Outsiders Limited Set Review: Generic
So many good generics, so many options...find out which generic picks enable your deck to become the 3-0 monster in the pod!
Keeping it Open
Generics provide the most amount of flexibility in any draft format. As such, they are often coveted as first picks due to their adaptability and relevancy in any deck you end up drafting. Learning how to maximize these picks can come in handy for the Outsiders draft format!
Limited Ranking System
S - Tier
This tier belongs to the crème de la crème of cards in draft. Crown of Providence, Fyendal’s Fighting Spirit (R/Y) and Death Touch (R) are some examples of S-Tier cards.
A - Tier
First-pickable, powerful cards that help you stay open. Brothers in Arms (R), Blaze Headlong and Humble (R) are some examples of A-Tier cards.
B - Tier
Usually serves as a signal when a class or hero is open in your seat. Key role-players in decks. Aether Icevein (R), Lava Burst and Infect (R) are some examples of B-Tier cards.
C - Tier
The ‘meat’ of most draft decks. Cards that are not particularly powerful but synergizes well with what your deck wants to do. Brand with Cinderclaw (R), Frosting (R/B) and Isolate (R/Y/B) are some examples of C-Tier cards.
D - Tier
Niche cards that either fill very specific roles, or just downright filler. Often seen late into draft picks. Isenhowl Weathervane (R/Y/B), Transmorgrify (R/Y/B) and Brush Off (Y/B) are some examples of D-Tier cards.
E - Tier
Not much is needed to explain in this Tier of cards. These cards were probably designed with other formats in mind. Fog Down, Liquify and Visit the Floating Dojo are some examples of E-Tier cards.
F(rightmare) - Tier
This tier solely exists for Frightmare. Yay.
Legendary
Vambrace of Determination - S+
This equipment is comparable to Flick Knives in terms of power level in draft. It synergizes well with all six heroes, and given that the format has Seeker’s equipment, Peace of Mind and Brush Offs, its ability is actually super relevant and can get your attack past those cards. It can also block for 1 if needed, making a versatile and powerful pick.
Majestic
Amnesia - S
This card pretty much checks all the boxes for a fist pick card. It is on rate, blocks for 3 and has a relevant on hit against Ninjas. Its power level is somewhat comparable to Cut Down to Size. Amnesia and most generic 2 for 6 attacks are probably irrelevant if you’re drafting Azalea, but a great addition for the other heroes.
Down and Dirty - S
Similar to Amnesia, the generic 2 for 6s in this set is too hard to pass up. Even though this card blocks for 2 and lacks an on hit effect, it is never a dead card even in the arsenal, and can even stop Benji shenanigans as you can defend with this card from arsenal.
Give and Take - S
Finding attacks with go again is quite a premium in Rangers and Assassins. Give and Take is not exception. But other than having natural go again, it also has the upside of always providing value regardless the outcome. This card is either dealing 3 damage to your opponent, or allowing you to recur a powerful card from your graveyard to use on your next turn.
Gore Belching - D+
This is a strict build-around card. For the sake of consistency, this card is best drafted in Uzuri or Benji decks. Uzuri, since the ability to swap attacks in at reaction speed does not trigger Gore Belching’s on attack trigger, it turns any stealth attack into an attack for 7 (which, unlike Sneak Attack (R), dodges Inertia Trap). And Benji, since your deck is going to run a fair amount of 1-2 power cards, making Gore Belching a 4, 5 or 6 damage attack.
Burdens of the Past - D
There is a lot to say and also nothing to say about this card in limited. It can sometimes be effective if you’re against a heavy defense react deck like a Riptide who has drafted multiple traps, but other than that, the card’s quite weak. The second line is hard to trigger in limited, so it rarely replaces itself. Its probably designed with Constructed in mind, so this card’s quite easily a D in terms of draft playability. I do think its probably C-tier if you’re drafting ninja, since it is a 0 cost blue that blocks for 3 while being unaffected by Spider’s Bite.
Premeditate - S
If Plunder Run was strong, Premeditate should be just as powerful. Lovingly known as “Ponder Run” by the community, this card is powerful in both Classic Constructed and Limited formats. Being a generic card, it fits into most decks, but I find that it truly shines in Ranger decks, where the +3 attack buff will always be applied and the Ponder token always relevant.
Rare
Humble - (A+/B-/C)
Outsiders features quite a few 2 costed 6 power red generic attacks. Humble is one example, with quite a disruptive on hit tagged onto it in Limited. The hero least affected by Humble’s on hit is probably Katsu, but even then it could mean potentially reducing his combo capabilities. Humble keeps you open in draft as it fits into most limited decks, making it a great early pick.
