A perfect example of what a ninja should be; a hidden being manipulating stealth and knowledge, that acts unseen in doing so.
Donovan_Fabian
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I love the ability on this card, you can keep your opponents creatures off the field pretty easily just by giving mistblade flying or fear. The ninjutsu ability really seals the deal though, if you have cards in your deck that read "when this card enters play.." x thing happens, then as long as you can get through one attack with it to your opponents life points you can return it to your hand and play it again the next turn and still bounce your opponents creature. It also potentially lets you play this card a turn earlier for its ninjutsu cost. Its only weakness is that its still a 1/1 for 3 mana, it might have been better as a 1/2, so it wouldn't die to other starting level creatures that only take 1 mana.
If I never see another ninja in MTG I will be a happy man.
Nayban
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is easily one of the strongest cards I have. If you can manage to get this past an opponents defenses, and have a second one in your hand, you can use Ninjutsu to bounce them back and forth, returning every creature an opponent controls. As for its Damage being low, just play Ronin Warclub or something else that has "Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, attach Ronin Warclub to that creature." and you wil be doing 3 damage every time you bounce one.
Silverware
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
I have seen what a Mistblade Shinobi and an Ornithopter can do. It is quite frightning. No one ever expects the Ornithopter to attack. I sure know I didn't the first time I saw this guys ninjutsu ability used against me.
Daijin26
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Actually Nayban that doesn't work. When you Ninjutsu in the second Shinobi after the first one dealt its combat damage, it would be too late for the second Shinobi to deal combat damage and bounce another creature. So there is no continuous bounce loop.
The most you could do is up to 2 times, having one Shinobi attacking and with first strike so that he would deal first strike combat damage and afterward during the first strike combat step, you Ninjutsu in the second Mistblade and he would be in play and attacking before the normal combat damage step, which will be in time for him to deal his own combat damage and bounce a second creature.
Alceron
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
if we give him double strike, he bouces 2 creatures right? awesome!
littleteapot
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I have a ninja deck and I've never liked this guy much. For all the work required to ninja something out, you really want a better effect than just an unsummon, especially since you generally want multiple ninja hits after a ninja comes into play, which often means casting some kind of removal effect BEFORE you attack.
I tend to use this guy with a Drifter il-Dal. It works pretty well.
Ladon---
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@littleteapot: If you're using Ornithopters to Ninjutsu him in, then it really doesn't take a lot of work (or mana commitment) to Ninjutsu. Unsummon is a fantastic effect on this creature, and if you have multiples they can save eachother from removal on the mega cheap (just {U}? awesome!).
An early Mistblade Shinobi gives you a great tempo swing. Considering how mana-intensive ninjas are (and how crazy they get once you have that mana), sending your opponent's creatures back to their hands buys you the time you need to dominate the board. If you send their three mana creature back on turn three, they're in a tight spot come turn four when you could drop Higure, the Still Wind (and mess up their momentum even harder with unblockable Ninjas).
@Snaxme: I prefer Nether Traitor with this guy personally ;)
bijart_dauth
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I love ninja's, People are afraid to leave that ornithopter unblocked. If only there were blue or black instant speed pumps i could use to punish those who do block my 0/2. Do you guys know of any?
Gabriel422
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I love the Ninjutsu mechanic. Even though it uses an awkward step (few cards care about the 'declare blockers' step), after a few games you get what it does quite easily. It just jumps down, like a Ninja.
TheWallinator74
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The master Unsummoner himself. A must-have in a Ninja deck.
Thanatophagous
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Give him some sort of evasion ( I use Neurok Invisimancer) and you have repeatable unsummon for just
Comments (19)
The most you could do is up to 2 times, having one Shinobi attacking and with first strike so that he would deal first strike combat damage and afterward during the first strike combat step, you Ninjutsu in the second Mistblade and he would be in play and attacking before the normal combat damage step, which will be in time for him to deal his own combat damage and bounce a second creature.
An early Mistblade Shinobi gives you a great tempo swing. Considering how mana-intensive ninjas are (and how crazy they get once you have that mana), sending your opponent's creatures back to their hands buys you the time you need to dominate the board. If you send their three mana creature back on turn three, they're in a tight spot come turn four when you could drop Higure, the Still Wind (and mess up their momentum even harder with unblockable Ninjas).
@Snaxme: I prefer Nether Traitor with this guy personally ;)