(EDITOR'S NOTE: Normally, we're not publishing set reviews from non-Pros these days because they tend to be tedious - but in this case, we have someone who's played the format for a few weeks and claims to have some insight. Some of the conclusions the author's drawn seem a little counterintuitive - is Convoke really so powerful that you can base a whole strategy around having four or five creatures out at all times? Can a whole archetype be just written off? - but on the other hand, Sealed archetypes have often turned out to be very different from what people thought they would be based on the spoilers. If you'd told me that Glory Seeker would be a stalwart of Onslaught Block Limited just before the prerelease, I would have laughed.

(Thus, consider this lengthy article as a starting point for a discussion on what archetypes are good in Ravnica, and how to play them. If you've played Ravnica Limited and have an opinion, tell us what you think is the right strategy in the forums. If you haven't played it yet, come back after the Prerelease and speak up!)

The difference between theory and practice can be huge. Take hiking, for example. In theory, you know you need good footwear for a fifty-mile trek. It takes just one sad experience with beautiful, new, stiff hiking boots to teach you it's better to stick with worn-in shoes - even the Nikes you wear to school - rather than deal with the blisters and serious pain that accompany new boots.

Magic Limited is a realm where theory can be powerful - but it's no substitute for experience. Like many of you, I have perused the Ravnica spoilers with interest. Looking at the spoilers, a reasonably thoughtful player can identify many good cards and throw out a lot of bad cards.... At least in theory. But theory can't substitute for experience.

So what's my experience? Well, I've been playing on-line Ravnica proxy games, primarily Sealed deck and Drafts, for the last two weeks. Here are the lessons I have learned from my experience that you can apply at the Prerelease.

Three Archetypes to Play
There are three strong archetypes in Ravnica Limited:

• Golgari (B/G) - Big beats backed up with removal
• Selesnya (G/W) - "Saproling wave"
• Boros (W/R) - Tempo.

Blue is awful as a color. U/B mill decks look playable on paper, but end up just flopping to aggro. You would do well to look first to one of these three archetypes.

Golgari:
B/G is a deck with a lot of meat. The deck runs medium to big creatures that keep on coming via the Dredge mechanic. Black provides necessary creature kill. B/G gets a bit of mileage out of splashing for Blue, but in general sticking to B/G is stronger. If there is no Blue splash, mana fixers and accelerators are not really too important (surprisingly). Usually, another hefty body is better than an otherwise excellent mana fixer such as Llanowar Dead.

You have access to discard with Golgari, but discard is not very useful in the triple-Ravnica format. Bombs for Golgari are: Helldozer, Primordial Sage, Ursapine, Grave-Shell Scarab, Woodwraith Corrupter, Gleancrawler, Dimir House Guard, Hex, Necroplasm, Woebringer Demon, Golgari Grave-Troll, Moldervine Cloak, Vulturous Zombie, Golgari Guildmage, and Plague Boiler.

Selesnya:
G/W creates a ton of 1/1 Saprolings. A typical Selesnya win involves a long game with inevitability where the G/W army grows, and grows, and grows, and finally an alpha strike puts the opponent away. G/W has access to enough fliers that the Saprolings can be chump blockers while the air force has its way with the opponent.

G/W can easily splash Red to great effect, since it needs to make sure it can deal with evasion creatures. While G/W has many tools to kill fliers, Fear creatures are a real problem, and what removal G/W has must be dedicated to dealing with Fear. As with Golgari, mana fixers abound but really are seldom needed.

Bombs for Selesnya are: Hour of Reckoning, Flame Fusillade, Primordial Sage, Ursapine, Glare of Subdual, Gleancrawler, Master Warcraft, Pariah's Shield, Root-Kin Ally, Scion of the Wild, Loxodon Hierarch, Tolsimir Wolfblood, Vulturous Zombie, Golgari Guildmage, Selesnya Guildmage, Bottled Cloister, and Crown of Convergence.

Boros:
W/R is a great tempo-based archetype that seeks to blow the opponent off the board. Those of you who rocked in triple Champions with Samurai decks will love Boros builds.

Bombs for Boros are: Master Warcraft, Hunted Dragon, and Boros Guildmage.

The Cards, Rated for Archetypes
I'm ignoring the crap cards that look like crap cards on paper, so recognize that this is not a card-by-card walkthrough even if it is fairly lengthy. The only time I'll list a bad card is when it doesn't look like dreck until you try to play with them.

Ratings Key (0 to 4 stars):

• 1/2 to *1/2 = Unplayable
• ** = Filler
• **1/2 = Solid choice
• *** = No-brainer maindeck
• ***1/2 to **** = Bomb/First-pick quality

Auratouched Mage
5W
Creature - Human Wizard 3/3, Uncommon
When Auratouched Mage comes into play, search your library for an Aura card that could enchant it. If Auratouched Mage is still in play, attach that Aura to it. Otherwise, reveal the Aura card and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
W/R ** / G/W ***

There are a fair amount of good "Aura-Enchant Creature" cards that you would want on Auratouched Mage in Green, Black, and Red. Auratouched Mage is solid material for the G/W maindeck, since W/R has trouble getting to 5W.

Bathe in Light
1W, Instant, Uncommon
Radiance - Choose a color. Target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it gain protection from the chosen color until end of turn.
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

This is a solid finisher for both W/R and G/W. For W/R, the card is a bit more effective than it is for G/W.

Benevolent Ancestor
2W, Creature - Spirit 0/4, Common
Defender
Tap: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
W/R * / G/W *

Benevolent Ancestor looks as though it is a solid card... But ask yourself if it fits either the W/R "curve-out beatdown" or the G/W "overwhelm with numbers" strategy, and you'll see the problem. It really doesn't it in, despite being a reasonable card on the ground.

Boros Fury-Shield
2W, Instant, Common
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by target attacking or blocking creature this turn. If R was spent to play Boros Fury-Shield, it deals damage to that creature's controller equal to the creature's power.
W/R *** / G/W **

In W/R, Boros Fury-Shield is well-nigh the perfect defensive card in that it doubles as offense. In G/W, the Shield is just a solid combat trick in a deck with the potential to have a lot of combat tricks, anyway.

Chant of Vitu-Ghazi
6WW, Instant, Uncommon
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Prevent all damage that would be dealt by creatures this turn. You gain 1 life for each damage prevented this way.
W/R * / G/W ***

In G/W, the Chant allows a huge swing in life totals, since the goal in G/W decks is the long build-up to an alpha strike. Chant of Vitu Ghazi allows the G/W mage to enter into alpha strikes earlier because the counterattacks will be useless.

Concerted Effort
2WW, Enchantment, Rare
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if a creature you control has flying, all creatures you control gain flying until end of turn. The same is true for fear, first strike, double strike, landwalk, protection, trample, and vigilance.
W/R *** / G/W *

W/R has enough dorks with flying, vigilance, and first strike to make Concerted Effort worthwhile. Goblin Spelunkers can become very good in a deck with Concerted Effort.

Conclave Equenaut
4WW, Creature - Human Soldier 3/3, Common
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Flying.
W/R *** / G/W ***

In both decks, Conclave Equenaut shines as a beefy and Convoke-cheap flier.

Courier Hawk
1W, Creature - Bird 1/2, Common
Flying, vigilance.
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

This is a fine creature for either deck, even if W/R gets more out of the beatdown. In both decks, the fact that Courier Hawk can be tapped for Convoke after an attack is a nice bonus.

Devouring Light
1WW, Instant, Uncommon
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Remove target attacking or blocking creature from the game.
W/R *** / G/W ***

W/R will use Devouring Light on a blocking creature to keep the beats coming. G/W uses Devouring Light on the biggest, baddest attacking creature. Both decks are thrilled to see play card.

Divebomber Griffin
3WW, Creature - Griffin 3/2, Uncommon
Flying
Tap, Sacrifice Divebomber Griffin: Divebomber Griffin deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.
W/R *** / G/W ***

Both decks get excellent use out of this fine card, but G/W needs it more to kill off fear creatures.

