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Blue is deceptively difficult to design. Being the keepers of the "No" spells (mainly bounce and counterspells), Blue can easily become consumed with card draw, bounce, and counter spelling. I tried to keep my focus on being diverse, with cards like Land Lock with appreciate untapped lands, and fliers that are almost too good (Sapphire Knight).

There are a lot of Wizards in this block, and with the powerful Joondai Academy producing some of its best pupils ever, this is a very powerful color. Here are a few of the mighty lengendary creatures which thrive in Fires of Heaven Blue:

One of the things I'm not afraid to do is hand out a Time Walk now and then. Sure it's a bit steep to pay for, but the benefits speak for themselves. Extra turns in today's environment are hard to come by, and putting them on a stick (ie, on a creature) lets me play around with the ability.

The primary theme for blue is Blink manipulation and graveyard dependence. The graveyard aspect was added after the anti-unblockability cards were removed just like they were for White. Adding a dependence on the graveyard with cards like Focus Field I also added cards that brought spells back via creatures like Matron of Secrets. I'm curious if players will successfully break these creatures and archetypes.

There is also a sub-theme in the color of islandwalk. This is better fleshed out in upcoming sets. I'm happy for the next two sets in the Fires of Heaven block in terms of blue, as most of these cards provide the groundwork for powerful archetypes in the future.

Here are a few of my favorite blue cards:

For some reason the mana cost on this card makes me happy. There's something perfect about a free counter at 3UU (Force of Will, anyone?). This card was costed before any testing was done, and has held up quite well. It's either very expensive to hard cast, or a great spell to have 2 or more of in the late game when dropping your finishers. Deceptively good, this one is near unfair when you reach 5 Islands.

This is a card that just plain snuck up on me. I originally designed it as a fun multiplayer card, but only in testing did it reveal its true nature: This thing is a house in constructed. The ability to lock down your opponent, even if they do get to draw a card from your counterspell, is very powerful. You both draw a card but their spell fizzles and its on to the next turn. The stalemates with this card are very intersting to see break.

This is my version of Bribery, the powerful search card that lived in quite a few blue decks when it was in the environment. This is a much more fair spell, in my opinion, as you'll have to do a lot of work to get the creature you want, and best of all it doesn't target so annoyingly untargetable creatures are still up for grabs.

Ancestral Notion - Sorcery If this is your first resolved spell of the game, draw two cards. Otherwise, draw a card. The difference between knowledge and wisdom is but a point of view. Common #51/315

Blind Forcemage - Creature - Human Wizard Whenever a creature blocks or becomes blocked by Blind Forcemage, you may pay . If you do, return Blind Forcemage and the blocking or blocked creatures to their owner's hands. Forget what you know. Just do as I say. 1/2 Uncommon #52/315

Blind Sight - Instant Target creature is unblockable until end of turn. "Open your eyes, young ones, and look around you. There is nothing but darkness. But in learning the ways of the Joondai, you may turn on the light." Common #53/315

Brightmind - Instant You may remove a blue card in your hand from the game instead of paying Brightmind's mana cost. Draw three cards. Then put two cards from your hand back on top of your library. I hear your thoughts. Let them speak my language. Uncommon #54/315

Coastal Urchin - Creature - Fish Islandwalk "Oh to catch a fish, the wide world at sea to live forever, die not never a sailor's life for me." 1/1 Common #55/315

Cognitive Intuition - Sorcery Name a card type. Reveal the top card of target opponent's library. If it is the named type, draw 3 cards. I know I'm better than you. And I can prove it. Uncommon #56/315

Daring Alchemist - Creature - Human Wizard Flying : Target creature with flying loses flying until end of turn. Excuse me, I must be going. 3/1 Uncommon #57/315

Dragon Dream - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature Attach only to a flying creature. When that creature blocks or is blocked by a red creature, you may draw a card. Common #58/315

Dreamscape - Instant You may remove two blue cards in your graveyard from the game instead of paying Dreamscape's mana cost. Target creature gains flying and cannot be the target of spells or abilities this turn. Common #59/315

Fa'an, Joondai Council - Legendary Creature - Human Wizard , Sacrifice an Island, : Draw two cards and put Fa'an, Joondai Council on top of your library. Island Blink (You may put this creature into play anytime you could play an instant if you control an amount of Islands equal or greater than its converted mana cost. It gains haste and is removed from the game at end of turn.) 4/4 Rare #60/315

