[NCD] Jenara, Asura of War

[majikal]

Jenara, Asura of War GWU
Legendary Creature - Angel (Mythic)
Flying, 3/3
1{W}: Put a +1/+1 counter on Jenara, Asura of War.

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=87901&stc=1&d=1239596066

Really efficient flying dude! Might this have a place in Thresh or some kind of UGW Fish?

[Ectoplasm]

http://www.wizards.com/mtg/images/tcg/products/alarareborn/ddvzzkt636_EN.jpg

[Peter_Rotten]

The jury is still out for me, but I worry that Thresh could spend its mana better on cantripping or activating Top.

Also consider that for 1 more mana, Thresh can have a 6/6 pro-black flier.

On the other hand, this new guy can come down earlier than mystic Enforcer, and if Thresh has the free counters to protect him, can get big pretty fast.

[sauce]

i noticed some thresh decks in europe are running rhox war monks, will this replace them or is the 3 butt too small cuz of bolts even w/ evasion..

its not bad if you can pump it but then again, its too much mana to make it good for legacy imho especially when ppl get a 5/5 (tombstalker) for 2 black.

[Arsenal]

Beastly in Bant/UWG Standard decks, absolutely beastly.

[MTG-Fan]

It's going to be pretty strong in Standard, but the mana investment requirement is too high for Legacy. It's just going to get burned/StPed in response to pump.

I mean, you don't see people playing Figure of Destiny in T1.5, do you?

[leander?]

I mean, you don't see people playing Figure of Destiny in T1.5, do you?
I do, actually.

[Hopo]

It's going to be pretty strong in Standard, but the mana investment requirement is too high for Legacy. It's just going to get burned/StPed in response to pump.

I mean, you don't see people playing Figure of Destiny in T1.5, do you?

Yes, figure is played in legacy.

3 mana 3/3-flier is not bad, and it comes in countertop colors. I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up to some thresh lists.

[FoolofaTook]

This is going to fit as a one-of in the UGw Survival builds that are just around the corner at this point.

[Phantom]

Dont we have enough single card discussion threads that dont go anywhere?

Luckily, posts like these really make them productive...

On topic I have to agree with the nay-sayers. Too color intensive to cast, too many intensive to make powerful.

[kilukru]

This + Rox War Monk + Knight of the New alara + tarmogoyfs = a new middlerange aggro deck maybee?

You got blue and white for control element until you drop your creature. A little slow but you got lifelink, evasion and pumpage.

[Sims]

I'd play it in Rafiq EDH and probably bant in standard if i ever bothered to play standard. Could be fun as a general in it's own right, good protection and pump colors, but I'm not sure this will see any play in Legacy.

[Anusien]

For only 11 mana, this thing gets better than Mystic Enforcer, and for only 9 mana it gets bigger than Tombstalker.

I would just run Enforcer.

The only thing this does interestingly over Mystic Enforcer is trigger Shoreline Mimic.

[FoolofaTook]

For only 11 mana, this thing gets better than Mystic Enforcer, and for only 9 mana it gets bigger than Tombstalker.

I would just run Enforcer.

The only thing this does interestingly over Mystic Enforcer is trigger Shoreline Mimic.

It works better off of Aether Vial and it pitches to Force of Will. Those are two things that make it better than Mystic Enforcer. It also doesn't care if the opponent ditches your graveyard.

[Tacosnape]

My first thought is that this doesn't make the cut, but I may change that stance. Because my second thought is that this doesn't have to be any bigger than you need it to be. If you've got the game under control, it can stay 3/3. If you need a five turn clock, it grows once. If you need to race, all your mana can go towards it.

It has the Nantuko Shade effect of giving you something to do with your mana if you get too much of it.

Pitching to Force is always a bonus, too.

[MattH]

It's good enough on paper that it can't be dismissed without testing. That said, I'm skeptical.

[zulander]

It's good enough on paper that it can't be dismissed without testing. That said, I'm skeptical.
I concur.

[mercenarybdu]

Could see some play with Mystic Enforcer. Run two at most due to Pithing Needle.

