The Ultimate Guide to Tarkir: Dragonstorm Draft

Ugin, Eye of the Storms | Illustration by Joshua Raphael

Greetings planeswalker! The Dragonstorm rages on, and some players have been requesting reinforcements after the last Sealed Guide. Fear not; help is on the way! Here’s my full primer on this beloved Draft format so that you may stretch your wings proudly and soar onward to victory.

This guide is a sequel to the TDM Sealed Guide, which aimed to give a thorough look into Day 0 of the format. There’s less speculation in these “pages” than last time, as we’ve had enough time with the set now to know what’s working, and what isn’t.

Expect a shorter, punchier read with lots of practical insights for your next draft!

Mechanics Revisited

Disruptive Stormbrood | Illustration by Edgar Sánchez Hidalgo

I covered each of Tarkir: Dragonstorm’s clan mechanics in fair detail in the original Sealed Guide, but it’s always worth revisiting them after playing actual games of the set.

Endure (Abzan)

Endure isn’t necessarily a build-around mechanic, though it can feel like one for +1/+1 counter decks. Endure also has some overlap with token payoffs like Hardened Tactician and Worthy Cost. Mostly though, endure just gives creatures with it a bit of extra value and flexibility.

Flurry (Jeskai)

My takeaway from jamming games of the set is that flurry is easier to achieve than expected. This has made cards like Highspire Bell-Ringer feel largely inessential, as games drag on long enough for you to reliably double spell. If anything, my primary focus is actually card advantage with this mechanic, as you want to keep the gas flowing so you can flurry over and over. There are also plenty of unpopular cards in the set that can support a hyper aggro-style flurry deck, which is good to keep in mind while drafting.

Renew (Sultai)

There haven’t been too many surprises from renew. Most of the creatures with the mechanic range from mediocre (Adorned Crocodile, Agent of Kotis) to fairly good, with the better ones tending towards green and/or at higher rarities. Renew plays best when you get it for free, and it helps to make cards like Ainok Wayfarer much better than they might appear.

Mobilize (Mardu)

Mobilize is an interesting mechanic that essentially forms its own archetype, usually in either Mardu or BW with a splash (usually R, but sometimes G). The set is full of payoffs that work well with it, but many of these payoffs haven’t panned out in practice. I previously gave Worthy Cost and Barrensteppe Siege as examples of cards that work well with this, so it’s my displeasure to tell you that I was wrong! They’re both terrible with the mechanic, so we’ll cover how to actually build around mobilize later.

Harmonize (Temur)

Harmonize is more like endure in that it’s first and foremost a value mechanic. TDM has some cool ways to get extra value out of it though, like Kishla Skimmer, Traveling Botanist, and Eshki Dragonclaw. The best harmonize cards tend to be 2-for-1s that affect the board like Glacial Dragonhunt, Mammoth Bellow, and Channeled Dragonfire.

Omens

Omens play a big role in how WotC succeeded in making this a dragon format (more on that soon). Getting to put a bunch of dragons in your deck by making a bunch of them mediocre spell equivalents was a brilliant gambit, as there are essentially no bad dragons in Tarkir: Dragonstorm! Many of the rare and uncommon omens are among the best cards in the set as well.

Behold

Behold is mostly felt through the pushed cycle of commons with it, as Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant is efficient but rare and not especially broken. You’ve probably heard praises sung online for Molten Exhale, Caustic Exhale, and Dispelling Exhale, but suffice to say, they’re the real deal.

Mono-Color Hybrid Mana

Several members of these hybrid cycles are quite good, especially Rakshasa's Bargain, Temur Tawnyback, and Kin-Tree Severance. These are the cards most likely to still see play even if they’re being played for 4 mana. You’ll also often have decks with these where they either cost 3 or 4 mana depending on your draw, especially if one of their colors is more of a splash.

Surveil

Not much to say about this one. Surveil‘s a smoothing mechanic that’s best in Sultai, and we’ve seen it quite a bit. You’ll mostly surveil via Piercing Exhale and Boulderborn Dragon.

Archetypes Revisited

5c Dragonstuff (AKA “The Globe Deck”)

My pick for the best archetype in the format isn’t really an official archetype at all and is more of a state of mind. It turns out that WotC didn’t want another Aetherdrift with this set, where the core theme of the set (vehicles in that case) often ended up being a liability. In this dragon set, we find that dragons are indeed good, including even innocuous looking ones like Boulderborn Dragon.

There are many reasons for this:

• All the common behold cards are rather good interaction, especially Dispelling Exhale and Caustic Exhale. You can easily kill most common/uncommon creatures with these, which tends to drag games out.
• Moreover, the sizing in Tarkir: Dragonstorm also favors toughness, which is another way the developers chose to subtly extend the length of Magic games.
• Mardu (the most aggressive clan) was also nerfed hard in development, as WotC scrapped, tweaked, or outright weakened several of the set’s go-wide payoffs. While Mardu definitely isn’t unplayable, it isn’t creating enough pressure on the format to dissuade 5c dragon piles.

