Life... Successfully
  • Life Successfully
  • Brand Shamans Forum
  • Intent-sive Nature
    • Give To Homeless Pets
    • Gift Cards
    • Intent to Read Publishing >
      • Books
    • Hire An Expert
    • Get Your Kit of Healing & Self-Care Surprises Every Month!
    • Natural Healing
    • Jewelry >
      • What is the Meaning Behind Intent-sive Nature Healing Jewelry?
    • Handcrafted Parenting & Kids Gifts
    • Hobbies & Collecting (Trading Crads, Games, Vintage, etc)
    • Handcrafted Home & Decor
    • Handcrafted Pet Toys & Gifts
    • Clearance SALE!!!
  • Writing, Web, Business, & Tech
    • Brand Shamans Brand Healing Journal
    • Write W.A.V.E. Media Thought Leadership & Tech Journal
    • Writing Tips Journal
    • The One-and-Only Internet Money Making Guide!
    • Writer's Resumes >
      • Lyn Lomasi >
        • Ask Lyn
      • Richard Rowell
      • Get Your FREE Writer's Profile & Online Resume
    • Be a Writer!
    • FREE Guest Post Submission >
      • Submission Guidelines
  • Services
    • Custom Jewelry-Making
    • Healing Readings & Talismans
    • Social Media & Branding
    • Content Writing & Editing
    • Premium Bulk SEO Articles or Blog Posts
    • Ready-Made Content
    • Advertising & Guest Posts
    • FREE Virtual Assistant (VA) Consultation
  • About Us & Contact
    • Become an Affiliate!
    • Promotional Banners
    • Disclosure, TOU, Dislaimer, & Privacy
  • Family & Home
    • Mekai's Branches ~ Family Adventure Journal
    • Kymani's Travels ~ Family Travel Journal
    • The Nova Skye Story ~ Family Journal
    • Upstream Parenting Journal >
      • Positive Parenting Books By Lyn Lomasi >
        • Upstream Parenting Book
        • The Pregnancy & Baby Care Guide EVERY Parent Needs!
        • The ONLY Potty Training Guide You'll Ever Need
    • Life & Home Journal
    • Momtrepreneur Moments ~ A Business Mom's Journal
    • Successful Relationships; A Heart-Focused Journal
    • Better Plumbing Blog >
      • Hire Better Plumbing - Your Denver Plumber
  • Travel
    • RV'ing Successfully ~ A Family Roadschooling & Travel Journal
    • Hometown Love ~ A Local Journal
  • Education & Literature
    • Heart 'N Mind Homeschool Journal
    • Free Learning Education Journal >
      • Two Affordable And Fun Toys For Teaching Kids To Read
      • Elementary Learning Supplies You Can Find At The Dollar Store
      • Free Counting Fun For Toddlers And Preschoolers
      • Why School Choice is Important in High School
      • Choosing Childen's Books That Create Smart Readers
    • Free Homeschool Worksheets
    • The Bibliophile's Library Journal - Book News, Reviews, & Info
    • Penning Your World ~ A Creative Writing Journal
    • Monsters Within Us ~ An Otherworldly Journal of Monstrous Incantations >
      • A Lighter Shade of Green
  • Health & Beauty
    • Whole Body Health, Healing, & Medicine Journal
    • Good Eats For The Soul ~ Vegan Diet, Recipes, & Food Journal >
      • Recipe Books By Lyn & Rich
    • Fash Diva ~ A Clothing, Shoes, & Fashion Journal
    • Naturally Simple ~ A Self-Care & Beauty Journal
    • Senior Living
    • Disabilities Articles
    • Green Living Articles
  • Society & Causes
    • Causes We Support
    • Speak Up!; A Homelessness & Social Justice Journal
    • Animal Advocacy >
      • Pet Resources >
        • Heart 'N Mind Paw Rescue >
          • Pawsitive Parenting Pet Rescue Journal
        • Sounds of Nature
      • Animal Advocacy & Healthy Pet Parenting Journal
      • Positive Pet Parenting Journal
      • Raising Pet Positive Kids
      • Supermom ...Kind Of
      • Pawsitively Adventurous Pets
      • Purrely Pawsitive And Barkably Amazing Pet Training Tips
      • Dog Praising
      • Spirit of the Wild Lands and Animals
    • Motivational Friends Inspirational Journal
    • Straight Up LGBTQ Blog
    • Colorful Expressions
    • Inner Healing & Spirituality Journal
  • Fun & Games
    • Gaming Successfully
    • Digital Collectibles Journal
    • Luna Starlight Comics
    • Crafting Successfully Arts & Crafts Journal
    • Culture Carnival; A Festival, Tradition, & Holiday Journal
    • Mouthy Momtrepreneur Journal
    • Clowning Around
    • Music Articles
    • Entertainment Articles
    • Humor Treasure Trove; A Funny Comedy Journal
  • News
    • News Articles
    • Sports Break Journal >
      • NFL 2019 Squares


