IntroductionGreetings, Legacy community! We can't even blink without a new spoiler season creeping up on us!This time, we'll be able to take a peek at a very anticipated set, The Hobbit. Considering Lord of the Rings was a rousing success, this set, inspired by the same universe, is bound to stand out as well. Though many players question the existence of Universes Beyond sets and complain that some of them don't really fit the fantasy themes in Magic: The Gathering, this J. R. R. Tolkien universe is widely accepted. Even those who often complain about other imported franchises making their way into MTG usually agree that Middle Earth fits MTG really well.The new spoiler season has barely begun, but we can already speculate a bit. A few months ago, we discussed Bilbo, Thief in the Night, which will certainly impact Legacy quite a bit because of how similar it is to Dreadhorde Arcanist, a banned card.Now, let's see a few other cards that are standing out and go through their potential.Riddles in the Dark: I Got A Riddle For You!Card advantage has always been difficult to find in Legacy. Most ways to get cards for a low cost in this format are either not that practical or banned. When these cards are blue, they call for an even closer look and a fresh approach so we don't fall for the same preconceived notions.One card that proved paying 3 mana to get 2 new cards is good enough in Legacy is Stock Up, which often sees play in Show and Tell lists. In them, you can easily pay for it with Ancient Tomb, and the fact it lets you dig through the top 5 cards in your deck has proved to be quite interesting, considering this deck just wants to get 2 cards and try to win through their interaction. We even tested this card draw potential in Azorius/Jeskai Control lists with no creatures, but, unlike combo lists, these decks aren't that interested in lowering their defenses to play a 3-mana sorcery and aren't usually looking for cards.Here's where I believe Riddles in the Dark could see play: control lists that want to strangle the opponent slowly while gaining resources and keeping their defenses up at all times. Riddles really reminds me of Fact or Fiction, one of the best card advantage cards in a distant past, and Sauron's Ransom, which saw some play recently. It also does something interesting: it gives you the opportunity to bamboozle your opponent, which is always quite fun. The fact that half your cards will go to the graveyard won't be an issue either because these decks usually play Snapcaster Mage, Mystic Sanctuary, or Murktide Regent to get extra value out of the graveyard.A control list that leans heavily into the "draw-go" style (drawing, playing a land, passing the turn, and then answering enemy cards or drawing cards at the end of their turn) hasn't shown up recently, but Riddles in the Dark will offer these strategies some fuel.Gandalf, Goblins’ Bane: A Wizard Is Never LateThe Fantasticar, besides showing up in a million different decks, put Storm decks back on the map. And if they end up banned, will they go back to where they came from (which they never do), despite how popular they are? The solution is finding a new way to play them, and this new Gandalf might be just that.With him in play, you'll need a lot less spells to set up a lethal Storm count, and his Adventure side will draw more cards for you in your combo turn.He also interacts really well with Lion's Eye Diamond: you can use Flameshape, and, if you hit something critical, these cards won't be discarded through Diamond. You can then simply bring back Gandalf from the exile with all your extra mana and keep your combo going.I don't think this card will stand out to Storm players as long as the Fantastic Four Flying Construct tokens are around, but it's good to have an option if they end up leaving.Gollum: What Is It, My Precious?It will usually be very easy to trigger Gollum's ability at least once, and he'll probably be able to give you a full ROI if you choose odd against blue decks (Brainstorm/Ponder) or choose even against decks that play 0-cost artifacts. Even his 1 toughness won't necessarily be a problem against Orcish Bowmasters because, even if you chose even, he'll get the counter before the 1 damage resolves. So, he gives you a decent amount of advantage for a low cost and has a statline that can't be ignored forever.But where would he see play? Straight away, I can see him in Monoblack Aggro, one of the best "budget-friendly" options (as budget-friendly as Legacy decks can be) in the format. He won't revolutionize any deck but will make your investment worth it practically on the spot. You: Gollum, odds. Opponent: Swords to Plowshares/Fatal Push/Lightning Bolt/Dismember on Gollum. You: draw a card and might also be able to attack your opponent a few times.A Rather Unexpected PartyBoros Energy is really popular with many players because of its style: swarming the board with creatures and going over unaware players. Curiously, most of the creatures in this deck are Cats.An Unexpected Party could allow you to set up lethal damage out of nowhere by turning your horde of Cats into wild animals, and it's also an excellent topdeck. Particularly when you need to refill your board against opponents that are ready to deal with your cards. I believe this card could see play as a one-off in many lists, as it is useful when you're already putting pressure and want to put more and when you're behind and need to come back with a single creature.Final WordsHow curious. At the moment I am writing this article, only 47 out of 233 cards have been revealed, a little over 20% of the regular set, and we already have things to discuss. I must admit I am extremely excited about this set, and I believe we'll see more great cards for Legacy until the spoiler season is over.As I mentioned before, Bilbo, Thief in the Night already makes this set worth it, but, just like its predecessor, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit still has more in store for Legacy.What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.Thank you for reading, and see you next time!
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