Such a sweet firebreathing ability! Timmy is always happy to upgrade his Flame Spirits!
Posted By:
HuntingDrake
(11/13/2010 7:22:15 AM)
The Bushido is a little pointless (Trample would've been really, really awesome; Hell, First Strike would be great here as well) but I like this card.
Combine with Spellbook and play some absurd drawing effect the next turn. (Ancestral Vision is particularly nasty if you suspended it second turn) If you run this guy in a control deck, odds are you can swing in for 12 damage without sacrificing too much to make it happen with this guy.
Interesting card, and although not as good as he could've been, he certainly isn't awful.
Posted By:
GruesomeGoo
(11/21/2010 6:33:06 PM)
He gives me exactly what I want: an Ogre Samurai who doesn't turn against you (for any reason). Sokenzan Renegade looks cooler, but only works for whoever has the most cards in hand. By the time Saviors came out, that almost assured his owner was going to get stabbed in the tookus.
Load Spellblade up with the right artifacts (No-Dachi, Sword of Vengeance, Greatsword, Loxodon Warhammer, Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang) and he's your new best friend (especially if you have a Spellbook or two).
Posted By:
Cybertronian
(4/24/2012 6:05:39 PM)
I want to like this card. I really do. But he's just not up to snuff. Maybe if he cost 1 less, or if he started as a 3/4.
That said, I love the concept, and he's a fun casual card. The art is nice, and slapping an O-Naginata into this guy's mitts is more satisfying than it has any right to be.
In block, I'd run him with your other red splashes of choice with green spirit/arcane. Kodama's Reach and Elder Pine of Jukai can offset his high mana cost, and help keep some cards in your hand while they're at it.
Out of block, your options open up, but so does the competition.
Overall, a reluctant 3/5.
Posted By:
Phaeoxen
(4/29/2012 11:52:31 AM)
The Bushido is there simply because he's boasting the Samurai tribal. I thought it was sort of funny/cool since he has 3 types.
Otherwise, this card makes me tingle; so bad but brimming with silly potential. In a pure red deck, it definitely would not be the best but if you're running some sort of UR deck, you could definitely get something going.
Thinking about it, if you(I) were crazy(-ier), you(I) could get some Soratami/Land Bouncing going with heavy draw and Graceful Adept or whatever/Spell Book just for the sake of this card(or simply bounce cards). Maybe even a Training Grounds for a true super Firebreathing. With the Samurai tribal, you can splash some obligatory blue ninjas. (With all the work, UR control/burn or NivMizz/Crawler deck is a lot better anyways)
I like the card but like a lot of Kamigawa, not worth it unless you really want to use it.
Posted By:
Deepfried-Owls
(4/19/2011 5:03:34 AM)
What's not to like about this card? Sure, its converted mana cost is 5 mana, but being able to rise to 10/4 in combat just by tapping 2 mana (assuming one had a full hand) would be lovely with Trample!
Posted By:
DacenOctavio
(8/12/2009 6:35:38 PM)
A "full hand" would be 7, not 8. And it's very unlikely someone playing Red would have a full hand by turn 5.
Posted By:
CeremonialBathory
(9/14/2010 7:57:24 PM)
I'd like to see a deck get to 5 mana if they're playing crap like this.
Posted By:
Lestat13
(7/22/2010 10:04:56 PM)
This card can be as much a legitimate threat as your average dragon.
Posted By:
Kryptnyt
(4/12/2012 1:50:39 AM)