Gatecrash

[LasH]

Full Spoiler is out: http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/gatecrash/cig

Boros charm seems to be one of the best cards of the set. Hope to see more boros action soon

Domri seems playable and synergizes well with wordly tutor.

Ghor-Clan rampager is pretty nice compared to colossal might.

Spell rupture is a slap in tha face for each muc lover

Hellkite Tyrant is my personal favorite card of the set

All other cards r pretty disapointing and overcosted. Did i miss anything good?

[Doks]

Overall, I agree. Unlike RtR, Gatecrash didn't give me that 'wtf so good!?' effect. No Deathrite/Decay/Detention Sphere/Dreadbore/Jace powerlevel cards. There are a few pretty good ones, but nothing that made my jaw immediately drop to the ground.

Boros Charm and Aurelia's Fury will see play imo. The first one in aggro decks, the latter probably in both aggroish midrange and control variant decks. I also find the Dimir and Orzhov Charms interesting, but not much more (yet; guess I will still have to test them). In the right deck they might fit just in. In addition, there is probably a way to abuse that High Priest of Penance.

GTC looks very flavourful, but it just hasn't the number of obviously super strong cards like RtR (which doesn't have to be a bad thing, but I find it unlike that there are more than a very few surprises that time will show).

[MMD]

The set has a quite mediocre power level. I do not see more than a handful of must plays, most of them uncommon:

- Skullcrack - RDW, obv.
- Boros Charm - creature aggro
- Urban Evolution - 4C Scapeshift
- Simic Charm - Swiss knife for aggro control.

There are a lot of playable Mystic/Rares which are nice but IMO there are no must plays in this set like Shaman or Decay. Main reason is that the CC of most of these cards are +4 and there is a very limited deck space for such expensive spells.  

[Nastaboi]

I would not rank Urban Evolution must play in ramp. Ramping from 5 to 7 archieves basicly nothing, as everything you want to ramp into costs 6. Adding one mana to Harmonize isn't worth it, as 4cc is so much better spot in the curve for draw spells.

[PurlQg]

As a ramp player for many years I really agree with nastaboi ramping stops at 4.

This set is solely made for our boring cousins sake. The set is filled with commander cards!

[PurlQg]

Thesbian Stage <- what about this one?

I like the fact that it doesn't come tapped in to play. In control decks like u/w it might be nice to have another rishadan port/maze of ith/etc.

[Tiggupiru]

- The new Gideon is way better than it seems. I first was very reluctant to even try it out, but he did perform quite well. The ultimate is very much a possibility and it's pretty huge one too. The old Upheaval trick of floating mana through it is still good and if Gideon survives his own ultimate, you already have a threat in play. Gideon comboes well with sweepers, defensive creatures and other planeswalkers, so UW control is going to have a new toy. Bear in mind, Gideon isn't going to break anything, just a solid addition to certain control decks. I actually think it's the card of the set, mainly because the rest of the set is weak. Do test it out, I think the current price tag is a bit of a steal.


- Domri Rade is actually pretty decent. It's very narrow, but in a properly built deck, absolute house. It draws cards, kills creatures and the ultimate is pretty powerful if you ever need to get there (unlikely). Feels a lot like Liliana of the Veil: The first ability will generate card advantage if you have enough synergy in your deck and second ability is removal which you can use immediately without PW actually dying. Liliana has better first two abilities and isn't as narrow, but Domri has a better ultimate. I think we haven't seen the last of him (her?). #IDontEvenKnow


- Obzedat, Ghost Council forms the trio of my personal "best card of the set" - nominees along with the planeswalkers. Five mana Five/Five with a good ETB ability is perfectly reasonable, but a built in blink means that you will get around sorcery speed removal at will (note the very useful "may" -word in situation you need a blocker) and will drain them out no matter how much meat is between him and your opponent. Gaining haste from his own blink is just downright mean as you can just go blinking without the fear of losing tempo. Very restrictive mana cost will take him down a couple of notches and being weak to Karakas is not optimal, but at least he is on color that wants to play it's own Karakas.


- Boros Charm is quite good, but it's not Lightning Helix or anything. Still a fine addition to some of the Naya decks, maybe all, haven't tested it at all.


- Skullcrack is a huge boost to monored. Two mana, three damage is a fine deal alone in the deck, but making the best cards against you way worse is going to make several red mages happier. Nice Thragtusk, take three.


