Spells matter once again within the Limited Draft format with the launch of Dominaria United, allowing players to use cheap Magic: The Gathering combat ticks, removal, and fetch spells to their advantage.
Limited signpost Dominara United (DMU) Draft cards in Blue and Red are Balmor, Battlemage Captain, and Najal, the Storm Runner. Both are fine, but not strong enough on their own to really pull a player into the UR archetype. The Blue/Red (UR) archetype doesn’t play like a typical Izzet deck in Dominaria United Draft, having the flexibility to hit an opponent aggressively or taking on more of a Tempo style of gameplay. Of the two signposts, Balmor, Battlemage Captain is a better pick than Najal, Storm Runner. But there is an Uncommon that should pull players into the UR archetype.
Electrostatic Infantry is the star of the UR deck in DMU Draft, especially when paired with cheap Instant speed spells. Multiple copies of Electrostatic Infantry can incentivize an aggressive playstyle, using removal spells like Flowstone Infusion and tempo swingers like Tolarian Geyser to scale up the dwarf wizard’s stats.
Combat tricks are very powerful on Electrostatic Infantry, granting it with a +1/+1 counter in conjunction with the stats provided by the pump spell. The highest priority Instant spell for a UR build running Electrostatic Infantry in a DMU Draft is Shore Up, a one-drop Blue Instant that pumps and protects.
Splashing in the MTG color Green with UR provides even more value for Electrostatic Infantry, giving players access to combat tricks like Gaea’s Might and Colossal Growth. Adding green also opens up the flexibility to add cheap removal spells like Bite Down and Tail Swipe, synergizing with the UR Dominaria United Limited Draft archetype. And having a third color adds value to the returning MTG mechanic Domain.
Cheap combat tricks and removal can persuade players to splash Green into a UR Draft build. But they aren’t top picks as most will wheel, with the exception of Tail Swipe. The DMU Rare Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief is a reason to get into the UR splash Green early, though. Gleeful Sepllthief is a two-drop flyer that copies a spell that targets a single creature. This applies to your creatures, and your opponent’s, Upon an opponent applying a combat trick or protection spell onto one of their own creatures, it will also buff Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief as long as you allow it to.
Here’s an example of a high-roll DMU Draft from the MTG Arena Early Access event using Domain and spells matter synergies.
Card advantage is important when putting together a UR deck in DMU Draft as the build can run out of gas quickly. Micromancer is a top-notch Uncommon that can fetch out the Instant and Sorcery spells needed for the Magic deck to thrive. Battlewing Mystic, when Kicked, can dump useless lands from hand in exchange for drawing two cards while also working with no cards in hand. And Impulse is a solid two-drop Instant that can fetch a key spell from the top four cards of your library.
Solid support creatures to run alongside Electrostatic Infantry include Haunting Figment, a two-drop 2/1 Blue Illusion that has Vigilance and can’t get blocked during a turn when you’ve cast an Instant or Sorcery spell. Ghitu Amplifier can trade for value with its ability that synergizes with spells or swing board state advantage during the late game when Kicked.
Talas Lookout is a 3/2 four-drop pirate with Flying that upon dying provides card advantage. And Tolarian Terror is a solid top-end 5/5 with Ward who won’t break the mana bank upon casting due to the number of Instant and Sorcery spells that are already in the graveyard.
Players can test out the UR spells matters archetype through MTG Arena Limited Draft with the digital launch of Dominaria United on Sept. 1. Prerelease events will run from Sept. 2 to 8. And the full global launch is slated to take place on Sept. 9.
All images via WotC, Magic: The Gathering.
