This guy's flavor and mechanics are very red, only slightly white, and definitely not blue, but I suppose he follows the Fusion Elemental theme of "more colors = bigger creatures". He also does an important job as a Political Puppets commander - the job of compensating for the lack of effectiveness that persuading your opponent to be nice to you will have in one-on-one games.
greg2367
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(8 votes)
One on One I suppose he's decent, but for multiplayer, He is beyond underwhelming. Oh man I paid 4 and got a 7/7 aren't you jealous? Uhh. Not really, in this day and age that's like par for the course. You also cannot choose who to attack and you MUST attack, so I can just hate on you freely and you cannot choose to attack me with him, so I am realy not very threatened. In fact, not choosing who you attack is imo such a huge drawback, I think he needs a buff.
I think Ruhan would've done great with: Ruhan has trample if you have 2 opponents, and Ruhan has Haste if you have 3 opponents.
See that way, he is still kind of freaking terrifying as he just comes down swinging, so at least he is more threatening in bigger games, and the trample is just so he doesnt get chumped blocked ( the fate of every fatty-sans-trample ever.)
Could be a potential Guided Passage deck target. Ask your opponent to search your library and all he could find is four copies of this gentleman.
raadface
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(11 votes)
This guy is cool but could easily be mono-red
C'mon Wizards! How is this guy blue, like at all? Lol.
Still, an early beating nonetheless, throw this guy some equipment (I.e. fireshrieker, whispersilk cloak) and he'll be making you some enemies at the table in no time
GengilOrbios
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
don't underestimate him! he's absurdly large for 4 mana and makes a really good general in EDH, I had to say
Biggles
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
If only he'd been mono-red with intimidate.
metalevolence
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
A bad Rafiq. Sad truth.
Ruhan is too small and too expensive for what you get.
Gwafa_Hazid
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Yeah, I don't really see the UR in him apart from a little randomness(which is something of a theme among UR cards), but I can definitely see the UW; he's trying to be fair with his attacking, not trying to show favoritism, or taking sides, so he attacks everyone equally to show impartiality. Could still use a buff based on # of players though, that's a really clever solution.
E-n-S
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Native to Ir, eh?
NocteMundi
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(5 votes)
For the Political Puppets deck, he's the general best suited for duels, while Zedruu, The Greathearted is best for multiplayer.
And yes, just as Lorendorky suggested, slap either Vow of Lightning, Vow of Duty, or Vow of Flight, or ALL THREE, give him to a (newly made) buddy, and they'll have a 13/13 flyer with first strike and vigilance that mercilessly attacks everyone else but you.
He may not make you anything but enemies as a Commander, but as a gift, he's one of the best in the deck to give as a metaphorical treaty.
SleetFox
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
I don't like the choices they made with this card. For starters, there's nothing blue about him. It can be argued that he's white because he's very fair. But nothing blue. Secondly, he was put in the deck as an "optional commander", and yet he's incredibly uninteresting as a commander that's virtually impossible to build around.
I like him as a card, though. He's very efficient in duels.
They should've made him cost WWRR instead and made Basandra the third WUR commander, giving her flash or shroud or something that'll justify her being blue (and making her less weak).
Sironos
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Political intrigue... with a random beatdown forced attacker as alternate general...
I don't like him, completely mindless beatdown, doesn't belong in such a delicately interesting deck as Political Puppets. He should have been mono green, the colour of huge mindless beatdowncreatures.
So you're gonna switch to this guy as genral in 1on1's? So the rest of your deck is based on donating things while this beat down brute swings away? Sounds like a bad idea imo.
Don't like this at all, and there is nothing blue about him.
Feralsymphony
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Character Bio: Ruhan defies every rule, every expectation, every stricture meant to hold him. He was born blind, but chose a life of war. He was trained by famed Fomori swordmasters, but chose his own deadly great-mace. His elders form alliances, but his allegiance is to none but his own whim.
Shadows_Vengeance
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Anyone saying this card should have been mono-colored
Are you nuts? There is no way this would have been printed as a mono-colored creature and still cost 4 mana.