Add all this together, and you’ll find yourself with a format that’s very friendly to drafting a draconic “good stuff” deck. This was a very popular style at the latest Magic Spotlight in Denver, and the winner of the event, Andrew Baeckstrom, even attested to it. In his post victory interview, he said: “Dragonstorm Globe is not just about the Orb… it’s more of a state of mind….”

Getting into a Globe State of Mind

So how do you actually get into a Dragonstorm Globe state of mind? By taking the best card in every pack, of course! When drafting a 5-color pile, you should prioritize cards in roughly this order:

1. Bombs > everything else (starting a draft with Roar of Endless Song into Revival of the Ancestors is an ideal start from a 5c seat, for example)
2. Efficient removal (only broad simple removal like Caustic Exhale and Stormplain Detainment, not junk like Worthy Cost)
3. Card advantage (usually in the form of 2-for-1s from rares and uncommons, don’t go prioritizing Cruel Truths or anything)
4. Fixing (tri-lands > Dragonstorm Globe > dual lands > stuff like Roamer's Routine)
5. Curve filler

While 1 is always the highest priority over everything, expect the others to trade places throughout the draft. You’ll need a balance of everything to effectively pull off 5c. Since an image is worth an estimate of a thousand words (give or take), here are some 7-win examples of effectively built 5c piles.

Example #1 is mostly base Temur, but it touches on W and B for a handful of removal spells and powerful cards. 5c is made possible by a copious number of dual lands, two Monuments, and Dragonbroods' Relic.

Example #2 is also base Temur, and again it lightly touches on white and black for certain busted cards. This deck has a much higher ceiling than Example #1, as it has far more bombs.

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Example #3 is the greediest one yet, as you can see from its mana curve! Omens are crucial here though, so it’s not quite as lopsided as it appears. It turns out that if you get enough dual lands, you can play all the 3c payoffs you want, so keep that in mind!

Abzan Midrange

You can also just draft the set the way you WotC intended by focusing on one of five 3-color clans. Each clan has a synergistic gameplan that feeds into itself and that generally rewards you for staying on focus. There’s also enough fixing to just mostly be 3c plus a minor splash, like an Abzan deck splashing for just Lie in Wait and Teval, Arbiter of Virtue.

As for Abzan itself, it’s definitely a midrangey clan in this set. There are two distinct flavors of Abzan you’ll be able to draft.

Flavor #1: Abzan Midrange

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The philosophy here is like a 5c deck that isn’t five colors! You just want to play the best cards possible, perhaps with a minor bit of token synergy from endure cards. You’ll still be more aggressive than your average 5c deck, though.

Flavor #2: Abzan Counters

This deck has much more of a cohesive gameplan, though I must warn you that removal spells can pretty easily overpower some of your synergies. It tends to be more aggressive to compensate for this, with a lean curve featuring cards like Synchronized Charge, Champion of Dusan, and Delta Bloodflies to punish stumbles from greedy value piles.

Its specific payoffs should be going quite late if the archetype is open, as Stalwart Successor and Host of the Hereafter have little value elsewhere. I’d probably be most interested in these synergies after starting with a busted rare that’s adjacent to counters, like Revival of the Ancestors or Warden of the Grove. Snakeskin Veil is also an essential trick here, as protecting your payoffs can win you games.

Jeskai Tempo

Jeskai has fared much better than in the original Khans of Tarkir, as flurry has completely delivered as a mechanic. There are a trio of flavors you could attribute to this clan.

Flavor #1: Jeskai Aggro/Midrange

This flavor of Jeskai looks to create and leverage early game advantages while still maintaining decent card quality.

You’ll want 2-drops like Jeskai Devotee and Devoted Duelist and removal/tempo spells like Riverwheel Sweep and Molten Exhale. I’ve also loved Narset's Rebuke and Focus the Mind, as both cards are solid on their own and amazing together. This draft didn’t feature any, but it made up for it with a trio of Riverwheel Sweeps!

As a more proactive deck, there’s some pressure on you to ideally be 2c with a splash. You should obviously play Shiko, Paragon of the Way or something if you have it, but try to keep your early game in two colors if possible.

Flavor #2: Jeskai Hyper-Aggro

I don’t have any examples of someone pulling this off, but Tarkir: Dragonstorm has the components for an incredibly aggressive flurry deck. You’d ideally want to be closer to 2c than 3c (if not just outright 2c), with lots of cheap creatures and ways to force them through. This is also where cards like Fleeting Effigy and Reverberating Summons would make the most sense, though I haven’t drafted this yet.

