Why is Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts Not More Popular?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on July 4, 2019, 12:23 a.m. by DemonDragonJ
Teysa Karlov has quickly become one of the most popular black/white generals for EDH in this game, and the first incarnation of the character, Teysa, Orzhov Scion has remained popular, as well, but her second incarnation, Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts , is considerably less popular, which I find to be unfortunate, since that version is my favorite of the three.
Why is that? Is it because her mana cost is very high? What does everyone else say about that?
She’s kind of just an expensive No Mercy that gets you blockers. I’d say people would play spirits but with no blue you lose a lot of the spirit synergy. It’s hard to build a deck around the card No Mercy , and with Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts that’s what a lot of players see her as. A No Mercy in the command zone.
July 4, 2019 7:53 a.m.
yeah even if big teysa cost 3 cmc as a 2/2 without vigilance she'd be infinitely less popular still from the rest of the Karlov family options. all she does is tell people to not attack you, while teysa's other printings can be broken for interesting card interactions.
In a format where 3+ players is expected she just politics opponent's away from attacking you, while most other w/b commanders prefer to just kill them all.
July 4, 2019 8:36 a.m.
DrukenReaps says... #6
Her CMC and that she will generally be a voltron commander. Since she can't be blocked it is a great way to build her and she defends you by threatening to kill anything that attacks. Voltron is rather unpopular though as it is usually over-reliant on the commander.
July 4, 2019 3:22 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #8
SMASHER101, I personally believe that she could have cost 6 mana and still have been balanced.
July 14, 2019 9:43 p.m.
SMASHER101 says... #9
DemonDragonJ it could have cost 5 and still be fine because I rarely see anyone play No Mercy and this is only slightly better and easier to remove.
July 15, 2019 10:04 a.m.
SP3CTR3_chelts says... #10
this is much better than no mercy!
An enchantment that reads "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, destroy that creature. Put a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield" might be able to be costed at cmc 5 but teyssa should not be bellow 6. She is a vigilant unblock-able 4/4 that does not take combat damage.
July 15, 2019 10:29 a.m.
SMASHER101 says... #11
Still wouldn't be busted. Maybe better than No Mercy but there are plenty of must kill creatures and this one dies like all the rest because it has not protection from removal.
July 15, 2019 1:15 p.m.
SP3CTR3_chelts says... #12
agreed it would not be busted at cmc 5 but i do not think it would be balanced. personally at cmc 7 i think it it a better card than no mercy.
Free_Iona says... #2
7 CMC is simply too high for Orzhov. I think she has a spot in the 99 of a lot of Orzhov decks, but I don't think her ability is powerful enough for that mana cost. By t7 your opponents have seen her coming and are prepared. Teysa Karlov by comparison is reasonably costed, with a very strong, build-around ability.
July 4, 2019 12:30 a.m.