Set Prospective
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
This article is part of our community-sourced Set Prospective series. We survey Cube designers before the set’s official release to document their first impressions of new cards.
Come ‘round, me hearties, and learn what no chart’ll tell ye. Learn of a world within our own. ‘Neath sea and stone, deeper’n any merfolk or monster has fathomed, golden hoards gleam, untouched by time nor greedy hand. But gimlet eyes also glitter in the torchlight… watching, waiting.
How didst I live to tell this tale, ye ask? On me oath, that treasure stays buried ‘til I go to the Grim Cap'n's Locker! Unless, o’course, ye be needin’ a guide?
Ah, so ye search for new Magic, then? Good news! There’s scores more like ye, callin’ themselves Cube owners. Ye’ll all find sorcery of all sorts below, an’ treasures fer any taste. But ye’ll need me as yer guide, and a shipful of luck, to survive the voyage…
… to the LOST CAVERNS OF IXALAN!!!
Results
Ahoy mateys, arrg, etc etc. Captain Redbeard has asked me to give you the lay of the land. His exact words were, “Avast, ye scurvy nerd-swain, an’ show the lubbers them high-falutin’ nerd charts,” but I can’t do the accent. Shall we, then?
We’ve received soundings from 247 Cube owners for The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. The median respondent is testing 11 cards and has assigned a median rating of 6.2/10; this is a similar rating to the other releases of 2023, but the highest median test rate of this year. One audacious explorer is even testing 276 cards.
| Card | Testers▼ | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter Triumph | 56.3% | 8.2 |
| Inti, Seneschal of the Sun | 45.3% | 7.2 |
| Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel | 44.5% | 7.5 |
| Get Lost | 34.0% | 6.9 |
| Deep-Cavern Bat | 31.6% | 7.3 |
| Stalactite Stalker | 31.6% | 6.7 |
| Restless Vents | 30.4% | 7.5 |
| Sentinel of the Nameless City | 30.0% | 7.2 |
| Confounding Riddle | 26.7% | 7.1 |
| Spyglass Siren | 25.5% | 7.0 |
| Restless Prairie | 21.5% | 7.4 |
| Cenote Scout | 21.5% | 6.4 |
| Restless Anchorage | 21.1% | 7.1 |
| Trumpeting Carnosaur | 20.6% | 6.8 |
| Helping Hand | 20.2% | 5.8 |
| Kitesail Larcenist | 19.8% | 6.0 |
| Restless Reef | 19.4% | 7.3 |
| Molten Collapse | 19.0% | 7.5 |
| Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon | 19.0% | 6.8 |
| Souls of the Lost | 17.4% | 5.7 |
| Bartolomé del Presidio | 17.0% | 7.3 |
| Dusk Rose Reliquary | 16.6% | 6.2 |
| Sanguine Evangelist | 16.2% | 6.2 |
| Kellan, Daring Traveler // Journey On | 15.8% | 6.5 |
| Jadelight Spelunker | 15.0% | 6.2 |
| Subterranean Schooner | 14.2% | 6.3 |
| Restless Ridgeline | 14.2% | 6.9 |
| Tishana's Tidebinder | 13.8% | 5.3 |
| Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar | 13.4% | 7.0 |
| Tarrian's Journal // The Tomb of Aclazotz | 11.3% | 5.5 |
| Zoyowa Lava-Tongue | 10.5% | 6.5 |
| Warden of the Inner Sky | 10.5% | 5.6 |
| Goblin Tomb Raider | 9.7% | 6.2 |
| Breeches, Eager Pillager | 9.7% | 5.9 |
| Poison Dart Frog | 9.7% | 6.1 |
| Dire Flail // Dire Blunderbuss | 8.9% | 5.6 |
| Hulking Raptor | 8.9% | 5.9 |
| Threefold Thunderhulk | 8.5% | 6.1 |
| Enterprising Scallywag | 8.5% | 6.5 |
| Preacher of the Schism | 8.1% | 6.0 |
| Scytheclaw Raptor | 8.1% | 5.2 |
| Caparocti Sunborn | 8.1% | 5.8 |
| Spring-Loaded Sawblades // Bladewheel Chariot | 8.1% | 6.1 |
| Geological Appraiser | 7.7% | 6.5 |
| Ruin-Lurker Bat | 7.7% | 5.9 |
| Tarrian's Soulcleaver | 7.3% | 6.0 |
| Pit of Offerings | 7.3% | 6.8 |
| Abuelo, Ancestral Echo | 7.3% | 6.7 |
| Kutzil's Flanker | 7.3% | 5.3 |
| Greedy Freebooter | 6.9% | 6.2 |
| Hidden Nursery | 6.9% | 6.2 |
| Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant | 6.9% | 6.1 |
| Careening Mine Cart | 6.9% | 6.0 |
| Akawalli, the Seething Tower | 6.9% | 6.8 |
| Bloodthorn Flail | 6.9% | 4.6 |
| Echoing Deeps | 6.5% | 6.7 |
