Dragons are awesome. If there's anything people associate with me when it comes to Magic, it's dragons. Big, board dominating creatures are my bread and butter, and have been at the center of some of my most successful Pro Tour decks of all time. Some of them, like Rith the Awakener, are actually dragons outright, but others, like the more recent Baneslayer Angel, are honorary members of the creature type by virtue of the impact they have on a game when they're in play. There are few things I love more in Magic than having a giant monster on the battlefield completely dominating the game.

My Worldwake preview card for you today, however, is not a dragon, either in creature type or in stature. In fact, it's downright puny! It's a mere 1/1 creature for one mana – what about that would appeal to a player like me? I want to crush my opponents underfoot with my legions of enormous monsters! I have no use for a puny 1/1 unless it's giving me mana to help put my dragons onto the battlefield!

What's that you say? It helps put dragons onto the battlefield? What is it, some kind of new mana elf? Does Standard really need another mana creature? We have Noble Hierarch, Birds of Paradise, and Llanowar Elves already – not to mention Lotus Cobra! There's more than enough ways to get enough ways to get the mana to play big fast creatures as it is. Baneslayer Angel can come down on turn 3 already!

No, it’s nothing of the sort. This creature isn't about putting dragons onto the battlefield quickly. Rather, this creature is about putting dragons onto the battlefield over and over and over again.

Meet Dragonmaster Outcast…

I didn't know I won the invitational! Sure, the card may not look like me, but it is clearly named after me! There is absolutely no possibility this card's name could be a coincidence. No sir!

I'm required by some sort of cosmic law to like this card, given the circumstances, but I think I'd see exciting possibilities in this card even if it had a different name. Some of the most feared creatures in Magic have been 1/1s for one, and while I don't think Dragonmaster Outcast will be spoken about in the same reverent tones as Goblin Welder, Goblin Lackey, or Ramosian Sergeant, it presents a similar sort of threat. Kill it, or very bad things will start to happen to you.

Granted, Dragonspeaker Outcast is unlike its feared 1/1 for 1 predecessors in that it doesn't threaten to have an immediate impact on the game if it comes down on the first turn. Goblin Lackey can threaten a Siege -Gang Commander on turn 2, Goblin Welder can do any number of degenerate things in Eternal Formats, and Ramosian Sergeant brings an unending stream of rebellious friends starting on turn 3. Dragonspeaker Outcast doesn't get online until much later in the game.

If you have to wait until you have six lands in play before Dragonmaster Outcast starts doing anything, why does it matter that it costs one? Couldn't you just play a Baneslayer Angel by then and be done with it? Perhaps, but the fact that this guy only costs one means that in a control deck you can play him and hold up mana to protect him – or to fend off your opponent's big spells. Big expensive threats can be dangerous to tap out for against decks packing Cruel Ultimatum and similar trump cards, but a one mana creature can sneak under countermagic and turn a game around on its own. I could certainly see Dragonmaster Outcast finding a home in the sideboard of control decks for the mirror match.

While I don't expect control decks that can support Baneslayer Angel to drop that as the sideboard creature of choice, bring in these once your opponents have stripped out most of their removal… I would be shocked if Dragonmaster Outcast didn't see play in some kind of control deck to punish anyone who boards out their Lightning Bolts. Much like Baneslayer Angel can quickly put a game out of reach thanks to lifelink, this little fellow doesn't give your opponent much time to find an answer before they're completely overwhelmed by dragons. Jund doesn't have long to find one of the Maelstrom Pulses they left in their deck with this guy on the board – and when they do, they'll probably need to use it to clear the sky of dragons!

This is the sort of card that takes some thinking to put to its best use, but I think it's the real deal. Anything that can have such a big impact on a game at such a low cost is going to be a force to be reckoned with. One mana happens to be a magical number for aggressive decks, where Dragonmaster Outcast is more likely to see play in the main. Not because this guy is a great first turn play to start your beatdown, but because there's a certain Invitational card that pairs very well with utility one-drops. We've seen Scute Mob get some love as a one-of in Naya Lightsaber to fetch in the late game with Ranger of Eos, but I think Dragonmaster Outcast is just a little more impressive than a growing ground creature. Where Scute Mob gains four power a turn, Dragonmaster Outcast produce five power in flying draconic goodness every turn – more than just a little bit better! In a deck that puts pressure on all the removal your opponent can muster already, being able to search up one of these dragon-making machines can easily put a game away.

And can you even imagine this guy in Limited? Dragons alone are bombs – this guy makes one every single turn! I would be thrilled to open this guy at the Worldwake Prerelease in two short weeks. I know I'm excited about the possibility of making endless dragons in the not so distant future – how could anyone not be? Come on – they're dragons!

And dragons are awesome.