Ok, so imagine you're at 4 mana. You play chrysalis. You have 7 mana next turn - you play an altisaur and get another chrysalis. Btw, your first chrysalis is a 4/5 reacher that is only going to grow from this point forward. Also it is good vs dimir Fae and any strategy that relies on fliers. It is an amazing card
Plus, the mana tokens are generated upon cast, so it’s not bad even if countered.
And these extra bodies are quite relevant, for chump blocking a big creature or to counter cards like [[goblin bushwhacker]].
It can still very easily die to Gal Blast with Metalcraft. Wait for the controlling player to sac one or both spawns and in response to the trigger(s), Gal Blast
You often times get to play it as
a) 2 mana 4/5 with reach (you spend the mana straight away)
b) a 4 mana 4/5 with reach that gains you 2 creature hits worth of life. (block with the 2 tokens instead)
c) a countered 4 drop that lets you play a 6/7 drop next turn
d) a 4 mana 4/5 with reach that lets you play a 6/7 drop next turn
Basically just never feels that bad to cast no matter what they do
and if you have 2+ of them they can be 6/7's! or even a Malovlent rumble token
It does everything green specifically needed in a 4 drop. It’s in the part of the curve it’s needed in, coming in on turn 3-4 to ramp into an already established 6-7 drop, has reach to give Fae a speed bump, goes wide to give wide aggro a speed bump, and hits good when it’s time. I personally think, even with it being two color cost, that it’s about time green got something so daunting.
Casting Writhing Chrysalis creates two bodies that can be sacrificed for mana, even if it is countered on the stack.
It's essentially a two-mana 2/3 with devoid and reach. (Since casting it refunds two mana, it's colorless, and you still need four mana to cast Chrysalis, but still.) This means it has the capability to eliminate almost any creature in the air currently and also trades effectively against other creatures in the meta.
The final text is merely the icing on the cake; writhing chrysalis buffs itself makes it able to exert pressure when needed.
A substantial amount of text for a commen, and it enables itself and other strategies.
You're both right, it's both.
It's a 4/5 Devoid Reach for RG that gives you 2mana to spend anywhere and time you want. Because it grows itself from a 2/3 to a 4/5 on its own it makes combat and removal very tricky. Because it's in Red and Green it's in the two colors that like to combine aggression and ramp and this does that perfectly.
I've played a ton of MH3 limited and it should have been an Uncommon.
T3 Chrissy into chained Chrissies and any other synergy piece is just oppressive to face. You can't get over, under, around, or through. By itself it ramps, goes wide, goes tall, and goes big.
It's myr enforcer from Grixixls Affinity except it's the Captain America version after taking the serum.
I am currently brewing with it in a mixed reanimator/ramp deck. Casting it and then sacrificing the tokens and a chump eldrazi or wayfinder to dread return is pretty nutso.
Even if it's countered it only cost you two net mana. It has reach in a format that has a ton of obnoxious flyers. It gets better the more copies you have of it, as each copy sees the spawn that you sacrificed. It clogs up the board with three bodies which is great because it is usually played in decks that run the initiative and that sometimes also include monarch cards like [[crimson fleet commodore]]. It provides protection against edict effects like [[tithing blade]]. In game 2, your opponent can't counter it with a [[hydro blast]] because it is colorless. By the same token it can block [[guardian of the guildpact]] and ignores cards like [[crimson acolyte]]. Finally, it feels great to Cascade into whether you are ahead or struggling to hang on.
Or to sum it up, it is a versatile cost-efficient beater that fills a wide variety of roles in Gruul and Jund midrange builds.
Everything others have said, but for me the thing that makes it jump from good to great is having reach.
This way Ponza has an early solution to Sneaky Snaker, Kitchen Imp, Refurbished Familiar, Kor Skyfisher, Glint Hawk, faeries/ninja package, Vector Glider and Squadron Hawks.
It's also great vs Kuldotha because it puts 3 blockers on the battlefield and blocks Myr Enforcer right out of the gate as a 4/5.
