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Welcome to the three part Exodus Primer! I do remember playing this block, and in these next articles I’m going to review all I know about the set. In the first of this three part series, I’ll explore the set as I see it from a historical and drafter's perspectives.So hop on board the time machine and fasten your seatbelt, because we’re on warp speed to the year 1998!

Exodus had a lot of firsts. It was the first set to depict the rarity of the card by a colored symbol, and feature the collectors’ number on the card. While many don’t know this, it was also the first set to feature foils. Around this time, Wizards of the Coast was experimenting with foil cards. Every so often you might have come across one of these foil cards that did not feature a shooting star on the bottom. These are rare treasures indeed, and are wildly sought after by collectors.

One aspect I really love about Exodus involves the overall balance of the set. It’s a small set with only a 143 cards in total. If you’re going to compare this set to one of recent time, look no further than Future Sight. Each of these sets showed the future in Magic the Gathering. In the case of Exodus, you saw the power level being pushed even further, while Future Sight gave you a glance at possible cards and themes to appear. Each sets chase rare happens to be a two drop green spell. Exodus features Oath of Druids, while Future Sight has big bad Tarmogoyf. Each set is full of playable cards and money rares, so you’ll be able to get what you paid for in the packs. Buyback and Shadow were featured in each set. The sizes of each set are very similar, and the distributions of card rarity in the sets are nearly identical in their portions.

It's important to understand any set before you draft it. If you’re confidant in drafting triple Future Sight, then you should be fine drafting triple Exodus. In fact, the Rath Block (Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus) and Time Spiral block are very similar to draft. Some of you guys may have never drafted triple Future Sight, so I’ll break down the top cards at each rarity you’ll be looking for.

Below I’ve designated where I feel most of these cards should be picked if memory serves me right. I haven’t drafted this set in seven years, so I’m basing this off memory. I’ve researched some articles, but sadly not many were published on the limited environment. The value picks are to denote the fact you may get these later, and you should jump on them when you see them. These are often the "overlooked" picks that round out any deck needing to solidify itself.

At the Rare slot, I have these following 10 cards you hope to crack from your booster in no particular order.

Dominating Licid

Mind Control and Persuasion are both extremely powerful enchantments to draft. They often lead into a two for one trade, and each pull double duty by counting for a creature in their slot as well as removal. Dominating Licid does both, but the major difference involves its ability to move around from creature to creature. It’s also nearly impossible to remove if the player has a blue mana open. If you target the spell with a naturalize effect, it can quickly undo itself and become a creature. Try to kill it with a removal spell, and it’ll warp back into an enchantment on a creature. It’s also very mana intensive, meaning you’ll probably get it passed to you if you don’t crack it open. (Pick 1-3)

Recurring Nightmare

Another impossible enchantment to remove, Recurring Nightmare in itself will just win games. Nightmare’s power revolves around cheap casting creatures who discard your fatties. Cheating out a giant creature with ways to continuously retrieve it by tapping 3 mana is what makes this card over powered in draft. Its ability to cash in your lesser creatures to resurrect your bombs makes most removal look pathetic. Oh yeah, at a single black it’s also very splashable. It’s also a chase rare in the set you’ll need to get a hold of for classic use! (Pick 1)

Mindless Automaton

 

 A card you guys might be familiar playing with, Mindless Automaton is a great draw spell. It’s also a sick discard outlet. On top of that, it’s also a 3/3 creature that can grow significantly in short span of turns. At four mana, it fixes most curves in the set, and is always a problem when it comes to removal. The best attribute of the card is that it fits in almost any deck because it can be casted with just four colorless mana. (Pick 4)**** Value Pick

Plaguebearer

 

A Mox Monkey ( Gorilla Shaman ), which targets creatures instead of artifacts is just that damn good. He’s also black, which has quite a bit of recursion in the block. In the late game, he’ll break stalemates, and at two mana, he’s good enough to fill out a curve. I know his P/T isn’t exactly the greatest, but he’ll change the dynamic of the game if he’s not dealt with immediately. (Pick 3)

Ogre Shaman

  

Red is a very underwhelming color to play, but Ogre Shaman provides red with a much needed finisher. A 3/3 at five seems kind of weak, until you realize he torches any creature in the set for two mana and a card. He can also finish games off rather quickly by dealing six-ten damage to the dome in the span of two turns and five cards. If you’re in red, this is the dream card you want to see in your pack. (Pick 2)

