MTG Draft and Sealed guide for low-rarity Lost Caverns of Ixalan cards

Enter Draft and Sealed events with confidence.

Artifact exploding from Abrade damage
Abrade | Image via WotC

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Standard-legal set is packed with powerful Common and Uncommon rarity Magic: The Gathering cards that will have an impact on Draft and Sealed within the Limited format. 

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This is a Limited Draft and Sealed guide containing what I feel are the best Common and Uncommon Lost Caverns of Ixalan (LCI) cards heading into prerelease that starts on Nov. 10 and the set’s digital launch on Nov. 14. New mechanics like Discover, which is a spin-off of Explore, and Descend have potential to impact both Draft and Sealed. There are also Craft and Map tokens that Explore. 

There are 10 LCI Draft archetypes in two-color pairs, which can easily flex into three-color builds thanks to Caves. But beware of building a Caves deck, as most players during Lost Caverns of Ixalan Early Access agreed that you need a minimum of at least 10 to 12 Caves to make the deck work.

Tier list for LCI Draft Common and Uncommon MTG cards

Image of Dinosaurs walking the MTG plane of Ixalan
Low rarity, high impact. Image via WotC

After having the privilege to participate in the LCI Early Access event through MTG Arena, I feel like White/Red Aggro is powerful. Dinosaurs in Red/Green can work with some good early picks. Artifact matters archetypes have powerful synergies, and don’t sleep on Black/Red. 

All first-pick cards with an Uncommon rarity and above are in the best LCI Draft bombs guide, and there’s a guide for the best removal in Standard and Limited. All Uncommon bombs and good low-rarity removal spells are listed here as well. 

Best White LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Tinker’s Tote: an Uncommon bomb. 
  • Glorifier of Suffering: Great in Aggro and Midrange Artifact decks.
  • Clayfire Bricks//Cosmium Kiln: Two-drop value through life gain and ramp. The Uncommon synergizes with Artifacts matter and can even get used as sacrificial fodder. And if you can flip it, the anthem can end matches. 
  • Dusk Rose Reliquary: Cheap tempo removal.
  • Vanguard of the Rose: Solid two-drop that slots into aggressive creature-heavy decks.
  • Ironpaw Aspirant: Good in Aggro and creature-heavy builds.
  • MIchievous Pup: A great card for bouncing your stuff, whether for protection or to trigger an ETB effect again. 
  • Spring-Loaded Sawblades//Bladewheel Chariot: Solid removal at a cost of 1W while synergizing with Artifact themes. And during the late-game stages, the Artifact isn’t too hard to craft, taking advantage of a Crew one if at least two Artifacts are sitting around that can get tapped. 
  • Dauntless Dismantler: Possible sleeper Artifact hate. 

Best Blue LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Waterlogged Hulk//Watertight Gondola: One-drop Artifact that can tap to Mill one card for Descend synergies. Craft with an Island and it transforms into a powerful Vehicle that only costs one to Crew and is unblockable if you have eight or more permanents in your graveyard. 
  • Orazca Puzzle-Door: One-drop Artifact, pay one mana for card advantage while also filing graveyard for Descend synergies. 
  • Cogwork Wrestler: Solid one-drop combat trick on an Artifact creature, checking all the synergy boxes in Blue. 
  • Waterwind Scout: Three-drop 2/2 Flyer that creates a Map token (Artifact) upon ETB. Good value and has synergies with Explore and Artifacts Matter. 
  • Zoetic Glyph: Solid Aura that massively buffs a creature and has Discover Three when put into the graveyard. Auras are also good for Descend synergies.
  • Eaten by Piranhas: Staple Blue tempo Aura with negative effects. 
  • Council of Echoes: Top-end 4/4 Flyer that can also return any permanent from graveyard to hand if there are at least four permanents in your graveyard. 

Best Black LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Chupacabra Echo: Four-drop removal with Descend synergies on 3/2 creature. 
  • Soulcoil Viper: Great three-drop with graveyard synergy in Descend decks.
  • Bloodthorn Flail: One-drop Equipment that can Equip by discarding a card, synergizing with Descent. Great in Aggro decks with small Descend payoffs. 
  • Dead Weight: Staple cheap black removal Aura, with Descend synergy. 
  • Fanatical Offering: Great in builds that have fodder to sacrifice with a bonus of a Map token. 
  • Greedy Freebooter: Good one-drop early game that will Scry one and create a Treasure token upon dying. 
  • Join the Dead: Solid removal with Descend synergies. 
  • Echo of Dusk: Good two-drop that has mid and late-game value through Descend. 

Best Red LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Abrade: Bomb removal that’s worth splashing. 
  • Diamond Pick-Axe: Indestructible Artifact Equipment that creates a Treasure token when the equipped creature attacks. 
  • Dreadmaw’s Ire: Great combat trick in Aggro creature-heavy builds. 
  • Hotfoot Gnome: Artifact creature that can tap to give another creature Haste during that turn. 
  • Rumbling Rockslide: Solid removal that can get splashed in any build. 
  • Saheeli’s Lattice//Mastercraft Raptor: Great Artifact which synergizes with Descend and provides card draw. Unlikely to transform but can use Artifact as sacrificial fodder or for other Artifact synergies. 
  • Scytheclaw Raptor: Good three-drop creature with an upside of threatening four damage to opponents who play cards on your turn. 
  • Panicked Altisaur: Solid top-end five-drop 4/5 with Reach that can also tap to deal two damage to your opponent directly. 

Best Green LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Poison Dart Frog: Bomb Uncommon that’s a mana dork with Deathtouch at the cost of two mana. It also has Reach. 
  • Colossadactyl: Great four-drop creature in any build with Reach and Trample. 
  • In the Presence of Ages: A great spell for Descend synergies that also finds you a creature card from the top four cards of your library. 
  • Twists and Turns: Great one-drop Enchantment in build with multiple creatures that Explore.
  • Cenote Scout: One-drop 1/1 that Explores upon ETB. 
  • Pathfinding Axejaw: Solid four-drop creature that Explores upon ETB. 
  • Thrashing Brontodon: Staple Limited reprint that can remove Artifact or Enchantment on solid 3/4 body. 

Best Colorless LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Digsite Conservator: Artifact creature with graveyard hate that can also Discover four, upon the Gnome dying. 
  • Careening Mine Cart: Solid Vehicle with a Crew one cost that creates Treasure tokens upon attacking. 
  • Buried Treasure: Mana fixer with Artifact synergies that can also Discover five from the graveyard. 
  • Runaway Boulder: Safe pick that has Cycling for two and is Flash removal should you have the mana to cast it. 

Best Multicolor LCI Common and Uncommon cards

  • Itzquinth, Firstborn of Gishath: Great removal in Dinosaur deck on a 2/3 body with Haste. 
  • Zoyowa Lava-Tongue: Great in Black/Red Aggro
  • Akawalli, the Seething Tower: Solid payoff in a Descend deck.
  • Bartolomé del Presidio and Captain Storm, Cosmium Raide: I lumped these together because they are similar in that the Legendary creatures can scale in power and toughness quickly but don’t have any form of evasion, often getting blocked by cheap chump blockers. 
Author
Image of Danny Forster
Danny Forster
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.
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