Welcome all to the Getting Ready for Throne of Eldraine series! Today I’m going to be continuing a 7-part series on what current Standard cards from the four non-rotating sets (Guild of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, and Core Set 2020) will see more play or less play.
If you missed my talk on post-rotation cards from other colours you can find that right here:
White - Looking at post-rotation White cards
Blue - Looking at post-rotation Blue cards
Black - Looking at post-rotation Black cards
Red - Looking at post-rotation Red cards
I’ll be dividing some key cards from each color into three categories:
- Moving on Up
- Staying Level
- On the Decline
Today I’m going to be talking about Green cards. So let’s see how they stack up once Throne of Eldraine comes into Standard in October.
On the Decline
Gatebreaker Ram – Set and block specific strategies like Gates Matter decks don’t usually stick around post rotation. I don’t expect to see this Ram hitting the battlefield anytime soon.
Kraul Harpooner – With the Mono-Blue deck getting rotated out of the format, as well as Jeskai Winds flyers deck, this two-drop flying killer will start to see a drop off in play.
Nightpack Ambusher – With Simic Flash decks already on the decline, the loss of most of its key spells post-rotation will most likely mean that this Wolf maker won’t be in your deck.
Root Snare – With the removal of Nexus of Fate decks from the format, you won’t be seeing this green common showing up in 60-card Standard decks.
Wilderness Reclamation – As with Root Snare, the deck that used this card the most is gone from the format. Without many ways to use tons of end step mana, this will start to remove itself from Standard play.
Staying Level
Arboreal Grazer – Decks are always going to be looking for ways to ramp and this 1-drop is here to stay. It could also be a great way to be able to play 3 or more colors with ease.
Circuitous Route – If Field of the Dead are still to be successful in the new Standard meta, this card will need to be in that deck as well. Gates aren’t going anywhere, so this can help get those tapped dual lands onto the battlefield.
Growth-Chamber Guardian – As seen in some Gruul decks recently, cards that provide you card advantage will always find their way into decks even with a post-rotation shakeup.
Nissa, Who Shakes the World – Everything that makes this planeswalker great is why it will still see play post rotation. It allows you to ramp, creature 3/3 creatures and provide a clock on having to remove it.
Paradise Druid- As you can see, there is a premium on green creatures that can produce mana, as they are valuable to the ramp strategies of most green decks. This is at the top of the list and should continue to see play.
Shifting Ceratops – Even though most of the Dinosaurs are leaving Standard, this protection from blue Dino will still see tons of play, out of the sideboard and possibly in main decks as well.
Moving On Up
Biogenic Ooze – I think there could be a Sultai mid-range deck that could make good use of this card. It’s the creatures that just keeps on giving.
Cavalier of Thorns – This has already seen play in a few decks, but we could see the emergence of a more consistent Elemental deck as well as a great way to ramp into other colours.
God-Eternal Rhonas – With new strategies emerging, if there is any White Green creature deck that goes wide and overwhelms your opponent, this card will be the finisher that wins the game.
Incubation Druid – With Llanowar Elves rotating out of the format, this mana producer will start to show up in more and more decks.
Vivien, Arkbow Ranger – I think that early in the new Standard format, there will be some creature heavy decks and this planeswalker will help you win the creature battle.
Voracious Hydra – I think that ramp strategies will start to use this creature more often as both a potential removal spell and a finisher against token decks that could be in the format.
Green is one of my favourite colours to play. So I’m hoping to see some of these cards come to the forefront and start seeing some play. Thanks again for reading the Getting Ready for Throne of Eldraine series. Join me next time as I investigate which Multicolour cards will start to see some play!