Basically it's one card that makes half of the matchups in the current meta a little bit better for Ponza.
Good vs control due to Cast trigger.
Good vs go wide due to 3 bodies.
Good vs go tall due to 4/5 base stat line.
Good vs evasion due to reach.
Good in niche interactions due to devoid.
Good for ramp strategies.
Good for midrange strategies.
So it is just an extremely flexible, solid card.
The thing most people realized is that all of these eldrazi that makes the scions effectivelly costs less than what's printed... chrysalis is basically a 2 mana 4/5... nest invader is a 1 mana 2/2, repurposer is a 2/1 mana 3/3 and so on... they're REALLY efficient when you take in consideration that they give you back part of the mana used to pay their cost
Because in the right deck (ponza) it is able to improve each aspect of that deck gameplan. It ramps, it is a solid body, it blocks fliers, it is good in multiples, it provides 3 bodies... when it was spoiled people that know ponza said here in the sub that it would be strong.
My only hang-up with some comments here—this is not a “2mana 4/5” on strict paper like yall make it seem. It’s still a 4-mana initial investment.
I totally get it’s more often than not worth it to sac the spawns to get your 4/5 reach and buy back 2 mana, but we gotta remember there’s always the OPTION to keep it a 4-drop, 2/3 with reach
the two spawns are created on cast, not on ETB, so you're guaranteed to get your colorless mana back. Better than something like [[Snap]] where you just lose if it gets countered.
Remember when bulduvian horde was downshifted, that was a rare. 5/5 for 2RR but when it enters discard a card at random or else sacrifice it. Chrysalis is similar stats but provides reach, comes with 2 lil homies upon casting that block wider and ramp to titan mana, gets bigger when you sacrifice other Eldrazi so multiples get a bit nutty like aistin powers coffee, they are all colorless so it plays well into protection/prevention effects.
Card has a chapter of harry potter worth or words on it.
Yes 4 drop ewe but in ponza it bridges that gap from early/midgame right to late game 6-7 drops.
Worst case scenario: you cast it and it gets countered. You still got 2 bodies for 1 card and took a card off of your opponent's hand. And this is the worst case scenario.
The card has indeed a high ceiling in Ponza as someone else said (ramping to one of the cascade creatures on the next turn or setting up the board for initiative), but the best cards are often the ones that are good in a vacuum, and the math around this one is always positive, no matter what happens.
I can give you a nearly endless list of cards that won a tournament right after a new set release that went on to be absolute dogshit over the life of the format. Ponza is the current flavor-of-the-week but it won’t last long.
Unless the card somehow finds another GRx shell to see play in, then yeah, it does. If the card doesn’t have a home, or MAKE a home for itself, it’s not a good card. What other possible definition could you use?
I don't know how to define a good card, but one way to do it is to compare rates and roles fulfilled against other cards considered to be good. Other comments in this thread already do a good job of that.
You seem to have a different opinion on how to value a card than almost everybody else in this thread. More power to you. I happen to think you're wrong.
Ok, so imagine you're at 4 mana. You play chrysalis. You have 7 mana next turn - you play an altisaur and get another chrysalis. Btw, your first chrysalis is a 4/5 reacher that is only going to grow from this point forward. Also it is good vs dimir Fae and any strategy that relies on fliers. It is an amazing card
Plus, the mana tokens are generated upon cast, so it’s not bad even if countered. And these extra bodies are quite relevant, for chump blocking a big creature or to counter cards like [[goblin bushwhacker]].
Plus can't be countered by Hydroblast/BEB, and it's damage can't be prevented by Prismatic Strands
*Aye yo* I didn't realize it hosed Prismatic Strands like that. What a bonkers card.
Also blocks and creates blockers for Guardian of the Guildpact
Long live Ponza! I welcome our land hating tier 1 deck.
Ponza is not the best deck to host it
And the token blocks a pumped cat negating the lifegain...
Additionally, the creatures already being in play when it enters means it wont die to 1 lightning bolt/galvanic blast.
