Shatterskull Charger

Creature — Giant Warrior

Kicker {2} (You may pay an additional {2} as you cast this spell.)

Trample, haste

If Shatterskull Charger was kicked, it enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter.

At the beginning of the end phase, if Shatterskull Charger doesn't have a +1/+1 counter on it, return it to its owner's hand.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Pre-release	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Standard	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (8)

zetsu.nitram on Hush Titan 2.0 copy

1 year ago

I love that you want to play Luminarch Aspirant , the card is strong on its own, the main reason I played it was for Shatterskull Charger , was my Timmy card from Zendikar Rising. Glad you are excited about the wwarsinger, please let me know how it works out for you, I love it as well :)

Sorin_Markov_1947 on Giant Trouble in Little Standard

2 years ago

Invasion of the Giants is an immediate four-of. That card does anything you want it to. Battle of Frost and Fire if you're playing against a lot of creature decks should be a four-of, but I think three is fine. You probably don't want Embercleave, as giants go big and not wide.

I think you have enough three-drops that Beanstalk Giant is pretty low on the priority list. I think you could easily cut it and help your manabase as well. Speaking of manabase, add in a land or two. Giants goes big! Shatterskull Smashing  ^Flip is a decent option for how much mana you want.

Cyclone Summoner is a good top-end, maybe even sooner with Invasion of the Giants. It's basically a Cyclonic Rift in Standard. Thryx, the Sudden Storm is another possibility as a flash blocker that makes Cyclone Summoner cheaper, but that's up to you. It's a meh. Now what I consider is not a meh is Shatterskull Charger . Very underrated card. It's a giant, you get the option of making it immune to wipes/sorcery removal and just get in a few extra damage, or making it a solid haste giant. Basalt Ravager and/or Shatterskull Smashing  ^Flip is an alternative to Squash , though Basalt Ravager has kind of let me down. A 4/2 is just so easy to kill.

If you need more to cut after Embercleave and Beanstalk Giant, cut Crystalline Giant. With Shatterskull Charger, you've still got that three-slot (kind of) and Crystalline is just kind of meh as well. It's random if it becomes good and is mainly just a 3/3 for 3.

A friend of mine made a build of Izzet Giants with these changes and some more and had good success in the play queue. If you play it a good bit, it might even get you up to plat. Here's his video showing how well it does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JF1aHemcL8

jamochawoke on

2 years ago

I like how the guy above this comment just casually strolls in and tells you to put in a bunch of moxen...

That said, warriors is one of my favorite tribes and I've made a ton of decks with them! Plus Najeela is such a badass commander! These are my suggestions that you haven't included and could serve as some better synergy with your deck than your non-warriors:

