CardShark Content - Aaron Swersky (8/11/2004)

This Quick Reference Guide represents the culmination of all three of my previous articles rating the commons from Fifth Dawn in a draft format. For more in-depth reviews of each card, please see my three articles from which this information was gleaned, as they will explain my ratings more thoroughly than this guide.
Please note that this guide strictly deals with these cards in a Limited aspect. While there are some cards that will be excellent in Constructed decks (U2VydW0gVisions

Visions
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: NéNé Thomas Text: Look at the top five cards of any library. You may then shuffle that library.

, I'm talking to you), those cards won't receive a high rating unless they're also useful in Limited play.

In case you're wondering, here is my rating system.
* - Do not draft this card. Ever. There must be something better in that pack!
** - Borderline playable. Never goes into your maindeck on game 1 - sideboard only.
*** - Not bad, good filler for your deck. A good standby, don't be afraid to take this.
**** - Very strong. Take these often, as long as they're in your colors.
***** - Broken. Take these whenever you see them, no matter what. Uber-powerful.

WHITE
------------
Abuna's Chant

Abuna's Chant
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 1 Artist: John Matson Text: Choose one- Gain 5 life, or prevent the next 5 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. Entwine 2

- **
Overcosted, overkill. 3W is a lot to keep open.
Armed Response

Armed Response
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 2 Artist: Doug Chaffee Text: Armde Response deals an amount of damage to target attacking creature equal to the number of equipment you control.

- *1/2
Pricey, too situational, small effect. Very poor.
Leonin Squire

Leonin Squire
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cat Soldier Rarity: C Number: 9 Artist: Pete Venters Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: When Leonin Squire comes into play, return target artifact card from your graveyard with a converted mana cost of 1 or less to your hand.

- ***
Recursive, great price, good P/T for its cost.
Loxodon Anchorite

Loxodon Anchorite
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Elephant Cleric Rarity: C Number: 10 Artist: Jim Nelson Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: Tap: Prevent the next two daamage that would be dealt to target creature or player.

- ***1/2
Good cost, great P/T and ability. Draft plenty.
Skyhunter Prowler

Skyhunter Prowler
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cat Knight Rarity: C Number: 15 Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying. Attacking does not cause Skyhunter Prowler to tap.

- ***
Good evasion and cost, vigilant, loves equipment.
Stand Firm

Stand Firm
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 17 Text: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Scry 2

- ***
Great combat trick, almost as good as Lose Hope

Lose Hope
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 52 Text: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Scry 2

.
Stasis

Stasis
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Artist: Fay Jones Text: Players do not get an untap phase. Pay U during your upkeep or Stasis is destroyed; cards still do not untap until the next untap phase.

IENvY29vbg== - ***1/2
Almost always has a target in this format. Powerful.

BLUE
------------
Advanced Hoverguard

Advanced Hoverguard
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Drone Rarity: C Number: 22 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying. U: Advnaced Hoverguard can't be the target of spells or abilities until end of turn.

- ***
Untargetability is nice, 2 toughness is merely OK.
Condescend

Condescend
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 27 Text: Counter target spell unless that spell's controller pays. Scry 2

- **1/2
Strong in late-game, good vs. bombs. Play a couple.
Early Frost

Early Frost
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 29 Text: Tap up to three target lands.

- **
Dead draw unless it's very early. Quite poor.
Into Thin Air

Into Thin Air
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 6 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 33 Text: Affinity for artifacts. Return target artifact to its owner's hand.

- **
Too pricey and situational. Take Regress

Regress
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 48 Artist: Randy Gallegos Text: Return target permanent to its owner's hand.

or something.
U2VydW0gVisions

Visions
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: NéNé Thomas Text: Look at the top five cards of any library. You may then shuffle that library.

- ***1/2
Low-cost library sifting, replaces itself. Play lots.
Thought Courier

Thought Courier
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: C Number: 38 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Tap: Draw a card, then discard a card from your hand.

- ***1/2
Great for pitching unneeded cards, finding bombs.
Trinket Mage

Trinket Mage
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Wizard Rarity: C Number: 39 Artist: Mark A Nelson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: When Trinket Mage comes into play, you may search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.

- ***
Grabs lots of different cards, thins a library, good stuff.

BLACK
------------
Blind Creeper

Blind Creeper
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Beast Rarity: C Number: 42 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Whenever a player plays a spell, Blind Creeper gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

- ***1/2
Great for racing, above the curve for several turns.
Cackling Imp

Cackling Imp
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Imp Rarity: C Number: 44 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying. Tap: Target player loses 1 life.

