Silent-Blade Oni MTG Card


Offers card advantage and surprise attacks with its instant-speed Ninjutsu capability. Demanding mana cost and requirement for specific colors may limit deck building options. Combo potential and meta relevance make it a worthy addition to specialized decks.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Demon Ninja
Abilities Ninjutsu
Power 6
Toughness 5

Text of card

Ninjutsu (, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.) Whenever Silent-Blade Oni deals combat damage to a player, look at that player's hand. You may cast a nonland card in it without paying that card's mana cost.


Cards like Silent-Blade Oni

Silent-Blade Oni offers a unique blend of abilities in Magic: The Gathering, positioned in the realm of creature cards with impactful enter-the-battlefield effects. It closely resembles cards like Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni, which also allow you to put a creature card from an opponent’s graveyard onto the battlefield under your control when it deals combat damage to a player. However, Silent-Blade Oni stands out with its ability to cast the nonland cards for free, making it a potential game-changer in any match.

Another parallel can be drawn with Extract from Darkness. While it’s a sorcery rather than a creature and requires a collective milling strategy from each player, Extract from Darkness similarly reanimates a creature from any graveyard, but it does not have the added benefit of casting it without paying its mana cost. Furthermore, Silent-Blade Oni’s Ninjutsu ability allows for a surprise switch that can be significantly more tactical when timed correctly than the predictability of a sorcery like Extract from Darkness.

When evaluating these cards alongside Silent-Blade Oni, the latter’s potential for immediate board impact and strategic flexibility often makes it a top choice for players looking to leverage their opponents’ decks against them, particularly in Commander format games.

Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni - MTG Card versions
Extract from Darkness - MTG Card versions
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni - MTG Card versions
Extract from Darkness - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Silent-Blade Oni by color, type and mana cost

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Riven Turnbull - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Silent-Blade Oni, the card advantage comes from its Ninjutsu ability, which not only sneaks it onto the battlefield but also lets you play a card from your opponent’s hand for free, effectively disrupting their strategy and strengthening your position.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana, using Silent-Blade Oni allows for a unique kind of resource acceleration by cheating on the card’s mana cost with its Ninjutsu ability and potentially casting an opponent’s high-cost card without paying its mana cost.

Instant Speed: Silent-Blade Oni’s Ninjutsu ability can be activated at instant speed, offering strategic flexibility. You can surprise an opponent by swapping an unblocked attacker with Silent-Blade Oni, potentially turning the tide of the game in your favor at a crucial moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Silent-Blade Oni necessitates a card to be discarded upon activation of its Ninjutsu ability. This can often be a setback, especially in situations where a player’s hand is already depleted, forcing them to lose potentially valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires both black and blue mana, Silent-Blade Oni may be restricting in terms of deck-building versatility. Players without a dedicated dimir (blue/black) land base may struggle to cast it consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At seven mana, Silent-Blade Oni comes with a hefty price tag. This mana investment is quite significant compared to other creatures or spells which could offer more immediate impact or value at a lower cost threshold, potentially hindering its inclusion in fast-paced or mana-efficient strategies.


Reasons to Include Silent-Blade Oni in Your Collection

Versatility: Silent-Blade Oni offers a dynamic play experience by blending evasion with powerful card advantage. This creature slides into Ninja decks and any build looking to capitalize on dealing combat damage to a player.

Combo Potential: With its ability to cast cards from your opponent’s hand without paying their mana costs, Silent-Blade Oni can create unexpected combinations and turn the tide by using an adversary’s tools against them.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where longer games favor interactions with opponents’ strategies, Silent-Blade Oni becomes a formidable threat. Its disruptive capability can effectively counteract control decks loaded with valuable noncreature spells.


How to Beat Silent-Blade Oni

Silent-Blade Oni presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, offering not only a formidable creature but the added twist of card theft from opponents. With each successful attack, it allows you to cast an opponent’s card without paying its mana cost, presenting a threat that can quickly turn the tide of the game. Successful strategies to overcome this powerful card involve preventing it from hitting the board in the first place or ensuring it doesn’t stay long if it does. Counter spells, such as Negate or Essence Scatter, can halt the Oni in its tracks before it becomes an active threat.

If Silent-Blade Oni does resolve, swift removal is key. Utilize efficient removal spells like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider to deal with it immediately. Ensnaring the Oni in board-wide effects like Wrath of God can also be effective, clearing the path for you to seize control of the game back. Remember, its menace lies dormant until it attacks, so keeping the Oni at bay with pacifying abilities or enforcing blockers can mitigate its potential impact, allowing you the breathing room to prepare a counter strategy and navigate towards victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Steering through the MTG multiverse, Silent-Blade Oni emerges as a stealthy powerhouse in the Ninja archetype, renowned for its ability to swipe cards straight from the opponent’s hand. Given its ability to disrupt plays and inject surprise elements into the game, this card can be a strategic asset in your collection. For those who relish complex gameplay and enjoy turning an opponent’s strength into their weakness, the Silent-Blade Oni is a worthy addition to your arsenal. Do you want to delve deeper into its mechanics and strategic applications? Embrace the shadows and expand your gameplay wisdom with us.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Silent-Blade Oni MTG card by a specific set like Planechase 2012 and Planechase Anthology, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Silent-Blade Oni and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Silent-Blade Oni Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2012-06-01 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by Steve Prescott.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 1052003NormalBlackSteve Prescott
22016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1052015NormalBlackSteve Prescott
32018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1912015NormalBlackSteve Prescott
42022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 3522015NormalBlackSteve Prescott
52024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 2412015NormalBlackSteve Prescott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Silent-Blade Oni has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Silent-Blade Oni card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2012-06-01 If you cast a card without paying its mana cost, you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs, such as evoke or the alternative cost provided by the morph ability. If it has in its mana cost, X must be 0. However, you can pay optional additional costs, such as kicker, and you must still pay mandatory additional costs, such as the one on Fling.
2012-06-01 If you cast a permanent spell this way, it will enter the battlefield under your control when it resolves. If you cast an instant or sorcery spell this way, that card will be put into its owner's graveyard when it resolves.
2012-06-01 The nonland card you cast via the triggered ability is cast as part of the resolution of that ability. Timing restrictions based on the card's type are ignored. Other restrictions, such as “Cast
-his card] only during an opponent's turn,” are not.