What is your opinion on Chaos Warp?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Dec. 22, 2022, 7:43 a.m. by Lopende_Band
I run a red / blue spellslinger deck, so a common suggestion I hear is to add Chaos Warp in my deck. I know that is used very often in commander, but I am still hesitant based on the potential drawback of my opponent getting something better. (I like to very much be in control and have full information).
Do you guys think Chaos Warp (and other red choas plays) are worth playing and why?
Thank you for your input!
It's a card you have to know when to use. But it hits all permanent types and gets around industrctable
December 22, 2022 8:33 a.m.
plakjekaas says... #4
Even if the card backfires, it usually gives amazing stories and memorable games :D
December 22, 2022 10:59 a.m.
If you are worried Chaos Warp will get your opponent a better card, you are not casting it at the right time. Instead, wait until a game winning scenario is imminent; at that point, you have nothing left to lose and everything to gain.
December 22, 2022 11:23 a.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #6
Almost everyone warps a problem permanent, usually in response to something kicking off in order to disrupt a combo or lethal damage.
I like to warp my own stuff and let my decks speak for themselves.
December 22, 2022 11:40 a.m.
In most cases, using Chaos Warp to remove a troublesome permanent, such has Smothering Tithe is worth the risk. In general, speaking removal wise, it is hard for a red and blue commander deck to deal with on board enchantments. (You would have to counter them beforehand.) Chaos Warp helps remedy these situations.
December 22, 2022 2:32 p.m.
Warp is a really versatile 'solution' card, and people today love to run less removal in total, but have it be as versatile as possible, so people will sometimes run something like Chaos Warp in a deck with access to White or Green (the colours best at getting unwanted permanents off the board), it's another Generous Gift/Beast Within. I have one deck that leaned into this idea, and it did so because 99 cards is cramped for 5 colour Sisay, you want too many lands, too much ramp, and need too many dumb Legendary cards to actually win, though that deck doesn't run Chaos Warp, instead running a Swords to supplement Gift and Beast. As an experiment, I'm not 100% happy with it but I think it's a very playable deck, and because it had so much space I could fit in 11 Shrines (the first 11), so the deck can actually durdle if it wants, and that durdle can do lots of fun stuff. That's the kind of deck where you might run Chaos Warp even if stuff like Utter End exists, Chaos Warp is cheaper/easier to cast but I capped out at 3 dedicated removal and Warp didn't make the cut because I was especially worried about fast, consistent creature driven decks, so I stuck with a Swords but I could see myself switching in a Chaos Warp.
Put more succinctly, I think Chaos Warp offer a really, really versatile removal spell even if it has a potential downside. As EnbyGolem pointed out above, you use it to solve just about any combo that is set up, provided you can use it at the 'critical moment', at which point any other card in the opponent's deck is almost certainly less of a threat than their infinite combo.
Is it the right choice to run Chaos Warp in Izzet? I think it depends a bit, are people in your area running deeply frustrating Enchantments, and do you regularly find yourself wanting more removal that will hit nearly anything (vs combo you often want removal, but vs big clunky board states you likely need a wipe, so Chaos Warp is probably not a card I'd run in a lower power deck, where it's going to flip into an Impervious Greatwurm or something)?
December 22, 2022 2:36 p.m.
griffstick says... #9
I love the card it's a fun card. And there is never any animosity towards the player because they get to do some roulette fun
December 22, 2022 2:37 p.m.
I think the main thing is that it is no restrictions removal spell for high value targets. you should use it on targets where there is very little in their deck that could possibly be better than what you are removing or you have other removal but nothing that can hit this particular problem.
December 22, 2022 9:55 p.m.
plakjekaas says... #11
I flipped Chaos Warp off a turn two Jeska's Will once, with no better target than an opponent's Sol Ring. I think I turned it into Emrakul, the Promised End and I have no regrets. That player was my friend for the rest of the game, or at least until I used Settle the Wreckage when it finally had to attack me.
That game still comes up in conversation whenever Chaos Warp is used a tad frivolously in my group. I think I rebuilt my Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire after that, so I can do it every turn :D
December 23, 2022 2:56 a.m.
Max_Hammer says... #12
Chaos Warp can be goofy sometimes, but it's fun anyway. Plus, it can always be there to hit one of your own tokens, worst case scenario.
Red just has a hard time removing enchantments and really big creatures effectively with low mana. Three mana to exile Emrakul, the Promised End at instant speed? That's a good deal.
It is a great card... As an emergency button. Any other use is (usually) suicidal.
January 1, 2023 3:56 a.m.
plakjekaas says... #13
Emrakul, the Promised End has protection from instants '^^
January 1, 2023 9:25 a.m.
Max_Hammer says... #14
Huh, who knew reading the card explains the card? Exiling a... uhm... Withengar Unbound, eh?
Usually it will be a lot of mana sunk into something that is now very, very dead. And if its not, then oh well. You replaced one wincon with another, so be it.
Grubbernaut says... #2
To me, it's a mono red card. I'd rather bounce a problem enchantment on end step with blue cards. Everything else, you can remove as normal with red and blue.
December 22, 2022 7:50 a.m.