I'm guessing she's getting 3.2 ratings for the mana cost alone. But lemme tell you, this is probably the lowest cost she can have for all those abilities.
That being said, try her in reanimator. No longer that bad, huh?
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Looks like she would be fun in Esper EDH, but maybe she will find a home as a one of in my Esper Standard 3/5 Stars
Lazenca_Seifus
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
Queen of the Guild of Sweet Chairs. She doesn't need to stand up to beat down, which is good, because off of that chair, she gets around like Hugh Laurie in that one show. You know... Stuart Little the Animated Series.
Bluehero
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Sure, she costs 7, but she's unblockable, makes for a perfect blocker, and kills everything that hits you, and gives you tokens to boot. I'd say a 4/4 with vigilance and protection that gives you tokens is worth 3 over No Mercy, but I guess that depends on whether you're evaluating her for standard or not.
@ThisisSakon - She does nothing when she hits the table after being reanimated and is vulnerable to all sorts of removal before you can actually swing with her. In this day and age she either needs to come out swinging or have a worthy ETB to make up for vulnerability. If this was still the old days of Magic I would say she's more nutty.
She probably could cost 1 less for those abilities but I think a majority of her critics would have rather they just scrapped this whole idea and gone back to the drawing board because it doesn't fit her.
I'll still put her in a deck because I love her character, and the art is sweet.
Flyheight
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(7 votes)
I do so hope the book talks of how she and Taric take down the Obzedat. What a controlling card. Fun times. Works quite well with her old self too.
Lifegainwithbite
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(6 votes)
A 7 drop that does nothing when it comes out is never going to see tournament play. The reason Griselbrand is reanimated so much is that he does a huge amount when he comes out. Same for Iona, Shield of Emeria and those two are the main targets.
That being said, I don't mind a casual Teysa. Some cards have to be for casual only and this is one of them.
Nucleon
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(7 votes)
And that particular Orzhov insignia hasn't moved an inch, it seems.
.Blaze.
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've seen people complain about her Power/Toughness but the Toughness is high because of burn and the Power is high because she is made to also be able to kill the opponent. I agree its a flavor short coming but they needed it to be that way for game play reasons.
As for the effect, it doesn't do much but the Dread effect is fun for Commander.
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Like Rune-Scarred Demon, she's an expensive creature with an old awesome black card stitched on. Sure, the stitching was done with a different fabric, but the design is the same.
Don't play this anywhere except for EDH. No Mercy probably wasn't played too heavily in Standard either when it was around because the creature needs to hit you first. It was also a single-coloured enchantment. Do you think your opponent's going to care if they're swinging for the kill? I don't think so.
flavioal28
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Damn this design is terrible. As a casual player even I wouldn't play this. It makes absolutely no sense flavorwise. Her abilities make no sense, her stats make no sense, her cost makes no sense.
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lol #notimpressed #getonmylevel
I don't know why people don't like her; she has much Reanimator potential.
RJ.693
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The dwarf crouching in her shirt is mooning us.
The_Evictee
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(5 votes)
Dear Teysa,
Let's make lots of 1/1 babies.
Love,
Sorin,Lord of Innistrad
ddemons
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Complete flavor miss. 1/5
Grigori97
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Her 4/4 sure is a dynamite body..
psychichobo
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
TEYSA! What have I told you about hanging around with that Michiko Konda girl?!
RAV0004
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Reanimator is for broken etb triggers. That's why.
