Don't forget that every general has an unprinted, but extremely important stat: Hate Level.
Ever use Kaalia of the Vast as your commander, or play against her? When she hits the table, the game changes. Eyes narrow. Hands shake under the table. Suddenly its not 1v1v1v1, its 3v1.
Tariel, though, she isn't seen as much of a bomb. She flies? She's an angel, of course she does. Vigilance? Nothing too bad there. 4/7 seems to be just barely low enough that she doesn't trigger anyone's "Kill the Fatty" reflex. Sometimes people get worried about her Debtor's Knell effect, but they always write it off once they see that it's random.
Then suddenly she's strapped with Tenza, Godo's Maul and Swiftfoot Boots, The Mimeoplasm is wondering where his Lord of Extinction went, and everyone is scrambling for a WoG effect.
tl;dr She's just strong enough to fly under the radar, b... (see all)
Posted By:
JerryMcJerrison
(9/11/2011 6:04:07 PM)
I love the concept of pulling out of the grave the WORST possible targets at random. Phage The Untouchable? Sky Swwallower? Leveler?
Seriously though, you can manipulate your grave to fight against good ol' Tariel. Void Maw is excellent for this strategy.
EDIT: I also am a bit perturbed by negative comments, the vigilance on this gal is awesome.
Posted By:
Splizer
(6/17/2011 1:38:55 AM)
Also to follow up Lumin's comment, she's a Reckoner of Souls, the blindfold is acting as a shield to the visual facade. Her judgment lies in the objective reality hidden behind the subjective perceptual experience.
Posted By:
MindAblaze
(8/25/2012 10:28:07 AM)
Justice is blind, and apparently so is reanimation.
Posted By:
Arachnos
(7/26/2013 12:59:14 PM)
"Hey, Tariel, are those souls?"
"I reckon"
Posted By:
Averyck
(5/4/2014 9:24:52 PM)
It shouldn't surprise me that Tariel's only really gotten bad comments so far. Most people don't like random. I feel the random part makes this card more exciting than it otherwise would have been. Random really is a love-it-or-hate-it concept in this game. I don't feel it's that bad, as you get to choose the player, so you already know what your possibilities are.
Add to Splizer's Void Maw the list of Cemetery Reaper, Nezumi Graverobber, Withered Wretch, and Rag Dealer. If you want to make her work, you can.
I do agree that the mana cost is high. Should we expect anything less, though? She's an Angel. At cheapest we would've seen {2}{W}{B}{R}.
Posted By:
sarroth
(6/16/2011 6:58:05 PM)
The flavor text is supreme.
Besides, Tariel is in the colors famous for destruction. A 4/7 vigilant flyer that gradually increases your army, I cannot complain. It's certainly not the best of Commander but indeed has its uses.
Posted By:
Cyberium
(6/17/2011 1:08:42 AM)
Just how many bad targets do you expect to see in an EDH game? Maybe your metas are different, but around here the targets are usually going to start at Yavimaya Elder and go up from there. People don't play bad creatures in EDH. If you're really picky you can sculpt their graveyard with jank like Void Maw or just selectively delete cards with Scrabbling Claws.
Every turn she can swing over the top (with a power that is easily pumped to the crucial 7-spot), stay back on defense with a body just big enough to survive most of the printed creatures in the game, and put another man on the board for you. And she's got the crucial "from a graveyard" instead of "from your graveyard" line, which means she's not particularly susceptible to graveyard hate.
If people let her stay on the board, she will win games for you. She doesn't really give you a specific hook to build around, and I don't care for Reynolds' art style; but as far as the rules printed on the card goes, she... (see all)
Posted By:
Veteripont
(6/24/2011 5:22:43 AM)
Artwork reminds me of Kamigawa for some reason. Decent card; not a very exciting general.
Posted By:
luca_barelli
(6/16/2011 2:40:17 PM)
Character Bio:
Tariel knows that the strands of Fate are loosely woven. Individual souls are but threads to her, easily pulled and rewoven back into the tapestry of history. Some ancient texts tell of her banishment from an empyreal Host, and other scrolls revere her as a savior, but all fear her wrath and flee from the sound of her thunderous laughter.
Posted By:
Feralsymphony
(7/7/2011 11:21:53 AM)