Aetherdrift has plenty of great common cards that you might otherwise overlook in thisMagic: The Gatheringset. Between speed-based enchantments, Toys that drain your opponents, and lands that can slot into multiple decks, there’s a little bit of everything in this set.
We took a look at the most common cards from Aetherdrift and followed them across the Multiverse to verify they’re as good as they seem. Whether you’re preparing to go into a draft or just want a few budget sideboard pieces for your deck, you’re able to’t go wrong with these cards.
10Lightwheel Enhancements
A Speedy Getaway
Enchantments like Lightwheel Enhancements are great in Limited formats since they never seem to go away.This one mana Auranot only gets you off to the races with its speed trigger but gives either a creature or vehicle +1/+1 and vigilance.
Once you hit Max Speed, you may cast this aura from the graveyard, letting you move this Aura around the battlefield as your creatures face off in battle. It might not be a huge bonus in terms of stats, but even just a little buff to a creature’s stats can either push through your opponent’s defenses or act as a deterrent.
9Grim Bauble
Bounce That Bauble
One mana artifacts are great in a set like Aetherdrift where there is so much synergy between all the artifacts in the set. When Grim Bauble comes into play, you get to give one of your opponent’s creatures -2/-2, taking out plenty of smaller and early game creatures.
Once a few turns go by, or when you have more mana later in the game, you may put the Bauble to good use by sacrificing it to surveil 2. You can craft your next few draws off of this ability, pitching unnecessary lands and other cards in favor of more situational cards.
8Beastrider Vanguard
Take A Peek
2/2 creatures for two mana with an upside are a huge part of Limited formats and Beastrider Vanguard has a pretty strong ability. Early in the game, you have a solid creature coming down on your second turn.
Once you have some spare mana, you can dump it into its ability, taking a peek at the top three cards of your deck, snagging a permanent card, and putting it into your hand. Three cards might not be huge, but being able to pay five mana and draw a card is pretty good when your hand is empty later in the game.
7Avishkar Raceway
Off To The Races
Aetherdrift is all about getting those engines going, and with Avishkar Raceway, you may get there even faster than before. This land comes with the start your engines! Keyword ability that will get you started down the speed track.
Gaining speed doesn’t use the stack, so no one can respond to it.
At maximum speed your land gets a new ability, letting you pay three mana and tapping it to discard a card, and then draw a card. You can use it to pitch lands later in a game or to fill your graveyard with specific cards to give you the advantage.
6Bounce Off
This Ain’t Bumper Cards
There are plenty of bounce spells in Magic: The Gathering and Bounce Off is a slightly improved version of the tried and true Unsummon spell. For one blue mana, you get to return a creature or a vehicle back to its owner’s hand.
You can use this spell offensively and defensively, depending on your needs. If your opponent has a problematic card in play and you need it gone, even temporarily, you can. You can also flip it around, and if you want to save one of your creatures, you can bring it back to your hand to help it dodge a removal spell.
5Deathless Pilot
Just Won’t Stay Dead
There are a few creatures in Aetherdrift that let you crew vehicles and saddle mounts for higher than their power, and Deathless Pilot might be the best among them. For two mana you get a 2/2 creature that can crew or saddle cards with a requirement of four.
Later in the game, should the worst happen to the Pilot, you’re able to pay four mana to bring it back to your hand from the graveyard. You can also use this card to pay for any effect that would make you discard it or sacrifice it, returning it back to your hand when you get the chance.
4Guidelight Matrix
Some Easy Activations
Guidelight Matrix is a very unique card that can fill a lot of roles when you’re in a bit of a bind. This card ets you pay two mana and tap it toeither get a Mount you control saddledor to crew a vehicle.
Being able to do that without having to pony up a creature gives you plenty of freedom to attack with your team or to keep up defenders to stop a counter attack. It is also nice when you don’t have a creature to crew or saddle a card but still need to swing in.
3Night Market
Something For Everyone
A versatile land that is perfect in Limited formats like Sealed and Draft, Night Market can fill practically any role you need it to, or even become something else entirely. When Night Market comes into play, you get to pick a color.
Once you do, Night Market taps for that color of mana. If you don’t need the mana, or it’s later in the game and you need to keep your options open with more cards, you may cycle it for three mana, discarding the Night Market and drawing a card.
2Maximum Overdrive
Death Means Nothing
A common appearance in recent sets, Maximum Overdrive is an instant that can save one of your creatures from a swift death. For two mana you get to put a +1/+1 counter on a creature, giving it both deathtouch and indestructible for the turn.
This sneaky combat trick can save a creature from certain doom or be used to take out one of your opponent’s creatures, thanks to the deathtouch. Giving the creature +1/+1 is great too since, the lingering effects of Maximum Overdrive help scale your creatures higher and higher.
1Pactdoll Terror
Not A Legal Racer
One of the more interesting common cards to come out of Aetherdrift, Pactdoll Terror, is an artifact creature with the curious Toy creature type. When it or any other artifact comes into the battlefield under your control, all your opponents lose one life, and you gain a life.
This can be particularly brutal when combined with cards that produce plenty of artifacts. This can trigger when you make Treasure tokens too, which is very easy to do with very little effort in formats like Commander.
