Gisela, the broken blade

Imperat0r
Imperat0r Posts: 35
edited March 2017 in MtGPQ General Discussion
Greetings everyone.

I recently drew a Bruna, the fading light and seeing the meld stats i was ofcourse interested in getting Gisela aswell.

But looking over the card packs, i realised tat Gisela isnt in them...

Is Gisela really a bought card only? If so thats ****..
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Comments

  • Nitymp
    Nitymp Posts: 320 Mover and Shaker
    Yes, she is an exclusive mythic card, which means that she will only be available for $$ for now. All the exclusive mythics are added back into the card packs that they belong to, once a new card set is brought out.
  • Morphis
    Morphis Posts: 975 Critical Contributor
    In the current state Gisela is THE card to buy of this set.
    They are going to release at least one exclusive mythic that's immune to balance rules for a while.
    Last one was Olivia, this time is Gisela.
    I have to admit though that I am thankful their choice was not deploy at least.
  • Maveric78f
    Maveric78f Posts: 50
    It's Decimator by a mile. Gisela is just another creature that's gonna be killed. By the time Olivia and Decimator get killed, they already hit the opponent and boosted your other creatures.

    Deploy the gatewatch is the best card in the set though. It bring 40+ hasty power on the board, which is ridiculous.
  • Morphis
    Morphis Posts: 975 Critical Contributor
    Maveric78f wrote:
    It's Decimator by a mile. Gisela is just another creature that's gonna be killed. By the time Olivia and Decimator get killed, they already hit the opponent and boosted your other creatures.

    Deploy the gatewatch is the best card in the set though. It bring 40+ hasty power on the board, which is ridiculous.
    Of course Decimator is the "current Olivia".
    Also deploy is the most op card in the set(arguably the most op card ever if you have the op creatures too).

    But neither of those are exclusives.

    As far as exclusives go Gisela is the card to buy in this set.
    Emrakul being good too but only in combos with deploy or reanimation.
  • Mainloop25
    Mainloop25 Posts: 1,959 Chairperson of the Boards
    No love for Ulrich?? He's super dangerous to play against if you don't dispatch him quickly. It's arguable that he's the best EMN exclusive creature so far.... but I wouldn't be surprised if people consider Gisa&Geralf the black Deploy.
  • Steeme
    Steeme Posts: 784 Critical Contributor
    Mainloop25 wrote:
    No love for Ulrich?? He's super dangerous to play against if you don't dispatch him quickly. It's arguable that he's the best EMN exclusive creature so far.... but I wouldn't be surprised if people consider Gisa&Geralf the black Deploy.

    Geier Reach + Ulrich is a ridiculously strong combo. Combine with Olivia for more lols. I find myself banking 3 full creatures + 3 discards so I can drop all three on the same turn. Also works with Emrakul, since you can break stalemates when the AI banks grief cards.
  • Ohboy
    Ohboy Posts: 1,766 Chairperson of the Boards
    Steeme wrote:
    Mainloop25 wrote:
    No love for Ulrich?? He's super dangerous to play against if you don't dispatch him quickly. It's arguable that he's the best EMN exclusive creature so far.... but I wouldn't be surprised if people consider Gisa&Geralf the black Deploy.

    Geier Reach + Ulrich is a ridiculously strong combo. Combine with Olivia for more lols. I find myself banking 3 full creatures + 3 discards so I can drop all three on the same turn. Also works with Emrakul, since you can break stalemates when the AI banks grief cards.

    What's amazing is I swear the AI did this with Olivia to me the other day. It held 5 fully charged cards in hand for a few turns, then suddenly unleashed Olivia and 2 creatures.
  • Maveric78f
    Maveric78f Posts: 50
    Why would you need combos, when you win all your games just by being able to remove your opponent creatures?
  • Steeme
    Steeme Posts: 784 Critical Contributor
    Maveric78f wrote:
    Why would you need combos, when you win all your games just by being able to remove your opponent creatures?

    I don't care about the opponents creatures, unless they are doing something more than attacking me.

