All of the promos are reprints from recent sets, but only Pikachu features brand new artwork
The creature's size and ward ability were chosen to balance out the card
Restoration Magic seems almost certain to see play alongside or in place of Shardmage's Rescue, Fire Magic is an interesting tool both for and against decks like Izzet Steel-Cutter, and Thunder Magic at least has upside over Shock, though the inability to target noncreatures means it seems unlikely to supplant Burst Lightning
We do technically have fortifications in the game, but the whole idea seems clunky and slow in the context of current Standard design
This just so happens to be in the same color as token doublers like Doubling Season, Primal Vigor, or Parallel Lives
Village Rites and Plumb the Forbidden allow us to turn those creatures into extra cards while also making more Pests with Sedgemoor Witch and possibly triggering Dramatic Finale as well