Magic: The Gathering’s next set, Theros: Beyond Death, releases in just a few weeks, which means it’s time for Spikes to start doing their homework. Next weekend’s pre-release events will offer a ton of opportunities to play Sealed tournaments and Drafts, so players should start thinking now about which cards are best for the Limited environment.

For those new to Magic: The Gathering tournaments, Limited is a style of competition where players open a certain about of packs (or draft a certain number of packs) and can only use the cards from that pool during their matches. This pretty greatly changes the power level of decks and forces players to get creative and concentrate on bombs, removal, and the most reliable staples.

One nice thing about Limited is that players don’t need to worry about spending a lot of money building a deck full of the most expensive Theros: Beyond Death cards. Instead, they’re able to just focus on building the most efficient deck from the card pool that they’ve opened. To help with that, it’s good to identify some of the best Limited cards ahead of time, so that the drafting or deck-building process is a little easier.

Keep in mind that Theros: Beyond Death is a set with a focus on Devotion and it is likely to reward monocolor decks, but there will be a few cards that push players into two colors. Playing three colors, even if it’s just a splash, is likely very dangerous and probably should be avoided if possible.

Black

Aphemia, the Cacophony

This 2/1 Flyer for two is a lot better than it sounds based on the stats (which aren’t bad to begin with). The creature’s early evasion combined with the insane ability to make 2/2 Zombies is going to make this card a powerhouse.

Drag to the Underworld

Removal is king in Limited and this card is often going to cost two colorless for instant speed creature removal. Doom Blade was an amazing card and this may not always be a Doom Blade, but it’s pretty close. Expect this to be premium removal when it comes to Black decks.

Eat to Extinction

Staying on removal for a moment, Black decks also may be lucky enough to pick up Eat to Extinction. This removal is a little more expensive, but it’s a perfect answer to Escape cards that can send the biggest threats to exile and stop them from be recurring nightmares.

Erebos, Bleak-Hearted

This is one of the most powerful Gods in Limited because of a combination of its two abilities and how realistic its devotion goal is. Hitting 5 black dots isn’t going to very difficult at all and then opponents will have a serious problem on their hands.

Erebos’s Intervention

Another powerful removal spell for Black decks comes in the form of Erebos’s Intervention. Both modes are strong on this Instant, but the -X/-X ability is likely going to be a life saver in many games.

Gravebreaker Lamia

Even if Lamia dies before taking advantage of the second ability, this card does a ton of work. Based on stats alone it is already strong, but stocking the graveyard with the appropriate Escape card and then lowering its casting cost is a massive upside.

Nightmare Shepherd

4/4 Flyer for four is always going to be a great deal in Limited and this is no exception. The Nightmare Shepherd’s other ability has some interesting synergy potential and it will be very exciting to see how well players are able to take advantage of that little 1/1 army.

Woe Strider

Woe Strider is an incredibly powerful card with a ton of exciting use cases. The limitless sac outlet is the biggest selling point, but it also starts to become quite a thread on its own when it Escapes with those extra +1/+1 counters on it.

Red

The Akroan War

The Akroan War is sort of like a strictly better Act of Treason. Usually temporary steal cards are only good if paired with a sacrifice effect and this card offers an interesting way around that limitation.

Ox of Agonas

This is a hyper aggressive card that is going to be best in red decks that play out all of their creatures and spells very early. It offers the chance to restock after an aggressive start and red definitely isn’t a color that will pass up the opportunity for some efficient card draw.

Phoenix of Ash

Like so many Magic Phoenix’s before it, Phoenix of Ash is a bomb. This card is great in the early game and provides a reliable and profitable mana outlet later in matches that drag out. Opening this one is hitting the lottery for aggressive Limited players.

Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded

Like most of the Gods, Purphoros is always going to have a major impact when he hits the battlefield. This one isn’t all that expensive and comes equipped  with two abilities that fit perfectly into the aggressive red archetype.

Purphoros’s Intervention

Either mode of this card would be enough to make it playable, but its flexibility really helps make it a bomb. Most of the time it will just be a great removal spell, but it can also be used to swing in for the win if the path is clear.

Storm’s Wrath

This may not exactly be a Day of Judgement effect, but it’s as close as Red is going to get these days. The ability for a partial board wipe is always going to be powerful and this could be exactly the kind of card a red deck needs to clear the way for an aggressive end against mid-range decks.

Tectonic Giant

It doesn’t take much to see that this card is amazing. It’s powerful in nearly every game state and has various modes that offer huge benefits. It’s going to be a big target for removal, but even then, players will still get value out of this creature.

Be sure to check back in the near future for more Magic: The Gathering strategy guides, news, and updates. Until then, draw well, planeswalkers!

Magic: The Gathering’s Theros: Beyond Death set releases January 24, 2020. Magic Arena is available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices. The Magic: The Gathering Throne of Eldraine expansion set is available now.