Jukai Trainee MTG Card
2022-02-18 - Number 196
2022-02-18 - Number 326
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Samurai |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Whenever Jukai Trainee blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
"The Order of Jukai accepts only the strongest of body and spirit. I will train until I meet their expectations."
Cards like Jukai Trainee
Jukai Trainee is a recent creature card that finds its niche in the life-gain strategies of Magic: The Gathering. Analogous to cards like Seeker of the Way, Jukai Trainee can become quite the powerhouse on the battlefield. While Seeker of the Way provides an immediate boost with prowess and life gain upon casting noncreature spells, Jukai Trainee requires a condition to be met—a worthy draw to attack—in order to become tapped and trigger its life-gain ability.
Contrasting this card with another, Blossoming Sands, we delve into the terrain of lands that also offer life upon entering the battlefield. Though not a creature, its consistent life-gain effect is guaranteed, yet lacks the potential offensive capabilities Jukai Trainee provides once its condition is met. Another comparable card is Ajani’s Pridemate, which grows stronger each time you gain life, becoming an increasingly formidable threat as the game progresses, a synergy that can be exploited with Jukai Trainee’s life-gain trigger.
In essence, Jukai Trainee holds its own among other life-gain entities in Magic: The Gathering, offering incremental advantages that can escalate into significant leads, making it a commendable choice for decks focusing on life as a resource.
Cards similar to Jukai Trainee by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Jukai Trainee’s ability to learn upon dealing combat damage not only offers an opportunity to gain card advantage through Lesson cards from outside the game but also integrates seamlessly with strategies focused on drawing and utilizing extra cards.
Resource Acceleration: For decks that strive for a swift buildup, Jukai Trainee’s low casting cost represents an efficient way to accelerate your resource development. This allows players to establish board presence early, enabling more strategic plays and pressure on the opponent from the get-go.
Instant Speed: With Jukai Trainee’s activated ability providing an option for an instant speed effect, players can adapt to the dynamic flow of the game. This creates situations where opponents must cautiously consider their actions, knowing that the stats of Jukai Trainee could change rapidly and unpredictably during combat or at crucial moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Jukai Trainee demands a personal resource sacrifice to fully utilize its potential. Similar to the mechanics of discarding, players might find the requirement to remove a creature from the deck to enable its level-up ability a drawback, especially in decks where creature count is paramount.
Specific Mana Cost: Jukai Trainee’s activation cost isn’t color-specific, yet its green identity restricts it to decks that can support green mana. This limitation can be a significant drawback in a meta that values flexibility and multicolored deck-building.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a card designed to grow over time, Jukai Trainee’s initial and level-up costs might hinder early game momentum. Compared to other creatures in its mana range, the Trainee’s upfront cost and subsequent level-up investments could delay a player’s board development and combat readiness.
Reasons to Include Jukai Trainee in Your Collection
Versatility: Jukai Trainee can be a solid addition to a variety of green deck builds, its low mana cost making it a flexible play early in the game. Being a 1/1 creature for one green mana means it can easily slot into aggressive strategies or serve as an early defender when needed.
Combo Potential: The card’s level-up ability allows it to grow stronger over time, synergizing well with decks that focus on +1/+1 counters or utilize abilities that key off of creature power. This potential for growth enables it to become a significant threat as the game progresses.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where one-drops are crucial for maintaining tempo, Jukai Trainee might find its place. With creature-based strategies often present, having an inexpensive creature that can become more formidable can give players an advantage against decks that are slower to set up their board presence.
How to beat
Jukai Trainee is a modest yet potentially tricky creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering. As a card that benefits from power buffs and other synergies within the green creature decks, understanding its strengths and weaknesses is key for strategizing against it. Primarily, Jukai Trainee grows stronger when paired with cards that enhance its power, relying on support to become a genuine threat.
To effectively overcome Jukai Trainee, it’s advised to manage the battlefield proactively. Utilizing removal spells as a preventative measure can hinder the growth of Jukai Trainee before it becomes a larger obstacle. Control decks that include early-game removals, such as Shock or Fatal Push, can nullify Jukai Trainee with minimal mana expense and before any synergies take effect. Additionally, including cards that can bypass or neutralize creatures, like Pacifism or Frogify, can render Jukai Trainee harmless, even after it’s buffed.
Ultimately, the key to defeating Jukai Trainee lies in swift and decisive action—neutralize it quickly or transform it into a non-threat before it benefits from the numerous green-centric enhancements available. This way, the card’s potential impact on the game is significantly minimized, allowing you to maintain control over the matchup.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Jukai Trainee MTG card by a specific set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, 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 Jukai Trainee and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Jukai Trainee Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-02-18 and 2022-02-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022-02-18 | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty | NEO | 196 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Francisco Miyara | |
| 2 | 2022-02-18 | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty | NEO | 326 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ebila |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Jukai Trainee has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |