(Vivien on the HuntVivien on the Hunt | Art by Jake Murray)

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

Hello, everyone! I hope you're ready to look at some of the crazy new green cards that Streets of New Capenna has brought us!

When this set was announced, I didn't know what to expect, but for the second set in a row I find myself enthralled by a world that feels so different than Magic's usual fare and yet is somehow so resonant with the overarching themes of the game. This set is filled to the brim with Commander goodies, so let's get to the good stuff!

Cabaretti Mythics

Jetmir, Nexus of RevelsJetmir, Nexus of Revels

The Cabaretti family leader will undoubtedly be a popular commander. Jetmir makes even the most innocuous creatures deadly. Jetmir plays like a mini-Craterhoof BehemothCraterhoof Behemoth in the command zone. Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar maximizes Jetmir’s boost almost single-handedly, and this is the deck Scute SwarmScute Swarm was born for. If you aren't playing Nacatl War-PrideNacatl War-Pride yet, consider this your wake-up call.

The best strategy here is to find the cards that can make you the greatest number of creature tokens for the least amount of mana. Deep Forest HermitDeep Forest Hermit and Adeline, Resplendent CatharAdeline, Resplendent Cathar will be all-stars. Felidar RetreatFelidar Retreat both enables Jetmir’s boosts by pumping out creatures and amplifies the team once we've reached Jetmir's threshold. If you love stompy decks that want to beatdown with creatures, then you'll love this deck.

In the 99, Jetmir is an auto-include in Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable decks. Not only is he a Cat that can trigger Rin and Seri, he also pumps up the entire army of Cats and Dogs! Naya tokens decks in general are a solid home for Jetmir. Ghired, Conclave ExileGhired, Conclave Exile and the new Jinnie Fay, Jetmir’s SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir’s Second can easily build a board big enough to take advantage of Jetmir’s abilities. The Cabaretti leader is an all-star in the command zone and in the 99.

Cabaretti Rares

Cabaretti AscendancyCabaretti Ascendancy

This effect is reminiscent of a Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena, but it's not guaranteed to draw you a card. The pseudo-scry effect if you fail to find a creature is nice, but I'd personally have to be playing a deck with a lot of creatures and planeswalkers to consider running this card. The color restriction also makes this a harder fit. If this can stay on the battlefield, it can make things run more smoothly, but if your deck contains green and red, you almost certainly have better ways to accrue card advantage.

Incandescent AriaIncandescent Aria

Deafening ClarionDeafening Clarion is the first card that came to mind when I saw Incandescent AriaIncandescent Aria. The lifelink on that card is nice, but I prefer this version, which only hits nontoken creatures. This damage won't kill everything, but it will hit more than you think, and it kills many of the format's most popular utility creatures and even some commanders. Naya token commanders, such as Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable and Ghired, Conclave ExileGhired, Conclave Exile, can survive the blast and keep their armies intact. A niche card that fits nicely in specific strategies.

Jinnie Fay, Jetmir’s SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir’s Second

This is, hands down, my favorite commander of the entire set. This effect is kinda bonkers! I totally expected to see a 'once per turn' clause on this thing, but nope! She works so well with some already-format-defining cards, like Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe and Dockside ExtortionistDockside Extortionist. Any token-generating spells get even better. Call the CoppercoatsCall the Coppercoats is now Call the Copper-Cats! Adeline, Resplendent CatharAdeline, Resplendent Cathar and Krenko, Tin Street KingpinKrenko, Tin Street Kingpin are suddenly pet owners. Tireless ProvisionerTireless Provisioner and Tireless TrackerTireless Tracker can either help with resources or find lost strays! Artifact MutationArtifact Mutation and Aura MutationAura Mutation are already awesome cards, but they're even better when you upgrade from 1/1s to 2/2s! Brass's BountyBrass's Bounty turns out to be a bazillion Cats! You can even break parity on cards such as Tempt with VengeanceTempt with Vengeance.

Yeah, I cannot wait to build around this card.

