Foundations (FDN)

In figures

• 791,159 games analysed
• On the play: 55.6% wins, against 53.5% on the draw
• A game lasts 9.3 turns on average

What players think

Foundations rewards card quality and curve more than synergy, with plentiful cheap removal and many early one-for-one trades. Opinions differ on colors: some rate white best and green weakest, others put black forward. lifegain (Vie et lien de vie) is liked by everyone, while landfall (Terrains et pioche) and spells (Sorts et prouesse) are distrusted, and the fliers deck (Armée des airs) is seen as top tier. Our games put the fliers deck first and those two fragile pairs near the bottom, but rank (Morts et Elfes) last despite its good reputation, and counters (Marqueurs +1/+1), which players love, only in the lower middle.

Colour pairs

Win rate of the decks of each pair, from real games of online draft players.

Pair	Share of games	Win rate	Strong players	Over time
Life and Lifelink	15.6 %	55.1 %	53.2 %	55.5 → 54.7 → 54.2
Full Graveyard	13.2 %	54.8 %	54.3 %	55.0 → 54.7 → 54.1
Air Force	11.8 %	56.0 %	55.2 %	56.2 → 55.7 → 55.0
Aggressive Raid	10.0 %	55.1 %	53.0 %	55.2 → 54.9 → 55.8
+1/+1 Counters	7.8 %	54.3 %	53.6 %	53.9 → 55.0 → 55.5
Spells and Prowess	7.3 %	52.9 %	53.2 %	52.5 → 53.9 → 54.6
Big Creatures	7.3 %	55.8 %	55.1 %	55.0 → 57.3 → 56.3
Tokens and Haste	7.3 %	55.6 %	54.5 %	55.5 → 55.7 → 56.5
Death and Elves	6.0 %	51.8 %	50.5 %	51.5 → 52.4 → 52.3
Lands and Draw	5.5 %	52.5 %	52.5 %	51.9 → 53.3 → 56.4

Archetypes: the gold uncommons

• Air Force

  56.0 % win rate11.8 % of games
  • 

    21. Empyrean Eagle

    7.7
  • 

    58. Kykar, Zephyr Awakener

    6.8

• Full Graveyard

  54.8 % win rate13.2 % of games

  Threshold

  • 

    24. Dreadwing Scavenger

    7.6
  • 

    174. Consuming Aberration

    5.0

• Aggressive Raid

  55.1 % win rate10.0 % of games

  Raid

  • 

    105. Perforating Artist

    6.0
  • 

    29. Alesha, Who Laughs at Fate

    7.4

• Life and Lifelink

  55.1 % win rate15.6 % of games

  Lifegain

  • 

    34. Elenda, Saint of Dusk

    7.4
  • 

    142. Fiendish Panda

    5.6

• Tokens and Haste

  55.6 % win rate7.3 % of games
  • 

    78. Heroic Reinforcements

    6.4
  • 

    72. Swiftblade Vindicator

    6.5

• +1/+1 Counters

  54.3 % win rate7.8 % of games
  • 

    222. Good-Fortune Unicorn

    4.2
  • 

    39. Anthem of Champions

    7.2

• Big Creatures

  55.8 % win rate7.3 % of games
  • 

    55. Ruby, Daring Tracker

    6.8
  • 

    42. Ashroot Animist

    7.0

• Spells and Prowess

  52.9 % win rate7.3 % of games
  • 

    96. Balmor, Battlemage Captain

    6.2
  • 

    236. Niv-Mizzet, Visionary

    4.0

• Lands and Draw

  52.5 % win rate5.5 % of games

  Landfall

  • 

    229. Tatyova, Benthic Druid

    4.2
  • 

    33. Zimone, Paradox Sculptor

    7.4

• Death and Elves

  51.8 % win rate6.0 % of games

  Morbid

  • 

    249. Wardens of the Cycle

    2.1
  • 

    259. Lathril, Blade of the Elves

    2.0

Mechanics of the set

• Raid

  A bonus if you attacked this turn.

• Landfall

  An effect each time a land enters under your control.

• Threshold

  A bonus if your graveyard has seven or more cards.

• Morbid

  An effect if a creature (yours or not) died this turn.

• Flash

  You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.

• Lifegain

  Several cards trigger when you gain life.

The best cards

By colour

Rank by our rating, then rank by win rate when the card is in hand.

To remember

• Ten common dual lands, one per pair, enter tapped and gain 1 life: take the one for your pair to steady your mana.
• Twelve cards in the set have Flash: keep mana open to cast them at the end of the opponent's turn or as a surprise block.
• Nine cards have Raid: if you have not attacked this turn they lose their effect, which calls for a rather aggressive deck.
• White, black, red and green have common removal (Banishing Light, Bake into a Pie, Burst Lightning, Bite Down); blue has to do without.