    The issue is that when players stuff their decks with removal, the AI just banks them and picks your creatures off before they can do anything. If the players are running bouncy creatures (Reflector Mage, Harbinger, and now the ever popular Lashweed Lurker) then you will find your creatures bounced one at a time. You will still win, but it is a waste of time.

    Best tactic I've found is to bank Olivia + Emrakul + Something else and drop the bomb to get two full swings with lifelink in. Be careful against Transgress, Infinite Obliteration, Distended Mindbender.
  • Ohboy
    Ohboy Posts: 1,766 Chairperson of the Boards
    Steeme wrote:
    Maveric78f wrote:
    Why would you need combos, when you win all your games just by being able to remove your opponent creatures?

    I don't care about the opponents creatures, unless they are doing something more than attacking me.

    The issue is that when players stuff their decks with removal, the AI just banks them and picks your creatures off before they can do anything. If the players are running bouncy creatures (Reflector Mage, Harbinger, and now the ever popular Lashweed Lurker) then you will find your creatures bounced one at a time. You will still win, but it is a waste of time.


    Err.. Is that a complaint that a control deck isn't sitting there and letting your creatures run amok?
  • Kirielle
    Kirielle Posts: 2
    This may be late but.... How did you get Bruna? @_@

    I don't see here listed in the **view cards** part of SOI in the Vault, among other cards that I've been wanting to get, like Thalia. >__<

    I've been holding off since I have yet to see those cards appear on the list in-game.
  • watman
    watman Posts: 64 Match Maker
    Kirielle wrote:
    This may be late but.... How did you get Bruna? @_@
    You could get her in an event, for completing all the milestones...
  • Ohboy
    Ohboy Posts: 1,766 Chairperson of the Boards
    watman wrote:
    Kirielle wrote:
    This may be late but.... How did you get Bruna? @_@
    You could get her in an event, for completing all the milestones...

    The bad news is, the event to get her is over.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Match Maker
    Bruna is pretty good on her own. Most of the time I don't even bother trying to do the Gisela-Bruna combo since Bruna dies so quickly thanks to Vigilance and their melded form isn't even that good.
  • Steeme
    Steeme Posts: 784 Critical Contributor
    Drycha wrote:
    Bruna is pretty good on her own. Most of the time I don't even bother trying to do the Gisela-Bruna combo since Bruna dies so quickly thanks to Vigilance and their melded form isn't even that good.

    Melded form isn't that good? 9/10 Flying, Vigilance, First Strike, Lifelink? Reinforced for 12 mana with Gisela? If your opponent doesn't have any removal spells banked, it's ggclose.

    I agree that you can get something almost as good by just playing Gisela + Haunted cloak for 13 mana, but having power = toughness makes her susceptible to Inner Struggle, which is a common pseudo-removal card in red decks.
  • mouser
    mouser Posts: 529 Critical Contributor
    Steeme wrote:
    Drycha wrote:
    Bruna is pretty good on her own. Most of the time I don't even bother trying to do the Gisela-Bruna combo since Bruna dies so quickly thanks to Vigilance and their melded form isn't even that good.

    Melded form isn't that good? 9/10 Flying, Vigilance, First Strike, Lifelink? Reinforced for 12 mana with Gisela? If your opponent doesn't have any removal spells banked, it's ggclose.

    I agree that you can get something almost as good by just playing Gisela + Haunted cloak for 13 mana, but having power = toughness makes her susceptible to Inner Struggle, which is a common pseudo-removal card in red decks.

    There are a lot of decks/creatures able to quickly drop a fat creature that will kill a 9/10 first striker. Factor in the 18 cost for Bruna, and additional risk of having your two card meld killed with one AI play.

    Opponent drops a 12 attack Decimator against your Gisela--you're ahead in the race. 8 damage + 8 life vs 12 AI damage, you have a net gain of 8 damage vs 4 AI damage each turn. Add Bruna to the board for another 18 and instead of being ahead in the damage race your Gisela is dead and board state crushed.

