This is part two of a two part article. For the first part look here.
Moan of the Unhallowed
Two 2/2s for four is respectable, but these aren't just any tokens they're zombie tokens. If you can combo with many of the zombie themes in the set then you start to see a lot of value out of this. Just a Cemetery Reaper in play goes a long way. But it's the flashback that makes me see this as a mini Grave Titan.Reaper from the Abyss
A 6/6 flier for six can win games, but this guy is crazy good if a variety of conditions are met:1) You can keep him alive
2) Creatures die (maybe due to your removal?)
3) You opponent has creatures to kill
Typhoid Rats
So I think to myself: Is this really my favorite card in the set? It just may be. Keep in mind this is coming from someone who summoned more than a few Kraken Hatchlings, but this card is so strong. I can think of few things I'd rather do with my first turn. Vs aggro this will probably trade with his one or two drop saving you two, four, or more life. Or maybe your opponent doesn't attack into the rats? Even better - this one drop not only holds off the early the assault, but also trades with a bigger threat later. To make this card even better, unlike other one drops, his value doesn't decrease rapidly after the early turns. I would not feel bad throwing this guy down on turn six. You may hold off an enormous Dungrove Elder. With your one drop. Still want more value? Hook up your diseased rats with an Accorder's Shield or Viridian Claw.Unbreathing Horde
I'm still trying to figure this out, but I think it's one of the best zombies. It has a few dependencies however. You may find yourself in a very awkward position with three of these in your hand on turn three, but once you get him into play with a few counters on him he should prove very resilient - excellent at attacking, blocking, and soaking up burn. Late game he has the potential to get pretty big (and even more resilient), but the real interesting part is combining this will some aggressive self mill. Flip a huge chunk of your library into you graveyard with a Mirror-Mad Phantasm, then fetch out two of these guys with a Ghoulcaller's Chant, and you may have a pair of 10/10 monsters for three.Walking Corpse
I've never been more excited about a Grizzly Bear. This is the first 2/2 without a drawback that cost one black and one colorless, and it's a zombie to boot! My Cemetery Reaper smiles, at least as much as possible with those teeth.Brimstone Volley
Now this card is Red! Send your aggro horde in for one final suicide mission. Punch in some damage then BOOM Lava Axe for three. Unlike Lava Axe you can use it for removal when you have to. After Innistrad releases I plan to end a few games with Goblin Grenade followed by Brimstone Volley. One Goblin, four mana, ten damage to the dome? Priceless.Infernal Plunge
A darker Dark Ritual. This card offers a potential four drop on turn two, but you have to sac your one drop. T1 Goblin Arsonist, T2 plunge and... Hero of Oxid Ridge. Could be devastating, but you could also run into a Doom Blade and be down two cards for nothing. Risky business. While we're at it would could use Birds of Paradise to drop a turn two Urabrask the Hidden.Instigator Gang // Wildblood Pack
I don't like the werewolf mechanic. I don't like that I'll probably have to pass a turn to transform them, and worse, my opponent can flip them back without too much trouble. However, this card demonstrates why you still may want to play werewolves despite their unpredictability: they are extremely powerful. If this guy attacks with a few other werewolves your opponent's defending creatures and/or life total will ripped to shreds.Kruin Outlaw // Terror of Kruin Pass
I like this one because it's playable if it doesn't transform. But if it does... GEEZ!Reckless Waif // Merciless Predator
Turn one you cast this. Opponent: "Curses! No one drop". Turn two: Skadoosh.Vampiric Fury
This is an amazingly powerful effect for two mana. It makes we want to throw a bunch of vampires together just to see it in action. If you play this right it should often result in a two for one, maybe more. Additionally, it doubles as finisher. Too bad we can't bring along our old friends Vampire Lacerator and Vampire Nighthawk.Ambush Viper
Who says green doesn't have removal? This is another one of my favorites in the set. I predict this guy's average lifespan will be about two seconds. Or, maybe he teams up with Typhoid Rats in that Viridan claw deck?Essence of the Wild
A 6/6 for six is just OK for green these days, but I've never seen anything like his ability. It goes without saying it starts a chain which could quickly win you the game. Six mana is not out of reach, especially for green. Birds of Paradise and Llanowar elves ramp to this guy early then hit the battlefield as one mana 6/6's afterwards. The really cool thing is it doesn't all fall apart afer the original has been killed since the copies gain the copy ability. I would strongly consider waiting until I had enough mana to cast a one drop duplicate along with the original. Don't forget tokens of course. Throne of Empires may work well here. I see the throne being used more after Innistrad.Full Moon's Rise
Very strong. The extra copies can be sacked to save your werewolves. Trample with all those 5/5s will end the game quick. Of course the problem is everything falls apart if your wolves transform back to chumps.EDIT: Just played against this online. I didn't realize when I wrote this that all werewolves are human werewolves (meaning this card provides benefits no matter which side is up). So this is pretty good. Actually got me thinking about a werewolf deck? Maybe?
Moonmist
The answer to the werewolf riddle. This puts control back into your own hands, but adds a layer of dependencies to make your own cards work. We'll have to wait and see if werewolves prove so powerful that they are worth this drawback. Just the fact that this card exists makes each of the "werewolf humans" much scarier. You never know when they're going to turn into a pack of huge, invincible, trampling, double-striking monsters.Parallel Lives
How cool. I think I like this better than Doubling Season. I can focus on tokens and that one mana savings is important. How good could this be? Golems are insane with this. Blade Splicer, Master Splicer, etc get ridiculous with Lives in play. Fresh Meat could get crazy. Zombie Infestation, Moan of the Unhallowed, and Endless Ranks of the Dead. Don't forget the Planeswalkers. Doubling either version of Garruk's tokens would be nice too.Prey Upon
More quality removal for green. My Dungrove Elder needs a few words with you.That's it! One interesting omission is Garruk Relentless. He just doesn't seem all that great to me, at least as far as planeswalkers go. But we'll see.
It looks like I'll be playing some tribal. Humans, zombies, and werewolves! Oh my!