Faith's Fetters
3W, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant permanent When Faith's Fetters comes into play, you gain 4 life. Enchanted permanent's activated abilities can't be played unless they're mana abilities. If enchanted permanent is a creature, it can't attack or block.
W/R **1/2 / G/W ***

The reason Faith's Fetters is better in G/W than in W/R is because G/W's games go on for longer. Thus, the lifegain helps G/W more, and Faith's Fetters is likelier to shut down a large creature.

Festival of the Guildpact
XW, Instant, Uncommon
Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you this turn. Draw a card.
W/R *1/2 / G/W **1/2

G/W can use this card, but W/R doesn't get much from it.

Hour of Reckoning
4WWW, Sorcery, Rare
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Destroy all nontoken creatures.
W/R * / G/W ****

G/W makes a ton of tokens and can make full use of Hour of Reckoning. In G/W, Hour of Reckoning can be a true bomb in the way that even Final Judgment couldn't be - because after the Hour of Reckoning, G/W can have a large board intact.

Hunted Lammasu
2WW, Creature - Lammasu 5/5, Rare
Flying
When Hunted Lammasu comes into play, put a 4/4 Black Horror creature token into play under target opponent's control.
W/R * / G/W **

One way to think about the Hunted cards is to estimate the cost of the token creature, subtract that cost from the cost of the real creature, and also subtract the value of a random card (because the real creature costs a card).

In the case of Hunted Lammasu, a vanilla 5/5 flier is worth between 5 and 6. A 4/4 ground creature is worth between four and five. One way to look at Hunted, then is that it gains a mana value in creatures for 2WW and a card. This is a bad deal.

The only way the card is worth the costs if you can somehow break the symmetry. G/W has enough big ground creatures that could suck up the four power of the token Horror. Thus, in G/W Hunted Lammasu just becomes good enough to play as filler. In the G/W mirror match Hunted Lammasu can be very good because the game is often in a ground stall, and the 5/5 flier can break the stalemate.

Loxodon Gatekeeper
2WW, Creature - Elephant Soldier 2/3, Rare
Artifacts, creatures, and lands your opponents control come into play tapped.
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

The Gatekeeper fits a tiny bit better in W/R's strategy - to slow down opponent's blocking - than it does in G/W's.

Nightguard Patrol
2W, Creature - Human Soldier 2/1, Common
First strike, Vigilance
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

It's pretty obvious that W/R's tempo attack is served better by Nightguard Patrol than is G/W's overwhelming force strategy. Having said that, Nightguard Patrol makes the maindecks of both archetypes with ease.

Oathsworn Giant
4WW, Creature - Giant Soldier 3/4, Uncommon
Vigilance
Other creatures you control get +0/+2 and have vigilance.
W/R ** / G/W ***

Oathsworn Giant obviously helps G/W considerably inasmuch as getting to 4WW is not a problem, and the +2 toughness really helps Saproling tokens survive. But it tends to be too slow for W/R.

Screeching Griffin
3W, Creature - Griffin 2/2, Common
Flying
R: Target creature can't block Screeching Griffin this turn.
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

Screeching Griffin is a solid choice for W/R and a great pick for G/W.

Seed Spark
3W, Instant, Uncommon
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. If G was spent to play Seed Spark, put two 1/1 Green Saproling creature tokens into play.
W/R 1/2 / G/W **

On the face of it, Seed Spark would appear to be great for G/W. However, many of the enchantments in Ravnica have come-into-play effects that are more important than the "main" effects, relegating Seed Spark to mainly sideboard material.

Twilight Drover
2W, Creature - Spirit 1/1, Rare
Whenever a creature token leaves play, put a +1/+1 counter on Twilight Drover.
2W, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Twilight Drover: Put two 1/1 White Spirit creature tokens with flying into play.
W/R 1/2 / G/W ***1/2

In the right deck, Twilight Drover is a total bomb. G/W is the right deck, but only if you've loaded up on Saproling generators.

Veteran Armorer
1W, Creature - Human Soldier 2/2, Common
Other creatures you control get +0/+1.
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

One word: Solid.

Votary of the Conclave
W, Creature - Human Soldier 1/1, Common
2G: Regenerate Votary of the Conclave.
W/R *1/2 / G/W *1/2

There are better one-drop beaters for W/R and better walls for G/W. Votary of the Conclave is filler at best.

Wojek Siren
W, Instant, Common
Radiance - Target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it get +1/+1 until end of turn.
W/R **1/2 / G/W ***

Wojek Siren is a good card, but only really shines in G/W. In W/R, Wojek Siren is a fine if unspectacular combat trick, but pumping seven creatures at once can turn manageable G/W damage into a lethal strike.

Blue.
Don't play Blue. Remember Blue in triple Champions? It was pretty bad, but with Mystic Restraints and Teller of Tales, the color was playable if there were no other drafters at the table. Well Ravnica Blue is the same thing, minus the Teller of Tales and Mystic Restraints.

Having said that, B/G and G/W can both afford a splash in Blue for superior cards. These are the only Blue cards I have found to be worth the bother.

Cerulean Sphinx
4UU, Creature - Sphinx 5/5, Rare
Flying U: Cerulean Sphinx's owner shuffles it into his or her library.
B/G *1/2 / G/W **

What's not to like, eh? A 5/5 flier is good, right? Well, B/G has a lot of beef and really doesn't need more, especially at the top end of the mana scale. G/W is a slower archetype, so the double-Blue in the casting cost is a bit more manageable.

Yes, Cerulean Sphinx is a bomb when it is played. But when your deck already has a heavy commitment to Black or White in addition to Green, color screw will tend to mess up your B/G or G/W deck more than the Cerulean Sphinx will help.

Dream Leash
3UU, Enchantment - Aura, Rare
Enchant permanent
You may play Dream Leash only on a tapped permanent. You control enchanted permanent.
B/G *1/2 / G/W **

Pretty much the same reasoning with Cerulean Sphinx applies to Dream Leash. You may perhaps be able to splash for this in G/W, but forget it in B/G.

Ethereal Usher
5U, Creature - Spirit 2/3, Uncommon
U, T: Target creature is unblockable this turn. Transmute 1UU (1UU, Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as this card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play only as a sorcery.)
B/G *** / G/W ***

Ethereal Usher is a powerful card, and splashing it is fairly painless. B/G tends a bit to have beefier creatures to push through, and G/W tends to have longer standoff games that require breakthroughs. Both archetypes should splash for Ethereal Usher if mana fixers are available.

Flight of Fancy
3U, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature When Flight of Fancy comes into play, draw two cards. Enchanted creature has flying.
B/G *** / G/W ***

Both archetypes can make use of Flight of Fancy. Still, I would need at least two other solid Blue cards (or three mana fixers); I wouldn't splash for Flight of Fancy alone.

Followed Footsteps
3UU, Enchantment - Aura, Rare
Enchant creature At the beginning of your upkeep, put a creature token into play that's a copy of enchanted creature.
B/G *** / G/W ***

This bomb (when it gets out) is worth the splash and the mana-warping needed for either Green archetype.

Hunted Phantasm
1UU, Creature - Spirit 4/6, Rare
Hunted Phantasm is unblockable. When Hunted Phantasm comes into play, put five 1/1 Red Goblin creature tokens into play under target opponent's control.
B/G * / G/W **

Splashing for Hunted Phantasm is just barely worth it in G/W. However, G/W has the perfect set of ground beef to break the symmetry late in the game - and that's the only time Hunted Phantasm will be played when you splash it in G/W.

As for B/G, it wants to be turning ground creatures sideways too much to want Hunted Phantasm's token creatures around.

Snapping Drake
3U, Creature - Drake 3/2, Common
Flying
B/G ** / G/W **1/2

G/W, with its longer game plan, can afford the splash for Snapping Drake fairly easily.

Black
Black provides solid removal for B/G and, more importantly, access to more bodies. In most cases, G/W can afford to splash B for quality bodies, token generators, and removal.

