Are these the most powerful cards from Phyrexia: All Will Be One?

Hello everyone!  Welcome to Standard Weekly!

Now that Phyrexia: All Will Be One has been fully previewed, it’s is time for the Top 10 most impactful cards for standard from the set.

You can find my Top 10 Phyrexia All Will Be One video on the official Caffeinated Gamers YouTube channel.  It will take a more in-depth look at each of the Top 10 cards from the set and give you some honorable mention cards that should play a role in standard.

#10

Nissa, Ascended Animist

Nissa, Ascended Animist’s loyalty abilities are all relevant in standard.  Her -7 loyalty ability is one of the most powerful abilities on a planeswalker card.  Giving all of your creatures trample and +1/+1 for each forest you have should finish games on the turn you ultimate Nissa.

#9

Black Sun’s Twilight

Black Sun’s Twilight is not only a removal card, but a reanimation spell.  When you have six mana you can kill an opponent’s creature and get back from your graveyard any creature with a casting cost equal to or less than the X you spent on the spell.

#8

The Filigree Sylex

This is one of my personal favor cards from the set.  The Filigree Sylex’s ability to remove 10 oil counters from cards you have in play and then do 10 damage to any target makes it the best of the sylex cards we have gotten.

# 7

Skrelv, Defector Mite

Skrelv is a very interesting card.  First, we don’t see many legendary one mana creatures.  Second, Skrelv’s ability to give another creature protection from a color is powerful.  Spells like God’s Willing have seen significant play across formats.  Skrelv should as well.

# 6

Skrelv’s Hive

This enchantment is a creature factory.  Each turn it creates a 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature token.  When you opponent does not have an answer to Skrelv’s Hive it should take over the game as long as the deck is built to support it.

# 5

Sheoldred’s Edict

This instant is the most powerful removal card from the set.  Being able to kill an opponent’s planeswalker for only two mana makes it extremely useful to any black deck and with all of the new planewalkers in standard it will be necessary to have a plan to deal with them.

# 4

Lukka, Bound to Ruin

Previous versions of Lukka have generally been underwhelming.  This version delivers.  Lukka’s +1 ability will ramp you into large creatures and his -4 ability will help get rid of your opponent’s creatures and planeswalkers.  Gruul decks should play this card.

# 3

Tyrranax Rex

Tyrranax Rex is the best creature from the set.  While seven total mana to cast is a lot, Tyrranax Rex’s abilities make it worth it.  First, the spell can’t be countered.  Second, it has trample, ward 4,and  haste.  This means that it will get to attack and do damage the turn you cast it.  This is topped off with toxic 4 to put your opponent on a short clock to find a way to win or get rid of Tyrranax Rex.

# 2

Phyrexian Arena

This reprint from Apocalyse brings another powerful black card to standard.  The ability to draw two cards each turn has already proven to be a powerful ability in standard.  This time is no exception.  If your deck doesn’t have enchantment removal already make sure that you have some in your sideboard.  Otherwise, your opponent will end up with so large of an advantage that you are likely to lose the match.

# 1

Ichormoon Gauntlet

This artifact might be one of the most significant cards ever printed in standard.  Its ability to give each of your planeswalkers the ability to proliferate and/or take an extra turn after this one offers additional power to planeswalker cards.  For example, one of the drawbacks of Liliana of the Veil is that her +1 ability causes both players to discard a card.  When you have cards in hand you do not mind discarding it is not a drawback, but there are times when you do not want to discard a card, so you choice to ignore Liliana’s plus ability.  With Ichormoon Gauntlet you have another choice.

I expect this card to be abused by deck builders that love planeswalkers.

That’s it for this week.  I’ll see you next time!