DanielLPennington
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Guaranteed to own this card for Dragon's Maze Pre-release Weekend. So I will select her as my Guild Champion to conquer the Dragon's Maze. The following Standard deck will hopefully set the stage for her. Orzhov - Liliana / Sorin, Lord of Tokens 1 Captain of the Watch 4 Doomed Traveler 4 Gather the Townsfolk 1 Geist-Honored Monk 4 Ghost Quarter 1 Godless Shrine 1 Increasing Devotion 3 Intangible Virtue 2 Isolated Chapel 2 Liliana of the Veil 4 Lingering Souls 4 Midnight Haunting 2 Mikaeus, the Lunarch 3 Oblivion Ring 1 Obzedat, Ghost Council 7 Plains 2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad 7 Swamp 3 Tragic Slip 2 Vampire Nighthawk 2 Vault of the Archangel
I plan to get her on the battlefield by adding Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts and 4 Unburial Rites to the 60 card main deck and 15 card sideboard. It is with hope that she makes an appearance via Liliana of the Veil to Unburial Rites. I also hope to make a secret alliance between Orzhov and Selesnya if I can manage to pull a Emmara Tandris from a Booster Pack. If so, I will replace 1 of the Unburial Rites with the Emmara Tandris just to see if I can have Tokens that are invincible have Vigilance and will have Lifelink and or Deathtouch if not both and Hexproof if needed.
K9GM3
★★★★☆ (5.0/5.0)(12 votes)
The flavour actually makes perfect sense if you think about it. Teysa isn't a combatant; she's a commander!
She has 4 power because she sends a debtor with 4 power after you. She has 4 toughness because she has a bunch of debtors protecting her. She has vigilance and protection from creatures because she isn't actually on the battlefield; rather, she attacks and blocks through the various spirits she has under contract.
And the mana cost? She's the official spokesperson for the Orzhov guild: you think she doesn't have anything better to do than sort your problems out for you?
GhostCounselor
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
A lot of people complain about the mana cost being seven mana. What, I ask you, is a good mana cost for a 4/4 that has protection from creatures and punishes your opponents for attacking you? If the mana cost is really that big of a deal, play Heartless Summoning and live with the fact that she'll be a 3/3. If you're playing Orzhov in standard, you probably at least one Crypt Ghast anyway, so paying the mana cost shouldn't be a problem to most Orzhov players.
However, if I really wanted a fatty in an Orzhov standard deck RIGHT NOW (aside from Obzedat), I'd still go with Griselbrand over Teysa. Griselbrand is a monster that will allow you to blow out games in combo with the Vizkopa Guildmage or beat your opponents on its own, and will give you card advantage for a price that most Orzhov players should be more then content to pay. Griselbrand may cost more then Teysa, but for the time being when both coexist in standard, I'd rather play "Griz" then Teysa.
When Griselbrand rotates out, I'm sure Teysa will see much more play. I think she's simply too good of a card not to see play in standard.
VirusVescichetta
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Makes a good one-of in a B/W casual token deck, at least.
GlintKawk42
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(7 votes)
very underrated. It basically decides what creatures pass (and die), and what creatures she kills herself. oh, and attacks for a free 4 every turn? and did I mention the dead creature's spirit fights for you? 5/5.
Captain_Sisay_2591
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
An amazing card that totally kicked my butt at prerelease. Wonderful flavor, great art, amazing abilities... You'll get to her even at 7-drop. Dragons Maze format overall is very slow and Orzhov and Teysa benefit from it.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I cracked her open at the prerelease and I have to say, she is the definition of a bomb. She blocks anything on the ground with impunity, goes through for four unchallenged, and makes people think twice about attacking. With Isperia, Supreme Judge as my Azorius rare, I stopped more than my fair share of threats.
SirLibraryEater
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Do the tokens go on your side or your opponents? I can see W/G/B token decks happening with this and Beckon Apparition.
Objection
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Awesome card. If you can find a way to discard her and play her from your graveyard at a reduced cost, it could give you an advantage early on.
@SirLibraryEater: The rulings answer your question - "Teysa’s controller gets the Spirit creature token, not the controller of the creature that dealt combat damage."
Iktomi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I find myself wishing she didn't have vigilance. As it is there's no decision making with this card, either your opponent kills her or she wins the game for you. Having to decide whether to keep her back as an invincible blocker or trust her ability to kill their creatures before they kill you would make for a more interactive card.
izzy0088
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I really like the flavor: she's the best advokist on the plane, so if you attack in her direction she'll drag you to court, have you executed and enslave your ghost as payment. Priceless.
