Bloomburrow Set Review - Cute
Helga, Skittish Seer by Andrea Piparo
White | Blue | Black | Red | Green | Artifacts/Lands | Allied Colors/Shards | Enemy Colors/Wedges | cEDH | Reprints | Pauper/Budget
If you go down to the woods today...
Welcome to the sweetest, cuddliest review of Bloomburrow as part of our set review series on EDHREC and Commander's Herald! Across sites this week, we've been reviewing the shiniest new cards from the most recent MTG set. I'm Eliza, Editor of EDHREC, here to bring you the most complex, in-depth MTG review yet: who truly are the cutest creatures in Bloomburrow? My qualifications in judging cuteness include my personal obsession with animals and... well, primarily just that, actually.
Now, I won't be ranking these cards in order, because frankly, that's mean. Especially since every creature on the plane of Bloomburrow is the most adorable thing we've ever seen in Magic to date (except you, Owlbear Cub). If you're competitively minded, why not check out Jack's cEDH review right here on Commander's Herald? We're instead going to be showcasing some of the cutest little beans from across the color pie to help you make your picks from this set based on the best metric there is: how cute the art is.
Why do we even find Bloomburrow so adorable? Artistically and thematically, Bloomburrow builds on a long literary tradition of little guys. We've been cooing at anthropomorphized animals almost as long as we've been telling stories. Artwork depicting animals performing human actions, such as standing on their hind legs, features in cave paintings from approximately 40,000 years ago. Aesop's Fables, a collection of ancient Greek stories famed for tales like "The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing" and "The Hare and the Tortoise", can be considered another key origin story for talking animals. British author Beatrix Potter arguably revitalized the tradition of talking animals with her 1893 book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, cementing their enduring association with children's books and fantasy. The popularity of talking or otherwise human-like animals in stories continues to this day in children's books and Disney films. And that takes us to Bloomburrow, combining both Magic's established lore and our ancient penchant for depicting little fluffy creatures who look or act a bit like us.
Of course, however, there doesn't really need to be a reason why we all want to pet Finneas, Ace Archer. Without further ado, let's dive in!
Mono-color Cuties
Brave-Kin Duo
We're starting off strong in white with Brave-Kin Duo. I can't be the only one who saw this art and immediately thought of a scene in a certain beloved Disney film, right? The flavor text really makes this one pop. The Creative Writing team absolutely smashed it with Bloomburrow, and I know I won't be the only one tearing up slightly at the flavor text on some of these cards. I'm about to start calling everyone I know a "dear pine cone". If I was awarding points, Brave-Kin Duo would get a solid ten out of ten pine cones.
Now, you could say I'm biased towards rabbits; I'm a Cadira player. Bias or not though, there's no doubt these two have stolen your heart and are taking your heart with them on their journey.
Kitnap
I did say I wasn't ranking these, but Kitnap may take the Carrot Cake as my personal favorite artwork in Bloomburrow. And yes, I know that's a very strong statement. Just look at that tiny little guy. Look at this tiny sleeping face. And I'm not forgetting the (Calamity?) bear: just look at those teddy bear ears! Look at the slightly maniacal purple swirling eyes on that cutie! The mixture of hyper-realism with the raccoon and fantastical surrealism with the cloud and the bear in the background creates an incredible dreamlike quality to this piece. I also love the addition of a mobile hangar not unlike one above a baby's crib. It adds a certain additional level of terror, considering how small and childlike this raccoon really is. A mixture of cute and terrifying; isn't that what we all want from Magic art?
Let's just casually ignore the claws seeking to tear the raccoon from their slumber, and hope it's all just a dream.
Iridescent Vinelasher
There was a lot of competition in black for a cute card review, with a lot of adorably strange little beings. This Lizard Assassin is really doing his best, and he's looking great doing it. Seeing such a colorful card in black is a lesser-spotted delight (I should know personally: most of my decks involve the color black). I love the drama of his pose and determination on that cute little face. I will be cheering on his vine slashing with all my heart.
