Ridged Kusite MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Horror Spellshaper
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Ridged Kusite can control game tempo, offering a strategic edge despite not creating card advantage.
  2. Its instant speed allows flexible play, serving as a blocker or deterring opponent attacks.
  3. Mana cost specificity and a discard requirement present limitations for deck inclusion and situational play.

Text of card

, , Discard a card: Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.

"It offers but a taste of the power that the shadows have to offer. But even that is a heady wine indeed." —Ratadrabik of Urborg


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ridged Kusite’s low casting cost combined with its ability to disrupt early game plans gives players a subtle edge. It’s not directly about drawing cards but controlling the tempo to ensure your hand remains potent while chipping away at your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Ridged Kusite does not produce additional resources like Treasure tokens, it excels in resource denial, effectively setting your opponent back and positioning you for a quicker deployment of your strategy.

Instant Speed: The ability to flash in Ridged Kusite offers the versatility of surprising an opponent during their turn. This instant speed deployment can serve as a blocker when you’re in a pinch or as a tactical move to dissuade attackers.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ridged Kusite imposes a discard condition on its controller to unleash its full potential which can be detrimental when you’re already behind in card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost includes black mana, making it less flexible for inclusion in multicolored decks that may not run black mana sources, thereby restricting deck-building creativity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature of its stature, Ridged Kusite’s mana cost might be seen as steep, especially when other creatures at a similar mana value offer greater impact on the game state upon entering the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Ridged Kusite in Your Collection

Versatility: Ridged Kusite offers adaptability in various decks, thanks to its low mana cost. It’s easy to cast, which means it fits smoothly into aggressive strategies and can serve as an early game blocker in control decks.

Combo Potential: This card has a nifty trigger that can prove advantageous when paired with spells or abilities that care about creatures dying. It’s an ideal component for combos that capitalize on creature sacrifices or death-related triggers.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to serve multiple roles, Ridged Kusite can be a valuable addition in a meta that favors quick plays. It’s especially useful if you’re aiming to maintain board presence while setting up for bigger plays in subsequent turns.


How to beat

Ridged Kusite is a unique card in MTG that presents a specific challenge due to its shroud ability, which makes it untargetable by spells or abilities. This characteristic can make it an elusive target on the battlefield. However, like all cards in MTG, there are strategies to handle even a seemingly untouchable creature like Ridged Kusite. A solid method is employing board wipes—cards that clear the battlefield of all creatures regardless of their targetability. Supreme Verdict and Damnation are ideal examples of uncounterable spells that bypass shroud and remove creatures like Ridged Kusite.

Another tactic is to use cards that change the rules of engagement without targeting, such as mass -1/-1 effects from cards like Infest. These alter the board state in a global fashion, impacting all creatures and thus skirting around the shroud. Players can also utilize combat tricks to ensure that Ridged Kusite is overcome during the fight phase without having to target it directly.

Overall, while Ridged Kusite brings a unique aspect to gameplay with its shroud ability, understanding and utilizing global effects or combat strategies can turn the tides against it effectively.


Cards like Ridged Kusite

Ridged Kusite stands as a unique creature card in MTG, intriguing for its shadow keyword that allows it to only block or be blocked by other creatures with shadow. While this makes it evasive in the right circumstances, it’s reminiscent of creature cards like Dauthi Slayer, which similarly can only interact with other shadow creatures. The distinction is that Dauthi Slayer automatically attacks each turn if able, while Ridged Kusite does not.

Further comparisons can be made with Soltari Foot Soldier, another shadow creature known for its single white mana cost and tactical utility. Yet, unlike Ridged Kusite, Soltari Foot Soldier lacks the power to boost itself as Ridged Kusite can. The Kusite offers strategic flexibility—it can bulk up to a 2/2 until end of turn, albeit at the cost of two mana. This represents a potential for higher damage throughput or survival during combat that isn’t presented in the Soltari creature’s static abilities.

In sum, Ridged Kusite may find its niche in MTG decks that capitalize on shadow mechanics, providing evasion and a temporary power increase that, when played with precision, can affect the board in substantial ways.

Dauthi Slayer - MTG Card versions
Soltari Foot Soldier - MTG Card versions
Dauthi Slayer - Tempest (TMP)
Soltari Foot Soldier - Tempest (TMP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ridged Kusite MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Ridged Kusite and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ridged Kusite Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by rk post.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-02-02Planar ChaosPLC 782003normalblackrk post
22021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 1342015normalblackrk post

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ridged Kusite has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-03-19 Causing a creature to gain first strike after first-strike combat damage has been dealt won’t stop that creature from dealing regular combat damage.

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