Brainspoil
3BB, Sorcery, Common
Destroy target creature that isn't enchanted. It can't be regenerated. Transmute 1BB (1BB, Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as this card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play only as a sorcery.)
B/G **1/2

It's removal, and it's good.

Carrion Howler
3B, Creature - Zombie Wolf 2/2, Uncommon
Pay 1 life: Carrion Howler gets +2/-1 until end of turn.
B/G **

There is really nothing wrong with Carrion Howler, but B/G has access to stronger creatures in the mid-range.

Clinging Darkness
1B, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets -4/-1.
B/G **

Clinging Darkness is unspectacular, but gets the job done against aggressive creatures.

Dark Confidant
1B, Creature - Human Wizard 2/1, Rare
At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its converted mana cost.
B/G 1/2

This card will kill you dead in B/G. Don't walk; run. There are a few ways in B/G to look at the top card of your library and thus avoid the life loss (or at least minimize it), and B/G tends to overload the top end of the mana curve anyway. Do not play with fire.

Darkblast
B, Instant, Uncommon
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Dredge 3 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
B/G **

This is playable against most decks, since Ravnica has a fair number of one-toughness creatures. In B/G, Darkblast will mostly serve as a chump killer to allow your beef to tangle with medium-size blockers.

Dimir House Guard
3B, Creature - Skeleton 2/3, Common
Fear
Sacrifice a creature: Regenerate Dimir House Guard.
Transmute 1BB (1BB, Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as this card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play only as a sorcery.)
B/G ***1/2

Dimir House Guard is a mini-bomb, and G/W should splash for it. There are several ways to kill fliers in Ravnica, so Fear is generally a much better form of evasion.

Disembowel
XB, Instant, Common
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost X.
B/G ***

Disembowel is superb removal.

Empty the Catacombs
3B, Sorcery, Rare
Each player returns all creature cards from his or her graveyard to his or her hand.
B/G *1/2

Mostly Empty the Catacombs is too symmetrical to matter. If the symmetry is broken, it often is against the B/G mage because archetypes like W/R will often have more creatures in the graveyard. The exception is when the B/G deck is Dredge-heavy; in such a case, consider Empty the Catacombs.

Helldozer
3BBB, Creature - Zombie Giant 6/5, Rare
BBB, T: Destroy target land. If that land is nonbasic, untap Helldozer.
B/G ****

Helldozer is a bomb that is undercosted for its effect on Limited play.

Hex
4BB, Sorcery, Rare
Destroy six target creatures.
B/G ***1/2

Hex can look, at first blush, to be unplayable. "How often is my opponent going to have six creatures?" you may ask. The answer in Ravnica is "all the time." Hex is a bomb.

(This is one of those pronouncements that will turn out to be absolutely true, or really wrong, and I'm very curious to know which is which - The Ferrett)

Hunted Horror
BB, Creature - Horror 7/7, Rare
Trample
When Hunted Horror comes into play, put two 3/3 Green Centaur creature tokens with protection from Black into play under target opponent's control.
B/G *1/2

You aren't going to be messing with the symmetry of Hunted Horror any time soon - at least not in triple-Ravnica B/G. I would not play Hunted Horror in most cases.

Keening Banshee
2BB, Creature - Spirit 2/2, Uncommon
Flying When Keening Banshee comes into play, target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
B/G ***

Keening Banshee is quality removal + evasion + body at a great cost.

Last Gasp
1B, Instant, Common
Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
B/G **1/2

Last Gasp is solid removal for B/G.

Mausoleum Turnkey
3B, Creature - Ogre Rogue 3/2, Uncommon
When Mausoleum Turnkey comes into play, return target creature card of an opponent's choice from your graveyard to your hand.
B/G ***1/2

Mausoleum Turnkey is an excellent source of card advantage accompanying a solid body. B/G can first-pick Mausoleum Turnkey with honor.

Moonlight Bargain
2BB, Instant, Rare
Look at the top five cards of your library. For each card, put that card into your graveyard unless you pay 2 life. Then put the rest into your hand.
B/G ***

B/G has access to a lot of bombs. Those bombs want a lot of land to run smoothly. Moonlight Bargain often degenerates to "mill two lands, mill one small creature, draw one solid creature, and draw one bomb" for four life and a card. That's a great deal for B/G.

Mortipede
3B, Creature - Insect 4/1, Common
2G: All creatures able to block Mortipede this turn do so.
B/G ***

G/W readily splashes for Mortipede, and B/G is thrilled to have it. W/R's Vigilance bites its controller on the butt when Mortipede attacks. Both B/G and G/W have the protective cards to turn Mortipede into a one-sided Wrath of God, given enough mana. It's getting enough mana that is the issue.

The on-color combo that is easiest to pull off is Strands of Undeath + Mortipede. It can eventually kill all your opponent's untapped creatures, and you opponent cannot play another creature again unless that creature has more than four toughness.

Necromantic Thirst
2BB, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
B/G **

If your opponent has removal, this is a two-for-one for them. If not, then Necromantic Thirst can be a backbreaker of card advantage.

Necroplasm
1BB, Creature - Ooze, Rare
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on Necroplasm. At the end of your turn, destroy each creature with converted mana cost equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Necroplasm.
Dredge 2 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 2 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
1/1
B/G ***1/2

Necroplasm kills W/R and Saprolings, making it a bomb against anything other than, B/G, itself.

Netherborn Phalanx
5B, Creature - Horror 2/4, Uncommon
When Netherborn Phalanx comes into play, each opponent loses 1 life for each creature he or she controls. Transmute 1BB (1BB, Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as this card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play only as a sorcery.)
B/G **

With B/G, you expect to have very few creatures stay on the opponent's side of the table (you are killing creatures, or your opponent is forced to chump block). Against G/W, where your opponent is trying to amass ten Saproling tokens, Netherborn Phalanx shines. Unfortunately, it's a bomb against some archetypes but it's horrible against others, which relegates it to an average rating. Draft Netherborn Phalanx, but leave it in the board for the matches where it will help.

Nightmare Void
3B, Sorcery, Uncommon
Target player reveals his or her hand. Choose a card from it. That player discards that card.
Dredge 2 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 2 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
B/G *

Nightmare Void probably strikes you as mediocre. It's worse than that. Discard is not a good strategy in Ravnica. Remember how Honden of Night's Reach was bad in triple Champions? Same crap.

Ribbons of Night
4B, Sorcery, Uncommon
Ribbons of Night deals 4 damage to target creature and you gain 4 life. If U was spent to play Ribbons of Night, draw a card.
B/G **1/2

Against W/R, the lifegain may be relevant. Otherwise, Ribbons of Night is simply solid removal.

Roofstalker Wight
1B, Creature - Zombie 2/1, Common
1U: Roofstalker Wight gains flying until end of turn.
B/G **

Assume that you will never give Roofstalker Wight flying - but even then, Wight is still a playable two-drop. The problem is that B/G doesn't really need the tempo, so playing Roofstalker Wight is really a borderline call.

Sadistic Augermage
2B, Creature - Human Wizard 3/1, Common
When Sadistic Augermage is put into a graveyard from play, each player puts a card from his or her hand on top of his or her library.
B/G ***

A 3/1 for three ain't bad. The problem with Sadistic Augermage is the very real possibility that your opponent will empty his or her hand before you do, and the only player who will be losing a draw will be you.

Sewerdreg
3BB, Creature - Spirit 3/3, Common
Swampwalk Sacrifice Sewerdreg: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.
B/G **

B/G has several better five-drops. Sewerdreg is mostly for the sideboard, but in drafts you will want to hate it out of your opponents' hands.

Stinkweed Imp
2B, Creature - Imp 1/2, Common
Flying
Whenever Stinkweed Imp deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature.
Dredge 5 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 5 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
B/G **1/2

Stinkweed Imp is a slow clock if used for that purpose. The better use in B/G is to keep the skies safe while your ground forces pound away.