- Aurelia seems pretty dangerous. She can deliver massive amounts of damage out of nowhere. Imagine you have a five power worth guys on the board and you play Aurelia. All of a sudden they take sixteen. Potential is obvious, but only time will tell if she actually has enough good things going to off-set the fact that she has to compete with the Titans and Wurmcoil from the slots in your deck. My guess is that she doesn't, but we'll see.


- Urban Evolution is a card I hope to be good enough to see play. Ramp & Card draw is like the two of my favourite things to do and this should be a decent deal for five mana, but like already stated, ramping to seven isn't terribly good. Allows you to cast two spells on the following turn is however appealing as this also potentially finds those things to cast. Dropping Primeval isn't too good when there is an army staring at you, but a four drop and a three drop does have a chance. Evolution followed by land drop and removal isn't excatly haf-bad either. I see no reason to dismiss this immediately. I admit to have smiled a little when Travis Woo suggested using Fog to combo with this.


- Thespian's Stage might be a card. Wasteland to Karakas, Stronghold and Academy Ruin is nice option to have. Let's see if it does something more than just fix some mana. I especially want to clone Ravnica Karoos and Lotus Vales. Has a chance to see fringe play, but probably never becomes a big contender.


- Ghor-Clan Rampager is a big upgrade to Colossal Might. Two more toughness can be useful in some situations, but you also have a decent body if you have no creatures to pump and that is excatly what the pump spells have been missing in the past. Sure, you can't use this as a defensive trick, but in those situations, you can just play him as a dude. Trample helps too.


- Prime Speaker Zegana draws enough cards to be good. Mulldrifter is fine as a draw two, but Zegana can just go beyond bonkers and she will get some muscle too, so not only she can supply gas for the rest of the game, but she can also end the game in quick fashion.


- Signal the Clans I don't mind playing in Naya. Let's face it: Eladamri's Call is a pretty stupid card and making it slightly weaker isn't enough to make this unplayable.


- Enter the Infinite probably makes Dream Halls less clunky. There shouldn't be need to play several cards that you can't ever cast once this comes in. I approve this.


- Sylvan Primordial has a good potential to be a NO target here and there. Woodfall Primus costs eight and the persist doesn't trigger all that often and pretty much never when you need it to. Ramping isn't horrible if you are ramping further or reanimating. This get Dryad Arbor too. Primeval is still better, since it's castable, but Primordial occupies a different slot so there are no overlapping.

[MMD]

Urban Evolution - Accepted - changed "Ramp" into "4C Scapeshift"   

...where this card is a must play IMO as ramping + card draw is huge here and it is not that important in which turn you ramp to 7, you just have to do it ASAP. Also there are several combinations where you ramp into 5 Mana (Kodama´s Reach,  Yavimaya Dryad, Search for Tomorrow...). I´ll bet on this for Scapeshifts feat. Islands.

@ Tiggupiru: Agreed on all of your proposals (except Sylvan Primordial)

...but all most of these cards have the problem I mentioned. They are either very difficult to cast and/or expensive (e.g. the guild leaders), need a very specific game state or are just another card option (Gideon, Domri Rade...).

I don´t see any of these cards as autoincludes or even make any deck type better than it currently is. Most of them will probably stay in the binder in the end. Even Gideon, which you vote for the best card of the set, does not have the autoinclude status for me. Just another option.

I would also add the following cards to the "just another option" list:

- Aurelia´s Fury
- Frontline Medic
- Duskmantle Seer

[GoblinPiledriver]

Best Cards:
Skullcrack  1R                   (4,8/5)
Best Card in set, it prevents regeneration and lifegain. Already Flames of the Blood Hand was played often(mostly in RDW), but this time the efficiency is much higher.
Boros Charm WR                   (4,6/5)
2 mana 4 damage or protection, this card is flexible and efficient.
Spark Trooper 1RRW               (4,5/5)
6/1 haste, trample, lifelink. This card makes 12 lifeswing this is 3 lifeswing per mana.
Ghor-Clan Rampager 2RG           (4,3,5)
A better Colossal Might with a 4/4 trample Body(for the case that you don't have a creature).
Dimir Keyrune                    (4,1/5)
This card fixes mana and attacks planeswalker even against resistance.

