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Reinforced Ronin – MTG Kamigawa: Neon Destiny Card of the Day

Reinforced Ronin
Reinforced Ronin

Reinforced Ronin – Kamigawa: Neon Destiny

Date Reviewed:  February 22, 2022

Ratings:
Constructed: 3.67
Casual: 4.00
Limited: 4.17
Multiplayer: 2.83
Commander [EDH]: 2.63

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.

Reviews Below: 



David
Fanany
Player
since
1995
Instagram

There are a shockingly large number of Kamigawa Neon Dynasty cards that I want to try out somewhere, and this guy is pretty high on that list. One of the classic problems with aggressive one-cost creatures relates to what you do if and when the opponent survives long enough to start casting baloths and dragons, and Reinforced Ronin’s channel ability is a good answer. He’d be better if he dealt damage to something, but I can believe that might have been too good. I’m not sure getting a single random card is always what red would prefer to be doing at that stage in the game – something like Cathartic Reunion has more raw power when it comes time to refuel. Still, if your deck is constructed aggressively enough, with a sufficient number of cards that you’d be happy to draw at any given time, he will fit well in both the early and middle game.

Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 2/5
Commander [EDH]: 2/5 (the card-drawing mode will help some red decks, yet it’s hard to overcome the format rules’ bias against aggressive decks and colors)


 James H. 

  

The latest addition to the “hasty red one-drop” archetype, Reinforced Ronin offers some interesting tricks between returning to hand at the end of each turn and being able to cycle away if you’re in a late game and have less use for a hasty one-mana 2/2. I will say that the bounce/cycle is not necessarily an upgrade over other takes on this; it resists sorcery-speed removal rather handily, but it can’t be used as a blocker if you need something to hold off an opponent, and you have to keep investing if you need the damage. I definitely think this will see play, but it’s not likely to usurp Monastery Swiftspear or Goblin Guide in deeper formats; its fate is more likely to be as the Standard version of that effect in hyper-aggressive decks, which isn’t the worst place to be.

Constructed: 3.5 (there’s a chance this makes it in Modern, but I think most of that deck’s one-drops serve a defined function already)
Casual: 4
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 2.5
Commander [EDH]: 2.75 (I think it’s harmed by both games running longer and that its typelines are worse than, say, Goblin Guide)



Mike the
Borg 9
YouTube

Channel

I’m a massive fan of mono red aggro, this is a perfect card to bring back mono red in standard.  One mana for a 2/2 is aggressive and you’re likely to deal 4 or 6 damage before your opponent gets an answer out in terms of a blocker.  Then when you’re done with the card you can Channel it to draw a card, this is HUGE!!  Red gets minimal card draw and this is just an advantage because Reinforced Ronin is a dead card in the middle and late game so you’re not losing value.  Solid, solid card that I think should be a rare but I’ll take it at the uncommon level!  Nothing too crazy to add for commander unfortunately but if you happen to be running a red aggro deck you might want to check this out!

Constructed: 4.5/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
Commander [EDH]: 3/5


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