Okiba-Gang Shinobi MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Rat Ninja
Abilities Ninjutsu
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Okiba-Gang Shinobi excels in causing significant hand disruption, tilting card advantage in your favor.
  2. Ninjutsu allows for surprise plays and instant-speed interaction, keeping opponents on their toes.
  3. While powerful, the card’s specific mana needs and higher cost require careful deck consideration.

Text of card

Ninjutsu (, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card into play from your hand tapped and attacking.) Whenever Okiba-Gang Shinobi deals combat damage to a player, that player discards two cards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Okiba-Gang Shinobi comes packed with a formidable ability that disrupts your opponent’s hand and generates card advantage. Upon dealing combat damage to a player, the ninja makes the opponent discard two cards, which can significantly tilt the balance of card parity in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating your resources in the traditional sense, the hand disruption effect played through Ninjutsu can effectively accelerate your strategic position. By reducing your opponent’s resources, you indirectly increase the value of every action you take.

Instant Speed: Thanks to the Ninja’s Ninjutsu ability, Okiba-Gang Shinobi can be slipped into play at almost instant speed. This sneaky maneuver can be executed whenever you’re declaring an unblocked attacker, allowing for surprise interactions and ensuring your opponent is always guessing at your next move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging multiple opponents requires a strategy that maintains a sizable hand. Okiba-Gang Shinobi demands sacrificing a card, occasionally placing the player at a disadvantage, particularly when options are scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailoring your mana base to fit Okiba-Gang Shinobi can be tricky. It demands not only two generic mana but also two black mana, making it less flexible for decks that are not heavily black-mana oriented.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that can be viewed as steep for the ninja class, Okiba-Gang Shinobi’s impact on the battlefield must be weighed against other cards that could possibly be played sooner or with a more immediate effect on the game’s tempo.


Reasons to Include Okiba-Gang Shinobi in Your Collection

Versatility: Okiba-Gang Shinobi offers adaptability across multiple deck types. Its ninjutsu ability allows players to sneak it into play, unexpectedly forcing opponents to discard two cards. This mechanic is valuable in both aggressive decks looking to disrupt an opponent’s hand and more tactical decks that capitalize on discard strategies.

Combo Potential: This ninja shines when combined with cards that benefit from the discard mechanic or creatures entering or leaving the battlefield. With ninjutsu, Okiba-Gang Shinobi can create advantageous situations to recur other ninjas or creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects for maximal impact.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where players rely heavily on their hand resources, Okiba-Gang Shinobi’s ability to deplete an opponent’s options can be critical. It acts as both a form of disruption and a potential damage dealer, fitting neatly into the current gameplay that values hand manipulation and resource denial.


How to beat

When facing the stealthy Okiba-Gang Shinobi in your MTG matchups, being prepared is key. This ninja card forces opponents to discard two cards whenever it deals combat damage to a player, which can be a game-changer by disrupting your hand and overall strategy. To counter this, consider using cards that can block or remove it before it has a chance to become unblockable. Removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push are effective solutions to dispatch Okiba-Gang Shinobi before it connects.

Another strategy is to empty your hand quickly, reducing the impact of its discard effect. Playing low-cost cards and prioritizing the use of your hand resources can minimize the shinobi’s opportunity to disrupt your game plan. Moreover, including cards that benefit from being in your graveyard, like delve or flashback spells, can even turn its ability into an unintended advantage for you.

Overall, the key to beating Okiba-Gang Shinobi lies in swift removal, strategic hand management, and possibly turning the discard effect to your own favor. By mitigating its combat damage or using its ability against it, you can neutralize one of the key threats this card poses on the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

With intricate abilities and tactical advantages, Okiba-Gang Shinobi stands out as a compelling card for any MTG player keen on disrupting the opponent’s strategy. Its skill in forcing discards upon dealing combat damage makes it an asset in controlling the flow of the game. If integrating shadowy strategies and hand manipulation into your gameplay excites you, this ninja is worth adding to your collection. Whether sharpening your competitive edge or simply enjoying the depth of MTG, learning more about nuanced cards like Okiba-Gang Shinobi can significantly enhance your experience. Dive deeper into strategic play with us, where every card is a step towards victory.


Cards like Okiba-Gang Shinobi

Venturing into the shadows of rogue strategies in Magic: The Gathering, Okiba-Gang Shinobi, with its distinct ability to make an opponent discard two cards upon dealing combat damage, shares the stage with a few notable creatures. For instance, take the hypnotic spell of Liliana’s Specter, which prompts a single card discard from each opponent upon entry. Okiba-Gang Shinobi, though demanding a higher casting cost, compensates with a potentially recurring effect, given its Ninjutsu ability allows for a sneaky re-entry.

Another stealthy operator in this realm is the notorious Ravenous Rats, whose entrance also forces an opponent to discard. However, the Ninjutsu mechanic uniquely elevates Okiba-Gang Shinobi by enabling a surprise shift in board presence, paving the way for repeatable discards. And while Nezumi Shortfang stands as a less conventional choice, flipping into Stabwhisker the Odious with enough discarded cards, it doesn’t convey the same immediate impact or the evasion that Okiba-Gang Shinobi’s Ninjutsu capability offers.

Evaluating alongside its counterparts, Okiba-Gang Shinobi secures its position as a formidable choice for players orchestrating discard-focused decks. Its blend of Ninjutsu flexibility and the potential for recurrent hand disruption for the opponent renders it a powerful ally in MTG’s rogue gallery.

Liliana's Specter - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Specter - Magic 2011 Promos (PM11)
Ravenous Rats - Portal Second Age (P02)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Okiba-Gang Shinobi MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa and Salvat 2005, 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 Okiba-Gang Shinobi and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Okiba-Gang Shinobi Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2005-02-04 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Mark Zug.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-02-04Betrayers of KamigawaBOK 762003normalblackMark Zug
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL E542003normalwhiteMark Zug
32005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL E532003normalwhiteMark Zug
42012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 352003normalblackMark Zug
52016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 352015normalblackMark Zug
62019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7262015normalblackMark Zug
72020-09-26The ListPLST PCA-352015normalblackMark Zug
82021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 3702015normalblackMark Zug

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Okiba-Gang Shinobi has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2005-02-01 If the defending player has two or fewer cards in hand when Okiba-Gang Shinobi deals combat damage to that player, they are all discarded.

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