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Magic: The Gathering has a wealth of different formats, including Limited. It is a draft format and is often a very popular option when a new expansion drops. With Dominaria United coming out soon, it’s time to look at which cards are going to be the most powerful or popular in this format.
Dominaria United is the latest expansion for Magic: The Gathering, and will release on September 1, 2022, for digital formats and on September 9, 2022, for all physical storefronts. With the expansion on the horizon, which are the best blue spells to consider for Limited?
How can Blue control the flow of Limited in Magic: The Gathering?
Blue is going to be useful in quite a few decks/deck archetypes. However, it's a bit more complex to play in Limited compared to other colors, as its something that is built primarily around deception and control.
It’s going to be very hard to determine which cards to keep around and which to ignore, as Limited in Magic: The Gathering is typically an aggressive format. Low-cost, high-value cards are going to be ideal compared to lots of counterspells.
- Blue/White: Flying Tempo
- Blue/Red: Spells/Aggro
- Blue/Green: Kicker/Mana Ramp
- Blue/Black: Control
However, Blue/Black may be the least ideal of these situations. Since players get access to more Common/Uncommons in Limited, the focus here is going to be on those particular rarities.
1) Battlewing Mystic (Creature)
Flying creatures are incredibly popular in Blue, and this 2 power, 1 toughness is already quite ideal for Flying/Aggro decks. However, it has another powerful ability to take advantage of if it’s kicked.
When this enters play, if the Magic: The Gathering player paid its Kicker of 1 Red mana, discard your hand, then draw two cards. While that doesn’t sound great, the strategy is going to be to burn through your hand, and then play this with the Kicker to draw two cards with no downside.
It could also be useful in other formats if you are running graveyard retrieval, but if you have cards that aren’t useful, it could be a great way to gamble and try for something better. If players aren’t interested in the Kicker, and just want a UW aggressive flying deck, it’s also going to shine there.
2) Combat Research (Enchantment - Aura)
Another excellent card for flying decks, Combat Research is going to be a very fun Uncommon Magic: The Gathering card. It’s best applied when players cannot block - so, primarily flyers. It grants a creature the ability to draw a card whenever it deals combat damage to a player.
However, if you have a Legendary to equip this on, it gets even better. Suddenly, it also adds +1/+1 and Ward 1. The latter means that whenever this creature is the target of an opponent’s spell or ability, counter it unless that player pays 1 mana.
Since every Dominaria United pack has at least 1 Legendary in it, it’s not going to be hard to find a card this works well with. It’s a terrific choice for even its base ability, to get free card draw.
3) Djinn of the Fountain (Creature)
Though expensive, this card also would work well with Combat Research. A flyer with 4 power and 4 toughness, it’s going to be quite a fun way to get easy damage through. Whenever you cast an Instant or Sorcery spell, this creature also lets you pick one of three abilities.
- Djinn of the Fountain gets +1/+1 until end of turn
- Exile Djinn of the Fountain, and then return it back to the battlefield under its owner’s control at the next end step
- Scry 1
Monon-Blue decks seldom get to rely on powerful bombs to win games, and instead have to whittle players down. In a deck filled with spells, they can make a huge creature to secure a win, or even just scry a few cards to help figure out what to play next.
It’s going to be a creature that, though it’s a 4-drop, is going to see play in Magic: The Gathering’s Limited format.
4) Impede Momentum
Impede Momentum isn’t cast at Instant speed, and that's a good thing. That would make it go from Common to at least an Uncommon or Rare, perhaps. Though it costs 2 mana, it’s not going to be an early gameplay. What does this card do though?
When you cast this on a creature, tap it, and put three Stun counters on it. If a creature with a Stun counter becomes untapped, remove a Stun counter instead. So, that player’s going to have to wait for several turns to use that creature.
This is particularly going to be used on creatures with Enlist to avoid seeing them blow up your front line. It’s worth having a few of these in your Magic: The Gathering deck, to make sure your opponent is slowed down for as long as possible. Having a few will be fine, but too many is also possible.
5) Phyrexian Espionage (Sorcery)
Phyrexian Espionage gives Blue decks one of the things they need the most in Magic: The Gathering - card draw. For 3 mana, you can draw two cards, which is fantastic on its own. However, for 5 mana (2 mana kicker - 1 Black), it also punishes the other players.
If you pay the Kicker, opponents will suddenly lose cards at the most inopportune moments. If you pay the Kicker, all opponents will discard a card. It’s fantastic if your opponent is low on cards, or had an empty hand, but just drew something they couldn’t use yet.
Discard is always a great thing to do to other Magic: The Gathering players because it denies them resources.
