I wonder i Tiro will be happy or angry
She's cool, but ninjas still suck because they are few and unsopported
She's still good on her own though. In fact, that they could slap such a relatively powerful effect for such a low cost on her probably is precisely because the tribe has little support. Not every "tribal commander" needs to have 20+ creatures of that tribe in their deck. Ninjas aren't herd animals, just like hydras.
So... it's a tribal commander for a tribe that needs it and it's the only tertiary commander that cares about the theme of the deck... and it dodges commander tax.
How did wizards knock all four of these tertiary legends out of the park like this. Seriously, they all seem amazing (though not necessarily powerful).
YESSSS!!!!! I am so happy right now. I was looking for a reason to break down my Lazav deck because it was boring me. This is beyond perfect, ninjutsu is probably my favorite ability of all time. I am making this deck immediately.
Man this set is good. I was a bit let down by the jund generals since I really did want a good jund lands general in the vein of gitrog. But apparently that was the low point because everything since then has been amazing. And even those are still very interesting, they just weren't really "lands matter" commanders.
Doesn't matter now. Between Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle, the enchantress commanders of yesterday and this I'm all smiles.
She happens to be in the colors of Xenograft/Arcane Adaptation/Conspiracy though. Surely having access to 3 redundant versions of the effect (and a commander re-usable any number of times for 2 mana) is spicy enough to be worth a build.
The weird thing is that because Ninja as a card type only has 12 cards in those colors (13 if you include an un-card), Yuriko is somehow a bit balanced in power level as a commander.
But boy o boy if we ever come back to a ninja plane, this card will shoot up in value like no other. Might be worth getting a copy just to hold onto for a few years.
So here's the "surprise for Kamigawa fans" we've been hinted at.
At first I read it as "When Yuriko deals damage" and I honestly thought it was pretty fine because she also dodged Commander Tax, but then I reread it and it said "whenever A NINJA deals damage". I mean... wow. This is actually pretty good.
I'm just super mad that Tetsuko isn't a Ninja. Once again, I'm well aware of why she isn't, but come on, just look at her!
The weird thing is that because Ninja as a card type only has 12 cards in those colors (13 if you include an un-card), Yuriko is somehow a bit balanced in power level as a commander.
But boy o boy if we ever come back to a ninja plane, this card will shoot up in value like no other. Might be worth getting a copy just to hold onto for a few years.
Legitimately did not see this coming (Naturally). Are there enough viable ninjas to make a halfway decent ninja tribal deck?
Also, now we just need a Boros Samurai legend and I'll be happy!
I'm pretty sure there are only 10 ninjas not counting un-cards. However all of them have decent to good on-damage abilities, plus as another user pointed out you have access to Arcane Adaptation, Xenograft, and Conspiracy to make all your non-ninja creatures into ninjas.
The weird thing is that because Ninja as a card type only has 12 cards in those colors (13 if you include an un-card), Yuriko is somehow a bit balanced in power level as a commander.
But boy o boy if we ever come back to a ninja plane, this card will shoot up in value like no other. Might be worth getting a copy just to hold onto for a few years.
Ninja's don't need other ninja's, they need evasive creatures: Shadow, Flying, Horsemanship, Unblockable, Intimidate, Fear, Menace, all of these abilities allow the ninja's to connect to the opponent. Same with Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow. A ninja deck does not need many ninja's after all. A good ninja deck also contains ways for you to return them to your hand repeatedly, and it helps if the evasive creatures have come into play abilities as well.
Yuriko is good, very, very good.
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It's about time for the reserved list to die, for the sake of Vintage and Legacy (And Commander).
The weird thing is that because Ninja as a card type only has 12 cards in those colors (13 if you include an un-card), Yuriko is somehow a bit balanced in power level as a commander.
But boy o boy if we ever come back to a ninja plane, this card will shoot up in value like no other. Might be worth getting a copy just to hold onto for a few years.
And there are another 12 creatures (in Esper colors) that are Changelings. Not saying they are good, but they can still count as Ninjas!
Then I would add in guys that have evasion, or are straight up unblockable, and there you go!
Question: Can you ninja a ninja? As in, bounce a ninja for Yuriko immediately after he gets in, to protect it?
Unblocked attacker -> Ninja -> Yuriko.
Sure you can. The first ninja that gets ninja'd onto the battlefield is an unblocked attacking creature, so you can ninja another ninja onto the battlefield and bounce that ninja. (God, this sentence was painful to write.)
Ninjutsu doesn't care whether the creature was actually declared as an attacker, just that it's attacking and unblocked.
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Lapsed DCI Rules Advisor - Retired from playing but still hanging around
I now want to see a nature documentary on the behavior of ninjas in the wild. Narrated by Morgan Freeman.
I reckon it would feature a lot of scenery shots while the narrator is talking about how the Ninja is a very elusive creature. And then they'd show "unprecedented footage" of a Ninja in the wild for three seconds but the only thing you see is a dark swoosh between some blades of grass and the documentary abruptly ends.
People are surprised because they got ninjutsu'ed. That's what ninjas do anyways.
Hate the art though. Looks like she was superimposed. Terrible keyword, but it's the only way to stay iconic lol. People will remember commander ninjutsu for years to come.
The sad thing is that kamigawa was so badly received because the mechanics and the powerlevel overall was just awkward, not because the plane or the story was bad...
This is false. MaRo has said multiple times that the plane itself was also not particularly well-received. They did a deep dive on some interesting lore, but unfortunately it didn't have much cache with the audience. They know the plane has its fans, though, which is why callbacks like Yuriko, Silent-Blade Oni, and Tamiyo are about all we can expect.
