Aside from the (almost useless nowadays) utility of hosing Sliver decks, the Plague Sliver is worse. If you get more than one of them into play, the damage done to you will multiply. So if you have two Plague Slivers, you'll take 4 damage per turn, whereas with two Juzams you'd only take two. Juzam is also better than Phyrexian Scuta for the first three turns that he's out (and honestly by then you should already be winning), and if your opponent removes him right away you didn't just waste 3 life on nothing. Long story short, this guy is still awesome.
Of course, there's no way I can argue that he's better than Rumbling Slum.
Posted By:
achilleselbow
(4/14/2010 7:59:31 AM)
You need to evaluate the card based on when the card was being played.
He was the most efficient creature of the time, in a color with Dark Ritual!
This guy came out first turn frequently, sometimes with a friend.
My brothers deck during the first game of the first round of a NYC tournament cast a Juzam and a Juggernaut first turn.
The poor guy he was playing gathered up his cards, put them in his briefcase, got up and left.
besides, the art is sooo good. Just looking at that guy makes your oppponent feel the impending doom.
Posted By:
BathoS
(5/12/2010 10:34:21 PM)
spoonish is right about that one, and the artwork did him help to become just as iconic as he this.
Mark Tedin did an awesome job here, i mean look at it, already a glance on that card makes you awestruck!
He's got the most awful grin you could imagine, two sinisterly glowing eyes and a pair of giant horns.
The incidence of the light and the stony red background underline the dark atmosphere,
while he is holding a struggling man without the bat of an eyelid AT THE FREAKING TIPS OF HIS FINGERS!
Those are some sick proportions! I'm surprised this guy is even generous enough to let you only take one damage each turn.
Another unsuspected thing was that this card got a remake. A slightly inferior one, though.
Posted By:
Mode
(8/9/2009 9:05:50 PM)
Such a classic, sadly just not that great anymore. Check out Spellbreaker Behemoth
Posted By:
Revelation666
(7/27/2010 11:59:13 PM)
Ah the ravages of time.
He used to be so good.
Now we have so many mostly or even strictly better contemporaries:
Phyrexian Scuta
Plague Sliver
Still very impressive, overall though.
The fact that they could still reprint it today with a straight face is a testament to its staying power.
Posted By:
HairlessThoctar
(3/6/2010 6:12:10 PM)
Guardian Beast's brother in "looking undercosted because of the damn black background".
Posted By:
Arachnos
(8/17/2013 5:47:10 PM)
Plague Sliver is better, but this one is still a classic.
Posted By:
TheSuperbloop
(4/14/2010 2:31:25 PM)
Why Juzam Djinn would be a staple in Standard today:
1. Look at its contemperaries. In Black at that cost, there's Thought Gorger (weak, and serious card Disadvantage with Condemn, Journey to Nowhere, and Vampire Hexmage), and Abyssal Persecutor (WAY too restrictive, vampires decks with 12 ways to kill it are still scared to run it). In Artifacts, we have Molten-Tail Masticore, which has a more serious drawback and is easier to kill.
The current format is one dominated by Titans and other large creatures. In Vampire aggro decks, games are often won on the strength of a powerful topdeck. Juzam Djinn is immune to a whole pile of removal, isn't too painful under a Dark Tutelage, and can swing a game around immediately. It can come down before a Titan and crush the opponent. The drawback is almost negligible, and can be completely ignored against a lot of decks. It's immune to Pyroclasm and Slagstorm.
In Control, this would provide a huge threat early, that could kill of a turn-4 Jace, t... (see all)
Posted By:
Phantom_of_the_FNM
(4/9/2011 2:17:54 PM)
Aside from it being an iconic card, I don't see why Juzam Djinn is so good--Plague Sliver is nearly identical with the added benefit of hosing sliver decks
Posted By:
circu196
(2/26/2010 11:27:26 PM)