Flavor #3: Jeskai Control/Good-Stuff

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Jeskai can also be the basis for a 5-color good stuff pile, like all clans, but as a non-green clan, you’ll have less access to mana fixing than you would otherwise. For this reason, it’s generally better to use Abzan, Temur, or Sultai as your basis for a 4/5c control deck, as cards like Encroaching Dragonstorm can really tie a mana base together.

Sultai Midrange

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Sultai tends to either play from its graveyard or act as the basis for a 4/5c value pile. I’m not listing two flavors here to avoid repetition, as the three green clans can all be your baseline for 5c.

The graveyard theme can vary from a light commitment (like if you have two Ainok Wayfarers and a couple of renew cards) to the entire focus of your deck. For such builds, it’s worth noting the set’s actual payoffs for this kind of strategy, which I’ve ranked from best to worst:

• Lotuslight Dancers
• Lasyd Prowler
• Kishla Skimmer
• Kheru Goldkeeper
• Essence Anchor
• Attuned Hunter

Not all of these are equally as demanding, either. Essence Anchor is practically useless without renew support, while Kishla Skimmer and Attuned Hunter are curve filler at worst.

Mardu Aggro

This is the clan I’m most excited to spotlight, as it’s probably the hardest one to draft. How to pull it off is best conveyed by examples.

Example #1 Mobilize-focused (WBr)

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With a trio of Dalkovan Packbeasts, two Thunder of Unity, Zurgo, and several mobilize payoffs, Theo Jung was living the Mardu dream! While the deck is aggressive in posture, it requires some time to set up and is more about overpowering you with synergies than just plain curving out.

Example #2 Pure Aggro (RWb)

Here’s another example of Mardu done right, this time on MTG Arena:

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This deck is definitely more aggressive than Example #1, especially when you consider that Riling Dawnbreaker is another 2-drop! Shocking Sharpshooter is an all-star in a deck like this because it provides crucial reach to close out after an early lead. Note the card choices here; with few mobilize creatures, there’s no need for anything like Desperate Measures or Starry-Eyed Skyrider. The black cards played here are all simply premium cards.

Example #3 Aggressive Good Stuff (RWb)

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This final example is a bit more 3c than the others, though you can see from the mana base that it’s still primarily Boros. Mardu Devotee is the glue tying the whole deck together, as I imagine this 40 had no trouble casting Zurgo, Thunder's Decree or Sonic Shrieker.

Takeaways

• Because Mardu is an aggressive, non-green deck, it’s the worst base trio for a 5c pile.
• In addition, being too spread out between colors makes your curve less consistent.
• Therefore, most Mardu decks will be either base RW or base BW.
• RWb Mardu decks are faster and want to push early advantages.
• BWr Mardu decks want to build up to critical mass and then win the game at a decisive moment. Think Dalkovan Packbeasts plus payoffs here, not 10 2-drops.
• Both decks share certain cards they really like, which include obvious ones (i.e., all the good 3c cards) and premium tricks like Rebellious Strike.

Temur Stompy

Temur is pretty straightforward to build and has two major flavors: a stompy deck, and a 4c+ control deck. Since I’ve already covered control, let’s focus on stompy.

Big Elephants Go Brrrr

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The three Marang River Regents are the MTG equivalent of sex appeal in advertising, but even without those this deck has a lot going for it. One line you’ll love to pull off is Temur Tawnyback discarding a harmonize card, which just oozes value!

In general, stompy is pretty simple; play some big boys, play some removal spells, and turn your large creatures sideways. Here’s another example with a tiny white splash:

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This deck has a ton going for it on power level, though it likely would’ve loved a couple more good beaters to go with Knockout Maneuver and Dragonclaw Strike. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’d probably play six Temur Tawnybacks in all these decks; it’s that good!

2c Decks

Two-color decks in Tarkir: Dragonstorm Draft are generally one of two things:

1. Focused aggro decks looking to punish greed-piles, which are most often RW (but could also be built BG or UR),
2. Clan decks that largely didn’t get there, and are either purely 2c or barely splashing for 1-2 3c cards.

Aggro Examples

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The thing about 5c greed piles is that not everyone at the table can draft one. There simply aren’t enough cards that are “good” by those metrics, and lands will be snapped up as well. Therefore, it may fall to you to draft a more aggressive deck and kill those players on turn 5 while they fiddle around with tap lands and Dragonstorm Globes. The example list looks like it does a wonderful job at this, thanks to an exceptional mana curve, great removal (Coordinated Maneuver is ace here), and War Effort to push through blockers.

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BG Counters can also excel at putting on fast pressure, especially if you have an open lane like this drafter did. 17lands stats may be useful, but they aren’t gospel. It doesn’t matter what win % Jeskai Revelation has online if you’re dead before you can cast it! Note the pair of Snakeskin Veils here as well, a card that’s excellent at leveraging an early tempo advantage.

