Pojo's Magic The Gathering news, tips, strategies and more!

Pojo's MTG
MTG Home
Message Board
News & Archives
Deck Garage
BMoor Dolf BeJoSe

Columnists
Paul's Perspective
Jeff Zandi
DeQuan Watson
Jordon Kronick
IQ
Aburame Shino
Rare Hunter
Tim Stoltzfus
WiCkEd
Judge Bill's Corner


Trading Card
Game

Card of the Day
Guide for Newbies
Decks to Beat
Featured Articles
Peasant Magic
Fan Tips
Tourney Reports


Other
Color Chart
Book Reviews
Online Play
MTG Links
Staff



This Space
For Rent

Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Kraken of the Straits
Image from Wizards.com

 Kraken of the Straits
- Born of the Gods

Reviewed March 7, 2014

Constructed: 2.33
Casual: 3.33
Limited: 4.00
Multiplayer: 3.33

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 of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Kraken of the Straits

In a monoblue deck, this might as well be an unblockable 6/6. Sure, it doesn't have hexproof like most of blue's other biggest, baddest beasts, but it hardly needs it. It only has to live long enough to swing once to make its point, and don't forget-- it's in blue. The color of -X/-0 effects. If your opponent has something big enough to block the Kraken, just tell him that no, no he doesn't.
Still, for seven mana, there's better options. Hold out for one more mana and you get Tromokratis. One fewer already got you Arbiter of the Ideal. And anyway, don't blue control decks usually win with something a little less Timmy?

Constructed- 2
Casual- 4
Limited- 3.5
Multiplayer- 4

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Kraken of the Straits

There's an argument that rotating formats like Standard are necessary to "keep things fresh" and let different things have their day in the sun. There's an argument, but I don't like it because it almost basically excuses designers from mistakes like thinking you have to tape a bunch of comes-into-play abilities onto a big creature to make it "good" instead of coming up with things like Kraken of the Straits. You want creatures and attacking to be relevant? Then make abilities that encourage creatures to attack. Against some opponents, controlling as few as three islands will make Kraken of the Straits unblockable and leave your opponent wishing they played their own six-cost creatures. Besides, y'know - Quest for Ula's Temple!

Constructed: 2/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 3/5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Kraken of the Straits which is a seven mana Blue 6/6 that can't be blocked by creatures with power less than the total number of Islands you control.  A 6/6 conditional evasive that is best for mono-Blue is potentially a serious threat, but only in a very specific design and at a fairly high mana cost. A very control heavy deck looking for a finisher can do better with an early game unblockable choice instead of waiting for this, which can often be blocked if combat tricks are involved.  Overall this just doesn't fit in well as a finisher for mono-Blue as it only attacks while other similar cost creatures have effects to more drastically impact the game.
 
In Limited this is a serious bomb for Booster that can dominate in a mono-Blue deck and be very difficult to block or remove.  In Sealed or Booster a two color deck can still use it, though leaning towards Blue is encouraged to reduce blocking options.  The mana cost is less of a concern and the double Blue is manageable out of seven if it is just played as a 6/6 and mostly ignoring the effect.  Even with the minimum two islands it prevents 1/1 chump blocking and is worth it for that alone to apply pressure on just about any opponent's battlefield position.
 
Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.0
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 3.0


Copyright© 1998-2014 pojo.com
This site is not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise affiliated with any of the companies or products featured on this site. This is not an Official Site.