Mercadian Masques, Magic's 18th expansion, will never be mistaken for one of the strongest. In an effort to avoid any broken cards, the Wizards brain-trust decided to remove anything that could even remotely resemble a tournament winner. Fortunately, as usual, R&D failed and let some real strong cards slip through. This set returns the strongest new concept ever with alternative casting cost cards or pitch cards. The set is also full of 1/1's with cool abilities. As usual, the two new concepts are split with flailing being bad (when I play a spell, I want it to be good for me and not usable for my opponent), and Spellshapers being good. Perhaps the worst thing about the set is how the uncommons seem consistently better than the rares.
Mercadian Masques Top Ten
Squee, Goblin Nabob - Just the thing to pitch every turn to the Masticore.
Saprazzan Heir - Yavamya Elder for blue in a merfolk.
Monkey's Cage - A Snake Basket of 2/2's.
Crash - Lose a Mountain, kill an Artifact.
Vine Dryad - A free creature and a 1/3.
Waterfront Bouncer - The new Tradewind is a common.
Vine Trellis - Don't you love it when they make a good card like Wall of Roots better?
War Tax - Do not make the mistake of thinking this is a weak form of Propaganda.
Misdirection - A free counterspell...what could be better?
