Making Glacial Chasm Work in EDH
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on Nov. 14, 2016, 9:02 p.m. by Vortexflame
I'm trying to make Glacial Chasm work in a Sigarda, Heron's Grace deck, but I'm having trouble nullifying its downside. Any suggestions on how to make it work?
RazortoothMtg says... #3
The only place I've seen it used well is playing it the turn you go off with Heartless Hidetsugu, but let me think for a minute...
I got nothing in G/W. All I could think of is Thief of Blood/Vampire Hexmage. Maybe just gain excessive amounts of life so it doesn't matter? That seems more of a Trostani, Selesnya's Voice deck though.
November 14, 2016 9:10 p.m.
If you're just trying to use it to protect yourself there's other options in we haven't mentioned yet.
Glacial Chasm is most often used when you're about to burn the house down and you want to save your couch from getting any ash on the upholstery.
November 14, 2016 9:33 p.m.
Mina and Denn, Wildborn and The Gitrog Monster can abuse it well
November 14, 2016 9:37 p.m.
Glacial chasm is for combo decks.
If you want to attack Just run Forcefield or Moat instead.
Or Island Sanctuary after you have Skullclamp so you can still draw.
November 14, 2016 9:37 p.m.
Could have something like Hex Parasite in play also.
November 14, 2016 9:48 p.m.
Steelspike says... #8
Umbilicus? You won't be able to play any other lands, but who cares?
Or figure out a way to give Chasm phasing?
November 14, 2016 10:22 p.m.
My meta is very creature heavy. I use that card to great effect to buy me 1 to 3 turns to combo out. I use it in a rather tuned Arcanis deck in a group where everyone's a good player but the decks used are often shy of being truly competitive (intentional deciaion).
I sometimes tutor up Cryptic Command to bounce it.
November 14, 2016 11:12 p.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #10
Life from the Loam is a common pair with GC.
November 15, 2016 12:13 a.m.
I don't get the "for combo" view of this card, it's pretty good on its own. I use it in mono white as a late/mid game winner with Angelic Chorus + Luminarch Ascension 4 turns later I'm gaining it's upkeep and then some. In Sigarda, Heron's Grace I feel like you could run the soul sisters Soul Warden + Soul's Attendant with Luminarch Ascension for similar results.
November 15, 2016 3:21 a.m.
Raging_Squiggle says... #12
The cumulative upkeep will quickly outpace small lifegain from Soul Sisters.
And if you're making enough angels from Luminarch Ascension to counteract the cumulative life loss, you don't really need Glacial Chasm to begin with, since you have blockers for dayz. In fact it's more detrimental to you since you can't attack with your large surplus of 4/4 fliers.
November 15, 2016 4:54 a.m.
@Raging_Squiggle Um, you realize the point of playing Glacial Chasm with Luminarch Ascension is to get the quest counters don't you? Avoiding damage for 4 opponents turns when the whole table is trying to stop you can be kind of difficult... You never have to pay beyond the first upkeep, 2 life and a land total, if you don't want to. I usually go 3 turns before getting rid of Glacial Chasm since the first three Angels made pay for it. Similarly you'd have to make 6 Angels in 3 turns with soul sisters, which doesn't seem that difficult in my opinion.
November 15, 2016 5:58 a.m.
Steelspike says... #14
Actually, now that I think about it more, Umbilicus is, IMO, the best and only option, really.
Umbilicus triggers "during each players' upkeep" since you control both instances, even though Chasm says "beginning of your upkeep", you can choose to have Umbilicus' trigger fire first, bouncing Chasm to your hand.
Don't play a land, 1st main phase, combat, second main, play Chasm as land for turn. Say "Go".
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Profit.
November 15, 2016 2:18 p.m.
Seems like bouncing it to your hand/playing each turn is really gonna suck since you have to sacrifice a land and it doesn't tap for mana... If you're dead set on not taking damage for an extended period of time Solitary Confinement is just better, especially if you are bouncing it before draw step via Umbilicus/Blood Clock . Glacial Chasm is great for going around the table 3 to 4 times when you're behind in board state or when playing cards like Luminarch Ascension which make you the archenemy of the table. Also worth noting if you ever go with a stax package Glacial Chasm goes well with cards that allow you to skip your turn like Chronosavant or Eater of Days.
November 15, 2016 3:07 p.m.
Steelspike says... #16
dlamars It should, optimally, only take 1-3 turns tops to take out everyone else at the table and win. Therefore, you would only need to sac 3-4 lands total.
Build your boardstate (probably a bit pillowfort-y) until you're the REAL threat to the board, then drop the Chasm and Umbilicus. By that time, all the other players *should have mostly taken each other down significantly.
Old Sigarda can be powerful enough on her own, but having another wincon can't hurt.
Also, unless they've seen you pull it off before, absolutely nobody will see it coming.
November 15, 2016 3:59 p.m. Edited.
Raging_Squiggle says... #17
If we're talking about the best cards to get around Glacial Chasm's downsides, Eon Hub beats everything. Simply skip the cumulative upkeep cost entirely. You don't have to repeatedly bounce and then sac a land to play it again. And it can be put in any deck.
aeonstoremyliver says... #2
Crucible of Worlds and Thespian's Stage. You can choose not to pay the Cumulative Upkeep and sac it, then recur it with Crucible or copy it with Stage.
November 14, 2016 9:09 p.m.