Guest1915413363
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
ok, so i know her ability doesn't target so can destroy pro-white/black creatures as stated in the rulings...but what about creatures with protection from CREATURES?
iuztheevil1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A girl I know cracked her open at the release and didnt loose one game the whole day (fun games between matches included).
NegaAdverS
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a question. how does she interact with pt fight? my friends think that she dies to another creature, I say that she is unaffected because of protection. any help?
Diachronos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love how people are complaining about her costing 7... when her abilities and colors all point toward her being designed for a CONTROL deck, which shouldn't have much trouble stalling until you've got enough to cast her.
leingodf8
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
The boob window remains? Then all is good
BorosGreengrocer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It kind of looks like she's got two right legs and no left leg.
I bet the artist originally had her with bare legs, but they thought she looked too foxy and made her paint the weird trousers over them.
BenCheshire
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Need clarification on the line "combat damage to YOU." Does that mean even if they are blocked by another creature? So if I have Teysa and Basilica Screecher being attacked by say a 5/5 Red creature, and the basilica screecher blocks and absorbs all the damage of the attack. No combat damage is dealt to player because no trample. Does the Red creature die because of Teysa's special text that says "combat damge to you" or is it only if she blocks or player is damaged.
LordOfGraves
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@NegaAdvers you are correct. she cannot be dealt damage by any creature at any time unless there is some sort of effect saying that damage cannot be prevented, and she cannot be targeted by abilities of any creature as long as she still has protection
Silence9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This needed to be 6 CMC not 7. Now I'm hesitant to make her my general... :(
Keiya
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I find it interesting and amusing how she and Progenitus can never be in combat against each other, but she can kill Progenitus with her second ability while the colossal hydra can do nothing to her.
Iam_IronMan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've been looking at this art for a long time trying to figure it out - is that a photograph? It's hard to tell in the card sized art on screen.
YikesYikesYIKES
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Look at that fierce lady with her protection from creatures. Sittin' all calm and fabulous up in her tower like there isn't a dragon outside it or some jank.
SAUS3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A cool control option for Black/White EDH. They could have made her 6 mana though (with less P/T).
Combined with extort, you can afford to take hits here and there, and you will get chump blockers/attackers out of it. It's not a strong option as a general, but it is a cool one for sure.
hallaven
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
too bad i can't tap that! oohhhh!! badum bum tssss
alzabo
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Reminds me of that scene from Basic Instinct.
EvilDarkVoid
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@BenCheshire: You means you, not your creatures. Any card that says "you" is referencing the player, not your cards or permanents. Any card that says something like "an opponent" is referencing that player, not their cards/permanents.
Enelysios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@BenCheshire: The "combat damage to you" means that you the player lost life as a result of combat. The creatures are only destroyed and tokens created if you take a hit yourself either by not blocking, by trample damage to you or from "Super Trample" (Deals damage as though it was not blocked).
A quick word for people on what "Protection from creatures" entitles you, since it seems many players don't fully understand protection. Any damage that would be dealt to Teysa by a creature, either from combat or from abilities of that creature is prevented. (as are any effects that would be reliant on that damage being dealt) Additionally any abilities creatures have that use the word "target" cannot choose her as a target, this includes the abilities of your own creatures. (e.g. Gigantomancer) She cannot be blocked by creatures, making her unblockable. The other effect of protection (Preventing enchantment/equipping by protected sources) is generally irrelevent.
I am currently retooling my old teysa EDH deck to use her as the new commander. She isn't a real powerhouse, no, but she is quite fun, and the fact that her destroy ability doesn't target makes her surprisingly powerful. Players would rather attack someone else most times. There are certainly betetr choices for general, but I am playing her because I am a Vorthos inside, and she is tied with Elesh norn and Ixidor for my favorite magic characters.
