Elves of the Swarm (Budget)

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Aether Revolt - Updated: Jan. 5, 2017 —Jan. 2, 2017

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• Cards Revealed:
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Aether Revolt spoilers have begun with today as the official start of spoilers. Each day now until all cards from the set are revealed I will update this update with the new cards, giving a brief explanation of each one. I'll feature cards that are interesting including Elves and more that could possibly fit into the main deck or sideboard of this deck. New cards that could also be build arounds, having potential for new directions with Elves. Revolt is a small set only 184 cards because of this I'm not expecting a lot of Elves to be in the set. Hopefully the ones that are either care about energy or have synergy with Rashmi, Eternities Crafter. Tezzeret and his artifact ways are back. I expect Revolt to be a set with a strong artifact theme continuing this theme from Kaladesh. I will post the most recent revealed card on the top of the rest, in descending order

All card images are thanks to MythicSpoiler.

Note: A lot of cards have been spoiled that are only in other languages. I'm waiting until English versions of them are revealed to feature them here.

Aether Revolt Story and Speculation (Spoilers) Show

Rashmi, Eternities Crafter is back in Revolt and her matter transporter won the Inventors' Fair with the head judge being Tezzeret. Rashmi escaped from Tezzeret with help from Saheeli Rai, but he stole her device and used it to open a portal to somewhere, the destination is a mystery. This portal is depicted in the card Planar Bridge. This bridge will most likely to be the place for the final battle between Tezzeret, his minions and the Gatewatch as evidence in the art for Battle at the Bridge.

Dark Intimations's art gives a huge clue as to the fate of Planar Bridge; the art is either depicting the Portal as destroyed or it's showing a lone person possibly Tezzeret has traveled through it and reached the other side. The other side is possibly Amonkhet, the next plane of the next block after Kaladesh block which looks to be an Egyptian like desert world with Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker in control. In the past Tezzeret was an agent of Bolas, Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas.

The final outcome of Aether Revolt has been spoiled. The last three story pages of the Aether Revolt Art Book have been revealed. You can see them and read here.

A summery of the end of the story is Tezzeret, Dovin Baan and their minions fight the Gatewatch at the Battle at the Bridge. The battle is over control of the Planar Bridge, the portal device that Tezzeret created from stealing Rashmi, Eternities Crafter's matter transporter invention. Eventually Chandra and Gideon ride a Thopter into the portal and Chandra destroys it with her powers. She would of died from the explosion, but Gideon used his powers to shield himself and her from the blast. The portal is destroyed, but not before Tezzeret escaped, Planeswalking away carrying the core of the portal in the etherium part of his body.

Tezzert retreats to Amonkhet with the core. Where it's revealed that Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker is in fact the one who's behind the plot on Kaladesh, the Planar Bridge and Tezzeret has been working for him the whole time. The Gatewatch wants to right away invade Amonkhet to defeat Bolas, but Ajani advises against this instead suggesting that the Gatewatch regroup in Dominaria for more reinforcements. Gideon and the rest of the Gatewatch go against Ajani's wishes and go to Amonkhet to destroy Bolas for good and free the people of the plane from his rule.

Renegade Rallier is yet another excellent uncommon creature in the set. His revolt trigger can return any permanent with cmc 2 or less from my graveyard to the battlefield. Rallier could be good to recure a 2 drop Elf after a board wipe such as Sylvan Advocate or Greenwheel Liberator who will also trigger revolt. Rallier can also recur vehicles Smuggler's Copter and Heart of Kiran as well as being able to crew either one which seems excellent because they're going to be prime targets to kill with Fatal Push.

Oath of Nissa and Oath of Ajani can be recurred by Rallier letting me reuse Oaths that were destroyed because of the legendary rule seems very good. Lands can also be recurred by Rallier which doesn't have much impact in Standard other than Evolving Wilds, but it does in formats with Fetch lands and land destruction lands.

The rest of the full set will be spoiled tomorrow, Jan. 6th there's still 80 cards left to be revealed including Surash, a legendary Elf. Green is the color with the least about of cards revealed so far. I'm excited to see what else green has as well as the rest of the set.

