Best MTG cards to draft when playing White/Black and Blue/White in AFR Limited

Two Limited archetypes within Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms were designed to use dungeons the best, reaping reward abilities upon entering and completing them. 

The AFR Limited format contains a dungeon mechanic, best used in Draft with the colors White/Black (WB) and Blue/White (UW). Each archetype has a Legendary creature signpost: Barrowin of Clan Undurr in WB and Hama Pashar, Ruin Seeker in UW. 

WB within the AFR Limited archetype focuses on completing dungeons quickly, rewarding players for their completion on cards like Gloom Stalker and Cloister Gargoyle. Within the UW archetype, players can complete a shorter dungeon quickly with Hama Pashar or take advantage of Dungeon of the Mad Mage. 

Here are the best cards to draft when playing the WB or UW archetypes in AFR Limited.

White and Black AFR Draft 

Barrowin of Clan Undurr is a four-drop Legendary with 3/3 stats. Upon entering the battlefield, players can Venture into a dungeon of their choice or advance to the next room in a dungeon. The dwarf cleric has an additional ability as well that can return one creature card from its controller’s graveyard to the battlefield with a mana value of three or less upon completing a dungeon. 

Synergizing with Barrowin of Clan Undurr’s second ability, the WB archetype benefits the most from completing dungeons quickly. Lost Mine of Phandelver is the preferred AFR dungeon, taking a total of four “Venture” turns to complete. Tomb of Annihilation can be completed in three but can punish a player too. White provides cards with dungeon completion bonuses while Black contains solid removal and several creatures with the Venture mechanic. 

WB dungeon payoffs

Including Barrowin of Clan Undurr, there are three other MTG cards with a rarity of Common and Uncommon that have a completed dungeon payoff: Cloister Gargoyle, Gloom Stalker, and Dungeon Crawler. The dwarf cleric and Artifact gargoyle are likely the two best of the four. 

WB Venture Common and Uncommon 

There are a number of WB cards with the Venture mechanic, with a few standing out from the pack. Yuan-Ti Fang-Blade is a solid three-drop with Deathtouch that triggers Venture upon combat damage to an opponent. 

Planar Ally is a five-drop White angel with Flying that triggers Venture upon attacking and Veteran Dungeoneer triggers the MTG mechanic upon entering the battlefield. And Precipitous Drop, removal in Black, also triggers Venture upon entering the battlefield. 

WB Limited bombs

Nadaar, Selfless Paladin is a three-drop White creature with a rarity of Rare. The dragon knight has 3/3 stats and Vigilance, triggering the Venture mechanic upon entering the battlefield and when it attacks. Triumphant Adventurer is a two-drop 1/1 with Deathtouch and First Strike when it’s your turn, triggering Venture upon attacking. And Acererak the Archlich works best in a shell that handles Tomb of Annihilation. 

Blue and White AFR Draft

Hama Pashar, Ruin Seeker speeds up the Venture mechanic, triggering it an additional time. Players can opt to use Hama Pashar as a means to complete a dungeon such as Lost Mine of Phandelver quickly or cruise through Dungeon of the Mad Mage for the best synergies. 

UW dungeon payoffs

Gloom Stalker and Cloister Gargoyle are two optional payoff AFR dungeon cards in UW, similar to WB. Players can also use Eccentric Apprentice, a three-drop Blue wizard with 2/2 stats and Flying. 

Upon entering the battlefield, Eccentric Apprentice triggers the Venture mechanic. At the start of combat, upon completing a dungeon, it can transform one target creature into a bird with 1/1 and Flying until the end of the turn. 

UW Venture Common and Uncommon

Bar the Gate is a standard three-drop Instant that can counter a creature or planeswalker spell, while also triggering the Venture mechanic. Players can also use Fly, an Aura that provides a creature with Flying and triggers the Venture mechanic upon dealing combat damage. 

Blue has solid defensive cards like Shortcut Seeker and Secret Door that synergize with Venture. And the Artifact Dungeon Map has potential, despite its mana and ability costs, within a UW Limited shell. 

UW Limited bombs

Yuan-Ti Malison is a two-drop with an AFR rarity of Rare. As long as Yuan-Ti Malison attacks by itself, it can’t be blocked. Upon dealing combat damage to an opponent, the snake rogue triggers the Venture mechanic. Nadaar, Selfless Paladin is also a bomb within the UW Draft archetype. 

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