MTG Salvation

Getting Exalted killed at instant speed after unmorphing, especially in turn four, is also sometimes a blowout. It is true you do not have to walk into removal, but often enough you cannot afford to wait/do not have better plays. We do not play Wildfire, so Exalted is worse for us and is basically a glorified red aggro hoser. Gisela is worse against that deck but is still a must-answer card. It is likely a significantly better creature against the rest of the field and is more playable in non-control decks.

Agreed. It's certainly not strictly better by any measurement. But I think it's better in the situations where I really ned it to be.

If I'm playing red vs a deck with white and they play a morph, I'm going to bolt that thing before it has a chance to do anything.

Quote from hardb0dy »

If I'm playing red vs a deck with white and they play a morph, I'm going to bolt that thing before it has a chance to do anything.

Of course. Assuming they have the bolt already. Once you morph the Angel, it's safe from topdecked burn. And in the case where they already have the burn spell, at least you only paid 3 instead of 2WW, making the investment better for you anyways.

Very interested to see how this Exalted Angel vs Baneslayer Angel vs Gisela, the Broken Blade debate turns out. I run Baneslayer atm and I'm not sure what to do with it now.

I personally think Exalted Angel is better than Baneslayer Angel in most powered cubes.

So, I'd really like to run this, but currently run the following 4-drops:

• Exalted Angel
  
• Hero of Bladehold
  
• Jazal Goldmane
  
• Kor Sanctifiers
  
• Restoration Angel
  
• Secure the Wastes

I count Secure the Wastes here because it gets cast for 3 guys reasonably often. I don't want to cut Exalted, Resto, or Hero, but am wondering if this might make the cut over Jazal or Sanctifiers. They both support different decks than Gisela, and I do also run Baneslayer, so I guess the question is whether adding Gisela on top of Baneslayer and Exalted is too many lifelinking angels.

It is better than both Jazal and Sanctifiers, yes.

Quote from Ennex »

I'm just curious. What does power have to do with Exalted Angel? Just because of the higher pace of the format, or do I miss something?

Yeah, a early unanswered EA can put a game out of reach for some decks pretty quickly. In an unpowered cube in which Midrange reigns, the pace is slower, typic archetypes are different and there's less low costed creatures, making the Exalted Angel a bit less exciting. The window for it to excel is smaller, making it more equivalent in terms of powerlevel to Baneslayer Angel.

Gisela seems like a solid control creature. I don't think she's what I'm looking for in a 4-drop, though. I want risky and explosive or durable and resource-gaining. She's just a completely fair lifegain blocker and flyer.

It is better than both Jazal and Sanctifiers, yes.

I'm not so sure about that. I have no plans to cut Kor Sanctifiers for this, as Disenchant on a creature is something I value quite highly for my cube. I don't run Jazal now, but I prefer Jazal to this creature because it's more resistant to removal and it's an additional anthem on a body which supports token decks.

Gisela is a French vanilla creature that supports no particular archetype and fails the Lightning Bolt test in one of the most competitive CMC slots in cube. Hard pass for me.

Testing so far has been quite positive, and it has played better than those other creatures for us. When the toughness matters, it can be a bummer. But outside of those windows, it dominates the board and pretty much every creature in the cube at or around its CMC.

The only place I'll really miss Sanctifiers is in Sealed Deck, but for draft, I think this is a far better overall creature. And it's way better than Jazal. The risk is worth the reward, at least so far.

And for the whole "not supporting a specific deck" thing, my Moat/'Quake shells have been looking closely for a hard-hitting 4cc flying threat, and she slots in perfectly there.

Gisela supports all decks. Gisela's power is in her versatility. She can be both an aggro curvetoper, a midrange beater or a control anti aggro / finisher card. She is one card fulfilling multiple roles, freeing you slots you would otherwise have to dedicate to more middle drops for other purposes.
I'm currently cubing Jazal, and I'd be very surprised if she didn't see a lot more play than he ever will.

Does anyone have any new thoughts on this?
I currently run

• Restoration angel
  
• Spectral Procession
  
• Battle Screech
  
• Emeria Angel
  
• Galepowder Mage
  
• Hero of Badehold

For reference, my cube is 360 unpowered.
I feel Like Emeria Angel might be the cut? I do run a suite of land fall creatures though
Mainly

• Steppe Lynx
  
• Plated Geopede
  
• scythe leopard
  
• Avenger of Zendikar
  

I haven't had the chance to play Gisela yet, but general opinion seems to be positive.

I'd cut either Battle Screech or Galepowder Mage.

Screech, Emeria and Mage are all cuttable from that list.

So far Gisela has been all-around better than Exalted Angel. While there are some decks that would benefit more from Exalted, the power level is 80/20 in Gisela's favor. That being said, I don't think they compete 100% because Exalted is like a weird 3-drop of sorts.

I feel like BSA is more important than Gisela. 5 toughness really does matter.

Gisela has been pretty solid. No complaints about her powerlevel.

Gisela, the Broken Blade was discussed here in the Random Cube Card of the Day Thread. Come meld in with the crowd and become one with the thread.

(Spoiler: Gisela is a solid mid-cost beater that works as an agro finisher, mid-range beater or a great way for control to stabilize. As always, 4 drops in white are super competitive so there are always other options that might work better for you but she is really strong.)