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English-language Forums => Commander Discussion => Topic started by: JewcyJay on March 14, 2023, 03:56:28 pm

Title: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: JewcyJay on March 14, 2023, 03:56:28 pm
Hi!
I want to build a Group Hug deck with Chulane, Teller of Tales (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Chulane%2C+Teller+of+Tales) or Shanna, Purifying Blade (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Shanna%2C+Purifying+Blade) (100$).
Which commander will attract less hate and why (probably Shanna)? Which commander has more synergy in terms of Group Hug (probably Shanna)?
Thanks a lot!
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: Morganator 2.0 on March 14, 2023, 04:31:14 pm
Neither one has inherit synergy with group hug, so it's dependent on the deck structure. What group hugs cards were you thinking of using? If you post them, then we can figure out which commander has more synergy with those cards.
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: JewcyJay on March 14, 2023, 05:18:08 pm
I planned nothing to special for Bant Group Hug.
I like cards like Rites of Flourishing (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Rites+of+Flourishing), Rootweaver Druid (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Rootweaver+Druid) and Arbiter of Knollridge (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Arbiter+of+Knollridge).
Chulane let's me use the ETB effects again.
I'm just wondering if Chulane gets too much focus.
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: Cosmic_Insight on March 14, 2023, 06:17:37 pm
If you're willing to add red, Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Kynaios+and+Tiro+of+Meletis) are a great option. Collective advantage where you end up on top, four colors (including Bant) and a nice beefy statline that lets you use your commander as a defensive option. Plus, red has some decent group hug cards (mana flare (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Mana+Flare), etc.) plus good wraths and finishers. Insurrection (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Insurrection)?
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: Morganator 2.0 on March 14, 2023, 06:19:45 pm
It sounds like you'll want Chulane then. He gives better card advantage unless you really want to focus on lifegain and the ramp package to support Shanna.

Chulane is a commander that can be accidentally good. It takes very little effort to make a good Chulane deck, which is likely why he gets hated out. The point of group hug is to avoid that; because you're helping everyone out, they choose to leave you alone.
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: Cosmic_Insight on March 14, 2023, 06:42:13 pm
I agree. I don't personally have a Chulane deck, but I have experienced them from both ends. The deck will go off regardless of budget or power level, and tends to get hated on (rightfully) before it gets out of control. Group hug decks work, as previously stated, by helping everyone while not appearing a credible threat, and will win often through the massive advantage they have made themselves, finishing off opponents, or turning everyone's newfound resources against them. Treacherous terrain (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Treacherous+Terrain) and friends are great wincons to pick off players who have been swinging at each other after you've given them even more resources.
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: JewcyJay on March 14, 2023, 08:12:46 pm
Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Kynaios+and+Tiro+of+Meletis) are truly great, but the mana base will be more expensive.
If I can build them on a 100$ budget I will. Otherwise I will go for Chulane, Teller of Tales (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=de&card=Chulane%2C+Teller+of+Tales) I guess.
Thanks everyone!
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: Somewhitedude001 on March 16, 2023, 03:55:31 pm
For what it's worth, I have a K&T deck where the land base is $6. I run the temples, Thriving lands, typed snow (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Snow) lands from Kaldheim, Command Tower (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Command+Tower), Exotic Orchard (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Exotic+Orchard) and some basics, everything entering tapped does slow the deck down a bit but getting to Growth Spiral (https://cards.deckstats.net/magiccard.php?utf8=1&lng=en&card=Growth+Spiral) for free on your end step really speeds it up
Title: Re: Chulane or Shanna?
Post by: anjinsan on March 18, 2023, 09:54:25 pm
The point of group hug is to avoid that; because you're helping everyone out, they choose to leave you alone.
That’s not really true. The point of group hug is to change the base assumptions of the game in a way that suits you, e.g. to ramp everyone but you have more haymakers, etc, in the same way (but kinda opposite) to how people run stax cards but seek to break parity on them. If I see a group hug player, I have to decide whether they’re helping me more than they’re helping the other two (it’s rare that they’re helping me more than they’re helping themselves); if not, I probably want to kill them first.

I’m probably a bit biased in favour of murdering of them in the face, in fact, just because I’ve seen a lot of group hug decks I disliked, but sometimes they’re worth keeping around, sometimes not.