Bolas’s Citadel - A Magic the Gathering War of the Spark Card Review

4/7/2019

0 Comments

 
by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
Picture
Bolas’s Citadel is a fascinating Legendary Artifact from War of the Spark. This card is sort of a strange cross between the powerful Instant spell Ad Nauseam and a popular enchantment called Future Sight. But, Bolas’s Citadel is more powerful than those two cards combined.

Let’s take a look at what this six-mana Enchantment does:

Bolas's Citadel {3}{B}{B}{B}
Legendary Artifact
You may look at the top card of your library any time.
You may play the top card of your library. If you cast a spell this way, pay life equal to its converted mana cost rather than pay its mana cost.
{T}, Sacrifice ten nonland permanents: Each opponent loses 10 life.


Is Bolas’s Citadel a better Future Sight and Ad Nauseum Combined?

Future Sight is an enchantment that has you reveal the top card of your library at all times. The advantage is that you can play the top card of your library. But with Bolas’s Citadel, you can look at the top card of your library at any time, but don’t have to reveal it. This means less information you give your opponent. Also, with the Citadel, you can play the top card of your library, but it comes at a price.

With Bolas’s Citadel, if you decide to play the top card of your deck, if its a spell, you pay life equal to that card’s converted mana cost instead of paying its normal casting cost. This is similar to the powerful Modern spell Ad Nauseum. That card allows you to reveal the top card of your library and add it to your hand as many times as you want. But, each card that you add to your hand comes at the cost of that card’s converted mana cost. (Lands cost zero converted mana, so they can be added to your hand for free).

However, there are ways to make Ad Nauseum work well as a powerful draw spell. For example in Legacy Ad Nauseam Tendrils, the deck plays eight zero cost spells and twenty-four one-drop spells. So, when you cast your one copy of Ad Nauseum, the chances of it actually draining you of enough life to be a problem are fairly low.

Modern Ad Nauseum operates a bit differently, using an enchantment called Phyrexian Unlife to actually allow you to go below 0 life in exchange for dealing infect (poison) damage to you instead. This only buys you 10 damage, but sometimes it’s all you need to draw into the card that you need to win - in most cases Lightning Storm.


How is Bolas’s Citadel different from Ad Nauseum?

Whereas Ad Nauseum adds cards to your hand, Bolas’s Citadel allows you to instead cast them. Plus, you get to see what the next card is, so you can choose not to cast it if you don’t want. Also, if you haven’t played a land card in a turn, you can choose to play that land without any penalty, essentially drawing you an extra card.

Plus, Bolas’s Citadel has a third ability. This tap ability allows you to sacrifice ten nonland permanents and have each opponent lose 10 life. While ten permanents is a lot - and it can actually include itself in the sacrifice - 10 life is a very substantial number. While this isn’t the main reason to play this card, it’s a nice weapon to have sitting there on the battlefield.


Will Bolas’s Citadel See Competitive Standard Play?

At six mana, Bolas’s Citadel is likely only going to be a single copy in a competitive deck, perhaps two copies at the most in a mono-Black deck.. Of course, Ad Nauseam is a five mana spell, so it’s not a huge stretch for this card to see play. The trick is playing a deck that can keep the game going long enough to cast the Citadel.

Fortunately, the Standard environment the Citadel of Bolas came into supported such a deck ready to play it. That deck is Esper Tempo, which proved itself as a formidable deck through Core Set 2020 Standard. Not every build of the deck plays Bolas's Citadel, but those builds that play Oath of Kaya and Elite Guardmage - both of which gain you life when they enter the battlefield - help take advantage of the Citadel's draw engine.



