A complete guide about Ravinca Allegiance Pre-Release in Magic The Gathering Arena, and it covers what is the best guild for the pre-release, best card for the limited format, and many other essential topics.
This weekend Ravnica Allegiance, the newest Magic’s expansion, comes out, finally, and bring with it the last five guilds of Ravnica.
We can choose between Orzhov (white/black), Azorius (blue/white), Rakdos (red/black), Gruul (red/green) or Simic (green/blue) and their own abilities.
While in the physical store this expansion comes on Saturday with the pre-release, on Magic The Gathering Arena it comes out on 17 January, with a pre-release that continue on 18 January also.
So, are you ready for the complete guide to Ravnica Allegiance pre-release?
The Guild’s abilities
As Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance’s guilds have their unique abilities that you can check in the list below.
- Afterlife N: This is the Orzhov’s ability that gives to creature a particular skill: when it dies to create N token 1/1 with flying.
- Spectacle: This is the Rakdos’s ability that allows you to play a card with a different mana cost (the mana cost for Spectacle) only if you have dealt damage during your turn.
- Addendum: This is the Azroius’s ability only for instant spells. If you cast them in your Main Phase, so with Addendum, you can access to an additional effect.
- Riot: This is the Gruul’s ability and it is only for creatures. You can choose between give it +1/+1 or Haste.
- Adapt N: This is the Simic’s ability. If your creature hasn’t +1/+1 counter on it, you may put N of them on it.
What is the best Guild for Pre-Release?
The format for Pre-Release, the best abilities are Riot, that you use to get +1/+1 almost always and Afterlife, that gives you a significant board presence.
So the best Guilds to draft are Orzhov and Gruul so far.
As Guilds of Ravnica’s expansion, in Ravnica Allegiance you should draft and compose a deck with almost two colors, three only if you’ve found a powerful card of another color.
In the next section, we try to give you a preliminary tier list of cards with best picks for this pre-release and the future drafts and sealed.
Ravnica Allegiance’s best cards for limited formats
Ok, let’s start with the best cards for limited. These are the cards that you cant’ skip and that allow you to consider a color swap or a color addition on your deck.
Biogenic Ooze
Every card that allows you to gain a lot of board presence is dominant in the limited formats. Biogenic Ooze is a very classic Ooze, and it is mighty: instant pick.
Mass Manipulation
You can gain control of an opponent’s creature. This card can have any mana cost: it is always dominant in limited.
Imperius Oligarch
A 2/1 creature that returns as 1/1 flying when it dies. It also has Vigilance. It is the best common of the entire expansion.
Lawmage’s Binding
An ad every binding in the game is too strong: instant pick.
The Haunt of Hightower
Usually, every flying creature is powerful in Magic’s world, in limited above all. This creature has lifelink also and growth almost every turn — basically a win condition.
Hydroid Krasis
There is something that this card can’t do?
Aereomunculus
It is a 2/3, flying at three mana cost. It also Adapt. This should be one of your first picks if you’re playing Simic.
Orzhov Enforcer
Too strong, really? This card is broken. It gives you a great board control and only for two mana: one of the best picks for Orzhov or Rakdos too.
Now we get a look at a bunch of cards with great power that are not too broken. Are you ready?
Pestilent Spirit
This is a great card only in a particular deck, and just if you’re playing Rakdos, so it is a high pick so far but not your first pick in a pack.
Electodominance
Wow. You can do a lot of damage to everything at a very, very, low cost. Too strong.
Zhur-Taa Goblin
This is a 3/3 at 2 mana cost. A magnificent creature to start your game!
Combine Guildmage
Among every guildmages in this expansion, the Simic’s guildgame is the best in limited because allow you to gain a high power on your board. Remember: the board is more important than life is limited.
Ethereal Absolution
You can read: “If your opponent can’t counter it, you win the game.” It is in this second list only for its mana’s cost.
Rakdos Firewheeler
This is a must pick if you’re playing Rakdos. There isn’t any reason to skip it.
Cindervines
Probably it is more useful in Constructed than in Limited, but it is ok. Cindervines is an excellent card.
Finally, the last two cards that you must consider as your choice during the pre-release.
Seraph of the Scales
This is an excellent card that is in this third list only for its mana cost. You should consider it anyway because it can be a high wind condition in your Orzhov deck.
Spirit of the Spires
Ok, this is one of your best choices only if you have at least two or three flying creatures. In this case, it can be unstoppable.
And the PlanesWalkers?
Unfortunately, all of the Planeswalker in Ravnica Allegiance is too bad. Really. Ignore them.
