Alara Reborn is approaching, and card spoilers continue to surface around the internet.  Keeping up with the latest Magic the Gathering spoilers can be a chore.  That’s why here at Gathering Magic we aim to make it easy.  We scour the internet for the latest spoilers from forthcoming sets.  Then we not only react and analyze them on the blog, we post them all on one convenient page!  The following are reviews and wrap-ups of recently spoiled cards from that page.  So prepare for a:

Nemesis of Reason – With no rules text included, this would already be a good card.  It passes the power + toughness / two = casting cost formula.  That seven toughness makes it nearly immune to direct damage, and being black forces our opponent’s choice of removal to be very specific.  Of course those attributes are not what make this beastie special.  Nemesis of Reason is much more valuable as a repeating Glimpse the Unthinkable.  With even marginal support, three or four attacks by this creature and our opponent’s deck is finished.  Another win condition card for blue-black control or the finishing move of a mill deck.  Either way, one nasty Leviathan.

coming soon. . .

Spellbound Dragon – The second reviewed spoiler is similar to our first in a few ways.  First, it provides a decent option as a base creature.  Five mana is not a bad deal for a 3/5 flyer.  Second, it has a borrowed ability we have seen in MTG for years.  An ability we can use in combination with some old strategies (reanimation anyone?), or simply to thin our deck in the late game.  Third, Spellbound Dragon can be used a death blow in the late game.  Granting out attacking flyer an extra three or four power can be a game winning play.

closer. . .

Aven Mimic – At first glance, Aven Mimic is an innocuous 3/1 flyer with a creature buffing ability.  However their are some interesting deck options available here.  In tandem with token creators like Spectral Procession and Cloudgoat Ranger, our little bird wizard can make a deadly flock in short order.  Especially if we can manage to squeeze two Mimics onto the board at the same time.    What makes Aven Mimic even more intriguing is it’s versatility.  Not only can we march out an army of birds, we can gimp any of our opponent’s fatties the turn after they come into play.  Now, the already useful Plumeveil becomes an impenetrable wall and we can turn Godsire and it’s progeny from genuine problem to nuisance.

Unscythe Killer of Kings – Normally, equipment is not a favorite around the GatheringMagic office.  But there are two factors at play here that may sway our opinion.  First is the deliciously pretentious name, “Unscythe, Killer of Kings”.   That name recalls a simpler time when pencil a paper games ruled our lives, and the title of a thing encompassed it’s being.  The second attribute we always crave, a must-deal-with ability.  Our opponent cannot simply take four+ damage every turn nor more than they can let us pile up 2/2 zombies.  Plus, we can then use those zombies to fuel Unscythe (at a measly two mana a pop) even against spot creature removal.  The versatilty of Loxodon Warhammer isn’t approached here, but Unscythe does raise some eyebrows.

Like this article? Try these:

1. Alara Reborn Spoiler Wrap Up (Mythic Edition)
2. Alara Reborn Official Spoiler Review
3. Zendikar Spoiler Wrap-Up (9/13/09)
4. Spoiler Wrap Up – 3/29/09