huge detailed list of warriors with combos and shenanigans

• Winota, Joiner of Forces for deck filtering, extra combat step power, and a tutor for your human warriors.
• Samut, Voice of Dissent to give all your creatures haste and she's incredibly powerful in and of herself, can give pseudo vigilance or enable tap/untap shenanigans with her second ability, and she has Flash.
• Garna, the Bloodflame gives your creatures haste and has Flash like Samut. She also helps you instantly recover from board wipes (in my meta boardwipes are so rampant my playgroup has started to implement restrictions on how many can be put into decks, yours may be different).
• Tahngarth, First Mate is a great way to engage politically with the board.
• Harald, King of Skemfar tutors the top 5 of your deck for warriors.
• Varolz, the Scar-Striped also helps you recover from wipes or having your big creatures removed with his scavenge ability.
• Maja, Bretagard Protector she can net you a lot of warrior tokens, especially if you have ways to bounce lands or play extra lands.
• Rhys the Redeemed gets you a lot of warrior elf tokens over the course of a game if you can get him out early.
• Kresh the Bloodbraided helps you recover from removal (but not wipes) in a better way than Varolz.
• Surrak Dragonclaw makes all your warriors uncounterable.
• Zurgo Helmsmasher one of the biggest warrior beat-sticks available to you, and he has haste. His cheap cmc also makes him a huge target while his indestructible clause lets you build other threats on your board while they figure out how to deal with him.
• Nadier, Agent of the Duskenel one of the most perfect ways to recover from a board wipe by putting a massive amount of tokens on the field once he dies (can also use blink or graveyard recursion on him to make more).
• Anthousa, Setessan Hero makes your lands warriors. Works really well with Maja.
• Jedit Ojanen of Efrava makes tons of cat warrior tokens.
• Sosuke, Son of Seshiro gives all your warriors pseudo-deathtouch.
• Yasova Dragonclaw steals their creatures.
• Alesha, Who Smiles at Death gives you graveyard recursion for your low CMC warriors and works really well with ones with ETB's.
• Chief of the Edge should be an auto-include. Chief of the Scale is ok if you are running toughness or need the toughness for certain spells or something, but yeah Chief of the Edge is absolutely where it's at.
• Honored Crop-Captain like Chief of the Edge but only works while attacking.
• Resolute Survivors keeps you in long games
• Brawl-Bash Ogre is a good sac outlet for tokens you aren't using/don't need.
• Proud Wildbonder works REALLY well with Bramblewood Paragon's effect. Also works with Khenra Charioteer
• Rubblebelt Raiders can get absolutely huge with tokens on the board.
• Scuzzback Marauders isn't just a good beatstick, with Persist it can combo off with any of your sac outlets and Bramblewood Paragon.
• Moriok Replica works really good with Alesha for continuous card draw.
• Avenging Huntbonder keeps dishing out the double strike onto your other creatures every turn.
• Blaring Recruiter make warrior tokens.
• Hidden Dragonslayer morph ability takes out your opponents biggest threats.
• Den Protector is great graveyard recursion.
• Nacatl Hunt-Pride lets you control the combat step to your liking.
• Paired Tactician just some nice synergy.
• Mardu Woe-Reaper graveyard removal with every warrior ETB. More important than you think!
• Seasoned Hallowblade just a really strong and low CMC card that will stay on the battlefield throughout an entire game more often than not.
• Steward of Solidarity free vigi warrior token generation every 2 turns or a lot every turn with untap shenanigans.
• Usher of the Fallen the cheapest warrior token creation you can find.
• Battle Brawler with just a single red or white permanent on the battlefield becomes super strong. With Chief of the Edge he becomes a 4 power first strike for 2 mana... not bad.
• Blaring Captain partners with Blaring Recruiter and has Honored Crop-Captain's effect.
• Blood-Chin Fanatic a MUST in any warrior tribal that includes black and makes tokens or pumps a single warrior's power to an absurd level. This card can single handedly win you a game.
• Blood-Chin Rager gives all your warriors menace.
• Champion of Stray Souls expensive, but can recover your entire board very quickly.
• Exquisite Huntmaster an extremely underrated card that can net you a ton of elf warrior tokens in a multiplayer match while also being a beater.
• Mardu Strike Leader using its dash ability can keep it safe from removal. Also makes a 2/1 warrior token every turn.
• Mindblade Render keeps the card draw going off of warrior damage.
• Nadier's Nightblade combos EXTREMELY well with Blood-Chin Fanatic and also with any other sac outlet.
• Sickle Dancer a 4/3 flier when attacking isn't bad for cmc 3.
• Thrasher Brute forms a combo with Scuzzback Marauders and any of the sac outlet warriors.
• Titan Hunter gives combo and solitaire players a clock while also giving you a convenient sac outlet with lifegain.
• Vampire Warlord sac outlet with regenerate.
• Herald of Secret Streams combos really well with Bramblewood Paragon to give your warriors unblockable.
• Nimbus Champion can keep the board clear of annoying blockers.
• Whirlpool Warrior wheel effect on a stick.
• Ahn-Crop Invader another beater sac outlet.
• Archetype of Aggression combos with Proud Wildbonder and keeps your opponents from gaining trample.
• Ash Zealot punish those blue and black decks that like to keep casting their spells over and over from the graveyard!
• Boldwyr Heavyweights tutor for your game ending creature and put it into play for free. Sure your opponents get a tutor too... but it's your turn, and your combat, and you have Najeela...
• Boldwyr Intimidator COWARDS CAN'T BLOCK WARRIORS!
• Kargan Intimidator COWARDS CAN'T BLOCK WARRIORS! FOR CHEAPER!
• Combat Celebrant those additonal combat steps are... chef's kiss
• Frenzied Saddlebrute ridiculously fun political ability.
• Goblin Bushwhacker can end a game if you just laid out a bunch of tokens that turn.
• Goblin Cratermaker get rid of annoying artifacts or spot removal... likes to work with Alesha.
• Goma Fada Vanguard choose a creature to not block each turn based on warriors.
• Kruin Striker strong and cheap card that gets out of hand with sac combos or mass token generation.
• Shatterskull Charger pseudo dash effect with a bunch of other strong abilities.
• Rustrazor Butcher extremely underrated card. First strike and wither for 2 CMC! Can buff it a number of ways to surprise an enemy in combat too.
• Vengeful Firebrand basically a fireball on a stick as long as you have a warrior in the yard.
• Viashino Sandsprinter pseudo dash effect with trample. Has cycling if you need something else.
• Champion of Rhonas cheat whatever creature you want from hand onto the battlefield with no downside.
• Civic Wayfinder helps you get the right colors you need.
• Duskwatch Recruiter  ^Flip dig through your library for more warriors.
• Golgari Raiders green haste that gets huge if you just suffered a boardwipe.
• Heir of the Wilds just a very strong presence for 2 CMC.
• Imperious Perfect elf warrior token generation.
• Horizon Seeker repeatable color fixing.
• Icehide Troll very, very strong and hard to remove creature. Needs snow lands though.
• Maulfist Revolutionary better version of proliferate.
• Matsu-Tribe Sniper keeps your enemies' dragons, demons, angels, and emrakuls from flying over your field.
• Petrified Wood-Kin expensive, but this guy can't be countered and is extremely difficult to remove and can ETB with insane P/T if you swung in hard on someone that turn.
• Stonehoof Chieftain a game ender if you've pumped your creatures at all.
• Thorn Lieutenant high value low CMC card with a mana dump if you need it (I like the combos for mana dumps better though).
• Unstoppable Ash come out of every combat pretty much unscathed. Only creature better for it is Stonehoof Chieftan.

