Whenever a new Magic: The Gathering set is revealed, players rush to analyze the spoilers and determine which cards will shape the competitive landscape. But not every new card is a game-changer—some are destined for the bulk bin, while others will define entire formats.

Knowing how to evaluate a card’s power level early can give you an edge in deckbuilding and trading. By focusing on three key factors—mana efficiency, synergy with existing strategies, and metagame impact—you can better predict which cards will be powerful and which will be forgettable.

When evaluating a Magic: The Gathering (MTG) card’s power level from spoilers, the first thing to consider is its mana cost relative to its effect. Efficient cards that provide a strong effect for a low cost are typically more powerful. Look at how the card compares to existing staples—if it offers similar or better effects at the same or lower cost, it’s likely strong. For instance, a creature with a powerful enter-the-battlefield ability at an aggressively low mana cost often signals competitive viability.

The second way to assess a card’s strength is by its synergy with existing decks and strategies. Even a seemingly average card can be powerful if it enables a dominant archetype. If a card fits into an established deck or fills a crucial gap in a popular strategy, its power level rises. Cards that enable combos or improve consistency in decks like control, aggro, or midrange are usually more valuable than standalone cards with flashy effects.

Another key factor is how the card interacts with the format’s metagame. A card might be strong in a vacuum but ineffective if it doesn’t match the speed or demands of the format. If the card counters a dominant strategy, accelerates the game in a meaningful way, or provides resilience against common threats, it is likely to see competitive play. For example, an efficient removal spell in a creature-heavy format gains more relevance than in a meta dominated by combo decks.

By analyzing mana efficiency, deck synergy, and metagame impact, players can gauge whether a spoiled card will influence competitive play. No single factor determines a card’s power level on its own, but combining these evaluations helps predict its role in formats like Standard, Modern, or Commander. Keeping these aspects in mind allows players to anticipate which new cards are worth investing in and which might fade into obscurity.