The purpose of this article is to take a brief look at some Apocalypse cards that may not have received a lot of attention, but which may be important to note for the upcoming Constructed season (including Canadian Nationals, Worlds, and a round of IBC qualifiers). These are cards that have been overlooked for the most part, but which could make a splash in the upcoming season.

Every set has its sleeper cards; they are dismissed by everyone in the original previews, and often go on to become some of the powerful cards in the format. Good examples of this are cards like Tangle Wire, Cursed Scroll, Morphling, and others.

To be fair, I don't really see any surprises THAT big awaiting us in apocalypse. For the most part, the powerful cards are none too subtle (6/6 regenerator for five, anyone?). However, I do still think there are cards that are going to need a serious second look.

THE FLAGBEARERS
Here is a series of cards that everyone and his uncle seems to think is for Limited only. However, those people that were at the prereleases will tell you that these guys sure do wreak havoc in the right setting.

On the surface, I agree that these don't seem like Constructed-quality cards. The two creatures are overcosted by one by even today's Constructed standards, and the creature enchantment is, well, a creature enchantment.

I'm not arguing for flagbearers as maindeck staples here, either. However, the biggest new deck to come out since 7^th is indisputably Opposition-Orb, a prison deck (often played mono-blue and therefore with difficulty handling permanents). And flagbearers turn Opposition into a totally useless card, don't they? Not only can they not lock you down, they can't even tap their own Orb! Flagbearers are splashable, and even decks like Fires rely on targeting to one extent or another. There are tons of little games that can be played with protection and untargetability, and who knows? These guys may be able to hose some of the new strategies that emerge post-Apocalypse.

DESOLATION GIANT
This guy doesn't really get a lot of press, and for good reason. At one mana less than the 5/4 flying Desolation Angel, he doesn't seem like a great deal, does he? Plus, he is hidden in a set with multiple power cards. However, Desolation Angel requires seven mana to use effectively, and then blows up that mana, which requires either Ritual luck or saclands to really make it efficient, in much the same way that Obliterate is high maintenance. The Giant is not similarly encumbered, and much like Mageta, the Lion can dominate a game and take advantage of card synergies (mmmm... Chimeric Idol). For six mana, you are casting Wrath of God and getting a 3/3 for RR. Not too shabby. Perhaps more of an IBC idea than a type two one, this guy has cards like Rout as backup and is a potential IBC way to abuse cards like Squee's Embrace (a 5/5 beatstick until you let me blow up the world again). I'm not sure on this one, but my instinct says watch out for this guy. His biggest minus would be not being great against Domain, which seems to be the early favorite among IBC decks.

LIFE/DEATH
More specifically, Death. I'll pay five life for a turn 2 Spiritmonger — how about you? Hidden neatly in a split card, this is the best reanimator card we have seen in some time, and will definitely go in my Penumbra Wurm/Cauldron Dance deck (yes, I'm sort of kidding... But it does sound like fun, doesn't it?). Anyway, I am pretty sure that someone will try to make this card work in Constructed. With some of the powerhouse creatures available out there and a slower environment, this one is worth a shot.

QUICKSILVER DAGGER
I think this card would be much more useful if they hadn't reprinted the Magpie, as I see it getting similar use. Stick it on your Glacial Wall and go to town. Thanks in part to the magpie usually being a better card supply option, this may not see play. It is, however, a great card drawer for a control deck, so if people get into CounterBurn, this guy may see play. As a side note, wouldn't this be too fun for words on a Morphling? Five flying damage used to cost three mana. With this thing, how about four unblockable damage and four cards? Not a practical idea, but one that is sure to see casual use at the least.

DWARVEN LANDSLIDE
At Regionals this year, I played a very odd Ponza deck with twenty maindeck land destruction cards that killed with two Idols and recurring Hammers. That's right; someone actually used Implode. I went 5-3, and had good matchups with most decks other than CounterRebel, which was awful, and Skies and w/u, which were near 50/50.

Instead of just using land destruction to gain a tempo advantage, that deck was designed to sit on you, render you helpless, then kill you at its leisure. And boy, it could have used this card. Not a GREAT land destruction spell... But it's better than Pain/Suffering, and a turn 3 land kill if you use acceleration, and this is also a better late game card, taking out two opposing lands at a time when your land count doesn't matter. In that respect, it's like a mini-Tectonic Break without the card disadvantage. This isn't a power card by any stretch of the imagination, but it's the best new land destruction spell that's been printed in a while (probably since Port), and bad cards get much better with redundancy.

SPIRITMONGER
Sure, he doesn't look very useful... But I think he may find a niche as a sideboard card. Yes, I am kidding.

As you can see, there really isn't much in Apocalypse beyond the obvious. Wizards sort of hit us over the head with a series of cards (almost all rares, you notice) and said,"play these!" However, the cards above all have the potential to see Constructed use for one reason or another, and thankfully only one of them is a rare. So while I will be acquiring Painlands, 'Mongers, Deeds, and Vindicates just as fast as everyone else, I will also be making sure I have four each of the cards listed above, because I may well need them.