Fated Return illustration on the box, so we know that’s in there
Underworld HeraldEvent Deck Creatures: 26 1 Desecration Demon Instants: 9 2 Bile Blight |
Enchantments: 1
|
So we’re basically given an agressive monoblack deck, which is fair. Since we ‘only’ get 10 rares total I guess monoblack control would have been harder to implement as a deck here. Let’s see what kind of value we get out of our rares, shall we?
1. Desecration Demon
Still one of the best ‘bonhommes’
It’s nice to see Wizards of the Coast give players some of the harder to get cards in Event decks. This guy trades very well all the time and I don’t think that just having one in an event deck is going to affect the market much. He’s a mainstay in the Monoblack Devotion deck (plus all variants: Orzhov, Golgari and Dimir). Some decks don’t run the full four and he is often sided out in the mirror matches because playing it on turn 4 only to have it die to a 1-mana removal spell (Dark Betrayal) is probably not what you want to be doing. He’s worth 10$-12$ give or take right now and I don’t think he is going down anytime soon until maybe September/October when the ‘rotation clearance’ starts.
2.Blood Scrivener
They can’t all be good
Maybe this guy was included to convince players that Pain Seer is a better Dark Confidant ? Truth is, both never will be. I can appreciate the fact that it’s not terrible in this particular ‘deck’ since you do tend to go all out on emptying your hand and they didn’t provide us with an Underworld Connections (since there’s not Gray Merchant plan).
3. Crypt Ghast
If only there was a huge bomb to cast …
I really like this card in more casual formats, but I think it is far from being at its finest in this deck. Sure, you get extra reach later in the game by extorting your spells, but you’re maybe not doing that much with all your mana most of the time. Still, I’m happy to see this in the deck and I’m sure most players feel the same.
4. Agent of the Fates
Still trying to become a ‘thing’
The Standard Liliana of the Veil that only works as of turn 4 is very hard to pass off as a playable card. Sure, you probably owned your opponent in draft/sealed with all that Bestow action, but constructed is a different animal altogether. It’s just a human though, so you get extra value later on via your Xathrid Necromancers. Rejoice!
5. Pack Rat
The glue that makes it all come together
Think back to Blood Scrivener … then look at this card. Woah? Combo? Maybe … You can dump your hand all in on Pack Rat (where have we seen that before?) and then continue doing that while drawin say, a removal and whatever else. Discard to Pack Rat, destroy a threat and repeat. You can even dump your unwanted creatures to Erebos’s Emissary. Crazy stuff!
The fact that Pack Rat is now a 5$+ card makes it even more compelling.
6/7 . Xathrid Necromancer
I used to love this thing in the early monoblack sideboard vs. mono red decks
Xathird Necromancer is just a great value creature from almost all perspectives.
It’s worth about 4$ which is a just value. Cheap enough to get them easily in trades, but good enough that its value can easily rise too. It affects itself from it’s ability, which is very nice too. The fact that this deck comes with 2 copies may mean that your local market may become slightly flooded by them. Still, its value probably can’t suffer that much.
It sometimes sees play in Orzhov aggro decks and that weird Esper deck that some japanese guy played a while back. I can maybe see myself putting back in my monoblack sideboard versus more aggressive decks because it can easily act as two removal spells (not to mention Mutavault benefitting).
8. Herald of Torment
But, but, there’s a drawback …
This is probably the Bestow creature you want to put on Agent of the Fates, but the allure of casting it on turn 3 and beat down early may be too great. I want to like it, really, but the removal suite available as of Born of the Gods just got better (Bile Blight).
I don’t see it gaining much value now that it’s also in a Event Deck as well as being in a small set. Still, similar thing have been said about cards like Pack Rat and Nightveil Specter, right?
9. Fated Return
For those who just can’t wait two more turns
This card is just awesome! (*cough*) In Commander. Yes, it’s ‘any graveyard’. Uh-huh, unecessary Scry bonus check! You ‘can’ do it versus decks with Supreme Verdict and have a really big threat, until they Azorius Charm or Detention Sphere it.
For those trying to make reanimator work : “The other reanimator spells are beginning to look much better now, no?
10. Hero’s Downfall
Last but definitely not least
This card is almost 50% of the deck’s MSRP and worth every penny. Probably one of the best monoblack cards ever printed. It gives you that much needed extra reach against cards like Elspeth, Sun’s Champion and Jace, Architect of Though in Standard. Not to mention its applications in other formats. It’s just awesome and was my pick for best Standard card out of Theros early on.
How can you not want 4 of these? If anything, try to trade some of the deck’s other contents to obtain a second one. It’s just that good. I wasn’t sold on the value aspect of the deck based on the creature lineup and was dissapointed when I saw that there was no Ravnica dual lands, but this really affected my decision on the product as a whole.
Worthy mentions
While these do not add that much value to the deck overall, they are very much appreciated and nice to have. If you don’t draft much or crack random packs, you’ll be glad to have these uncommons.
Final Verdict
Based on the value of rares alone (about 40-42$), it’s not that great of a deal. If you need Desecration Demon and Hero’s Downfall for your Standard deck, then you are getting some extra value at a small cost vs. buying only those 2 cards as singles. Otherwise, I would avoid this particular event deck at the time being.
However, If you actually need a deck that looks fun to play and works – this may be the event deck for you. It has some nice synergies and pretty good removal/interaction against opposing decks. I actually prefered the Theros Heroic Event Deck for value (when it was released).
You can also unlock the Event deck unofficial achievement: win your local FNM or weekly store tournament with this deck.
Brother Of Runes 