Too many abilities to be elegant. Just a bit more powerful and a bit cheaper than it should be.
Tilon13
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(12 votes)
This card was a mistake and should have been banned. An artifact with such a low cost and such versatile abilities was way too good. It was played in nearly every deck when it was standard, and I hated them.
Akatosh
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(21 votes)
Calling this thing "good" is severely understated. Had it not been Legendary, it would have all the right to be banned. Putting this on any creature instantly transforms it from an Eager Cadet to a... actually, I can't think of another creature with abilities nearly as versatile as this thing's.
stygimoloch
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(32 votes)
Something's wrong when creatureless decks run four copies of a Legendary equipment maindeck, just to nullify the opponent's... however I'm still glad it was printed because as with Mindslaver, it can be quite a fun card to lose against, since games involving it almost always turn out weird and convoluted and interesting. It also does a good job of making you feel, when it comes down, that you must have an out somewhere if only you can think of it. True enough at the end of the day it's just an artifact and one Shatter will kill it... ah, the rock/paper/scissors beauty of magic. I still agree with Claov though, it could have been playtested more and tuned better.
You know the worst thing though? In the book Toshi has TWO of these. Gah.
IHERO
★★☆☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(13 votes)
I do understand that many people have had heart-ache about this card. Yes, I do believe the card is dominate however I feel as I have always felt when people start talking about banning this card or another, that in the end by banning cards you are taking away from the game. The real problem is not with this card or any other for that matter, it is with people being stuck on the best deck concept. It is very common now to walk into even a small level event a find a field made up of players playing either one of two decks. So what I am getting at is answers for any strategy or card always exist, people as a whole are just to lazy to come up with an original strategy of their own.
Sarge41
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(6 votes)
The -1/-1 ability makes it too powerful, otherwise it's a fine card. I think it should be banned or at least restricted, its really just too annoying to play around.
Equinox523
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(16 votes)
This card gave colors traditionally poor in removal, like green, a repeatable source of creature destruction. That is the chief problem with it. The fact that it has other abilities, and is cheaper to both cast and equip than Loxodon Warhammer, just throws it over the top. And let's not even talk about its inclusion in the "Rats' Nest" BoK theme deck...
True_Mumin
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(13 votes)
God I hate this card. But how can I NOT give it 5 stars for sheer power.
Schlappi
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(5 votes)
I got a friend who used to annoy (and confuse^^) me with this card when he first taught me how to play Magic which was about 4 years ago I think. Still, I'd really like to have it now, too...^^
Snowspir3
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(11 votes)
DO NOT BAN. i have it, and use it, and love it :D
it does rape but yeh you can easily destroy it and the legend rule does sorta dull it down. if it didn't have legendary combinations of it would be unbeatable, just be thankful for that.
also combine it with Sanguine Bond for ultimate rape :)
Fragskull
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(14 votes)
The Original Planeswalker...
ALEXRyugami
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(11 votes)
This is the best equipment I've ever seen in Magic ^^
Th3_Dark_On3
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(7 votes)
One of the rare gems in the Kamigawa block... however, its -1 ability is simply absurd. I've lost many a game to this thing that i would have easily won had my opponent not drawn it. it's too much of an auto-win to be not restricted. I hate it.
inmypants22
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(5 votes)
why does wizard keep making op cards that are unstoppable. exept for shatter of course
Killswitchfan
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(7 votes)
Simply just broken.
LeoKula
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Skullclamp > this
raptorman333
★★☆☆☆ (2.4/5.0)(4 votes)
BROKEN... minus the fact that it's legendary... which in the block there's another artifact that corrects for that--mirror gallery
Omenchild
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(7 votes)
um @IHERO laziness? this thing is good by its own standards, not because people other than you cant apparently see outside the box. maybe you should go to a tournament and see how many different decks there are. And the fact that this is pure colorless means that anyone can use it.
Ajani_is_da_man
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
WotC please don't ban the Jitte. ^^ WE LOVE YOU JITTE!!!
Black_Days
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I remember when this card came out, no one really took much notice of it. It was good in block, but then again, the standard for Kamigawa block was pretty low. Amazing how much value is put on it now.
Disruptor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Jodah's Avenger anyone? Thought of it? lol
AXER
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This Card = DAAAAAAAAAMN! Lethal equip card.
gongshowninja
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wasn't this in a precon? Wish I'd gotten one...
Actree
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Arguably the best equipment ever printed thus far.
I can't believe they banned the top and let this overpowered crap get bye! I love to hate this card, because its the essence of bad (overpowered) card design and lack of proper testing prior to release of a set. It's also rare and $-expensive-$, so aggro players who don't have have one lose to it in the mirror. Another reason Jitte is broken is that it's played even in control decks with a ridiculously small amount of creatures, and still exploited. It allows too many powerful choices and is sooooo easy to trigger. It irks me that they feel proud enough of this card to have made a promo version!
JarieSuicune
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Oooh, combo with Doubling Season and BYE BYE Indestructible critters!! With nearly no risk! (Obvious general dangers aside, such as certain Kami going BOOM and wiping the field clean... Such as Myojin of Cleansing Fire. MAKE it go BOOM early!) Too bad it can't affect Progenitus... be fun to see it fall to something like this!
Folesauce
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Resolving this coincides way to much with victory for it not to be restricted.
SleetFox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is way too strong, but at least it's interesting, so while it hurts some of the fun of deckbuilding, it doesn't hurt the fun of playing.
spectermonger
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Run some oxidizes and don't complain is my motto.
Cardcypher42
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(14 votes)
This card not broken enough for you yet? Combine it with a double-striking creature to get four counters a turn! Add in a whispersilk cloak and fireshrieker for lots of fun... even any old 1/1 shrimp deals 2 damage the first turn and 18 the second turn, Muahahaha!!!
jlowther
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This probably would've worked better as an aura for 1BGR. At least it wouldn't have given removal to colors that traditionally don't have any.
Hell, drop a Llanowar Elves turn one and then this on turn two and then swing. No matter whether or not your opponent blocks, you can immediately use the counters as a result. If the elf is blocked, remove a counter to give it +2/+2 or 4/4 and kill the other creature so you can swing again next turn and repeat.
This thing is SICK...
zeyette
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is too le-jitte to quit.
Temple_Garden
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Na na na na hey hey hey goodbye! Extended won't miss you.
getz19
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(5 votes)
That's Nicol Bolas' fresh blood on the jitte.
allmighty_abacus
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(6 votes)
Perhaps the only truly outstanding card to come out of the entire kamigawa block. And what do you know, it's legendary.
Equipment should never be legendary, I mean from a flavor standpoint it's just a jitte that happens to be wielded by a legend. Then again, if it wasn't legendary it would have been banned. Of course nowadays they could make it nonlegendary and just make it a mythic rare : /
phantom.lance
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
there are many cards out there that when played against, if you have no answer to, you will die. but none as demoralizing as this brokeness...
boneclub
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
How does this card only have 4 pages?? That is odd to me :|
About the card, there isn't much to say beyond the fact that it's awesome.
@allmighty_abacus: It makes perfect sense that it's Legendary. It's a specially-crafted sword with magical powers! It's the MtG equivalent of Excalibur!
RedRapist
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Does double strike give 4 counters then?
Selez
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(14 votes)
On contructed: This PWNS!
On limited: This REALLY PWNS!!
Luke_BPC
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(17 votes)
This card wasn't played until Mirrodin's last sun set and it fell out of standard. Then it began being played in two, then four copies. Kamigawa wasn't a weak set, it had quite a few powerhouse cards, but Mirrodin wrecked up Magic so hard it took a while to see all the gems hidden in there.
Aradimar
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(5 votes)
they need to ban this in legacy, such a broken card. If they would give legacy more attention it could be a much more popular and balanced format
dacow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
basiaclly, one of the most broken cards to hit magic in recent years. Personally, i think its better than Jace, the Mind Sculptor. While not in every deck like jace is in blue, it just shuts your opponent down and in a aggro v aggro better than goyf probably
GruesomeGoo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ridiculous combo with creatures
annenoise
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The blood splatter coming off the Jitte is a great touch. Loves it.
divine_exodus
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(6 votes)
@Nagoragama:
The only playable card in the set?? Have you seen final judgment??
@divine_exodus: Nagoragama obviously didn't pay enough attention to what the Divining Top can do either... or Gifts Ungiven... or Cranial Extraction... or what Pithing Needle did to Planeswalkers and the metagame... kids these days...
dragonking987
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
um solidsoldier those where all from Champions of Kamigawa or Saviors of Kamigawa he said the only playable cards from the set no block. not that I agree with him.
jsttu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
bah-roken
Kindulas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
WTF, +2/+2, no mana to activate, two counters every time, this card could have easily not been broken, pick two of the above to change and we're good
luckyduck4
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i own one of these jittes...it is overly powerful!
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just found out this is actually part of the PreCon deck "Rat's Nest". Which probably makes it the only killer rare ever featured in a PreCon... (I just wish it had also included Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni.)
I immediately bought the last two I found for a good price, soon I'll call three of these mine. Can't wait to try it out!
MrBarrelRoll
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(2 votes)
IT's SO FAAAIR!!! AAAAAH!!!
Asmodi0000
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(25 votes)
This is a cruel card. There are some cards that make people groan and moan whenever it hits the battlefield, and there's even a few who deserve such a reputation.
If you go to a casual game with a jitte, you probably should expect to lose a few friends. It's not an instant win card, but it's so close to being one, and so powerful compared to the majority of the cards in the game, that with this card you basically rob and steal games, rather than win them.
It's fine to own and to use in tournaments, but keep it away from the kitchen table.
ratchet1215
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(29 votes)
Fun fact: "Umezawa's Jitte" can be approximately translated to English as "You're f*cked, game two."
Duskdale_Wurm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Shouldn't it be spelled Jutte?
Anyway it is really a choice weapon, has many uses too.
Give it 4.5/5
Nagoragama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Oh hey look, the only playable card in the set.
Edit: In Betrayers, I mean
And Final Judgment isn't playable.
Burn_Yo_Momma
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(5 votes)
Totally unbalanced, should have been banned/restricted a long time ago. If it added one counter instead of two, it would be ok. But winning four life points or dealing 4 extra damage just for attacking is simply unexcusable. And the -1/-1 ability was alone enough reason to ban it. The entire Kamigawa block was a sad mistake, nothing balanced, crappy cards or really overpowered ones, like this and Divining Top. Broken card is broken.
I don't get people who are upset with this card. Really, I've never had a boring game when an opponent cast this. Granted, it DOES put a lot of pressure on you, but at the same time it doesn't steal the game right away, and you still get time to respond to it before you lose. I'd much rather have my opponent casting this on his/her second turn than a Hymn to Tourach. Really, there are more boring cards out there.
5/5, because this card provides for some interesting games without being a decisive win.
JoeyWalker
★☆☆☆☆ (1.1/5.0)(8 votes)
OHH man you guys are lame. you talk about this card, yes it's a great card maybe a bit overpowered, but hey, every edition has its best and perhaps broken card(s)... Nowadays, ridiculous cards are printed on every edition so... it's a legendary and 2 to equip, wich slows this down a bit. red, green and white can destroy it and blue can control it, get ahold of yourselves, it's not unbeatable it's just a great card that can change the game, just like baneslayer angel for example.
Simply ridiculous in my casual Kor tribal, crazy synergy with Kor Duelist.
WateryMind
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
In a sucky ass block, there are always a few powerful cards... It just happens that this card was fraking insane.
Huffytreefolkman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
In kamigawa the theme was the lengendary rule. so if a card was too good. it was ok because they made legendary you were only supposed to have one. they had no idea that they would eventually make the cord doubling season, or the ability proliferate.jitte is strong enough that it could have a justifiably ban. my theory is wizards had to been distracted by some thing else at the time. not because of how unarguably strong it is.not the fact of howmake it though beta testing without mega-tweaks .it is the fact that wizards put it in a starter deck with inkeyes the servent of oni the best to rares in the set .
Nucleon
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(11 votes)
Here's an Aaron Forsythe quote: "Just go back and reread all the articles I wrote about Skullclamp (its banning) and replace some words. Seriously. We're slow learners around here sometimes." So basically, it started life in a form none of the playtesters took seriously, and even after a few tweaks, people were prejudiced against the formerly medicore card. Imagine if I told you "Okay, so they're reprinting Wood Elemental with a few changes..." Same concept.