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Can you name all of the creature types with at least 20 cards? Try my Sporcle Quiz! Last Updated: 6/29/20 (Core Set 2021).
I now want to see a nature documentary on the behavior of ninjas in the wild. Narrated by Morgan Freeman.
I reckon it would feature a lot of scenery shots while the narrator is talking about how the Ninja is a very elusive creature. And then they'd show "unprecedented footage" of a Ninja in the wild for three seconds but the only thing you see is a dark swoosh between some blades of grass and the documentary abruptly ends.
Like the Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka.
HOLY CRAP!!! I've been asking for a Legendary Dimir Ninja for years and even asked that it could be ninjitsued from the command zone, but I never really thought they'd actually do it. Even if they did, I figured it would high CMC like Ink-Eyes or Higure, not super cheap and awesome! This card is even better than I imagined.
They should have given her Ninjitsu, and errata'd the ability to work from the Command Zone (opening up both Higure & Ink Eyes as Commanders.
With the bonus of not sounding snip.
I really hope there are some new, solid Ninja's in the set to work with her. The supply as it stands now is very limited.
Disappointing her ability only works with Ninjas, but I do like her quite a bit.
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I like to think that, when they were brainstorming a ninja commander, someone asked how to solve the issue of ninjutsu not working from the command zone, and someone else jokingly suggested the direct, unsubtle route, but then they realized, why don't they just go the direct, unsubtle route?
Also, what the hell is Yuriko wielding? Get some realninjaweapons, lady.
Ninjas used farming implements and tools as weaponry, because peasants weren't allowed to own any martial weapons.
I like to think that, when they were brainstorming a ninja commander, someone asked how to solve the issue of ninjutsu not working from the command zone, and someone else jokingly suggested the direct, unsubtle route, but then they realized, why don't they just go the direct, unsubtle route?
Also, what the hell is Yuriko wielding? Get some realninjaweapons, lady.
Ninjas used farming implements and tools as weaponry, because peasants weren't allowed to own any martial weapons.
Yuriko seems to be using a coal rake.
1. Thanks for killing my joke.
2. Those things are pretty ridiculous looking coal rakes.
How did wizards knock all four of these tertiary legends out of the park like this. Seriously, they all seem amazing (though not necessarily powerful).
Man this set is good. I was a bit let down by the jund generals since I really did want a good jund lands general in the vein of gitrog. But apparently that was the low point because everything since then has been amazing. And even those are still very interesting, they just weren't really "lands matter" commanders.
Doesn't matter now. Between Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle, the enchantress commanders of yesterday and this I'm all smiles.
But boy o boy if we ever come back to a ninja plane, this card will shoot up in value like no other. Might be worth getting a copy just to hold onto for a few years.
Also, now we just need a Boros Samurai legend and I'll be happy!
At first I read it as "When Yuriko deals damage" and I honestly thought it was pretty fine because she also dodged Commander Tax, but then I reread it and it said "whenever A NINJA deals damage". I mean... wow. This is actually pretty good.
I'm just super mad that Tetsuko isn't a Ninja. Once again, I'm well aware of why she isn't, but come on, just look at her!
Ninja's don't need other ninja's, they need evasive creatures: Shadow, Flying, Horsemanship, Unblockable, Intimidate, Fear, Menace, all of these abilities allow the ninja's to connect to the opponent. Same with Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow. A ninja deck does not need many ninja's after all. A good ninja deck also contains ways for you to return them to your hand repeatedly, and it helps if the evasive creatures have come into play abilities as well.
Yuriko is good, very, very good.
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Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
Immediately thought about Red Alert.
Question: Can you ninja a ninja? As in, bounce a ninja for Yuriko immediately after he gets in, to protect it?
Unblocked attacker -> Ninja -> Yuriko.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
And there are another 12 creatures (in Esper colors) that are Changelings. Not saying they are good, but they can still count as Ninjas!
Then I would add in guys that have evasion, or are straight up unblockable, and there you go!
One more legendary correct?
Sure you can. The first ninja that gets ninja'd onto the battlefield is an unblocked attacking creature, so you can ninja another ninja onto the battlefield and bounce that ninja. (God, this sentence was painful to write.)
Ninjutsu doesn't care whether the creature was actually declared as an attacker, just that it's attacking and unblocked.
Hate the art though. Looks like she was superimposed. Terrible keyword, but it's the only way to stay iconic lol. People will remember commander ninjutsu for years to come.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
This is false. MaRo has said multiple times that the plane itself was also not particularly well-received. They did a deep dive on some interesting lore, but unfortunately it didn't have much cache with the audience. They know the plane has its fans, though, which is why callbacks like Yuriko, Silent-Blade Oni, and Tamiyo are about all we can expect.
My 720 Peasant Cube
Like the Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka.
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
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ManabaseCrafter
Seriously?
They should have given her Ninjitsu, and errata'd the ability to work from the Command Zone (opening up both Higure & Ink Eyes as Commanders.
With the bonus of not sounding snip.
I really hope there are some new, solid Ninja's in the set to work with her. The supply as it stands now is very limited.
Disappointing her ability only works with Ninjas, but I do like her quite a bit.
A Dying Wish
To Rise Again
Chainer, Dementia Master
Muldrotha, the Gravetide
Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
On phasing:
Ninjas used farming implements and tools as weaponry, because peasants weren't allowed to own any martial weapons.
Yuriko seems to be using a coal rake.
2. Those things are pretty ridiculous looking coal rakes.
Great card, otherwise. Go ninja! Go ninja, go!