- ***1/2
Breaks stalemates, gets around prevention, evasion helps.
Dross Crocodile

Dross Crocodile
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Crocodlie Rarity: C Number: 47 Power: 5 Toughness: 1

- **1/2
Born to die, often takes something with it. A couple are OK.
Fill with Fright

Fill with Fright
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 50 Text: Target player discards two cards from his or her hand. Scry 2

- **
4 mana, no board effect, often ineffective.
Fleshgrafter

Fleshgrafter
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Warrior Rarity: C Number: 51 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Discard an artifact card from your hand: Flesh Grafter gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

- ***1/2
No-mana pumping power, good base P/T to cost, easy to feed.
Lose Hope

Lose Hope
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 52 Text: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Scry 2

- ****
Kills X/1 creatures, great combat trick, play a lot.
Vicious Betrayal

Vicious Betrayal
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 60 Text: As an additional cost to play Vicious Betrayal, sacrifice any number of creatures. Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn for each creature sacrificed in this way.

- *1/2
Self-Wrath, sends obvious signals. Almost never worth it.

RED
------------
Goblin Brawler

Goblin Brawler
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Goblin Warrior Rarity: C Number: 66 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Goblin Brawler can't be equipped.

- ***1/2
Built-in first strike is strong and rare in MD5.
Krark-Clan Ogre - **1/2
A bit pricey but a nice P/T, situational but strong ability.
Mana Geyser

Mana Geyser
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 75 Text: Add R to your mana pool for each tapped land opponents control.

- *
NO. Do not play this card ever. So bad it hurts my eyes.
Rain of Rust

Rain of Rust
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 5 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 76 Text: Choose one - Destroy target artifact, or destroy target land. Entwine 3R

- **1/2
Expensive Shatter

Shatter
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Amy Weber Text: Shatter destroys target artifact.

or Molten Rain

Molten Rain
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 101 Artist: Hugh Jamieson Text: Destroy target land. If that land is nonbasic, Molten Rain deals 2 damage to the land's controller.

, hoses Sunburst. Not bad.
Screaming Fury

Screaming Fury
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Number: 78 Text: Target creature gets +5/+0 and gains haste until end of turn.

- **
Too pricey to be efficient, but OK if you can afford it.
Spark Elemental

Spark Elemental
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: Red Sub Type: Elemental Rarity: C Number: 79 Artist: John Avon Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Trample. At the end of turn, sacrifice Spark Elemental.

- **
Usually irrelevant. Not as good as it looks. Let it pass.
Vulshok Sorceror - ***1/2
Immediate kill for X/1 guys, breaks stalemates, VERY strong.

GREEN
------------
Dawn's Reflection

Dawn's Reflection
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Enchant Land Rarity: C Number: 85 Text: Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, its controller adds 2 mana of any combination of colors to his or her mana pool.

- ***
Good mana booster/diversifier, costly but effective.
Ferocious Charge

Ferocious Charge
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 88 Text: Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Scry 2 (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

- ****
Huge boost, great combat trick. Play lots!
Sylvok Explorer

Sylvok Explorer
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Druid Rarity: C Number: 93 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Tap: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color that a land you control could produce.

- **1/2
Like a Myr, color-dependent. 1 toughness is poor. Not bad.
Tangle

Tangle
	Set: Invasion Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 213 Artist: John Avon Text: Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.Attacking creatures don't untap during their controllers' next untap steps.

IEFzcA== - **1/2
Great blocker, awful attacker. Draft it like a wall.
Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - **1/2
Not a strong attacker. Regen is nice. 2 toughness is weak.
Tyrannax - ***
Good beater, nice trick. Pricey, but worth playing a few.
Viridian Scout

Viridian Scout
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Warrior Rarity: C Number: 100 Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: 2G, Sacrifice Viridian Scout: Viridian Scout deals 2 damage to target creature with flying.

- *1/2
Overcosted, weak, poor ability. Almost anything is better.

ARTIFACT
------------
Anodet Lurker

Anodet Lurker
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Rarity: C Number: 101 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Whenver Anodet Lurker goes to a graveyard from play, you gain 3 life.

- **
A bit overcosted, ability only works it dies. Mediocre.
Baton of Courage

Baton of Courage
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 105 Text: Sunburst You may play Baton of Courage at any time you could play an instant. Remove a charge counter from Baton of Courage: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

- ***1/2
Powerful. Sticks around. Colorless Ferocious Charge

Ferocious Charge
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 88 Text: Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Scry 2 (Look at the top two cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

.
Battered Golem

Battered Golem
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Golem Rarity: C Number: 106 Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: Battered Golem does not untap during your untap step. When an artifact comes into play, you may untap Battered Golem

- ***
Decent cost, good starting beater. Drawback is mild.
Conjurer's Bauble

Conjurer's Bauble
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 112 Text: Tap, Sacrifice Conjurer's Bauble: Put up to one target card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library. Draw a card.