Focus Field - Instant You may remove two blue cards in your graveyard from the game instead of paying Focus Field's mana cost. Return target creature to its owners hand. "Back to the fires of Coldstone, you foul beast!" - Marnin, Joondai Alchemist Common #61/315

Forgotten Wizard - Creature - Elf Wizard Sacrifice Forgotten Wizard: Draw a card. After Markin slaughtered the elves in Hannook, the few who escaped sought refuge in the Joondai kingdom. 1/1 Uncommon #62/315

Geinin, Tressan Master - Legendary Creature - Human Wizard Flying , : Search your library for an instant or sorcery card, reveal it, then shuffle. Put that card on top of your library. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery. , , Sacrifice Geinin, Tressan Master: Take an extra turn after this one. 4/4 Rare #63/315

Grand Denial - Instant You may remove three Islands you control and the top half of your library, rounded up, from the game instead of paying Grand Denial's mana cost. Counter target spell. Return all of it's controller's creatures to their owner's hand. "Absolutely not." Rare #64/315

Hazy Ground - Sorcery Tap up to X creatures target opponent controls, where X equals the number of blue cards in your graveyard. Creatures that attack this turn do not untap during their controller's next untap step. The Joondai palace moat holds no water, only the fog-like mist that no one wishes to enter. Common #65/315

Jellyfish - Creature - Fish When Jellyfish comes into play, return target non-basic land to its owner's hand. Island Blink (You may put this creature into play anytime you could play an instant if you control an amount of Islands equal or greater than its converted mana cost. It gains haste and is removed from the game at end of turn.) 1/1 Common #66/315

Joondai Dragon - Legendary Creature - Dragon Flying , Remove Joondai Dragon from the game: Take another turn after this one. Its wings shimmer in the light, going back and forth in time. 3/3 Rare #67/315

Joondai Inquisitor - Creature - Human Wizard When Joondai Inquisitor comes into play, look at target opponent's hand. The first lesson taught to new Joondai students is that knowlege is power. 1/2 Common #68/315

Joondai Negotiations - Sorcery Target opponent chooses a creature they control. You gain control of that creature (This effect doesn't end at end of turn). "Bartering is foolish. The only way to get what you want is to simply ask for it." - Fa'an, Joondai Council Rare #69/315

Keeper of Secrets - Creature - Dragon Flying Reveal your hand: If there are no blue cards present, you may return Keeper of Secrets to its owner's hand. Keepers stay hidden for a few reasons, the least of which are the Trolls in Coldstone Keep, eager to make new boots. 4/4 Uncommon #70/315

Knowledge of the Ages - Sorcery Draw X cards where X equals the number of blue permanents you control. Tressan law forbids any magic beyond its borders. But within, no limits are placed. Rare #71/315

Land Lock - Instant Counter target spell unless its controller pays for each untapped land you control. "The strength of the Tressan people are behind me. I cast you out!" - Geinin, Tressan Master Uncommon #72/315

Lost and Found - Sorcery Return target permanent to its owner's hand. That permanent's controller may draw a card. "Faster Greenor! Before it awakens!" Uncommon #73/315

Mana Break - Instant Counter target spell. Tap all permanents its controller controls. The world shifted, and it was all the Tressan could do to stop the madness. Rare #74/315

Mark of Wisdom - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature Enchanted creature gets "Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, you may return target blue instant card from your graveyard to your hand." Look within and find the power to overcome the darkness surrounding you. Common #75/315

Marnin, Joondai Alchemist - Legendary Creature - Human Wizard Flying Remove two blue cards in your graveyard from the game: Untap Marnin, Joondai Alchemist. , : Counter target spell unless its controller pays an additional . 2/5 Rare #76/315

Matron of Secrets - Creature - Human Wizard Flying Whenever Matron of Secrets deals damage to a player, you may return target blue instant card from your graveyard to your hand. What I keep in my mind is sacred, and no books may contain the secrets I hold. 1/1 Common #77/315

Memory Mist - Enchantment Tap two untapped creatures you control: Return target creature you control and target creature an opponent controls to their owner's hand. I thought I had remembered, but only remembered I had forgotten it. Uncommon #78/315

Mistaken Identity - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature When Mistaken Identity comes into play, choose a creature. The enchanted creature has all of the abilities of the chosen creature. If those abilities have a colored mana cost, that cost is instead. "Did I...did you...um...where are we again?" Rare #79/315

