Blade of the Oni MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityMythic
TypeArtifact Creature — Equipment Demon
Abilities Menace,Reconfigure
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Blade of the Oni offers transformative card advantage and tempo with its instant-speed ability.
  2. Despite its strengths, it demands careful hand management due to the discard requirement.
  3. It’s worth collecting for its flexibility, meta relevance, and significant combo potential.

Text of card

Menace Equipped creature has base power and toughness 5/5, has menace, and is a black Demon in addition to its other colors and types. Reconfigure (: Attach to target creature you control; or unattach from a creature. Reconfigure only as a sorcery. While attached, this isn't a creature.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Blade of the Oni provides a unique form of card advantage by transforming one of your creatures into a powerful Demon with additional abilities. This not only enhances your board presence but can also disrupt your opponent’s strategy by removing a potential blocker or attacker from their side.

Resource Acceleration: Upon transforming a creature, this card immediately escalates your resources on the battlefield. By converting a smaller or less significant creature into a potent Demon, you effectively accelerate your combat resources, potentially gaining a significant tempo advantage.

Instant Speed: The ability to use Blade of the Oni at instant speed is incredibly versatile. It allows you to adapt to the evolving state of the game, transforming a creature either in response to an opponent’s action or during the end step before your turn, thus keeping your opponents constantly guessing and unprepared for the sudden appearance of a sizeable Demon threat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Blade of the Oni requires a player to discard a card to trigger its transform ability. This can be a setback when your hand is already low, potentially pressuring you to forfeit valuable cards from your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands both black and generic mana, Blade of the Oni may not seamlessly fit into decks that aren’t prepared to generate these specific mana types, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a total of four mana to cast might be considered steep when compared to other creatures in its power range. This may affect deck mana curve optimization, making it a less favorable choice during crucial game turns.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Blade of the Oni proves itself as a flexible addition to various deck builds, particularly those that capitalize on creature control and power boosts. Its ability to transform under specific conditions allows it to adapt seamlessly to the evolving board state.

Combo Potential: This card offers significant combo potential, working well with Ninjutsu mechanics or other creature-based strategies that rely on surprise attacks and advantageous combat effects.

Meta-Relevance: Owing to its transformative nature and combat prowess, Blade of the Oni holds its ground in an environment rife with creature interactions, fitting into the overarching strategies that dominate player-vs-player matchups.


How to beat

Blade of the Oni brings a unique twist to creature transformation in Magic: The Gathering, transforming a creature you control into a 4/4 Demon with deathtouch. Upon close inspection, it’s not an unbeatable threat. To effectively counter this card, removal spells that don’t target, like board wipes, can clear the transformed creature off the board without triggering potential protection abilities. Furthermore, spells that force the opponent to sacrifice creatures, such as Diabolic Edict, circumvent the issue of targeting the demon directly.

Another tactic involves timing your removal spells. Since the transformation only happens during combat, responding with instant-speed removal before the creature becomes a demon can neutralize the threat preemptively. It’s also beneficial to keep in mind that once the creature is turned into a demon, the aura attached, Blade of the Oni, can be detached and rendered useless by enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant at a later stage. Harnessing these strategies can turn the tide in your favor.

Thus, with strategic play and the right set of spells, the supposed peril of facing a creature wielding the Blade of the Oni can be mitigated, keeping your board safe and maintaining control over the game state.


BurnMana Recommendations

Wrapping up, Blade of the Oni stands out as an intriguing MTG card with a transformative edge, ideal for those looking to disrupt the battlefield and gain an upper hand through strategic creature upgrades. Its versatility and instant-speed usage can be pivotal in turning the tides of the game. If mastering unexpected combat tactics and refining your deck strategy appeals to you, incorporating Blade of the Oni may be your next great play. Dive deeper into the strategic applications and synergies of this unique card on our platform. Enhance your combat playbook and become a formidable opponent in your next MTG showdown.


Cards like Blade of the Oni

Blade of the Oni carves itself a unique position within Magic: The Gathering, standing out among equipment cards with its ability to transform a creature into a Demon and granting a substantial boost to power and toughness. Comparable to cards like Elbrus, the Binding Blade, which also transforms creatures, Blade of the Oni distinguishes itself by not requiring the creature to deal combat damage to a player for the transformation to occur.

Bloodforged Battle-Axe is another related card, noteworthy for its ability to replicate itself, thereby multiplying the advantages across your board. While Bloodforged Battle-Axe does not offer a creature type change or as significant a power increase, it more easily scales its impact over time. Ensouled Scimitar, though it shares the equipment theme and can turn into a creature itself, lacks the unique transformational aspect and stat buffs provided by Blade of the Oni.

