[mtgnexus] Random Card of the Day - North Star

[Hawk]

This isn't even that great versus storm - it doesn't stop Mind's Desire, Galvanic Relay, or Temporal Fissure, and it isn't enough of a penalty if they've got any sort of back-up on their Chatterstorm/Empty the Warrens/Crow Storm. It's basically only meaningful for exactly stopping someone from killing you, and only you, with Brain Freeze, Grapeshot, or Tendrils of Agony. It's also totally incidental versus any other targeted spells - it ain't gonna stop anyone from nuking you with a Crackle with Power or Stroke of Genius for X = 100. I'd much rather invest in Damping Sphere if I wanted to hose storm, and pay a bit more for Witchbane Orb or Orbs of Warding if I'm worried about targeted spells.

Its big advantage is that it's a bit more budget friendly than Sphere or Thorn of Amethyst, so if you specifically are building a Tribute Mage package on a budget it could be an include? But for real for real just play Sphere.

[kirkusjones]

If I was playing storm and saw that, I'd just be excited to get +1 storm count by Chain of Vapor/Mogg Salvageing it. Or just go off and then pay the 1 to blast the amulet player with Aetherflux Reservoir.

[hyalopterouslemur]

Thorn of Amethyst, Sphere of Resistance, though admittedly both are expensive. Orbs of Warding costs more, but does what this is flailing at, and asymmetrically at that! If you're in {wu} you have Rule of Law, Arcane Laboratory and friends. In b, Painful Quandary. In rg, Ruric Thar, the Unbowed.

And if you're playing Empty the Warrens or Chatterstorm and friends, you have anthems, you have Cathars' Crusade, you have Purphoros, God of the Forge. And this does nothing against Mind's Desire or Galvanic Relay or Dragonstorm or Astral Steel

And it does something against Hunting Pack (Damn, I'm being thorough.) and Aeve, Progenitor Ooze, but they still laugh in its face.

3/10 Really narrow, and there are better, more general storm hosers. Like, I don't know any white or blue Stax deck that can't benefit from Rule of Law or Arcane Lab and just running on activated and triggered abilities while using one spell per turn. *hand full of instants* I didn't say they would all be cast on my turn.

[Igzex]

I'm pretty sure this was made for standard sideboards but I would not be surprised if it didn't even see a lot of play there.

Still a card I'd love to make token copies of just for laughs.

[3drinks]

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022; Chulane, Teller of Tales

Oh boy. grabs popcorn

[PrimevalCommander]

Broken unfun card is broken and unfun...

[void_nothing]

In terms of Eldraine-era development mistakes, this one is up there. Let's give Brawl decks another try and not have multiple problem face cards?

[Guardman]

I remember my friend building a Chulane, Teller of Tales deck before he was out and just proxying Chulane in for the time being. I forget what I was playing, but I do remembered being steamrolled by him. I was like, "Chulane is broken". And his response was "I just got a good hand".

Me:

So, yeah, I knew from day zero that the Eldraine commanders had the potential to be broken. Didn't stop me from buying Korvold, Fae-Cursed King and trying to make him work in a non-broken way, but eh... It didn't work.

[void_nothing]

So, yeah, I knew from day zero that the Eldraine commanders had the potential to be broken.

Alela, Artful Provocateur and Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale are fine. But yeah, that's not what anyone talks about from that release...

[3drinks]

So, yeah, I knew from day zero that the Eldraine commanders had the potential to be broken. Didn't stop me from buying Korvold, Fae-Cursed King and trying to make him work in a non-broken way, but eh... It didn't work.

As a thought experiment, I built Korvold in an all white border deck to see if it was still busted. It was, but not as busted for whatever that's worth. Loved proc'ng Sengir Autocrat into Hell's Caretaker though.

[onering]

An absolute cancer, along with Korvold. Whenever someone has this as their commander, I'll focus everything at them.

[materpillar]

The best part of Chulane, Teller of Tales is the satisfaction you feel when he hits 11 mana and the owner dies without ever triggering him once.

In other news, I think this might be the card I hate most in this format. I'm pretty sure I'd rather get Winter Orb locked Urza, Lord High Artificer. This worst part of Chulane, Teller of Tales isnt even how good he is (I think Korvold, Fae-Cursed King is probably stronger?) it's that his turns taking for %$#% ever.

Once he pops off in a turn he's effectively immune to commander tax because the sheer amount of lands he puts into play. Usually these decks aren't even playing good wincondtions they're just playing a low curve and win by sheer amount of tiny value creatures. So you have to watch multiple triggers slowly resolve as you drown in a sea of value for the next hour because with after untapping with him once it's basically impossible to stop your opponent from untapping with him again.. At least Korvold, Fae-Cursed King has the decency to become a 21/21 and one-shot one of you every turn to put you out of your misery.

Pretty sure if some casts Chulane, Teller of Tales and then counters a removal targeted at him with Fierce Guardianship I will immediately scoop and never play with that person again.

But you know what I hate most, I designed an elf-ball storm deck based around Beast Whisperer, Concordant Crossroads and Cryptolith Rite to storm through my deck and Tendrils of Agony the table. Then, they release Chulane, Teller of Tales that basically does all of those three cards in one card. It's insulting. Also, his flavor sucks. Why does he have vigilance? Why does he have that random ass return a creature ability? I hate everything about this card.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Miserable card

[Mookie]

Chulane, Teller of Tales is the very first card in the Unreleased and New Card discussion thread, so I'm going to reference what I said there.

