Kemuri-Onna MTG Card


Kemuri-Onna - Saviors of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Released2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set nameSaviors of Kamigawa
Set codeSOK
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number76
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byIttoku

Key Takeaways

  1. Kemuri-Onna augments card advantage through drawing and strategically discards to refine hand composition.
  2. Capable of instant-speed play, it offers match-altering tactical flexibility and competitive edge.
  3. Its specific mana cost and high casting price guide deck construction and affect its adaptability.

Text of card

When Kemuri-Onna comes into play, target player discards a card. Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may return Kemuri-Onna to its owner's hand.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kemuri-Onna rewards players by refilling their hand when she enters the battlefield, offering a significant boost in maintaining the upper hand against opponents with its ability to draw cards.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly a source of resource acceleration, the ability to discard unwanted cards and draw new ones indirectly furthers your game plan, potentially offering you access to the resources you need more swiftly.

Instant Speed: Playing Kemuri-Onna at instant speed due to its flash ability offers strategic flexibility, enabling you to optimize your plays and disrupt your opponent’s plans at the most opportune moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kemuri-Onna demands a card to be discarded upon its arrival on the battlefield. For players, this can be a considerable setback, especially when the hand size is dwindling and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This spirit creature requires both black and blue mana which makes it less versatile, confining it to decks that can consistently provide both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a total of five mana to cast, Kemuri-Onna’s ability to draw a card when it enters the battlefield is costly, particularly when there are alternatives that offer card draw for less mana investment, thereby affecting deck efficiency.


Reasons to Include Kemuri-Onna in Your Collection

Versatility: Kemuri-Onna is a utility card that can find a place in a variety of deck builds. Its ability to potentially disrupt your opponent’s hand while offering you card knowledge is a boon for any strategy revolving around information advantage and hand control.

Combo Potential: This card holds synergies with strategies that capitalize on the discard mechanic. It could be a key element in decks aiming to deprive opponents of resources while benefiting from cards that thrive on discard effects.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where knowing and controlling your opponent’s hand is critical, Kemuri-Onna can be a game-changer. Against decks that rely on specific cards to execute their strategy, Kemuri-Onna’s peek and potentially disrupt action can be a significant disruptor.


How to beat

Kemuri-Onna is a card that can become a thorn in the side of many MTG players due to its ability to disrupt hand balance and create disadvantage. To effectively counterplay Kemuri-Onna, it is essential to consider cards that nullify its effects or mitigate the damage done by discarding. Cards with flash, allowing you to play them on your opponent’s turn, are particularly useful.

Strategies that capitalize on graveyard play are also effective against Kemuri-Onna. Embrace cards that benefit from having a stocked graveyard or those that allow you to retrieve cards from the graveyard back to your hand or directly onto the battlefield. Do not underestimate the power of instant-speed removal as well; removing Kemuri-Onna before its ability triggers can save your hand and your game.

As a final note, always pay attention to your hand composition when playing against a potential Kemuri-Onna. Keep the cards that are less impactful if discarded, so the forced discard has a minimized effect on your game strategy.


Cards like Kemuri-Onna

Kemuri-Onna is a notable creature card that offers a unique mix of abilities for deck building. A creature similar in nature is Veinwitch Coven, which also involves getting benefits from lifeloss by returning creatures from the graveyard to hand. Kemuri-Onna distinguishes itself with the aspect of causing card disadvantage to the opponent by prompting a card discard, whereas Veinwitch Coven lacks this control dynamic.

On another track, there’s Liliana’s Specter, providing a similar discard effect upon entering the battlefield. However, it’s smaller in size and doesn’t have the ability to be a functional blocker or attacker, aspects where Kemuri-Onna excels due to its larger body. Then comes Burglar Rat, a common card with an enter-the-battlefield discard effect – but once again, Kemuri-Onna’s capacity to influence the board surpasses that of the smaller creature.

Evaluating these counterparts, Kemuri-Onna secures a solid position in the realm of cards with discard mechanics. Its comparably higher mana cost is justified by its capacity to affect both the board and the opponent’s hand, proving it to be a multi-faceted asset in Magic: The Gathering.

Veinwitch Coven - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Specter - MTG Card versions
Burglar Rat - MTG Card versions
Veinwitch Coven - Commander 2021 (C21)
Liliana's Specter - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Burglar Rat - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)

Cards similar to Kemuri-Onna by color, type and mana cost

Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Sengir Vampire - MTG Card versions
Hollow Dogs - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - Tempest (TMP)
Entropic Specter - Exodus (EXO)
Predatory Nightstalker - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Fallen Angel - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Stone Catapult - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sengir Vampire - Arena Beginner Set (ANB)
Hollow Dogs - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Grotesque Hybrid - Torment (TOR)
Earwig Squad - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Indulgent Tormentor - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sootfeather Flock - Legions (LGN)
Zombie Cutthroat - Scourge (SCG)
Gluttonous Zombie - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Vermiculos - Mirrodin (MRD)
Woebearer - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Wei Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Halo Hunter - Zendikar (ZEN)
Malakir Bloodwitch - Zendikar (ZEN)
Caustic Crawler - Worldwake (WWK)
Shriekmaw - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kemuri-Onna MTG card by a specific set like Saviors 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 Kemuri-Onna and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kemuri-Onna has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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