PROS
- More often than not she comes down at a fantastic rate. Even 6 mana is nothing to laugh at!
- Will decide games often right there
- Catches the opponent off-guard when having to account for total power
- Could come down as early as Turn 3!
CONS
- May be sluggish to come down especially when faced with early removal of creatures (Marauding Raptor etc).
How many queens?
The age old debate rages when it comes to how many copies of a legendary to include. Ghalta in my mind is absolutely a minimum of 2 for starters. Even at that you should see her fairly often due to Commune with Dinosaurs. I have used an entire playset because I feel she is so impactful and value the imposing force a 12/12 Trample presents!
I would say up her to 3 and play with that number for a while. Seeing her that little bit more could be the right amount and change that is needed. If I had to choose, 3 would be my sweet spot because it is a happy medium. Don’t worry if you see a second one though! You could simply swing with the first Ghalta and simply play the second during the next Main phase. In a way having Ghalta “untap” by keeping that second one you play. All in all use the queen!
Explosive Golden Lines!
The spice you want. My first and favorite of them all.
T3HG (Turn 3 Hasty Ghalta) Opening Hand
- Rootbound Crag
- Stomping Ground
- Forest
- Marauding Raptor
- Otepec Huntmaster
- Wayaward Swordtooth
- Ghalta, Primal Hunger
With this opening hand, you only need a fourth land and Ghalta can come down Turn 3 and be given Haste from Otpec Huntmaster! Alternatively you could switch one of the Dinos for Commune and hope that it digs for the missing piece Turn 1. This line will not happen very often but if it can be worked in to happen sometimes you might as well. Just don’t have it as the main goal, but a nice one.
Hatchling Ghalta Opening Hand
- Stomping Ground
- Rootbound Crag
- Forest
- Marauding Raptor
- Raptor Hatchling
- Ghalta, Primal Hunger
That’s it just the 6 cards there, simple! This one is far more reasonable to see and still quite respectable.
Turn 3 playing your Third land, Raptor Hatchling, it gets pinged, makes the token which also get pinged leaves Marauding Raptor at 6 power plus 1 reduction, then the token brings us to 10! BAM the Queen for 2.