Magic the Gathering’s newest set known as Theros brings with it a number of new cards whilst also reprinting others back into the Trading Card Game. Alongside the main set of packs that the set brings, there are decks which people new to the game can pick up and play with straight from out of the box. One such deck is the Inspiring Heroics Event deck which this review will focus on. Containing a sixty card deck and fifteen card sideboard, the set comes with everything you may need to jump right into a local tournament and have a competitive chance to succeed. The question remains however whether an event deck is worth a purchase.
Inspiring Heroics is a Blue & White deck which focuses on controlling your opponent’s options by using cards such as Pacifism or Detention Sphere. The deck is revolved around this and casting creatures and enchantments which have abilities to boost you attack power. The main deck has a large focus on the White half of its deck with the majority of Blue’s appearance in the deck being in White/Blue cards such as Battlewise Hoplite.
Without further ado let’s take a look at the deck’s contents, starting with the creatures.
Ascended Lawmage x2
Cost: 4 (2 Colourless, 1 White, 1 Blue), 3 Power / 2 Toughness, Vedalken Wizard
Flying, hexproof
Banisher Priest x2
Cost: 3 (1 Colourless, 2 White), 2 Power / 2 Toughness, Human Cleric
When Banisher Priest enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Banisher Priest leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner’s control.)
Battlewise Hoplite x3
Cost: 2 (1 White, 1 Blue), 2 Power / 2 Toughness, Human Soldier
Heroic – Whenever you cast a spell that targets Battlewise Hoplite, put a +1/+1 counter on Battlewise Hoplite, then scry 1. (To scry 1, look at the top card of your library, then you may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
Dryad Militant x3
Cost: 1 (1 Green/White), 2 Power / 1 Toughness, Dryad Soldier
If an instant or sorcery card would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
Fabled Hero x1
Cost: 3 (1 Colourless, 2 White), 2 Power / 2 Toughness, Human Soldier
Double Strike
Heroic – Whenever you cast a spell that targets Fabled Hero, put a +1/+1 counter on Fabled Hero.
Frontline Medic x1
Cost: 3 (2 Colourless, 1 White), 3 Power / 3 Toughness, Human Cleric
Battalion – Whenever Frontline Medic and at least two other creatures attack, creatures you control are indestructible this turn.
Sacrifice Frontline Medic: Counter target spell with X Colourless in its mana cost unless its controller pays 3 Colourless.
Hopeful Eidolon x3
Cost: 1 (1 White), 1 Power / 1 Toughness, Spirit
Bestow (3 Colourless, 1 White) (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it’s an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again it it’s not attached to a creature.)
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has lifelink.
Imposing Sovereign x2
Cost: 2 (1 Colourless, 1 White), 2 Power / 1 Toughness, Human
Creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.
Lavinia of the Tenth x1
Cost: 5 (3 Colourless, 1 White, 1 Blue), 4 Power / 4 Toughness, Human Soldier
Protection from red
When Lavinia of the Tenth enters the battlefield, detain each nonland permanent your opponents control with converted mana cost 4 or less. (Until your next turn, those permanents can’t attack or block and their activated abilities can’t be activated.)
Lyev Skyknight x3
Cost: 3 (1 Colourless, 1 White, 1 Blue), 3 Power / 1 Toughness, Human Knight
Flying
When Lyev Skyknight enters the battlefield, detain target nonland permanent an opponent controls. (Until your next turn, that permanent can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.)
New Prahv Guildmage x1
Cost: 2 (1 White, 1 Blue), 2 Power/ 2 Toughness, Human Wizard
2 Mana (1 White, 1 Blue): Target creature gains flying until end of turn.
5 Mana (3 Colourless, 1 White, 1 Blue): Detain target nonland permanent an opponent controls. (Until your next turn, that permanent can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.)
Precinct Captain x1
Cost: 2 (2 White), 2 Power / 2 Toughness, Human Soldier
First Strike
Whenever Precinct Captain deals combat damage to a player, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.
Skymark Roc x1
Cost: 4 (2 Colourless, 1 White, 1 Blue), 3 Power / 3 Toughness, Bird
Flying
Whenever Skymark Roc attacks, you may return target creature defending player controls with toughness 2 or less to its owner’s hand.
Soldier of the Pantheon x1
Cost: 1 (1 White), 2 Power / 1 Toughness, Human Soldier
Protection from multi-coloured
Whenever an opponent casts a multi-coloured spell, you gain 1 life.
The creatures which come in this event deck serve an array of functions, from the protection provided from Soldier of the Pantheon to the attack power you can deal with Battlewise Hoplite when it has been targeted a couple of times. The flexibility of the creature’s abilities allows you to maintain a lot of control over the field whilst using creatures like Battlewise Hoplite and Skymark Roc to deal the majority of your damage with boosts from some of the enchantments in the deck.
Here are the other spells which make up the deck.
Dauntless Onslaught x2
Cost: 3 (2 Colourless, 1 White), Instant
Up to two target creatures each get +2/+2 until end of turn.
Detention Sphere x2
Cost: 3 (1 Colourless, 1 White, 1 Blue), Enchantment
When Detention Sphere enters the battlefield, you may exile target nonland permanent not named Detention Sphere and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent.
When Detention Sphere leaves the battlefield, return the exiled cards to the battlefield under their owner’s control.
Gods Willing x2
Cost: 1 (1 White), Instant
Target creature you control gains protection from the colour of your choice until end of turn. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
Ordeal of Heliod x1
Cost: 2 (1 Colourless, 1 White), Enchantment, Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Heliod.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Heliod, you gain 10 life.
Ordeal of Thassa x2
Cost: 2 (1 Colourless, 1 Blue), Enchantment, Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counter on it, sacrifice Ordeal of Thassa.
When you sacrifice Ordeal of Thassa, draw two cards.
Pacifism x2
Cost: 2 (1 Colourless, 1 White), Enchantment, Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block.
The enchantments in the deck aid with the overall control that the creature abilities started. Pacifism is a particularly potent enchantment, potentially halting the opponent in their tracks when played correctly. The Ordeal of Heliod and Ordeal of Thassa work well with the Battlewise Hoplite to provide a potent threat to the opponent. This is aided by Dauntless Onslaught which combined with Hoplite’s ability makes for a strong offence.
The only real trouble that the deck has is some of the cards can be situational. Take the ability of Skymark Roc for example, an ability that only becomes useful to make the opponent lose an on board ability or have access to less mana if they want to re-cast the creature. That being said, with a lot of 2 or 3 mana cost creatures, as long as your starting hand has access to 1 white and 1 blue mana, you will rarely be stuck for early game plays.
The overall synergy of the deck is stellar, with creatures that have the ability to control the field and support cards which can ensure they will stay there to remain a threat. The deck does however contain a number of abilities which may do nothing depending on the state of the opponent’s field. The low number of Island lands in the deck means that occasionally you may find yourself hoping to draw the one land you need to make your play, but the inclusion of Hallowed Fountain and Azorius Guildgate do help to resolve this allowing access to both White and Blue mana.
As with any pre-constructed deck not everyone will enjoy its play style. That being said the competitive nature of Inspiring Heroes makes the deck well worth a look at if you are searching for either your first competitive deck or just something different.
Should you buy?
What are your impressions on Inspiring Heroes? Will it make an impact at tournaments or will it be forgotten about and left to gather dust in another decks wake? Let us know all your opinions on the deck in the comments down below. If you are still on the fence about picking up this deck then check out our review of the Intro Pack, Blazing Beasts of Myth for another option.