Second Best Cards:
Thespian's Stage                 (3,9/5)
Vesuva and Reflecting Pool were played so I see a future for this Theatre.
Obzedat, Ghost Council 1WWBB     (3,8/5)
4 Lifeswing every round with a 5/5 body. But with the highly defined manacost and the fear of an opponent Karakas this card will see play only a few times.
Domri Rade 1RG                   (3,7/5)
The chance of drawing a card is only 35-40%(and the opponent knows which), the second ability is the same as Ulvenwald Tracker(a card which I see very less played). The ultimate looks good but you need 5 turns for it(and you didn't won). This combination makes the card mediocore. The best combination is not Worldly Tutor with Domri but Sylvan Library(or something else).
Boros Reckoner {W/R}{W/R}{W/R}   (3,6/5)
A card which fit into RDW or WW. 3 mana 3/3 which shots damage.
Gideon, Champion of Justice 2WW  (3,6/5)
I don't see this card as a control card. I see it more as an aggro card. The best ability of Gideon is attacking with an X/X Body, therefore a +X ability is included. Sure you win if you activate the ultimate but you need 5 turns if your opponent has 2-3 creatures in play.
Clan Defiance XRG                (3,5/5)
This looks like a modern Profane Command which can shot 2 creatures and damages the opponent.
Firemande Avenger 2WR            (3,4/5)
If you can attack a few time with the 3-creatures Battalion the Lightning Helix effect wins in a short time.
Master Biomancer 2GU             (3,3/5)
Every creature you play after this 4 Mana guy comes into play with at least two +1/+1 counters.
Cartel Aristocrat WB             (3,2/5)
The perfect sac-outlet for a Pattern-Rector deck.
Crypt Ghast 3B                   (3,1/5)
This guy doubles your black mana and you can pay Exort. The problem is the 2/2 body.
Soul Ransom 2UB                  (3,1/5)
An overworked Control Magic, with an inbuild 4-0 die-effect.
High Priest of Penance WB        (3,0/5)
A walking vindicate, for 2 mana it looks alright.
Simic Charm GU                   (3,0/5)
Giant Growth, Unsummon and Tortoise Formation. This card looks right for an UG-aggrocontrol.

Third Best Cards:
Duskmantle Seer  2UB             (2,8/5)
A Dark Confidant with a 4/4 flying body.
Molten Primordial 5RR            (2,7/5)
A good card for a Reanimator, 6/4 Haste with a Threaten, this could easily make 9 damage out of nothing.
Undercity Plague  4BB            (2,7/5)
Cipher is hard to evaluate. If it works it's gamebreaking, but it will always cost 4BB.
Whispering Madness 2UB           (2,6/5)
This would cycle many cards but the results are unpredictible.
Alms Beast 2WB                   (2,5/5)
4 mana 6/6 beast which gives life for the opponent.
Signal the Clans RG              (2,5/5)
A weaker version of Eladamri's Call with randomnes.
Skarrg Guildmage RG              (2,4/5)
A bear with activatable trample and 4/4 land creature.
Lazav Dimir Mastermind UUBB     (2,4/5)
A hexproof 3/3 creature which becomes a dying creature. The problem of this card is the heavy defined mana cost. The abilitys looks very good.
Legion Loyalist   R              (2,1/5)
A Raging Goblin which gives Trample, First Strike in a 3 creature Battalion.
Enter the Infinite 8UUUU         (2,0/5)
After you cast succesfully this card in a Dreamhalls deck you couldn't loose(just like Conflux).

[Maqi]

I think Duskmantle Seer might make a reasonable splash.

Could there be a Grixis Aggro deck that uses him as a cornerstone?

A deck could possibly be built around cards like

Lightning Bolt
Arc Trail
Forked Bolt
Grim Lavamancer
Fire/Ice
Electrolyze
Dark Confidant
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Delver of Secrets
Sedraxis Specter
Countersquall
Izzet Charm
Duskmantle Seer
Serendib Efreet
Man-o'-War
Snapcaster Mage
Cryptic Command
...

Seems sweet to me. Time will tell, I guess.

[tonytahiti]

i also believe this set is very weak, especially considering how strong rtr was. alot of edh goodies, lots of overcosted "dumb", big stuff.

a card that people havent discusses much here is aurelia's fury. i have a hard time judging the card, what are your opinions on it? it seems to do alot of stuff but i am not sure it does one thing good enough you know. you need to put alot of mana into it to make it have a strong effect.

like lots of people already mentioned, i feel boros charm is the strongest card in the set. for naya this is a dream come true. sweeper protection, and highy efficient burn spell.