As you all are probably aware of, Apocalypse is near - and it promises to bring many new and poweful cards for us to use and build decks with. The prerelease tournaments are set for the 26th and 27th of May, and the set its self is out to the whole world on June 4th. Of course, this will also mean a change to the current Type 2 environment. Planeshift didnt have as large as an impact on the Type 2 scene as most people thought it would, it simply brought a few cards to be used in existing decks. Examples of this were Shivan Wurm into Fires and Meddling Mage into Blue/White Control. No really 'different' decks were made. But, with Apocalypse this promises to change - and change it will.

Apocalypse is based on opposing colours, unlike the previous two sets in the Invasion block. This in its self should tell you that most cards in the set will not so easily slide into current deck archetypes. Rather, current decks will have to change to meet the new additions. Also, completely new deck types will spring up, and if you have played a lot of Type 2 recently then you will know that this is a most welcome change.

Some of the more notable deck types seen so far are Black/White with Vindicate as the frontrunning card. Backed up by discard and removal, this has the potental to be a very powerful control deck. The main issue so far with this deck type is the lack of a really solid kill mechanism. Black/White has the answer to every card type from enchantments to creatures, but you still need a stable way to win when the way is clear. Some are turning to Desolation Angel, a large 5/4 flyer, but it is risky. Either you play it and lose your land as a gamble, or you wait longer and play it and clear the board. The problem with waiting is that you will need to fill in the time until you can cast the game clincher with effective cards, or provide some kind of acceleration to cast it much sooner. Time will tell to see how people solve this problem.

Another powerful decktype which is receiving much hype right now is Black/Green. Spiritmonger is a very effective kill method and there is a wide variety of other fat creatures to choose from like Ebony Treefolk. With Birds of Paradise and Dark Ritual, this promises to deliver very quick beats backed up by all purpose removal found in Pernicioius Deed. The thing that has to be dealt with in this deck type is making sure your creatures live long enough to do their job. With Terminates running rampant in decks and white running many forms of creature lockdown and removal, the Black/Green player must find ways to keep their creatures safe and allow them to steadily deal damage to win.

White/Red is next, and it can be a suprise powerhouse in the new format. It can pack Wrath of God, Rout, and any number of red damage spells like Urza's Rage to take care of any problems it faces. It can use protection from many colours and can deal with creatures, lands, and enchantments with ease. Desolation Giant can be easily put to use in such a deck, or the deck can go another way and be a very agressive deck with many small and progressively larger creatures such as the efficient Goblin Legionaire to the Flowstone Charger who is solid on the attack and the defense. The main problem is of course trying to build one type of deck or the other, or attempting to mash the two together somehow to make a sort of hybrid agressive-control deck.

Blue/Green and Blue/Red are next, and although they boast powerful cards like Mystic Snake and Suffocating Blast, the problem lies in what the rest of the deck will have in it. Unfortuneately these colour combos seem to lack in the solid areas and it will be interesting to see what people fill their decks up with. The whirlpool creatures seem like a logical choice for any blue deck, and Blue/Red may have enough creatures to make a very agressive deck.

Of course, you can always go with more than two colours, and cards like Lightning Angel, Overgrown Estate, and Guided Passage and several other cards are your reward for doing so. Wether it is a mix of just three or four colours or a domain deck of all five colours with cards like Last Stand and Legacy Weapon, and there will be a large variety of these decks and also some of the two colour deck types splashing for just one or two of these three colour cards.

Anyway, now its time for some in-depth looks at some of the cards.

Top Ten Rares - Powerful and Influential Cards

10) Volvers
These creatures have a lot going for them. They can fit into many deck types, and they can get disgustingly powerful. Some can fly, some can trample, some can gain you life.....you get the picture. A low mana, high powered creature is always welcome. In addition to being in constructed decks, they will dominate limited formats such as sealed and booster draft. If you get a chance, grab a Volver - it wont dissapoint.

9) Opposing Painlands
We have waited a long time for this, and here they are. Of course, will all the opposing colour decks going to be made, these will be essential. These are sure to be near the top of everyone's trading lists.