@ metalevolence
Rafiq of the Many is probably better, but this guy lives through the Lightning bolt and the creatures that are (at least) 4/5's.
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
very good if you're playing diplomatically. "oh, sorry bout that 7/7 coming your way, but hey, it was random. we're still allies, right?"
Huffytreefolkman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Now alot of people don't like this cardI can see why. While a 7/7 for 4 mana with small drawbacks is really good in most cases.but for giant tribal they already have fatties deepslumber and the Boldwyr Heavyweights he's not the biggest or baddest of giants.that beong said he isn't a runt either. what the card is lacking what SleetFox said earlier the blue flavor. this guy has no real abilities that should make him cost the portion blue of his cost. if he bounced a creature upon attack that could account for blue or even draw on attack that woul d make stand out of the crowd . this guy would have been pick guaranteed by the community if they dropped the colorless out of his casting cost.but that would replace woolly thoctar as one of the biggest 3 drop. all in all he's a 4 out of 5 in commander. fun funplay wise 4&1/2 for to put steele of the god head and clout of domius and hell even scourge of noblis.
boneclub
★★☆☆☆ (2.6/5.0)(9 votes)
He's so American. Fat, throws his wait around, and attacks random things!
TheSwarm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
People are complaining about the colors.. I feel it is definanlty an attack on America or something. Not that I am anti american or anything! I actually have a serious problem with the colors of the card as well. And also, EDH aint my thing, but it seems like a really fun general.
djflo
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
If you can't spin the situation, he's a curse who'll constantly make you enemies. On the other hand, if you're able to explain that you really didn't have a choice, and you'd much rather him be attacking your enemy, you're able to weaken someone who might be an ally now but later on will turn against you anyway.
Exilyth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"Whenever ~ deals comat damage to a player, that player draws a card" would have been nice. As it is, I can only agree with the other comments: not blue enough.
TPmanW
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This guy leads to some pretty fun games. My playgroup pounces on anyone who acts a little aggro in an edh game so Ruhan lets me justify my aggressive actions (I didn't decide to attack you, it was Ruhan!).
Lateralis0ne
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
'MURRICA!
Buddy of mine uses this as his general in a Voltron build. So. Friggin'. Annoying in duels.
LordofAwesome33
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can't find a build for him? Have you forgotten our little friend Mirror-Sigil Sergeant? These two would be the best of friends in an aggro deck.
Sutebe
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Interestingly, Ruhan here is from the same tribe of giants seen in Future Sight (Fomori Nomad). The Mimeoplasm also apparently roams Muraganda, a land referenced in Future Sight as well (Muraganda Petroglyphs). This leads me to believe that the Fomori and Muraganda are on the same plane, and will be in the same set. I may very well be wrong though, we'll have to see what the future holds.
Londonbrig0
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Dear lord, QQ more about him being blue eh?
He'd be way too powerful if he was just 2 colors
shotoku64
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
This guy reminds me of the U.S military. He's red white and blue and attacks people at random. Joking of course, they're all a great bunch of people and deserve a raise. The card needs some more appreciation too. If everyone had been in a game with this guy, he would be at least 4 stars (right now 3.8). I give him 4/5
badmalloc
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My first commander! I bought the Political Puppets deck and the guy at the cardstore said I should use Zedruu as my commander, but I'm paranoid about building my deck around my commander in case something happens to him (condemn, mind control, arrest, etc). So... I just filled the deck with generically good cards and used the low dependency Ruhan as my commander. I wrote a blog post about building the deck here: http://bopmtg.net/blog/first-commander
Gheridarigaaz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I'd say he's got a bit of blue in him, considering how you're meant to use some amount of trickery when building around him, think about it. If, say for instance, your "ally" runs a vow enchantment, and blue being the enchantment-transferring colour... or that either blue or white can cause him to "flicker" when he goes for someone you want to keep alive, maybe even play on those cheap turn gaining spells like stitch in time and savor the moment. Maybe its just the size that makes him blue. Yes of all colours blue has a tendency to have the largest creatures, e.g. ludevic's test subject, leviathan, jokulmorder... and now with illusions like phantasmal dragon i can really see why, being the undercosted creature that he is with a "downside" he could be blue
Lord_of_Gelectrodes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is TERRIBLE in edh, assuming you play with more than two players. It places a huge target on your face while it romps randomly around. If the political puppets deck wants to make friends, why doesn't it have a more alliance-based legend?
