Ronin Houndmaster MTG Card

Ronin Houndmaster - Champions of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Samurai
Abilities	Bushido,Haste
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	184
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Edward P. Beard, Jr.

Key Takeaways

Reviving Samurai from the graveyard, Ronin Houndmaster ensures ongoing threats and diverse strategic options.
Mana-cheating ability grants early-game advantage through cost-free Samurai deployment, outpacing adversaries.
Synergistic instant-speed interactions offer dynamic play, disrupting opponents’ plans with surprise maneuvers.

Text of card

Haste Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)

Some samurai fell so far out of grace that only dogs would keep them company.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Ronin Houndmaster allows players to reinvigorate their battlefield presence by bringing back Samurai cards from the graveyard directly onto the battlefield. This can effectively turn the tide of the game by providing a continuous stream of potential threats or blockers, keeping the player’s hand full of strategic options.

Resource Acceleration: Equipped with an ability to cheat mana costs, this card can potentially unleash powerful Samurai without paying their mana costs, giving players a significant acceleration in resource deployment. This can be particularly devastating in the early to mid-game, where a well-timed acceleration can overtake an opponent’s board state.

Instant Speed: While Ronin Houndmaster itself may not have instant speed, its synergy with other cards that flash Samurai onto the battlefield can create unforeseen game states. Utilizing these interactions can surprise an opponent, disrupt their strategy, and shift the momentum in your favor all at instant speed during critical phases of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When deploying the Ronin Houndmaster, players face the challenge of needing to discard another card. This prerequisite can be particularly taxing in scenarios where a player’s hand is nearly depleted, potentially leading to a loss of valuable cards or thwarting strategic plans.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of the Ronin Houndmaster demands a specific arrangement of mana, which includes both red and generic mana. This requirement can restrict the card’s inclusion in decks, demanding a mana base that supports these demands, which isn’t always optimal or feasible for every deck archetype.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Ronin Houndmaster comes with a relatively steep mana cost which may not always align with the pace at which some decks wish to play. Within the vast card pool of MTG, there are alternatives that might offer similar abilities or board presence at a lower mana investment, potentially making them more appealing choices for deck efficiency.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Ronin Houndmaster scales well throughout the game and its haste attribute aligns perfectly with aggressive red deck strategies. It can easily switch roles from early beatstick to a late-game threat, making it adaptable to various gameplay situations.

Combo Potential: With its ability to return to your hand when a creature dies, it offers endless synergies with sacrifice-based strategies or decks that capitalize on casting multiple creatures. This makes it an essential piece for decks looking to exploit such interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Given its synergy with fast-paced playstyles and decks emphasizing creature presence, Ronin Houndmaster holds its ground in a meta that favors quick resolutions and tactical creature maneuvers. Its persistent board presence can be a decisive factor in many matches.

How to beat

Ronin Houndmaster is a dynamic card that can catch opponents off guard, sprinting into the battlefield and quickly boosting up with equipments or auras in Magic: The Gathering. Defeating a card like this relies on timing and disruption. Effective tactics involve removal spells triggered right after the Houndmaster hits the field, before it becomes too strong to handle. Instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can be ideal responses to mitigate the early game threats it poses.

To circumvent the card’s potential to return from the graveyard, graveyard disruption, or exile effects are necessary. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze can preemptively control a Ronin Houndmaster in the graveyard ensuring it doesn’t get the chance to come back. Meanwhile, controlling the equipments and auras that could power up the Houndmaster is equally crucial. Disenchant effects or spells like Nature’s Claim can help dismantle the combo setup before the Houndmaster gains significant momentum, keeping the battlefield under manageable conditions.

Overall, staying one step ahead of the Houndmaster by limiting its support and utilizing just-in-time countermeasures will help keep this swift creature in check, preserving the strategic balance of the game.

Cards like Ronin Houndmaster

Ronin Houndmaster is a unique figure in the vast array of creatures available in Magic: The Gathering. This card shares some attributes with cards such as Akoum Warrior. Both creatures wield abilities that enhance their combat effectiveness. However, Ronin Houndmaster brings the added advantage of haste, allowing it to attack the moment it comes into play. Akoum Warrior, while lacking the speed, can be played as a land, providing a different kind of flexibility.

Another card that echoes the swiftness of Ronin Houndmaster is Ember Hauler. While Ember Hauler is also granted haste, it’s a Goblin with a different utility, capable of dealing damage to any target if sacrificed. This provides the player with an offensive and reactive ability, contrasting the Houndmaster’s straightforward combat approach. The card Ash Zealot also enters the battlefield with haste like the Houndmaster, but it includes an ability to punish players for casting spells from their graveyard.

Analyzing these choices, Ronin Houndmaster holds its ground as a valuable combatant with immediate board presence in Magic: The Gathering, offering players an aggressive option for fast-paced strategies.

Cards similar to Ronin Houndmaster by color, type and mana cost

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions

Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions

Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ronin Houndmaster MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Ronin Houndmaster and other MTG cards: