Over the years, it’s no surprise that power creep has been increasing immensely. Jace, the Mind Sculptor, once considered the pinnacle of Planeswalkers and one of the strongest cards printed in the Modern era, has been completely blown out of the water by card advantage engines like The One Ring. Smuggler’s Copter, a card that quickly became banned in Pioneer for being too homogenous, now struggles to see consistent competitive play in the format since its unbanning.
It’s truly astonishing how much MTG has changed over time. Notably, power creep hasn’t just impacted the strength of the flashy rares and mythic rares in each set. Commons and uncommons have statistically become more impactful. 10 years ago, it would have seemed almost unfathomable that a common as strong as Writhing Chrysalis would get printed. While Writhing Chrysalis is still certainly an outlier, commons and uncommons have become much stronger on rate across the board.
It’s still a bit early in Duskmourn spoiler season, but it appears that cards of lower rarity are following this trend. There are a multitude of incredible uncommons that look poised to rule the Limited environment and beyond. Perhaps none of them scream power creep as much as Oblivious Bookworm.
Oblivious Bookworm
- Mana Value: GU
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 2/3
- MTG Set: Duskmourn
- Card Text: At the beginning of your end step, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card unless a permanent entered the battlefield face down under your control or you turned a permanent face up this turn.
As an uncommon two-drop, Oblivious Bookworm is absolutely incredible. Even with no other synergies present, you get a 2/3 body that lets you loot every turn cycle. Compare this to Merfolk Looter. Merfolk Looter used to be a premium card in draft, letting you tune your draws early and turn excess lands into spells in the late game. Well, Oblivious Bookworm is so much better it’s not even funny.
First of all, the 2/3 body is a huge upgrade in an era where board presence is key. Second, you don’t ever need to worry about tapping Oblivious Bookworm to use its ability. It even lets you loot the turn it comes down, which is a big bonus if the opponent has sorcery speed removal. Of course, on top of all this, you may even get to draw cards straight up instead of looting if you have enough face-down creature support.
In a set with Manifest Dread and Delirium as major areas of focus, Oblivious Bookworm will almost certainly be a very high draft pick early on in the format. Beyond Limited, there’s also a chance that it shows up in Standard if there are enough graveyard synergies or Manifest Dread payoffs present. Oblivious Bookworm even seems like a slam dunk inclusion in Morph/Manifest Commander decks, such as those built around Zimone, Mystery Unraveler. This card is excellent, and we’re just getting started.
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Wildfire Wickerfolk
- Mana Value: RG
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 3/2
- MTG Set: Duskmourn
- Card Text: Haste. Delirium- Wildfire Wickerfolk gets +1/+1 and has trample as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
Another example of a clearly pushed uncommon from Duskmourn is Wildfire Wickerfolk. Once again, this card gets a ton of its mileage out of being an elite creature without needing to invest any real effort. In this case, you get a 3/2 with Haste for the low cost of two mana. By itself, this is already very strong.
In Limited, Wildfire Wickerfolk puts a lot of pressure on the opponent right away, especially if you’re on the play. In Standard, it’s possible this card gets outshined by Prowess staples like Slickshot Show-Off, but in a more creature-heavy deck, it looks great. Even in Pioneer, it’s not unreasonable to give this card a shot alongside Burning-Tree Emissary.
This brings us to the fact that Wildfire Wickerfolk has yet more upside. If you’re able to turn on Delirium, you get to attack with a 4/3 Trampler. As an artifact creature, Wildfire Wickerfolk does work well in multiples. If the opponent kills one, you’re already halfway to Delirium.
This is obviously absurd for two mana. While it seems unlikely, if Delirium is reliably achievable in the first few turns, maybe there’s room for Wildfire Wickerfolk in a Modern Zoo shell. After all, a 4/3 with Haste and Trample matches up quite well versus Nishoba Brawler, which already sees play. Wildfire Wickerfolk is a Scarecrow for any Reaper King enthusiasts in Commander, too. What more could you want?
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Elite Uncommons Galore
- Mana Value: 1W
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 2/1
- MTG Set: Duskmourn
- Card Text: When Splitskin Doll enters, draw a card. Then discard a card unless you control another creature with power 2 or less.
Oblivious Bookworm and Wildfire Wickerfolk definitely seem like the clearest examples of power creep’s influence on Duskmourn. However, there are plenty of other uncommons that feel under-costed for the effect they provide.
Take Splitskin Doll, for instance. It’s not difficult at all to control another creature with power two or less. In Limited, it’s trivial to play this card turn three after playing a small two-drop the turn before. The reward isn’t massive, but getting to draw a card on a two-drop with two power is a great deal.
Unlike cards like Elvish Visionary, Splitskin Doll can reliably trade in combat for opposing two-drops, which is a huge boon. Splitskin Doll isn’t on the level of the previous cards for non-Limited play, it’s far above rate when compared to older designs all the same.
Even a rather unassuming card like Piggy Bank gives you a lot of bang for your buck. As a 3/2, you can often trade up on mana in Limited by blocking a three-mana 3/3 of sorts. In that exchange, you’re then up a Treasure token as well. It wouldn’t be crazy if this card saw Standard play, either. If there’s a red midrange deck, Piggy Bank does a nice job bridging the gap between being a relevant attacker against control and a beefy blocker against aggro that leaves behind a way to ramp into potent Planeswalkers and such.
Duskmourn really is quite a powerful set. It may be natural for us to focus on the exciting bombs, but the low rarity cards pack a big punch all the same. Power creep doesn’t seem to be halting any time soon, for better or for worse.
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