Strands of Undeath
3B, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature When Strands of Undeath comes into play, target player discards two cards.
B: Regenerate enchanted creature.
B/G **1/2

Strands of Undeath seems as though it should be more amazing than it turns out to be; after all, it's card advantage and a relevant enchantment rolled into one. The problem I have had with Strands of Undeath in practice is that the discarding doesn't hurt much in this format. The regeneration is actually more relevant to the B/G game plan.

In B/G, Strands of Undeath combos very well with Stinkweed Imp and with Mortipede. If you have two of these guys, then look actively for Strands.

Undercity Shade
4B, Creature - Shade 1/1, Uncommon
Fear
B: Undercity Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
B/G ***

Undercity Shade can win games on its own in B/G. The one toughness (and the possibility that you will face Black) are the only things that keep Undercity Shade from being a legitimate bomb.

Vigor Mortis
2BB, Sorcery, Uncommon
Return target creature card from your graveyard to play. If any G was spent to play this spell, that creature comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.
B/G ***

Vigor Mortis is always good. If you have a lot of Dredge cards, then Vigor Mortis becomes actively amazing in B/G.

Vindictive Mob
4BB, Creature - Human Berserker 5/5, Uncommon
When Vindictive Mob comes into play, sacrifice a creature. Vindictive Mob can't be blocked by Saprolings.
B/G **

There are many better cards to be playing. At 4BB, Vindictive Mob is filler.

Woebringer Demon
3BB, Creature - Demon 4/4, Rare
Flying At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a creature. If the player can't, sacrifice Woebringer Demon.
B/G ***1/2

At worst, Woebringer Demon is a Cruel Edict or it draws out removal from your opponent. At best, Woebringer Demon combines with B/G's other removal to be a dagger in the heart of your opponent, and the game is quickly over.

Red
Red has a lot of goodies for W/R. One major advantage of the W/R archetype is that there is no other guild to suck the Red cards out from under you. Unlike Blue, which also has only one guild sharing the color, Red has a lot of excellent cards, and most fit the W/R archetype handily.

Blockbuster
3RR, Enchantment, Uncommon
1R, Sacrifice Blockbuster: Blockbuster deals 3 damage to each tapped creature and each player.
W/R ***

Ouch.

Breath of Fury
2RR, Enchantment - Aura, Rare
Enchant creature you control
When enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, sacrifice it and attach Breath of Fury to a creature you control. If you do, untap all creatures you control and after this phase, there is an additional combat phase.
W/R ***

Breath of Fury can win the game for the W/R archetype.

Char
2R, Instant, Rare
Char deals 4 damage to target creature or player and 2 damage to you.
W/R ***

Char fits the aggressive "win now, forget the future" W/R strategy perfectly.

Cleansing Beam
4R, Instant, Uncommon
Radiance - Cleansing Beam deals 2 damage to target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it.
W/R **1/2

Cleansing Beam is nice, but mostly W/R wants its burn directed at players. If there are a lot of creatures on the board blocking W/R, those creatures are likely to be too large to be taken down by Cleansing Beam.

Coalhauler Swine
4RR, Creature - Beast 4/4, Common
Whenever Coalhauler Swine is dealt damage, it deals that much damage to each player.
W/R **

Coalhauler Swine is great for W/R.... Or would be, if W/R didn't have severe problems getting to six mana.

Dogpile
3R, Instant, Common
Dogpile deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of attacking creatures you control.
W/R *** / G/W ***

Dogpile can look like a dog or a pile in decks running a few big creatures (like B/G). In W/R, Dogpile does the dirty work of clearing away blockers, and Dogpile does this well. Dogpile is easily splashable in G/W, where those ten 1/1 Saprolings become a huge, unexpected Fireball.

Flame Fusillade
3R, Sorcery, Rare
Until end of turn, permanents you control gain "T: This permanent deals 1 damage to target creature or player."
W/R *** / G/W ****

This is a Red card that says "I win" late enough in the game. It's a good card in W/R, where Flame Fusillade gives the last damage to seal the deal. In G/W, Flame Fusillade makes Disciple of the Vault look like a piker, as all your tiny resources add up to a huge explosion.

Flash Conscription
5R, Instant, Uncommon
Untap target creature and gain control of it until end of the turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn. If W was spent to play Flash Conscription, the creature gains "Whenever this creature deals combat damage, you gain that much life." until end of turn.
W/R *1/2 / G/W ***

Flash Conscription is good - but as I said earlier, W/R really does not get up to six mana very often. G/W and, to a lesser extent, B/G should splash Flash Conscription.

Frenzied Goblin
R, Creature - Goblin Berserker 1/1, Uncommon
Whenever Frenzied Goblin attacks, you may pay R. If you do, target creature can't block this turn.
W/R ***

For W/R, Frenzied Goblin reads "let's race." And who's going to win a race with W/R?

Galvanic Arc
2R, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature
When Galvanic Arc comes into play, it deals 3 damage to target creature or player. Enchanted creature has first strike.
W/R ***

Amazing! A Creature Enchantment that makes sense in a tempo deck! The fact that W/R uses its burn to clear the way for its attack means the sorcery speed of Galvanic Arc is acceptable.

Goblin Fire Fiend
3R, Creature - Goblin Berserker, Common
Haste
Defending player blocks Goblin Fire Fiend if able. R: Goblin Fire Fiend gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
W/R ***

Take your pick. Goblin Fire Fiend is a pile of damage, or it's blocker removal. What's not to like? (Well, the fact that W/R doesn't have a lot of mana floating around, as you've mentioned before? - The Ferrett)

Greater Forgeling
3RR, Creature - Elemental 3/4, Uncommon
1R: Greater Forgeling gets +3/-3 until end of turn.
W/R **1/2

Greater Forgeling looks amazing on paper, but in practice five mana can be a pain for W/R.

Hammerfist Giant
4RR, Creature - Giant Warrior, Rare
T: Hammerfist Giant deals 4 damage to each creature without flying and each player.
5/4
W/R **

Hammerfist Giant looks like a bomb, but W/R cannot pull 6 mana off with enough consistency to use the Giant Warrior effectively.

Hunted Dragon
3RR, Creature - Dragon 6/6, Rare
Flying, haste
When Hunted Dragon comes into play, put three 2/2 White Knight creature tokens with first strike into play under target opponent's control.
W/R ***1/2

Hunted Dragon is the perfect card for the W/R strategy. W/R will ignore the counterattack and will try to kill the opponent the turn Hunted Dragon is played. W/R has the symmetry broken simply by being aggressive and by having a lot of White fliers.

Incite Hysteria
2R, Sorcery, Common
Radiance - Creatures that share a color with target creature can't block this turn.
W/R **

Removal would be better, but Incite Hysteria can allow for extra damage or an alpha strike.

Indentured Oaf
3R, Creature - Ogre Warrior 4/3, Uncommon
Prevent all damage that Indentured Oaf would deal to Red creatures.
W/R **1/2

Indentured Oaf is good, but against the B/G and G/W archetypes, the opponent will trade pretty easily with Indentured Oaf. Against W/R, good luck getting through. Indentured Oaf is one of those creatures that seems better than it really is.

Molten Sentry
3R, Creature - Elemental */*, Rare
As Molten Sentry comes into play, flip a coin. If the coin comes up heads, Molten Sentry comes into play as a 5/2 creature with haste. If it comes up tails, Molten Sentry comes into play as a 2/5 creature with defender.
W/R **

On average, Molten Sentry will be a fine creature for its cost. Even if you win the flip and get the aggressive version, the two toughness relegates Molten Sentry to, for all practical purposes, one-for-one removal for 3R.

Ordruun Commando
3R, Creature - Minotaur Soldier 4/1, Common
W: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to Ordruun Commando this turn.
W/R ***

The Minotaur Soldier is superb in W/R.

Rain of Embers
1R, Sorcery, Common
Rain of Embers deals 1 damage to each creature and each player.
W/R **

Rain of Embers kills many of the cards you will play in W/R, so use Rain of Embers with extreme caution.

Sabertooth Alley Cat
1RR, Creature - Cat 2/1, Common
Sabertooth Alley Cat attacks each turn if able.
2R: Sabertooth Alley Cat can't be blocked this turn except by creatures with defender.
W/R **

The cost of maintaining Sabertooth Alley Cat is prohibitive.