Frozenwings
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(11 votes)
This is the only "artifact planeswalker" we ever know.
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Perhaps not overpowered but definitely strong enough to warrant a boarding in of artifact hate like ancient grudge
Secksee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The shear options this thing has... Geez.
Blackshayde
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Completely ridiculous: what on earth was Wizards thinking with this thing? Extremely overpowered and if you don't crush your opponent with this thing, you don't deserve to play Magic. I really want to know who specifically designed this card and ask them why why why?????
I just realized it says 'Deals combat damage' not 'Deals combat damage to a player'. It was pretty good in my eyes before, but now o.o
I remember, when I was starting Magic, someone slammed this thing on the table. It didn't seem too powerful - afterall it was just an equipment that gave no stat bonuses unlike Shuko or No-Dachi. He won that game and I kinda felt it was cause of Jitte, eventhough it's presence wasn't shown that clearly.
Norrinthewary
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card casually slides onto the field, being the first time ive seen it i take a quick look, few seconds later pick it up read it again hmmm. why is this in your saporling deck i ask...doubling season hits the field
if it said "combat damage to a player" then this card would actually be ok. still good, but not broken.
Iritin
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(3 votes)
"This is the only "artifact planeswalker" we ever know." ~Frozenwings
Technically, Karn.
Vampire Hexmage can stop it if you can somehow convince your opponent to not use the amassed counters? xD
Ipsilont
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
One of the first equipment cards I was introduced to, and still undoubtedly one of the best.
The three abilities it has makes it an excellent card: you got removal, protection, and gain life. But the fact that counters stay on the card even when the creature it is equipped to dies, and the abilities occur at instant speed ... that's what makes this card a 5/5 for me.
P-Slice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Too le-jitte, too le-jitte to quit!!!
am802g
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I played MTG back in Kamigawa, and stopped playing until m12. Now that I'm back into it I understand so much more about the game. When I saw that this card came in the Rats Nest theme deck, I found the deck box that I had from buying the deck, and literally found the entire decklist except for this card. FML
TheWallinator74
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"No half measures, no regrets. We'll tell no stories of this day. It will be as if it never existed at all." -Revoke Existance
Okuu-chan
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(9 votes)
The Jitte is one of the most efficient, powerful, and card-advantageous artifacts ever printed. I'm playing with a lot of younger players (students at the school I teach at), and when I drop the Jitte I tell them "This piece of equipment will kill all your creatures." They scoff at it, because it doesn't have "Destroy" on it.
Then I contribute to their education.
"Predator Ooze! Ha! It's indestructible!" "-1/-1. It dies."
"...okay then. Ambush viper! Ha! It will kill your Ghost Council!" "-1/-1. It dies." ... "Darnit, no blockers." "Okay, take 9 damage from Angel of Despair." "Huh?! Why?!" "+4/+4 from the Jitte."
... "You're dead!" "No, I gain two life from the Jitte."
BTW, the pronunciation is "zhi-TEH." It's not "jeet" or "jittay." It's amazing how a parrying weapon, of all things, is more efficient at destruction than an apocalypse sword Worldslayer.
KerosAohco
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
This card is borderline broken. Being legendary makes it balanced. Imagine if it was NOT legendary? There are a good amount of artifact hate out there as well; plus you can kill it with your own Jitte. With so many abilities it is very flexible. It i's removal/control, and aggro all in one. The life gain will only be used to save yourself from losing, or mitigate life loss from your own cards like Dark Confidant or Bitterblossom.
JimmyNoobPlayer
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(7 votes)
Seems pretty scary. Great for teaching new players how the use the voiced palatal fricative and the terminal mid front non-diphthong vowel.
Chrs84
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Jitte go home; get out of here. Legendary artifact, you sure got that right. Personally I refuse to play with it, although it's kind of a moral issue with me and a belief that I don't need it, I mostly don't use it because a friend of mind has fallen in love with it, so it's unofficially become his forte. The downside to what it promotes in the theory and technical deck/gameplay building skill is that sometimes my friend has a deck idea that he can't seem to bring to full or supposed full potential, then he adds the Jitte and lots of his problems are solved. The question remains though: in those instances, was it just the right card his decks needed or was his decks generally or overall mediocre/flawed? I don't want to knock one card as playing a critical role in a deck's success, there's nothing really wrong with that although practicality may suggest not putting all eggs in one basket (relying predominantly or exclusively on any one particular card). It's a tough call. So for me, I like to think I can tell when a deck/gameplay is solid and effective fundamentally with good synergy as opposed to having a disorganized flow but some super-duper card that makes-up for things.
