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Welcome back to the adventurer's guildhouse for my second part of the Zendikar limited review. Sorry that it tooks so long since the first part - actually I was already done with it, but it was deleted accidentally.
(pic=Adventurer's Guildhouse)
Unlike the first part, I'll try a different way this time, especially because everyone already had the chance to play enough Zendikar. I will talk about my evaluation of the uncommons today, and at the end about a few rares.

But for now, let's get a bit deeper into detail!

White has acces to the following uncommons:
 Arrow Volley Trap
 Brave the Elements
 Kazandu Blademaster
 Kor Aeronaut
 Kor Duelist
 Landbind Ritual
 Pitfall Trap
 Quest for the Holy Relic
 Shepherd of the Lost
 (Windborn Charge)

The two Traps are kind of removal, but only work against attacking creatures. Fortunately good creatures tend to attack each turn, but both traps are restricting in some ways. Arrow Volley Trap is way to expensive, so it's not a card for aggressive decks, and sometimes too expensive for a control deck. Most times you can ignore the trap cost of this, as there are rarely more than 2 creatures on each side that attack, but if the opposite is true, it's a very good comeback card. Pitfall Trap is much better as it's less expensive and you can activate it for its trap cost fairly often, but sadly can't hit flyers. I wouldn't pick any of these about good creatures as they are too restrictive.

Brave the Elements is obviously very good if you are heavy or monowhite, but this should happen rarely. If it does you don't have to pick it high as it will table most of the times.

Kazandu Blademaster is one of the best 2 drops in the whole set. Most of the time he acts as an unblockable guy that also protects you very well, so it makes no difference whether you draft aggro or control, he is a high pick anyways with first pick potential.

Kor Aeronaut is another very good 2 drop, but made more for aggressive decks. Even if you draw him late he's very good, thanks to his finisher potential. He really shines in GW, but is still excellent in every other archetype.

Kor Duelist is made for very aggressive decks. These decks tend to pick up Adventuring Gear or similar cards anyway, what opens for brutal starts. Sometimes with the potential to kill around turn 4.

Shepherd of the Lost is a very interesting creature - in some decks it's weaker than Kazandu Blademaster but in general it's better, thanks to flying and the ability to splash it. Another excellent card for any archetype and an easy first pick.

Windborn Charge is a card I pick a bit later than others, at least in the first pack, as it's a bit onesided. It's exactly the same as Overrun - one of the best finishers ever printed, but very unflexible. Well, just watch out to be ahead.

Quest for the Holy Relic and Landbind Ritual are utter crap, though you can try the Ritual if you get multiple Felidar Sovereigns ;).

Blue got some other stuff:
 Aether Figment
 Gomazoa
 Hedron Crab
 Living Tsunami
 Merfolk Seastalkers
 Merfolk Wayfinder
 Quest for Ancient Secrets
 (Seascape Arialist)
 Summoner's Bane
 (Trapmakers Snare)
 

Aether Figment is another guy who is very good in each deck, as he can play different roles either as an early attacker or win condition. Thanks to kicker he is even more flexible. I've heard putting equipment on him is tech.

Gomazoa is ok in either flyer-heavy decks or control. Having 3 toughness is very important in this format and he can even play around some bigger guys or vampire Nighthawk.

Hedron Crab is its own archetype and milling the opponent has always style. The good thing is, outside the crab deck no one wants him so you can sometimes snag multiple copies of him without any problems. Just watch out not to pick it too high, as it's a very weak card on its own.

Living Tsunami is a silly bomb - either as an eternal landfall enabler or just the fat clock. I've played him turn 4 many times and was never unhappy.

Merfolk Seastalker's is a another excellent card. Toughness of 3 plus the power the disable the opponent's whole armada. Another card that makes no difference whether you are aggro or control, it always pays off. Sometimes I'd like to pick a common flyer over him, but he is too uncommon and too good to do this, honestly.