Bolas’s Citadel and Aetherflux Reservoir in Modern

The most obvious card that could make a Bolas’s Citadel deck work is Aetherflux Reservoir. People have been trying to make an Aetherflux Reservoir deck work in Modern for awhile with a card like Madcap Experiment to dig for the key artifact. Interestingly enough, Bolas’s Citadel may fit into that sort of deck. Because Aetherflux Reservoir decks can gain a substantial amount of life, a single Bolas’s Citadel could help speed the deck up significantly. This sort of deck, while it sounds good on paper, hasn't yet broken through into competitive play.


Bolas’s Citadel in Legacy or Vintage?

We have seen Ad Nauseum perform very well in Legacy, so what about Bolas’s Citadel? The key difference with the Citadel is that it allows you to cast cards, not put them into your hand. The sheer draw power of Ad Nauseum is key to the Legacy Tendrils deck digging into its key piece. While in theory having Bolas’s Citadel in play would be great - since you could play your Lotus Petals and Lion’s Eye Diamonds for free anyway - a six-mana enchantment is a lot to ask for in that format.

However, Bolas's Citadel HAS seen play in Vintage! You'll see the occasional Paradoxical Outcome deck run a copy of the Citadel. It's also a nice card engine for Tendrils of Agony Storm in Vintage. Bolas's Citadel can definitely see play in powerful decks if there's enough mana to power it out.



Bolas’s Citadel in EDH / Commander

The most obvious home for Bolas’s Citadel is in EDH. Six-mana Enchantments are much more at home in a format that takes awhile for board states to develop. Since you begin with 40 life in Commander, the ability to play many spells off of Bolas’s Citadel as soon as it hits the board is substantial. It’s very possible to play even a card that requires triple-Black in its casting cost earlier than turn six. Cabal Coffers and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, for example, make that cost easier to meet early on in a game. Also, black decks that also play green mana ramp should have little trouble casting Bolas’s Citadel on turn five or even turn four.

The number of decks that can play Bolas’s Citadel is quite high. Plus, that tap ability to sacrifice 10 nonland permanents could be abused over and over in decks that create a lot of tokens. Ten damage may not be enough to close out a game, but it’s much more relevant in multiplayer as it hits all opponents. It’s going to be a very popular card in the format and any deck that loves sacrificing creatures will have a ball with it.

The top Commanders early in this card's life included VIlis, Broker of Blood, Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, Kethis, the Hidden Hand, Massacre Girl, and God-Eternal Bontu. Of these Commanders, only Yawgmoth is particularly popular. Then again, the others likely will have many more decks built over time. The Citadel of Bolas also hasn't worked itself into as many decks as it could be in yet, either.



While Bolas’s Citadel may not see much competitive 60-card Magic the Gathering play, it will most definitely be a powerful card in EDH. Players were rightly excited about the power level of this card. What do you think of Bolas's Citadel?


Read more War of the Spark card reviews here.






Content Manifested by Brand Shamans.
The Brand Shamans can help take your website, brand, product, or business to another level. We've been providing content, web, & branding services since 2005!



Author & Book Services by Brand Shamans Content Writing & Editing by Brand Shamans Ready-Made Content by Brand Shamans Social Media & Branding by Brand Shamans Advertising & Guest Posts by Brand Shamans


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Gaming Successfully mini logo
    Keep up with the latest Magic the Gathering and other gaming articles by subscribing below:

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    ALL STAFF

    Lyn Lomasi Rowell
    Richard Rowell
    Laurie Childree
    Stephanie Laursen-Nolan

    OWNERS

    Picture
    Lyn Lomasi & Richard Rowell  are life & business partners. Owners of the Brand Shamans network, we are your brand healing, soul healing, marketing & content superheroes to the rescue!

    Running our network of websites, tackling deadlines single-handedly, and coaching fellow writers, brands, & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is our top priority.

    While rescuing civilians from boring content and brands, we conquer the world, living the RV life and managing our Intent-sive Nature with our awesomely crazy family while taking our kids on Upstream Parenting adventures & lessons.

    We also strive to one day cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, we’ll settle for furry rescue kitties and doggies.