Hanksingle
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
The primary issue I take with this card is that you don't need to be any good to play it and have it win the game. The secondary issue is how hard the people who use it argue that it takes skill to do so.
JimmyCricket2
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Umezawa's Shitte
BuffJittePLZ
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
@SolidSoldier "or what Pithing Needle did to Planeswalkers and the metagame"
Considering that Pithing Needle came out before Planeswalkers, I do not think they "did" anything to them. Planeswalkers did something to Pithing Needle; they made it stronger- in retrospect.
K-9Handler
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
1st planeswalker.
zenitramleirdag
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(3 votes)
i used to loathe this card, i've always thought that its a no-brainer and it is..in protest, i promised myself that i aint gonna run it ever..
but i finally gave in to the dark side and boarded 2 in my mono black mid range deck(THE GATE)..
THIS CARD REALLY PAWNS!..
DarthParallax
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(9 votes)
Every broken mean card has a perfectly legitimate adorable use for it. For example:
People are all "Whut?" when you berate them for playing this junk.
Jayquaz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Apparently Jitte literately means ten hands in Japaneses, in magic however its more like 10,000.
FirstPrime
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I just ordered a couple of these. My favorite part of this card is not the INSANE power level. My favorite thing about this card is that I have shown it to my casual group and they all completely underestimate the thing. They think it's average at best. I am going to have to take out Mirran Crusader and Silverblade Paladin and a few other though creatures, maybe Etched Champion, and go do some educating.
twiddleman12
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(4 votes)
@frozenwings You forgetting karn? U dumb.
Cat_Sits_On_House
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
I WILL STAB THE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON
EGarrett01
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(5 votes)
I'm having trouble saying this one guys, is it pronounced Umezawa's CHEAT or Umezawa's SH*T?
JaceIsAwesome
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(4 votes)
This just won me a game.
Life gain kept me alive, pump allowed me to deal alot of damage, and the "weakening" killed potential threats.
Good card.
Claytoon
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Someone go find a blacksmith because this is broken!
Haelthor
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I've recently acquired one of these beauties and found a temporary home for it in my EDH/Commander deck until I get the cards to use it in Legacy. However, ever since I've played a tournament with it in Damia, Sage of Stone I don't think I ever want to take it out.
Here are some used commanders that can be taken down with one swing from Jitte: Gaddock Teeg Edric, Spymaster of Trest Kaalia of the Vast Jhoira of the Ghitu Azami, Lady of Scrolls Captain Sisay Momir Vig, Simic Visionary Riku, of Two Reflections Sygg, River Guide Adun Oakenshield Arcum Daggson Anima, Soul of Elements (if you catch him small enough, or after a board wipe) Kira, Great Glass Spinner (granted you need at least 3 counters to kill her, but you're not losing any cards to do so). And those are just the tip of the iceberg of 2 toughness commanders that people use, not to mention utility creatures that can be off'd very easily.
Jitte is an absolutely brilliant utility card: disruption, pump and emergency life gain all wrapped up together. In my deck I don't need the combat phase to win, preferring to hold back on blockers so I can to buy time to combo off, but the inclusion of this one card lets me utilize an entire part of my turn that would otherwise be wasted. Jitte certainly steers the game in its owner's favor, and asks each opponent to kill it quickly before the disruption it provides grinds out additional card advantage, but it can also be dealt with via relic breakers and even Phyrexian Metamorph (legendary).
Just noticed this doesn't say 'Combat damage to a player', I used to think this was busted, guess its Wumbo... 5/5 Stars
SAUS3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is so damn strong. I wonder how much they play tested it (if at all).
bowlofgumbo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At least modern is still protected against the tyranny of the most disgustingly, oppressively powerful equipment ever printed.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You have three options: -You answer it -You make sure no creature they have stays alive long enough to equip/swing -You lose
And most don't like the third option; yet it's the one you often get stuck with. New legend rule also makes it even tougher to deal with.
