MTG Foundations is bringing a lot of cool cards to the table that help a variety of different archetypes. Burn, for example, is getting a huge upgrade with Boltwave. Meanwhile, Elenda, Saint of Dusk may give life gain decks the necessary boost to make some noise in Standard.
On top of this, one of the most notable aspects of MTG Foundations is the set’s emphasis on typal synergies. Elves, Zombies, Goblins, Cats, Angels, and more all receive some potent upgrades. This includes a mix of reprints and new additions that will be legal in Standard for at least five years. If you’re a fan of typal strategies, this set has you covered.
Elves
Perhaps the creature type that is receiving the most help from a Standard perspective is Elves. We knew very early on that Llanowar Elves was making its way back to Standard. Llanowar Elves and Elvish Mystic have a strong history in Standard, and Llanowar Elves has the chance to be a complete all-star given all the excellent three-drop Elves to play ahead of schedule.
Arguably even more exciting than Llanowar Elves, we have Elvish Archdruid. Elvish Archdruid does everything you want. Not only does it buff all your other Elves, but it can provide a big burst of mana too. This can be used for a plethora of different things, such as activating the final ability of Tyvar, the Pummeler. If Elvish Archdruid lives, you’re golden.
Imperious Perfect is yet another powerful lord that’s getting reprinted in MTG Foundations. Rather than producing lots of extra mana, Imperious Perfect enables you to build out an Elf army. Token production between Imperious Perfect and Dwynen’s Elite makes your lord effects that much better.
The fact that Leaf-Crowned Visionary is already Standard legal means this deck has a real shot at being a force to be reckoned with in Standard right out of the gates.
Zombies
Zombies, as creature type, don’t look quite as well supported as Elves in MTG Foundations. That said, they could make a strong run depending on what other payoffs emerge in Standard over time. In the reprint section, Death Baron is a great lord that makes blocking a nightmare for the opponent. Diregraf Ghoul, while nothing super special, is very aggressive and can give a potential Zombie deck a good attacker at the beginning of the curve.
With regards to new cards, Zul Ashur, Lich Lord stands out above the rest. If left unchecked, you just get to start resurrecting Zombies turn after turn. This ability makes Zul Ashur a solid Commander build-around as well.
The obvious downside in Standard is that Zul Ashur is likely to die before generating any value. The Ward ability helps the cause, but if you want to dig deeper, you could try to pair Zul Ashur with Agatha’s Soul Cauldron. That way, if Zul Ashur dies, you can start putting +1/+1 counters on your other Zombies and grant them Zul Ashur’s ability.
Goblins
Goblins is a powerful assertive shell that is getting a boatload of powerful toys in MTG Foundations. Searslicer Goblin, for example, keeps your army stocked by producing a steady stream of tokens. With the addition of Fanatical Firebrand in the one-drop slot, you may be able to get an attack in on the turn you play Searslicer Goblin.
At the top of the curve, Krenko, Mob Boss can win games singlehandedly. Krenko is an absolutely incredible card to exile with Agatha’s Soul Cauldron if you can set things up there.
Dropkick Bomber is a new addition that fills the classic lord slot at three mana, with the upside of letting you give your Goblins evasion for a one-time swing. Dropkick Bomber joins Rundvelt Hordemaster as a way to make your Goblin tokens as scary as possible in combat.
Cats
Besides Elves, Cats seem like the type most poised to surge in Standard based on spoilers so far. This is because there is a wide range of Cats in the set all the way up the curve.
For payoffs, Arahbo, the First Fang was spoiled early on, and is a godsend for a Cat Typal deck. Arahbo’s ability to both make Cat tokens and pump them at once makes it the perfect threat.
Regal Caracal also joins the party at the top of the curve. Five mana is a lot, but the value Regal Caracal generates is well worth the cost.
From there, you just need cheap Cats to play to help trigger Arahbo and pressure the opponent. Savannah Lions, Leonin Vanguard, and Skynight Squire all fit the bill. We’re excited to see how Cats ends up performing in Standard moving forward.
Angels
Last but not least, we have Angels. Much like Zombies, there may not be enough support for an Angels Standard deck to shine right away. Nonetheless, there are some new tools provided that give the deck some hope if some new payoffs arise.
The best of the new additions to Standard is undoubtedly Giada. Giada is an absolute house and has proven to be a crucial part of the Pioneer Angels deck.
In the two-drop slot, Youthful Valkyrie also makes a triumphant return. Both Giada and Youthful Valkyrie become must-kill threats in a deck with a high density of efficient Angels.
MTG Foundations truly is a typal player’s dream set. While these five types seem promising, it’s worth noting that Vampires, Dragons, and other creature types are gaining some potent threats, too.
