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Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day
Daily Since November 2001!

Nantuko Shade
Image from Wizards.com

Nantuko Shade
M11

Reviewed July 19, 2010

Constructed: 3.88
Casual: 3.50
Limited: 3.13
Multiplayer: 3.13

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 

BMoor

Nantuko Shade

Monoblack aggro these days is all about Vampires. Nantuko Shade is a powerful card, but I wonder if it'll find a deck that wants it. It can grow frighteningly large and make opponents furrow their brow as they try to find an optimal blocking scenario that doesn't exist-- if you're willing to spend most or all your mana for the turn pumping it. On the one hand, that usually results in you getting to kill an opponent's creature or dealing him massive damage. On the other hand, you may not have the mana you need to cast spells that turn. It's definitely an aggro card. When you've already got a creature on the board that's as big as you need it to be, you don't need more spells. Usually.

Constructed- 3
Casual- 3
Limited- 3.5
Multiplayer- 2.5


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Nantuko Shade
 
A very famous piece of flavor text from Torment reads "Empires rise and fall, but evil is eternal." So is Nantuko Shade. Don't be afraid of the heavy commitment to the color that he demands; don't be afraid of his one toughness during everyone else's turn. Make your opponents afraid of what happens during your combat step, and party like it's 2002.
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 2/5
Multiplayer: 2/5


Paul

Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Nantuko Shade

Well, Well, Well, today's card of the day is one of the more interesting reprints to come out of M11. Nantuko Shade is a powerful card for mono black decks and should not be played almost anywhere else. In standard this card along with Grave Titan could push Mono Black Control into the limelight, the powerful pump ability makes it a good early beater or a late game finisher. In extended I can see this card receiving a fair amount of play in Mono Black decks and and decks utilizing Urborg Tomb of Yawgmoth and a solid black base. In eternal this card see's a fair share of play in Mono Black builds and Eva green decks the reprinting only makes it easier for players to get their hands on. In casual and multiplayer it can take out numerous players and can be combined with Cabal Coffers for immense damage, its also a great early or late drop. In limited its a money card albeit not a great one, it requires a heavy commitment to black but if you can do it go for it.

Constructed: 4.0
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 2.5
Multiplayer: 3.5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is an old favorite Nantuko Shade which for a casting cost of two Black is a 2/1 that can be given +1/+1 for one Black until end of turn.  This is a very efficient pumpable creature when usually the effect costs several additional mana either in the initial cost or in the payment.  Intelligent use of the timing can keep your opponent guessing and this will see play for the duration of standard in aggressive Black decks next to cards like Vampire Nighthawk.
 
For Limited this is a great card with a bit of a drawback of needing a pretty dedicated Black deck to be played on the second or even third turn reliably, plus supported with enough mana to be pumped throughout the game.  Played early or late this is a good draw, so it is worth including and an excellent first pick in Booster for the usefulness in any stage of the game.  In Sealed if you have the pool run as much Black as possible and play this, you likely won't be disappointed.
 
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5


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