Over a period of about a month, Standard will have the largest shake-up we've seen in years. First, the massive ban list that dropped on June 30th, followed by the first set rotation in two years on July 29th, and culminating with Edge of Eternities arriving on August 1. The format has been shaken up, and we're at that delicious point where all brewing possibilities seem possible. As always, the arrival of a new set is the biggest opportunity for brewers, and Edge of Eternities looks like it has an interesting array of cards to build around and disrupt the current decks, so let's take a look at some of my favorites.

First off, I'm not going to list the shocklands, not even as an Honorable Mention this time, because they'll obviously have the biggest effect on the format. If you don't have them, get them. Yes, all of them.

10. Genemorph Imago

This card may be completely unplayable or it may be a new way to fuel the landfall decks. I'm honestly not sure, but I think there's enough here to warrant exploring a Simic style landfall deck. Jumping Tifa Lockhart from a 1/2 to a 3/3 (and then a 6/6 when her ability resolves) will speed up your clock, and late game, turning creatures into 6/6's makes even a Llanowar Elves a serious threat. If nothing else, this should be able to consistently attack as a 3/3 flier for 2 mana, and that's a bit above rate.

9. Timeline Culler

This thing feels like a buzzsaw. It's tailor-made to slot into a sacrifice deck, or even a mill deck (since this is missing the usual, "This can't block" text from cards so easy to recur). The life loss can even be used to your benefit, if you pair this with something like Cecil, Dark Knight. Of note, this also dodges Shoot the Sheriff (which should be the premier removal spell in Standard after rotation), so it gets a point for being harder to remove.

8. Terminal Velocity

Through the Breach cost 5 mana and was a format defining cards at multiple times in the past. For an additional mana (and the loss of the Splice ability) you get so much more. This can also put artifacts into play. That isn't always going to be relevant, but it means we need to look at every high-cost artifact that's printed over the next 3 years. The real boost is the board sweeping potential when you sacrifice at the end of turn. Imagine using this to bring Ureni, the Song Ending into play. You attack for 10 damage, then it dies and wipes the board. Now, imagine you have Screaming Nemesis on the board when it triggers...

7. Seam Rip

Portable Hole has been good enough to see play all the way back to Modern, and as an enchantment, this could be better. I expect this to see play in a variety of decks, and it should be an active player if aggressive decks get anywhere near as popular as they have been the last few years.

6. Pinnacle Starcage

Goodbye Temporary Lockdown, hello Pinnacle Starcage! Temporary Lockdown was one of the most impactful cards to lose to rotation, and it looks like Wizards recognized that and gave us 95% of the card in Starcage. It doesn't grab enchantments, but with Up the Beanstalk banned there aren't many must answer enchantments that cost 2 or less (Insidious Roots notwithstanding) . The sacrifice ability won't come up often, but could be important for control decks.

5. Umbral Collar Zealot

If Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER or Sothera, the Supervoid are part of a Tier 1 deck after rotation, it will be because of this card. It provides a decent body along with a no-cost sacrifice outlet, and it's not legendary, so there's no downside to jamming 4 in your deck. The Surveil is even highly relevant, as this will definitely be played along side Raise the Past. This is also a rare case of, "Let's nerf the card a bit by giving it an extra point of power." As a 2/2 this might have been much stronger, since it could trigger cards like Snarling Gorehound in those Raise the Past decks.

4. Haliya, Guided by Light

I think this will play much better than it looks on first pass. We're approaching critical mass for life gain cards in Standard, and Haliya might be the card to put it over the top. The 1 mana Warp ability is the straw that stirs the drink here, as it means you don't have to jump through a ton of hoops in the early game to hit the 3 life threshold. This one will be fun to explore.

3. Icetill Explorer

4 mana is a lot to ask for a creature that doesn't immediately impact the board, but I think Icetill Explorer may have a chance as an engine card for a ramp or lands deck in Standard. It plays well with cards like Traveling Chocobo and Fabled Passage, allowing you to mow through your lands at an incredible rate. As a 2/4 it has enough toughness to be challenging to remove, as it dodges Torch the Tower and cards like Nowhere to Run. If you're already playing a deck that focuses on landfall, this seems like an auto include, especially when paired with...

2. Mightform Harmonizer

If you've played against a Tifa Lockhart deck, then you know how incredibly fast doubling a creature's power can get out of hand. Harmonizer gives this ability to every creature. The Warp ability allows you to go nuts as early s turn 4 if you have a Fabled Passage. Pairing it with something like Herd Heirloom to make sure these huge beaters have Trample should become its own archetype. Landfall aggro may be here to stay.

1. Consult the Star Charts

This card is very strong, and would be a grand slam home run in most formats. Unfortunately, it will be up against Stock Up for most of its life, and Stock Up is a freaking powerful card. Still, the versatility here may be enough for control decks to look at Consult the Star Charts since it doesn't require them to tap down mana on their turn. There is some great tension here and it will reward the brewer that puts in the time to see which of the two is best for their deck.

Oh, who am I kidding, they'll just play both.

You can find more of my Magic musings on Twitter/X @travishall456 and on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anakinsdad.bsky.social