Broadcast TakeoverBroadcast Takeover | Art by Hokyoung Kim

Full Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spoilers are in and that means it's time for my review of the instants and sorceries!

There's a lot that caught my eye in this set, and everyone has had a longer than usual to sit on the rares and mythics, thanks to a snafu with the Lorwyn Eclipsed prerelease, which means I've had more time to collect my thoughts on many of these spells than with previous sets and more time to see how others have chosen to work the cards into their decks.

Let's get to work!

White

Continue?

Continue?Continue? is a weird recursion spell. On one hand, resolving this card after an opposing board wipe is a huge swing, more so than any other recursion spell. On the other, Continue? could very easily sit in one's hand doing nothing for a long time in some games. For this reason, I believe that Continue? will be at its best in aggressive white decks that have a few board wipes of their own to force the scenarios where Continue? is at its best.

Aggressive decks with a high density of creatures that are impactful on their own, Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast, will get a lot of value from this one. I'm also giving a lot of thought to including it in my white based Hatebears decks to recur stax pieces like Eidolon of RhetoricEidolon of Rhetoric and Drannith MagistrateDrannith Magistrate after an opponent spends removal trying to free themselves from the lock.

Leonardo's Technique

Leonardo's TechniqueLeonardo's Technique has sneak, meaning that it can be cast during your declare blockers step for just and returning an unblocked attacker to hand. This sorcery reanimates up to two creatures with mana value three or less. In a deck that predominately cares about cheap creatures, this is effectively two UnearthUnearths stitched together.

The easiest comparison point for Leonardo's Technique is Sevinne's ReclamationSevinne's Reclamation. My first impression is that the ceiling of Sevinne's Reclamation is significantly higher, but Leonardo's Technique packs such an incredible amount of value for its mana cost that I'd often struggle to stop myself from simply including both in many white decks.

My favorite use case for Leonardo's Technique is in Phelia, Exuberant ShepherdPhelia, Exuberant Shepherd or Yorion, Sky NomadYorion, Sky Nomad. Really any deck that can get value from bouncing and recasting a creature will be an excellent fit. I love the idea of being able to bounce Yorion back into my hand, reanimate two creatures with good enters triggers, and then have Yorion sitting in hand waiting to blink everything again.

Turtles Forever

Turtles ForeverTurtles Forever is a super interesting tutor that finds four differently named legendary creatures, a twist on tutors like IntuitionIntuition, Gifts UngivenGifts Ungiven, and Emergent UltimatumEmergent Ultimatum. It's really unfortunate that the selected cards are shuffled back into the library rather than going to the graveyard, but I'm certain the brain trust of Commander players will develop a lot of ways to guarantee that Turtles Forever will hit at two acceptable cards.

The deck I'm most interested in trying Turtles Forever in is Sisay, Weatherlight CaptainSisay, Weatherlight Captain, given that all of the deck's most important pieces are already legends. I could see Turtles Forever piles for that deck that include mostly redundant pieces, like Selvala, Heart of the WildsSelvala, Heart of the Wilds, Esika, God of the TreeEsika, God of the Tree and Jegantha, the WellspringJegantha, the Wellspring.

Blue

Donatello's Technique

The blue cards in this set weren't very impressive, which leaves me without too much to talk about. I am totally in love with Donatello's TechniqueDonatello's Technique as a hyper efficient draw spell in decks that have a lot of cheap, evasive creatures, like Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow or my beloved Malcolm, the EyesMalcolm, the Eyes. When cast for its sneak cost, Donatello's Technique works out to be two thirds of an Ancestral RecallAncestral Recall, maybe even a little more than that if the creature that's being returned to hand generates any value.

Unsurprisingly, Donatello's Technique plays really well alongside a lot of creatures with ninjutsu, like Ninja of the Deep HoursNinja of the Deep Hours or Moon-Circuit HackerMoon-Circuit Hacker. As such, decks that like those creatures will love Donatello's Technique. The newly printed Splinter, Radical RatSplinter, Radical Rat is likely to be high on that list!

Black

Game Over

Game OverGame Over is an incredibly mana-efficient board wipe that comes online at precisely the point in the game where it's most often necessary. For the same mana cost as Bontu's Last ReckoningBontu's Last Reckoning, Game Over doesn't come with a drawback and lets the player that cast it immediately start the work of rebuilding their board with all the mana they saved by playing this board wipe instead of a Crux of FateCrux of Fate or FarewellFarewell.

That's not to say Game Over is an auto-include in any black deck, but a black deck that cares more about noncreature permanents, is looking to create death triggers, or has easy access to mass reanimate effects like Rise of the Dark RealmsRise of the Dark Realms, Patriarch's BiddingPatriarch's Bidding or Agadeem's AwakeningAgadeem's Awakening will no doubt have to consider adding this one.

Splinter's Technique

Splinter's Technique is, for my money, the best instant or sorcery in the set. A second copy of Demonic TutorDemonic Tutor that is enabled by simply attacking with creatures? Sign me up.

The usual suspects are the happiest to see this card, Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, Goro-Goro and SatoruGoro-Goro and Satoru, any black deck with Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh in command zone.

Red

Broadcast Takeover

Broadcast TakeoverBroadcast Takeover is a very versatile and very odd spell. Gaining control of all artifacts means that it will be mana positive in some games, which is nothing to sneeze at. It also acts as mass artifact removal in decks that can easily sacrifice artifacts to outlets like Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks or Broadside BombardiersBroadside Bombardiers.

It also combines nicely with Mycosynth LatticeMycosynth Lattice, as transforming everything into an artifact creates the potential to either win the game on the spot or completely devastate opposing boards.