Draft Battleplan

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This humorous flowchart from reddit is actually surprisingly accurate to how your drafts might play out! If nothing else, it’s good to keep in mind as you navigate live drafts. Five-color control is definitely the default mode of the format for a lot of players, but by its very nature is somewhat exclusive. Moreover, it creates opportunities to punish stumbles. You can also gain a lot of equity by adjusting your deck to match your opponent’s in post-sideboard games, especially with cards like Riverwalk Technique that can counter certain bombs.

Which Clan Is Best?

The clans in Tarkir: Dragonstorm feel even enough that you should draft what's open if you aren’t just drafting a 5c pile. If I had to rank them, I’d personally order them as follows with fairly small gaps between them:

1. Temur
2. Jeskai
3. Mardu
4. Sultai
5. Abzan

Temur is highest because I love Tawnyback, green fixing, and many of their multicolor cards. Abzan is the lowest due to my wariness of the +1/+1 counter theme, which can be underwhelming if you lack a density of good payoff cards.

Best Commons

My last guide gave some bold predictions as to what TDM’s best commons would be. With the benefit of experience (and 17lands stats), let’s see how I did and revise some of the rankings. Just like in the previous guide, here are the top 4 commons for each color.

White

1. Mardu Devotee

I was wrong! Turns out Mardu Devotee is actually quite good, as both a fixer and a curve smoother. Salt Road Packbeast gets you back the card you spent anyways, and making sure your early game goes well is essential to success.

2. Salt Road Packbeast

This one was an easy call. The best white decks often sport multiple Salt Road Packbeasts and have a mana curve that lets them play it cheaply.

3. Fortress Kin-Guard

A solid rate, flexibility, and great synergy with Salt Road Packbeast make Fortress Kin-Guard one of the better 2-drops in TDM Draft.

4. Stormplain Detainment

Removal is always good, though there have been several ways to blow this up in practice. A dragon trapped under Stormplain Detainment may not stay captive for long, so be careful.

I went 3/4 for the top white commons, with Bearer of Glory being the only common knocked off this list. Bearer isn’t a bad 2-drop, but it doesn’t attack well into x/3s and the ability is too clunky to rely on with so much good instant speed removal. Note that Osseous Exhale barely missed the list as well; all the Exhales are good!

Blue

1. Sibsig Appraiser

Turns out Organ Hoarder is still good in 2025! This was an easy call, though even I was surprised by just how great Sibsig Appraiser turned out to be. Many players have this as the #1 common in the set.

2. Dispelling Exhale

Prince formats like this are great for counterspells, as games will always almost go long enough for Dispelling Exhale to nab something good. The behold text is crucial here, as your opponent will rarely be able to play around paying a full for their key spell (11 mana Jeskai Revelations anyone?).

3. Riverwalk Technique

This may be the best Vanish from Sight variant yet, thanks to the noncreature counter mode. Riverwalk Technique always feels live and benefits from the format’s generally sluggish pace.

4. Unending Whisper

Unending Whisper excels as a value card with some great synergies, specifically its utility in turning on flurry and triggering “leaves the graveyard” bonuses like Kishla Skimmer. That’s a lot of play for a simple cantrip!

I went only 1/4 for blue’s top commons. Iceridge Serpent and Focus the Mind have both been good and just narrowly missed this list (they’d be #5 and #6). Highspire Bell-Ringer, on the other hand, is largely a filler card and hasn’t been especially impressive. It doesn’t attack well and can’t block most dragons.

Black

1. Caustic Exhale

In practice, Caustic Exhale has just been too efficient not to take the #1 slot. You can even use it on larger creatures in combat, so take this early and often. The dream is to play Dragonstorm Globe turn 3, then cast this for 1 mana to kill a Trade Route Envoy.

2. Dragon’s Prey

Dragon's Prey has also been quite good, so don’t think the gap between it and Exhale is especially high. Ideally, you’ll want a fair number of both, as they cover each other well.

3. Aggressive Negotiations

I haven’t liked running too many copies, but the first copy of Aggressive Negotiations is really good. I might consider boarding more in versus some unbeatable rare like Ugin, Eye of the Storms or Jeskai Revelation.

4. Feral Deathgorger

Black’s common creatures are truly unremarkable in this set, which is why I’m giving the 4th slot to Feral Deathgorger. It’s at least a dragon for your Exhale effects, and can cycle for a bit of value if needed. Don’t forget you don’t have to choose a target with the omen, which can be useful if you’re light on creature.

I went 3/4 for black’s best commons, with only Abzan Devotee being replaced. Devotee has been fairly lackluster, as it often just sits on board not doing much due to the format having too many x/3s.

Red

1. Molten Exhale

No brainer #1 that’s good without a dragon and great with one. Whether you’re aggressive or controlling, base red or simply splashing red, you will want Molten Exhale.

2. Shock Brigade

Shock Brigade is the format’s best aggressive 2-drop, at least at common. It puts on a lot of pressure early, it’s annoying to block, and it enables mobilize synergies.