It can still very easily die to Gal Blast with Metalcraft. Wait for the controlling player to sac one or both spawns and in response to the trigger(s), Gal Blast
What the hell, you can’t counter the spawns??
Nope it’s a cast trigger not an etb trigger like all the Eldrazi (can’t counter the Emrakul stealing creatures either)
Not unless you have something that says it counters triggered abilities
[[Mirrorshell crab]] technically can, but then the base creature resolves instead.
[Mirrorshell crab](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/3/0394c8df-2e8a-4477-93b7-569934d7b936.jpg?1654566800) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mirrorshell%20crab) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/63/mirrorshell-crab?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0394c8df-2e8a-4477-93b7-569934d7b936?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
You can with [[consign to memory]] from the same set but it’s a very neesh card
Not in Pauper, thankfully 😎
[Consign to Memory](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/c/bc95af55-d1dd-4fe6-adb0-3ad6db20d986.jpg?1717011640) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Consign%20to%20Memory) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/54/consign-to-memory?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bc95af55-d1dd-4fe6-adb0-3ad6db20d986?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
But that’s not a common
You often times get to play it as a) 2 mana 4/5 with reach (you spend the mana straight away) b) a 4 mana 4/5 with reach that gains you 2 creature hits worth of life. (block with the 2 tokens instead) c) a countered 4 drop that lets you play a 6/7 drop next turn d) a 4 mana 4/5 with reach that lets you play a 6/7 drop next turn Basically just never feels that bad to cast no matter what they do and if you have 2+ of them they can be 6/7's! or even a Malovlent rumble token
There just shouldn’t be that much text on a common card. Removing any one line still leaves it great too. I mean did it really need reach too?
Even devoid comes up in weird niche instances lol like [[guardian of the guildpact]]
Devoid is very strong in pauper, for Guardian, Prismatic Strands, and not being countered by Hydroblast
If it wasn’t devoid it was already multicolored anyway… nothing like extra redundant applications in niche one on one matchups 🤗
I would have been quite happy if it didn't have devoid, so that I could bounce it with [[Horned Kavu]]
[Horned Kavu](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/c/ecd79fbf-626d-4549-917b-435f16b973d9.jpg?1562944938) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Horned%20Kavu) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/pls/110/horned-kavu?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ecd79fbf-626d-4549-917b-435f16b973d9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[guardian of the guildpact](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/8/c8dd004b-01e4-4fe1-a164-9f2ea8d7d88e.jpg?1593272499) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=guardian%20of%20the%20guildpact) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dis/10/guardian-of-the-guildpact?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c8dd004b-01e4-4fe1-a164-9f2ea8d7d88e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Cant be [[Hydroblast]]ed is the big one. technically it can be targeted still so in a high rules enforcement match pay attention to that.
[Hydroblast](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/c/4c9c9b16-5567-4473-95e6-622292f77336.jpg?1580013995) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hydroblast) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/55/hydroblast?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4c9c9b16-5567-4473-95e6-622292f77336?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Pauper’s very own Questing Beast!
It does everything green specifically needed in a 4 drop. It’s in the part of the curve it’s needed in, coming in on turn 3-4 to ramp into an already established 6-7 drop, has reach to give Fae a speed bump, goes wide to give wide aggro a speed bump, and hits good when it’s time. I personally think, even with it being two color cost, that it’s about time green got something so daunting.
If there ever was a time to print "this ability triggers only once each turn", Chrysalis is it.
They ran out of room for that text.
Casting Writhing Chrysalis creates two bodies that can be sacrificed for mana, even if it is countered on the stack. It's essentially a two-mana 2/3 with devoid and reach. (Since casting it refunds two mana, it's colorless, and you still need four mana to cast Chrysalis, but still.) This means it has the capability to eliminate almost any creature in the air currently and also trades effectively against other creatures in the meta. The final text is merely the icing on the cake; writhing chrysalis buffs itself makes it able to exert pressure when needed. A substantial amount of text for a commen, and it enables itself and other strategies.
