Each Time Spiral card was an homage to at least one previously printed card.
This card is part of a cycle of 3 casting cost mana artifacts that turn into creatures which cannot be reprinted due to the Reserved list. This card is referencing Chronatog.
Posted By:
Missile_Penguin
(3/11/2012 3:05:14 AM)
Saw an article where they built a deck using this with Seedborn Muse and flash creatures and so forth to take your turn on your opponent's turn. 'course you could just use Chronatog in its place.
Still, I love this card for the artwork and how it references one of Magic's strangest creatures.
Posted By:
creepycrawler
(2/8/2011 9:56:48 PM)
Ah ha! I have it at last...
The in-block card that you can combo with Chronatog Totem to if not powerful, at least interesting effect:
Chronomantic Escape! You might not be doing anything, but at least your opponent(s) can't attack you until you run out of mana to animate the Totem/ the totem gets destroyed.
Posted By:
TDL
(10/15/2011 8:14:40 PM)
It seems as though the only redeeming virtue of the creature ability is its low cost- if you happen to be running Diminish or one of its cousins you can pull off a decent combat trick for three mana.
(Effectively for four mana, since you can't tap this thing to do it.)
Posted By:
Galgus
(4/28/2012 10:32:55 AM)
Turn 4: I hit you for 4, now take two turns.
sigh, why couldn't they give blue a better totem?
Ok, so the original Chronatog was used with stasis to lock and mill the opponent. This card needs 2 mana just to activate it so it doesn't stand a chance being used like that.
Also, there is already a lock like that in time spiral block; brine elemental and vesuvan shapeshifter.
Posted By:
Tommy9898
(5/20/2010 7:52:53 PM)
Well, at least there's mana acceleration there.
Posted By:
Fictionarious
(10/27/2009 8:20:54 PM)
sweet art. kinda creepy/cool
Posted By:
DlCK
(1/12/2010 2:48:29 PM)
If you use multiples? It's still only 1 turn to be skipped right??
Posted By:
AXER
(11/16/2010 9:11:17 AM)
I wonder what is the thought process behind these totems. I mean, in-universe. Some sculptor just decides that they want to make a statue of a chronatog or something, for no discernible reason.
Posted By:
adrian.malacoda
(7/7/2012 2:41:49 AM)
I agree, this totem, is garbage compared to all the others.
Its not like blue lacks creatures that can evade a wrath, though.
Posted By:
Kryptnyt
(7/26/2010 4:33:12 PM)