3. Narset’s Rebuke

The synergy Narset's Rebuke has with Focus the Mind is incredible, and 5 damage also covers just about everything short of certain rares. Exile is relevant too, and you should have plenty of time to field a 5-mana removal spell due to longer games.

4. Stormshriek Feral

Hand smoothing is always appreciated, and Stormshriek Feral also packs firebreathing and solid hasty base stats. The +1/+0 mode in particular is great for closing out games if your opponent stumbles.

I went 3/4 for red’s best commons, and my only difference (Jeskai Devotee) would be my choice for #5!

Green

1. Ainok Wayfarer

Blanchwood Prowler has never been better, as it turns out. Ainok Wayfarer is the card for getting graveyard synergy early, and it also excels at tying together greedy mana bases.

2. Sagu Wildling

Sagu Wildling turns on Exhales, makes your mana work, and is surprisingly impactful as an actual 5-drop. This and Wayfarer are among the better reasons to make your 5c pile base green.

3. Piercing Exhale

No surprises seeing an Exhale here. It’s great removal, though you do need to be mindful in deckbuilding of having enough creatures. I’ve particularly enjoyed it with Sultai Devotee for deathtouch synergy.

4. Snakeskin Veil

It’s hard to fit more than one, but the first copy of Snakeskin Veil can be so good. I’d play multiples in a BG Counters deck, but I’d try to fit one just about anywhere I can.

I went 2/4 for green’s top commons. Trade Route Envoy has been surprisingly medium and is likely struggling due to its archetype more than inherent power level. Sagu Pummeler would probably be around #8 or 9 out of green’s top commons, as it trades down on mana with cards like Champion of Dusan and Molten Exhale.

Other

There’s no need to rank colorless commons in this set, but I’ll say that Dragonstorm Globe and Boulderborn Dragon are surprisingly good. Globe has overperformed due to the set’s dragon focus and powerful multicolor cards, while Boulderborn Dragon has been close enough in power level to other common dragons. You’ll be thrilled to play both when you have Dragonstorm Forecaster, which really ties the whole package together.

Fifteen Best Uncommons

Here I’ll rank 15 of the set’s best uncommons, many of which are dragons!

1. Sonic Shrieker

Poor Mardu players are going to get their best uncommon sniped by 5c drafters, who should immediately slam Sonic Shrieker. It’s better than most rares!

2. Karakyk Guardian

Another incredible dragon that you should splash when possible. Karakyk Guardian is especially dirty with Dragonologist due to vigilance.

3. Twinmaw Stormbrood

Roast is already premium removal in Limited, so getting a powerful 6-mana dragon in addition to that is rather ludicrous. You can also play Twinmaw Stormbrood in just about any deck by splashing either mode.

4. Roiling Dragonstorm

The best Dragonstorm in TDM, period. Roiling Dragonstorm generates a ton of value in long games and is even good in the early game due to providing valuable smoothing.

5. Glacial Dragonhunt

Premium removal that’s repeatable is a rare thing, so take Glacial Dragonhunt highly! Also don’t forget that you don’t have to discard if you don’t want to, meaning this is effectively another Unending Whisper if need be.

6. Traveling Botanist

Traveling Botanist is incredible on turn 2 and still relevant later in the game, especially with harmonize and Dragonbroods' Relic.

7. Knockout Maneuver

With a bit of patience, this is an excellent removal spell. The lasting +1/+1 counter gives Knockout Maneuver strong upside that makes up for it being a sorcery, especially in a BGx counters shell.

8. Rally the Monastery

Getting the discount here feels dirty, as all of the modes are acceptable at 4 mana in Limited. I usually use Rally the Monastery as Reprisal, but I’ve found uses for all three modes.

9. Jeskai Shrinekeeper

An unchecked Jeskai Shrinekeeper can easily be game-winning, and it tends to 2-for-1 even if your opponent has a kill spell for it due to haste.

10. Disruptive Stormbrood

As with Twinmaw Stormbrood, Disruptive Stormbrood is flexible and powerful. Both modes are a tad bit narrower though, which is why it isn’t quite as high.

11. Wingblade Disciple

It’s easy to get a Bird token or two off this, which puts it far above rate for a 3-drop. Try to play Wingblade Disciple and a spell immediately if you can, rather than risking it on turn 3.

12. Rakshasa’s Bargain

The best raw card draw spell in TDM Draft, more or less. Cruel Truths looks outright embarrassing compared to Rakshasa's Bargain, even at 4 mana!

13. Kishla Skimmer

As I mentioned, this is among the best of Tarkir: Dragonstorm’s graveyard payoffs. Kishla Skimmer is easy to use in a variety of decks and even has solid base stats to begin with.

14. Riverwheel Sweep

Freeze in Place is much stronger when you get the card back, so don’t underestimate Riverwheel Sweep. The best Jeskai decks tend to have multiples, and it’s also perfectly solid to cast for 4 mana as well.

