I love how we go from great cards to gate and...this.
That said amazing art. If you want a chuckle think of the eldrazi war and this lizard commander "tapping" himself and his army buddy to do one insignificant damage to an eldrazi monster.
Yeah, I have never, ever been tempted to play this guy in my 5-Color Allies deck. In fact, I don't play anything with the Cohort mechanic in that deck. This guy is bad even compared to other cohort cards.
I do believe Cohort has been rated as the most disliked mechanic ever.
Really? It's more disliked than... *shuffles through Kamigawa cards* Sweep?
Charge across the Araba is a really legit card at least. It's good that they don't make you return as an additional cost for the spell, in the case of countermagic, but since only a few cards were made for sweep, really dumb that it was a keyword at all.
Personally I think double face cards are cool but terrible at the same time. Having to pull cards out of sleeves to flip them is such a hassle, and damages the cards over time.
Zada's Commando does have one thing going for it though: 1R for a 2/1 with First Strike and no draw-backs. How often does red get such a great deal on a creature? That said, this is still just kind of a limited chaff kind of card. Cohort lives up to it's reputation as one of the worst mechanics ever used by WotC, because the pay-off here is hilariously not worth the cost. Maybe if you're in a board stall, this guy can grind his way towards your victory, but it's so bad and so slow. This is also only good in limited. In EDH constructed, this guy is just bad. His second ability is even worse in this format, because he only does a single point of damage for tapping two creatures, and he only targets one guy! One guy! Not even an "each opponent" clause.
This card belongs in your pauper cube, or your bad pauper decks, but not your EDH deck.
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Legacy: UWRMiraclesUWR
Modern: WUBEsper ControlWUB
EDH: UTalrand SpellslingerCopy Cat KiegaU BEndrek Sahr AristocratsB WBRZurgo, False GodWBR WIP RUGWWRikuRUG WIP WUBRGChild of Alara SpellslingerWUBRG
That article shows that, at least since they've been doing market research, Cohort is the worst scoring mechanic EVER. In fact, 3 of the 4 worst scoring mechanics come out of the BFZ block with Support, Converge and Cohort joining Megamorph...
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
That article shows that, at least since they've been doing market research, Cohort is the worst scoring mechanic EVER. In fact, 3 of the 4 worst scoring mechanics come out of the BFZ block with Support, Converge and Cohort joining Megamorph...
I'm not sure when they started doing market research though. Good chance it was after kamigawa.
I don't think there's anything so terribly bad about it as a mechanic, I had a few pretty sweet limited decks that revolved around it. That 1/4 vamp dude was awesome. None of them are really capable of scaling into EDH though. Maybe the munda's vanguard, but not really. If I'm going to play a tribe so I can tap a dude to give them all +1 counters, I think I'll take steel overseer if it's all the same.
Zada's commando was a fine limited card, certainly not playable in EDH ever. Though who knows, I've recently added field of dreams, jace's erasure, and aradara express to my collection, so maybe anything's possible.
Yeah, I have never, ever been tempted to play this guy in my 5-Color Allies deck. In fact, I don't play anything with the Cohort mechanic in that deck. This guy is bad even compared to other cohort cards.
The cohort mechanic is terrible, I'm running all of two of them in my own 5C allies. Munda's Vanguard is at least an acceptable pump and Malakir Soothsayer is a solid body (for ally tribal) that will occasionally net you some cards when nothing else is going on.
Still rarely particularly happy to see either of them, and I'm proabably about to swap out both of them for Adaptive Automaton and Metallic Mimic.
So...Goad. Anyone done anything with it? And with this pretty bird in particular?
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
This is my absolute favorite Con2 card and I've been known to blow up my entire cube draft and switch to blue if I see one in a later pack. In commander it probably costs too much to see play, but a repeated way to force your opponents to attack each other shouldn't be underestimated.
As for the related question - I run Grenzo, Havoc Raiser goblins and I absolutely love it. It's not as good as Krenko but it's very close and actually has a few better match-ups. Goading all the other creatures at the table never gets old.
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EDH playing competitive Magic cast away
Current Decks GTitania midrange RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
It's cute. Reminds me of provoke. (Obviously attacking instead of blocking.)
It was good in limited. Haven't had much success in EDH, though Grenzo is kinda cute in something like Saskia where you're constantly attacking. (And useful for getting triple-of-one-color and other hard-to-cast mana costs, if you have some way to manipulate the top of your library.)
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I generally like the goad effects, especially Besmirch. Steal something with it, smash the owner or someone else, then give it back and it has to again attack someone other than you. What's not to like about that in a format in which people play big threats? Grenzo, Havoc Raiser is strong as well.
