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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day


Image from Wizards.com
 

Imi Statue 
Champions of Kamigawa


Reviewed October 11, 2004

Constructed: 2.96
Casual: 1.9
Limited: 1.26

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all our 
Card of the Day Reviews 


Scott
Gerhardt

Welcome to the Stabilizer of Kamigawa.  This is  the card that you can't stomach to main deck, but you know needs to be in the board.  Right now, in my opinion, either you play affinity, or you play this is in the board - little other option.  Even with all the removal out there, this card can take an affinity deck, especially if you go first, and absolutely make it stop.  It becomes a required target for any and all removal they have, and that's if they have, or can reasonably quick get, untapped mana.  A twice-as-good Static Orb just for your opponent seems a little wrong, but so does getting killed on turn 4 or 5 by a pissed off Ravager.

Limited - crap.  Just...crap.

Constructed: 4.5 (Current T2 environment)
Limited: 1


Chris
Gerhardt

* game store owner in CA, ShuffleAndCut

Considering that the deck to beat presently is Affinity, this seems a much more interesting card. To beat it, you need speed.  You'll have to find a way for this to hit the board very fast, or else.

In casual, unless you're playing against a lot of artifact heavy decks all the time, Imi probably just isn't the ticket.

In limited, there just aren't enough artifacts in Kamigawa to make this useful.

Constructed: 3
Casual: 1
Limited: 1

   Current Price:
Imi Statue - Champions of Kamigawa - $6.99
 


Judge Bill

*Level 2
MTG Judge

*game store employee

My pick of this set for the card most likely to fall far short of its initial hype. People are touting this as an answer to affiniy. Well, guess what, it slows down affinity to normal speed levels. But the fact is, they'll have already likely played most of their hand by the time you play this, even if you go first and drop this on turn 3. Then think of the fact that they will likely have artifact removal for this waiting, and it's a totally mediocre card.
 
In casual, people don't like to get locked down, and most people don't like to play decks that require that much thinking.
 
Don't even bother with limited - this was a card designed with one purpose in mind - and that is to be played in Standard.
 
Constructed: 2
Casual: 1
Limited: 1
 


Jeff Zandi

5 Time Pro Tour
Veteran

Imi Statue
At first glance, this card was predicted to be the final word in stopping
the ever-popular Affinity deck in Standard constructed play. Just as quickly
as this prediction was made, others voiced the opinion that Imi Statue was
too slow at a cost of three colorless mana. After a little testing, my
personal opinion is that three or four Imi Statue cards in your deck can
have a powerful effect on Affinity decks. Unfortunately, in most Standard
constructed environments, you need to run Imi Statue main deck because you
just can't afford to lose game one against Affinity. Affinity decks, of
course, can simply add artifact destruction, as many Affinity decks have
done. Any way you look at it, I think this card can be considered a powerful
card, at least in the current Standard environment. This card has very
little value in sealed deck and booster draft.
CONSTRUCTED: 3.5
CASUAL:           2.5
LIMITED:          2.0

Ray "Monk"
Powers
* Level 3 DCI Judge
*DCI Tournament Organizer

Imi Statue

 

This card has been touted as one of the fixers in Champions for Affinity, but really, unless it comes down on turn two with the help of mana speed, I’m not sure it matters if this card hits play. They normally dump their hands on turn two to three anyways, then hopefully get through with only one or two big creatures anyways. And with enough artifacts on the board, that Myr Enforcer is free anyways, so no need to untap the lands. On the off chance that it really does hinder an affinity deck, they’ll likely be playing with artifact destruction of their own and just kill the Imi, making it a Time Walk at best. I think the card has some potential, but is just too weak for real play.

 

Constructed:                 1

Casual:                         3

Limited:                        1

 


DeQuan
Watson

* game store owner (The Game Closet - Waco,TX)

We hate affinity!
Yes we do!
We hate affinity,
How 'bout you!

Seriously, that's what this card feels like. When a deck is full of artifact lands, in addition to it's creatures being artifacts, this card can nearly cripple them. I don't think it has much value to the average casual player, but tournaments constructed players should be able to use it in their sideboards.

Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 1.5
Limited: 1
Paul
Hagan
Imi Statue --

This is a cute little sideboard card that could come in very handy in the near future. It's definitely a monster against Affinity, and I would imagine that we are going to be seeing a small influx of combo decks that make use of abusing artifacts as well.

There isn't a whole lot I can really say about this card; it is what it is. Play it if you are planning on seeing a lot of artifacts all day long, let it hang out in your sideboard, otherwise.

In limited, I think this is *still* a sideboard card, even with a greater number of artifacts floating around.

Constructed Rating: 3.0
Casual Rating: 2.5
Limited Rating: 2.0
 

 

 

 

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