Sell-Sword Brute
1R, Creature - Human Mercenary 2/2, Common
When Sell-Sword Brute is put into a graveyard from play, it deals 2 damage to you.
W/R **

There are better two-mana creatures in W/R, but Sell-Sword Brute is effective filler, and the downside seldom becomes relevant (if W/R loses, it loses to inevitability in a long game).

Sparkmage Apprentice
1R, Creature - Human Wizard 1/1, Common
When Sparkmage Apprentice comes into play, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
W/R **

Sparkmage Apprentice is not good, but the damage can remove a blocker and lead to more creature damage, ultimately.

Stoneshaker Shaman
2R, Creature - Human Shaman 1/1, Uncommon
At the end of each player's turn, that player sacrifices an untapped land.
W/R ***

Take your choice, opponent: Die because you have too few lands, or die from mana burn. Against another fast deck, Stoneshaker Shaman is a joke. Against slow decks, Stoneshaker Shaman is a sick joke. (Does the fact that the symmetry hits you first mean anything? - The Ferrett, very skeptical of this rating)

Viashino Fangtail
2RR, Creature - Viashino Warrior 3/3, Common
T: Viashino Fangtail deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
W/R ***

You will ping creatures to open the way, and you will smash against opponents once the way is open.

Viashino Slasher
1R, Creature - Viashino Warrior 1/2, Common
R: Viashino Slasher gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
W/R **

Viashino Slasher's extra damage possibility is nice, but W/R doesn't want to tie up its mana.

War-Torch Goblin
R, Creature - Goblin Warrior 1/1, Common
R, Sacrifice War-Torch Goblin: War-Torch Goblin deals 2 damage to target blocking creature.
W/R **1/2

You have plenty of options in W/R for quality tempo creatures. War Torch Goblin is just one of them.

Wojek Embermage
3R, Creature - Human Wizard 1/2, Uncommon
Radiance - T: Wojek Embermage deals 1 damage to target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it.
W/R **

Wojek Embermage looks great on paper. The only problem is that W/R usually does not face a lot of creatures all at the same time, so the Radiance mechanic is not a lot of use.

Green
G/W and B/G both draw on the deepest color in Ravnica.

Birds of Paradise
G, Creature - Bird 0/1, Rare
Flying T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
G/W ** / B/G **

Tempo doesn't matter much for either Green archetype, so Birds of Paradise is barely relevant to G/W's or B/G's strategy.

Bramble Elemental
3GG, Creature - Elemental 4/4, Common
Whenever an Aura becomes attached to Bramble Elemental, put two 1/1 Green Saproling creature tokens into play.
G/W **1/2 / B/G **1/2

Most of the time Bramble Elemental is a vanilla 4/4 for five. Both G/W and B/G can afford the cost.

Carven Caryatid
1GG, Creature - Spirit 2/5, Uncommon
Defender (This creature can't attack.) When Carven Caryatid comes into play, draw a card.
G/W *** / B/G ** 1/2

G/W gets more out of defenders than B/G does.

Chord of Calling
XGGG, Instant, Rare
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.) Search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost X or less and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.
G/W ** / B/G **1/2

B/G tends to have more efficient creatures than does G/W, so Chord of Calling works a bit better in B/G's hands than it does in G/W's.

Civic Wayfinder
2G, Creature - Elf Warrior Druid 2/2, Common
When Civic Wayfinder comes into play, you may search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
G/W **1/2 / B/G **1/2

Civic Wayfinder looks really good... But it's surprising how seldom B/G and G/W hurt for mana. If either is splashing for a third or fourth color, then obviously Civic Wayfinder and the like become necessities.

Doubling Season
4G, Enchantment, Rare
If an effect would put one or more tokens into play under your control, it puts twice that many into play instead. If an effect would place one or more counters on a permanent you control, it places twice that many on that permanent instead.
G/W ** / B/G 1/2

Doubling Season is mostly bad. G/W, however, can at times get a ton of token generation, and in those cases Doubling Season is actually playable. If you have at least three reusable token generators, then I would consider Doubling Season. If I had four or more reusable token generators or seven total token generators, I would play Doubling Season without a lot of debate.

Dowsing Shaman
4G, Creature - Centaur Shaman 3/4, Uncommon
2G, T: Return target enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.
G/W **1/2 / B/G **

Dowsing Shaman can be great if you're expecting your enchantments die. If not, then don't bother.

Dryad's Caress
4GG, Instant, Common
You gain 1 life for each creature in play. If any W was spent to play Dryad's Caress, untap all creatures you control.
G/W *** / B/G *

At first glance, Dryad's Caress appears to be unplayable lifegain. In reality, Dryad's Caress is a G/W finisher of high quality that you will get late in drafts. By the time G/W assembles a respectable army and establishes a stall, alpha strikes tend to be suicidal, and G/W has to wait another six turns for a truly lethal alpha strike. Dryad's Caress is a great solution to this problem. Alpha Strike, Dryad's Caress with damage on the stack, gain a ton of life, lose half your army of dorks, next turn Alpha Strike again for the win - or just rebuild your army while your opponent is forced to play defense yet again.

Elves of Deep Shadow
G, Creature - Elf Druid 1/1, Common
T: Add B to your mana pool. Elves of Deep Shadow deals 1 damage to you.
G/W 1/2 / B/G **

You do not need the acceleration. And if you do need the acceleration, there are plenty of other sources.

Elvish Skysweeper
G, Creature - Elf Warrior 1/1, Common
4G, Sacrifice a creature: Destroy target creature with flying.
G/W *** / B/G **1/2

In G/W, draft Elvish Skysweepers highly. Your only real fear as a G/W mage is evasion, and the Sweeper shines here with its plentiful mana and many Saprolings.

Farseek
1G, Sorcery, Common
Search your library for a Plains, Island, Swamp, or Mountain card and put it into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.
G/W **1/2 / B/G **1/2

Usually more bodies are better than Farseek in G/W and B/G, unless you are splashing a third or fourth color.

Fists of Ironwood
1G, Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature When Fists of Ironwood comes into play, put two 1/1 Green Saproling creature tokens into play. Enchanted creature has trample.
G/W **1/2 / B/G **1/2

Fists is an acceptable first pick and a great second pick for either archetype.

Gather Courage
G, Instant, Common
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.).
G/W ** / B/G **1/2

Gather Courage is just a solid combat trick - but G/W has better tricks, generally, and B/G needs tricks more.

Golgari Brownscale
1GG, Creature - Lizard 2/3, Common
When Golgari Brownscale is put into your hand from your graveyard, you gain 2 life.
Dredge 2 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 2 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
G/W *** / B/G **1/2

Golgari Brownscale is a solid three-drop for either Green-based archetype. In G/W, the lifegain can be critical to survival. In B/G, the Dredge is useful.

Golgari Grave-Troll
4G, Creature - Skeleton Troll 0/0, Rare
Golgari Grave-Troll comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each creature card in your graveyard.
1, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Golgari Grave-Troll: Regenerate Golgari Grave-Troll.
Dredge 6 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 6 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
G/W **1/2 / B/G ***1/2

In B/G with Dredge creatures, Golgari Grave Troll quickly dominates the board. Any time the Troll gets too small for your tastes, you can just regenerate it a ton to make it die, Dredge it back up, and voila! Bigger, badder Troll.

Goliath Spider
6GG, Creature - Spider 7/6, Uncommon
Goliath Spider can block as though it had flying.
G/W ** / B/G *

Too expensive.

Greater Mossdog
3G, Creature - Hound 3/3, Common
Dredge 3 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)

G/W **1/2 / B/G ***

With G/W, Greater Mossdog is fine - if unspectacular. With B/G's aggression, however, Greater Mossdog is the gift that keeps on giving. When the opponent cannot outright kill Mossdog without losing a creature in the process, Mossdog is a Terminator. It can't be reasoned with. It can't be bargained with. It doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear. And it absolutely will not stop. Ever.