Naylan, Tressan Adept - Legendary Creature - Human Wizard Flying When Naylan, Tressan Adept comes into play, you may search your library for a blue instant or sorcery card, and reveal it. If you do, shuffle your library and put that card on top of it. "You are learning quickly, and for that I am pleased." - Geinin, Tressan Master 3/3 Rare #80/315

Passing Wisdom - Instant Play Passing Wisdom only during an opponent's main phase. Draw X cards. At end of turn, remove your hand from the game. Knowledge without understanding. Rare #81/315

Revelation Decree - Enchantment Players play with the top card of their library revealed. : Shuffle target player's library. Any player may play this ability. "Now is the time for truth and light!" - Geinin, Tressan Master Rare #82/315

Sapphire Knight - Creature - Human Knight Flying Protection from Token creatures They hold the skies, searching for the imposters, looking for the dark creatures of Markin. 2/1 Uncommon #83/315

Scaled Serpent - Creature - Serpent They defend and feed with the same ferocity. 1/5 Common #84/315

Seabested Bargainer - Creature - Human Rogue : Look at the top card of your library. , : Reveal a card in your hand and the top card of your library. Put the top card of your library in your hand and the revealed card on top of your library. You have money, I have answers. 2/4 Common #85/315

Secret Pulse - Instant As an additional cost to play Secret Pulse, target creature an opponent controls gains islandwalk. Creatures without islandwalk cannot attack this turn. The lands of Joondai and Tressan are protected by their lack of hidden places. Uncommon #86/315

Secret Society - Enchantment : Reveal the top card of your library. If it is a wizard, draw a card. Their members hide in secret, waiting for the signal to reveal themselves. Rare #87/315

Shifting Sands - Instant Counter target spell unless its controller pays . Island Blink (You may play this spell for no cost if you control an amount of Islands equal or greater than its converted mana cost. Then remove it from the game.) Somewhere in the deep, there is only denial. Common #88/315

Storm of Truth - Sorcery For each creature, return it to its owner's hand unless its controller pays . "You shall hear my words. And then you shall leave my presence." - Geinin, Tressan Master Rare #89/315

Tressan Choice - Instant Choose one — Target land becomes the basic type of your choice until end of turn; or target creature gains flying until end of turn; or look at the top 3 cards of your library and put them back in any order. Common #90/315

Tressan Controller - Creature - Human Wizard Flying When Tressan Controller comes into play, return an Island you control to its owner's hand or sacrifice Tressan Controller. "I wish for no more than what the great teachers have given me. The knowledge to see evil, and the strength to stop it." 2/1 Uncommon #91/315

Tressan Drake - Creature - Drake Flying : Return Tressan Drake to its owner's hand "Their beasts are fierce my lord...and fast as well." - Nagrock Decoy 3/3 Common #92/315

Tressan Guard - Creature - Human Wizard : Tressan Guard gains flying until end of turn. The old man heard the goblins coming. And just as their spears soared, so did he. 1/1 Common #93/315

Tressan Journeyer - Creature - Human Wizard : Return Tressan Journeyer to its owner's hand. , : Draw a card, then put Tressan Journeyer on top of its owner's library. "Quickly Spirit! We must tell the elders of what we saw coming from Coldstone." 1/2 Uncommon #94/315

Trusted Scholar - Creature - Human Wizard , : Counter target spell unless its controller pays an additional . , Sacrifice Trusted Scholar: Counter target spell. The old and the wise are usually one and the same. - Tressan saying 1/2 Uncommon #95/315

Unearthly Bond - Instant Return target creature to its owner's hand unless its controller pays . The creature grew wings and flew back home. Common #96/315

War of Favors - Enchantment Whenever a player plays a spell, all other players draw a card. Suddenly the distance between the Tressan and Joondai kingdoms got much shorter. Rare #97/315

Whisper Mage - Creature - Human Wizard , : Return target Wizard to its owner's hand. The Joondai are people of tremendous faith. Their wizard heritage has brought them just as much misfortune as good luck, but how they deal with such events is the true test of their skill. — From the Joondai Chronicles 1/3 Common #98/315

Whispering Sage - Creature - Human Wizard : Look at the top card of your Library. : Shuffle your library. Come here and I shall tell you a secret. 2/2 Common #99/315

Windspinner - Creature - Human Wizard Flying : Target creature gains flying until end of turn. The Tressan drew the most beautiful pictures with the clouds. 3/3 Uncommon #100/315