Infectious Host - (A+/C-/C)
Probably the best 0 for 4 in the set, Infectious Host is quite busted when you consider that you’re able to deny your opponent a tempo play by creating a copy of the disease tokens under their control from this 0 costed attack. The yellow version is probably the weakest, since the blue one at least pitches for Kodachis and is unblockable in Benji.
Looking for a Scrap - (B/C/D-)
The efficiency of this card is dependent on the number of 1 power attacks and Hurls you have drafted. This card is very strong in an aggressive deck. Arakni, Benji and Katsu are the usual culprits, but you can also play this card in a more aggressive version of Uzuri, as it allows you to utilize her 4 card hands efficiently.
Common
Seeker’s Hood/Gillet/Mitts/Leggings - (C-/C/C-/C)
These equipment does exactly what the text on them says. It can cover breakpoints, be activated in response to an attack reaction to prevent an attack from hitting, or even used to prevent damage from Riptide’s ability or from Hurl. The added opt is a bonus for most decks, but is quite important in Azalea. The Gilet and Leggings has fewer replaceable equipment for their slots, making them slightly better than the Hood and Mitts.
Silken Gi - (C+)
This card is a premium in Benji. The -1 attack sometimes isn’t even a drawback for Benji since it can turn his red 3 attack into a 2 attack, turning it into an unblockable attack. Being able to play a red Deadly Duo or red Twin Twisters for free, while making it a 2 power attack guarantees a hit and enables some really powerful combos on a turn that you might be resource starved. It is somewhere around the A+ tier for Benji, about a B- for Katsu, and a C- for the others.
Threadbare Tunic - (S-)
This card is one of the best common equipment in the set. 1 free resource does wonders for a single turn in Limited, and while the requirement for activating Tunic can sometimes be awkward to achieve, it enables really strong lines of play and turns cards like Spring Load into great arsenal targets. With the inception of Ponder tokens in this Limited format, sometimes you are even incentivized to play out your entire hand and the Tunic can help you do that.
Fisticuffs - (B)
Flexible and powerful, Fisticuffs will always make your opponent’s blocks awkward due to the threat of activation. This card naturally pairs well with Arakni, since you will be drafting the red on hit stealth attacks, and it also can work in Azalea or Riptide, where your on hit arrows get more value from the attack reaction. It is also useful in Benji or Katsu as they might need the +1 buff to force an on hit in order to trigger their hero abilities, making Fisticuffs a great pick for staying open.
Fleet Foot Sandals - (C)
The legs slot in Outsiders Limited has very little competition; the only other pair of leg equipment is Seeker’s Leggings. That said, both are quite good in draft. Fleet Foot Sandals can give Uzuri’s blue stealth cards go again if the opponent decides to overblock, and then follow up by playing out the big attack naturally, or she can play out the second stealth attack, which really puts her opponents in a bind. Another good use for this piece of equipment is in Arakni, where you can extend combat chains, or even make blue Sneak Attack 2 for 5 with go again!
Cut Down to Size - (S-/B+/C)
This card forces interaction, is a generic, and has an on rate attack for its cost. What’s not to like? Cut Down to Size has got to be one of the best first picks hands down. It fits into most decks (except Azalea) and will always demand a block from the opponent. It is also a key card for beating more aggressive decks when playing as Uzuri, since you can always start the turn with any 1 attack stealth card and then swap in Cut Down to Size should the opponent decide not to block.
Destructive Deliberation - (B/C-/D-)
I feel like the initial praise this card received was due to the sealed format during Outsiders Prerelease. Outsiders sealed games tend to go to fatigue, and having a 2 for 5 attack that forces a 2 card block works very well into the fatigue game plan since you’ll be up one card over your opponent. Draft, however, is a completely different monster. 2 for 5s sometimes just isn’t enough. Unlike Cut Down to Size, Destructive Deliberation does not force interaction from your opponent. The card draw from the Ponder token is also an unknown variable; if you draw something other than a red attack, would you park it in your arsenal at the risk of getting it stuck there? Despite the areas this card is lacking in, I do think that it makes a strong chain ender in most decks. Destructive Deliberation red, while not first pick material, can be a good 3rd-5th pick if you’re trying to stay open while hedging Ninja or Arakni.
Feisty Locals - (C/D/C-)
Calling red Feisty Locals a 0 for 5 isn’t exactly right, but its also not as weak as a 0 for 3 with no go again either. I think the right way to see this card is as a decent chain ender in aggressive decks. Not only does this card make blocking hard, it becomes better the lower your opponent’s life gets. Overall, the red version makes a decent filler for a chain ender in aggressive decks, and the blue one works well in Ninja as pitch for Kodachis.
