For a while he was better than Juzam Djinn - immunity to Swords to Plowshares and Exile? Thank YOU...
ultratog1028
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
how the might hath fallen...
gasimakos1
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(4 votes)
everyone was playing this back in the day. i prefer order of the ebon hand
Dr_Draco
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I got this guy out on turn 2 with a couple of Dark Rituals in a game back in the day. Man, was I ecstatic, lol.
tezcat
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
A perfect example of the benefits to be reaped by giving yourself over to the dark side. Ihsan was once a Serra Paladin, but was "corrupted." In addition to getting tougher and more powerful, he also became the bane of his former comrades by way of Protection from White. As a result, he lost his paladin abilities and got more expensive. As with Wildfire Emissary, the Protection from White is what made this creature shine, granting it immunity to Swords to Plowshares at a time in Standard when you couldn't turn a corner without hearing someone say "Swords" or "Swords it," (usually in a matter-of-fact "I do this all the time" or "What did you expect" sort of way). Ihsan's Shade is perhaps the best of the very few Homelands creatures that saw competitive play in Standard (others include Spectral Bears and Autumn Willow).
Raveknight
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
LOL @ tezcat "swords it" ohh man I havent heard anyone smugly say that the way I remember it in a long time although now-a-days we've just replaced swords with PATH.... wich still carries the same matter of factness tone in the speech of whoever says it at your local tournament
FragNutMK1
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Still a 6 cast 5/5 is pretty good in a colour that is known for overpricing large creatures.
Cyberium
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
For old schoolers, this creature is beyond STP, beyond Bolt, beyond most black removal. A 5/5 body that beats up most green creatures at the time.
4/5
kowrip
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This is actually one of the few decent Homelands cards. Back in the earlier days of MtG, Swords to Plowshares, Lightning Bolt and Terror were the most common ways of killing a creature. None of those will work on this guy. With a dark ritual, it's easy to get him out pretty quickly. He's won quite a few games for me. (4/5)
TDL
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Whoa, hold on a second. Am I seeing this right? The Gatherer says this is an UNCOMMON? WTF?
Carnophage_4ever
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(8 votes)
The Mike Modano of black creatures. He was a superstar player 10 years ago.
RazielKane
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Won several tourneys with this card back in the day! Double dark rit on turn two, and unless your blue opponent went first and has two untapped islands, this is game over.
Kryptnyt
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
I AM CURSED TO SERVE GREAT EVIL. YOU WILL JOIN ME!
NeoKoda
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Best card in Homelands. Not saying much, but this is actually really good, particularly for a black uncommon.
Paladin85
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Don't see why people downrate this card, its worth at least a 4 for its pro white ability to avoid many anti creature techs found in white
Arachnos
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Power creep much? Used to be pretty good, now, for one more mana you can cast Sheoldred, Whispering One.
Radagast
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Brutal for its time since he ignored nearly all removal in the game back then.
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Was quite controversial back in the day due to its name being very similar to that of the fronter of Norwegian black metal band Emperor, Ihsahn. ;)
Also, he's a SHADE KNIGHT now. Why not a (deadly) Knight Shade). :P
Only Shade I know without the {B}: +1/+1 ability...
zenitramleirdag
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
outclassed by today's power creep! how depressing.. i would still run this just for the flavour..
Sharu
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Ihsan, the mighty. Ihsan, the impressive. Ihsan the unswordable. He has brought pain to white decks like none that existed before. May his legacy equal his awesome-ness.
He was the man, in the day. As mentioed, unswordable, unboltable, unterrorable, nigh unstopable (unless he got blocked by Leviathan, but would that ever happen? Yes, yes it would).
And what's with Baris? Complain much? At least Ihsan has a card, you girl. Unless you're a Serra Inquisitor, but that's just weak.
The man: 4/5
Pongdok
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Are you ever going to use Ihsan's Shade? Probably not. Does he stomp colon against a mono-white when you toss him in a reanimator deck? Sure does. Glowing red eyes and a portrait by the venerable Mr. Rush? Check. 5/5? Yes he is.
Lazrbeams
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sorry Baris, but the serra paladins already had plenty of shame brought on them before this whole Ihsan mess.
Claytoon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I remember running a pair of these bad boys in my mono black back in the days.
And I just realized his armor is the corrupted form found on Serra Paladin. So much flavor!
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Back when R&D were afraid of making Legends too strong.
Comments (24)
4/5
Also, he's a SHADE KNIGHT now. Why not a (deadly) Knight Shade). :P
Only Shade I know without the {B}: +1/+1 ability...
i would still run this just for the flavour..
Ihsan, the impressive.
Ihsan the unswordable.
He has brought pain to white decks like none that existed before.
May his legacy equal his awesome-ness.
He was the man, in the day.
As mentioed, unswordable, unboltable, unterrorable, nigh unstopable (unless he got blocked by Leviathan, but would that ever happen? Yes, yes it would).
And what's with Baris? Complain much? At least Ihsan has a card, you girl. Unless you're a Serra Inquisitor, but that's just weak.
The man:
4/5
And I just realized his armor is the corrupted form found on Serra Paladin. So much flavor!