Analysing Maindeckable, Playable Commons in Zendikar Limited

One thing I noticed while playing in Zendikar drafts was how many people were attracted to the same colours, thus making signalling difficult to accomplish. I decided to take a look at the coloured commons in the set to see if it may give some clues why that may be the case.

Following are lists of what I consider to be the Zendikar limited maindeckable, playable commons.

White (10 playable, 1 removal, 2 combat tricks)

Steppe Lynx (w)
Shieldmate's Blessing (w)
Kor Skyfisher (1W)
Ondu Cleric (1W)
Journey to Nowhere (1W)
Kor Hookmaster (2W)
Kor Sancitifiers (2W)
Makindi Shieldmage (2W)
Bold Defense (2W)
Kor Cartographer (3W)

Blue (13 playable, 3 removal/combat tricks)

Kraken Hatchling (U)
Tempest Owl (1U)
Welkin Tern (1U)
Into the Roil (1U)
Ior Ruin Expedition (1U)
Reckless Scholar (2U)
Umara Raptor (2U)
Paralyzing Grasp (2U)
Cancel (1UU)
Windrider Eel (3U)
Sky RUin Drake (4U)
Whiplash Trap (3UU)
Shoal Serpent (5U)

Black (12 playable, 3 removal (inc. Heartstabber Mosquito), 1 combat trick)

Guul Draz Vampire (B)
Vampire Lacerator (B)
Disfigure (B)
Vampire's Bite (B)
Soul Stair Expedition (B)
Surrak Marauder (1B)
Grim Discovery (1B)
Giant Scorpion (2B)
Hideous End (1BB)
Hagra Crocodile (3B)
Heartstabber Mosquito (3B)
Nimana Sell-Sword (3B)
Crypt Ripper (2BB)

Red (13 playable, 3 removal (inc. Torch Slinger), 1 combat trick)

Burst Lightning (R)
Goblin Bushwacker (R)
Goblin Shortcutter (1R)
Highland Beserker (1R)
Plated Geopede (1R)
Zektar Shrine Expedition (1R)
Torch Slinger (2R)
Ruinous Minotaur (2R)
Slaughter Cry (2R)
Bladetusk Boar (3R)
Shatterskull Giant (2RR)
Spire Barrage (4R)
Tuktuk Grunts (4R)

Green (11, 1 removal (inc. Oran-Rief Recluse), 1 combat trick)

Scythe Tiger (G)
Vines of Vastwood (G)
Oran-Rief Survivalist (1G)
Khalni Hear Expedition (1G)
Niss's Chosen (GG)
Grazing Gladehart (2G)
Oran-Rief Recluse (2G)
Harrow (2G)
Mold Shambler (3G)
Timbermaw Larva (3G)
Terrotrial Baloth (4G)

To me this analysis indicates a few things:

1. You're more likely to think Blue, Black or Red as 'open' due to the higher levels of playable commons likely to be passed.
2. You're most likely to be able to shunt others out of White early through a few key picks.
3. Considering White's removal is pretty splashable (unlike, say Black or Blue), you might see non of it even if you're in white.
4. Red is far better than most give it credit for.
5. Red probably wins the kicker value wars at common level with Bushwacker, Torch Slinger and Burst Lightning all good cards.
6. Speaking of red, it seems easy to draft twenty points of common level burn. Just sayin'.
7. With the Stonework Puma added there are eight playable Allys at common level. Move in quick or not at all.
8. There are seven common fliers; blue is blessed with five of them. Luckily Spidersilk Net is also a common.
9. There are twelve coloured common cards worth playing with landfall mechanics; white only has one of them (Steppe Lynx).

What's it all mean? Well, I certainly think that if you go Red, Black or Blue you're more likely to find quality cards deeper in the pick order, but at the same time risk more opponents snaking your oil. At the same time, White seems so shallow at common that you almost better hope you're the only player drafting it at the table. As for myself, right now my favourite colour combo is Blue/Red. The combination of efficient aggro (Plated Geopede, Welkin Tern, Umara Raptor), evasion (Blue's flyers, Goblin Shortcutter and Bladetusk Boar), long-range burn (Burst Lightning, Spire Barrage) and removal (Into the Roil, Torch Slinger, Whiplash Trap, Burst Lightning) make it a powerful, fast combination even without any uncommons or rares.