MTG’s new mutant turtle Commander is havoc in a half-shell

Murders at Karlov Manor is adding many new Commander options to the MTG, and Pride of Hull Clade is one of the best among them.

Ravnica’s Simic Combine made its name in generating incredible bio-engineered hybrids. Whenever an MTG set returns to Ravnica, you can bet that the Simic will have some new form of freaky Creature to add to the game. This time around, they’ve perfected the art of defense.

The Pride of Hull Clade easily ranks among the Simic’s greatest achievements. This is a new MTG creature debuting in Murders at Karlov Manor with an incredibly potent defense that will provide a generous boost to toughness-matters decks. Power may be all well and good, but this defensive creature will be near-impossible for opponents to crack.

The Pride of Hull Clade fits right into Toughness decks

Swapping out toughness for power is a well-loved gameplay style in MTG, as with other TCG archetypes like Yu-Gi-Oh’s Superheavy Samurai. The long-term popularity of Commanders like Arcades the Strategist proves that sometimes the best offense is a good defense.

While Arcades is a hefty hitter in their own right, The Pride of Hull Clade eclipses it significantly in Commander damage potential. Boasting a whopping 15 toughness and an incredible draw ability, this card can serve as either a Commander or the ace in the hole in another toughness deck. MTG players are still weighing up whether to slot The Pride of Hull Clade into existing toughness decks or forge ahead with a brand new strategy.

While The Pride of Hull Clade’s steep casting cost may seem initially prohibitive, it can be reduced to next to nothing when building a deck with toughness in mind. Green players will already have mana to spare, thanks to their unparalleled ramp, so this discount is just the icing on the cake.

Green mana is often synonymous with big creatures, and it’s gratifying to see that even within that design space, interesting new creatures like The Pride of Hull Clade have the chance to flourish. Straightforward without being overly simple, we can see this being a popular addition to many MTG decks, and it easily ranks among Murders at Karlov Manor’s best choices for Commander.

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