An uncommon Elf from the Ajani Planeswalker Deck. Ajani's Comrade may actually be decent enough because he has trample. A 2/2 Elf with trample for is actually good. Comrade makes a fine Elf to put +1/+1 counters on with Rishkar, Peema Renegade and Metallic Mimic. Growing him with counters makes his trample extremely relevant. He could replace or even compliment Peema Outrider who I'm using because he has trample.

Wow, another incredible uncommon in this set. Treasure Keeper keeps the uncommon train rolling! Keeper is a cost artifact which means any deck can play him. He's a 3/3 creature he has to actually be dealt with and when he is he gives so much value. His die trigger is like cascade. I'm guaranteed a card I can't miss. Keeper says, "Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card with cmc 3 or less." The card I reveal can be a permanent such as creature, enchantment or even Nissa, Voice of Zendikar or it can be an instant or sorcery spell which is absurd. I can then cast the revealed card for free.

Keeper will be best with a sac outlet and recursion engine that can take real advantage of abusing him. Emerge is still in Standard and Keeper has great interaction with any of the emerge Eldrazi. Keeper is also a revolt enabler; hitting a card with revolt such as Fatal Push from his die trigger could produce a lot of value.

I wish Rogue Refiner was an Elf as he would be perfect for an energy strategy with Elves. Even though he's a human he's still really good. Refiner is one of a large number of really great multicolored uncommons in this set with still more left to be spoiled.

Spire of Industry is a new rainbow land that requires I control an artifact as well as pay one life to use it for colored mana. I can however tap it for colorless mana which makes it much more playable because it can actually be used to make mana even if I don't control an artifact. Because I must control an artifact to best use Spire than I'm not sure it's a good land for Elves. Commander is the format where this land will shine as almost all decks play some amount of artifacts. Spire is fighting for a spot with Aether Hub in this deck.

Druid of the Cowl is the mana Elf for the set and unfortunately she's a 2 drop who can only make mana. The card art is amazing, it's by the same artist who did Servant of the Conduit which is my favorite art from Kaladesh. Druid is surprisingly better than she seems because of 3 toughness. A 1/3 mana Elf can actually defend the ground against aggro and kill tokens in combat. Shock is coming back to Standard, its been reprinted in the set. Having a mana Elf that Shock can't kill might be needed.

Druid is fighting for a spot against Servant of the Conduit and Beastcaller Savant. Which one or two out of the three I use will depend on the strategy as well as the number of colors I choose to play and the meta. If +1/+1 counters is the strategy to move into which it looks like it might be because of Rishkar, Peema Renegade and Metallic Mimic then using Druid instead of Servant is a possibility. There's still 100 cards left to be revealed, but it's looking like Wizards has decided to not pair Elves with energy. Not one Elf yet uses or makes energy which isn't good if I want use Servant. Surash hasn't been spoiled yet maybe he uses energy?

Wow, Fatal Push, a 1 drop instant removal spell, that's an uncommon! It looks to be the best black instant speed removal spell printed in a long time. Depending on the meta Push might just put me in black, Golgari , Sultai or Abzan . Black's color identity really should be removal, but it's really lacked this in Standard. Push is a great push in the right direction for black and removal. Push seems great as a sideboard card to combat aggro and even main deck if revolt can be achieved easily. For this deck Push could possibly be a main deck removal spell because of Elves. Any time an Elf is killed either by my opponent or in combat I can potentially kill one of my opponent's 4 drop or less creature that might be clogging the battlefield for only . Push can also kill both Smuggler's Copter and Heart of Kiran without needing revolt, that's excellent.

Other than Copter just about all decks play some other amount of powerful 2 drops such as Grim Flayer, Sylvan Advocate, Selfless Spirit, Servant of the Conduit, Voltaic Brawler, ect. Push kills all of them without needing revolt. With revolt it can take care of not only a 2 drop, but also 3 drop or 4 drop creature. Having a card that can kill both Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet or Spell Queller with revolt for only one mana is huge. The drawback of Push is it can't kill a 5 drop or more creature such as Archangel Avacyn  ^Flip, Ishkanah, Grafwidow, any of the Gearhulks and Eldrazi Titans. Unfortunately they all are a large part of current Standard.

Winding Constrictor is yet another excellent card for +1/+1 counters strategies and it's an uncommon. Constrictor into Rishkar, Peema Renegade makes a 4/5 Snake and a 4/4 Rishkar turn three. A 2/3 Snake for is also good by itself although much better with other cards. Constrictor's second ability adds an additional to the amount of energy counters I get from cards because energy is considered counters and I'm the one receiving them. For instance I would get three instead of two from Servant of the Conduit.

The first legendary Elf has been revealed, Rishkar, Peema Renegade. He doesn't have revolt, but instead cares about +1/+1 counters. He puts two counters on up to two creatures, this can include himself. Rishkar seems like a very strong Elf and because he can put counters on himself this makes him much more playable. He has excellent synergy with Metallic Mimic which puts in double duty by placing counters on Elves that enter play while also making them mana Elves. Both Rishkar and Mimic are new build around cards for a +1/+1 counters strategy with Elves.

Rishkar's second ability is really the reason to play him. It's like Cryptolith Rite, but on an Elf instead of an enchantment. Rishkar and creatures I control with counters can only make mana not any color like Rite. Rishkar curves very well into Paradox Engine using it as a ramp engine with Elves. Plants that Nissa, Voice of Zendikar creates can be tapped for mana if they have counters on them, finding other uses for Plants is good. Rishkar combines a ramp strategy with counter strategies.

A +1/+1 counters and revolt theme is happening with the Elves so far in the set, so far energy is nowhere to be found. In fact, a deck is basically building itself so far as ramp, +1/+1 counters and combo in Bant : Servant of the Conduit, Sylvan Advocate, Skyrider Elf, Metallic Mimic, Rishkar, Peema Renegade, Rashmi, Eternities Crafter, Verdurous Gearhulk, Nissa, Voice of Zendikar, Cryptolith Rite, Oath of Nissa, Oath of Ajani and Paradox Engine.

Greenbelt Rampager looks fantastic. He can do a lot of things for a lot of different strategies for only one mana. Rampager is a revolt enabler that can be continuously used turn after turn to trigger it as long as I have a way to use energy, keeping my energy count at one or none. He produces one if I bounce him back to my hand and if I have I have to pay it getting a 3/4 in return for one mana, which is great value. The way Rampager's trigger is worded says "If you can't" it means that if I have I must pay it keeping Rampager in play, unable to bounce him back to my hand. This is a drawback if I'm wanting to use Rampager as a constant revolt enabler if I have no way to use the energy he produces. Since Rampager does in fact enter the battlefield before anything else of his goes on the stack I can use him to crew any vehicle such as Heart of Kiran. I can do this before he is bounced back to my hand. The nice thing about Rampager is he pairs both energy and revolt strategies together which is pretty amazing for a 1 drop.

If the set doesn't have a new Elf lord than Metallic Mimic can fill this role nicely. Mimic can be a pseudo lord for any tribe because creatures of the type I choose enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter. It's like Adaptive Automaton, but not as good. It doesn't help creatures that are already on the battlefield when it's played which is a drawback with swarming aggro strategies which this deck can potentially use. Mimic is another card that would fit nicely with a more aggressive strategy with Elves which seems to be a good new direction to try, getting a lot of options so far in the set. Mimic is a 2 drop only costing which means I can potentially get it into play very early pumping any other Elf that enters after it. Two Mimics on the battlefield could get out of hand pretty fast with Elves.

Greenwheel Liberator is another new Elf with the revolt mechanic. It looks like Elves are being paired with this mechanic maybe Rishkar or Surash will also have a variation of it. She's the first rare Elf revealed and she uses +1/+1 counters. She's a nice aggressive option for a potential aggressive strategy with Elves, Nissa, Voice of Zendikar and Oath of Ajani. Her revolt trigger puts two +1/+1 counters on her making her a 4/3. A 4/3 for only is very good and can be very aggressive. The problem is without being able to trigger revolt she's just a 2/1 for which I don't think is good enough. I need to be able to trigger revolt turn two which means I need a 1 drop enabler turn one that I can use turn two. There's also a lot of competition at the 2 drop spot with Elves.