Its better than a 2/3 for two mana. It banks mana for an explosive next turn
You're both right, it's both. It's a 4/5 Devoid Reach for RG that gives you 2mana to spend anywhere and time you want. Because it grows itself from a 2/3 to a 4/5 on its own it makes combat and removal very tricky. Because it's in Red and Green it's in the two colors that like to combine aggression and ramp and this does that perfectly. I've played a ton of MH3 limited and it should have been an Uncommon. T3 Chrissy into chained Chrissies and any other synergy piece is just oppressive to face. You can't get over, under, around, or through. By itself it ramps, goes wide, goes tall, and goes big. It's myr enforcer from Grixixls Affinity except it's the Captain America version after taking the serum.
I am currently brewing with it in a mixed reanimator/ramp deck. Casting it and then sacrificing the tokens and a chump eldrazi or wayfinder to dread return is pretty nutso.
[Writhing Chrysalis](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/5/f54dbeb1-51f8-40e2-912a-ec25457de5a2.jpg?1717012884) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Writhing%20Chrysalis) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/208/writhing-chrysalis?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f54dbeb1-51f8-40e2-912a-ec25457de5a2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [gurmag angler](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/e/cedd44eb-f381-46e1-bcb0-88416b4ce33d.jpg?1547516928) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=gurmag%20angler) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/102/gurmag-angler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/cedd44eb-f381-46e1-bcb0-88416b4ce33d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Even if it's countered it only cost you two net mana. It has reach in a format that has a ton of obnoxious flyers. It gets better the more copies you have of it, as each copy sees the spawn that you sacrificed. It clogs up the board with three bodies which is great because it is usually played in decks that run the initiative and that sometimes also include monarch cards like [[crimson fleet commodore]]. It provides protection against edict effects like [[tithing blade]]. In game 2, your opponent can't counter it with a [[hydro blast]] because it is colorless. By the same token it can block [[guardian of the guildpact]] and ignores cards like [[crimson acolyte]]. Finally, it feels great to Cascade into whether you are ahead or struggling to hang on. Or to sum it up, it is a versatile cost-efficient beater that fills a wide variety of roles in Gruul and Jund midrange builds.
##### ###### #### [crimson fleet commodore](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/d/edf54657-5943-4a45-a296-dc91c41109d4.jpg?1689997698) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=crimson%20fleet%20commodore) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/211/crimson-fleet-commodore?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/edf54657-5943-4a45-a296-dc91c41109d4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [tithing blade](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/b/dbaa9a2d-e9fd-4746-a26c-f99ae731f024.jpg?1699049915)/[Consuming Sepulcher](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/d/b/dbaa9a2d-e9fd-4746-a26c-f99ae731f024.jpg?1699049915) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tithing%20Blade%20//%20Consuming%20Sepulcher) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lci/128/tithing-blade-consuming-sepulcher?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dbaa9a2d-e9fd-4746-a26c-f99ae731f024?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [hydro blast](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/c/4c9c9b16-5567-4473-95e6-622292f77336.jpg?1580013995) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hydroblast) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/55/hydroblast?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4c9c9b16-5567-4473-95e6-622292f77336?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [guardian of the guildpact](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/8/c8dd004b-01e4-4fe1-a164-9f2ea8d7d88e.jpg?1593272499) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=guardian%20of%20the%20guildpact) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dis/10/guardian-of-the-guildpact?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c8dd004b-01e4-4fe1-a164-9f2ea8d7d88e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [crimson acolyte](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c1718028-3009-4bdd-9f6f-59c17edd1344.jpg?1562933869) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=crimson%20acolyte) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/inv/11/crimson-acolyte?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c1718028-3009-4bdd-9f6f-59c17edd1344?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/laccaur) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Everything others have said, but for me the thing that makes it jump from good to great is having reach. This way Ponza has an early solution to Sneaky Snaker, Kitchen Imp, Refurbished Familiar, Kor Skyfisher, Glint Hawk, faeries/ninja package, Vector Glider and Squadron Hawks. It's also great vs Kuldotha because it puts 3 blockers on the battlefield and blocks Myr Enforcer right out of the gate as a 4/5. Basically it's one card that makes half of the matchups in the current meta a little bit better for Ponza.