brunsbr103
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ruhan is my commander of choice for one of my favorite EDH decks. For the longest time I used Numot the Devastator, but I felt like a jerk destroying lands, and tbh in the deck he functioned about like a shivan dragon as my commander. I then switched to ruhan-and he is WAY better than I expected (and I thought he was good). The thing is, Ruhan forces out removal to make room for my actual threats. He is an amazing lightning rod that comes down two turns earlier than Numot! And if they don't answer to him he can start wreaking havoc and forcing my opponents to block, knocking out their utility creatures. Flavor wise, he does not feel blue, but in play I can see it.
GolgariLichLord
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
'MERICA, F*CK YEAH! (alternate flavor text, 'cause he's red, white and blue and don't give a sh*t about nobody)
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Can't find anything blue or white about him. This guy is 100% Red with an American casting cost.
EvilDarkVoid
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Wouldn't giving your ally in a multiplayer game the vow be better than giving them Ruhan himself? That way you can still sacrifice Ruhan if you have any effects that require it, and they can't sacrifice it to their cards if they turn against you. It also allows you to use enchantment bounce or removal on the vow to let Ruhan hit them when you are no longer allies and prevents them from doing that to you.
TheWrathofShane
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
The only reason I can think of for him having blue is a shady reference to USA. We are big, bad, and attack people at random.
HotHit
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's kind of upsetting for me this guy isn't green, I just love green to much to bring myself to play a commander game with a non-green deck. Wild and crazy just wants to fight anyone...
It's aggravating to see people are thinking, "I might have played the abomination that's killing you all, but I didn't MEAN for him to kill you all!", hoping that that'll save them from the other players. My justification for attacking an "ally"? That ally was dumb enough to join up with RUHAN OF THE FOMORI, the giant that KILLS EVERYONE.
I get to enjoy rolling a die to choose who dies AND a 7/7 for 4 AND I can use it as a commander?! I thought Woolly Thoctar was ridiculous.
DaLucaray
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Not-So-Subtle jab a the US- c'mon, that's the ONLY reason he's white OR blue. I kinda wish he was a more Build-Around General.
Existential
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What is this card? A 7/7 for FOUR MANA!? It can be an early addition, and probably the most powerful thing on the field when it came about. But beyond meta flavour, it is an absolute beast. 7/7!? You need to attack each turn; it's continued presence implies its continued aggression, in fact, it is a fundamental part of it. You can't think of this without it being aggressive. It attacks a random opponent; they did what, exactly, to deserve this? The aggression may prove to be it's downside, in the end. Finally, there is a hint of diplomacy; if you're into EDH politics, you hedge a bet with each of the players, and for whoever does not get attack, it usually pays off. Related, having a grudge or an alliance with someone else is just not realistic; best just stick it our for yourself. Oh, and it is also the colours of the American flag...
Syrtees
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
That diplomacy you were having with the Bant player over there, it's gone now.
N3wtn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"Ruhan don't need no summoner to tell him who to attack. Ruhan a grown-ass Giant, attack who he wants." ~Ruhan
@Sutebe A set with a prehistoric feel and a wedge theme? Hurry up and make this a thing, Wizards!
Petertracy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Oh look, it's THAT GUY who does his combat step with a handful of dice. PAH
StyrofoamKing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He's the commander of my "Group Thug" deck... it's like the Pheldagrif deck, except instead of helping everyone, it just hurts and helps everyone randomly. Prosperity, Angel's Trumpet, Invasion Plans, Soldevi Sentry. You don't play to win, you play to completely destroy any stalemate.