Wall of Nets

Yeah, a wall at a number one pick seems pretty bad, until you read this card. A 0/7 wall for three mana that makes attacking a bad option awards this card a spot on the list. The card changes the dynamic of the board completely. Its only downside is the fact it can’t block shadow creatures, but that in itself isn’t too bad. White has tons of shadow creatures to do that job. Also, it’s prone to black’s heavy removal, but what white card isn’t? Last I checked I’d rather have a wall destroyed with removal, rather than one of my attacking creatures. (Pick 1-3)

Oath of Druids

The money rare of this block, Oath of Druids holds its own in the limited format. A card advantage, creature advantage, spell advantage, over all awesome engine, Oath will force your opponent to rethink their plan. Plan on picking up a (Gaea’s Blessing) if the pack is empty. Oath is easy to splash for, and green is very deep in the format. (Pick 1)

Erratic Portal

Every time I’ve ever had Erratic Portal in play, it flat out won games for me. Erratic Portal will significantly slow down your opponent’s tempo, allowing you to recover if you fall behind or smash their face in if you’ve got board control. Tempo I found is huge in the limited environment with this block. It’s also great when it comes to protecting creatures. There isn’t one aspect that portal doesn’t change in a game when it hits. (Pick 1)

Equilibrium

If you’ve ever drafted MVW, then you know how good (Man-o’-War) was. Equilibrium is a sick blue enchantment that turns each creature into Man-o’-War for one extra. All this accomplishes is quick damage, massive tempo swings, and immediate concessions if not dealt with. If you’re in blue, this is your first pick in the pack over anything else. (Pick 3)

Survival Of the Fittest

Pay a green, pitch a creature, get a better creature. All this green enchantment does is break late games open, fetch all your bombs on a constant basis, and give you answers. Control adores this to find its answers, and even fast decks can abuse this by pitching their weaker creatures to find their bombs. With black’s creature recursion, SotF allows you to pitch certain creatures to retrieve them with (Grave Digger) and other recursion spells. (Pick 1)

Here are my top uncommons to look for in packs, again in no particular order:

Slaughter

The strongest uncommon in this set, Slaughter will at the least be a two for one. Paying four life to retrieve this nifty removal spell back to your hand is a steep price to pay, but one well worth it. What I feel is the strongest removal in the set, earns it priority over any other card if I’m in black. (Pick 1)

 Keeper of the Dead

 

Another strong removal spell that incorporates the black theme of this set, Keep of the Dead allows you to actually two for one your creatures and still get even trades in the end. To improve on this card, you can also throw it into the red zone for a quick bash. (Pick 3)

Forbid

The format is slow enough to play Cancel, so what happens when you put Cancel with buyback? Forbid will answer any and every threat in the format that should see play. Having this card in your deck makes those extra lands you accumulate in your hand become useful. The buy back is steep again, but the reward is well worth it. (Pick 3)

Spike Cannibal

This card should just read: When it comes into play, destroy all spikes and get their counters. Normally you’re playing this as a 4/4. Even if they don’t have spikes out, it makes for a nice three drop that will fit in blacks curve. Black also has the prevalence of shadow in the color. Your Spike Cannibal will protect those creatures from burn, and pump them up to swing in for quick pressure. (Pick 7)

 Scrivener

Virtual card advantage in this set, Scrivener is able to retrieve those counters or removal spells you used early in the game. Look beyond the fact it has potential for a two for one, and focus on the fact that your opponent now is going to play around a removal spell in your hand. Using this information, you can easily figure if they have something they want to protect in their hand. Mind games are always awesome in the limited environment. (Pick 5)*** Value pick

Sabertooth Wyvern

A terror in the skies above, this drake will inflict quick punishment to anything that gets in his way. His first striking ability is what puts him on this list. Most fliers in this set can’t take him alone. At five mana, he’s perfect on red’s curve, and will justify any red splash. (Pick 3)

Killer Whale

 

Killer Whale is a big body in general to try and get by. Its ability to become a 3/5 flyer is crucial when it comes to blocking and attacking. Not much in this set has a fair shot at trading with a flying Shamu here. Shamu also gives blue a big body it desperately needs. (Pick 1-3)

Fugue

Buyback is a late game mechanic that can break stalemates wide open. Fugue is the black answer to the problem. Also, Fugue punishes the slow decks drafted in the format. Black is perhaps the deepest color in the format, and Fugue is one of its more powerful spells. (Pick 6)

Crashing Boars

At first glance, its ability may seem a bit weak until you realize that not much in this set has over three toughness. Combine that with the amount of pump spells in green, and you’re looking at a blowout situation waiting to happen. It’s also a 4/4 body that fits well on green curve. (Pick 4)

 Dauthi Cutthroat

 

