Zenith Chronicler MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Phyrexian Construct
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides selective card draw, ensuring strategic card advantage during gameplay.
  2. Accelerates resources for a consistent lead in mana and strategy.
  3. Instant speed capability allows for flexible and reactive plays.

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Zenith Chronicler. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Rakdos Aggro StandardRakdos AggroThe Pizza Box Open: Standard

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zenith Chronicler MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One and Phyrexia: All Will Be One Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Zenith Chronicler and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Whenever a player casts their first multicolored spell each turn, each other player draws a card.

It watches through the never-ending day, motionless save for the unsettling, twitching dance it performs as each sun reaches its apex.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Zenith Chronicler offers you the upper hand with its ability to sift through the deck swiftly, ensuring that you’re not just getting any card, but the right card for the situation at hand. This kind of card selection often leads to a significant advantage over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: As a gameplay mechanic, Zenith Chronicler can give you a notable boost in resources. Whether it’s by potentially untapping lands or providing alternative means of leveraging your mana, this card keeps you steps ahead, keeping the pressure on the adversary while bolstering your strategic position.

Instant Speed: The flexibility that Zenith Chronicler brings to the table as an instant cannot be overstated. This speed permits reactive gameplay, allowing you to adapt to the unfolding match. Play it during your opponent’s turn to maximize efficiency or as a surprise maneuver that could potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Zenith Chronicler demands a card be discarded to utilize its ability. This can put players at a disadvantage, especially in tight situations where every card in hand is pivotal for maintaining momentum in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost includes both generic and colored mana, necessitating a precise mana base to play it effectively. It requires a specific combination of mana types, which could make it a less versatile option for decks that don’t generate those mana types consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While offering insightful card draw capabilities, Zenith Chronicler’s mana cost is on the higher end. Players may find the investment too steep when alternatives are available that provide similar benefits without the steep resource commitment.


Reasons to Include Zenith Chronicler in Your Collection

Versatility: Zenith Chronicler offers flexibility to players, being able to adapt to various deck styles and game scenarios. With its capabilities in either drawing cards or returning spells from the graveyard, it meets multiple needs that arise during gameplay.

Combo Potential: This card can become a pivotal piece in powerful combos. Its ability to retrieve instant or sorcery cards from your graveyard not only lets you reuse valuable spells but also synergizes with strategies that capitalize on spell casting or graveyard manipulation.

Meta-Relevance: Zenith Chronicler remains pertinent in evolving metagames. As control and combo decks ebb and flow within popularity, this card is consistently useful for maintaining hand advantage and executing game-winning strategies regardless of the prevailing trends.


How to beat

Zenith Chronicler offers players in Magic: The Gathering a strategic advantage with its cascade mechanic, allowing you to potentially cast spells for free from your library. To effectively counter this card, timing is key. Playing instant-speed removal when the Chronicler is on the stack will prevent the cascade trigger from occurring, as cascade only happens when the creature spell resolves. Cards with split second, such as Krosan Grip or Sudden Death, can be particularly effective as they prevent any responses from your opponent.

Another strategy is to manipulate the library directly, making the cascade less beneficial. Effects like Lantern of Insight combined with Codex Shredder or Field of Ruin can remove potentially dangerous spells from the top of your opponent’s library before Zenith Chronicler’s ability resolves. Additionally, hand disruption tactics can force the opponent to discard Zenith Chronicler before it’s ever cast, with cards like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek. Keeping the battlefield clear of other creatures also makes it less tempting for your opponent to play a creature that primarily serves to trigger cascade.

Ultimately, while Zenith Chronicler holds potential for explosive plays, a gameplay approach that prioritizes control and disruption can successfully undermine Zenith Chronicler’s impact on the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the MTG realm enhances your play with cards like Zenith Chronicler, a card that’s as much about strategic depth as it is about finesse. Whether you aim to optimize your deck with its card selection advantage, ramp up your resources, or surprise opponents with instant speed plays, the Chronicler is a significant boost to any collection. However, be mindful of the trade-offs in terms of discard requirements and mana cost. Keep evolving your approach by incorporating cards that challenge current metagames, ensure you maintain card advantage, and seamlessly adapt combos for victory. Elevate your deck’s capability with Zenith Chronicler and stay a step ahead in the ever-changing landscape of MTG. Discover more strategies and card insights with us, and harness the full potential of your MTG arsenal.


Cards like Zenith Chronicler

The allure of Zenith Chronicler lies in its capacity to meld graveyard recursion with card advantage. This creature card echoes the dynamics seen in other blue spells like Archaeomancer, both aiming to retrieve instant or sorcery cards from the graveyard to your hand. However, Zenith Chronicler allows a direct play on those spells, which elevates its strategic merit in MTG decks focused on spell-casting.

Comparing it further, Mnemonic Wall comes to mind, another creature with a similar return-to-hand ability, yet it lacks the outright playability that Zenith Chronicler offers. This playability grants a smoother and swifter flow to cycling spells within a game. Then there’s Salvager of Secrets, a creature card with a synergy that aligns closely to Zenith Chronicler, but still, it doesn’t permit the immediate casting that can potentially turn the tides of a match.

In assessing these options, it’s evident that Zenith Chronicler holds a valued spot due to not just recuperating valuable spells, but allowing players to seamlessly weave them back into gameplay, a potent feature that’s quite rare in the realm of blue creatures.

Archaeomancer - MTG Card versions
Mnemonic Wall - MTG Card versions
Salvager of Secrets - MTG Card versions
Archaeomancer - MTG Card versions
Mnemonic Wall - MTG Card versions
Salvager of Secrets - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Zenith Chronicler by color, type and mana cost

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Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Jandor's Saddlebags - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Mask of Intolerance - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions

Printings

The Zenith Chronicler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2023-02-03 and 2023-02-03. Illustrated by Johann Bodin.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be OneONE 2462015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
22023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One PromosPONE 246s2015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
32023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One PromosPONE 246p2015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
42023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be OneONE 3992015NormalBlackJohann Bodin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zenith Chronicler has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal