Zulaport Chainmage MTG Card

Zulaport Chainmage - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
2016-01-22 - Number 93

Zulaport Chainmage - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 830

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number OGW-93

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Shaman Ally
Abilities	Cohort
Power	4
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Chainmage thrives in ally decks, enhancing your board position by whittling down opponents’ life totals.
Its four mana cost is a detriment in fast-paced games that demand a quick presence on the battlefield.
Within the right combo and attrition strategies, Chainmage’s consistent life-drain ability can turn the tide.

Text of card

Cohort — , Tap an untapped Ally you control: Target opponent loses 2 life.

The chains obey her. Everything else would do best to get out of her way.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Zulaport Chainmage can become a key piece in an ally-focused deck, potentially providing significant card advantage. When it’s rallied along with other allies, its cohort ability can lead to repeated life loss for an opponent, effectively dwindling their resources while you maintain your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While the Chainmage itself does not directly accelerate resources, it can synergize with other cards that do. By pressuring an opponent’s life total, it accelerates the timeline for you to utilize your resources more aggressively in pursuit of finishing the game.

Instant Speed: Zulaport Chainmage’s ability does not operate at instant speed, but its impact on the board can influence when and how you play your instant speed interactions. This dynamic can force opponents into difficult decisions, potentially leading to favorable exchanges on your part.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Zulaport Chainmage doesn’t specifically require a discard, it does necessitate a certain board state to be effective. Without other allies or means to activate its cohort ability, its utility drops significantly.

Specific Mana Cost: Zulaport Chainmage requires a precise mana arrangement to cast: two black and two generic mana. This cost can be a stumbling block in multicolored decks that need a flexible mana base to accommodate a breadth of spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a total of four mana, Zulaport Chainmage comes with a price that might seem steep for its ability. In a game where speed can be essential, investing four mana in a creature that doesn’t have an immediate impact on the game state could put a player at a disadvantage.

Reasons to Include Zulaport Chainmage in Your Collection

Versatility: As a creature with a straightforward ability, Zulaport Chainmage can be a fitting addition to various deck types, particularly those that revolve around ally strategies or life loss mechanics. Its ability to deal damage while you gain life makes it a dual threat in the right setup.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combo settings, working well with cards that trigger on life loss or gain. Utilize it with other allies that benefit from or enable rally abilities, or pair it with effects that multiply whenever life is gained or lost for potent synergy.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where longer games are prevalent and incremental advantages matter, Zulaport Chainmage’s consistent ability to tip the life total scales can become a valuable tool. It pressures opponents in stalling games and can become an unsung hero in attrition-based strategies.

How to beat

Zulaport Chainmage is an intriguing creature card with the potential to chip away at your opponent’s life total, synergizing notably with allies in Magic: The Gathering. To effectively counter this card, consider strategies that neutralize its cohort ability. Since Zulaport Chainmage relies on having another ally on the field to trigger the loss of life, keeping the board clear of other allies can render it far less threatening. Utilize removal spells or board wipes that can disrupt your opponent’s creature base, thus negating the Chainmage’s effect.

Additionally, spot removal is key when the Chainmage hits the board. It’s crucial to eliminate it before your opponent can untap and activate its ability. Spell types like Murder or Doom Blade can be highly effective here. Alternatively, cards that offer protection from black or from creatures could also provide a shield against the repeated life loss inflicted by the Chainmage.

By prioritizing the disruption of ally synergy and utilizing timely removal, you can mitigate the impact of Zulaport Chainmage on the game, protecting your life total and maintaining control of the match.

Cards like Zulaport Chainmage

Zulaport Chainmage stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering due to its intriguing cohort mechanic. It shares similarities with other creatures that have tap abilities but what makes it special is its need for another tapped ally to activate its life-draining effect. Comparatively, cards like Malakir Familiar also provide a means to impact life totals, gaining lifelink whenever another ally controls. This however, doesn’t require the cohort mechanic and can act independently.

Delving into other allies with cohort abilities, Ondu War Cleric offers a direct life gain as opposed to Zulaport Chainmage’s life loss to the opponent. It is important to note that Zulaport Chainmage’s ability can bypass creatures with protection from black or abilities that prevent damage, as it causes loss of life, not damage. Kalastria Healer is another cohort ally, which, similar to Zulaport Chainmage, affects life totals but does so whenever it or another Ally enters the battlefield rather than through the tapping activation.

Every card offers a diverse tactical advantage, and for those looking to exploit synergies with tap and untap mechanics or direct life total manipulation, Zulaport Chainmage brings a unique element into the MTG gameplay strategy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zulaport Chainmage MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Mystery Booster, 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 Zulaport Chainmage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Zulaport Chainmage Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Chris Rallis.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-01-22	Oath of the Gatewatch	OGW	93	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Rallis
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	830	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Rallis
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	OGW-93	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Rallis

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zulaport Chainmage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Zulaport Chainmage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2016-01-22	To activate a cohort ability, the Ally with that ability must have been under your control continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn. Informally, it can’t have “summoning sickness.” However, the other Ally you tap can be one that just came under your control. (Note that tapping the second Ally doesn’t use -he tap symbol].)