Shadow is perhaps the strongest evasion we’ve seen outside of horsemanship. This set is flooded with creatures with shadow and Cutthroat is waiting to literally cut their throats. His ability to remove shadow creatures is very important and the fact that he is a shadow creature allows you to bash with him every turn. His ability is also not taxing on your mana and being black virtually eliminates any playable removal the black/white beats may have. (Pick 5)

Finally we’ve come to the commons. Here again are the ten commons you should look for in your draft:

 Vampire Hounds

Nantuko Husk and Wild Mongrel are both very powerful in limited, so what happens with combine them? Vampire Hounds of course. Pairing this card with black’s ability to return creatures from the graveyard, as well as creature effects that take place in the graveyard give Vampire Hounds a solid home in any black heavy deck.(Pick 6)

Merfolk Looter

 

My favorite card to play with in any limited format, Merfolk Looter ensures three constants: No mana Flood, No Mana screw, Solid draws. With the Looter, you’re able to cash in your extra lands, or pitch high priced spells to find land. Once you’ve established board position, Looter helps you find your bombs quickly. Finally, Looter is another great discard outlet for black to use in a blue/black deck. (Pick 5)

Shackles

One of white’s better spells in this block, Shackles has proven time and time again to shut down creatures quickly. The ability to retrieve the card back to your hand at instant speed ensures no chance of it being removed. Its ability to hop from creature to creature makes it an annoyance, and something that will frustrate your opponent.(Pick 4)

Kor Chant

 

White’s best common in the block, Kor Chant should read: This card is a blowout waiting to happen. Saving your creature and killing two of theirs is perhaps the biggest blowout you can pull in limited. Watch out for any white deck that suspiciously has three mana untapped or you’ll suffer this cruel fate like I have many a time. (Pick 1)

 Wayward Soul

Four for a 3/2 flier is normally a good trade off in limited; however, its other ability is surprisingly strong. If you have a blue mana up, then it’s nearly impossible for your opponent to remove Wayward Soul. At four mana, this is a card blue has needed to fill its curve. (Pick 4)

Rabid Wolverine

 

A rabid 4/4 at five mana, this is another punishing green creature in the format. Rabid Wolverine’s four toughness makes the card good enough for the curve. Add in its other ability that punishes creatures for blocking it, and you’ve got greens best common in the set. (Pick 5)

Wood Elves

Green loves mana accelerators, and Wood Elves does this well. Beside its ability to push the tempo of the game, Wood Elves features the best artwork in the set. It adds both style and speed to your deck, something that should never be overlooked! (Pick 7)

 Soltari Visionary

Three for a 2/2 shadow creature seems about right in its fairness; however, its ability to remove pesky enchantments moves this card into the top ten. The Rath block is full of enchantments to hate on creatures, and give creatures bonuses. Soltari Visionary often times wreaks havoc on licids, while dealing with pacifism effects that control loves to use. This is a great card in the white weenie beats arch type and is often easy enough to wheel. (Pick 7)

 Dauthi Jackal

 

Removal on wheels that happens to pack shadow as its back up mechanic makes Dauthi Jackal perhaps the most versatile common on this list. The Jackal is able to mess with combat quite a bit. Anytime you make your opponent over analyze the situation, chances are you’re quite far ahead, and Dauthi Jackal does that. (Pick 5)

Fade Away

This can often be a one sided Wrath of God to your opponent if they tap out early game. Virtually within the first three turns they have to decide if they want to keep potentially two creatures and have a single land, or lose both of their creatures and their tempo. You should be able to pick these up relatively late. Fade away will break a game open by fading any tempo your opponent may have away. (Pick 9)

The Rath block is a very fun to draft. Here are some final key thoughts I have noticed about this block in terms of drafting. The majority of your draft will hinge on Tempest and Exodus. Stronghold is a very weak set, so don’t worry if your deck isn’t looking quite strong after the Stronghold pack. Black is by far the deepest color in this set. It will also be the best color to get into early if you notice the opportunity. Blue is also very strong with Capsize as a common, and the abundance of counter magic in the set. Green is what you’d normally expect, pump spells and big creatures. White is the trickiest color to draft I’ve found. Picks on white can either make or break your draft, and it is very hard for white to not be the featured color or at least tied for the top color when it comes to your mana structure. Red is pretty boring, but pays off in Stronghold. You will be rewarded the majority of the time in pack two, but chances are pack three should focus on a second color. There is no reason you should play more than two colors in this set either. Everything beside red is very deep.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this week’s limited primer on Exodus. Next week I’ll take a look at the top twenty constructed cards in this three part series. Until next week PureMtgo.com, this is your neighborhood fat man who’s coat in two sizes to small reminding you to not draft while intoxicated!(My limited rating sank from 1758 to 1692 in a night because of it :-( )