8) Spectral Lynx
Fans of River Boa rejoice......well not really, because this sucker has pro green! And that means he can block Blastoderms, Kavu Chameleons, Saproling Tokens and many more -and he can always regenerate if he has to. This guy is great and is a good way to deal with the green fatties that are out there.

7) Suffocating Blast
While the weakest of the recent gold coloured counterspells, it is still worth playing. With the power to solve two problems at once(counter a spell and eliminate a creature), this card is very versitile.

6) Spiritmonger
It's big, it's bad, and it was designed by a magic player just like yourself. A 6/6 for five mana is impressive, plus he can regenerate and change colours. Oh did I forget to mention that whenever he damages a creature he gets +1/+1 permanently? Gee, must have slipped my mind. This is the card that is getting all the hype and will be in all kinds of decks.

5) Desolation Angel
Since Armageddon is gone from Type 2, this is the replacement for the time being. A 5/4 cheap flyer with a drawback, or a 5/4 expensive flyer with a bonus - its all up to you. This will more than likely be the Black/White deck kill card.

4) Lightning Angel
A cheap, powerul and efficient creature as long as you can get the three kinds of mana to play it. This card will be splashed in many decks, and for good reason - it rocks. Fast on the offence and good on defence it is a solid choice for a creature.

3) Mystic Snake
Will we be seeing people running Ostracize in their decks for fear of this card? Probably, as this may be one of the best counterspells yet. If you have a way to bounce this guy back to your hand, then you can counter spells over and over. Plus, it is a 2/2 creature while its on the table as well.

2) Pernicious Deed
The new 'Disk' dosent dissapoint. For 3 mana you get a time bomb in the form of an enchantment. Being able to select the converted costs of things which are destroyed is also a huge plus, as you can eliminate threats and keep your own high cost cards on the table. This is definitely a card that will see a lot of play, much like Disk did.

1) Vindicate
For sheer power and versitility, Vindicate takes top spot. It can destroy any permanent for 3 mana, and that means the only things it cant get rid of are things with pro white or pro black, or the occasional regenerator. If you arent impressed by this card, then you dont play much magic.

Top Ten Commons - Effective and Useful

10) Bloodfire Dwarf
A good way to get rid of those pesky elves early game without losing a valualble resource in the process.

9) Index
Great way to control what is coming up. It lets you make plans for the next five turns and make much more informed plays.

8) Lay of the Land
A great way to fetch land from your library, and its usable on turn one.

7) Razorfin Hunter
A great 2/2, and a great ability.

6) Quicksilver Dagger
Turn a creature into a Tim, AND draw a card whenever the 1 damage is dealt? This my friends is a good card.

5) Soul Link
A two way Spirit Link is great - an excellent way to make your creatures much more effective.

4) Orim's Thunder
Disenchant with a kick! This will teach people not to play with a Draco unless they have counterspells.......

3) Gaea's Skyfolk
A flying 2/2 for two mana, and no drawbacks. This is one of the most efficient common creatures out there.

2) Coalition Honour Guard
Sure it is the target of everything, but since its a 2/4, it can survive an Urza's Rage. It is also a great blocker, and since it only takes one W to cast, its very splashable.

1) Goblin Legionaire
Perhaps the best 2/2 for two mana out there. He has two great abilities, and will be the backbone of Red/White agressive decks.

Cards Waiting To Be Broken

Mind Extraction
Used in the proper deck, it can strip an opponent of many cards in their hand.

Dwarven Patrol
Perhaps with the correct creature enchantment that requires tapping, then untapping him with cheap spells....

Bog Gnarr/Glade Gnarr
These can get really big, really fast in the right deck.

Symbiotic Deployment
A green card drawing engine? Perhaps if you throw in some Saprolings with this card....

Diversionary Tactics
Same as Deployment - must have many creatures in play.

Powerstone Minefield
A very poweful version of Caltrops. You have to find a non creature win condition however.

Squee's Embrace
A creature pumping effect, and it makes the creature tougher to get rid of. Now what creature will you play it on?

As you can see, Apocalypse promises to be one of the better sets out there, and its a great way to end the Invasion block and a whole story arc. Have fun building decks and playing with these cards!