Color me Excited

After playing magic for so long I almost feel I have become the jaded old man during spoiler season of a new set. I just don't find myself getting very excited for new cards but I can say that Arlinn Kord is a notable exception to this rule. I am SO excited for this card. It just does stone cold everything.

Lets break this card down one ability at a time.

Arlinn's first +1 ability seemed really unexciting to me the first time that I read it but after thinking about it for a little bit longer I think it is probably just incredible. The most obvious home for Arlinn in my mind is Modern Jund and having the ability to just start +1'ing creatures as you draw them seems incredible. A kind of interesting play is animating a Raging Ravine and then plussing which lets you leave mana open for a removal spell.

Arlinn's 0 ability is really where she starts to get exciting for me. She makes a 2/2 wolf which albeit by itself is nothing to call home about, but when you start being able to protect Arlinn with the wolf you gain access to the other side of Arlinn which is also very powerful.

Welcome to the Buisness side of Arlinn, Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon. Her first +1 ability on her moon side seems to be the most unexciting in my opinion. However, when the most unexciting part of a planeswalker is when it gives your team a mini-overrun effect, I think we are doing just fine. This ability will be great for breaking through a board stall when needed but I think it will go largely under-activated.

I think what has me most excited about this planeswalker is her -1 on the moon side. Lightning Bolt is a a powerful magic card and having a repeatable lightning rod albeit every other turn is still a very powerful affect, especially when during the off turns you are making a 2/2 wolf.

Finally, her ultimate. I would wager that Arlinn is not the type of planeswalker that will get anywhere close to six loyalty in a game but if you do the payoff is there. All creatures have haste and can deal their power to a creature of player is game over for most decks in standard or modern.

I am incredibly excited to play this card in Modern and Standard, where do you all see Arlinn fitting into a constructed format. What cards are you looking forward to in Shadows over Innistrad.