Reality Fracture (FRA)

In figures

• 297,964 games analysed
• On the play: 57.7% wins, against 53.1% on the draw
• A game lasts 10.1 turns on average

What players think

This is a long, value-driven format full of bombs, with very generous fixing that makes splashing easy; blue is seen as having the best commons. Players' rankings put Surveil and Fliers first, then Graveyard and Threshold and Deathtouch and Removal , with Heartwood and Big Cards and Spells and Prowess next; Noncombat Damage and Lifegain and Sacrifice close the list. Our games confirm the top of the table: and lead, , and follow closely, while , and are the last three. The gaps: , rated middling, finishes dead last in our data, and is fifth rather than third.

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
Graveyard and Threshold	14.4 %	56.5 %	58.1 %	56.5 → 56.5 → —
Surveil and Fliers	12.3 %	57.4 %	56.8 %	57.4 → 57.5 → —
Heartwood and Big Cards	9.9 %	56.0 %	54.9 %	56.1 → 55.5 → —
Lifegain and Counters	8.6 %	54.5 %	55.6 %	54.4 → 55.1 → —
Spells and Prowess	8.1 %	56.1 %	55.7 %	56.1 → 56.8 → —
Deathtouch and Removal	6.9 %	55.9 %	56.6 %	55.9 → 55.8 → —
Noncombat Damage	6.4 %	54.1 %	55.0 %	54.2 → 53.3 → —
Jace and Lands	4.1 %	53.2 %	54.2 %	53.3 → 52.7 → —
Counters and Equipment	3.9 %	54.3 %	51.3 %	54.2 → 55.3 → —
Lifegain and Sacrifice	3.9 %	53.9 %	51.3 %	53.9 → 54.2 → —

Archetypes: the gold uncommons

• Graveyard and Threshold

  56.5 % win rate14.4 % of games

  Threshold

  • 

    125. Theorix Charm

    5.8
  • 

    81. Paradox Shaper // Omit Variables

    6.4
  • 

    108. Recursive Recruitment

    6.0

• Surveil and Fliers

  57.4 % win rate12.3 % of games

  Surveil

  • 

    156. Prudent Fateseer // Peer Review

    5.4
  • 

    65. Desperate Futurescribe

    6.6
  • 

    79. Fatehold Charm

    6.4

• Heartwood and Big Cards

  56.0 % win rate9.9 % of games

  Prepare

  • 

    78. Craftwork Crusher

    6.4
  • 

    98. Woodwork Prodigy // Soul Tether

    6.2
  • 

    196. Konstrari Charm

    4.8

• Lifegain and Counters

  54.5 % win rate8.6 % of games

  Lifegain

  • 

    63. Bloombrute

    6.6
  • 

    173. Vigorbloom Vanguard // Seed Suture

    5.2
  • 

    53. Vigorbloom Charm

    6.9

• Spells and Prowess

  56.1 % win rate8.1 % of games

  Prowess

  • 

    74. Saheeli, Jewel of Avishkar

    6.6
  • 

    77. Clash of Elements

    6.4

• Deathtouch and Removal

  55.9 % win rate6.9 % of games
  • 

    85. Primal Witchstalker

    6.4
  • 

    86. Hapatra, the Desert Fang

    6.3

• Noncombat Damage

  54.1 % win rate6.4 % of games

  Prepare

  • 

    48. Stingerquill Charm

    7.0
  • 

    49. Stingerquill Voxmancer // Vicious Verse

    7.0
  • 

    114. Grim Repriser

    5.9

• Jace and Lands

  53.2 % win rate4.1 % of games

  Empower Jace

  • 

    92. Kiora of Salt and Sand

    6.2
  • 

    105. Mind Meanderer

    6.0
  • 

    5. Avatar of Burgeoning Echoes

    8.9

• Counters and Equipment

  54.3 % win rate3.9 % of games
  • 

    162. Mabel, Valley Hero

    5.3
  • 

    72. Warrior's Blades

    6.6

• Lifegain and Sacrifice

  53.9 % win rate3.9 % of games

  Lifegain

  • 

    89. Edgar, Ancient Bloodlord

    6.2
  • 

    96. Twisted Fates

    6.2

Mechanics of the set

• Empower Jace

  Empower Jace N: put N loyalty counters on a Jace token you control; if you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "−1: Surveil 1" and "−3: Draw a card."

• Prepare

  While a creature is prepared, you may cast a copy of the spell on its other half; doing so unprepares it. 17 of the 21 cards enter prepared; the others become prepared in your upkeep or under a condition.

• Surveil

  Surveil N: look at the top N cards of your library, put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest back on top in any order. Triggers say "scry or surveil."

• Lifegain

  Some cards trigger each time you gain life: they grow (Unflinching Hortimancer, Titanbones), draw (Bloombrute) or create a Lotus artifact (Kwia Vigorbloom).

• Threshold

  Ability word: the effect is only available while there are seven or more cards in your graveyard (a stat bonus, an ability, or the option to cast the card).

• Prowess

  Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

The best cards

By colour

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

To remember

• Take the common dual lands: there are ten, one per pair, and they enter untapped if you control a planeswalker, which the Jace token from an Empower card gives you.
• The ten "Way of the..." cards are uncommon legendary enchantments: all put counters on the Jace token; six give a loyalty ability to your planeswalkers, and the other four have a triggered effect.
• Twenty-one cards have a spell half and seventeen enter prepared: keep mana for the copies, because each copy has to be paid for.
• Only three commons produce surveil and only five cards need Threshold, two of them commons: commit to those plans only with the uncommons or rares that support them.