Reality Fracture Breaks Open The Standard Format

Wow, Reality Fracture is a powerful set. I wasn’t initially impressed with the “make a little Jace” mechanic, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized endless surveils really streamline any deck’s plans. I also really like how the whole set feels cohesive; lots of cards can be used from the graveyard or like it when you surveil. In fact, there were so many good cards in this set that I had over thirty possible options for Standard. It was a real struggle. But here we are. I present my list of the best Reality Fracture cards for Standard.

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10. Samut, Tyrant of Naktamun

I’m sure there are niche tricks with this card I haven’t even considered, but I only care about two interactions. 1.) Your opponent cannot sacrifice or otherwise save a creature targeted by a removal spell. 2.) Your opponent cannot do weird trickery like returning a spell to your hand when firing off a combo. That’s all that matters to me.

9. Paradox Shaper

I hate mill. I hate being milled and I usually don’t like playing mill decks. But some people do, and this card is amazing. Imagine playing a deck where you were guaranteed to draw a “mill three” spell every turn. Use this in conjunction with all of mill’s other tricks, and it’s not even that hard to get someone’s whole deck.

8. Flickering Hound

The main thing I don’t like about Secrets of Strixhaven is it’s so difficult to refresh most creature’s prepared spells. Flickering Hound has plenty of other uses, but the main two I’m interested in are using the card for pseudo-vigilance and getting multiple (maybe even in the same turn) uses out of prepared spells.

7. Enlightened Confidant

Not nearly as good as Dark Confidant, but nevertheless a good card. The archetype that got the most support in Reality Fracture was life-gain decks, and I don’t think it’s close, so there are plenty of times where this card will activate. You do need to play a more low-to-the-ground deck, but most life-gain decks love one and two drops, so it all works out.

6. Lyra, Archangel of Dawn

Like I said, life-gain got all the fun toys in Reality Fracture. There’s not much to this card. Play angels, gain life, destroy people. Even in a deck only running four Lyra and four other angels, it’s a lot of flying damage.

5. Stinging Vitriol

I wish Reality Fracture had more “combo” cards like this (this is basically Shock and Thoughtseize), but if we’re only getting one, it may as well be a strong one. I don’t know a single aggro deck that wouldn’t like this kind of effect.

4. Chandra, Torch of Defiance

It always feels weird including a reprint. I had to do the same in The Hobbit. But this particular Chandra is an excellent engine for longer-term plans. It’s also a little skill intensive, since you have to weigh keeping your card against two more damage. In either case, it really snowballs. The other abilities, especially the targeted burn, are good too, but I think of this card like a passive enchantment in most decks.

3. Denzilore Fatehold

Need a way to win after making Jace again and again? This is the closer. Flash it in on your opponent’s turn, pump the team of (likely) other fliers on your turn, and deal massive damage. I predict a meta where this card is directly associated with control players holding open four mana.

2. Sanctum Lurker

I don’t think we’ve ever had an ability like this. I’m already wondering what implications it’ll have for Standard, let alone other formats. It completely changes the rules. You can’t kill Planeswalkers in combat, and all Planeswalkers are capable of hurting an opponent. You simply cannot leave this on the board if your opponent runs Planeswalker synergies.

1. Avatar of Burgeoning Echoes

As usual, I was unsure if this should be as high as it is on the list, but I could not stop thinking about it. Reality Fracture gave us a way to draw a lot more cards, but usually you have to think through how you want to burn down your Jace tokens. This one card opens everything up. In any deck with decent ramp, you can quickly get a Jace to monstrous levels, making them harder to kill and sometimes unlocking brutal ultimate abilities. Avatar of Burgeoning Echoes is cheap, well-stated, and not legendary so you can use it early and then run away with the game. I’m sure some deck archetypes like certain cards more, but this is my pick for the best card in Reality Fracture.