15. Dragonbroods’ Relic

Dragonbroods' Relic is a sleeper hit uncommon that plays well with the format’s ponderous 5c nature. It’s especially good with (common all-star) Ainok Wayfarer, which will usually have nothing better to do than tap this. Try to be at least 4c for it so that it can freeroll the 5th, as the Reliquary Dragon token is well worth your effort.

10 Most Busted Rares

This is a reference section for 10 of the most broken cards in Tarkir: Dragonstorm. They aren’t the only busted rares in TDM (this is a Prince format, after all), but they’re definitely among the most obscene. Many bad beats stories yet to be told will feature these very cards!

1. Ugin, Eye of the Storms

Most broken rare in the set, bar none. Ugin, Eye of the Storms goes in every single deck but works best in 5c value piles. You might even get to exile something with a Dragonstorm Globe!

2. Marang River Regent

The 6-mana mode here is the real prize, though Coil and Catch is a wonderful backup plan. The combination of power and consistency that Marang River Regent brings is just unreal, and it makes this the single best non-mythic rare in the set.

3. Jeskai Revelation

Jeskai Revelation sports an absurd win rate, though Ugin has dethroned it on 17lands… for now. Suffice to say you’ll find a way to cast it, and when you do, it’ll win you games.

4. Ureni, the Song Unending

Seven mana, 8 mana… when the card effectively says “you win the game,” what difference does 1 mana make? Bonus points if your opponent dies to your Ureni, the Song Unending with Stormplain Detainment or Dragon's Prey in hand.

5. Dragonback Assault

“You win the game” also comes in a Diet flavor, for those conscious about their mana curves. Dragonback Assault is technically beatable, but it’s just so easy to get ludicrous value from it.

6. Roar of the Endless Song

Make sure to sigh loud enough for the entire store to hear when your opponent plays Roar of Endless Song. Was all of this really necessary at rare, WotC?

7. Sage of the Skies

Getting an effective 3–mana Baneslayer Angel is rather trivial with Sage of the Skies, making for another absurd rare that you’ll want to slam and splash.

8. Betor, Kin to All

Betor, Kin to All at least has the decency to die to Doom Blade, though your opponent will almost always be +1 from it (since it draws on end step).

9. Revival of the Ancestors

Games go long enough that you’ll rarely be dead by Chapter 3 of Revival of the Ancestors, which can potentially save you from even the most dire of situations. It’s also 6/6 worth of stats for one card, spread across three bodies!

10. Shiko, Paragon of the Way

Your opponent (thankfully) won’t be casting Stock Up with Shiko, Paragon of the Way, but it’s still an absurd value creature when compared to almost everything else.

Individual Card Tips

Here are some pointers for various cards, and I hope that this may serve you well. Note that I reference 17lands win rates several times throughout this section, so feel free to check them out here for yourself.

Mythic Rares

Poor stats on 17lands (52~% win rate) suggest this card is being overplayed. Don’t take Smile at Death early. If you do put it in your deck, make sure you have 10+ targets, ideally including rares like Sinkhole Surveyor, Warden of the Grove, and Stadium Headliner. Headliner even lets you kill something every single turn!

Iridescent Tiger is one of the better pairings for Stormscale Scion, though the dream of course is to hit it off of Breaching Dragonstorm. It’s also worth noting that this is a pretty solid card overall, as even “storm count 1” isn’t embarrassing on rate.

I’m definitely pro Behemoth for TDM Draft, but do think it requires at least a little bit of building around. Cards that generate extra mana and/or extra bodies are where you want to be, which makes Ainok Wayfarer an essential companion. You’ll also want plenty of removal so you can drag games out long enough for Craterhoof Behemoth to win.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just another bad win-more card by that “extra combat” text (i.e., Full Throttle). All-Out Assault is actually a bomb rare, especially in a traditional Mardu deck with lots of mobilize.

Slow and gimmicky, but potentially game winning, especially if you can bring back a bomb with it. I’d probably run Perennation if I had lots of Ainok Wayfarers and appealing fatties to bring back, but you’ll definitely want to board this one in/out a lot depending on matchup.

Shiko, Paragon of the Way triggers flurry on its own! That may seem obvious, but it’s another cool wrinkle that shows how well this set was designed.

This is the ultimate late game card of the format, more or less, and the kind of thing you should consider your 5c opponent might have when a game feels otherwise unlosable. Death Begets Life’s high win rate on 17lands (60~%) shows how viable unwieldy 8s like this can be in a slow format like Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

Rares

This is one of the handful of flash creatures in TDM Draft, so beware attacking into 3 open mana. Unrooted Ancestor can be similarly punishing to attack into, though it’s much harder to pull off than Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage.

Clarion Conqueror affects both players, so you’ll want to try to avoid including too many activated abilities when you run this. It’s fine to run some Monuments alongside it, but be careful that you don’t hose your own Arashin Sunshields and Krumar Initiates.