• Wolfir Avenger flash in for a block and a regenerate ability.

warrior enablers

God-Eternal Oketra make huge 4/4 zombie warrior tokens on every warrior cast.

Oketra the True make warrior tokens and acts as a big beater itself.

Oketra's Monument tons and tons of warrior tokens.

Rush of Battle warrior themed overrun that gains you tons of life.

Herald of Anafenza gets bigger and makes warrior tokens at the same time.

Raiders' Spoils probably the best card draw you'll see for warrior tribal.

Gilt-Leaf Ambush elf warrior tokens with sometimes deathtouch.

Hunting Triad elf warrior tokens or modal +1/+1 counters.

Presence of Gond give a creature a tap for elf warrior token ability.

Lovisa Coldeyes more warrior lord buffs!

Obsidian Battle-Axe haste and auto-attach to warriors equipment!

Regna, the Redeemer and Krav, the Unredeemed act as a sac outlet and warrior token generation combo.

Lord Windgrace deck filtering, color fixing, and generation of a ton of cat warrior tokens

Great Hall of Starnheim gets you a 4/4 angel warrior token in a pinch

Base Camp cheap 5 color land for warriors

Starnheim Unleashed make a ton of 4/4 angel warrior tokens!

Emeria's Call  ^Flip make angel warrior tokens and give your non-angel warriors indestructible or make it a land

Ascent of the Worthy pretty fun tricks on this.

Firja's Retribution make a 4/4 angel warrior token and give angels destroy and double strike.

Battle for Bretagard make warrior tokens, then make copies.

