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Late-Game Shifts: Chancellor of the Forge
There’s something magnificently bonkers about a plan that hinges on a single, late-game moment: flood the board with red goblin hordes and watch the battlefield ignite. Chancellor of the Forge is a card that wears its power lightly and then detonates with a cataclysmic payoff. In Commander, where games routinely tilt on a single swing or a single wrath, this 7-mana red behemoth can turn a lull into a roar 🧙♂️🔥. Let’s break down how this Phyrexian giant reshapes late-game scenarios and why it deserves a slot on a lot of red goblin or big-creature lists alike.
What the card fundamentally does, and why it matters late
- Mana cost and raw power: Chancellor of the Forge costs {4}{R}{R}{R}, a tall order even in red-heavy stacks. At 5/5, it’s a solid threat to park on the battlefield and demand answers as the game drags on. Its aggressive frame sits comfortably in the late game where value is measured in momentum more than pure tempo.
- ETB payoff: a goblin avalanche: When Chancellor enters the battlefield, it immediately triggers a mass token event: create X 1/1 red Phyrexian Goblin creature tokens with haste, where X is the number of creatures you control. If your board is already populated, this can be a literal flood of red bodies in a single instant, turning an empty board into a red tide within a single resolution. The sense of scale here is part of the card’s enduring appeal 🎲.
- Opening-hand reveal kicker: You may reveal Chancellor from your opening hand. If you do, at the beginning of your first upkeep, you create a 1/1 red Phyrexian Goblin creature token with haste. Yes, there’s a quiet, early payoff that can compound with your late-game plan. It’s a little investment that pays off in the long run, giving you a delta of tempo and board presence that can set up your later plays 🧙♂️.
- Phasing into a full-on army: The combination of an X-token burst plus a consistent, early token on upkeep means you can accelerate into a fearsome army that threatens to overwhelm opponents who are already swimming in answers. The tokens’ haste further tightens the timing, letting you swing with a sizable squad once the dust settles.
“When you flip the switch on Chancellor, the board clock suddenly ticks in red—one massive attack, one awe-inspiring turn, and a cascade of goblins that makes Purphoros and friends nod in respectful acknowledgment.” 🔥
Strategic considerations for late-game EDH
Chancellor thrives when your deck is built to maximize creature count and leverage red’s relentless pressure. Here are practical angles to consider as you pilot this card into the late game 🧙♂️⚔️:
- Maximize X with creature-heavy boards: The value of the ETB effect scales with the number of creatures you have. Decks that flood the board with small red creatures, clunky roommates, or token generators will crank up the X value quickly. If you can consistently have a thriving board by turn 6–7, Chancellor can push you into an overwhelming mid-to-late game advantage.
- Token synergy and value engines: Red token strategies pair nicely with effects that trigger when creatures enter or attack. Word to the wise: if you have access to effect tokens that create more threats (even temporary ones), Chancellor’s X-token spike can cascade into serious inevitability. Creatures entering the battlefield can trigger damage-based payoffs in other red combos, turning a single swing into a multi-opponent disaster.
- Opening-hand reveal risk vs. reward: Revealing from your opening hand is a calculated risk. It grants a guaranteed early 1/1 haste goblin token, but it also reveals your plan to opponents, potentially inviting early disruption. If your playstyle leans into a “go big or go home” tempo, the risk is worth the reward. If you prefer a more subtle ramp into the late game, you might reserve that reveal for a moment when it will pay off the most.
- Counterplay and resilience: In a multiplayer format, you’ll face removal and sweepers aimed at your growing board. Chancellor’s tokens are individually small but collectively potent; the key is to protect the board long enough for the X payoff to land. Anticipate board wipes and plan for recasting or reloading with token generators so you stay in the game even after the cleanup steps.
- Price and power considerations: From a collector perspective, Chancellor of the Forge sits as a rare from New Phyrexia with a distinctive Phyrexian watermark. In terms of current market, it’s accessible for most EDH players and offers a reliable, big-payoff moment in red-focused lists. For foil enthusiasts, the card can be notably more collectible, given its dramatic stacking potential in the right build 💎.
Deck-building notes: practical inclusions for maximum payoff
To unlock Chancellor’s late-game potential, assemble a crew that can feed the ticking clock of tokens and big swings. Consider these touches:
- Token generators and mass producers to push X higher with every entry
- Red mana acceleration and rock pieces to reach 7 mana reliably
- Damage-based payoff enablers like sac- or enter-the-battlefield synergies to capitalize on token enters
- Removal and防s to survive the early and mid-game while you assemble your horde
Flavor-wise, Chancellor of the Forge embodies the red alliance with Phyrexian ingenuity—loud, brutal, and brilliantly theatrical. The design invites players to lean into big plays and to savor the spectacle of a battlefield suddenly flooded with crimson goblins. It’s not just about raw numbers; it’s about the narrative of a forge erupting into a red tide, where every token is a spark and every spark threatens to become a blaze 🎨.
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