I personally like it as it breaks some social contracts that players might have with each other like some kingmaker shenanigans. It also makes a lot of sense flavor wise in EDH for red to be good at playing people against each other.
Yeah, I'm all for Dulcet Sirens too, the old-skool goad before it was cool.
As for Coveted Peacock, this is another card where the name sets you up to expect something cooler than what the card actually does. I was expecting something that would make players fight for control over it.
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Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
This wants to be good, really. It's just "meh" most of the time, that it usually gets cut. I think your best bet is trying to abuse its ability rather than to take advantage of the cheap body. By that I mean using card like the aforementioned Tainted Remedy or False Cure rather than paving the way for it to connect for 6. Although, Erebos negates the downside, so there's that.
That said, there's really not enough for False Kavu in Commander, the way Underworld Dreams has Nekusar and plenty of support like Prosperity and Forced Fruition.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Haha that pic is amazing.
Really? It's more disliked than... *shuffles through Kamigawa cards* Sweep?
Charge across the Araba is a really legit card at least. It's good that they don't make you return as an additional cost for the spell, in the case of countermagic, but since only a few cards were made for sweep, really dumb that it was a keyword at all.
Personally I think double face cards are cool but terrible at the same time. Having to pull cards out of sleeves to flip them is such a hassle, and damages the cards over time.
Charge Across The Araba is a slick card though. Instant speed sneaky lethal is better than anything cohort's doing.
This card belongs in your pauper cube, or your bad pauper decks, but not your EDH deck.
Modern: WUBEsper ControlWUB
EDH:
U
Talrand SpellslingerCopy Cat KiegaUBEndrek Sahr AristocratsB
WBRZurgo, False GodWBR WIP
RUGWWRikuRUG WIP
WUBRGChild of Alara SpellslingerWUBRG
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/storm-scale-zendikar-and-battle-zendikar-2016-11-21
That article shows that, at least since they've been doing market research, Cohort is the worst scoring mechanic EVER. In fact, 3 of the 4 worst scoring mechanics come out of the BFZ block with Support, Converge and Cohort joining Megamorph...
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
I don't think there's anything so terribly bad about it as a mechanic, I had a few pretty sweet limited decks that revolved around it. That 1/4 vamp dude was awesome. None of them are really capable of scaling into EDH though. Maybe the munda's vanguard, but not really. If I'm going to play a tribe so I can tap a dude to give them all +1 counters, I think I'll take steel overseer if it's all the same.
Zada's commando was a fine limited card, certainly not playable in EDH ever. Though who knows, I've recently added field of dreams, jace's erasure, and aradara express to my collection, so maybe anything's possible.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Marath, Will of the Wild
Friendly Kess Twin Combo
Tatyova - Sir Bounce A Lot
Gonti's Luxury Pie
Prime (Eldrazi) Speaker Zegana (Retired)
The cohort mechanic is terrible, I'm running all of two of them in my own 5C allies. Munda's Vanguard is at least an acceptable pump and Malakir Soothsayer is a solid body (for ally tribal) that will occasionally net you some cards when nothing else is going on.
Still rarely particularly happy to see either of them, and I'm proabably about to swap out both of them for Adaptive Automaton and Metallic Mimic.
I could see Stoneforge Acolyte being not entirely terrible in something built around Akiri, Line-Slinger.
So...Goad. Anyone done anything with it? And with this pretty bird in particular?
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Goad isn't a horrible mechanic, just not worth a deck theme in my eyes
As for the related question - I run Grenzo, Havoc Raiser goblins and I absolutely love it. It's not as good as Krenko but it's very close and actually has a few better match-ups. Goading all the other creatures at the table never gets old.
Current Decks
GTitania midrange
RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal
GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron
U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher
RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
It was good in limited. Haven't had much success in EDH, though Grenzo is kinda cute in something like Saskia where you're constantly attacking. (And useful for getting triple-of-one-color and other hard-to-cast mana costs, if you have some way to manipulate the top of your library.)
On phasing:
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
As for Coveted Peacock, this is another card where the name sets you up to expect something cooler than what the card actually does. I was expecting something that would make players fight for control over it.
Such tech in Tainted Remedy decks.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Abzan False Kavu? Or not-blue False Kavu, with Grove of the Burnwillows and Punishing Fire in red?
That said, there's really not enough for False Kavu in Commander, the way Underworld Dreams has Nekusar and plenty of support like Prosperity and Forced Fruition.
On phasing:
I actually do this; when it works, tis a thing of beauty.
Cheers!
Krichaiushii on PucaTrade.