Cabaretti Uncommons & Commons

Cabaretti CharmCabaretti Charm: This is one of the least impressive Charms to me, unfortunately. It's subpar removal and subpar token creation. The only mode I like is the pump, which is nice for token decks, especially the trample, but that's still a tough sell. I'd rather play the original Naya CharmNaya Charm, which can tap down blockers completely. I think this Charm likely finds its best home in Ramos, Dragon EngineRamos, Dragon Engine “lucky charms” decks that play as many Charms as it can get.

Rocco, Cabaretti CatererRocco, Cabaretti Caterer: I never thought I would see a uncommon tutor in the command zone. This card is reminiscent of a WargateWargate or Chord of CallingChord of Calling. If you have a nonlegendary creature in your deck that you wish could be your commander, this could be a way to make a deck that revolves around that creature in the 99. Otherwise, I expect this will end up as a streamlined deck that searches out something like a Devoted DruidDevoted Druid combo to take over the game.

Stimulus PackageStimulus Package: Streets of New Capenna is full of Treasure tokens, and I sense that that trend will continue in Magic’s upcoming sets. In other words, this card only gets stronger over time. Turning Treasures into creatures with no timing restrictions? That's very, very good. Pair with a sac outlet and Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer and you get infinite enter-the-battlefield and death triggers, for example. Keep your eye on this one.

Green Mythics

Bootleggers' StashBootleggers' Stash

Perhaps the biggest boogeyman of spoiler season, Bootleggers' StashBootleggers' Stash has garnered much attention and much criticism. In particular, players registered their surprise that this card was in green rather than red. Green is the color of mana production, so many folks argue that this is perfectly in green's color pie. Others feel that creating artifacts should not be green's specialty.

Let's evaluate the card itself, though. It's powerful, but there are more powerful six-mana cards out there (see Bolas’s CitadelBolas’s Citadel). I don't think the card is broken, but it can pull off some bonkers stuff. For example, this card supercharges already-dominant sacrifice strategies, like Korvold, Fae-Cursed KingKorvold, Fae-Cursed King. The old Insect, Mazirek, Kraul Death PriestMazirek, Kraul Death Priest, will make your board absolutely huge with this card, and Ich-Tekik, Salvage SplicerIch-Tekik, Salvage Splicer leverages the artifact synergy exceptionally well.

Token decks also love the Stash. Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General and Jinnie Fay, Jetmir’s SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir’s Second will pump out an army. Adrix and Nev, TwincastersAdrix and Nev, Twincasters suddenly double up you mana production. Easily copy your best creature with Esix, Fractal BloomEsix, Fractal Bloom. Kodama of the East TreeKodama of the East Tree lets you drop lands into play whenever you tap a land with Bootleggers' StashBootleggers' Stash.

Many players are excited to pair this card up with a Seedborn MuseSeedborn Muse, too. Revel in RichesRevel in Riches is super easy to win with when the Stash makes so many Treasures. Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor has a field day. Time SieveTime Sieve becomes 'pay five mana, take an extra turn'. XornXorn doubles your mana!

I have no doubt that Bootleggers' StashBootleggers' Stash will be one of the chase cards of the set. I honestly did a double-take when I first read it. It's not broken, but it's a lot. Just don’t forget to pack removal, and remember that this card doesn't impact the board when it first comes down, so you should have an opportunity to punish the player who cast it, either by obliterating the Stash or by aggro-ing that player!

Titan of IndustryTitan of Industry

No other card in this set does so much and yet leaves me wanting so much more. An enter-the-battlefield trigger that allows you to pick two effects is awesome. All these effects are desirable, too. The token is big, and the NaturalizeNaturalize effect is nice to have. I really like that the shield counter can go on any creature, not only the Titan. You're definitely getting value for all the mana you spend... and yet, it's still not enough for me, for some reason. I just think that there are scarier things you can be doing in green with seven mana.

Blink decks, like Roon of the Hidden RealmRoon of the Hidden Realm and Emiel the BlessedEmiel the Blessed, can only do their thing if they stick on the battlefield, so repeatedly giving them shield counters sounds like a great way to protect your strategy and a good way to exploit the Titan's effect. It could also see play in Elemental tribal decks, like Omnath, Locus of the RoilOmnath, Locus of the Roil and Horde of NotionsHorde of Notions, though it's competing in a tough spot against Omnath, Locus of RageOmnath, Locus of Rage and Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar at the seven-mana spot.