Lazyblazey
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Take Teysa. Add Soul Sisters. Mix well with Darien, King of Kjeldor. Add a dash of instant life gain to sneak your way into getting more tokens and life than you can handle when your opponent builds up enough of their forces to go for the kill. Laugh maniacally.
tiny0566
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Amazing general in edh
nightclasszero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
hey everyone I'm new to MTG and I have this card I have been reading everyone's comments to grasp a better sense of how this card works. Can someone please tell me what are these tokens u get from this card n how to use it cause I am highly confused :(
Sironos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
When a creature costs a wooping 7 mana, has no ETB trigger, and all of its abilities rely on your opponent doing stuff, and not having removal... They should have given her fewer abilities and cost less mana, at this mana cost, this just doesn't add up in standard. In limited however, she can probably win games on her own.
Kelptic183
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Lots of comparisons to No Mercy, but you know what four mana enchantment is really fun with her? Concerted Effort.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Its no mercy on a creature. It generates 1/1 flyers.
It has protection from creatures. It has vigilance.
So since serra angel is reasonably priced at 5 with 4/4 vigilance flying, its a safe assumption to say that you are paying extra for a no mercy that generates flying tokens.
This is powercreeped, but wont see any competitive play due to being 7 cmc creature without immediate board thud.
MechaKraken
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Teysa has gotten much stronger since her scion days. Now, she can kill Progenitus if she feels like it (since her ability doesn't target, it is simply a trigger).
I'm looking forward to seeing if a card will ever be printed of her "joining" the Orzhov council as a member of the ruling elite.
comboing her with Platinum Emperion is very nasty since life total will never change
Pipikako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(6 votes)
Worst art ever.
Kirbster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Apparently becoming an envoy makes your breasts become substantially larger. Good to know!
TexasDice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Teysa, Ashen Rider and Obzedat are my favorite reanimator targets as of now. Maybe Trostani's Summoner as well, cause she works awesome with Rescue from the Underworld. I see a reanimator shell cooking up.
shockmoney
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Flyheight
Teysa and 'Taric'? a little too much league for you sir.
MasterOfTheVault
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I swear, Her boobs got bigger since the last time she showed up.
Phoenixreborn9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just traded my friend for a foil one of these. Then I kicked his ass with her.
zeniongames
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm glad that Wizards got artwork that does her justice. She's one of the more interesting characters in the storyline, and this art does much more for the character than her first incarnation.
Vursor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very costly, but for good reasons. A viable answer to "protection" decks by evading combat entirely on your combat step. OH MY, IS THAT VIGILANCE? OH WHAT LUCK, WHAT FATE, WHAT EVIL FORTUNE! Aaaand, removal effects.
Mask of Avacyn would look delightful on this card. Champion's Helm wouldn't look too bad either.
Comments (66)
That being said, try her in reanimator. No longer that bad, huh?
3/5 Stars
She probably could cost 1 less for those abilities but I think a majority of her critics would have rather they just scrapped this whole idea and gone back to the drawing board because it doesn't fit her.
I'll still put her in a deck because I love her character, and the art is sweet.
What a controlling card. Fun times. Works quite well with her old self too.
That being said, I don't mind a casual Teysa. Some cards have to be for casual only and this is one of them.
As for the effect, it doesn't do much but the Dread effect is fun for Commander.
Don't play this anywhere except for EDH. No Mercy probably wasn't played too heavily in Standard either when it was around because the creature needs to hit you first. It was also a single-coloured
I don't know why people don't like her; she has much Reanimator potential.
Let's make lots of 1/1 babies.
Love,
Sorin,Lord of Innistrad
Orzhov - Liliana / Sorin, Lord of Tokens
1 Captain of the Watch
4 Doomed Traveler
4 Gather the Townsfolk
1 Geist-Honored Monk
4 Ghost Quarter
1 Godless Shrine
1 Increasing Devotion
3 Intangible Virtue
2 Isolated Chapel
2 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
4 Midnight Haunting
2 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
3 Oblivion Ring
1 Obzedat, Ghost Council
7 Plains
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
7 Swamp
3 Tragic Slip
2 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Vault of the Archangel
SB: 1 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 2 Witchbane Orb
SB: 2 Mask of Avacyn
SB: 2 High Priest of Penance
SB: 2 Erase
SB: 2 Murder
SB: 2 Rebuke
SB: 2 Smite
I plan to get her on the battlefield by adding Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts and 4 Unburial Rites to the 60 card main deck and 15 card sideboard. It is with hope that she makes an appearance via Liliana of the Veil to Unburial Rites. I also hope to make a secret alliance between Orzhov and Selesnya if I can manage to pull a Emmara Tandris from a Booster Pack. If so, I will replace 1 of the Unburial Rites with the Emmara Tandris just to see if I can have Tokens that are invincible have Vigilance and will have Lifelink and or Deathtouch if not both and Hexproof if needed.
