A variety of websites and social media platforms have been releasing a barrage of spoilers from the upcoming Magic: the Gathering set Streets of New Capenna. While I try to check card-by-card on this downpour, we will also foresee some new Standard deck archetypes derived from this set & if the components are enough to complete it.

Let us start the second batch of Streets of New Capenna card spoiler reviews by checking on this uncommon Naya Legend tutor creature: Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer.

It is a 3/1 body by itself if you’d need to curve an aggro start. In the late game, it is a good mana sink for fetching the best creature to help deal with a given situation whether it is a semi-spot removal like Brutal Cathar or something to destroy a certain artifact or enchantment. In a Naya deck build, I would have three to four copies of the card if not for the 3-color mana cost. Maybe three copies are enough.

Next up, is the Shadow of Mortality.

The Netizens call it the “Fixed Death’s Shadow” as the mana cost is initially higher and would be lesser to cast of X where it is the difference of the current life total from the starting life total. The deck build goes with the same life-paying strategy in Modern, but I do not see if it is possible in the current Standard format i.e. the lack of Shocklands in the land components.

Third on this lineup is the Mythic Angel of Anguish.

The Angel of Anguish has the ability you surviving the battle with the cost of milling cards from your library. It is not then necessary for you to build a 200-card deck ala Battle of Wits. Also, a good flying hitter for five but the three toughness is a major setback with most of the burn spells catering at least three damage.

The fourth card is a Human Rogue with a fitting flavor on the card name and ability, Expert Rescuer.

Getting back a two-drop dude back to the battlefield is a good way to redevelop your board, but alas, it is not that case on this one. The returned creature is “Pacified” as long as Expert Rescuer is around. The good thing to make use of this is to return two-drops with ETB effects or passive abilities that disrupt opponents. Examples are Thalia, Meddling Mage, and Phyrexian Revoker.

Next up is the Grixis sort-of-a-board wipe, Hostile Takeover.

It is a five-mana, three-color, three damage to each creature but it has a way to deal with the opponent’s best creature by making it into a 1/1. Also, making your dude a 4/4 is sure to have that one threat after the wipe. It is only the issue though if they have multiple X/4s that can survive and by this time, you’d need a more efficient mass removal.

The sixth card is the newest uncounterable spot removal for Esper, Void Rend.

Running four copies in the Esper deck build is an automatic choice because of the “nonland” term. Destroying Auras, artifacts, creatures, and Planeswalkers at instant speed sounds just too good. The mana color might be an inconvenience at times but it can be overcome by a sufficient land distribution in the deck.

Next is another tool for the Humans deck in Modern which probably will also see play in Capenna Standard, Scheming Accomplice.

At first look, it is an improved version of the Meddling Mage. Disabling a certain card may be a major delay but if it is on a creature, still you cannot prevent it from attacking. However, you can have your other cards interact with their threats such as destroying spells or exiling them with Brutal Cathar. I am looking at an Esper Humans Tribal deck with this component and given the current mana fixers in the format so stay tuned for a deck tech video on this one.

That is a wrap for now on the second batch of Streets of New Capenna Card Previews, until the next blog post.