Hunted Troll
2GG, Creature - Troll Warrior 8/4, Rare
When Hunted Troll comes into play, put four 1/1 Blue Faerie creature tokens with flying into play under target opponent's control.
G: Regenerate Hunted Troll.
G/W **1/2 / B/G* 1/2

G/W will be able to outlast the four Faeries, but B/G will find the chump blockers too annoying for words. If you manage to draft a Trophy Hunter, then Hunted Troll is good times.

Moldervine Cloak
2G, Enchantment - Aura, Uncommon
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3.
Dredge 2 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 2 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
G/W *** / B/G ***1/2

Moldervine Cloak acts like an unkillable piece of equipment. It's usually worth losing a draw to ensure Moldervine Cloak returns to enchant another of your creatures.

Nullmage Shepherd
3G, Creature - Elf Shaman 2/4, Uncommon
Tap four untapped creatures you control: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
G/W **1/2 / B/G *1/2

G/W will eventually run into enchantments or artifacts it wants to see gone. Furthermore, G/W will have the time and token creatures to pull off the destruction with ease.

Overwhelm
5GG, Sorcery, Uncommon
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.
G/W *** / B/G **

Overwhelm is a solid finisher for G/W. Make sure you do the math right, though.

Perilous Forays
3GG, Enchantment, Uncommon
1, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a land card with a basic land type and put it into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.
G/W *** / B/G *1/2

Perilous Forays seems like too much trouble to bother - but I assure you that in G/W, it is not too much trouble at all. You have the time and the dorky creatures to pull off some serious resource advantage with Perilous Forays. Every Saproling that is about to dies becomes a Sakura-Tribe Elder for one mana.

Primordial Sage
4GG, Creature - Spirit 4/5, Rare
Whenever you play a creature spell, you may draw a card.
G/W **** / B/G ****

Primordial Sage is the best Green card for Limited. Once Primordial Sage is on the table, card advantage will overwhelm your opponent. The best friend you have is Dredge for a medium creature (say, Golgari Brownscale). Once Dredge + Primordial Sage gets going, you will find it difficult to lose.

Recollect
2G, Sorcery, Uncommon
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
G/W ** / B/G ** 1/2

Recollect gets better with more Dredging.

Rolling Spoil
2GG, Sorcery, Uncommon
Destroy target land. If any B was spent to play Rolling Spoil, all creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
G/W 1/2 / B/G **

B/G can use the Nausea effect tolerably well.

Root-Kin Ally
4GG, Creature - Elemental Warrior 3/3, Uncommon
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Tap two untapped creatures you control: Root-Kin Ally gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
G/W ***1/2 / B/G ***

A bunch of Saprolings turns Root Kin Ally into "attack, target player is forced to block, destroy blocking creature; Root-Kin Ally walks away from the crash saying, 'Did you see that awesome crash, dude? That was nasty.'"

Scatter the Seeds
3GG, Instant, Common
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Put three 1/1 Green Saproling creature tokens into play.
G/W **1/2 / B/G **1/2

Both archetypes can use Scatter the Seeds as a combat trick or just an end-of-turn creature generator.

Scion of the Wild
1GG, Creature - Avatar */*, Rare
Scion of the Wild's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.

G/W ***1/2 / B/G ***

Obviously, Scion of the Wild is a bomb when you can generate a lot of Saprolings.

Siege Wurm
5GG, Creature - Wurm 5/5, Common
Trample
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
G/W *** / B/G ***

G/W gets a breakthrough creature with Siege Wurm. B/G gets another big body to add to its team. Siege Wurm is first-pick quality.

Stone-Seeder Hierophant
2GG, Creature - Human Druid 1/1, Common
Whenever a land comes into play under your control, untap Stone-Seeder Hierophant.
T: Untap target land.
G/W * / B/G *

Stone-Seeder Hierophant is even worse than it looks. You really don't need the acceleration once you are at 2GG.

Transluminant
1G, Creature - Dryad Shaman 2/2, Common
W, Sacrifice Transluminant: Put a 1/1 White Spirit creature token with flying into play at end of turn.
G/W **1/2 / B/G *

Obviously, Transluminant is smarter than your average bear.

Trophy Hunter
2G, Creature - Human Archer 2/3, Uncommon
1G: Trophy Hunter deals 1 damage to target creature with flying. Whenever a creature with flying dealt damage by Trophy Hunter this turn is put into a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Trophy Hunter.
G/W *** / B/G **1/2

G/W, as mentioned earlier, needs to kill fliers in the long game and has the mana to do so.

Ursapine
3GG, Creature - Beast 3/3, Rare
G: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
G/W **** / B/G ***1/2

Ursapine makes the alpha strike impossible to stop. Ursapine wins games. "Amazing" is not too strong a word.

Vinelasher Kudzu
1G, Creature - Plant 1/1, Rare
Whenever a land comes into play under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Vinelasher Kudzu.
G/W *** / B/G **

With a longer game, G/W gets quite a bit more out of Vinelasher Kudzu than does B/G.

Multicolor

Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran
3W/R, Legendary Creature - Human Soldier 3/3, Rare
Whenever Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran attacks, attacking Red creatures get +2/+0 and attacking White creatures get +0/+2 until end of turn.
W/R ***

Obviously, this is a bomb - if W/R can get it out. W/R cannot always get up to 5 mana easily.

Autochthon Wurm
10GGG/WW, Creature - Wurm 9/14, Rare
Trample
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
G/W **

G/W is the only archetype that conceivably could get out and make use of Autochthon Wurm (it's pronounced "oh TOK thun," by the way; it's a fancy word meaning "native"). Don't think about Authochthon Wurm as filler for the otherwise empty 15cc slot on your curve. In practice, Autochthon Wurm is more like a 7-9cc in G/W.

Boros Swiftblade
W/R, Creature - Human Soldier 1/2, Uncommon
Double strike
W/R **

Boros is a fine card for its price in W/R, but he isn't winning games on his own, and the fact that Sell-Sword Brute doesn't need both White and Red make these cards roughly equal in quality.

Brightflame
XRRWW, Sorcery, Rare
Radiance - Brightflame deals X damage to target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.
W/R *

This card looks better than it is. Don't play it in W/R. You will seldom get the mana to make Brightflame worthwhile.

Chorus of the Conclave
4GG/WW, Legendary Creature - Dryad Lord 3/8, Rare
Forestwalk As an additional cost to play creature spells, you may pay any amount of mana. If you do, that creature comes into play with that many additional +1/+1 counters on it.
W/R ***

G/W games can go long enough that Chorus of the Conclave will be both be eventually castable and a bomb.

Congregation at Dawn
GG/W, Instant, Uncommon
Search your library for up to three creature cards and reveal them. Shuffle your library, then put those cards on top of it in any order.
G/W **1/2

Congregation at Dawn is worth playing. If you can save it for the late game, when lands are almost blank cards in G/W, then Congregation is excellent.

Drooling Groodion
3BB/G, Creature - Beast 4/3, Uncommon
2BG, Sacrifice a creature: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Another target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
B/G ***

By the time B/G gets to 3BB/G, giving creatures -2/-2 is not very meaningful. All the same, Drooling Groodion makes blocking a nightmare for your opponents.

Firemane Angel
3RWW, Creature - Angel 4/3, Rare
Flying, first strike
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Firemane Angel is in your graveyard or in play, you gain 1 life.
6RRWW: Return Firemane Angel from your graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep.
W/R *** / G/W *** / B/G ***

Firemane Angel should be played by all three strong archetypes. W/R likes the damage, even as it has trouble casting her. G/W likes the lifegain and the body (and G/W can sometimes afford to recur Firemane Angel from the graveyard). B/G can easily Dredge Firemane into the Graveyard by accident and then happily leave it there.

Flame-kin Zealot
1RW/R, Creature - Elemental Berserker 2/2, Uncommon
When Flame-kin Zealot comes into play, creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain haste until end of turn.
W/R ***

Flame-kin Zealot is first-pick quality for W/R.

