Beastly Mage

#9 N-551 Shino Aburame & Kiba Inuzuka [Reunion]

Hey all, it's me again back from the dead. While I didn't get my list in on time, I do have to say that I like this year's list a lot more than last years. So let's get on with #9, the most seen squad in the game, by checking out the stats!

T3 HC 0 Wind/Fire
Leaf/Chunin/Male/Animal/Mental Power: 2/Squad
5/3 4/2 CA: Insect/Fang
Set 13 Rare

Right off the bat, this card is really well stat'd for it's turn, and uses two very easily splashed cards, allowing it to fit into a lot of decks. Animal can be a helpful characteristic to have, and is just an additional boon, as are the names Shino and Kiba, giving this squad a lot of synergy with prior cards that require those things. Honestly, this is a great card for any element, and I'm a little shocked it's not higher. But let's go onto his effect, another gem:

[Reunion]

During your Mission Phase, you can discard a Ninja card from your hand. In that case, draw 2 cards and move 1 card from your hand to the bottom of your deck.

Wow, holy cycling ability Batman! This card lets you turn any dead ninja in your hand into two new cards, and then you have to pitch one. Not great if you're sitting on one or two cards, but the options this card gives you are incredible! Second of all, it's an effect that can be used in any deck, which makes it insanely versatile. Sadly, it's not valid, which would make this card perfect, but having two great ninjas to pull it off with is what makes this card incredible.

Limited: 4/5 Even without optimal Shinos and Kibas, this guy shines through.
Constructed: 5/5 If you can run him, do it!
Block: 5/5 Every good card to squad with them is still legal, so keep on throwing him in your Reinforcement deck.
Art: They're just too hot for words, unless the words are "Sexy man kings!", in which case, use those words.

I look forward to getting back in the swing of things, and send me your decks for N.'s End, as I'm going to start working on building Block Legal decks for it.

Hey everyone, today we are reviewing #9 of Pojo's top 10 cards of 2009. Now, TBH, I actually don't agree with the list all that much.... But it was decided by a group of people voting, so I guess I have to stick with it. However, I will say which position I placed a card in my own personal top 10, if at all. Maybe, on the #1 card (which I'm sure everyone and their mother can guess), I will put my own personal top 10, because some cards definitely should not have been left out IMO.

Well, Shino/Kiba is a no brainer in terms of top 10 cards. It was in nearly all fire and wind decks, and in plenty of decks that were neither of those. Before Fateful Reunion was released, the big question was which squad would be more effective: Shino/Kiba, or Kiba/Akamaru. Let me just say, it's not even close. Shino/Kiba blows Kiba/Akamaru out of the water. The only reason people run Kiba/Akamaru is in case they don't draw their shinos. What makes this card so good? Well lets see.

First off, the stats are pretty nice at a 5/3, 4/2 on turn 3. Nice support and attack, both injured and healthy, means that it is a pretty versatile ninja. Its characteristics are good too, having 2 mental, and chunin, in case that matters.

However, what makes this card awesome is its effect. This card gives you the ability to cycle through your deck about as consistently as they come (IMO only just like drifting clouds is better at it). The fact that you are looking at two extra cards a turn is huge.

Also, the fact that both ninjas on the squad have two very playable turn 0 forms really makes this card a solid squad.

Pojo Ranking: #9

My Ranking: #5

Constructed: 4.5/5 <---- Near perfect squad.

Limited: 1/5 <--- You will not get all three cards (Squad, plus one kiba and one shino).

Nickname: 109th Star

Shino Aburame & Kiba Inuzuka [Reunion]
Ninja Card
Wind/Fire
Leaf/Chunin/Male/Animal/Mental Power: 2/Squad
Entrance Cost: 3 Hand Cost: 0
Effect: During your Mission Phase, you can discard a Ninja card from your hand. In that case, draw 2 cards and move 1 card from your hand to the bottom of your deck.
Healthy: 5/3 Injured: 4/2

Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka [Reunion] is one of the strongest squads that we have seen so far. Good stats on turn 3 and an amazing card filtering ability make this an absolutely must own if your playing Wind or Fire. The other half of the squad is easily splashed into the deck. This squad is just plain dumb when played beside an Emina, basically ensuring that you'll be looking at an extra two cards every turn for the rest of the game while never having to worry about decking out (assuming your opponent doesn't drop a Sai or something similar on you). Also, since it's a squad and goes into your reinforcement deck, there's absolutely no downside to having this card in your deck. The only real downside to this card is that it's a 3-drop, which seems to be the threshold for a great many effects. These guys will be getting rocked by Ten Thousand Snakes wave, or any other of the myriad of jutsu that like to beat upon the lower EC ninja.

In short, if you run either Kiba or Shino in your deck already, then splash the other to play this squad. You will not be disappointed.

Constructed: 4.5/5
Limited: 2.5/5 (squads don't work as well here.)

Name: Shino Aburame & Kiba Inuzuka

First off, the ninjas used for the squad are probably two of the most splashed turn 0 ninjas in the game right now: Kiba Inuzuka [Man Beast Clone] and Shino [Insect Warriors] so pulling off this squad shouldn’t be too hard, plus those ninjas have put in play effects making them optimal for squading.

Characteristics:
Leaf | Chunin | Male | Animal | Mental Power: 2 | Squad

Nothing too special, animal is nice in puppy decks and decent mental power.

Stats and Combat Attribute:
5/3 Healthy, 4/2 Injured
Insect/Fang

5/3 healthy and 4/2 injured makes them pretty deadly 3 drops… Fang CA helps in mill decks a bit and insect…. doesn’t really do anything…

Effect
This is where the meat and potatoes are… during your mission phase, you can discard a ninja from your hand two draw two cards then send one card from your hand to the bottom of your deck. This gives you good draw power during your turns. Draw a ninja you don’t need or already have in play? Kill it off and draw two cards. The only downside is that it isn’t valid so you may not want to send it out to battle to protect it.

Combos:
In puppy decks, kill off those ninja dogs with its effect and then rush them with back to life with Kakashi Hatake [Anbu Days]. In Wind, play it with A New Squad to draw two cards when you bring it out and draw two more with its effect; it can also help you pull off Oath of Vengeance. In Water, kill off ninjas then Ghost Panic/Orochimaru [FJ]/Kabuto [PMS]/Orochimaru’s Forbidden Jutsu them back to life. In Anbu, kill off Anbus then rush them back via Kakashi (Anbu Days) and Raid of Anbu.

Overall:
This is one of the first and best squads released and it is the easiest to pull off.
With a strong stats and a very useful effect in any situation, it can easily turn the game around in your favor.

Limited: 4/5 Kiba and Shino aren’t too hard to pull
Constructed: 5/5 (It’s a squad and has no downside)
Art: Meh/5
Tomorrow: One of the cards that made this squad playable