Again, don’t be fooled by the gimmicky appearance. Ambling Stormshell is a straight up bomb rare and one of the best cards to P1P1 in Tarkir: Dragonstorm since it’s only in one color. You’ll either wall off the ground entirely with this or bury your opponent in turtle value if you aren’t pressured.

Clone is pretty solid in a Prince format like this, and the renew mode can be potentially game winning in a board stall. Look to combine Naga Fleshcrafter with a dragon to give your entire board flying, then swing for lethal.

Sidisi, Regent of the Mire is cool, but uh, generally not good at all. You’ll need a ton of self-mill to set this up, and even then it only goes up by increments of 1, so it’s very hard to use. I’d only play it in a deck with multiple Ainok Wayfarers and several good 3-drops to exchange them for.

Being overcosted on the frontside and for harmonize makes this a tough sell, though I’d probably play Nature's Rhythm if I were base G enough to reliably harmonize it late game (and had bombs to tutor up).

Probably one of the cards I was most wrong about. I called it a bomb, but I’ve been rather unimpressed by Barrensteppe Siege in games. The Abzan mode has felt like small potatoes instead of game winning, and the Mardu mode doesn’t even work with mobilize due to both being end step triggers.

Frostcliff Siege can be a decent build around. The Jeskai mode is usually more useful, so look to pair it with cheap evasive creatures like Veteran Ice Climber, Sunpearl Kirin, and Highspire Bell-Ringer.

Innkeeper's Talent comparisons didn’t pan out, as the Abzan mode doesn’t quite have the punch of its broken predecessor. Hollowmurk Siege is still decent when you’re ahead though, and the Sultai mode is one of the better counter payoffs in the set.

I underrated the value of the 1/1 Goblin mode a tad, and Windcrag Siege can occasionally go off in decks with enough mobilize. I wouldn’t be in a rush to P1P1 it, but it’s somewhat flexible and has decently high potential.

17lands stats show this Siege to be more or less a complete bust, with a whopping 49% win rate! That’s good news for long game enjoyers, as getting milled out by Glacierwood Siege seems miserable. You still might be correct to play it anyways (statistics be damned), especially out of the sideboard vs a 5c control deck. Unending Whisper and other harmonize cards are a good way to ensure you have fuel to mill your opponent out.

New Way Forward is another card I’ve come around on a bit, as you can really get someone the first time you play it. Even if they know about it, what are they going to do; not attack and give you time to Focus the Mind? Not to mention you can always board it out too and ride on the back of the immense fear this card creates. And if you play against it, don’t forget to board in Riverwalk Technique for this!

Renew creatures are generally the best way to live the dream with Kotis, the Fangkeeper, as this creature needs an “aura” or two to actually connect most games. You could also pair Dragonfire Blade with this, which seems extremely gross. It’s not great on its own though, and it’s highly vulnerable to cards like Caustic Exhale and Stormplain Detainment.

A strong p1p1 rare for sure, though you’ll want to build around Lotuslight Dancers carefully. The more targets for each color you have, the more likely you’ll get value. Look for harmonize, renew, or even cards like Abzan Devotee.

Uncommons

This unassuming little 0/4 is one of the best Mardu cards in the set, as it actually packs the biggest mobilize number available (barring Avenger of the Fallen). Dalkovan Packbeasts’ value is wholly reliant upon building around mobilize though, so 5c players won’t be interested.

Speaking of mobilize, here we have one of the nastier tricks available to take advantage of it. Rebellious Strike is easier to use than Duty Beyond Death though, so I wouldn’t want any copies beyond the first anyways.

Part of drafting Mardu correctly is knowing which payoff cards to play and which to cut. Stormbeacon Blade is slow, vulnerable, and extremely win-more, so you’re better off with another Rebellious Strike over it.

Not a terrible card for Sultai, though there’s some tension between Aegis Sculptor and other cards that use the graveyard. The easiest way to mitigate this is to just play one and decline exiling when resources are tight. It also offers a convenient way to trigger your Kishla Skimmer.

Repeated bears and surveil 1 usually aren’t worth the effort, though Essence Anchor does fit well in a very focused Sultai deck. Most 5c piles and bombs go well over the top of something like this, so keep that in mind.

Corroding Dragonstorm is not a value card, as you’re inherently going down a card for the promise of damage and consistency. Having a high enough dragon count for this while being aggressive enough to want it is rather difficult, so don’t just shove this into your average 5c Dragonstorm Globe deck.

Mobilize turns Desperate Measures into a Corrupted Conviction of sorts, which is a neat but not especially powerful interaction. Just play another Rebellious Strike over it if you can!

Don’t forget that renew creatures often come with ability counters, which is potentially all you’ll need to get a 6/6 with this. Even without the promise of a larger creature, Hundred-Battle Veteran is a 4/2 that draws you another 4/2.

