Khans of Tarkir: Type 4 review

So the complete set of Khans of Tarkir has been revealed, so I'm going to do a first impressions post, focusing on my favorite format, Type 4 (aka Limited Infinity, DC10, Stack).  If you're not familiar with the format, the main rules are you have infinite mana and can only play 1 spell a turn.  One player builds a stack of cards (like a cube) and either you draft said stack or just split it into chunks and play.  With that out of the way, let's begin!

End Hostilities: Another wrath effect.  As someone with a pretty large stack I'm always looking for more wraths.  Not super exciting, but if you need it you need it.

High Sentinels of Arashin: This card isn't one I would play (goes infinite on its own) but if you're into that go nuts.  There's a few cards like this in the set so I'll probably just mention them in passing.

Kill Shot: Probably fine if you're on a strict budget or playing a common/uncommon stack, but higher power stacks will look elsewhere.

Smite the Monstrous: Low power, but still gets the job done most of the time.  If you need more spot removal on a budget, go nuts.

Cancel: generic countermagic is still countermagic.  I play it and it does it's job.  Never exciting but always nice to have if you don't have tons of counterspells.

Clever Impersonator: The nonland requirement seems unnecessary, and is a little saddening, but this card is the real deal.  Copying anything on the board is excellent, and while occasionally it might be stranded on a recently Planar Cleansinged field, still a card most stacks will be happy to have.

Dig Through Time:  I play Inspiration because instant card draw is good.  This is instant double impulse, which is better.  Autoinclude in basically every traditional stack.

Disdainful Stroke: Worse than cancel, but see my notes on that if you're wondering if you should play this.

Icy Blast: Not super exciting, but I'll probably end up trying this out.

Kheru Spellsnatcher: Best Type 4 card in the set?  Another in the long lineage of voidmages, Spelljack Apprentice is super awesome and is an autoinclude in even the most high power stacks.

Pearl Lake Ancient: If you play with the ability to use his last ability, he's basically unkillable save for split second.  If you don't, he's still an excellent fatty.  Flash and can't be countered are sweet together, and don't forget prowess.  Autoinclude in most stacks.

Thousand Winds: Seems fine.  Can screw up alpha strikes and can waste people's time.  Playable.

Treasure Cruise:  If you play Harmonize (like me) you'll end up playing this too.

Waterwhirl: I had an experiment playing with this sort of tempo card recently.  They are pretty mediocre.  Probably fine in budget stacks, but save your time in higher power ones.

Weave Fate:  Play Inspiration?  Play this.

Empty the Pits:  Oh look, infinite zombies.  Infinite stack only

Murderous Cut: Play Murder?  Here's another version.

Necropolis Fiend: Not the most exciting body, but his ability is nice.  I'll probably end up trying him out, and though I doubt he's good enough for my stack, newer stacks will probably welcome him.

Ashcloud Phoenix:  Exile is the only way to stop this guy from killing the table.  And do not mistake it, this guy will kill the table.  2 damage to everyone, again and again and again is no joke, and a 4/1 flyer can get in there, especially after a wrath.  Easily going to toss him in once I get a copy.

Crater's Claws:  Strictly worse Fireball for those who play with infnity stacks.  Probably not even worth playing honestly.

Dragon-Style Twins:  Double Strike is a beating, and the ability to make these guys pretty good size by casting random draw spell #23 is nice.  Probably not good enough, but I'll give the twins a whirl.

Jeering Instigator:  I'm a fan of morphs with sweet abilities, are you?  Easy include in most stacks.

Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker:  If you have a random copy lying around, go nuts.  Me, I'm not interested.  Abilites are all too small scale, and not being able to cast instants with the ult hurts.

Hooded Hydra: infinite/infinite, then infinite snakes.  If you errata him to only be morphable pretty fun in normal stacks but not that good.

Meandering Towershell:  What the hell?  A 5/9 islandwalk is cool, and he survives wraths which is nice, but a bizarre card.  Still probably playable and good.

See the Unwritten: a random dude off the top of your deck is fine.  2 is better.  Playable card.

Windstorm: The saddest wrath excuse ever.  I've played it before so if you're just making a stack don't be embarrassed.