Glare of Subdual
2G/W, Enchantment, Rare
Tap an untapped creature you control: Tap target artifact or creature.
G/W ****

When you have a ton of creatures and every one is a free Master Decoy, the outcome of the game is inevitable.

Golgari Germination
1B/G, Enchantment, Uncommon
Whenever a nontoken creature you control is put into a graveyard from play, put a 1/1 Green Saproling creature token into play.
G/W *** / B/G **1/2

G/W can (and should) splash Black for Golgari Germination; the long game makes this enchantment better as a splash off-color for G/W than it is on-color for B/G.

Golgari Rotwurm
3B/G, Creature - Zombie Wurm 5/4, Common
B, Sacrifice a creature: Target player loses 1 life.
G/W **1/2 / B/G ***

The common Golgari Rotwurm is the bread-and-butter beef of the B/G archetype.

Grave-Shell Scarab
2B/GG, Creature - Insect 4/4, Rare
Dredge 1 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 1 card from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
1, Sacrifice Grave-Shell Scarab: Draw a card.
G/W *** / B/G ****

B/G's new, nasty Blinking Spirit means bad, bad times for any opponent. The trick is to sacrifice and Dredge back the Scarab rather than draw the extra card.

Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi
6G/W, Creature - Elemental 4/7, Common
Convoke (Each creature you tap while playing this spell reduces its cost by 1 or by one mana of that creature's color.)
Vigilance
G/W ***

Don't let the sticker price scare you away; there are good manufacturer's rebates on this puppy. The Guardian is a piece of cake for G/W to play!

Lightning Helix
W/R, Instant, Uncommon
Lightning Helix deals 3 damage to target creature or player and you gain 3 life.
W/R ***

The lifegain is pretty meaningless for W/R except in the mirror match - but three instant damage is three instant damage, after all.

Loxodon Hierarch
2G/W, Creature - Elephant Cleric 4/4, Rare
When Loxodon Hierarch comes into play, gain 4 life.
GW, Sacrifice Loxodon Hierarch: Regenerate all creatures you control.
G/W ***1/2 / B/G ***

B/G can splash Loxodon Hierarch for the efficient body. G/W uses the lifegain and the regeneration to great effect.

Moroii
2UB, Creature - Vampire 4/4, Uncommon
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.
B/G ***

B/G happily splashes Blue for Moroii, which fits perfectly in B/G beatstick strategy.

Phytohydra
2G/WW, Creature - Plant Hydra 1/1, Rare
If damage would be dealt to Phytohydra, put that many +1/+1 counters on it instead.
G/W **

I mostly mention Phytohydra because I accidentally played one. Only a moron would block Phytohydra, so Phytohydra is just a wall - but it's a good wall. With no Lure in sight, you would need to splash Red to make Phytohydra respectable on offense.

Pollenbright Wings
4G/W, Enchantment - Aura, Uncommon
Enchanted creature has flying. Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, put that many 1/1 Green Saproling creature tokens into play.
G/W *** / B/G ***

G/W likes the Saprolings more than the flying, and B/G likes the flying more than the Saprolings. Everyone is happy except your opponent.

Putrefy
1B/G, Instant, Uncommon
Destroy target artifact or creature. It can't be regenerated.
B/G ***

Obviously excellent.

Rally the Righteous
1W/R, Instant, Common
Radiance - Untap target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it. Those creatures get +2/+0 until end of turn.
W/R ***/ G/W ***

Both G/W and W/R can use Rally the Righteous to amazing effect.

Razia's Purification
4W/R, Sorcery, Rare
Each player chooses three permanents he or she controls, then sacrifices the rest.
W/R **

This is a fun way to repeat the early stages of the game. One has to hope that W/R's opponent has no big creatures.

Savra, Queen of the Golgari
2B/G, Legendary Creature - Elf Shaman 2/3, Rare
Whenever you sacrifice a Black creature, you may pay 2 life. If you do, each other player sacrifices a creature. Whenever you sacrifice a Green creature, you may gain 2 life.
B/G ***

You need sacrifice outlets to make Savra work, but if you have them (Shambling Shell comes to mind as a game-winning combo), look out.

Seeds of Strength
G/W, Instant, Common
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
G/W ***

Seeds of Strength is G/W's main combat trick. Most of the time Seeds is just a Giant Growth for one White mana more. Sometimes, though, Seeds saves two creatures and kills two opposing creatures.

Selesnya Evangel
G/W, Creature - Elf Shaman 1/2, Common
1, T, Tap an untapped creature you control: Put a 1/1 Green Saproling creature token into play.
G/W ***

Selesnya Evangel gets out of control quickly in G/W.

Selesnya Sagittars
3G/W, Creature - Elf Archer 2/5, Uncommon
Selesnya Sagittars can block as though it had flying. Selesnya Sagittars can block an additional creature.
G/W **1/2

In G/W, Elvish Skysweeper is better, but Selesnya Sagittars obviously has a lot going for it.

Shambling Shell
1B/G, Creature - Plant Zombie 3/1, Common
Sacrifice Shambling Shell: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Dredge 3 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)
B/G ***

Shambling Shell gives a lot of velocity to the deck much in the same way Modular conserved resources in Affinity decks.

Sisters of Stone Death
4BB/GG, Legendary Creature - Gorgon 7/5, Rare
G: Target creature blocks Sisters of Stone Death this turn if able.
BG: Remove from the game target creature blocking or blocked by Sisters of Stone Death.
2B: Put a creature card removed from the game with Sisters of Stone Death into play under your control.
B/G **

It's very, very hard for B/G not to win a game once Sisters is in play. The problem is that it's very, very hard for the outcome of the game to be in doubt by the time B/G has the mana to put Sisters in play.

Skyknight Legionnaire
1W/R, Creature - Human Knight 2/2, Common
Flying, haste
W/R ***

Obviously Skyknight Legionnaire is a fine creature supporting W/R's beatdown strategy.

Sunhome Enforcer
2W/R, Creature - Giant Soldier 2/4, Uncommon
Whenever Sunhome Enforcer deals combat damage, you gain that much life.
1R: Sunhome Enforcer gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
W/R *** / G/W **1/2

Both W/R and G/W splashing a moderate amount of Red can make use of Sunhome Enforcer.

Thundersong Trumpeter
W/R, Creature - Human Soldier 2/1, Common
T: Target creature can't attack or block this turn.
W/R ***

Thundersong Trumpeter is one of the core creatures making the W/R strategy as strong as it is in Ravnica.

Tolsimir Wolfblood
4G/W, Legendary Creature - Elf Warrior 3/4, Rare
Other Green creatures you control get +1/+1. Other White creatures you control get +1/+1.
T: Put a legendary 2/2 Green and White Wolf creature token named Voja into play.
G/W ***1/2 / B/G ***

G/W gets more out of pumping all its creatures than does B/G, and obviously G/W does not need to splash for White the way B/G must.

Vulturous Zombie
3B/G, Creature - Plant Zombie 3/3, Rare
Flying
Whenever a card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, put a +1/+1 counter on Vulturous Zombie.
B/G ***1/2 / G/W ***1/2

Both G/W and B/G love Vulturous Zombie. G/W gets more time to use it, and it needs the evasion more than does B/G. B/G can get more counters on Vulturous Zombie by way of creature kill.

Watchwolf
G/W, Creature - Wolf 3/3, Uncommon
G/W ***

There is nothing to dislike about Watchwolf in G/W.

Woodwraith Corrupter
3BB/G, Creature - Elemental Horror 3/6, Rare
1BG, T: Target Forest becomes a 4/4 Black and Green Elemental Horror creature. It's still a land.
B/G ****

The effect does not end at the end of turn. Once every Forest becomes a beat stick, the opponent is not long for this world.

Woodwraith Strangler
2B/G, Creature - Plant Zombie 2/2, Common
Remove a creature card in your graveyard from the game: Regenerate Woodwraith Strangler.
B/G **

Yawn. B/G has a lot of creatures that do a lot more than Woodwraith Strangler does.