Merfolk Seastalker's is a generic 1/2 for 3 mana, which is too bad in this format to see play most times. Sure, he has the potential to draw a card, but most times he won't.

The Quest is even worse, just make's card disadvantage. Maybe borderline Sideboard card against the crab deck.

Seascape Aerialist is borderline playable in a deck that features around 10 Ally's, but otherwise not so much.

Summoner's Bane is ok as long as you are ahead, but otherwise your opponents can too easy play around the counter.

Trapmaker's Snare has the advantage of tabling, but if someone  can draft a deck with all the traps, it might see play. Either there or in the milldeck.

Black is the deepest color in the set and has the best uncommons:
 Feast of Blood
 Gatekeeper of Malakir
 Hagra Diabolist
 Marsh Casualties
 Mind Sludge
 Needlebite Trap
 Quest for the Gravelord
 Ravenous Trap
 Vampire Hexmage
 Vampire Nighthawk

 

Feast of Blood is like some other cards in this set - deck dependant. Should be always good in mono black aggro, but outside it's very weak. If you are already in this archetype pick it high as it won't table.

Gatekeeper is the obvious card advantage. A bit like Feast of Blood depending on the deck, but also very playable later and with less restrictions.

Hagra Diabolist also falls under this category - with enough Ally's it's just absurd, but otherwise still playble, maybe a bit expensive.

Marsh Casualties is one of the 3 best uncommons in this set and I don't want to open a pack outside of sealed that contains this and Nighthawk, as both are bombs in the same color. Hard to evaluate which is better, but one sided wrath's are always too strong to be passed.

Mind Sludge is very bomby in sealed, but a bit too slow for draft - still a very potent sideboard card against green and controlish decks.

Needlebite Trap is most times too expensive, but with all the uncommon dual lands still a maindeck option.

Quest for the Gravelord is one of the better Quests, as long it comes early. In the midgame it's so - so . I'm not sure when to pick it, I prefer real creatures over it.

Ravenous trap is okay against multiple Bloodghast, but otherwise a card for constructed magic.

Vampire Hexmage is pretty strong as it's nearly unblockable and a weapon against quests, planeswalker's and ally's. And a needed 2 drop, too!

Vampire Nighthawk is what some people call the most unfair card in Zendikar limited and I think they are right. Has the important 3 toughness, flies, wins every race with lifelink and kills even the biggest creatures - just absurd. Oh and he is immune against most removal.


Let's switch over to red:
 (Geyer Glider)
 Goblin Ruinblaster
 Hellfire Mongrel
 Inferno Trap
 Mark of Mutiny
 Murasa Pyromancer
 Punishing Fire
 Runeflare Trap
 Unstable Footing

 

Geyser Glider is as a 4/4 for 5 a bit over the curve for red - especially if they can fly - but his landfall won't trigger that often. Most times I prefer Bladetusk Boar over him, but I'm not unhappy if I have to play the Glider.

Goblin Ruinblaster is a card I'm a big fan of. 2 damage out of nowhere for 3 is very good, and thanks to the plenty nonbasics in this format he can screw very effective. He also fits the curve very good as red is a bit light of 3 drops.

Hellfire Mongrel is also good in this format as hands tend to be empty fast and he can press some damage. Even if he don't, people are scared of him and hold cards back which is also good.

Inferno Trap is removal that kills nearly everything with the option to cost less. And it's splashable. A bit weaker than Burst Lightning as it's less flexible but still very effective.

Mark of Mutiny is a strong finisher for aggro decks but outside of them just a filler.

Murasa Pyromancer needs an Ally heavy deck for his full potential - outside of them he is still playable, but maybe not effective enough, and too expensive for aggressive piles.

Punishing Fire is a flexible removal spell and sometimes a hammer of bogardan - always a strong addition for red decks and sometimes good for a splash.

Runeflare Trap is way too expensive for was it does. Most times it's one or two damage for 6, what is obvious not good.

Unstable Footing on the other hand is the lava axe of Zendikar - so another good card for aggro, but useless in other archetypes.