As a quick note, it's a little odd that a walking metal building isn't an artifact creature.

Vivien on the HuntVivien on the Hunt

Vivien’s latest iteration is my favorite yet. She fits into decks at a variety of power levels, even building your deck so that you can win on the spot when Vivien comes down and combo off with Felidar GuardianFelidar Guardian, Karmic GuideKarmic Guide, and Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker. This combo works with Vivien and any three-mana creature, making it a great fit for commanders at that mana value. Minsc, Beloved RangerMinsc, Beloved Ranger and the new Rocco, Cabaretti CatererRocco, Cabaretti Caterer seem like good fits within the right color identity.

The Birthing PodBirthing Pod will likely garner most of the attention and therefore land Vivien in more competitive decks, but all of her abilities are strong for casual decks. The +2 ability can be used for value to grab a Reclamation SageReclamation Sage to destroy a problematic Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe. The +1 can power up graveyard decks and fits well with our froggy friends The Gitrog MonsterThe Gitrog Monster and Grolnok, the OmnivoreGrolnok, the Omnivore. Even the -1 can be scary in a Populate deck, like Ghired, Conclave ExileGhired, Conclave Exile, or a deck that can duplicate the trigger, such as Adrix and Nev, TwincastersAdrix and Nev, Twincasters.

The place where most six-mana planeswalkers thrive is in Superfriends decks, where they can come down the turn after you play Doubling SeasonDoubling Season and practically win the game. That's not Vivien because she lacks the powerful ultimate to thrive in Superfriends decks. I think this will strand her in an awkward spot between lower-power battlecruiser metas and the aforementioned high-power combo metas. Even so, I still think this is an awesome card with tons of potential that I know I'm going to build around.

Green Rares

Evolving DoorEvolving Door

Oh, how I wish this card was as strong as the pun. This set it full of fantastic references, and this is one of the best.

This is the second card on our list that draws comparisons to Birthing PodBirthing Pod but this one has multiple knobs turned down. “Exactly that many colors plus one” is our first hoop to jump through, but that's not a dealbreaker in my eyes. There are plenty of great two-mana utility creatures we can search up by sacrificing a token - grab a Knight of AutumnKnight of Autumn to blow up a problematic artifact or grab a finisher late in the game, such as Koma, Cosmos SerpentKoma, Cosmos Serpent.

What really makes this pale in comparison to Birthing PodBirthing Pod is that you need to spend mana to cast the creature you find, and if you don't use it right away, you lose it. I could see this finding its way into toolbox-style decks that regularly like to search up a specific answer at any given time. These decks will want to prioritize mana-efficient creatures, and I think a Hatebears deck could utilize it well. Trade in a mana dork for Gaddock TeegGaddock Teeg or sacrifice your Dockside ExtortionistDockside Extortionist for a Lavinia, Azorius RenegadeLavinia, Azorius Renegade to slow down the player who got off to a quick start. Aside from that, this card's not splendid. Don't let the door hit ya on the way out, Evolving DoorEvolving Door!

Fight RiggingFight Rigging

Hideaway is back, and the criteria on this card is not hard to meet. Digging five cards deep gives you a good chance of hitting something impactful, and 7 power on the board is quite possible to achieve on the very same turn it comes down. That being said, I probably wouldn't play this card outside of a dedicated +1/+1 counters deck, and even in one of those, I think there are better options. Mowu, Loyal CompanionMowu, Loyal Companion probably makes the best use of it, and I suppose Vorinclex, Monstrous RaiderVorinclex, Monstrous Raider allows it to trigger on the very same turn.

Gala GreetersGala Greeters

Unfortunately, I misread this card initially and missed “choose one that hasn’t been chosen”. That line of text really holds this card back. The abilities are all reminiscent of solid cards (Essence WardenEssence Warden, Pelt CollectorPelt Collector, and Tireless ProvisionerTireless Provisioner). It does everything those cards do, but not as efficiently or effectively.

The coolest part of this card is the regional art treatments that it was given. Sadly, there are a few decks that want this card. Two mana is cheap, and the Elf creature type does a lot of work, potentially making it fit in decks such as Lathril, Blade of the ElvesLathril, Blade of the Elves. Some Elf decks, such as Rhys the ExiledRhys the Exiled, even care about the ability to gain life, perhaps? Overall, it's only okay.