Omniscience_is_life on The Equip-a-Warrior Foundation

2 years ago

I would posit that cutting one or both Shatterskull Chargers might help... they essentially cost 5 if you want them to hold stuff for you, and that's a big investment. In their stead--maybe a wee bit of removal? Or, if you're intent on sticking with creatures, a Goma Fada Vanguard or Legion Angel?

Love the deck, truly, so glad Haktos is getting some love ;)

Optimator on Giant's Deck

2 years ago

Some of the newer Common giants are a lot better than the older ones in your list, so if you feel like dropping the $0.25 on them, here they are:

Shatterskull Charger is decent. Might not be a bad idea to have some lower-CMC giants in the mix so you don't get run over early.

Cragganwick Cremator is certainly a card that exists. Not great, but better than some of the commons in your current list. Probably not worth running but it's not garbage.

Bulwark Giant is tolerable.

Crystalline Giant can become a huge threat. Worth considering, actually!

Council Guardian is cute

Rumbling Sentry is meh

Wayward Giant is almost cost-effective

Ravenous Giant is Juzam Djinn. Might be worth running for the lolz.

Enraged Giant is playable. We can do better I bet.

Fleshpulper Giant is probably playable

MTGBurgeoning on Gruul Stompy Featuring Xenagos, God of Revels

2 years ago

I can support your analysis for Turntimber Symbiosis  ^Flip. If a copy becomes available I'll give it a whirl or two in the deck and observe the results.

I am happy you agree about Bala Ged Recovery  ^Flip. I sense Wizards played it safe with the vast majority of these double-faced spell/land cards, and I think this card is a good example of that theory.

I do want to play-test Moraug, Fury of Akoum. The extra combat phases accrued by simply playing a land seems very valuable.

Recently, with the help of the MTG Burgeoning community, I've been constructing a Zaxara, the Exemplary EDH/Commander deck. A copy of Garruk's Uprising resides in this deck list and I just completed a nine-game play-testing with the deck. I can comfortably and securely say that Garruk's Uprising is an awesome card in that deck and I believe it would be an awesome card in Xenagos, God of Revels. Personally, I would not consider including Elemental Bond over Garruk's Uprising. These two enchantments have the exact same mana cost of , but Garruk's Uprising provides trample. The power trigger for drawing cards is a bit higher than Elemental Bond, but for me, I only have two creatures in my deck with power less than four and over a dozen creatures without trample. I plan to insert Garruk's Uprising into the deck as soon as a copy becomes available.

Cragcrown Pathway, and all of the Pathways, should be EDH/Commander hits! Get on board baby!!

I may have to give Inscription of Abundance a serious test-run. I keep returning to this card and mulling over the modes in conjunction with the mana cost and the value seems too good. An instant speed fight spell is generally 2CMC. Placing two +1 +1 counters on a creature at instant speed is generally 3CMC. Combined that's 5CMC. Paying the 5CMC cost and choosing all three modes will also include the upside of gaining a ton of free life. Inscription of Abundance seems too valuable to ignore.

Your assessment of Shatterskull Charger was entertaining. I was laughing to myself about "love taps." Hahaha! I'm just interested in seeing what the giant can do...

I will keep you informed about the loveliness that will be Lithoform Engine. I predict big things!

The cost to activate both Crawling Barrens and Dread Statuary is the same, yes, and as you mentioned Crawling Barrens's effect is cumulative as those +1 +1 counters stick around. I'm evaluating this card with the long-game in mind. We'll see how it shakes out.

Great back-and-forth assessments!! I'll keep you looped-in with these potential Zendikar Rising treasures!!

Profet93 on Gruul Stompy Featuring Xenagos, God of Revels

2 years ago

Turntimber Symbiosis - I like it because the 3 life is the cost to have the option of an additional card. Given as you said, it isn't like to whiff. Personally, I also refrain from cards like summoning trap and the like for the reasons you mentioned, whiffing and losing your mainphase. But with so many creatures and it taking up a land slot, I personally feel the versatility is warranted, not taking up a land slot but providing options for 3 life seems great.