Chulane is... interesting. Guardian Project and Beast Whisperer already exist at four mana, so this isn't particularly new, although being in the command zone is a significant upgrade. Getting to put in lands is new, and them being untapped is sort of concerning. The second ability compares unfavorably to Roon of the Hidden Realm, but also has the ability to target itself to protect from removal, which sounds very annoying. Overall, card looks very powerful - he provides card advantage, mana advantage, and can protect himself, which ticks all three of my boxes for 'is this a good commander'. Will be interesting to compare Chulane decks to Karametra, God of Harvests decks, at least.

...I don't think my opinion of Chulane has really changed, other than the comparison to Karametra, God of Harvests being pretty off from a power level perspective - Chulane ended up being a very powerful card in the command zone, and yet another Eldraine-era mistake. The fact that the only Chulane deck I regularly play against is a meme deck playing Persistent Petitioners and it still manages to win fairly often is a testament to Chulane's power level.

[RedCheese]

One of the most boring commanders. Pure value card that makes more value. Part of Eldraine's sins

[duducrash]

During lockdown, I build a creature control/hatebears chulane deck. I eventually pivoted towards abzan so I decided to build a meme ops all mana dorks version of chulane. Somehow its the deck with my highest winning % and super boring to play with/against. I just end up having really really long turns and winning with lab maniac/jace/thoracle. Its really really rare for me to play the deck, Whenever I build a new one, I'll take it apart

[materpillar]

Chulane, Teller of Tales is the very first card in the Unreleased and New Card discussion thread, so I'm going to reference what I said there.

Chulane is... interesting. Guardian Project and Beast Whisperer already exist at four mana, so this isn't particularly new, although being in the command zone is a significant upgrade. Getting to put in lands is new, and them being untapped is sort of concerning. The second ability compares unfavorably to Roon of the Hidden Realm, but also has the ability to target itself to protect from removal, which sounds very annoying. Overall, card looks very powerful - he provides card advantage, mana advantage, and can protect himself, which ticks all three of my boxes for 'is this a good commander'. Will be interesting to compare Chulane decks to Karametra, God of Harvests decks, at least.

...I don't think my opinion of Chulane has really changed, other than the comparison to Karametra, God of Harvests being pretty off from a power level perspective - Chulane ended up being a very powerful card in the command zone, and yet another Eldraine-era mistake. The fact that the only Chulane deck I regularly play against is a meme deck playing Persistent Petitioners and it still manages to win fairly often is a testament to Chulane's power level.

There's a very short list of Chulane, Teller of Tales lists that I would agree to play against. Persistent Petitioners is one of them though.

[RxPhantom]

Chulane and every other self-contained, no effort value engine can go to hell and die. His influence is so toxic that it makes me hate Chaucer a little bit.

[Melua]

So, yeah, I knew from day zero that the Eldraine commanders had the potential to be broken.

Alela, Artful Provocateur and Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale are fine. But yeah, that's not what anyone talks about from that release...

Gwyn would have been a lot more fun as a 3/3 for 1RWB with the card text, 6cmc is just too much for an aggro commander in those colors.

[Igzex]

Same energy except Chulane officially happened somehow.

[Dunharrow]

In historic brawl on arena, when chullane starts popping off I go take a shower, I can usually come back to find they have 250 creatures in play, 65 cards in hand, and that all my permanents were bounced. I prefer showering to scooping because if they built this stupid unfun thing then I will let them goldfish until they are ready to win.

[hyalopterouslemur]

Hoooo boy, I'm actually continually surprised this guy is still legal. Normally you get "creature gives you a card" (and only a subset of creatures) or "play an extra land" but definitely not with a bounce ability as well.

What were they thinking?

[Mookie]

Hoooo boy, I'm actually continually surprised this guy is still legal. Normally you get "creature gives you a card" (and only a subset of creatures) or "play an extra land" but definitely not with a bounce ability as well.

What were they thinking?

I'd say the main reasons why Chulane is still legal are that he costs 5 mana (which makes it difficult to immediately follow up with another spell) and that he is somewhat soft to removal. There are plenty of powerful value engines in the command zone that can dominate a game if they stick around, so Chulane isn't exactly unique on that front. The main way to deal with those commanders is to keep them off the battlefield. 'Dies to Doom Blade' is a bit of a meme in terms of strikes against cards... but if you compare him to banned commanders like Golos, Tireless Pilgrim (who cuts commander tax in half) or Leovold, Emissary of Trest (who cantrips when killed), then there is a clear difference in whether or not spot removal at least feels like a viable solution. I'd actually put Derevi, Empyrial Tactician and Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow as more banworthy designs.

As for what they were thinking... 'let's print something spicy so people will actually play Brawl'?

[Venedrex]

As others have said, here's a simple thing that could have been done

Chulane, Teller of Tales > Six mana.
Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale > Five mana.

Still would be obnoxious, but it would've helped.

Not sure how conditional card draw from playing a specific creature type with equipment and then attacking with said equipment got costed more than play any creature, explore.

[toctheyounger]

My thoughts around this card extend mostly to '%$#% this card'. Thats pretty much it. Play it in a pod with me and expect to be archenemy immediately or expect to be disappointed.