Use cheap instants and sorceries to answer threats and find cards.
Use cheap instants and sorceries to answer threats and find cards. Fiery Inscription converts those casts into damage; Gandalf’s Sanction can remove a creature and send the excess damage at its controller.
Choose these colors when useful cards and the support below keep arriving. One gold card is a possibility, not an obligation.
Four checks while you draft
Can this pick help me play a creature or answer by turn two?
Keep time to set up without taking free attacks.
Am I adding the missing half of the plan?
Birthday Escape replaces itself and advances the Ring while triggering Inscription for two damage to each opponent. It also goes to the graveyard for a later Sanction.
Can I win without drawing my best rare?
Use cheap instants and sorceries to answer threats and find cards. Fiery Inscription converts those casts into damage; Gandalf’s Sanction can remove a creature and send the excess damage at its controller.
Can I stop a threat my creatures cannot block profitably?
Keep real removal or a counterspell for the card that changes the game.
Choose the missing job before another reward that needs it.
You have Gandalf's Sanction but need support.
Look for Birthday Escape or Lórien Revealed.
A high spell count without losing defense. Cycling Lórien Revealed fills the graveyard but does not cast a spell, so it does not trigger Fiery Inscription.
You already have Fiery Inscription.
Consider Birthday Escape if it fills a useful job.
Birthday Escape replaces itself and advances the Ring while triggering Inscription for two damage to each opponent. It also goes to the graveyard for a later Sanction.
The support is missing
Take castable creatures and answers. If the engine never arrives, use the good cards rather than forcing narrow support.
Repeated useful cards are clues, not proof that the colors are open.
Cycling Lórien Revealed fills the graveyard but does not cast a spell, so it does not trigger Fiery Inscription.
Attack early so they must use spells on defense. Keep a counterspell for Sanction if possible; a small creature can give it a target for substantial excess damage.
Saruman's Trickery65.0% GIH · 24,613 instances
Éomer of the Riddermark64.7% GIH · 13,910 instances
Fear, Fire, Foes!63.9% GIH · 19,179 instances
Rally at the Hornburg63.6% GIH · 60,720 instances
Ranger's Firebrand63.2% GIH · 18,758 instances
Bilbo, Retired Burglar62.7% GIH · 31,253 instances17Lands ↗ · Jun 15–Aug 28, 2023 · at least 100 card-in-hand instances in this pair’s no-splash decks. Choose the job your deck needs first.
Rangers of Ithilien 2UUPlay enough blue sources for double blue and protect Rangers after stealing a creature. If Rangers leaves, the creature goes back. Not an easy splash.
Andúril, Flame of the West 3Fits any colors, but needs creatures and two mana to equip. A legendary attacker, including your Ring-bearer, makes the Spirits attack immediately. Keep your creature count high.
Horn of Gondor 3Fits any colors. Defend while you spend three mana per activation; existing Humans make the token growth faster. Do not cut the early creatures that keep you alive.
Palantír of Orthanc 3Fits any colors and improves your draws or pressures the opponent each end step. Keep early defense; it does not affect attackers immediately. Watch your shrinking library in a long game.17Lands Premier Draft ↗ · Jun 15–Aug 28, 2023 · 100-instance minimum
Battle-Scarred GoblinA cheap attacker that deals one damage to each of its blockers. Count that extra damage before deciding whether an attack is profitable.
Pelargir SurvivorAn early blocker whose mana casts instants and sorceries only. It cannot pay for your next creature.
Birthday EscapeReplaces itself while advancing the Ring. After level two, attacking with your Ring-bearer helps discard excess lands.
Grey Havens Navigator
Fiery InscriptionTurns repeated instants and sorceries into damage. Add cheap spells and enough defense; a creature-heavy deck will trigger it too rarely.
Gandalf, Friend of the Shire
Smite the DeathlessThree damage with an exile clause answers small creatures cleanly. Save it for a creature it can actually kill.
Glorious Gale
Gandalf's SanctionUse cheap instants and sorceries to answer threats and find cards. Fiery Inscription converts those casts into damage; Gandalf’s Sanction can remove a creature and send the excess damage at its controller.
Fiery InscriptionPick support you can cast in your final colors. Turns repeated instants and sorceries into damage. Add cheap spells and enough defense; a creature-heavy deck will trigger it too rarely.
Examples apply the printed rules; judge the board, costs and timing.
| One-pick | Sealed |
|---|---|
| Use three Draft Boosters each and take one card per pick. Premier data describes Arena games, not an exact forecast for a family draft. | Build from the cards you opened. Choose colors with enough early plays, answers and a way to win before chasing a theme. |
Lórien Revealed