[from Cairo]

Yea at first glance it looks a little too weak for Legacy (compared to Mystic Enforcer and Tombstalker who set the bar very high for flyers), but it's definitely a very good card, it will be seeing lots of play in Standard and Extended.

[majikal]

Well the thing with Mystic Enforcer is that it is easily hated out by Relic. Same goes with 'Stalker. With Relic being so prevalent, a non-graveyard reliant flying beater has a chance to shine. This is more on par with something like Serendib Efreet, only potentially better in the right deck.

[BreathWeapon]

In theory, it's not as good as Mystic Enforcer or Tombstalker, but considering Relic of Progenitus, Jenara, Asura of War has its own niche because it's always a 3/3+ instead of a dud.

I think you can totally justify 2 of these in U/g/w

[Forbiddian]

In theory, it's not as good as Mystic Enforcer or Tombstalker, but considering Relic of Progenitus, Jenara, Asura of War has its own niche because it's always a 3/3+ instead of a dud.

I think you can totally justify 2 of these in U/g/w

YEAH!

A 3/3 is just MASSIVE, especially when you compare it to that tiny Mystic Enforcer, which is just puny without Threshold.


Uh... yeah.

[undone]

Seems like nassif level blue might play 1 or 2. It might be like kitchen finks, sounds nice, might be played in 1/2 decks but it definately isnt terrible.

[BreathWeapon]

YEAH!

A 3/3 is just MASSIVE, especially when you compare it to that tiny Mystic Enforcer, which is just puny without Threshold.


Uh... yeah.

Mystic Enforcer can't fly without Threshold, and learn the difference between 3/3 and 3/3+ for god's sake :rolleyes:

[Finn]

This is one of those cards that I really want but absolutely refuse to acquire if it is going to have an artificially high price tag due to its artificially low availability.

Super rares can kiss my ass.

[Misplayer]

I can say pretty comfortably that this card will not make the cut in Thresh. Look at the creatures currently being played: the most efficient beater in the format (Goyf) and creatures that provide extremely powerful utility effects (Dark Confidant, Trygon Predator, Sower of Temptation). Even Rhox War Monk is played only for it's Lifelink ability to improve bad matchups like vial-aggro and Goyf Sligh, not because it's a 3/4 beater for 3, because that's not good enough (insert ban Tarmogoyf discussion here...actually, don't).

Pure beaters, including Nimble Mongoose and Mystic Enforcer, have been cut from many Thresh/NLU/Baseruption lists because they're not powerful enough. People talked about Knight of the Reliquary in the same fashion as they have this card, and while it has seen play, it's not universally accepted. It sounds good in a lot of "could" situations, but in application it hasn't been great. DC, Trygon and Sower each provide a game-breaking ability, and Goyf is so insanely efficient that it justifies a slot while only being a 'vanilla' beater. In other words, it would take some broken shit (Goyf/Bob) or a format shift (Trygon/Sower) to make the cut in Thresh. At least that's how I see it.

[majikal]

I wouldn't discount it that easily. It might not make the cut in current thresh builds, but the deck is constantly moving towards a less graveyard-reliant strategy. I could definitely see it in a more tempo-oriented, land-heavy Threshless build.

[FoolofaTook]

I really see Jenara as more of a control card and less of a control-aggro card. The color requirements are going to be hard to meet until the midgame due to the amount of color segregation that the meta practices with Stifle and Wasteland.

It's going to work as a 1-of in Survival builds that splash blue and in very control oriented standard builds that can afford to wait to put out a 3/3+ flyer in the mid to late game and finish with it. Of course the survival builds will be based on going and getting Wonder to make flying Goyfs but I still think there will be room for Jenara in there somewhere.

[from Cairo]

I really see Jenara as more of a control card and less of a control-aggro card.

I agree, but control generally wants more out of their win conditions than a vanilla guy: IE. Decree of Justice, Eternal Dragon, Mishra's Factory all serve secondary functions, even agro control has mostly adopted guys that have additional effects: Rhox War Monk, Trinket Mage, Sower of Temptation, etc.