Abzan Charm:  First off, all charms are playable, even if their individual card effects wouldn't be.  Options are super awesome.  This one in particular is really good.  Each ability is situationally relevant.  First one is probably going to be the most used, but instant Sign in Blood is always nice, the the 3rd will kill someone out of nowhere.  Don't bash combat tricks before you've lost to one.

Ankle Shanker:  If you play a creature combat heavy stack this guy is the nuts.  If not he's either a kill spell for a random creature or a 2/2 unblockable.  Interesting card and not unplayable.

Avalanche Tusker:  Lower power level, but probably playable in many stacks.

Crackling Doom:  Top 5 card for sure, killing multiple guys, doming everyone, and keeping your guy chilling is always excellent.  Play it if you got it.

Deflecting Palm:  Good card in infinity stacks, ok elsewhere.

Duneblast:  Excellent wrath effect, killing their teams and keeping your best guy is always welcome.  Better than most wrath's out there, auto include in basically every stack.

Flying Crane Technique:  My favorite art and name of the set is an interesting card.  I initially wrote it off, but as a defensive play you don't get much better than this.  Try it out, it won't be very much.

Ivorytusk Fortress: Semi-playable body, interesting ability.  Nothing to write home about.

Jeskai Ascendency:  Spending a turn on this isn't exciting, but it does so much that it'll probably be worth it.  See notes on FCT.

Jeskai Charm: Pretty subpar abilities tbh, but still a playable card.  Don't underestimate 4 damage as a way to kill people.

Kheru Lich Lord:  Randomness is a little weird, but free value is always nice.  Body is mediocre but still fine.  Overall playable in many stacks.

Mardu Charm: Probably the worst charm, but still has instant speed Duress.

Mardu Roughrider:  Cool card for budget stacks.  Otherwise not big enough to make the cut.

Narset, Enlightened Master:  They can't target removal her, so they either wrath or you get some number of free spells.  Sure she dies to basically everything in combat, but that ability makes it all worth it.

Rakshasa Deathdealer: A firebreather with regenerate for infinity stacks.

Ride Down: Interesting for the political implications of killing someone's last blocker and letting them die.  Don't knock it immediately.

Sagu Mauler:  A morph that turns into a reasonable body.  I'd probably play it.

Savage Knuckleblade:  If he ends up as a pillar of standard go ahead and trade him, but if not he's a prefectly playable dude in many lower power stacks.

Sultai Charm: Yeah, this is good.  Kills a lot of stuff, and drawing cards is always welcome.

Surrak Dragonclaw:  Wow.  Just, damn son.  He gives Spelljack Apprentice a run for his money for best card.  Overall, top 5 card for sure, autoinclude in any stack with a good amount of creatures.

Temur Ascendency:  Replaces itself soon after playing it, and haste is always fun times.

Temur Charm: It's a charm, it does interesting things, second ability doesn't do anything.  Not much to say.

Trap Essence: If you don't have a dude it's essence scatter, which I've played in the past.  If you do, it's obviously much better.  Playable card.

Utter End: Exiling stuff is fantastic, and instant speed makes this a welcome addition to any removal suite.  Cost will probably be high, but if you have a random one lying around you won't be unhappy.

Villainous Wealth:  In infinite stacks, this probably reads kill the table.  If you want that go nuts.

Zurgo Helmsmasher:  The second line of text is unnecessary, because you're going to be smashing face with this guy all day.  Nothing too fancy to discuss here, just attack with him and things should be good.

Ugin's Nexus:  If you have a heavy extra turn/artifact theme thisis probably playable.  If not, meh.


And that's it for my Khans of Tarkir Type 4 set review!  If you think I forgot something or want more of my thoughts on a particular card, let me know!  Thanks for reading!

An Introduction

Hey there everybody!  I'm Jack, known as lordfrezon on the internets.  I'll be posting a lot about anime, Magic: The Gathering, League of Legends, and other nerdy ass shiz.  There will be reviews of stuff, my thoughts and rants, along with pretty pictures!  And if you think I should be doing something, let me know and I'll tell you why you're wron- I mean I'll check it out.  So enjoy!