10 Best Cards to Craft From Jumpstart: Historic Horizons

With preview season wrapping up for Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, we now have a full look at the set and can start to make some educated guesses around what cards are going to make an impact on the Historic format. But with over 700 cards being added to the game, and about half of them being “new to Magic Arena“, for someone who is just getting into the set may be overwhelmed with the sheer number of cards and knowing which ones to craft. Here’s our top 10 Best cards to craft from Historic Horizons.

10. Goblin Dark-Dwellers

This one came in today on the last day of previews, but Goblin Dark-Dwellers Goblin Dark-Dwellers Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
When this creature enters, you may cast target instant or sorcery card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that spell would be put into your graveyard, exile it instead. is a great addition to the format. Currently it’s being used in Modern to cast free suspend spells like Glimpse of Tomorrow Glimpse of Tomorrow Suspend 3—{R}{R}
Shuffle all permanents you own into your library, then reveal that many cards from the top of your library. Put all non-Aura permanent cards revealed this way onto the battlefield, then do the same for Aura cards, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. , but since we don’t have those cards, this card will be utilized more fairly. Some prime targets for this card are Prismari Command Prismari Command Choose two —
• Prismari Command deals 2 damage to any target.
• Target player draws two cards, then discards two cards.
• Target player creates a Treasure token.
• Destroy target artifact. , Kolaghan’s Command Kolaghan’s Command Choose two —
• Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
• Target player discards a card.
• Destroy target artifact.
• Kolaghan's Command deals 2 damage to any target. , Maelstrom Pulse Maelstrom Pulse Destroy target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent. and more.

9. Blade Splicer

Blade Splicer Blade Splicer When this creature enters, create a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Golem artifact creature token.
Golems you control have first strike. was an old fan favorite card from back in the day and it’s great to see it included here. It’s a cheap creature that leaves behind a 3/3 body, which can be first striking. There’s plenty of blink synergies in the set and so I expect this card to get a lot of use in the coming weeks.

8. Davriel’s Withering

Davriel’s Withering is the only “Digital Only” card to make our list. This is a new powerful 1 mana removal spell that has one of the new digital only keywords, Perpetually. This mechanic permanently alters the target card for the remainder of the game. In this case, it can be a very powerful tool against some specific strategies in the format. While the instances where perpetually can really come in handy, it’s cheap, and can deal with a lot of aggro in the format, which makes this a slam dunk of a new removal spell

7. Restoration Angel

Restoration Angel Restoration Angel Flash
Flying
When this creature enters, you may exile target non-Angel creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control. is another fan favorite card from around the same era of standard that Blade Splicer was in, in fact they often saw play together. This card just add another powerful blink effect to go along with Blade Splicer and the rest of the blink synergies in the format. This also goes great alongside any creature with an enter the battlefield ability, whether it’s in control, midrange, or even combo decks. This is a welcome addition and I can’t wait to play with this one.

6. Ranger-Captain of Eos

Next up is Ranger-Captain of Eos Ranger-Captain of Eos When this creature enters, you may search your library for a creature card with mana value 1 or less, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
Sacrifice this creature: Your opponents can't cast noncreature spells this turn. . This is a great power boost to the Selesnya Collected Company decks, Mono White Aggro, or maybe even a Boros Aggro deck. We have great targets to search up with this, and there will definitely be times where we sacrifice this in our opponent’s upkeep to prevent a sweeper or removal spell when we have lethal on board. Since it’s also a human, I expect that it will see play in some matter of Humans deck.

5. Thought Monitor

Thought Monitor Thought Monitor Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs {1} less to cast for each artifact you control.)
Flying
When this creature enters, draw two cards. has risen as an all star card in Modern in the Affinity style lists, and I expect that it’ll be the same here. We have the makings of a few very powerful artifact based decks, and this card adds some much needed card draw and board presence to those decks.

READ MORE: How to Start Playing Historic on Magic Arena

4. Archmage’s Charm

Another final day preview, Archmages Charm Archmages Charm Choose one —
• Counter target spell.
• Target player draws two cards.
• Gain control of target nonland permanent with mana value 1 or less. is one of the most versatile control spells to ever be printed. Don’t let the triple blue mana casting cost put you off, control decks absolutely love this card, and I expect that we will see a resurgence in 2 color control decks in Historic with the addition of this card. Each of these modes is actually relevant in Historic and so this should see a great amount of play.

READ MORE: The Best Discard Commanders

3. Seasoned Pyromancer

One of the more powerful and popular cards from Modern Horizons, Seasoned Pyromancer Seasoned Pyromancer When this creature enters, discard two cards, then draw two cards. For each nonland card discarded this way, create a 1/1 red Elemental creature token.
{3}{R}{R}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create two 1/1 red Elemental creature tokens. is definitely a card to pick up early. This card does it all, it provides some board presence with it’s tokens, and also some card draw. Not to mention, that it can also make tokens from the graveyard as well. This sees play in a huge variety of Modern decks, and I expect that it will see plenty of play in Historic as well.

2. Dragon’s Rage Channeler

Dragon’s Rage Channeler Dragon’s Rage Channeler Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card into your graveyard.)
Delirium — As long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, this creature gets +2/+2, has flying, and attacks each combat if able. was one of the break out uncommons from Modern Horizons 2, opening up many different archetypes in Modern. The ability for this to be a 1 mana 3/3 Flyer in the early game with very little effort brings this card into contention for the best creatures in the set, and potentially in the Historic Format. There’s quite a few decks that can look to play this card, from Izzet Blitz / Madness, Rakdos Lurrus, and even Hollow One. You best have some removal up for this because it can get out of hand very quickly if left unchecked.

READ MORE: Expect More D&D-themed Sets if Forgotten Realms ‘is a success’ says MTG Designer

1. Esper Sentinel

Our number 1 pick is Esper Sentinel Esper Sentinel Whenever an opponent casts their first noncreature spell each turn, draw a card unless that player pays {X}, where X is this creature's power. . This card has a lot going for it. It’s likened to that of Rhystic Study Rhystic Study Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays {1}. but on a 1 mana creature in white. It’s a must kill creature, otherwise your opponents will be drowned in value and card advantage. Since we don’t have many very good 1 mana removal spells in the format, there’s a good chance that this card will stick around for a couple turns and draw you some much needed cards. It also slots into many different decks due to its typing, being a human, and an artifact. If you craft 4 copies of any card in the set right away, this is definitely at the top of the list.

Jumpstart: Historic Horizons is a Magic Arena only set. The set will be only legal for the Historic Format. It releases on August 12, 2021 on Magic Arena and contains 782 cards, comprised of 31 new Arena Only cards, and 751 reprints from Modern Horizons, Modern Horizons 2 and more. You can check out our preview gallery to stay up to date with all the cards!