Five Favorite Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Cards
Welcome back to another MTG+ blog, fellow Planeswalkers! This time we're breaking down five of our favorite cards coming in the 91st expansion of Magic: The Gathering! Be warned: If you're reading this before February 18th, these are all technically spoilers - so readers beware!
As always, narrowing down to our five favorite cards is super tough, especially with an expansion that is as exciting and innovative as the Neon Dynasty is proving to be - which is honestly not surprising, given the unique setting we find ourselves in with this upcoming expansion. So whether you're all about good ole fashioned Standard, love yourself some Brawl, or you're all about that Commander life, here's five rad new cards (in no particular order!) that we're the most excited to play with in the upcoming Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty!
Hinata, Dawn-Crowned
This is just a doozy of a card, not even going to lie! Whether you're building a standard deck or you're putting together something for EDH, this card is a monster. First and foremost, it's a 4/4 flying trample for four mana (granted multicolor, which can be tough), but it can also put some serious pressure on opponents by making their cards more expensive, while making your spells cheaper. And did I mention it's a 4/4 flying trample for four mana?!
Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant
Here's another banger of a card, both for standard and EDH formats. The Phyrexian Praetor cards are pretty nuts for a reason, and the new run of Jin-Gitaxias definitely lives up to the name. Not only are you able to do some really nutty things with the copy effect (double Time Warp? double Time Stretch? Maybe a Time Warp this turn and then a Time Stretch next turn for SEVEN TURNS in a row?!) Look, I don't know if I'm doing that math right, but regardless this card is going to be sick and I can't wait to infuriate my friends with it already!
Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion
Okay first off, it's a Legendary Rat Ninja which immediately makes me think robot Splinter. Now that I'm passed that, this card is nutty. It uses the Ninjutsu mechanic of swapping out an unblocked creature for big impact incredibly well by leaning into the Black Mana/Phyrexian Mana vibes by exchanging health for card cost instead. Has some potentially huge impact depending on what you're playing against and the luck of the draw with your exiled cards, but a super fun and impactful card nonetheless!
Farewell
I seriously love cards like this - they're straightforward, multipurpose, and can really impact a number of win conditions (or slow down an opponent's win conditions as well!). Six mana can be a bit steep, but the ability to play this regardless of your meta game and know that you can slow down power creep, slow down aggro decks, slow down graveyard pullers, people leaning into enchantments, artifacts, equipment, etc... You name it, this card can probably stop it. White already has a ton of cards like this, and the big game changing board wipes are only getting spicier!
Satoru Umezawa
Okay look, I know I said these were in no particular order, but I usually kind of save the best for last - and in this case, I definitely have. The gameplay implications for this card is absolutely nuts. Not only do you have a really nice sort of scry mechanic tied to Ninjutsu (a mechanic that a lot of blue/black decks really, really like), but you've got a 3 mana 2/4 that gives EVERY CREATURE IN YOUR HAND NINJUTSU. Now, it's a pretty spicy Ninjutsu cost at four mana, but the possibilities here are totally mental. Get yourself some kind of unblockable creature, perhaps, and then shell out a measly four mana to sneak out a Phyrexian Obliterator that is unblocked? Four mana to sneak out a Blightsteel Colossus that is unblocked? It's seriously a bonkers card, and one that I imagine will have a huge presence in every format, not the least of which as the Commander for a ridiculous EDH Ninjutsu deck!
