Survivors of the Megapocalypse Review for Sealed
Part 2: Nature
1.18.05

Pojo Note:  cecillbill sent this to me Friday Afternoon (1.14.05).  I was gone all weekend, and didn't get to post any of her columns until Monday.  I feel bad.  I'm going to spread these out over the week.  - Bill

Nature Civilization

Nature has many medium to high playability cards for Survivors Sealed. Several of the Double Breakers are amazing and cheap for the format, Nature boasts the set’s most playable Triple Breaker (for Limited), and there’s some weird recursion via the mana zone and cheap deck manipulation. Outside of Fire’s Speed Attackers, the ‘bombs’ for Survivors Sealed are in this civilization.

Crow Winger

There are only three 2-mana creatures in the set. Winger could help you eek a lead out with the shield-breaking race, and its power up effect could come in handy if your opponent drops Darkness or Water creatures. Without the pump effect anything can destroy it, but it’s a quick drop, which equals a shield break in a jiffy if your opponent can’t block and you have it in your first couple of hands.

Rating: High

Brutal Charge

Of the spells in the set, Brutal Charge is awesome for Limited. Miracle Quest lets you thin your deck more per shield broken, but Charge lets you nab the creature you want most. Since your Sealed deck should consist of mostly creatures, helping get the right one in hand is a great asset. Search for your bombs and have your end game mapped out.

Rating: High

Smash Horn Q

Smash Horn Q is one of the quintessential Survivor creatures because it helps many escape Crimson Hammer and Burst Shot and in multiples Searing Wave and Vampire Silphy. In Limited, playing it off another Survivor, especially Blazosaur since it’s very cheap, can help the high priced Survivors get rid of a few creatures. At 3 for 3000 it’s a solid hitter.

Rating: High

Balloonshroom Q

Your Survivors are going to be relatively high targets for direct kills, especially if you have more than 1 out. Ballonshroom can turn that loss into mana—for just itself or your other Survivors, and possibly accelerate the appearance of a late game fattie. By itself it’s an underpowered Coiling Vines.

Rating: Medium

Enchanted Soul

Builds up your mana. At the 4 drop I’d rather cast creatures. I’m not sure using a midgame turn building up mana with a spell is the best thing to do in Limited. I’d much rather this type of effect where tacked onto a creature or a cheaper spell (which we’ll get soon). That’s why I like Kulus over Glory Snow for this format.

Rating: Low

Bloodwing Mantis

As soon as you see a 5 mana Double Breaker you know there’s going to be some sort of drawback. Mantis makes you lose 2 mana when it attacks (the cards must be creature cards), but the cards go to your hand. It’s like a smaller Earthstomp Giant. Whenever you can you should choose 2 creatures with 4 or less mana costs so you can summon them relatively soon following Mantis’ attack. Use with caution.

Rating: Medium

Ambush Scorpion

5 mana for 3000 power isn’t good without a useful effect, but the power attacker ability helps smooth out the cost in Sealed. Being 6000 on the attack can hit several of the Double Breakers in the set and a good number of other creatures. Once it’s tapped many things can hit it.

Rating: Medium

Obsidian Scarab

A solid 6 mana Double Breaker. Its power is low, so don’t expect it to last long in the face of other late game fatties. Be mindful of the Nature/Light slayers from Darkness. Its effect of replacing itself when it dies is for the most part negligible due to its rarity. Rating: High

Moon Horn

Nice 6000 for 6 mana Double Breaker. If your opponent has some Darkness and Water creatures out then it gets additional 1000 power for each of those creatures. Even without a pump effect this is still a creature that can help push for the win.

Rating: High

Avalanche Giant

Play it. It can’t attack creatures, but even if this 6 mana 8000 Double Breaker is blocked it will take a shield. Play it.

Rating: High

Scissor Scarab

There are 4 Giant Insects in the set, and 2 are common. Its search effect might nab you another creature in hand, so if you have more than one Giant Insect consider playing Scissor. Its power for cost leaves something to be desired. If you have no other Giant Insects in your deck weigh out your other options at 7 mana.

Rating: Low

Nocturnal Giant

It can’t attack other creatures, but I don’t care. It’s 7 mana, slams for 3, and nets 14,000 power on the attack should anything block its path to destruction. If I pull this puppy then I’m playing it. Period.

Rating: High

The Nature hitters in this set are great for Sealed deck. You should be very happy when you bust open some Nature cards at the Release. Well, that is if you get more than Enchanted Soul and Scissor Scarab. ; )