Marvel’s Spider-Man is the first mainline Marvel Universes Beyond booster product, and it’s fast approaching. There’s a whole Spider-verse of Spider-Mans out there, so we’ve condensed the highlights of the previews here: our top 10 cards to watch from Spider-Man.
TOP 10 MAGIC CARDS TO WATCH FROM SPIDER-MAN
10. IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Oh hey look, it’s the meme.
Slow clap
Yeah, I’m tired boss.
But for real, Imposter Syndrome is still worth a look. It comes down and offers something enticing for six mana. It’s well suited to decks with creatures that are hard to block, like UW flyers lists or UB Ninjas/Rogues. It can also help Simic decks that leverage Trample. Either way, it’s time to double up.
9. SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN
This one is on the list for multiple reasons. Firstly, it’s very playable in Standard. Secondly, it’s even playable in Modern, where it can do a great job protecting your board before getting in for three in the air. Thirdly, it’s sweet in Commander, where it joins the likes of Boromir, Warden of the Tower and Selfless Spirit.
And lastly, there’s the fact it’ll be highly collectable. It has a bunch of sweet nostalgic versions that make even me smile. 90s Spider-Man and X-men Saturday mornings ruled.
8. NORMAN OSBORN // GREEN GOBLIN
Grixis Flashback might just have a new best Commander. Green Goblin is well worth the flip, as you end up with an evasive threat that cost reduces casting from your graveyard by {2}. It also grants Mayhem to each card you’ve discard until the end of the turn, meaning you can keep pitching into the yard to keep the engine going.
A six mana investment on the front is well worth it, particularly as you can get him in for damage, pitch a spell to Connive, and flip him on the same turn.
7. HIDE ON THE CEILING
I love a Ghostly Flicker, an Eerie Interlude, and a March of Swirling Mist. Hide on the Ceiling borrows from sleeper Clue-deck hit Disorder in the Court to let you exile anyone’s artifacts or creatures until end of turn.
The sheer flexibility on offer here is not to be sniffed at, and I think Hide on the Ceiling is a potential staple for flicker decks. It’s cheap, modal, and does exactly what you want.
6. BLACK CAT, CUNNING THIEF
What happened to Gonti, Lord of Luxury? I guess all Aetherborn eventually fade away, and so it was only natural we’d get something riffing on Gonti eventually. Black Cat does so in a way that… basically invalidates the need for Gonti at all? Now you get to essentially Dig Through Time your opponent instead of just looking through the top four. You also get to play lands.
All you lose out on here is Deathtouch, so Black Cat is set to usurp Gonti’s throne.
5. RHINO’S RAMPAGE
My infatuation with exciting Uncommons is alive and healthy in SPM. Rhino’s Rampage is potentially two permanents removed for just one mana, which in my books is great value. The conditions are that you need a chunky creature and that you’re hitting a smaller one, but thats not hard for Gruul – particularly with so many cheap and pivotal creatures being deployed to curve out. While it’s not hitting anything large or… alive?… it’s still going to hit the majority of mana rocks, engine pieces, equipment and Sol Rings. I’m in!
4. SHADOW OF THE GOBLIN
A really sweet draw engine for red decks that also acts as a pinger? This is going to be popular. Wizards clearly think so too, with it being named in such a way that it can be easily reprinted. You can’t get much better than both of these effects for two mana.
3. GWENOM, REMORSELESS
Gwenom, Remorseless is a really fun card. Deathtouch and Lifelink are great keywords to have on your 4/4, and when she attacks she basically… well, she’s Bolas’ Citadel. That’s a very strong Magic card. Some might say it’s even a bit of a Game Changer. All manner of decks are excited to slot her in as a nice one-off Citadel on a body. She’s well suited for reanimator decks, or decks that can grant haste like Henzie or Chainer, Nightmare Adept.
2. ELECTRO, ASSAULTING BATTERY
Putting this into Standard with Vivi might well be Assault, or Battery. Your opponent is going to be left feeling bruised up, that’s for sure. At least it competes for being the same mana value as Vivi and Stock Up…?
That aside, Electro is seriously strong. It combines Leyline Tyrant’s leave trigger with the mana making you see on the likes of Birgi, God of Storytelling. It’s also a 2/3 Flyer? Dang. That’s a lot of value in one little card.
1. THE SOUL STONE
Was it ever going to be anything else?
The Soul Stone has the potential to be a brand new black staple mana-rock. Once you harness its power, you get to bring a creature back to play every turn. It’s also Indestructible, meaning it won’t be hit by most wraths. A mana rock that eventually becomes an extra Emeria, the Sky Ruin? Sign me up.
END STEP
While Spider-Man might not be “for you”, these ten cards are the ones that we’d recommend checking out if you do want to grab a few upgrades for your decks. They offer some interesting and powerful designs and are sure to be the more sought after cards in the set.
Kristen is Card Kingdom’s Head Writer and a member of the Commander Format Panel. Formerly a competitive Pokémon TCG grinder, she has been playing Magic since Shadows Over Innistrad, which in her opinion, was a great set to start with. When she’s not taking names with Equipment and Aggro strategies in Commander, she loves to play any form of Limited.