Topiary StomperTopiary Stomper

Another Farhaven ElfFarhaven Elf and Wood ElvesWood Elves variant, but there are some interesting twists on this one! Late game, it's a much better blocker than either of the Elves, and the creature type 'Dinosaur' is relevant here as well. Topiary StomperTopiary Stomper helps you ramp into other big Dinosaurs, such as Gishath, Sun’s AvatarGishath, Sun’s Avatar, and it can be found off of that commander’s ability. The high power also makes this an interesting fit for Vehicles decks. Although green is not the ideal color for a Vehicle deck, there are some crazy Ghalta, Primal HungerGhalta, Primal Hunger Vehicle decks out there that will no doubt want another Dino friend to fuel their commander. Roon of the Hidden RealmRoon of the Hidden Realm likes a new blink target, Nikya of the Old WaysNikya of the Old Ways loves more creature-based ramp, and Yarok, the DesecratedYarok, the Desecrated adores ETB effects. If you like Farhaven ElfFarhaven Elf, at least consider whether the Stomper is worth 1GG for your deck.

Workshop WarchiefWorkshop Warchief

Workshop WarchiefWorkshop Warchief has a lot going on, which makes it hard to evaluate. On the surface, it looks a lot like ThragtuskThragtusk, but ThragtuskThragtusk frequently finds itself in blink decks, which aren't such a good home for this fella. The best way to get more value of this card is actually to utilize its Blitz ability along with recursion effects. For instance, Blitz it in and then cast Malakir RebirthMalakir Rebirth or Othelm, Sigardian OutcastOthelm, Sigardian Outcast to bring the card right back.

If you're running a Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom Warrior deck, then Workshop WarchiefWorkshop Warchief is expensive, but could be a consideration. It hits hard with trample, and the token it leaves behind is a Warrior as well. I think this card reads brilliantly, but has more hoops than its predecessors to get the very best out of it.

Green Uncommons & Commons

Social ClimberSocial Climber: A niche card for a niche strategy, Witherbloom's lifegain should take note. Dina, Soul SteeperDina, Soul Steeper loves to have more friends!

Cleanup CrewCleanup Crew: I want to like this one, and I think in Limited I do like it, but six mana is an awkward price for this effect unless you're repeatedly blinking or recurring it, and even then, there are better cards to recur for this much mana. If you're playing on a budget, though, definitely give this one a try.

Venom ConnoisseurVenom Connoisseur: I didn't think much of this one at first, and I think it's still slightly difficult to pull off, but giving your whole team deathtouch is very relevant in green, the color that loves to give everything trample. Perhaps the Bow of NyleaBow of Nyleas of the world are still a better option, but if you're playing a trampley deck, like Stonebrow, Krosan HeroStonebrow, Krosan Hero, then give this one a look, that's all I'm saying.

Warm WelcomeWarm Welcome: I overlooked this one at first, but five cards is a decent number to dig, and it comes with a 1/1! Your deck probably has to care about tokens to run this card (manipulating them with cards like Divine VisitationDivine Visitation or something), but this is a neat variation on the usual Commune with the GodsCommune with the Gods-style cards we get in every set.

Jewel ThiefJewel Thief: This isn't an EDH card, necessarily, just a power creep observation. Remember the days of War MammothWar Mammoth?

PrizefightPrizefight: Nothing special, but a huge flavor win, and decks such as Neyith of the Dire HuntNeyith of the Dire Hunt will take as many instant-speed fight spells as she can get.

The More the Merrier

The Cabaretti are full of creatures that fit into one of my favorite strategies: tokens!

In a set full of legendary creatures, the Cabaretti trio are my favorites. Each of them are uniquely powerful and add additional dimensions to the Naya color combination that typically plays out as a generic stompy deck. Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second is my personal favorite, but what are your favorite cards from this color combination in the set? Let us know in the comments below!

Benjamin Nicol

Ben is a Michigan native who fell in love with Magic just a few years ago in 2019. He loves making big splashy plays in Commander as well as crunching the number to optimize his decks. Outside of Magic, he works in marketing and loves a great cup of coffee to start each morning… maybe with a splash of hot chocolate for his sweet tooth.