One your mana was doubled there were any number of ways to start generating massive card advantage and take over the game in short order, with Wrath of God serving as the four-drop to lead into the Wake and Mirari itself, which was usually the way things ended
Searslicer Goblin Searslicer Goblin can make 1/1 goblins every turn, and thats good on a 2-drop
Fang, Fearless l'Cie An average body, with a somewhat fiddly card draw feature, Fang gets a bit of a boost from the novelty and fun of being part of a meld pair with Vanille, Cheerful lCie turning into Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance
Also, since almost every Magic set has a relevant 5- or 10-land cycle, Im taking most of them out except those that do something relevant instead of only generating mana, like creaturelands
The cards popularity is reflected in its pricing