Holy crap, this is easily my favorite Companion of the bunch, hell probably my favorite card of the entire set, period. A very reasonable Commander, a manageable Companion and a fantastic build-around-me card, all in a color duo that desperately needs an identity other than Aggro.dek. The fact that it's a cool Fox with a fantastic art only makes it better.
Sadly, it will also be the one Companion that causes game losses the most. Not because it's broken and will own games, but because you just know that someone that isn't fully aware on what "activated ability" exactly entails will play this as Companion and get disqualified in some FNM event.
I love that this card is not combat focused, which is rare for RW commanders, but still helps combat-based decks indirectly through helping to ramp through equip costs faster, reduces the costs of repeatable token generators like Mobilization/Dawn of Hope, makes Needle Spires and Rogue's Passage very inexpensive to activate, speeds up Burnished Hart/Wayfarer's Bauble, etc. Plus, many mechanics are activated abilities, Cycling most notably.
Well Zirda encourages combat with the no blocking ability, It reminds me of Feather, where you can justify the ability for a combat build but its open ended enough to build something different you want too.
Ehhhh, the ability doesn't get in the way of combat and can sometimes be incidentally helpful, but I don't think it actively encourages combat, but your point definitely stands that Zirda can support a wide variety of deck types.
Oh not saying this your combat focused creature/commander/companion, just that cares just enough to keep it feeling Boros.
Private Mod Note
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“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
So while trying to find cards that would work with Zirda, the Dawnwaker I came across: Rebels.
Obviously Rebels already have a commander leader in the form of Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero. Zirda could really make Lin Sivvi shine if run as the commander instead. As the deck now is filled with a bunch of tutors whose activation cost is discounted. Lin Sivvi herself could now find any rebel, non-changeling card, for 4 instead of 6.
True, but you still can run it as a commander instead of a companion, and get around the deck building restriction. But yeah, look for the colon in the ability.
Arkham, the 1920's. Investigators battle horrors from beyond time and space, risking life and sanity while conspiracies of cultists and malign servitors seek gateways for their outer gods to return...
Soon, the stars will be right! Great Cthulhu shall rise!
So while trying to find cards that would work with Zirda, the Dawnwaker I came across: Rebels.
Obviously Rebels already have a commander leader in the form of Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero. Zirda could really make Lin Sivvi shine if run as the commander instead. As the deck now is filled with a bunch of tutors whose activation cost is discounted. Lin Sivvi herself could now find any rebel, non-changeling card, for 4 instead of 6.
Yup, this thought crossed my mind as well. Although, as ridiculously powerful as Rebels decks were twenty years ago, I'm not sure the tribe is as potent since you'd need to run some substandard cards if Rebels is your major theme. But that said, the utility of fetching creatures from the deck right to the board at instant speed cannot be understated and that kind of consistency in Commander is hard to come by. For maximum utility, give your Rebel recruiters vigilance so you can have it all!
Shield Dancer plays well with both themes, which is cool. A rebel with an ability that activating cheaper makes even better. Ballista Squad, too, I suppose. But I think the deck would need something else, I'd probably go with equipment/activated abilities beyond just the Rebels themselves to flesh it out and give better options since I'm not ever going to run more than half the Rebels in print.
Eli Shiffrin confirmed on Twitter that Zirda, the Dawnwaker also reduces the cost of activated abilities that only work in other zones like cycling and scavenge because it doesn't say "activated abilities of permanents", just activated abilities. This means if you have Zirda out, you can cycle Krosan Tusker for G.
Please, mill me. Mill my important cards. Mill my lands. Mill it all. Because I will still deal 20 damage before you can mill 45 cards most every time.
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Sadly, it will also be the one Companion that causes game losses the most. Not because it's broken and will own games, but because you just know that someone that isn't fully aware on what "activated ability" exactly entails will play this as Companion and get disqualified in some FNM event.
Oh not saying this your combat focused creature/commander/companion, just that cares just enough to keep it feeling Boros.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
The greatest creature of all time
Obviously Rebels already have a commander leader in the form of Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero. Zirda could really make Lin Sivvi shine if run as the commander instead. As the deck now is filled with a bunch of tutors whose activation cost is discounted. Lin Sivvi herself could now find any rebel, non-changeling card, for 4 instead of 6.
BAfter the lights go out on you, after your worthless life is through. I will remember how you scream...B
True, but you still can run it as a commander instead of a companion, and get around the deck building restriction. But yeah, look for the colon in the ability.
• Call of Cthulhu CCG Servitor for the Netherlands!
Arkham, the 1920's. Investigators battle horrors from beyond time and space, risking life and sanity while conspiracies of cultists and malign servitors seek gateways for their outer gods to return...
Soon, the stars will be right! Great Cthulhu shall rise!
Yup, this thought crossed my mind as well. Although, as ridiculously powerful as Rebels decks were twenty years ago, I'm not sure the tribe is as potent since you'd need to run some substandard cards if Rebels is your major theme. But that said, the utility of fetching creatures from the deck right to the board at instant speed cannot be understated and that kind of consistency in Commander is hard to come by. For maximum utility, give your Rebel recruiters vigilance so you can have it all!
Shield Dancer plays well with both themes, which is cool. A rebel with an ability that activating cheaper makes even better. Ballista Squad, too, I suppose. But I think the deck would need something else, I'd probably go with equipment/activated abilities beyond just the Rebels themselves to flesh it out and give better options since I'm not ever going to run more than half the Rebels in print.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Cascading Cataracts now effectively taps for two mana. Edit: this doesn't actually work, the companion specifies non-mana-abilities.
War Cadence costs R to tax blockers for 2, RR for 4...
Glory can protect from every color for WWWWW, or simply imitate Brave the Elements.
Vengeful Archon is now as efficient as Lightning Bolt.
Frontier Guide is as efficient as Rampant Growth.
Duskwatch Recruiter effectively draws a card for G.
Soulbright Flamekin makes RRRRRRRR for 3.
Kusari-Gama is terrifying.
Feral Animist can double its power for 1, get up to 128/1 for 6. or 1024/1 for 9!
And I plan to put all these into an activated ability-themed Zacama, Primal Calamity