As such, the decks that Broadcast TakeoverBroadcast Takeover will slot into will be the ones that are best positioned to use the artifact shenanigans that work well with it. I'd like to highlight Jaws, Relentless PredatorJaws, Relentless Predator as an excellent candidate for a Krark-Clan Ironworks deck that I'd be all too happy to jam Broadcast Takeover in.

Fast Forward

Fast ForwardFast Forward is another variation of one of my favorite board wipe alternatives: a mass goad spell in the same vein as Disrupt DecorumDisrupt Decorum. This one comes with a discount for attacking opponents, which I mostly consider a free space.

My favorite quality of mass goad spells like Fast Forward is that they're good in three out of the four quadrants of Commander game states. When ahead, Fast Forward minimizes the number of blockers opponents will have to clear a path to lethal damage. When behind, it will buy time and force opponents to make awkward attacks at one another.

Finally, when everyone's board is mostly even, this will crack board stalls and rapidly progress the game state. I wouldn't be surprised if at least one player dies in the turn cycle following this spell's resolution.

I'd struggle to name any one commander that Fast Forward is a great fit for, as I think every combat-focused deck that can run it should consider the option. In my personal collection, I'll definitely be slotting it into Minsc & Boo, Timeless HeroesMinsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes.

Green

Michelangelo's Technique

If I had written my 60 to 100 article on Bant Company today, Michelangelo's TechniqueMichelangelo's Technique would've been an instant inclusion. In a deck with a low enough creature mana curve, Michelangelo's Training will be a mana positive two-for-one as often as possible. Unlike Collected CompanyCollected Company, Michelangelo's Technique can also simply grab a six-mana creature, making the curve requirements significantly less strict.

An ideal deck for Michelangelo's Technique could include creatures that act as combat tricks when they enter, like Reflector MageReflector Mage or Thundering CeratokThundering Ceratok, as they'll come down after blocks have been declared.

My pick for the deck I'm most interested in seeing Michelangelo's Technique in is Hakbal of the Surging SoulHakbal of the Surging Soul. Merfolk typal strategies tend to include high densities of cheap creatures and often include enough evasion to make sure Michelangelo's Technique can be cast for its sneak cost.

Super Combo

Super ComboSuper Combo is a the most compelling bite spell I've seen in years. In a deck with a lot of big creatures, Super Combo will be a passable two mana removal spell most of the time. Then, in late game scenarios, the replicate cost can turn it into a mass removal spell that is very effective at dodging counter magic.

When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles officially releases, I'll have to go through all my green creature decks and compare every fight and bite spell in those decks to Super Combo.

The Rhino, Barreling BruteRhino, Barreling Brute deck I wrote about during Spider-Man preview season would include this card without hesitation, and it's a perfect example of the stompy archetype that bite spells like Super Combo do well in. Similarly, any commander that has deathtouch can make excellent use of Super Combo! Glissa SunslayerGlissa Sunslayer and Fynn, the FangbearerFynn, the Fangbearer are both well poised to take full advantage of that interaction.

Multicolor

Lessons from Life

Lessons from LifeLessons from Life, apart from being a spell that depicts characters playing Magic in the art, is a great ramp spell for Lands Matter decks! In fact, it's nearly a strict upgrade to Urban EvolutionUrban Evolution, although it doesn't allow an extra land play from Crucible of WorldsCrucible of Worlds effects which can be a deal breaker for some Simic () mages.

Tatyova, Benthic DruidTatyova, Benthic Druid and Zimone, Mystery UnravelerZimone, Mystery Unraveler are obvious winners for Lessons from Life, but all Lands decks that touch blue should at least consider it.

Honorable Mentions

Turtles in Time

Turtles in TimeTurtles in Time is by far the most frustrating card in the set for me. I absolutely love the concept of a wheel that sucks all the creatures on the board back into the deck. The problem is that Turtles in Time doesn't actually do that!

This spell commits a cardinal sin of Magic design: It gives the opponents a choice, and each opponent will always choose the option that is best for them. That one line of text, "each player may" totally ruins this card. Why? The most likely cause is the prevalence of cards that punish opponents for drawing extra cards, like Sheoldred, the ApocalypseSheoldred, the Apocalypse, Orcish BowmastersOrcish Bowmasters, Narset, Parter of VeilsNarset, Parter of Veils, and Notion ThiefNotion Thief.

In giving a lot of respect to those cards in the design process, Turtles in Time winds up being a seven-mana spell that really only does a big, splashy thing if the opponents agree to let it happen. As such, I'd struggle to find a deck that can make good use of this sorcery.

If I absolutely had to slot Turtles in Time into a deck, it would most likely be a High TideHigh Tide deck that could easily nullify this spell's enormous mana cost. Ominous SeasOminous Seas and other win conditions that aren't entirely creature based would help break symmetry on the mass creature removal. Teferi, Temporal ArchmageTeferi, Temporal Archmage would be the perfect commander for such a deck!

Conclusion

There's a lot to love in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' instants and sorceries, and a fair few cards that will make it into more than one of my personal decks. Spellslinger is over-represented among the decks in my collection, and as a result this slice of the set ends up being the one I'm most excited to sink my teeth into.

I'd love to read about the spells I missed in the comments. Someone pointed out a use case I hadn't considered in the comments of my Lorwyn Eclipsed instants and sorceries review, and their expert insight lead me to see Morningtide's LightMorningtide's Light in a whole new, well.. light. I'm hoping that I'll receive a similar light bulb moment this time around. Happy Turtles season!

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