Notes & Combos
It's great to finally have Fiendsmith available as actually expected, and of course, Fiendsmith Lab ready to see some play again.
A bit on the choices: Three copies of Ice Dragon’s Prison make up the primary removal trap and NT-based interaction on a whole. The format is dominated by graveyard effects and activity, in which IDP already had high value prior to the latest pack particularly given how saturated the ladder is with Primite BE. Its value only increases from here, given that Fiendsmith-oriented decks have been encouraged to see play with the release of Lacrima and company.
The stable of floods further slants against the environment’s anticipated top end. Rivalry’s value notably rises with Lacrima’s debut - already strong against Memento and sneakily good into BE, but now offering you more cover to take on SE and the assortment of midrange piles that are Smith-laced that are sure to pop up as we move closer to June and beyond.
Lastly, opting for Sanct is a bit of a standout choice in this list. It offers an alternative Lacrima send without having to resort to clunkier choices like Paradise or Kyrie, but more importantly, is actual engine with upside value that lets you be grittier in the grind game - a factor of more importance to lean into right now. On top of that, Smith combinations and permutations that you open are smoother with Sanct available - as you're not as susceptible in being tempo-deficient. With everything said, I was happy with it.