Bala Ged Recovery - I am on the same page, every point you mentioned.

Moraug, Fury of Akoum - I feel so so about him. On the one hand he can get out of hand (lol). On the other, he is just a big dude with no trample. I dont have many ways of providing trample in my deck as most of my creatures either have trample or some sort of evasion. Plus it sucks to play him as a 6 drop when you have already played your land per turn. The idea with fetches is interesting for sure.

Also, what do you think of Garruk's Uprising and Elemental Bond? They will provide you draw for 25-27 of your creatures. Uprising also provides trample which is nice. I've needed more card draw in Xenagos and has 2 flex slots. I've been considering adding these in my deck link and wanted your opinion, for both your deck and mine. My deck solely relies on burst card draw, so some steady card draw might be worth considering. My only issue with both is that by the time I play them I might draw 1-2 cards before it probably gets destroyed. Its not removal bait, but I feel they take too long to get the value out of. Idk

Cragcrown Pathway - WTF is this? How have I not seen this in the set. It taps for red or green, depending on which side you play on the field? Thats crazy! I NEED this. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Inscription of Abundance - One of those cards I looked at and thought hard about. Your points are well taken, I like the cheapness and flexibility of it. The real benefits are the counters and fighting as life gain is not substantially helpful in my meta (unless of course you're playing against xenagos :P)

Cragplate Baloth - I feel the same way!

Shatterskull Charger - 3 mana on a small beater? You want to smash face, not give them love taps. The fact that it returns unless you kick it bothers me as its a continuous cost you need to pay. All of our creatures are effectively safe from sorcery removal as xenagos provides haste and we only play 1 creature at a time.

Lithoform Engine - One of those cards I'm always on the fence about. Even in my mono black deck where I can abuse it, it seems very winmore. It helps if I have the mana to cast everything I want, but until that point, its not that helpful. More playtesting would need to be done of course....but in Xenagos? You would play this (and maybe something else). Then cast a big creature and not have the 4 extra mana to copy it, or a big permanent spell. Of course it works with fetches, sorcerries, etc... but idk....? Once you add it in, please let me know how it functions.

Crawling Barrens - A worse version IMO of Dread Statuary. Both cost the same to activate. Barrens gives you better value over time, but dread gives you a better immediate effect. I would much rather pay 4 and then pay 5-6 for a draw spell to draw 8 cards (given xenagos boost) rather than pay 4 and then pay 5-6 for a draw spell to draw 4 cards (given Xenagos boost).

MTGBurgeoning on Gruul Stompy Featuring Xenagos, God of Revels

2 years ago

I have given some thought to what Zendikar Rising provides!

Personally, I do not feel enamored with Turntimber Symbiosis at the moment. That feeling may change, but this card seems like it will hurt big-time if it whiffs. Of course, the odds are against that happening, but this is Magic the Gathering and those kinds of shenanigans happen. In comparison, Summoning Trap, at instant-speed, can absorb a potential whiff more easily when cast at the end of an opponent's turn than watching helplessly as went up in smoke during our main phase. On the other side of the card, we have a Forest that enters the battlefield tapped unless we pay three life. Paying three life is not inordinately burdensome in our format, but for just ? Spidey senses are tingling all over the place, and I sense this card may be more harmful than beneficial in the deck. Let me know how Turntimber Symbiosis functions for you.

Bala Ged Recovery: I don't feel excited about this card. If the land entered the battlefield untapped it would receive more praise, naturally. This is a slightly over-costed Regrowth with the option of putting a land into play tapped. Honestly, I feel "meh" about this card. I don't plan on play-testing it or adding it at the moment. I prefer lands that don't enter the battlefield tapped, and printing a more expensive Regrowth on the other side of this card is not alluring enough for me to consider including it in the deck.