Then I realized; this guy's an early game 7/7. I boost his power even a little, make him unblockable, and give him double strike, and he can easily hit the level of being able to take out opponents in a single swipe. Don't hold him back from attacking; just make sure he's damn near impossible to successfully block.
Comments (45)
Oh man I paid 4 and got a 7/7 aren't you jealous? Uhh. Not really, in this day and age that's like par for the course. You also cannot choose who to attack and you MUST attack, so I can just hate on you freely and you cannot choose to attack me with him, so I am realy not very threatened. In fact, not choosing who you attack is imo such a huge drawback, I think he needs a buff.
I think Ruhan would've done great with:
Ruhan has trample if you have 2 opponents, and Ruhan has Haste if you have 3 opponents.
See that way, he is still kind of freaking terrifying as he just comes down swinging, so at least he is more threatening in bigger games, and the trample is just so he doesnt get chumped blocked ( the fate of every fatty-sans-trample ever.)
C'mon Wizards! How is this guy blue, like at all? Lol.
Still, an early beating nonetheless, throw this guy some equipment (I.e. fireshrieker, whispersilk cloak) and he'll be making you some enemies at the table in no time
Ruhan is too small and too expensive for what you get.
And yes, just as Lorendorky suggested, slap either Vow of Lightning, Vow of Duty, or Vow of Flight, or ALL THREE, give him to a (newly made) buddy, and they'll have a 13/13 flyer with first strike and vigilance that mercilessly attacks everyone else but you.
He may not make you anything but enemies as a Commander, but as a gift, he's one of the best in the deck to give as a metaphorical treaty.
I like him as a card, though. He's very efficient in duels.
They should've made him cost WWRR instead and made Basandra the third WUR commander, giving her flash or shroud or something that'll justify her being blue (and making her less weak).
I don't like him, completely mindless beatdown, doesn't belong in such a delicately interesting deck as Political Puppets. He should have been mono green, the colour of huge mindless beatdowncreatures.
So you're gonna switch to this guy as genral in 1on1's? So the rest of your deck is based on donating things while this beat down brute swings away? Sounds like a bad idea imo.
Don't like this at all, and there is nothing blue about him.
Ruhan defies every rule, every expectation, every stricture meant to hold him. He was born blind, but chose a life of war. He was trained by famed Fomori swordmasters, but chose his own deadly great-mace. His elders form alliances, but his allegiance is to none but his own whim.
Are you nuts? There is no way this would have been printed as a mono-colored creature and still cost 4 mana.
@ metalevolence
Rafiq of the Many is probably better, but this guy lives through the Lightning bolt and the creatures that are (at least) 4/5's.
As it is, I can only agree with the other comments: not blue enough.
Buddy of mine uses this as his general in a Voltron build. So. Friggin'. Annoying in duels.
He'd be way too powerful if he was just 2 colors
Joking of course, they're all a great bunch of people and deserve a raise. The card needs some more appreciation too. If everyone had been in a game with this guy, he would be at least 4 stars (right now 3.8). I give him 4/5
http://bopmtg.net/blog/first-commander
We are big, bad, and attack people at random.
It's aggravating to see people are thinking, "I might have played the abomination that's killing you all, but I didn't MEAN for him to kill you all!", hoping that that'll save them from the other players. My justification for attacking an "ally"? That ally was dumb enough to join up with RUHAN OF THE FOMORI, the giant that KILLS EVERYONE.
I get to enjoy rolling a die to choose who dies AND a 7/7 for 4 AND I can use it as a commander?! I thought Woolly Thoctar was ridiculous.
~Ruhan
@Sutebe
A set with a prehistoric feel and a wedge theme? Hurry up and make this a thing, Wizards!
PAH
Then I realized; this guy's an early game 7/7. I boost his power even a little, make him unblockable, and give him double strike, and he can easily hit the level of being able to take out opponents in a single swipe. Don't hold him back from attacking; just make sure he's damn near impossible to successfully block.
So now I use things like Steel of the Godhead, Battle Mastery, and Clout of the Dominus.
Those three alone make him an 11/11 lifelink shroud haste double strike that can't be blocked.