The last color on my list is green:
 Baloth Cage Trap
 (Baloth Woodcrusher)
 Cobra Trap
 Frontier Guide
 Greenweaver Druid
 Primal Bellow
 Quest for the Gemblades
 River Boa
 Tajuru Archer

Baloth Cage Trap is a fine card, thanks to the many good artifacts in this format. It's a bit unusual for a green card as it plays a bit like a counterspell - if your opponent knows you have the card he will just play around what may end as a timewalk for you. Another problem are the good bounce spells like Into the Roil, which becomes a real removal this way.

Baloth Woodcrusher is bombtastic. Usually he will end the game after the turn he comes into play. The best finisher for green based decks, often even better than the mythic Baloth.

Cobra Trap is more of a filler or sideboard card; sometimes it's very useful but in general it sits in your hand and spits out tokens when it's already too late.

Frontier Guide, as a 1/1 for 2 is not that great. His ability is too expensive and he can't attack early in the game. The best use for him is trading with a generic 2/1. Usable in a landfall heavy deck or maybe 3c Ally's.

Greenweaver Druid sucks in general - you need estimated 5-6 5cc guys to make him effective enough. Like the obelisks in Alara he comes down a bit late - but it's a bit worse in this format as there are no real lategame control decks.

Primal Bellow is a very good trick, like all Giant Growth effects. If green is underdrafted you get them late and maybe try a monogreen deck, though I don't think that is a that good idea.

Quest for the gemblade is one of the better quests, as it only needs one counter and the effect doesn't end at the end of turn. Should be pretty sick in UG or WG with some flyers.

River boa, our good old friend from Mirage block, is the best 2 drop creature for green in this format - hard to kill, blocks anything non evasive without pain and even unblockable some times. Makes Spreading Seas in UG playable.

Tajuru Archer is a very specific Ally, but an Ally at least - somewhere between trash and treasure, depending on your opponent, but flyers tend to be everywhere.

 
Artifacts and Lands:
 (Blazing  Torch)
 Carnage Altar
 Khalni Gem
 Trailblazer's Boots
 Trusty Machete
 5 Refuge's

I won't list all the 5 Refuge's separately - I think everyone knows they are good if you play allied color combinations. Sometimes the one point of life even makes a difference, but watch out your opponent has no Needlebite Trap!

Blazing Torch is a removal that may cost a bit tempo, but sometimes makes creatures unblockable, too. This and the option to burn players makes it a great addition to every deck.

Carnage Altar would have been great under the old rules - but under the new ones it's completely trash. The investment of 8 Mana and 3 cards for an inspiration? Uhm, no.

Khalni Gem is again a specific card either for landfall or multicolor control. In these decks it can be very strong, but outside of them it's useless. If you draft a named deck you don't have to be afraid, you should get one most times.

Trailblazer's Boots is a card I don't like - very often it will do exactly nothing and in every other situation, a Machete or Adventuring Gear would do the same. A sideboard card against multicolored piles, if these should exist.

Trusty Machete is a favorite of most players as first pick P1P1. I'm not sure if I would pick it over Marsh Casualties or Vampire Nighthawk, as both of them tend do more, but honestly this depends on the pack I open. Getting one passed is always nice but shouldn't happen too often.

Rares

 

A few words on a few selected rares, that may be interesting - I will not talk about any, because everyone should know how good Sphinx of Jwar Isle is and how bad Archmage Ascension sucks.

 

Day of Judgment: I'm a bit disappointed about Day. Yes, mass removal is still strong, but it's not as good as I'm used to it. The thing is with white, you'll often find yourself drafting an aggro deck that wants to curve out. Not the best place for Day. It's also not the best topdeck, I wish for Journey to Nowhere more often than wrath as the former helps with attacking. If you got a control deck on the other hand, Day becomes much better - but that happens rarely, at least for me. Don't get me wrong, pick it if you can as you won't see it on the other side of the table, but as I said it's not that good in Zendikar as you are used to it.

