So lets continue the countdown with another power player that many people are happy about…

6. Harrow

This one card alone deserves its own recognition. Harrow has been around the block before but this is the first time that I can think of where it can be used not only as accel but as a trick too. The landfall mechanic only cares that you play lands, not where you played them from, which makes the dudes who get bigger with lands happy when you have Harrow mana open. Oh, did I forget to mention it’s an Instant, meaning you don’t have to cast it on your turn alone? That makes a huge difference when you consider how much land means in Zendikar. Not only that but the lands come in untapped so you could potentially chain more spells, maybe even another Harrow. The amount of acceleration this card provides is just nuts. Be sure to keep an eye out for this in standard, I’m sure it will make an impact.

7. The Explorers Cards

Let’s play Simon Says. Simon Says have some creatures die. Done? Here’s a big dude for you. That’s pretty much what happens when you play Quest for the Gravelord, one of the cards from the five color cycles of Explorer cards. Each Explorer Card, from the common Expeditions, the uncommon Quests and the rare Ascensions has a specific trigger to gain counters.

Some are easy to attain like playing lands, some are not so easy like not losing life. Once these cards are online however they delivery some serious power, except for maybe the blue Explorer cards, which are seriously lacking when compared to the other colors. The flavor that they each represent is also phenomenal, so let’s pack up the gear and get to exploring!

 

8. The Uber Spells

This cycle of cards is rightly called Uber because of the effects they attain when they reach the kickers they have. Each color’s Uber spell is just right for those colors. Conqueror’s Pledge is great white token making, and game breaking if kicked. Rite of Replication is essentially a Clone until kicked where it becomes 5, all at the low mana cost of 9. Sadistic Sacrament is just that, sadistic. Lobotomy Effects can hurt a strategy but if you hit kicker on this one you can rip every possible threat the opponent has left. Elemental Appeal is typical red, creating a Ball Lightning with an extra boost in power but gives it a HUGE leap if kicked. Gigantiform is probably the only one of the spells that doesn’t have to be kicked to be hurtful, turning a lowly dork into an 8/8 trampling nightmare, and if kicked allows you to share the love with another dork. All of the Ubers are good but each are brutal when you hit them late game.

9. The Mythics

Now when Mythics were introduced many people started nay saying them, making the argument that they would eventually print utility cards at mythic thus driving up prices for single cards. While I do think it’s still possible for them to do this, so far Wizards have kept their word. That’s not to say that the cards they have printed aren’t incredibly strong, some bordering on utility but they still require some kind of dedication to the card itself.

 

The legendary creatures are huge, from Iona who says NO to a specified color, Lorthos who can tap down so many things its nearly impossible to block him or Kalitas who as a vampire lord can kill other creatures and make you vampires to serve you.   The baddest legend though is definitly Ob Nixilis, who not only sucks life from your opponents when a land comes into play but also gets bigger by doing it.

The three planeswalkers we’ve received this time around each embody its colors perfectly. Sorin is a vampire so he sucks away life and manipulates the mind so he can control you, just a black mage’s cup of tea. Chandra on a bad day will do everything she can to blow you away, just what any angry red mage would do. Nissa is about the Elves, so it’s only fitting that she benefits from them, gaining you life or searching down her brethren to serve your cause.

White got an interesting alternate win condition attached to a very nasty body with Felidar Sovereign. There’s also the flavorful Obsidian Fireheart, who makes lands themselves burn their controller. Eldrazi Monument is another mythic which just overflows with flavor and power, making your creatures into Supermen just by martyring another one each turn.

Lastly there’s green, with Rampaging Baloths and Lotus Cobra, who have landfalls triggers that are so amazing it’s possible for green to be the best color in standard. Cracking open one of these cards is not only a good thing for your collection but possibly even for your own deck.

 

10. Full Frame Lands

The last thing I want to talk about is the full frame basic land cards that every single booster pack and Fat Pack provide. Those familiar with the joke sets Unglued and Unhinged know how beautiful having no text box is, and these ones are no exception. The lands are stunning, from the floating geode bowls of an Island or the levitating trees of a Forest. I personally would draft the land before one of the set’s filler cards. If you get the chance to acquire these lands do so, it will be worth your time.

 

Well that’s it, my ten reasons to be excited about Zendikar. I’m sure each of you has your own reasons to purchase this wonderful set, whether it’s to get those powerhouse cards or just to admire the sheer loveliness of the art. One thing is for sure; Zendikar is here, so buckle up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.