Guild Mana

Boros Guildmage
(r/w)(r/w), Creature - Human Wizard 2/2, Uncommon
1R: Target creature gains haste until end of turn. 1W: Target creature gains first strike until end of turn.
W/R ***1/2 / G/W ***

Both archetypes want the first strike more than they want the haste. W/R loves the bear body, also.

Boros Recruit
(r/w), Creature - Goblin Soldier 1/1, Common
First strike.
W/R **1/2

W/R wants the early beats, but Boros Recruit is just a so-so creature for bringing on the beats.

Centaur Safeguard
2(g/w), Creature - Centaur Warrior 3/1, Common
When Centaur Safeguard is put into a graveyard from play, target player gains 3 life.
W/R *** / G/W ***

G/W needs the lifegain more than it needs the three power. The opposite is true of W/R.

Dimir Guildmage
(u/b)(u/b), Creature - Human Wizard 2/2, Uncommon
3U: Target player draws a card. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
3B: Target player discards a card. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
B/G ***

B/G can use Dimir Guildmage quite well as a discarder. With a few land searchers, an Island can be added fairly painlessly for reusable card-drawing.

Gaze of the Gorgon
3(b/g), Instant, Common
Regenerate target creature. At end of combat, destroy all creatures that blocked or were blocked by that creature this turn.
B/G *** / G/W ***

Gaze of the Gorgon is a fine, hand-crafted piece of creature removal.

Gleancrawler
3(b/g)(b/g)(b/g), Creature - Insect Horror 6/6, Rare
Trample
At the end of your turn, return to your hand all creature cards put into your graveyard from play this turn.
B/G **** / G/W ****

Gleancrawler is a total bomb.

Golgari Guildmage
(b/g)(b/g), Creature - Elf Shaman 2/2, Uncommon
4B, Sacrifice a creature: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
4G: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
B/G ***1/2 / G/W ***1/2

Golgari Guildmage is simply a wonderful source of card advantage (real and virtual).

Lurking Informant
1(u/b), Creature - Human Rogue 1/2, Common
2, T: Look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card into that player's graveyard.
B/G ***

If you have the advantage, Lurking Informant is a great way to keep answers from your opponent's hands. If you are at a disadvantage, the Lurking Informant digs for answers from your own library.

Master Warcraft
2(r/w)(r/w), Instant, Rare
Play Master Warcraft only before attackers are declared. You choose which creatures attack this turn. You choose how each creature blocks this turn.
W/R **** / G/W ****

Master Warcraft is an "I'm so excited my hands are shaking" card. Both archetypes use Master Warcraft to alpha strike. When the other option - the one you don't choose to exercise - is "Wrath your opponent's board," you know you have a phenomenal card on your hands.

Selesnya Guildmage
(w/g)(w/g), Creature - Elf Wizard 2/2, Uncommon
3G: Put a 1/1 Green Saproling creature token into play.
3W: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
G/W ***1/2

If you can survive a few turns with Selesnya Guildmage in play, only evasion will allow your opponent to win, in most cases.

Artifacts

Bloodletter Quill
3, Artifact, Rare
2, Tap , Put a blood counter on Bloodletter Quill: Draw a card, then lose 1 life for each blood counter on Bloodletter Quill.
1UB: Remove a blood counter from Bloodletter Quill.
B/G ***

Splash Blue for this baby.

Bottled Cloister
4, Artifact, Rare
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, remove your hand from the game face down. At the beginning of your upkeep, return all cards removed from the game with Bottled Cloister to your hand, then draw a card.
B/G *** / G/W ***1/2

The downside is that you could lose your hand if the Cloister is killed. The upside is that the card advantage is overwhelming, and discard doesn't work against you.

Crown of Convergence
2, Artifact, Rare
Play with the top card of your library revealed. As long as the top card of your library is a creature card, creatures you control that share a color with that card get +1/+1.
GW: Put the top card of your library on the bottom of your library.
B/G ** / G/W ***1/2

If you only had access to the second ability, Crown of Convergence would still be a great card for G/W because it can sift through the library.

Grifter's Blade
3, Artifact - Equipment, Uncommon
You may play Grifter's Blade any time you could play an instant. Grifter's Blade comes into play equipping a creature of your choice you control.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1. Equip 1
W/R *** / B/G **1/2 / G/W **

Grifter's Blade looks like a pile. It really isn't. W/R gets the most utility out of the extra damage, but all three archetypes make use of the instant-speed toughness boost as a combat trick.

Pariah's Shield
5, Artifact - Equipment, Rare
All damage that would be dealt to you is dealt to equipped creature instead.
Equip 3
B/G *** / G/W ****

G/W has both chump blockers and Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi to make Pariah's Shield insane. B/G has several bodies to make the card very good.

Peregrine Mask
1, Artifact - Equipment, Uncommon
Equipped creature has defender, flying, and first strike.
Equip 2
W/R * / G/W **1/2

Mostly, Peregrine Mask sucks. Only G/W can make use of it in most cases. W/R has one interesting combo available with Concerted Effort and Peregrine Mask. I have to think it is mostly not worth the effort (this statement is theory, not experience; I have not seen this played, yet).

Plague Boiler
3, Artifact, Rare
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a plague counter on Plague Boiler.
1BG: Put a plague counter on Plague Boiler or remove a plague counter from it. When Plague Boiler has three or more plague counters on it, sacrifice it. If you do, destroy all nonland permanents.
B/G ***1/2 / G/W ***

It's the new Oblivion Stone. B/G obviously has a lot more control over Plague Boiler, but both decks can use a Wrath effect.

Spectral Searchlight
3, Artifact, Uncommon
T: Choose a player. That player adds one mana of any color he or she chooses to his or her mana pool.
G/W *** / W/R **1/2

Ignore the acceleration effect. Spectral Searchlight is best used to cause opponents to mana burn at the end of turn. W/R does enough damage early to make Spectral Searchlight lethal quickly, and G/W has time to burn (heh).

Sunforger
3, Artifact - Equipment, Rare
Equipped creature gets +4/+0.
RW, Unattach Sunforger: Search your library for a Red or White instant card with converted mana cost 4 or less and play that card without paying its mana cost. Then shuffle your library. Equip 3
G/W *** / B/G **1/2

Both Green-based archetypes will use Sunforger primarily in its equipment role, and seldom (if ever) search out instants.

Terrarion
1, Artifact, Common
Terrarion comes into play tapped.
2, T, Sacrifice Terrarion: Add two mana of any combination of colors to your mana pool. When Terrarion is put into a graveyard from play, draw a card.
G/W ** / B/G **

Terrarion is filler. It's pretty harmless filler, but it's filler.

Voyager Staff
1, Artifact, Uncommon
2, Sacrifice Voyager Staff: Remove target creature from the game. Return that creature to play under its owner's control at end of turn.
G/W * / B/G *

I would side this in if the opponent is using Hunted creatures. Otherwise, the on-the-board combat trick is not so tricky.

Lands

Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
Land, Uncommon
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
2RW, T: Target creature gains double strike until end of turn.
W/R *** / G/W ***

Doublestrike is such a strong threat that blocking becomes nigh-impossible when Sunhome is in play. (Again, what happened to "W/R couldn't spare the mana?" - The Ferrett)

Svogthos, the Restless Tomb
Land, Uncommon
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
3BG: Until end of turn, Svogthos, the Restless Tomb becomes a Black and Green Plant Zombie creature with "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard." It's still a land.
B/G **

Svogthos looks like it would be great, but usually it's just a 1/1 or 2/2 and not worth the effort. Still, I would play Svogthos in B/G unless I were splashing a third color and did not think the mana base could take additional weakening.

Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
Land, Uncommon
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
2GW,T : Put a 1/1 Green Saproling creature token into play.
G/W ***

In G/W, you can expect to use Vitu-Ghazi every other turn though the late game. I would play this land in G/W even if I were splashing a third color.

Conclusion:
Ravnica is shaping up to be a fun set of cards. As you attend your local prerelease, look to get into G/W, B/G, or W/R and be ready to wipe the floor with guys playing U/B.

Jeffrey Stewart