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@twiddleman12 He's never an artifact and a walker on the same card.
TheWrathofShane
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The sad part about it was, like skullclamp these playtesters had no clue how broken it was until after printing.
Simply making it cost to remove a counter and use an ability would have kept this things power and made it more balanced.
I hope nothing like this happens again, but then JTMS so....
Pipikako
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I have many mtg friends. I bought this card and lost many friends.
talcumpowder0046
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is simply broken. Fun in DotP 14 when you get to use it without losing friends, though!
Lifegainwithbite
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
It doesn't look that broken till you realise that most effects these days say 'whenever deals damage to a player' and it just says 'deal damage'. And then you realise how many small useful creatures are used in mtg and how easily Jitte kills them all in one or two swings.
If you have a 1/1 flier with Jitte on, you will win in five swings if you keep pumping it - or you can kill three or four creatures if you'd prefer. Believe me people, the hype on this card is justified.
tokenmage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
of course it's broken, we're talking about a weapon forged by the only family line who have known to defeat the dragon nicol bolas.
sweetgab
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
They've learned a lot since the days of Umezawa's Jitte. Now they actually playtest their cards quite a bit before they release them to the public. Just look at how balanced Return to Ravnica block is! The latest card that I would call borderline broken was Snapcaster Mage, but he was only slightly overpowered and he is out of Standard.
ShatterPalm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
For those of you who are curious how the flavor works, Toshiro Umezawa is a Kanji mage and Hyozan reckoner, capable of crafting Kanji symbols that, when given fuel and activated, provide a variety of effects. The fuel is more often than not blood. As for his Jittes, they work by giving him a medium through which he can craft more potent magic. The tips of the Jittes are spiked so they can more easily draw blood, hence the "when equipped creature deals combat damage" clause. After that he can draw any number of kanji that can mean any number of things. They can either increase his power, give him Final Fantasy style Buffs like Reflect, or harm and weaken his enemies more directly. And yes, you read that right. Jittes. He has two. The one on the card here is his second Jitte, the more powerful of the two. It's made of an alloy of steel and silver and imbued with magic, turning it effectively into an amplifier. Any kanji he draws with this jitte is immensely more powerful than it would be otherwise.
Mike-C
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Paragraphs upon paragraphs of lengthy, detailed, well thought out explanations and testimony of the sheer, devastatingly REAL, brokeness of the Jittes.. But why? A pictures worth a thousand words, agreed?
::Cups hand like a 'C', pauses to look at it, RAGES on the inside and Firmly grabs YOU, the reader by back of neck and aggressively walks you to the picture on front of card and YELLS:: LOOK at it you FOOL! No, KEEP looking, let it sink in deeeeep. Does THAT sort of triumphant victory pose in which the warrior is CLEARLY thrusting 'The' jitte upwards as some poor, unfortunate SAP'S last few warm drops of blood just flings off those razor SHARP tips out into the clear night time sky depict a cowardly or physically unable man that just lost in battle??! Oh, it DOESN'T huh!!?? Well imagine THAT.. Can you not HEAR those maddening, bone chilling, soul haunting screams of the flawless victory coming straight out of the cardboard cutting right through both your ears??! Cause.., It's DEAFANING!! O_O
Cyberium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
There are cards that make any deck good, and there are cards that make certain types of decks good. Jitte falls for the latter, it makes any deck that utilizes creature powerful.
Which means Jitte is only one step below broken, one tiny step, enough to make anyone not wanting to play against you again.
Kirbster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I noticed that there was a typo on the first ruling! It ought to say "Umezawa's Jitte's activated ability generates a moral choice. You can use it, or you could not be a jerkface."
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ume-zawa! Ume-zawa! Ume! Ume! UME-zawa! I can't fight this feelin' Deep insiiide of me! (etc.)
Comments (122)
You know the worst thing though? In the book Toshi has TWO of these. Gah.
Still, I'd really like to have it now, too...^^
it does rape but yeh you can easily destroy it and the legend rule does sorta dull it down. if it didn't have legendary combinations of it would be unbeatable, just be thankful for that.
also combine it with Sanguine Bond for ultimate rape :)
laziness? this thing is good by its own standards, not because people other than you cant apparently see outside the box. maybe you should go to a tournament and see how many different decks there are. And the fact that this is pure colorless means that anyone can use it.
