as an effective 4/4 haste for 4 that's semi-immune to condemn.


Venser, the Sojourner
+2 Blink a permanent you own. Return it EOT
-1 Creatures are unblockable this turn
-8 When you cast a spell exile any permanent
3

This card can do a lot of cool things. The most obvious is re-using enter the battlefield effects, and while drawing an extra card with wall of omens or spreading seas seems weak, I don't think anyone would keep laughing when you blink a titan. In addition, you can use it to untap key permanents, either by getting mana to use on your opponents turn, giving a creature vigilance or getting an extra activation out of a key artifact. Other uses for the card include resetting the number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker, removing problematic enchantments on your own things, and even beating control magic effects.
The minus abilities are less powerful and won't be used as often, and the -8 doesn't even automatically end the game. Regardless, the card will see play, though the fact that it is more narrow in application should prevent it from being in every deck.



Now on to the more straightforward cards

Leonin Arbiter: Haters Gotta Hate. Obviously the hate bear will see play, though keep in mind the effect is symmetric, so I wouldn't recommend it in something like boros.

Grand Architect: This guy seems very strong to me. Much like lotus cobra, it is a fragile mana dude with the potential to make broken plays, but the best part is the fact that it can make mana immediately. Coming down on turn 3, then tapping it and another dude to play a Lodestone Golem puts you very far ahead. By itself, it can make you a steel overseer, everflowing chalice for 1, contagion clasp, throne of geth, etc. While I don't expect people to be tapping 5 guys to mindslaver their opponent, the possibility exists, and 1 drop, 2 drop, Architect+Slaver on 3 is possible just like Lotus Cobra sometimes enabled turn 3 Eldrazi Consription.

Trinket Mage: Everyone should understand why this card is good

Volition Reigns: Its a more color intensive confiscate, with the bonus of untapping if you need it. Confiscate has always been a strong card, and now that planeswalkers exist the effect is stronger

Skinrender: Basically a 3/3 Nekrataal that can kill black dudes too. Has potential.

Contagion Clasp: Depends on the strength of proliferate, but this card isn't bad just for the CIP ability. The benefit of being a mana sink in a heavy instant deck that can fuel up walkers gives the card potential.

Mox Opal: Its a mox that doesn't make mana on turn 1 (I'm assuming you aren't going to be playing multiple ornithopters). By the time you have 2 more decent artifacts, the acceleration is much less relevent, but unlike chrome mox or mox diamond you don't have to pitch a card. Will see play, but I don't think it really should. The heavy artifact decks probably want to be aggro and losing a card for +1 mana on turn 3/4 isn't where you want to be. The control decks just have more consistant options in cards like everflowing chalice.

Sword of Body and Mind: Protection from the 2 least relevent colors in constructed and the mill 10 ability is pretty blank (I mean, you could just give them 4 vengevines), but you get a bear, and who doesn't love bears.

*Aside: Bears Bears BEARS* That was for Gandhi

Throne of Geth: Is better than a 2 costing sorcery that proliferates, and that effect by itself might be playable

Wurmcoil Engine: The "artifact titan" is much weaker than actual titans since it doesn't get value immediately and does nothing if hit with condemn/journey to nowhere/jace bounce. In a heavy artifact deck, it could be a strong finisher, but I would just rather have multiple Lodestone Golems locking my opponent out.



That's pretty much it for now. As of now, I'm not a fan of any of the poison cards, since I don't feel like killing your opponent 1 poison counter at a time with 1/1's, 2/1's, or proliferate is close to playable. The black dragon might be considerable since it could potentially kill in 2 (being the turn after it comes in) plus a little help, but that's it.

Proliferate is a "build around me" mechanic, which I tend to not be a fan of since you end up with situations where the cards in your deck are bad without whatever card you're building around. To me, the cards have to do something on their own, and contagion clasp might be ok there.

~160 more cards to go, so I'll inevitably write more in the upcoming weeks, and expect at least one article focusing on standard post-rotation once the entire set is spoiled.