The only vanilla guy consistently seeing play in U-based (agro) Control is Goyf. With staple guys Mongoose and Enforcer seeing less and less play I really don't see a spot for Jenara personally.

[majikal]

I agree, but control generally wants more out of their win conditions than a vanilla guy: IE. Decree of Justice, Eternal Dragon, Mishra's Factory all serve secondary functions, even agro control has mostly adopted guys that have additional effects: Rhox War Monk, Trinket Mage, Sower of Temptation, etc.
How is a flying dude that pumps vanilla?



The only vanilla guy consistently seeing play in U-based (agro) Control is Goyf. With staple guys Mongoose and Enforcer seeing less and less play I really don't see a spot for Jenara personally.
Mongoose and Enforcer are seeing less play because, for one, Mongoose can't get past Goyf, ever, and secondly it's getting a lot harder to reach threshold in builds that skimp on cantrips in order to run CB/Top. The benefits of Jenara are, (1.) She flies, which is actually a really good ability in this format. (2.) She costs 3, which rounds out your CB curve while dodging CB in decks not running her. (3.) She is a mana sink for the late game and grows bigger than pretty much everything.

She is definitely an aggro-control creature, and a must-deal-with threat, at that. Played early, she can help to exhaust your opponent's resources while they try to deal with her. Played late, she can and will end the game very very quickly.

[sauce]

it is not good, i rather play mystic enforcer because pro black is more relevant than 3/3+ flying vs black decks that are the worst matchup for thresh probably after enchantress.

[MattH]

How is a flying dude that pumps vanilla?


It's vanilla in the sense that it still only attacks and blocks. It doesn't draw cards, or remove opponents' cards, or provide reach, or turn opponents' cards dead, etc. Its pump only barely counts as a combat trick, unlike say the counter-shuffling Arcbound Ravager does.

Not the most common use of the term, but not wholly inappropriate.

[majikal]

It's vanilla in the sense that it still only attacks and blocks. It doesn't draw cards, or remove opponents' cards, or provide reach, or turn opponents' cards dead, etc. Its pump only barely counts as a combat trick, unlike say the counter-shuffling Arcbound Ravager does.

Not the most common use of the term, but not wholly inappropriate.
That's the same thing people have been saying about Tarmogoyf for ages.

[from Cairo]

That's the same thing people have been saying about Tarmogoyf for ages.

Jenara, Asura of War is no Tarmogoyf~

[majikal]

It's about as close as you can get to flying Goyf though. I've been testing it, and it's not bad at all. Threat density is something that Thresh has been lacking, and Jenara really fills in the gaps nicely. Two is plenty though.

[MattH]

That's the same thing people have been saying about Tarmogoyf for ages.

I...guess so? Being 'vanilla' doesn't comment one way or another on its power level, despite what some people seem to think.

[Skeggi]

Well, technically Tarmogoyf isn't vanilla either.

Anyway, Flying really 'unvanillas' a creature.

[Shawon]

Jenara as Mythic Rare = Mythic Fail. Could've made the card a wee bit less boring, Wizards?

[pi4meterftw]

Jenara as Mythic Rare = Mythic Fail. Could've made the card a wee bit less boring, Wizards?

At least it doesn't have: when it swings, play a subgame, if you win that subgame...

Serendib efreet is in a totally different niche than this card. It costs 2U, not WUG, which differs in the obvious color requirements sense, but also essentially in a pseudo-CMC sense, since to the only deck that plays efreets, FS, it essentially costs them the tapping of two lands. Also, efreet is a 3/4 without investment of any mana.

Nantuko shade is not good because, obviously, of the mana investment. I think the 3 mana multicolor niche is filled much better by knight of the reliquary, or terravore. (Though perhaps not in threshold, which I never considered to be hurting for another few creatures.)

[majikal]

Well, I was looking forward to playing this in my Thresh until that Snake got spoiled. So it looks like Jenara gets relegated to the realm of Standard and Extended constructed. *single tear*