Jace Reawakened – Outlaws of Thunder Junction
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2024
Ratings:
Constructed: 4.00
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4.00
Multiplayer: 3.50
Commander [EDH]: 4.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
We knew this was going to happen. We just didn’t know when exactly it was going to be, or that it was going to be quite like this. While these are mostly things Jace has done in some form before, I think the +1 to plot any card is interesting. It might be a card that intrinsically has plot but usually for a higher cost, or it might be something which you want to keep out of reach of Duress and similar effects. On top of that, it reminds me of the original Oko card’s abilities, since it’s adding loyalty as it changes the game. His ultimate promises a very big turn that should always win the game, much like a storm card that you can stop by attacking. Even with the restrictions on when you can cast him (or the need for Leyline of Anticipation), I think he plays a lot better than he looks, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he just takes over games.
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
Somehow, Jace returned.
It turns out that Jace survived the events of March of the Machine, albeit not without some lasting damage, and he reveals himself at the end of Outlaws of Thunder Junction to take the treasure they’d been looking for and make for the exit with his gorgon girlfriend. His late appearance in the story is sort of cleverly worked in to his passive: while he only costs two mana, he can’t come out for the first three turns…that you take. If you can flash him in on an opponent’s turn, you can get him out a bit sooner, so there is that.
This Jace is…interesting, all in all. The main attraction is actually his ultimate, which plays very well with plotting and just casting lots of spells. And, conveniently, one of his +1 abilities lets you plot a cheap spell from your hand. The other is looting, which isn’t terrible and can help dig for spells to set up with his ultimate. Note that his ultimate copies all spells you cast on that turn, so this can get really sticky in short order.
I think this Jace is interesting as a card; he’s dangerous, but he comes out (usually) a bit later and can’t protect himself. This is a rare planeswalker whose appeal is mostly in that ultimate, though plotting does have a lot of potential benefits that makes him worth testing out. I do think his mana cost is exploitable enough to earn consideration, even in formats that might seem a bit faster than he’d like, thanks to flash doing a really nice job of getting round his limitation.
Constructed: 4
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4 (won’t win you a game alone, but quite potent when played around)
Multiplayer: 3
Commander [EDH]: 4
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