    Not every deck has Decimator, but the principle remains. Olivia is another example of a creature that can be single-cast and kill a Gisela-Bruna, whereas with just Gisela out you can trade a little bit with Olivia while prepping a solution to remove her. The meld is a very expensive investment that could make your board situation worse against the higher end decks. Adding onto that, it sucks drawing Bruna first. A very expensive creature that's likely to die if you cast it before Gisela.
  • ridfrenzy
    ridfrenzy Posts: 127 Tile Toppler
    In the decks I play Gisela I have a Piggy ready to give her berserking as well. Bruna is pretty pointless especially as you are likely to have DTG as well in the deck. Bruna should also cost 12 mana IMO.
  • Steeme
    Steeme Posts: 784 Critical Contributor
    mouser wrote:
    Steeme wrote:
    Drycha wrote:
    Bruna is pretty good on her own. Most of the time I don't even bother trying to do the Gisela-Bruna combo since Bruna dies so quickly thanks to Vigilance and their melded form isn't even that good.

    Melded form isn't that good? 9/10 Flying, Vigilance, First Strike, Lifelink? Reinforced for 12 mana with Gisela? If your opponent doesn't have any removal spells banked, it's ggclose.

    I agree that you can get something almost as good by just playing Gisela + Haunted cloak for 13 mana, but having power = toughness makes her susceptible to Inner Struggle, which is a common pseudo-removal card in red decks.

    There are a lot of decks/creatures able to quickly drop a fat creature that will kill a 9/10 first striker. Factor in the 18 cost for Bruna, and additional risk of having your two card meld killed with one AI play.

    Opponent drops a 12 attack Decimator against your Gisela--you're ahead in the race. 8 damage + 8 life vs 12 AI damage, you have a net gain of 8 damage vs 4 AI damage each turn. Add Bruna to the board for another 18 and instead of being ahead in the damage race your Gisela is dead and board state crushed.

    Not every deck has Decimator, but the principle remains. Olivia is another example of a creature that can be single-cast and kill a Gisela-Bruna, whereas with just Gisela out you can trade a little bit with Olivia while prepping a solution to remove her. The meld is a very expensive investment that could make your board situation worse against the higher end decks. Adding onto that, it sucks drawing Bruna first. A very expensive creature that's likely to die if you cast it before Gisela.

    I agree with your points, but they're only applicable if you play your hand like the AI does, ie. one card at a time. Try throwing down chumpers while banking Gisela / Bruna. Draw out the AI's removal spells. Drop them when the time is right. Bruna and Gisela can be used on their own, but when they meld they only take a single creature spot. It really depends on how you've built your deck.

    Just like any other combo in this game, you have to actually plan it out to make it work.
    ridfrenzy wrote:
    In the decks I play Gisela I have a Piggy ready to give her berserking as well. Bruna is pretty pointless especially as you are likely to have DTG as well in the deck. Bruna should also cost 12 mana IMO.

    I just ran into a deck in NoP where Bruna was played. Didn't have a removal spell on hand. The next turn she pulled out Ulrich for free, which basically made up for her cost. I wouldn't say she's pointless.

    And, huh? When did "especially as you are likely to have DTG as well.." come into existence? I don't think a large portion of the player base has all the new mythics in their library.
  • Mainloop25
    Mainloop25 Posts: 1,959 Chairperson of the Boards
    I think he just meant that if you are playing Decimator, you are likely playing DtG as it is a popular strategy to deploy 3 buffed up fatties.
  • mouser
    mouser Posts: 529 Critical Contributor
    Steeme wrote:
    I agree with your points, but they're only applicable if you play your hand like the AI does, ie. one card at a time. Try throwing down chumpers while banking Gisela / Bruna. Draw out the AI's removal spells. Drop them when the time is right. Bruna and Gisela can be used on their own, but when they meld they only take a single creature spot. It really depends on how you've built your deck.

    Just like any other combo in this game, you have to actually plan it out to make it work.

    No, the point I was trying to make is no matter how carefully you plan out your hand it's still incredibly susceptible to common AI plays. 30AP is a lot to invest, when it works you'll cruise to an easy victory. When it doesn't work you may find yourself well behind in the game due to the investment to get Gisela/Bruna out.

    Gisela is awesome. Bruna is overpriced and probably not worth playing in the majority of decks running Gisela, though there will always be exceptions with the right decklist.

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