Lost Caverns of Ixalan is a brewer's set and we'll be going over the rest of the cards that didn't make my Top 5 list. As I said before, this is a mechanic heavy set so we got a lot of role players and not too many standalone powerhouses. With plenty to brew with, lets get this party started!
Greedy Freebooter
Greedy Freebooter is unlikely to impact the meta but this is a sweet card for brewing. Plenty of fringe brews may be interested in another copy of Shambling Ghast. Mono-Black Sac and the Treasure brews with Mirkwood Bats come to mind. Now, is this better than Shambling Ghast? Short answer is probably not because the -1/-1 mode on Ghast is relevant in a format with Arbor Elf, Gingerbrute, Squadron Hawk, Moon-Circuit Hacker, and the list goes on. I think it will be correct to run a mix of both as the scry 1 on Freebooter is especially valuable in combo/synergistic decks that want to find certain peices. Mirkwood Bats anyone? Treasure decks with Bats, Reckless Fireweaver and Nadier's Nightblade need to find these pay offs to win and Freebooter does that.
Tectonic Hazard
This is a boring entry but its worth mentioning so lets get it out of the way early. This is copies 5-8 of End the Festivities. Go nuts.
In the Presence of Ages
In the Presence of Ages is an odd card to evaluate. I think this is a little weak for Ponza, and Tortex is in the Pauper graveyard at this point. Walls Combo or Walls Cascade? This is probably worse than Lead the Stampede in those decks. This does fuel the graveyard for the Golgari Exhume decks but this doesn't find an Exhume if you're missing it. This is still a green instant speed Divination with upside so it's worth keeping on our radar if you're working on a graveyard deck.
Miner's Guidewing
Step aside Segovian Angel you've been powercrept. I'm considerably high on this card becasue it straight up replaces Angel in my Weenies deck. That deck runs Martyr's Soul and this allows you to chip in some damage the same turn you convoke. Additionally, having a surplus of fliers in your Guardians' Pledge deck is sweet. Explore isn't the craziest line of text but I think this card is going to pull its weight in these Weenie lists.
Pathfinding Axejaw
I might be way too high on this dino, but I'm here for it. This is Sarulf's Packmate but better. If it draws a card by hitting a land then its a 4/3 Packmate, if it hits a nonland then it does some card selection instead of card advantage, but its a 5/4. Yes, this can still eat a Lightning Bolt with the explore trigger on the stack, but let a guy cook. I would seriously consider this in Ponza. A 5/4 on T2 is likely to happen considering the archetype only runs 17 lands. The card slection is tremendous at milling redunant Utopia Sprawls and Arbor Elf. Cascading into a 5/4 with an ETB could be legit. Our team may or may not have a secret Dinosaur brew that utilizes this so keep your eyes peeled. This also got me wondering if Selesnya Ephemerate could use this to rise from the ashes of its shame and humiliation.
Cavern Stomper
This doesn't have trample but it is thicc af and scrys 2 when it ETB's. The activated ability makes it straight up unblckable against a lot of the meta and a 7/7 blocks Cryptic Serpent all day. Dino tech for a secret brew and could be something I reach for in my ramp strategies.
Armored Kincaller
This could be useful in a dinosaur brew to help gain some life and put a decent body to soak up some damage. Nylea's Disciple is hard to pass up.
Nurturing Bristleback
Another strong dinosaur and genuinely, is this that bad to hard cast? No keywords is kinda cringe in 2023, but this is a lot of stuff for 7 mana. Forestcycling 2 is also cringe, but I think you're happy to play a copy or two of this. Two bodies also makes this relevant tech for reanimator strategies to get around edict effects.
Seismic Monstrosaur
Seismic Monstrosaur doesn't have an immediate home in my mind but I like it. It's another dinosaur, and this is kind of sweet if you can ramp into it. Sacing lands to draw cards is gas and a 6/5 Trample will put the beats on people.
Mephitic Draught
Black got some crazy cards in this set. Generally, this will be worse than Ichor Wellspring and will often be copies 5 and 6. I think being an artifact makes this better than Dusk Legion Zealot and having an Ichor Wellspring that adds devotion for Gray Merchant of Asphodel is gas. This could support the Hopeless Nightmare and Rowan's Grim Search package alongside Tithing Blade. This card has a lot of potentiel and hopefully it can help revitalize some Black-based archetypes.
Basking Capybara
This has basically no shot of seeing meaningful play but let a man bask in the glory of the capybara. A 2 mana 3/3 isn't good enough for modern day Pauper even though descend 4 isn't hard to enable. Perhaps you could whip up and agressive Descend deck with Nimble Mongoose and Werebear, but I will be happy to bask in this beautiful beast's glory. Best flavor text in the set.
Skullcap Snail
Nothing crazy here, but these Virus beetle style cards do make occasional splashes in Ephemerate decks and exiling the card instead of discarding is an upside that makes this card the best of its kind. If you're interested in putting this effect in your deck then Skullcap Snail should be the card you reach for most often.
Kaslem's Stonetree
I'm no Tron player but this seems strong. Finding a Tron land and putting it into play can let you ramp up in a serious way. T3 use this to complete Tron and you're untapping on T4 with 8 mana, with a land drop you can go up to 10 or 11 mana. I know next to nothing about Tron in Pauper, but a Cave-Tron deck is something I'm willing to try brewing. Flickering this seems powerful and flipping into a 5/5 isn't busted but it is free value if you run out of gas. Runaway Boulder
Another new Tron toy? Runaway Boulder is compelling the more I read it. Flash and 6 damage is appealing in a Tron deck with all of these Cryptic Serpent and Tolarian Terrors running amock. This answers threats like Avenging Hunter, Goliath Paladin, and Annoyed Altisaur all day. Cycling 2 puts this over the top for me becasue it cantrips if you draw it in an aggressive match up.
Captivating Cave and Promising Vein
Both of these could see light play in that Cave-Tron deck if you need to get multiple colors going. These are both functional reprints of Cave of Temptation and Shire Terrace but become playable if your deck cares about caves.
Over the Edge
I think Over the Edge is almost playable. I tested it in a few brews that could utilize the explore, explore mode proactively if the Naturalize mode is dead. Honestly my testing wasn't conclusive and this could still be better than I give it credit for. If you're going beatdown with some Green dudes then the double Explore could be reasonable when you're not using this to blow up an artifact land or All that Glitters.
Tinker's Tote
White didn't get a lot of love in this set but Tinker's Tote has the potential to impress when you cast it. Three artifacts for 3 mana is no joke and you can bounce it with Glint Hawk and Kor Skyfisher. All that Glitters, Myr Enforcer, Frogmite are some cards that really appreciate the Tote. You can flicker this and use it for convoke and improivse shenanigans. This is everything Omen of the Sun wishes it was. Tons of brew and meta implications so I'm excited to see what this card can do.
Walk with the Ancestors
Time will tell how potent Discover will be, but this is a lot of value if you can cast it. This could be an option for that janky Dread Return Cave deck that's playing all mana cyclers.
Fungul Fortitude
Two mana protection/scam effects are pretty unplayable. The only place I'd consider this is in a Mono-Black Heroic deck with Warehouse Tabby. That deck doesn't exist without a Tormented Hero, or realistically something like a Bloodsky Berserker downshifts.
Lots of fun cards in this set and I hope you enjoyed my thoughts. If you like what we're doing here then consider following us on YouTube where we post Modern Leagues. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to get updated whenever a new Deck List drops. Moxfield is another place to follow us. Thanks so much for reading and and joining the Fellowship.
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