Ultimately, when comparing these options, Blade of the Oni proves to impress with its immediate dramatic effect on a creature’s abilities, making it a formidable choice for players seeking to alter the state of the battlefield with a single equipment card.

Bloodforged Battle-Axe - MTG Card versions
Ensouled Scimitar - MTG Card versions
Bloodforged Battle-Axe - MTG Card versions
Ensouled Scimitar - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Blade of the Oni by color, type and mana cost

Charcoal Diamond - MTG Card versions
Transmogrant's Crown - MTG Card versions
Vault Skirge - MTG Card versions
Razorlash Transmogrant - MTG Card versions
Mukotai Soulripper - MTG Card versions
Poet's Quill - MTG Card versions
Leaden Myr - MTG Card versions
Cranial Plating - MTG Card versions
Glaze Fiend - MTG Card versions
Scepter of Fugue - MTG Card versions
Salvage Slasher - MTG Card versions
Metalspinner's Puzzleknot - MTG Card versions
Scrapheap Scrounger - MTG Card versions
Implement of Malice - MTG Card versions
Wishclaw Talisman - MTG Card versions
Giant's Skewer - MTG Card versions
Gisa's Favorite Shovel - MTG Card versions
Lucille - MTG Card versions
Netherborn Altar - MTG Card versions
Malefic Scythe - MTG Card versions
Charcoal Diamond - MTG Card versions
Transmogrant's Crown - MTG Card versions
Vault Skirge - MTG Card versions
Razorlash Transmogrant - MTG Card versions
Mukotai Soulripper - MTG Card versions
Poet's Quill - MTG Card versions
Leaden Myr - MTG Card versions
Cranial Plating - MTG Card versions
Glaze Fiend - MTG Card versions
Scepter of Fugue - MTG Card versions
Salvage Slasher - MTG Card versions
Metalspinner's Puzzleknot - MTG Card versions
Scrapheap Scrounger - MTG Card versions
Implement of Malice - MTG Card versions
Wishclaw Talisman - MTG Card versions
Giant's Skewer - MTG Card versions
Gisa's Favorite Shovel - MTG Card versions
Lucille - MTG Card versions
Netherborn Altar - MTG Card versions
Malefic Scythe - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blade of the Oni MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos, 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 Blade of the Oni and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Blade of the Oni Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-02-18 and 2022-02-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 979792015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
22022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty PromosPNEO 89s2015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
32022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 4532015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
42022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 4202015NormalBlackTubaki Halsame
52022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty PromosPNEO 89p2015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
62022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 892015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
72022-02-18Kamigawa: Neon DynastyNEO 3772015NormalBlackTubaki Halsame

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blade of the Oni has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-02-18 Although it causes an Equipment to become attached to a creature, reconfigure is not an “equip ability” for the purpose of cards like Fighter Class and Leonin Shikari.
2022-02-18 An Equipment creature can never become attached to itself. If an effect tries to do this, nothing happens.
2022-02-18 An Equipment creature with reconfigure can be attached to creatures by effects other than its reconfigure ability, such as the activated ability of Brass Squire.
2022-02-18 An Equipment doesn't become tapped when the permanent it's attached to becomes tapped. For example, if you attack with a creature that is equipped with Acquisition Octopus, then use reconfigure to unattach Acquisition Octopus after combat, the Octopus will be untapped and could be used to block during your opponent's turn.
2022-02-18 As soon as an Equipment creature with reconfigure stops being a creature, any Equipment and Auras with enchant creature abilities become unattached. Auras that can enchant an Equipment that isn't a creature remain attached to it.
2022-02-18 Attaching an Equipment with reconfigure to a creature causes that Equipment to stop being a creature until it becomes unattached. It also loses any creature subtypes it had.
2022-02-18 Blade of the Oni will overwrite any previous effects that set the equipped creature's power and toughness to specific numbers. Effects that otherwise modify the equipped creature's power and toughness will still apply no matter when they took effect. The same is true for +1/+1 counters.
2022-02-18 If a permanent with reconfigure is somehow still a creature after it becomes attached (perhaps due to an effect like that of March of the Machines), it immediately becomes unattached from the equipped creature.
2022-02-18 If an Equipment with reconfigure somehow loses its abilities while it is attached, the effect causing it to not be a creature continues to apply until it becomes unattached.
2022-02-18 Reconfigure represents two activated abilities. Reconfigure
-ost] means “
-ost: Attach this permanent to another target creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery,” and “
-ost: Unattach this permanent. Activate only if this permanent is attached to a creature and only as a sorcery.”
2022-02-18 Similarly, if an Equipment is tapped, its reconfigure abilities may still be activated and it may still become attached to creatures. Becoming attached doesn't untap it. In most cases, an attached Equipment being tapped won't affect gameplay, but it will be relevant if it becomes unattached again before it untaps.