Another new set, another set of five cards I can’t wait to play with it. If you’ve been here before you’ll be happy to know that I didn’t cheat this time and add the new cycle of tri-lands as its own number. While those new lands are incredible, beautiful, and ostensibly designed, I focused on actual cards to build around. Suffice to say I’m not taking the easy way out on this one. But wait, doesn’t the title say ten? It does because this set is packed to the brim with insane cards. Magic the Gathering’s new set Streets of New Capenna thrusts us into the art-deco stylings of crime families and the halo trade on a plane we’ve never seen before. Heavy hitters abound, as we explore this world of planeswalker, praetors, and more. With a clear focus on tri-color strategies, Streets of New Capenna looks to carve its way into the Standard ladder with a slew of powerful build-arounds. In this list, I highlight the ten cards I’ll be building decks around on day one of the Magic the Gathering Arena release.

My wild cards are weeping as I write this, they know they are not long for this world. Destined to be doomed to some terrible build around I’m concocting.

Honorable Mention: Scheming Fence

Is this just better Meddling Mage? This has the fixings of being a multi-format all-star, but I expect to see it the most at tables of Commander.

10. Luxior, Giadia’s Gift

New Plane, new overpowered weapon for Elspeth. First off, let’s ignore the obvious infinite combo with Devoted Druid and focus on the innovative design on this equipment. The versatility this can provide is unmatched, because who would think to protect their planeswalker by turning it into a creature. This feels like a weird attempt at creating an equipment-based win condition for control decks. Either way I love this design and hope to see more like it in the future.

9. Brokers Ascendancy

Love a great build around card that provides value for both creatures, and planeswalkers. Almost entirely a “win-more” card, Brokers Ascendancy tickles the value train conductor that lives within my heart. Most of my thoughts surrounding this card only happen in magical, Christmas land but that won’t stop me from building a Bant value pile.

8. Corpse Explosion

Oh man, a board wipe for reanimator strategies? Sign me up. I think this card alone gives legs to a reanimation strategy in Standard, which is always fun to play. I also expect to see this in the popular Rakdos Sacrifice decks, as well as the Grixis piles I will continue to make until God himself comes down to stop me. I just realized this also hits planeswalkers, which is just gravy.

7. Shadow of Mortality

Big Death’s Shadow wasn’t something I expected to see in Streets of New Capenna. Sporting some of the best art in the set, I expect this card to see play in multiple formats with Standard potentially being its weakest showing. My heart says two mana 7/7 but my brain says “No, you idiot, that’ll never happen. There isn’t enough support in Standard to support a deck like this.” Won’t stop me from trying though with the abundance of Meathook Massacre play.

6. Riveteers Ascendancy

Evoking the famous photo “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper,” Riveteers Ascendancy may be the “Jund-iest” card I’ve ever seen printed. Recurring graveyard value lends itself to the already popular Jund Food/Sacrifice decks in Historic. I expect this card to warrant a green splash in the Rakdos Anvil decks. Was Charles Ebbets a Jund player? Probably.

5. Vivien on the Hunt 

Where do I even begin with this absolute house of a Vivien? I see a Natural Order/Birthing Pod on +2. It has card advantage with some downside on its +1 and it protects itself on -1. On all accounts this card is amazing, regardless of how slow it is. My Modern knowledge is a little rusty, but I believe this goes infinite with a single creature in play. At worst it is a premiere top end threat for Mono Green.

4. Toluz, Clever Conductor

The feature card of one of the new mechanics, Connive, Toluz, Clever Conductor looks to turn your discard into card advantage the longer the game goes. I expect to see this card plenty on the ladder as the inherent advantage of conniving will turn this card into “draw 3” or “draw 4” very often. Plus, Esper is going to be a house of a deck, and this mid-range value engine will be the conductor.

3. Aven Heartstabber 

Delirium was one of my favorite mechanics back in Shadows over Innistrad, and it sort of returns in Aven Hearstabber. This reminds me of Baleful Strix, obviously a little toned down but still solid in every way. At worst it is a two mana 1/1 flyer, at best it’s a two mana 3/3 deathtouch, flyer that draws a card. I’ll be fitting this into every control deck I build for the next six months.

2. Ob Nixilis, the Adversary

Let me temper your expectations right now… this is not the new Oko, Thief of Crowns. I repeat, this is not the new Oko, Thief of Crowns. Ob Nixilis, the Adversary is the latest installment of the three-mana value planeswalker, which often lends itself to some fairly unfair strategies. While I think this card will be strong, and impact the meta fairly aggressively, I do not expect an Oko level of power. I do love this design, and I will be building around this card as the current Standard Rakdos deck definitely wants this.

1. Void Rend

A staple of the premiere control deck set to dominate the ladder, Void Rend. This esper instant spell will see a home in every single one of my decks moving forward. This is just better Vindicate, which is insane. I blink your nonland permanent out of existence, and there is nothing you can do about it.

What I’ll be Playing on Release

The Standard ladder upon new set release is usually rife with aggro decks looking to feast on unoptimized lists. This is honestly the perfect environment to test my control and mid-range focused decks as they will be pushed to their limits. With Streets of New Capenna, my focus shifts to three color piles as the tri-cycle lands provide a ton of utility.

Esper

My current list that I used to climb to Mythic and get bounced out of Day One of the Arena Open at 6-3. I’ll be looking to upgrade this list with cards like Toluz, Clever Conductor, Scheming Fence, Tainted Indulgance, Obscura Interceptor, and Raffine’s Tower. The more I play with the above list, and the new cards from Streets of New Capenna, the more tempted I am to build a more mid-range, creature focused deck. Look for an update list after this coming weekend.

Grixis

Admittedly this deck isn’t ideal for the ladder, it is more of a pet deck than anything. But I believe with Streets of New Capenna, Grixis will establish itself on the ladder quickly, and efficiently. I’ll be adding Ob Nixilis, the Adversary, Aven Heartrender, Slip Out the Back, and Tenacious Underdog. If my list doesn’t gain much traction, I’ll just switch to the Crokeyz list like everyone else.

The best deck in Standard. (In a week or so) pic.twitter.com/S9kEPODHzv

— Stephen Croke (@crokeyz) April 20, 2022

A Nod to Art Deco

Let me just gush a bit about the Art Deco Style alt arts that are coming out with this new set. Absolutely brilliant art direction from the team at WotC to spoil us with. Every single artist pulled out the stops to give use some of the prettiest cards I’ve ever seen printed. I mean just take a look at these, it’s like I’m two martinis deep at a party at Gatsby’s. I’m not even disillusioned yet.

See you out on the ladder.

All in all, Streets of New Capenna seems to be a heavy hitter in terms of Standard impact. Tri-color strategies will be rampant as players look to capitalize on the new support and the wonderful new charm cycle. Mono-colored aggro strategies will feast in the early days but don’t be surprised when they get bounced out by decks with higher upside. My dark horse candidate for top ladder deck in the coming weeks is Naya good stuff. Let me know what you think the best deck of the format will be in the comments below.