    We support many causes via our business ventures, such as homelessness, support for trans youth, equality, helping starving artists, and more! A portion of all proceeds from Intent-sive Nature goes toward helping homeless pets in local shelters.
    Brand Shamans

    Archives

    October 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    February 2013
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    July 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    1v1 Commander
    2D Shooters
    Aether Revolt
    Alara Reborn
    Amonkhet
    Amonkhet Spoilers
    Anatomy Of A Bulk Rare
    Arabian Nights
    Avacyn Restored
    Battlebond
    Battle For Zendikar
    Born Of The Gods
    Brawl Commander
    Budget Magic Decks
    Building The Collection
    Card Reviews
    Cardsphere
    Car Games
    Challenger Decks
    Cheap MTG Cards
    Commander
    Commander 2013
    Commander 2014
    Commander 2015
    Commander 2016
    Commander 2017
    Commanding Opinion
    Computer Games
    Console Gaming
    Conspiracy
    Conspiracy: Take The Crown
    Content Creator Spotlight
    Dark Ascension
    Dark Saviors
    David Rowell
    Deck Profiles
    Deck Reviews
    Dominaria
    Dragon's Maze
    Dragons Of Tarkir
    Duel Decks
    Duelist Diaries
    EDH
    Eldritch Moon
    Eternal Masters
    Event Decks
    Fate Reforged
    Friday Night Magic Promos
    From The Vault
    Frontier
    Future Sight
    Game Daze
    Game Reviews
    Games
    Games And Mechanics
    Gaming Blogs
    Gaming News
    Gatecrash
    Goat Format
    Guilds Of Ravnica
    Homelands
    Hour Of Devastation
    How To Get Mostly Free Magic Cards
    Ice Age
    Iconic Masters
    Innistrad
    Interviews
    Ixalan
    John Grgurich
    Joshua Packard
    Journey Into Nyx
    Kai Chang
    Kaladesh
    Kaladesh Inventions
    Khans Of Tarkir
    Kitchen Table Magic
    Lyn Lomasi
    Mages Of The Guild
    Magic 2011
    Magic 2012 Core Set
    Magic 2013 Core Set
    Magic 2014 Core Set
    Magic 2015 Core Set
    Magic 2019 Core Set
    Magic 2020
    Magic Card Investor
    Magic Digital Next
    Magic Online
    Magic Origins
    Magic The Gathering
    Magic The Gathering Online
    Magic The Gathering Prices
    Magic The Gathering Q And A
    Mirrodin
    Modern
    Modern Horizons
    Modern Masters
    Modern Masters 2015
    Modern Masters 2017
    MODO
    Morningtide
    Most Expensive Cards
    MTG Card Values
    MTG Combos
    MTG Community Spotlight
    MTG Finance
    MTG News
    MTGO
    MTGO 1 Event Ticket Collection Challenge
    MTGO Finance
    MTG One Dollar At A Time
    MTG Reserved List
    New Phyrexia
    Nintendo DS
    Oath Of The Gatewatch
    Old School Magic
    Old School MTG
    Old School YuGiOh
    Online MMORPG
    Pauper
    Pauper Commander
    Pauper Finance
    PC Games
    PDH
    Penny Dreadful
    Planeswalker Decks
    Playstation 4
    Pokemon
    Pokemon Cards
    Pokemon Go
    Pokemon GX Cards
    Pokemon Red And Blue
    Pokemon Sun And Moon
    Pokemon TCG
    Pokemon TCG Reviews
    Pokemon X And Y
    PS4
    Ravnica
    Retro Gaming
    Retro Magic
    Return To Ravnica
    Rise Of The Eldrazi
    Rivals Of Ixalan
    Road Trip Games
    Scars Of Mirrodin
    Selling Magic Cards
    Selling Stuff Online
    Shadowmoor
    Shadows Over Innistrad
    Shawn Leonardo
    Slivers
    Steam Games
    Tempest Remastered
    Theros
    Theros Beyond Death
    Tiny Leaders
    Top Selling Cards
    Trading Card Games
    Ultimate Masters
    Video Games
    Vintage Magic Cards
    War Of The Spark
    Wild Wild West
    Xbox 360
    YuGiOh
    YuGiOh Decks
    YuGiOh Finance
    YuGiOh TCG
    Yugioh Toons
    Zendikar

COMPANY & SUPPORT

About Us & Contact
Brand Healing Journal
Become an Affiliate!
Disclosure, TOU, Disclaimer, & Privacy Policy
Write For Our Sites!

ALL SITES

Brand Shamans                                                        Life Successfully                                                                                                                                                          
Write W.A.V.E. Media                                                                     Pawsitive Parenting

Article Writer For Hire                                             Heart 'N Mind Homeschool    
Digital Collectibles Journal
Better Plumbing (Partner Site)

© 2005-2019 Life... Successfully by  Brand Shamans
Photo used under Creative Commons from Parker Knight