A very interesting spin (and very in-flavor for
Esper) on your typical draw spell. You are,
overall, paying four mana to draw two cards, but
this has a few advantages. First, the four mana
can be split into two mana over two turns. This
is great if you get stuck on two or three lands
because you can still draw two for four mana
even if you don't have that much available.
Second, a blue deck can play this on turn 2 and
then hold up counter mana until they don't play
a counter, then pop it end of turn for 2 cards.
Overall I see this little common getting lots of
play in blue control decks
In limited, it's good for similar reasons. I
would probably play this if I got it, especially
if I was playing Esper.
Constructed - 3
Casual - 3
Limited - 3
David Fanany
Player since
1995
Courier's Capsule
I like this card (and the other two similar ones
in Alara) for the same reason I've always liked
Nemesis and Planar Chaos' Seals of Fire,
Primordium, and so forth. You can pay for them
early in the game, and they'll wait around until
you need them. The extra flexibility is often
worth the risk of them being removed before you
get a chance to use them. The only wrinkle is
that after everything that's happened with the
Mirrodin block, lots of people in every format
are going to be gunning for artifacts and are
likely to have things like Akroma's Vengeance,
Kataki, and Viridian Shaman close at hand. It's
still worth playing, though.
Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Miguel
Monday 10-13-08
Courier's Capsule
Constructed:
Ancestral Vision has some big shoes to fill when
it left standard. Blue still has Ponder and
Telling Time for draw, this is one of Shards of
Alara's addition to blue's drawing power. It is
basically four mana for two extra cards. Not
bad, could see some play in standard. It is good
Naturalize bait also.
Casual:
Fun card for any blue base artifact deck.
Limited:
Sense this PTQ season is Shards of Alara sealed
than this subject should be hot. Number one
ulitity card for picking in my seal pool. Will
always pick this card if blue is one of my
colors. Draft not that high of a pick. Would
expect to see it come around the table, maybe
once. Once the blue mages pick some solid
creatures first, than I would expect this card
next.
Overall a solid common for blue to draw more
cards. Should see alot of play at all levels of
play. You can even get it back with Sanctum
Gargoyle.
Nice card. For the same mana you get
concentrate, except this lets you play it with
smaller installments. this can be especially
important if you dont hit your 4th land. I can
see it finding a place in blue control. Lay it
turn 2 if your on the play and then pop it later
if they dont play anything worthwhile
countering/bouncing etc. Also fits nicely with
the new Esper theme. In draft I wouldn't
complain if I saw this, it draws into
answers/threats and if your palying Esper then
thats a bonus.
,
Sacrifice Courier's Capsule: Draw two cards.