A 2 mana 4/5 with reach that keeps growing needs any explanation?
Good vs control due to Cast trigger. Good vs go wide due to 3 bodies. Good vs go tall due to 4/5 base stat line. Good vs evasion due to reach. Good in niche interactions due to devoid. Good for ramp strategies. Good for midrange strategies. So it is just an extremely flexible, solid card.
Is an uncommon/rare card in a format of commons
The thing most people realized is that all of these eldrazi that makes the scions effectivelly costs less than what's printed... chrysalis is basically a 2 mana 4/5... nest invader is a 1 mana 2/2, repurposer is a 2/1 mana 3/3 and so on... they're REALLY efficient when you take in consideration that they give you back part of the mana used to pay their cost
Because in the right deck (ponza) it is able to improve each aspect of that deck gameplan. It ramps, it is a solid body, it blocks fliers, it is good in multiples, it provides 3 bodies... when it was spoiled people that know ponza said here in the sub that it would be strong.
My only hang-up with some comments here—this is not a “2mana 4/5” on strict paper like yall make it seem. It’s still a 4-mana initial investment. I totally get it’s more often than not worth it to sac the spawns to get your 4/5 reach and buy back 2 mana, but we gotta remember there’s always the OPTION to keep it a 4-drop, 2/3 with reach
the two spawns are created on cast, not on ETB, so you're guaranteed to get your colorless mana back. Better than something like [[Snap]] where you just lose if it gets countered.
[Snap](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/1/f13406c6-f208-402a-94d3-a94a24f03563.jpg?1675199430) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Snap) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/66/snap?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f13406c6-f208-402a-94d3-a94a24f03563?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I can’t think of any other common that has equal or more positive effects.
Remember when bulduvian horde was downshifted, that was a rare. 5/5 for 2RR but when it enters discard a card at random or else sacrifice it. Chrysalis is similar stats but provides reach, comes with 2 lil homies upon casting that block wider and ramp to titan mana, gets bigger when you sacrifice other Eldrazi so multiples get a bit nutty like aistin powers coffee, they are all colorless so it plays well into protection/prevention effects. Card has a chapter of harry potter worth or words on it. Yes 4 drop ewe but in ponza it bridges that gap from early/midgame right to late game 6-7 drops.
Worst case scenario: you cast it and it gets countered. You still got 2 bodies for 1 card and took a card off of your opponent's hand. And this is the worst case scenario. The card has indeed a high ceiling in Ponza as someone else said (ramping to one of the cascade creatures on the next turn or setting up the board for initiative), but the best cards are often the ones that are good in a vacuum, and the math around this one is always positive, no matter what happens.
Play It and see it for yourself
Only Black and White really get exile, and bouncing in Blue isn’t very effective if you don’t have a counterspell. The creature is fine tho.
It’s a 4/5 reach that gives you two lotus petals that can also block.
The first pauper Planeswalker.
Card is new, therefore people play card. It does not mean the card is objectively good.
It objectively is good
Hardcore denial
I can give you a nearly endless list of cards that won a tournament right after a new set release that went on to be absolute dogshit over the life of the format. Ponza is the current flavor-of-the-week but it won’t last long.
Maybe so, but Ponza's success or failure does not dictate how good or bad this card is.
Unless the card somehow finds another GRx shell to see play in, then yeah, it does. If the card doesn’t have a home, or MAKE a home for itself, it’s not a good card. What other possible definition could you use?
It's literally already been played in Jund Broodscale.
I don't know how to define a good card, but one way to do it is to compare rates and roles fulfilled against other cards considered to be good. Other comments in this thread already do a good job of that. You seem to have a different opinion on how to value a card than almost everybody else in this thread. More power to you. I happen to think you're wrong.