The old classic from Arabian Nights. Epic and always worth a try in the early expansions, especially with the new equipments we've got.
majinara
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Should be a legend too. :|
Radagast
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(12 votes)
A very interesting card and one that well-illustrates how far Magic has evolved.
I remember years ago this card was considered amazing because "you couldn't lose while it was in play." While not strictly true (you could still be decked, etc.) very few people outside of the developing tournament community at the time realized the folly of playing cards that "prevent you from losing" vs. those that actively help you win the game. Casting Ali from Cairo and hiding behind him for the rest of the game worked well in casual games back in the 1990's, but it was never really the way to win.
These days, there's far more that can be done with this guy: make him untargetable, indestructible, etc. There are probably even some decent ways to turn his "you can't lose" ability into a win through damaging yourself (Pestilence and similar effects, provided you can keep Ali alive, etc.)
Summary: An excellent card that helps clarify the difference between winning and "not losing."
chrishocker
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(14 votes)
I think MasterOfEtherium just made the worst comment I've ever read.
MasterOfEtherium
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(33 votes)
I love LADY GAGA
TheTellion
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
1 word: infect. ;)
DacenOctavio
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
From a flavor perspective: What the HELL is going on here?
OBiRiON
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(12 votes)
82-year-old Mubarak shall step down now. ali from cairo can only keep you going for so long
frommerman
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(9 votes)
political activism on this site? NICE! Go Egyptian freedom fighters!
bijart_dauth
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
I love how the printed text makes his creature type his name.
I recently won a game with Ali thanks to him and power surge. Playing with old cards is a lot of fun.
LordRandomness
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@DacenOctavio: Go check out Fortune Thief, this is basically the same flavour I believe. As for "not losing", I'm inclined to agree but only because of the lack of surprise value. Fortune Thief is blessed with the ability to flip up and suddenly save you, giving you a turn you might well not have had. Ali can potentially do the same if you can foil removal attempts such that your opponent doesn't kill him when they expected to.
SirLibraryEater
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Goes wonderfully in my Ali from Cairo tribal deck.
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Make WAY!
For Prince ALI!
!Say:"Hey! It's Prince Ali!"
Hey clear the way in the ol' bazaar, Hey you! Let us through-it's a bright new STAR! Oh come be the first on your block to meet his eye!
Make way! Here he comes! Ring bells! Bang the drums!
Ah! You 'gonna love this guy!
Prince Ali- Fabulous He!- Ali Ababwa- Genuflect, show some respect: Drag Down on one knee! ! Now-try-your best-to-stay calm, Brush off your Sunday Salaam!,Then come and meet his Spectacular Coterie! (needs to be a card. I'm waiting, WOTC, ;) Gets +1/+1 for How Awesome You Are? XD)
PRINCE ALI!- Mighty is HE!- Ali Ababwa!! Strong as Ten regular men definitely! -"He faced the galloping hoards!" (another ;) ) -"A hundred bad Caws with Swords!" (I call B.S. at this point :P ) -"Who sen' dose goons to dere lords?"
Why, Prince Ali!!!
He's got SEVENTY-FIVE golden camels"Don't they look lovely Evan?" Purple peakocks he's got FIFTY-THREE!"Fabulous Brad, I love the feathers." And the Scouter says he's Over Nine Thousand"WHUT? 9000 POWER AND TOUGHNESS?!"
Wain it comes to Exotic Type Mistforms... Has He gotta Zoo!
*I'm Telling YOU!*
IT'S A WORLD-CLASS MENAGERIE! (please, WOTC? :D)
He's got NINETY-FIVE white persian monkeys! He's got the monkeys! Lets see the monkeys! And to view them he charges no fee! He's generous! So generous!
JarieSuicune
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is super-cool, considering both flavor and it's age.
But... Fortune Thief is just better. She's able to be an attacker/defender before needing to protect, and only costs more (with a {R} becoming a as well) to play straight. And can unmorph safely at literally any time, due to rules on Morph. And she's one of the ladies of this game. ^_^
Kodanshi
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This has to have the most hilarious and wonderful creature line ever on a card:
“Summon Ali from Cairo.”
“Yes sir, just coming now, taking the plane, I’ll be there in a day or so…”
Comments (25)
I remember years ago this card was considered amazing because "you couldn't lose while it was in play." While not strictly true (you could still be decked, etc.) very few people outside of the developing tournament community at the time realized the folly of playing cards that "prevent you from losing" vs. those that actively help you win the game. Casting Ali from Cairo and hiding behind him for the rest of the game worked well in casual games back in the 1990's, but it was never really the way to win.
These days, there's far more that can be done with this guy: make him untargetable, indestructible, etc. There are probably even some decent ways to turn his "you can't lose" ability into a win through damaging yourself (Pestilence and similar effects, provided you can keep Ali alive, etc.)
Summary: An excellent card that helps clarify the difference between winning and "not losing."
also, Near-Death Experience
"Ali from Cairo is doing his thing."
Hillarious, but the card is incredibly cheesy in Shandalar since the AI doesn't know how to deal with it.
For Prince ALI!
!Say:"Hey! It's Prince Ali!"
Hey clear the way in the ol' bazaar, Hey you! Let us through-it's a bright new STAR! Oh come be the first on your block to meet his eye!
Make way! Here he comes! Ring bells! Bang the drums!
Ah! You 'gonna love this guy!
Prince Ali- Fabulous He!- Ali Ababwa- Genuflect, show some respect: Drag Down on one knee! !
Now-try-your best-to-stay calm, Brush off your Sunday Salaam!,Then come and meet his Spectacular Coterie! (needs to be a card. I'm waiting, WOTC, ;) Gets +1/+1 for How Awesome You Are? XD)
PRINCE ALI!- Mighty is HE!- Ali Ababwa!!
Strong as Ten regular men definitely!
-"He faced the galloping hoards!" (another ;) )
-"A hundred bad Caws with Swords!" (I call B.S. at this point :P )
-"Who sen' dose goons to dere lords?"
Why, Prince Ali!!!
He's got SEVENTY-FIVE golden camels "Don't they look lovely Evan?"
Purple peakocks he's got FIFTY-THREE! "Fabulous Brad, I love the feathers."
And the Scouter says he's Over Nine Thousand "WHUT? 9000 POWER AND TOUGHNESS?!"
Wain it comes to Exotic Type Mistforms...
Has He gotta Zoo!
*I'm Telling YOU!*
IT'S A WORLD-CLASS MENAGERIE! (please, WOTC? :D)
He's got NINETY-FIVE white persian monkeys!
He's got the monkeys! Lets see the monkeys!
And to view them he charges no fee!
He's generous! So generous!
But...
Fortune Thief is just better. She's able to be an attacker/defender before needing to protect, and only costs
And she's one of the ladies of this game. ^_^
“Summon Ali from Cairo.”
“Yes sir, just coming now, taking the plane, I’ll be there in a day or so…”