Coruscation Mage
Lizards, mice, otters, and other delights make up red in Bloomburrow, again making the choice of only one mono-red card to highlight pretty challenging. In the end I chose this otter, simply because they look so happy, and that makes me happy. Who wouldn't want to give them a little pat on the head and tell him he's done a great job?
I also can't help but be in awe of the use of lighting in this artwork, which really makes this card stand out. Not many pieces in Bloomburrow have this sharp contrast of light and dark, making this card distinct while still perfectly fitting the theme. How adorable this little otter is is only emphasized by your eye being drawn to that big smile and those glinting eyes through the light coming off the artifact.
I don't know what they're holding (hopefully not the next Filigree Sylex: he's too cute to be blown to smithereens), but I'm truly so proud of them.
Tender Wildguide
This wasn't hard to pick. This was always going to be Tender Wildguide. This was the first card I picked for the cute review, if you can believe. EVERYBODY LOOK AT TENDER WILDGUIDE.
I don't know whether being British and having never actually encountered a possum (opossum?) in real life adds to how cute this is to me, but it certainly doesn't hurt. I get the impression they can be tiny menaces in real life, but Tender Wildguide is only being a menace to my heartstrings.
This card gets at least 32 additional pine cones for the accompanying token. I've only had Tender Wildguide for a week and if anything happens to them, I would kill everyone in reading this review and then myself.
Multicolor Cuties
Head of the Homestead
This card immediately captured my attention and earned a place on my list for the references to Victorian author Beatrix Potter. For anyone unfamiliar, Beatrix Potter illustrated her own stories with beautiful watercolor renditions of tiny little animals, often in human clothing. This artwork is wonderfully reminiscent of illustrations of the aforementioned Peter Rabbit (right down to the rabbit in the blue coat!) alongside his mother and his sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail. The art style is delightfully whimsical and I want it on a playmat right now.
An illustration from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter.
I also find it adorable how the rabbit is brandishing a frying pan. I don't know who has interrupted their dinner, but I'm sure they're suitably intimidated.
Mabel, Heir to Cragflame
Now I couldn't leave out the ultimate girlboss and the first revealed Bloomburrow card, now could I? Mabel captured our imagination and sowed the seeds of excitement for this set which, for me personally, certainly hasn't dissipated. Mabel wins at least a good dozen pine cones for that effort and impact, I'd say.
Alongside being undeniably cute, Mabel is also rocking one of the best outfits in Bloomburrow. I want to know where this daisy crop top, leaf skirt, red cloak combo is from. The watery setting is quite unusual for a Boros card, adding a bit of intrigue to this signature Bloomburrow legend. The sense of movement in the art is delightful, placing emphasis on Cragflame, Mabel's tiny sword. You can't help but root for this adorable little mouse, serving fashion, cuteness and abject violence all in one.
Ygra, Eater of All
Listen, I'm a cat person, and I'm here to say ALL cats are cute. Even if they're gigantic and glowing. Perhaps even especially if they're gigantic and glowing.
The sense of perspective in this artwork is wonderful; it reminds me of Progenitus, one of my all-time favorite Magic art pieces.
You really get a sense of how awe-inspiring Ygra is, with their tail not even entirely in focus in the background. Much like our earlier card, Coruscation Mage, light is used incredibly here. The hopeful warm light on the bunnies contrasted with the harsh green of the Ygra's jaws adds a sense of tension, and keeps our focus on this key conflict between Ygra's hunger and the bunnies running away. All of the Calamity Beasts have stunning designs throughout this set and are nonetheless adorable, despite their destructive path through the world of Bloomburrow.
Don't get me wrong, in declaring Ygra as cute, I don't mean to suggest I'm happy with Ygra eating these bunnies. I definitely don't wish Ygra success. But I do want to give Ygra some chin scratches and treats.
Zoraline, Cosmos Caller
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No: it's a Bat Cleric!
Zoraline has an infectious joy in her artwork that I can't help but find adorable. Bats are, in my humble opinion, misaligned in their association with scariness and potential evil. As Zoraline showcases, bats are actually incredibly cute. I met one once at a wildlife sanctuary, and it was truly a standout moment in my life. I really recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity.
Zoraline has the aesthetic I wish I had when I'm winning a game of Commander with a graveyard deck. Beaming smile, magical purple crown of some kind, outstretched bat wings, lightning in the background... we should probably feel some concern for Zoraline's opponents.
Helga, Skittish Seer
I don't know what Helga is divining through her magic, but I am fully prepared to believe whatever she says. Look at that sweet little face and those tiny tootsies!
A Seer being a Bant card is actually quite historically accurate, as far as a Magic card depicting a magic frog can be. Hydromancy, or water divination, which our girl Helga seems to be quite well-versed in, is the process of telling the future or finding out hidden information through water. The practice has origins in ancient societies, such as Ancient Greece. Oracles, arguably a type of Seer, were people who could (seemingly) see the future and on occasion played a significant political role in Ancient Greece, providing guidance to monarchs and political leaders, all while they were publicly apolitical. Sounds a bit like white in Magic, right? And then finally we have green, with many divination methods used by Oracles and Seers throughout other cultures, often utilizing nature in some way.
In any case, I will make the bold claim that Helga is the cutest Seer ever seen in the past, present, or future of the plane of Bloomburrow.
The Infamous Cruelclaw
I couldn't simply ignore the Infamous Cruelclaw. This weasel is here to cause mischief, in the cutest way possible. I love the color and splashiness of this artwork, with Cruelclaw almost leaping off the card with his gooey poison-tipped rapier. Don't worry though, I'm sure he's more bark than bite... right?
It's hard to believe how much trouble Cruelclaw has caused with his egg-stealing antics; how could such a fuzzy face be capable of such crimes? Looking at Cruelclaw reminds me of when a cat knocks a glass off the countertop. You know it's wrong, and you're going to be annoyed for a second, but you are going to be giving them snuggles and telling them they're the cutest baby ever before long.
Mr. Foxglove
I was generally trying to avoid doing two cards in exactly the same colors, but I simply had to feature Mr. Foxglove. What a pose. What an outfit. What a bushy tail. Need I say more?
Mr. Foxglove is perhaps the most dashing gentleman in all of Bloomburrow. His fashion choices are beautifully reflective of 17th-century cavaliers. This British fashion trend was notorious for hats similar to Mr. Foxglove's and was typically associated with frivolity and ostentation, perfect for a Fox Rogue. Mr. Foxglove carries himself with a confidence and bravado that you can only achieve when you know you're the cutest fox on the plane.
The folk of Bloomburrow are certainly a fashion-forward bunch, with artwork in this set depicting clothing from across the spectrum of historical periods and fantastical inspirations. I'm intrigued to know more: is Mr. Foxglove from a different part of Bloomburrow to, say, Mabel? Is this merely a question of size and daisy crop tops being unlikely to fit a fox? With Calamity Beasts wreaking havoc, I'm sure looking good isn't at the forefront of anyone's mind... except Mr. Foxglove's, that is.
Arthur, Marigold Knight
We're rounding off this review with Arthur, Marigold Knight, protector of the realm with the roundest, fuzziest little ears in Bloomburrow. Calamity Beasts should be cowering at the sight of such a cutie.
Is it just me who is reminded of dramatic old portraits of soldiers in art galleries? The equestrian pose and dark rural backdrop give this artwork a majestic feel. The pose is reminiscent of the famous 1801 portrait Napoleon Crossing The Alps by Jacques-Louis David.
Napoleon is an enduring and domineering historical figure, and Arthur commands comparable connotations of chivalry and awe in his portrait. Arthur is certainly far cuter than Napoleon, a sentence I didn't expect to be writing today.
They ALL go infinite... in our hearts.
I'm sorry to say this brings us to the end of our Bloomburrow cute review. There were plenty more cards I could have featured, if not the entire set. I'm sure I might have missed your personal favorite cute card; if I did, let me know in the comments!
As I've touched on throughout this article, Bloomburrow is not only a cute set, but a cute set that draws on many historical inspirations and showcases the incredible talent of the artists featured. Bloomburrow has been beautifully and intricately designed, and if you couldn't tell already, I'm a big fan. To read about the set's actual mechanics and whether these cards are any good, check out the rest of our Bloomburrow set reviews across EDHREC and Commander's Herald!