The potential sideboard equity here is quite high, as Strategic Betrayal obviously shines versus your average Essence Anchor deck. I wouldn’t start it ideally, though you could do worse if you need a 23rd card.

Yathan Tombguard’s terrible win rate (50.4%) goes to show the general failures of +1/+1 counters in Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Don’t let that dissuade you from P1P1’ing Revival of the Ancestors or anything, but try not to trap yourself into playing weaker cards like this for ultimately unimpressive synergies.

Bricking with this once or twice can create a tempo blackhole, though recurring it can make up for this in long, slow games. Breaching Dragonstorm’s win rate (51.8%) suggests lots of players aren’t getting there with it on average, so know the risks before you draft around it.

The best versions of Jeskai are built with value in mind and rarely play cards like Reverberating Summons or Wild Ride. I’d reserve this only for the most aggressive of decks, which isn’t what I want to draft in this format anyways!

Not really sure what to do with this one. You can in theory add a ton of G mana with Rainveil Rejuvenator, so maybe you’re supposed to pair it with Nature's Rhythm? Generally, this just isn’t a card most decks will want.

In theory Hardened Tactician is an excellent blocker and mobilize payoff, but in practice value piles seem to be getting the better of it. I’d still play it in Mardu of course, but it’s more of a support card than an incentive to draft mobilize.

The same goes for cards like Effortless Master and Jeskai Brushmaster, which are solid but present good targets for common removal spells. They aren’t bad cards, but not premium in the way a guaranteed 2-for-1 like Glacial Dragonhunt, Sonic Shrieker, or Lie in Wait is.

All of the Monuments are great. Seriously, if you ever keep a 2-lander + Monument in this format, you will feel unbeatable, as they offer wonderful consistency and card advantage.

Commons

Arashin Sunshield is on the whole rather mediocre, but don’t forget to sideboard in cards like this against decks looking to play from their graveyard. Exiling a Lasyd Prowler before your opponent can cash it in could be a game winning line!

As a potential removal spell, Coordinated Maneuver may as well say “Mardu Horde only. Other clans need not apply.”

Weak combat tricks like Lightfoot Technique and Alesha's Legacy haven’t performed well in TDM Draft, as there’s a ton of good instant removal to blow you out for trying.

Just like its predecessor Singing Bell Strike, this doesn’t fit your average Jeskai deck. If you put Ringing Strike Mastery in your deck, you’re looking to end games quickly.

You’d have to be even more aggressive to want Wingspan Stride, and probably straight up 2c. If you trainwreck your draft and are stuck with a bunch of these and Devoted Duelists, give it a try!

Not all 2-for-1s are created equal, so I hope you can do better than this. I’m not above playing one Cruel Truths if I have to (especially post board in 5c mirrors), but it’s no Diresight.

This card has been extremely disappointing! It turns out that mobilize just doesn’t work well with Bone Splinters effects, as post-combat is exactly the wrong time to kill a blocker. If you do end up needing to play Worthy Cost, try pairing it with cheap endure creatures like Fortress Kin-Guard and Kin-Tree Nurturer.

I’ve mentioned 5c a lot so far, which should be an indicator that Twin Bolt isn’t always a great game-one card in this format. It can be awesome in sideboard games though, as there are actually quite a few x/1s running around.

Don’t be above putting Wild Ride into your deck if it fits the gameplan, as this can do some powerful things with cards like Neriv, Heart of the Storm. I’d be especially interested if my opponent’s deck is far bombier than mine and I wanted ways to cheese a surprise win.

A solid sideboard card if you need a Naturalize or want to blow out a Perennation. You can also maindeck Heritage Reclamation in a pinch, as it at least cycles at worst.

Dragons and dragon payoffs being good is good news for Sarkhan's Resolve, which has already plummeted many a dragon in this format. The +3/+3 mode is also substantial enough to actually win most combats, unlike something marginal like Lightfoot Technique.

We can’t always draft responsibly, as TDM is full of too many sweet cards to spend all day picking lands. When you find yourself with 5c ambitions but without the lands to match your desires, give Embermouth Sentinel a call!

Good omens like Sagu Wildling make Jade-Cast Sentinel largely redundant, as decking protection can already be provided by much better cards. If you don’t have access to those though, consider this for durdly 5c mirrors (or if you just need an okay blocker).

Wrap Up

Clarion Conqueror | Illustration by Nathaniel Himawan

And with that, this guide is over! I hope you’ve learned quite a bit about Tarkir: Dragonstorm and I wish you the best of luck drafting 5c value piles.

Which archetypes have you enjoyed drafting in Tarkir: Dragonstorm? Have any cards surprised you in-game, either in your own decks or your opponents’ decks? Let me know in the comments below or over on the Draftsim Discord.

Until next time, may your P1P1s always be busted rares.