Freewheeling Renegades - (C/D/D-)
This card seems to be designed in contrast to Feisty Locals; one disincentivizes blocking, while the other incentivizes it. I also like to see this card as a decent chain ender, and in some 2 card Assassin hands, pitching a blue to attack with Spider’s Bite followed by a red Freewheeling Renegades means that your opponent will most likely be taking a total of 3 damage if they take the Spider’s Bite and block with an attack action, or they’ll take 7 damage from 2 cards on your turn. The yellow and blue versions are quite weak compared to the red one due their inability to leak damage when they get blocked with a 3 block action card.
Ravenous Rabble - (A-/C/C-)
A classic from Arcane Rising, Ravenous Rabble has seen a fair share of play since it first got printed. This card has many uses in this format. The attack trigger revealing the top card of your deck is useful information for Azalea, it can be played from hand to trigger Riptide’s first ability, or it can be swapped in with Uzuri’s ability to bypass the attack trigger and get a 5 power attack with go again. The uses of this card varies depending on the deck you end up drafting, making this card a good pick for staying open. The yellow one can sometimes close out games that go to fatigue be becoming a 0 for 4 when you don’t have cards in your deck to reveal, while the blue Rabble is Kodachi pitch fodder.
Seek Horizon - (C+/D-/C)
First seen in Monarch, Seek Horizon is a card that I am not super impressed with in this format. Granted, it has its uses in certain decks like Azalea since you’re able to put an arrow back on top of your deck to give it dominate, but in most other decks, a 2 card 4 power with go again isn’t really where you want to be. I think Seek Horizon works best as a decent 0 cost 4 attack chain ender most of the time. The blue version of Seek Horizon is particularly good in Benji, as you can sneak in some unblockable damage on turn 0, or pitch it early on and play it out as a finisher in the late game.
Spring Load - (C+/D+/D-)
I like this card particularly in ninja, as it allows you to deal 7 damage with just 2 cards by attacking with both Kodachis followed by Spring Load red. While it is not a first pick worthy card, it functions well as a chain ender for most aggressive decks. Due to its unique scaling with pitch (the effect of Spring Load scales with pitch rather than its base power), all 3 colours of Spring Load are valid targets for Short and Sharp, allowing you to get the jump on your opponents.
Come to Fight - (A+/C+/C-)
Another banger of a card from Arcane Rising, Come to Fight does a lot in this format. Being a non-attack action that blocks for 3 means it defends well against Assassins, while still being able to generate value when used in tandem with powerful on hit cards such as Infect, Death Touch and Infecting/Withering Shot to name a few. Yellow Come to Fight is slightly better in Riptide, as it synergizes very well with his first ability.
Scout the Periphery - (A/C/D-)
This card is more or less an Azalea/Riptide card, despite being a generic. I would pick the red version if I have already picked cards that lean towards either Rangers (Infecting Shot, Death Touch, Withering Shot, etc.). Similar to Come to Fight, the yellow version of Scout the Periphery is probably the best in Riptide since you will be able to maximize his first ability, enabling you to play cards like Virulent Touch and Death Touch.
Brush Off - (C/D+/D)
I have a love-hate relationship with this card. On one hand, Brush Off is a really efficient answer to Assassin attacks and Azalea’s dominated arrows, but if you’re not careful, it is very easy to get blown out with a single Attack Reaction and end up taking all unblocked damage, rendering the card completely useless. I like to think of Brush Off as more of a sideboard card, against decks that have a lot of evasion, like Benji or Azalea. Yellow Brush Off is actually quite a good card to side in against Benji, so I’d rate it just above the Blue one.
Peace of Mind- (C+/C-/D-)
One of the earliest spoiler for Outsiders, Peace of Mind is the de facto generic defense reaction of the set. The Ponder token it creates is great into plenty of decks, and it plays around evasion. I personally like the interaction between Peace of Mind and any piece of Seeker’s Equipment, as it allows you to utilize the opt from the Seeker’s Equipment with the Ponder token this card makes. I like this card in midrange decks like Uzuri, Riptide and Azalea. The other three heroes can also run this card in the sideboard to insure against attack reactions or dominated attacks.
…And that’s a Wrap!
It seems that we’ve come to the end of the Outsiders Limited Set Review! I hope that this series is as engaging to read as it was fun writing it. Hopefully this also gives new perspectives on Outsiders draft, and while the grading system used is more of a guideline, I always encourage experimentation with various card combos in draft!
Flesh and Blood is a game that rewards knowledge and skill rather than luck, so it is always good to analyze your drafts regardless the results, to keep an open mind and have fun! I look forward to creating more content as we enter the Road to Nationals season after ProTour: Baltimore! Until then, keep on drafting!
Read the rest of the Reviews here:
