The cost of playing four Pack Rats is cutting some number of removal spells from your deck, which makes you less interactive with all of the other creature-based devotion decks, but it gives you a proactive game plan that often forces them to interact with you in ways they arent prepared to do
Many standout cards reward you for hitting key thresholds (especially four willpower), turning small edges into powerful momentum shifts
[spoiler=Herald of the Sacred Scales] Once per turn, during either players turn, if a Chain involving a Counter Trap Card(s) finishes resolving
Its also true that Wizards stands to benefit financially from such unbans and the eventual reprints
Since Basim Ibn Ishaq is seeing play in Modern, the card's value is higher than most included in the set, with the Showcase version going for the most due to how much harder it is to obtain than the base (which also has solid value in its own right)
So long as Myrel is in play, your opponent cannot cast spells or activate the abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments during your turn