Silkweaver Elite is the first new Elf with a card revealed. She's using the new mechanic revolt. Revolt is: "When this enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, do something. In the case of Elite draw a card. A permanent I control has to leave the battlefield to trigger revolt which is very interesting. The way revolt is worded a permanent doesn't have to die or be destroyed it can be bounced. The first thing that came to mind to trigger revolt are Fetch lands, but Standard doesn't have them except Evolving Wilds and Wilds is not a good land option for Elves other than budget decks.

For revolt to be a viable strategy it needs cheap enablers that don't give up value in the process to trigger it. Lets hope there's some good enablers in the rest of the set otherwise Elite is more likely a good Elf for limited not Standard. She costs too much; if she was a 2/2 Elf with reach, revolt and costed instead she would be better.

Rishkar is the first legendary Elf character mentioned in Revolt. He's on the Aether Revolt product page on Wizards site. His card hasn't been revealed yet, but I fully expect he will get a card in the set which I'm very excited for. He looks like a real bruiser of an Elf with a big body and armor. His description gives another hint of Peema which we first heard about in Kaladesh. It's the home of the Elves on Kaladesh where energy is the most powerful of all places on the plane. The description of his character from the site is: "Rishkar is an Elf from the distant territory of Peema. Historically, Ghirapur has been privileged with a peaceful relationship with Peema. But now there are those within the forest community who refuse to adhere to our ordinances. Rishkar is among the dissidents. Since arriving in Ghirapur, he has been charged with multiple instances of pipeline tampering and unlicensed distribution. His calm demeanor belies the threat he poses to Ghirapur."

Surash is another legendary Elf from the product page. There isn't an image or card of him yet, but since he's also on the product page I expect a card of him in the set. He might have an ability that creates spiders? His description is the first mention of the Cowl, a new place on the plane. His character description from the site is: "The Elf Surash is the self-proclaimed groundskeeper of the greenbelt called the Cowl. His maintenance of this revered space was once enough for us to overlook his behavior. No more. We believe he orchestrated attacks on our Honorable enforcers, sending the Cowl's giant spiders to impede us while aiding renegades. Thus far he has evaded capture. If you have any information about his location, please contact us immediately and avoid the Cowl."

Two more than likely legendary Elves are in the set which is very exciting.

Paradox Engine looks like an amazing card. It's the first possible build around card with Elves from the set. I suspect that Engine will be a lot better in Commander than Standard because of the much larger card pool to develop combos with. For Standard and this deck Engine could make me revisit Cryptolith Rite combo strategies with Elves. Possibly the return of Rite Elves? It could be great with Rashmi, Eternities Crafter and Rite. Being able to tap Elves to make mana with Rite use that mana to cast spells, cast cards for free with Rashmi and untap all Elves with Engine to do this all again. Rite also has the amazing ability to use Elves to ramp Engine into play. Engine is going to be an expensive card because of Commander, it was also made into a Masterpiece for the Masterpiece Series which means Wizards is expecting it to be a hit with players.

Ajani is back and he's joined the Gatewatch. His oath, Oath of Ajani looks like a good card, one of the better oaths for aggressive strategies. He can pump an entire army of Elves and has excellent synergy with Nissa, Voice of Zendikar; reducing her casting cost as well as mimicing her -2 ability. Revising aggro strategies with Elves, Nissa and Ajani has potential.

Heart of Kiran continues the trend of broken pushed Vehicles. Much like Smuggler's Copter which this deck is using I fully expect Heart to have a presence in Aether Revolt Standard. Thankfully Heart is a legendary artifact unlike Copter, but still a 4/4 flying with vigilance creature for only is busted. It's ability to crew 3 using a single loyalty counter from any Planeswalker I control pushes it over the top. Standard is full of three and four casting cost Walkers which are nuts with this card especially Chandra, Torch of Defiance; +1 her the turn she's played to make mana use it to play Heart and use Heart to protect her. The trend of Planeswalkers now a days is they all start with a lot of loyalty which is excellent with Heart using a single loyalty to crew 3 at instant speed to protect any Walker in combat is ridiculously powerful.