 

Luminarch Ascension: I'm happy whenever I have to play against it, because I always win. It's like as if my opponent took a mulligan without knowing it. It may be good in a selected deck, with some Kraken Hatchlings, Pitfall Traps and maybe a Day of Judgment, but only if you put it on the table turn 2. Also, a deck constructed this way needs a second win condition as it's unlikely to have the Ascension every game. I think it's nearly impossible to use this card effective, for me it reads: "skip your second turn".

 

Archive Trap: If you draft a crab deck make sure you get one of them :) The deck works even without one of course, but it's too cool to kill with this.

 

(Cosi's Trickser): I don't think he has a place in the Maindeck, as Caller of Gales is usually better if you need an attacking blue one drop, but it can grow very big against the UG Landfall deck.

 

Roil Elemental: Sure, it's a bomb. But it's very expensive and dies to nearly every removal (especially the ones for one mana... ) - I tend to take one of the other flyers over it, as they have the potential to kill the opponent even before Roil Elemental comes out. If UG Landfall can power it out turn 5 it may be good, but otherwise not so much.

 

Bloodchief Ascension: This one is hard. I guess you can better build around it than Luminarch Ascension, but I'm not really sold to it. Great if you got much removal, but the deck should be either way with much removal...

 

(Kalitas, Bloodchief of Geht): I thought this guy was too expensive - until I saw a control deck that won with him. I'm still not sure if he is made for the format, I'd like to hear about other experiences!

 

Electropotence: This one is really too expensive - in a control deck you can't waste a whole turn, and in aggro... you don't want to waste a whole turn, you better put more pressure on the board. Not nearly as good as it's namesake from 1995.

 

Warren Instigator: A 2 mana 2/1 is very solid in this format, thanks to double strike he don't trade with other x/1's and with his ability you can do very sick things with Tuktuk Grunts.

 

Gigantiform: In most other formats I would laugh if someone plays this against me, but this one is known for don't having the most effective removal. Cards that handle gigantiform are early picks mostly, so they will end up in some players pool unused, making Gigantiform even better. 8/8 trample is just sick in this format... The best thing is, it's like an 8/8 with haste.

 

Predatory Urge: As I said, there are not that much answer to it, if you put it on the correct creature ( Nissa's Chosen for example ), and most creatures are small, coupled with the inflexibility of the usual green card - this can be very good.

 

Blade of the Bloodchief: This card makes nothing on its own, and the counters are equipped to the creature. It's a bit like Quest for the Gravelord,with the exception that you need a creature instead of giving you one.

 

Eldrazi Monument: I underestimated this long time, but it's a sick bomb actually.

 

Eternity Vessel: If your lifecount is high enough when you play the Vessel, you should be impossible to kill. 

 

(Grabbling Hook): Way to expensive.

 

(Valakut, the molten Pinacle) / (Emeria, the Sky Ruins): Obviously good in monocolor decks, but outside of them I won't play these - coming into play tapped is too much of a disadvantage.

 

Magosi, the Waterveil: Interesting card. On a stalled board, with some evasion you can use this for the alpha strike. Maybe it's just an odd thought, but I think this one has to potential.

 

Fetchlands: They help to splash a color or just for a stable manabase and enable landfall - depending on the deck they can be early picks and very good. Because of their value they will be picked fast obviously, but on a high level tourney they tend to go later.

 

 

That was a few insights from my side to the world of Zendikar. Don't forget these reflect my opinions and my play style and don't have to be 100% correct. Also, the format is still young so some views will change over course of time. I hope you had fun and I wish you all good luck in the draft and sealed queues! If you have any further questions, or just want to talk, message me on MTGO, I'll be a bit busy in the next weeks but usually I'm online around 6pm - 12am gmt ( so - 6 hours for eastcoast, -9 hours for westcoast if I'm right ) to practice some sealed and standard for upcoming paper tourneys.

For this time I'm done, but you will hear more from me soon - but that time about constructed, either standard or extended. Until then, have fun.