Introduction
Welcome to Part 2 of our Kamigawa Neon Dynasty Draft Guide. This time we are examining the Archetypes of each of the Allied Color Pairs in MTG’s latest set.
Whether you're preparing for your next Magic Arena or paper draft don’t sweat it. We’ll take you through what each color pair is attempting to do, highlight which uncommons make the deck tick and explain which commons play a vital supporting role.
The allied color pair archetypes are covered in detail in this guide so you can command the table during your next draft. Without further ado let's get into it.
Rakdos
The theme for Rakdos is ‘artifact sacrifice’. Oni-Cult Anvil, the signpost uncommon, leaves little doubt about this in our minds. It’s an artifact itself, creates artifacts and allows you to sacrifice them too. The great thing about this card is that it's both an enabler and a payoff. Sacrificing artifacts to the Anvil creates 1/1 colorless artifact creatures which in turn can be sacrificed too. This creates a chain of sacrifice which is slowly chipping away at your opponent's life total whilst preserving your own.
Dockside Chef is a premium pickup for this archetype as it provides a second sacrifice outlet. This time the payoff is raw card advantage which is better than the drain from the Anvil. Alas however the chef doesn’t provide any additional fodder to be sacrificed later. Sokenzan Smelter is another sacrifice outlet attached to a 2/2 body. Although its effect is limited to once per turn, upgrading artifacts to hasty 3/1 constructs can be a nice way to pressure your opponent.
With three sacrifice outlets available at uncommon, it’s time to find something to feed them with. Handily for us there’s no shortage of common sacrifice fodder. Take a look at Undercity Scrounger. This 1/4 body represents a brick wall in the format but its ability to churn out treasure tokens is what’s most exciting. This repeated source of artifact fodder will be invaluable for the deck. Experimental Synthesizer is another top choice. This artifact gives us a card of value as it enters the battlefield and one on its way too!
Dimir
The theme for Dimir is ninja and rogue tribal. We can clearly see this in the signpost uncommon Silver-Fur Master. This ninja lord has ninjutsu itself, reduces the mana cost of other ninjutsu activations and offers +1/+1 to all your ninjas and rogues. Make no mistake this is a powerful card. Flashing in a lord effect can really mess up combat for your opponent and the mana discount is meaningful too.
Ninjutsu is one of the headline mechanics of the set and this ability is sprinkled liberally on ninjas in both black and blue. Take a look at Dokuchi Silencer. This powerhouse can turn any creature card in your hand into a removal spell. Whilst it plays extremely well in Dimir, a two drop of this powerlevel will be a high pick for any black deck so don’t sleep on it.
Moonsnare Specialist at common however, will be more readily available and a key card for the deck. At four mana it might seem overcosted but the ninjutsu cost of three will make all the difference. The tempo advantage gained by bouncing your opponent's best creature will put you far ahead in racing situations and make it extremely hard for your opponent to stabilize from behind.
Altogether Dimir’s theme is very well supported. The key to success, however, lies in finding cheap, evasive threats which can enable the ninjutsu ability. The best such cards also have relevant enter the battlefield abilities. This allows us to gain even more value when they’re replayed from the hand. Take Network Disruptor for instance. At first glance this might not seem like an exciting card. However, it's an evasive one mana creature with a relevant ETB. This is exactly what’s needed to make the ninja deck tick.
Azorius
The theme for Azorius is vehicles. Take a look at Prodigy’s Prototype. This artifact vehicle can be crewed for the low cost of two and spits out pilots when it (or another vehicle) attacks. Cheap to activate and providing its own crew members, this vehicle is powerful without a doubt.
The problem with this deck theme is that, whilst strong, having too many vehicles in one deck can be problematic. Drawing a fist full of vehicles and nothing to pilot them is a total disaster. As such it's sensible to draft only the most powerful vehicles you see and keep the total number low relative to your creature count.
Looking at the common and uncommon vehicles the power level isn’t overwhelming. Imperial Recovery Unit however, is one of the better cards among them. With a crew cost of 2 this vehicle can return two drops from the graveyard to your hand. In a low curve deck it promises to buy back multiple cards making it a threat your opponent will need to deal with.
High-Speed Hoverbike is another card to be on the lookout for. With flash, flying and a crew cost of just one, this little guy has efficiency written all over it and is a great pick up for this deck.
If you’re lucky enough to draft one of the more powerful vehicles available at rare, then you may need some additional help to crew them. Anything with a cost of four can be crewed alone by Hotshot Mechanic. Whilst the tokens from Born to Drive can each crew a vehicle with crew cost of 3 or less.
It always pays to be careful when playing with auras and Born to Drive is no different. However there are spots when enchanting an evasive creature or vehicle might just win you the game. Whilst channeling this card will usually be the right play, having the option of hard casting it is pure gold.
Gruul
Gruul's signpost uncommon Invigorating Hot Spring clearly points us in the direction of modifying creatures - and then hastily attacking with them! This enchantment can place a +1/+1 counter on up to four separate creatures as well as giving all modified creatures haste. Aggressive players might not be happy about taking a turn off to cast an enchantment but the potential upside is huge! Giving a bunch of creatures a +1/+1 counter and haste is big game and should make up for the tempo loss.
Gruul’s theme is well supported at the lower rarities. Upriser Renegade and Akki Ember-Keeper are two solid payoffs for the deck. The first goes tall and works especially well with modifications that provide trample. Whilst the second spits out 1/1 spirit tokens which in turn are very happy to be modified themselves.
In terms of enabling these synergies, Coiling Stalker provides an excellent way to get +1/+1 counters on your creatures whilst remaining aggressive. Simian Sling on the other hand, is an excellent one drop which can peck in for some early damage before being used as an equipment later in the game.
Selesnya
The theme for Selesnya is one that rarely fails to get drafters excited - enchantments matter. The color pair’s signpost uncommon, Jukai Naturalist, is a lifelinking 2/2 that reduces the mana cost of enchantments by one. Given the abundance of sagas in the set, not to mention cards with the enchantment creature type, this ability is highly relevant.
One of the top payoffs for this archetype is the Sky-Blessed Samurai. This 4/4 flier costs one less to cast for each enchantment you control. Getting the cost of this card down to six mana would make it reasonable whilst at five mana or less it's starting to look like great value. Either way it's an oppressive finisher that your opponent will be forced to deal with.
Another great payoff for this archetype is the Generous Visitor. This little guy is a one drop creature that throws around +1/+1 counters whenever enchantments enter the battlefield. Build your Selesnya deck correctly and you can expect this to be occurring pretty often! It’s worth noting that sagas will trigger the frog twice; once when they first enter the battlefield and again when they return as an enchantment creature.
Taking a look for archetype enablers, it's not long before we stumble across Spirited Companion. Whilst the 1/1 body might seem unimpressive, the card text contains the best three words in the English language - draw a card. For Selesnya in particular the creature type ‘enchantment’ pushes this card over the edge. Not only will this draw you a card when it enters the battlefield but it will trigger your enchantment matters abilities too.