| The Ancient One | 6.5% | 6.0 |
| Diamond Pick-Axe | 6.5% | 5.5 |
| Miner's Guidewing | 6.5% | 5.3 |
| Explorer's Cache | 6.5% | 6.3 |
| Over the Edge | 6.5% | 5.2 |
| Volatile Wanderglyph | 6.5% | 6.0 |
| Chupacabra Echo | 6.5% | 5.7 |
| Eaten by Piranhas | 6.5% | 5.5 |
| Hidden Volcano | 6.1% | 6.3 |
| Hidden Necropolis | 6.1% | 5.6 |
| Hidden Courtyard | 6.1% | 5.9 |
| Belligerent Yearling | 6.1% | 5.6 |
| Chimil, the Inner Sun | 6.1% | 5.2 |
| Cogwork Wrestler | 6.1% | 5.8 |
| Fanatical Offering | 6.1% | 6.2 |
| Dreadmaw's Ire | 5.7% | 6.3 |
| Unstable Glyphbridge // Sandswirl Wanderglyph | 5.7% | 5.3 |
| Roaming Throne | 5.7% | 5.1 |
| Akal Pakal, First Among Equals | 5.7% | 5.5 |
| Promising Vein | 5.7% | 6.6 |
| Dowsing Device // Geode Grotto | 5.7% | 5.2 |
| Petrify | 5.7% | 6.1 |
| Seismic Monstrosaur | 5.3% | 5.9 |
| Hidden Cataract | 5.3% | 5.9 |
| Malamet Battle Glyph | 5.3% | 5.0 |
| Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch // Temple of Cyclical Time | 5.3% | 5.2 |
| Thousand Moons Smithy // Barracks of the Thousand | 5.3% | 6.6 |
| Guardian of the Great Door | 5.3% | 4.8 |
| Vanguard of the Rose | 4.9% | 4.4 |
| Wail of the Forgotten | 4.9% | 6.5 |
| Runaway Boulder | 4.9% | 5.9 |
| Nurturing Bristleback | 4.9% | 6.3 |
| Tithing Blade // Consuming Sepulcher | 4.9% | 5.9 |
| Terror Tide | 4.9% | 6.1 |
| Sunken Citadel | 4.9% | 6.8 |
| Glowcap Lantern | 4.9% | 5.0 |
| Brass's Tunnel-Grinder // Tecutlan, the Searing Rift | 4.9% | 5.2 |
| Tinker's Tote | 4.9% | 6.1 |
| Quintorius Kand | 4.5% | 6.4 |
| River Herald Scout | 4.5% | 5.8 |
| Deconstruction Hammer | 4.5% | 4.8 |
| Buried Treasure | 4.5% | 6.1 |
| Oaken Siren | 4.5% | 6.5 |
| Coati Scavenger | 4.5% | 5.4 |
| Starving Revenant | 4.5% | 5.1 |
| The Mycotyrant | 4.5% | 5.7 |
| The Everflowing Well // The Myriad Pools | 4.5% | 5.9 |
| Digsite Conservator | 4.5% | 5.5 |
| Lodestone Needle // Guidestone Compass | 4.0% | 5.8 |
| Corpses of the Lost | 4.0% | 5.7 |
| Orazca Puzzle-Door | 4.0% | 5.2 |
| The Belligerent | 4.0% | 6.0 |
| Saheeli, the Sun's Brilliance | 4.0% | 5.7 |
| Twists and Turns // Mycoid Maze | 4.0% | 6.6 |
| Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core | 4.0% | 6.5 |
| Zoetic Glyph | 4.0% | 4.7 |
| Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth // Temple of Cultivation | 3.6% | 5.9 |
| Waterwind Scout | 3.6% | 6.1 |
| Sunfire Torch | 3.6% | 5.6 |
| Sunshot Militia | 3.6% | 5.9 |
| Deep Goblin Skulltaker | 3.6% | 5.9 |
| Ironpaw Aspirant | 3.6% | 5.3 |
| Join the Dead | 3.6% | 6.3 |
| Soaring Sandwing | 3.6% | 6.3 |
| Squirming Emergence | 3.6% | 4.6 |
| Pugnacious Hammerskull | 3.6% | 5.1 |
| Fabrication Foundry | 3.6% | 5.4 |
| The Skullspore Nexus | 3.6% | 4.5 |
| Bonehoard Dracosaur | 3.6% | 6.5 |
| Swashbuckler's Whip | 3.6% | 5.2 |
| Itzquinth, Firstborn of Gishath | 3.6% | 6.1 |
| Zoyowa's Justice | 3.6% | 5.7 |
| Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might // Temple of Power | 3.6% | 5.6 |
| Magmatic Galleon | 3.6% | 6.9 |
| Etali's Favor | 3.6% | 5.4 |
| Market Gnome | 3.6% | 4.6 |
| Visage of Dread // Dread Osseosaur | 3.6% | 5.5 |
| Bedrock Tortoise | 3.6% | 5.8 |
| Brackish Blunder | 3.2% | 6.5 |
| Quicksand Whirlpool | 3.2% | 5.5 |
| Huatli, Poet of Unity // Roar of the Fifth People | 3.2% | 6.6 |
| Scampering Surveyor | 3.2% | 6.1 |
| Fungal Fortitude | 3.2% | 6.7 |
| Basking Capybara | 3.2% | 7.0 |
| Rampaging Spiketail | 3.2% | 5.2 |
| Marauding Brinefang | 3.2% | 5.6 |
| Intrepid Paleontologist | 3.2% | 5.2 |
| Family Reunion | 3.2% | 5.3 |
| Abuelo's Awakening | 3.2% | 4.4 |
| Self-Reflection | 3.2% | 5.8 |
| Envoy of Okinec Ahau | 3.2% | 6.0 |
| Captivating Cave | 3.2% | 5.4 |
| Bloodletter of Aclazotz | 3.2% | 5.8 |
| Out of Air | 3.2% | 5.8 |
| Sovereign Okinec Ahau | 3.2% | 5.9 |
| Stinging Cave Crawler | 3.2% | 6.5 |
| Soulcoil Viper | 3.2% | 5.1 |
| Idol of the Deep King // Sovereign's Macuahuitl | 2.8% | 4.6 |