Hell, drop a Llanowar Elves turn one and then this on turn two and then swing. No matter whether or not your opponent blocks, you can immediately use the counters as a result. If the elf is blocked, remove a counter to give it +2/+2 or 4/4 and kill the other creature so you can swing again next turn and repeat.
This thing is SICK...
Equipment should never be legendary, I mean from a flavor standpoint it's just a jitte that happens to be wielded by a legend. Then again, if it wasn't legendary it would have been banned. Of course nowadays they could make it nonlegendary and just make it a mythic rare : /
but none as demoralizing as this brokeness...
About the card, there isn't much to say beyond the fact that it's awesome.
@allmighty_abacus: It makes perfect sense that it's Legendary. It's a specially-crafted sword with magical powers! It's the MtG equivalent of Excalibur!
On limited: This REALLY PWNS!!
The only playable card in the set?? Have you seen final judgment??
I immediately bought the last two I found for a good price, soon I'll call three of these mine. Can't wait to try it out!
If you go to a casual game with a jitte, you probably should expect to lose a few friends. It's not an instant win card, but it's so close to being one, and so powerful compared to the majority of the cards in the game, that with this card you basically rob and steal games, rather than win them.
It's fine to own and to use in tournaments, but keep it away from the kitchen table.
Anyway it is really a choice weapon, has many uses too.
Give it 4.5/5
Edit: In Betrayers, I mean
And Final Judgment isn't playable.
If it added one counter instead of two, it would be ok. But winning four life points or dealing 4 extra damage just for attacking is simply unexcusable. And the -1/-1 ability was alone enough reason to ban it.
The entire Kamigawa block was a sad mistake, nothing balanced, crappy cards or really overpowered ones, like this and Divining Top.
Broken card is broken.
5/5, because this card provides for some interesting games without being a decisive win.
White Weenie with 4 Umezawa's Jitte, 4 Manriki-Gusari (there to kill Jittes)
Black Weenie with 4 Umezawa's Jitte, 4 Manriki-Gusari
or, alternatively
!@#@@%$!@ing stoneforge mystic >:
I remember, when I was starting Magic, someone slammed this thing on the table. It didn't seem too powerful - afterall it was just an equipment that gave no stat bonuses unlike Shuko or No-Dachi. He won that game and I kinda felt it was cause of Jitte, eventhough it's presence wasn't shown that clearly.
Anything with proliferate
oh yeah, or doubling season
Technically, Karn.
Vampire Hexmage can stop it if you can somehow convince your opponent to not use the amassed counters? xD
The three abilities it has makes it an excellent card: you got removal, protection, and gain life. But the fact that counters stay on the card even when the creature it is equipped to dies, and the abilities occur at instant speed ... that's what makes this card a 5/5 for me.
too le-jitte to quit!!!
-Revoke Existance
Then I contribute to their education.
"Predator Ooze! Ha! It's indestructible!"
"-1/-1. It dies."
"...okay then. Ambush viper! Ha! It will kill your Ghost Council!"
"-1/-1. It dies."
...
"Darnit, no blockers."
"Okay, take 9 damage from Angel of Despair."
"Huh?! Why?!"
"+4/+4 from the Jitte."
...
"You're dead!"
"No, I gain two life from the Jitte."
BTW, the pronunciation is "zhi-TEH." It's not "jeet" or "jittay." It's amazing how a parrying weapon, of all things, is more efficient at destruction than an apocalypse sword Worldslayer.
Personally I refuse to play with it, although it's kind of a moral issue with me and a belief that I don't need it, I mostly don't use it because a friend of mind has fallen in love with it, so it's unofficially become his forte.
The downside to what it promotes in the theory and technical deck/gameplay building skill is that sometimes my friend has a deck idea that he can't seem to bring to full or supposed full potential, then he adds the Jitte and lots of his problems are solved.
The question remains though: in those instances, was it just the right card his decks needed or was his decks generally or overall mediocre/flawed?
I don't want to knock one card as playing a critical role in a deck's success, there's nothing really wrong with that although practicality may suggest not putting all eggs in one basket (relying predominantly or exclusively on any one particular card).
