Masumaro, First to Live MTG Card

Masumaro, First to Live - Saviors of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Spirit
Released	2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Saviors of Kamigawa
Set code	SOK
Power	*
Toughness	*
Number	136
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Adam Rex

Key Takeaways

Masumaro gains strength from a full hand, making card retention strategies more potent.
Combos with instant speed card draw can unexpectedly escalate Masumaro’s power.
Careful mana management and card play are essential to maximize Masumaro’s potential.

Text of card

Masumaro, First to Live's power and toughness are each equal to twice the number of cards in your hand.

"In the waning moments of war, humanity's most ancient ancestors return. But whose side shall they make their own?" —Isao, Enlightened Bushi

Card Pros

Card Advantage: By effortlessly growing its power and toughness in response to your hand size, Masumaro, First to Live offers a unique avenue for card advantage. A full grip of cards translates not only into more options but directly enhances this creature’s in-game relevance and threat level.

Resource Acceleration: In decks designed to capitalize on drawing and holding numerous cards, Masumaro naturally thrives. Commanding a place in such strategies, it meshes well with mechanics that facilitate drawing extra cards each turn, leading to a swift and overwhelming board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Masumaro itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes excellently with cards that operate at instant speed, allowing you to swell your hand size right before damage calculation. This combo can turn the tide, as opponents might not account for a sudden jump in Masumaro’s power mid-combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Masumaro, First to Live doesn’t outright require you to discard cards, its power and toughness are directly related to the number of cards in your hand. This means that each discard can significantly weaken its board presence, making discarding cards an indirect but notable cost to maintaining Masumaro’s effectiveness.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Masumaro demands a mix of generic and specifically green mana, which can be restrictive. Decks without a heavy green focus may find it difficult to meet the mana requirements or sustain the color consistency needed to play Masumaro efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Masumaro enters the battlefield with a mana investment of six, including three green mana. This cost is substantial and can hinder your early to mid-game plays. Additionally, there are other creatures or card effects available that might offer better value or more immediate impact for the same or less mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Masumaro, First to Live thrives in a deck that values high card counts. Its strength and health adjust dynamically with the number of cards in your hand, making it a variable and adaptable threat on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: Given its unique power/toughness dynamic, Masumaro can be the linchpin in combos that increase hand size rapidly. Pair it with card draw mechanisms or effects that raise hand limits for a potent synergy.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where players are building big hands, Masumaro becomes an efficient and formidable creature. It matches well against strategies that don’t immediately reduce hand sizes and can dominate in a sustained game.

How to Beat Masumaro, First to Live

Masumaro, First to Live is a genuine force on the battlefield, owing its power and toughness to the number of cards in your hand, effectively doubling the count. This attribute can make Masumaro an intimidating presence, especially for opponents playing a game that rewards a plentiful hand size. However, this strength can be turned into a weakness with the right strategy.

One effective method to triumph over Masumaro is to employ hand disruption tactics. Cards like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can help deplete an opponent’s hand, thus weakening Masumaro’s might. If your deck is blue, consider using bounce spells such as Unsummon or Cyclonic Rift to return Masumaro to its owner’s hand where it’s less of a threat and requires a significant mana investment to be redeployed.

Moreover, removal spells that don’t rely on power or toughness to take effect, such as Path to Exile or Murder, can permanently deal with Masumaro regardless of its size. Another angle is to use effects that limit the opponent’s hand size, like Underworld Dreams or Liliana’s Caress, simultaneously penalizing the opponent for drawing and keeping cards. By using these strategies, Masumaro, First to Live becomes much less daunting and more manageable over the course of the game.

Cards like Masumaro, First to Live

Masumaro, First to Live offers an impressive presence in the world of creature cards. This legendary creature touts a power and toughness each equal to twice the number of cards in your hand. In this realm, it bears resemblance to cards like Soramaro, First to Dream, which also grows stronger with a larger hand size. However, Masumaro has the unique advantage of doubling that count, potentially outclassing Soramaro in sheer size.

Analogously, Maro, the namesake for these card effects, changes its stats equal to your current hand count without the doubling factor of Masumaro. On one end of the spectrum, Library Larcenist shares a similarity in that it benefits your hand size, increasing it whenever it attacks. While it doesn’t directly amplify its own stats, it indirectly impacts those of Masumaro and its ilk by increasing your hand size.

Assessing the capabilities of these cards, Masumaro, First to Live stands out with the potential for massive power swings. A deck revolving around card retention can quickly turn Masumaro into a formidable force within the game, making it a unique giant among its peers.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Masumaro, First to Live 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 Masumaro, First to Live and other MTG cards: