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BMoor's Magic The Gathering Deck Garage
Ninja Deck
February 11, 2010

I know everybody's abuzz about Worldwake, but not everybody has decks made of Worldwake cards that need fixing yet. And Joe here has an old favorite that needs some help.

Hello,
thanks for even opening my email.
Before i write down the information about my deck, I want to apologize for my bad english.
I am from Europe so it´s not that good as I wish it could be, thanks for understand.

I am playing MtG for 6-7 years now, I played Slivers and one day I thought I just need a new deck. Look on the iinternet and : Hey there´s some cool ninjas. So if you could help me.

Problem with deck:
    >When my opponent get rid of my creature (for example by Putrify) I am not able to put them back - so I thought I could use some clever cards like Grim Discovery etc.
       but I´ve like to keep my current cards or at least reduce it in a reasonable way. I think this is my biggest problem.

Deck list:

4x Ninja of the Deep hours
3x Higure, the Still Wind
2x Mistblade shinobi
2x Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
2x Royal Assassin
3x Dimir Infiltrator
4x Ornithopter

3x Whispersilk Cloak
3x Quietus Spike
4x Veil of Secrecy
3x Ponder
3x Last Gasp
2x Rend flesh

2x Tolaria west       -        (Tolaria West allows me to easily find the Ornithopter through the transmute ability, if needed)
1x Minamo, School at Water´s Edge
4x Underground River
4x Terramorphic Expanse
6x Island
6x Swamp

Basic idea of this deck is to simply put out the Ornithopters attack and then easily pull out some cool ninjutsu guys. (Ninja of The Deep Hours would be better at the beggining)
The main idea is to make as many ninjas as I can unblockable (Veil of Secrecy, Whispersilk cloak) + ability of Quietus Spike (-to take half of opponents lifes)   


Last Gasp + Rend flesh >>>       (-I don´t depend on these cards, if you know better burners please let me know)
If I don´t have any "unblockable spells" on my hand, then I can simply use these two.
Last gasp - when he blocks me I just get rid of him with this card + my  power of my creature                                                                                                 
Rend Flesh - it is useless when I play against Spirit deck but it´s better than Terror


Dimir Infiltrator + Royal Assassin>>>
I figured out that Dimir Infiltrator is useful in ninjutsu applying.
It´s cheap and unblockable it self, so I will be always able to put in game some nice ninja.
Royal Assassin >is there for case that Last Gasp, Rend flesh, Whispersilk cloak or Veil of Secrecy won´t show up.
                             >Opponents creature blocks my ninja and I can easily deal with him by simply tapping Royal Assassin.

Ponder>>>
I think there´s nothing to talk about. (-:
Draw a card for   U.

Here I have another cards I was considering about:

Throat Slitter>>>>>>>>>>>>>(against black decks USELESS-so I suggest for sideboard)
Dimir Guildmage>>>>>>>>>>(-firstly I had this card in deck, 3U>draw a card, 3B>target player discards a card -> expensive )
Dimir Cutpurse  >>>>>>>>>>(-nice ability, but dimir Infiltrator, Dimir Guildmage and Ninja of the Deep Hours are more useful)
Minamo Sightbender>>>>>>>(makes my creature unblockable, but too expensive ability)
Walker of Secret Ways>>>>>-human ninja
Phantom Wings >>>>>>>>>>(-gives me flying     - and if I get the meaning of this card correctly  -  it can save my card from graveyard (let me know about this card please)
Kusari-Gama  >>>>>>>>>>>>(-also nice card, but I think it´s too expensive)
Shuriken >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>(maybe a little bit useless)
Bonesplitter>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (-just basic +2/+0 equipment, but cheap)
Persecute     +    Distress >>>>(-nice burners too, but sorcery cards)


Please let me know when you receive this mail.
Looking forward to your answer.

Best regards,
Joe Katrak.

CZECH REPUBLIC


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, Joe, let's see if we can't silently sneak in and make some tweaks to this deck.

First of all, Royal Assassin has to come out. You're using him wrong. You say that you can kill creatures that block your Ninja with him? Blocking doesn't cause a creature to tap, so no you can't. Out he comes.

I think you should also take out Dimir Infiltrator, because Inkfathom Infiltrator is better for the job. Inkfathom is easier to cast, and has a higher power than Dimir Infiltrator for those times when you don't have a Ninja lying in wait (in theory, such a time may arise). The only advantages Dimir Infiltrator has are the Transmute ability (and all you could use it for was Last Gasp and Veil of Secrecy, so I doubt you mind that much) and a higher toughness. But since Dimir Infiltrator is obviously not the kind of creature you want to block with, that barely matters.

Next, you need a few more Ninja. Throat Slitter is average, and Walker of Secret Ways is just useless. Okiba-Gang Shinobi is probably the best Ninja out of the ones you're not already running, and you could use a few more copies of Mistblade Shinobi wouldn't hurt. If you find yourself playing a lot of people who return cards from the graveyard, Skullsnatcher might be good in the sideboard.

As for your kill spells, I'd say Rend Flesh is better for you than Last Gasp, because A) it destroys creatures with toughness 3 or greater, and B) you can Splice Veil of Secrecy onto it. Just drop Last Gasp and increase your copies of Rend Flesh to the full four.

And, for your Equipment, Whispersilk Cloak is nice, but Quietus Spike just makes your opponent want to block the Spike's wielder even more, and Kusari-Gama is nifty, but too mana-intensive. I'd instead opt for Neko-Te. Neko-Te costs the same to equip as Whispersilk Cloak, and can keep a creature tapped down permanently. Or at least until your opponent finds a way to destroy the Neko-Te. Not the creature wielding it, the Neko-Te itself holds creatures tapped down until it is destroyed, regardless of who's wearing them. Most folks don't bother with artifact destruction maindeck, if they're even in the right color scheme for it.

Of course, Neko-Te has always been a pet card of mine. I will concede that Kusari-Gama is the only Equipment either of us have mentioned, beyond your passing reference to Bonesplitter, that can allow Ornithopter to deal damage. And I don't think you need Bonesplitter-- it doesn't make creatures harder to block in any way.

Hopefully I've covered enough that you'll be able to perfect your ninjutsu, Joe. Just don't tell anyone where you got your advice. ;-)

Good luck!

~BMoor