It's a tough call. So for me, I like to think I can tell when a deck/gameplay is solid and effective fundamentally with good synergy as opposed to having a disorganized flow but some super-duper card that makes-up for things.
Considering that Pithing Needle came out before Planeswalkers, I do not think they "did" anything to them. Planeswalkers did something to Pithing Needle; they made it stronger- in retrospect.
but i finally gave in to the dark side and boarded 2 in my mono black mid range deck(THE GATE)..
THIS CARD REALLY PAWNS!..
Equip it to Turtleshell Changeling. Destroy a Silent-Blade Oni with it. Order a few pies of 'za while you shuffle up for game 2! xD
Za: noun. Slang for Pizza in New York City.
Cowabunga! ;D
You forgetting karn?
U dumb.
Life gain kept me alive, pump allowed me to deal alot of damage, and the "weakening" killed potential threats.
Good card.
Here are some used commanders that can be taken down with one swing from Jitte:
Gaddock Teeg
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Kaalia of the Vast
Jhoira of the Ghitu
Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Captain Sisay
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Riku, of Two Reflections
Sygg, River Guide
Adun Oakenshield
Arcum Daggson
Anima, Soul of Elements (if you catch him small enough, or after a board wipe)
Kira, Great Glass Spinner (granted you need at least 3 counters to kill her, but you're not losing any cards to do so).
And those are just the tip of the iceberg of 2 toughness commanders that people use, not to mention utility creatures that can be off'd very easily.
Jitte is an absolutely brilliant utility card: disruption, pump and emergency life gain all wrapped up together. In my deck I don't need the combat phase to win, preferring to hold back on blockers so I can to buy time to combo off, but the inclusion of this one card lets me utilize an entire part of my turn that would otherwise be wasted. Jitte certainly steers the game in its owner's favor, and asks each opponent to kill it quickly before the disruption it provides grinds out additional card advantage, but it can also be dealt with via relic breakers and even Phyrexian Metamorph (legendary).
Nicol Bolas: "Wha-"
WHACK
Tetsuo Umezawa: "LOLPWNED"
Myojin of Night's Reach: "LOL"
Ajani: "LOL"
5/5 Stars
-You answer it
-You make sure no creature they have stays alive long enough to equip/swing
-You lose
And most don't like the third option; yet it's the one you often get stuck with. New legend rule also makes it even tougher to deal with.
He's never an artifact and a walker on the same card.
Simply making it cost
I hope nothing like this happens again, but then JTMS so....
If you have a 1/1 flier with Jitte on, you will win in five swings if you keep pumping it - or you can kill three or four creatures if you'd prefer. Believe me people, the hype on this card is justified.
As for his Jittes, they work by giving him a medium through which he can craft more potent magic. The tips of the Jittes are spiked so they can more easily draw blood, hence the "when equipped creature deals combat damage" clause. After that he can draw any number of kanji that can mean any number of things. They can either increase his power, give him Final Fantasy style Buffs like Reflect, or harm and weaken his enemies more directly.
And yes, you read that right. Jittes. He has two. The one on the card here is his second Jitte, the more powerful of the two. It's made of an alloy of steel and silver and imbued with magic, turning it effectively into an amplifier. Any kanji he draws with this jitte is immensely more powerful than it would be otherwise.
::Cups hand like a 'C', pauses to look at it, RAGES on the inside and Firmly grabs YOU, the reader by back of neck and aggressively walks you to the picture on front of card and YELLS:: LOOK at it you FOOL! No, KEEP looking, let it sink in deeeeep. Does THAT sort of triumphant victory pose in which the warrior is CLEARLY thrusting 'The' jitte upwards as some poor, unfortunate SAP'S last few warm drops of blood just flings off those razor SHARP tips out into the clear night time sky depict a cowardly or physically unable man that just lost in battle??! Oh, it DOESN'T huh!!?? Well imagine THAT.. Can you not HEAR those maddening, bone chilling, soul haunting screams of the flawless victory coming straight out of the cardboard cutting right through both your ears??! Cause.., It's DEAFANING!! O_O
Which means Jitte is only one step below broken, one tiny step, enough to make anyone not wanting to play against you again.
Ume-zawa!
Ume! Ume! UME-zawa!
I can't fight this feelin'
Deep insiiide of me!
(etc.)