- ***
Great with Salvage

Salvage
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Artist: Keith Parkinson Text: Take any one card from your graveyard and put that card on the top of your library.

rs, cheap cycler. Like playing a 39-card deck.
Cranial Plating

Cranial Plating
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 113 Text: Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each artifact you control. BB: Attach Cranial Plating to target creature you control. Equip 1

- ****
Draft it or lose to it, that simple. Goes in every deck.
Healer's Headdress

Healer's Headdress
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 129 Text: Equipped creature gains +0/+2 and has "Tap: Prevent 1 damage to target creature." WW: Attach Healer's Headdress to target creature you control. Equip: 1

- ***1/2
Nice toughness booster, great at 'chaining' prevention.
Heliophial

Heliophial
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 130 Text: Sunburst 2, Sacrifice Heliophial: Heliophial deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of charge counters on Heliophial.

- **
Decent with Sunburst, poor without it. Seldom good.
Horned Helm

Horned Helm
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 132 Text: Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample. GG:Attach Horned Helm to target creature you control. Equip 1

- ***
Trample and +1/+1 is nice. Not great, not bad. Play freely.
Myr Quadrupod - ***
Great combat trick, though a little mana hungry.
Myr Servitor

Myr Servitor
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: C Number: 139 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, if Myr Servitor is in play, each player returns all cards named Myr Servitor from his or her graveyard to play.

- **
Almost useless in a Limited situation. Run 3+ or 0.
Neurok Stealthsuit

Neurok Stealthsuit
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 140 Artist: Francis Tsai Text: Equipped creature can't be the target of spells or abilities. UU:Attach Neurok Stealth Suit to target creature you control. Equip 1

- **
Can make targets fizzle, otherwise poor. You can do better.
Opaline Bracers

Opaline Bracers
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 141 Text: Sunburst (This comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.) Equipped creature gets +X/+X where X is the number of charge counters on Opaline Bracers. Equip 2

- ***1/2
Often underrated, usually +2/+2 or +3/+3, very nice.
Pentad Prism

Pentad Prism
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 143 Artist: David Martin Text: Sunburst (This comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.) Remove a charge counter from Pentad Prism: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

- ***1/2
Good accelerant, powers Sunburst. Fits into any deck.
Razorgrass Screen

Razorgrass Screen
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Wall Rarity: C Number: 145 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Razorgrass Screen blocks each turn if able.

- **1/2
OK early blocker, combo with Salvage

Salvage
	Set: Portal Second Age Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Artist: Keith Parkinson Text: Take any one card from your graveyard and put that card on the top of your library.

rs, born to die.
Sawtooth Thresher

Sawtooth Thresher
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 6 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Rarity: C Number: 149 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost) Remove 2 +1/+1 counters from Sawtooth Thresher: Sawtooth Thresher gets +4/+4 until end of turn.

- **1/2
Pricey, but instant free pump is strong. Mighty in Sunburst.
Skyreach Manta

Skyreach Manta
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 5 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Rarity: C Number: 152 Artist: Christopher Moeller Power: 0 Toughness: 0 Text: Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost) Flying 0/0

- ***1/2
Powerful and evasive. Use it, or prepare for it.
Sparring Collar

Sparring Collar
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 154 Text: Equipped creature has first strike RR:Attach Sparring Collar to target creature you control. Equip 1

- **1/2
First strike on a fattie is often game. Not half bad.
Suntouched Myr

Suntouched Myr
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Sub Type: Myr Rarity: C Number: 160 Power: 0 Toughness: 0 Text: Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.) 0/0

- **1/2
Unremarkable. Never great, seldom bad. Often 3/3 for 3.
Thermal Navigator

Thermal Navigator
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Creature Rarity: C Number: 162 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Sacrifice an artifact: Thermal Navigator gains flying until end of turn.

- **
Costly to activate, mediocre P/T. Last resort.
Wayfarer's Bauble

Wayfarer's Bauble
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: C Number: 165 Artist: Darrel Riche Text: 2, Tap, Sacrifice Wayfarer's Bauble: Search your library for a basic land card and put that card into plya tapped. Then shuffle your library.

- ***1/2
Great Sunburst enabler, thins your deck. Play plenty.

And that's the Quick Reference Guide for Fifth Dawn commons. Next time, I'll be reviewing white and blue uncommons.

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