Of the cards you mentioned, I believe Moraug, Fury of Akoum provides the greatest power and synergy with our deck. This minotaur's inclusion seems inevitable for a Xenagos, God of Revels deck and motivates me to include Fabled Passage, Prismatic Vista and Wooded Foothills in order to increase the potential number of accrued combat phases in a turn. I envision having a biggun or two under our control, casting Moraug, Fury of Akoum and then playing a land. Perhaps it is one of the aforementioned lands, granting us with TWO additional combat phases. In this scenario and with Xenagos, God of Revels under our control, our creatures can REALLY get out of hand if we can drop a land or two. Although it currently is not in the deck, I am tempted to imagine how a Genesis Waved Moraug, Fury of Akoum develops. At worst, Moraug, Fury of Akoum is a monster that can whittle away opponents' creatures through combat. I definitely want to test this card!

Here are some cards I am either interested in testing or their inclusion is inevitable:

INEVITABLE: Cragcrown Pathway. Once a copy of this land becomes available, it will find its way into this deck and most likely replace a basic land.

INTERESTED: Inscription of Abundance is intriguing. At just , the options of gaining life equal to the power of one of our creatures OR having one of our creatures enter Fight Club are really versatile. Additionally, kicking this spell for just seems very reasonably costed, and we can choose both of the previously discussed options and put two +1 +1 counters on a creature. The entirety of those modes seem more valuable than . I also enjoy the potential political motivation of this card, as the +1 +1 counters and the life gain, respectively, denote "target creature" and "target player," not "target creature you control" and "you." I'll be taking a long look at Inscription of Abundance. It seems too good not to.

D'OH! If only Cragplate Baloth had trample!!

INTERESTED: I think Shatterskull Charger may be worth a look. Not kicking this creature brings it back to our hand at the beginning of our end step. With Xenagos, God of Revels under our control, paying and attacking with an 8/7 hasty trampler that is safe from sorcery removal seems strong. This reminds me of the dash mechanic. I think it is worth play-testing.

INEVITABLE: Lithoform Engine is an absolute powerhouse. I'm still in awe that this card was created. Seriously. I think consideration should be given to including this card in every EDH/Commander deck, right after Sol Ring. I do not exaggerate. Not only is Lithoform Engine the most powerful card in Zendikar Rising, it will be the next most-desired staple of the format. This is over-powered. This is beyond over-powered:

, Tap Lithoform Engine: Copy target activated or triggered ability you control. You may choose new targets for the copy. This is BETTER THAN Strionic Resonator, which currently resides in the deck.

, Tap Lithoform Engine: Copy target instant or sorcery spell you control. You may choose new targets for the copy. This is a personalized version of Reverberate or Twincast, and only costs . Think: Selvala's Stampede, Chandra's Ignition, Return of the Wildspeaker, Savage Beating, Summoning Trap, Skyshroud Claim.

, Tap Lithoform Engine: Copy target permanent spell you control. SERIOIUSLY!??

At the time of this reply, Lithoform Engine is, justifiably, the most expensive card in Zendikar Rising (aside from Box Toppers) and I predict it will be THE CHASE CARD of Zendikar Rising. I also believe that this set will be printed/opened into absolute oblivion due to the presence of the aforementioned Box Toppers and its tenure in Standard for the next two years. As a result, I plan to watch for potential price variations in Lithoform Engine and then accumulate as many as possible. This card is too good.

INTERESTED: There may be some mid- to late-game benefits to including Crawling Barrens in the land base. It seems like a decent mana-sink at instant-speed. Actually, I am surprised that this card did not include the dreaded "only at any time you can cast a sorcery" text. As an added value, we choose when to make Crawling Barrens a creature. As another benefit, it's only a creature until the end of the turn. This versatility is valuable to us and maddening to our opponents. All of these benefits reside ON A LAND. If Raging Ravine occupies a slot in the land base, I think there may be a place for Crawling Barrens as well.

At the moment, those are the cards that promote the greatest amount of fancy-tickling for me. I'm looking forward to Zendikar Rising and can't wait to crack them packs and feast on the goodies inside!