She has 4 power because she sends a debtor with 4 power after you. She has 4 toughness because she has a bunch of debtors protecting her. She has vigilance and protection from creatures because she isn't actually on the battlefield; rather, she attacks and blocks through the various spirits she has under contract.
And the mana cost? She's the official spokesperson for the Orzhov guild: you think she doesn't have anything better to do than sort your problems out for you?
However, if I really wanted a fatty in an Orzhov standard deck RIGHT NOW (aside from Obzedat), I'd still go with Griselbrand over Teysa. Griselbrand is a monster that will allow you to blow out games in combo with the Vizkopa Guildmage or beat your opponents on its own, and will give you card advantage for a price that most Orzhov players should be more then content to pay. Griselbrand may cost more then Teysa, but for the time being when both coexist in standard, I'd rather play "Griz" then Teysa.
When Griselbrand rotates out, I'm sure Teysa will see much more play. I think she's simply too good of a card not to see play in standard.
@SirLibraryEater: The rulings answer your question - "Teysa’s controller gets the Spirit creature token, not the controller of the creature that dealt combat damage."
I bet the artist originally had her with bare legs, but they thought she looked too foxy and made her paint the weird trousers over them.
you are correct. she cannot be dealt damage by any creature at any time unless there is some sort of effect saying that damage cannot be prevented, and she cannot be targeted by abilities of any creature as long as she still has protection
Combined with extort, you can afford to take hits here and there, and you will get chump blockers/attackers out of it. It's not a strong option as a general, but it is a cool one for sure.
A quick word for people on what "Protection from creatures" entitles you, since it seems many players don't fully understand protection. Any damage that would be dealt to Teysa by a creature, either from combat or from abilities of that creature is prevented. (as are any effects that would be reliant on that damage being dealt) Additionally any abilities creatures have that use the word "target" cannot choose her as a target, this includes the abilities of your own creatures. (e.g. Gigantomancer) She cannot be blocked by creatures, making her unblockable. The other effect of protection (Preventing enchantment/equipping by protected sources) is generally irrelevent.
I am currently retooling my old teysa EDH deck to use her as the new commander. She isn't a real powerhouse, no, but she is quite fun, and the fact that her destroy ability doesn't target makes her surprisingly powerful. Players would rather attack someone else most times. There are certainly betetr choices for general, but I am playing her because I am a Vorthos inside, and she is tied with Elesh norn and Ixidor for my favorite magic characters.
Add Soul Sisters.
Mix well with Darien, King of Kjeldor.
Add a dash of instant life gain to sneak your way into getting more tokens and life than you can handle when your opponent builds up enough of their forces to go for the kill.
Laugh maniacally.
They should have given her fewer abilities and cost less mana, at this mana cost, this just doesn't add up in standard.
In limited however, she can probably win games on her own.
It generates 1/1 flyers.
It has protection from creatures.
It has vigilance.
So since serra angel is reasonably priced at 5 with 4/4 vigilance flying, its a safe assumption to say that you are paying
This is powercreeped, but wont see any competitive play due to being 7 cmc creature without immediate board thud.
I'm looking forward to seeing if a card will ever be printed of her "joining" the Orzhov council as a member of the ruling elite.
I see a reanimator shell cooking up.
Teysa and 'Taric'? a little too much league for you sir.
Mask of Avacyn would look delightful on this card. Champion's Helm wouldn't look too bad either.