| Braided Net // Braided Quipu | 2.8% | 5.9 |
| Earthshaker Dreadmaw | 2.8% | 6.7 |
| Oltec Cloud Guard | 2.8% | 4.7 |
| Echo of Dusk | 2.8% | 4.8 |
| Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake | 2.8% | 5.7 |
| In the Presence of Ages | 2.8% | 5.4 |
| Volatile Fault | 2.8% | 6.3 |
| Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal // Temple of the Dead | 2.8% | 6.8 |
| Staunch Crewmate | 2.8% | 6.5 |
| Amalia Benavides Aguirre | 2.8% | 7.1 |
| Mischievous Pup | 2.8% | 5.4 |
Single Card Discussion
Expedition Leaders
Bitter Triumph is the first mate of LCI, a near-unconditional removal spell with additional ways to rig up synergistic interactions. These are well-charted waters for Cube owners, and Bitter Triumph’s clean template and uncommon rarity gives it a wide enough appeal to crack the 50% mark of our respondents and earn a very high average rating.
“I appreciate how well much of the mechanics are tied together by enjoyable set flavor”
Speaking of well-known effects with new synergistic hooks, Inti, Seneschal of the Sun is a ship-shape aggressive threat that promises novelty from turn to turn and game to game. My shipmate Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel and the removal spell Get Lost are not quite as novel as Inti, but they still provide enough raw power to earn high test-rates. Get Lost is the highest-tested Map token card from LCI (although as a navigator myself, I distrust anyone who doesn’t have a map handy).
Secondary Spelunkers
Most of the cards tested by a quarter to a third of our respondents have well-known ancestors. Sentinel of the Nameless City and Spyglass Siren invite comparison to the Clue tokens of Tireless Tracker and Thraben Inspector. Deep-Cavern Bat is among the strongest Mesmeric Fiend effects yet. Confounding Riddle is nearly always an upgrade to Supreme Will… Even Restless Vents compares favorably to its elder cousin, and leads LCI’s cycle of new landfolk.
Stalactite Stalker might be an exception, with its use of the new Descend mechanic (a clever inversion of Rivals of Ixalan’s Ascend mechanic). Its potent synergy with fetchlands and the late-game scaling are appealing hooks for synergy and context-agnostic power.
Hidden Gems
Although these cards fall short of a quarter of popularity, they still offer insight into the Lost Caverns.
Trumpeting Carnosaur is the most-tested card with Discover. The new Cascade lookalike leads LCI’s brand-new mechanics in popularity. More than 40% of our respondents are Discovering with at least one card, with half that number testing more than one card with the mechanic. (Maps and Explore are more popular together, but Explore had a head start.)
Goblin Tomb Raider, the most popular common card from LCI, is an aggressive threat for rarity-restricted cubes, while also finding a home among well-loved Cube synergies.
Tarrian's Journal is the most-tested double-faced card from LCI, but DFCs are less popular here than they are on a set like Innistrad by a large margin — or perhaps, LCI’s transforming cards are just perceived to be less powerful.
Speaking of which, Dire Flail, despite its paltry test rate, is the most popular card with Craft from LCI. This new mechanic doesn’t excite most cube owners: only a quarter of our respondents are testing any Craft cards at all, and most of that group is testing no more than one execptional example.
Finally, Pit of Offerings is the highest-rated card with the new Cave subtype. Slightly more popular than Craft, with several support pieces, this new subtype is sure to contain treasure for my shipmates.
And with that, we’re back to the fo’c’sle! Captain Redbeard will join you for lunch, right after he finishes marooning some merfolk. Thank you for giving me the data I needed to conduct this little treasure-hunt, and until next time, may your Rogers always be Jolly!
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