Posted on: December 22, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Graveborn is the latest installment in the Premium Deck Series by Wizards of the Coast, after the stellar Slivers and Fire and Lightning sets that were releases the last two years. This set is mono-black (with a few huge creatures breaking that rule). Where most decks look to get the best draws, the Graveborn set is much more concerned with discarding and then resurrecting cards from one’s graveyard. This means that the deck can contain a Verdant Force (7/7, with token generation), Terastodon (9/9, permanent destroyer), and even a Sphinx of the Steel Wind (Flying, first strike, vigilance, lifelink, protection from red and green).

To do so, cards like Entomb, Sickening Dreams, and Buried Alive ensure that one can bolster graveyard numbers immediately. Cards like Dread Return and Diabolic Servitude decrease the mana cost of said creatures, and can ensure a game-ending array of creatures by turn 4 or 5. The all-foil composition of the deck, coupled with new art, makes for a visually stellar deck. The deck holds its own even against control decks; the mechanism by which the creatures make their way back on the battlefield does not trigger a counter summon effect.

The only drawback I would see would be the mana-heavy composition of the deck. I would prefer to see more resurrection cards in place of the land, but the Graveborn deck’s impact cannot be denied. The Graveborn set comes with a twenty-sided dice and a foil box that will ensure that the deck can block any environmental damage. The cards are not standard tournament legal, but I believe that one can make a case for the set in the Legacy tournament format. The Graveborn set would be a perfect gift as a holiday treat or for a M:TG fan’s birthday.

Rating: 8.6/10

Magic: The Gathering : Graveborn / Premium Deck Series / $32.99 MSRP / http://www.wizards.com

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