Kagemaro, First to Suffer MTG Card

Kagemaro, First to Suffer - Saviors of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Demon Spirit
Released	2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Saviors of Kamigawa
Set code	SOK
Power	*
Toughness	*
Number	73
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Adam Rex

Key Takeaways

Instant speed activation of Kagemaro disrupts opponents’ strategies and benefits board state control.
Demands a large hand for maximum effect, challenging players without resource backup plans.
Highly mana-specific, making it less versatile in multi-colored decks but effective in black-centric ones.

Text of card

Kagemaro, First to Suffer's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand. , Sacrifice Kagemaro: All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your hand.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kagemaro, First to Suffer has the unique ability to turn your hand size directly into board control, often wiping the slate clean of creatures while keeping yours intact. This can lead to a significant card advantage, especially if you’ve tailored your deck to keep your hand stocked.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a resource accelerator, by controlling the state of the battlefield, Kagemaro helps conserve your other resources. You might be able to spare mana and cards that would have otherwise been spent on handling your opponent’s threats, effectively smoothing out your resource curve.

Instant Speed: Kagemaro’s ability can be activated at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to your opponents’ moves during their turn. This can catch them off guard, disrupt their strategy, and even deter them from committing more to the board, knowing that you could potentially clear it in response.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Leveraging Kagemaro, First to Suffer’s power requires the player to have a sizeable hand to maximize its effect. In instances where cards in hand are scarce, Kagemaro becomes less impactful, potentially putting you at a disadvantage if you’re unable to discard cards to fuel its abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Kagemaro demands a strict alignment with black mana, specifically requiring three black mana in its overall cost. This can pose a challenge in multicolored decks, where the necessary black mana could prove difficult to muster consistently, thereby limiting the card’s inclusion to predominantly black or monochromatic builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With five mana to bring into play, Kagemaro, First to Suffer carries a steeper investment than some other creatures or sweepers available. This can be problematic in faster-paced games or situations where mana efficiency is crucial, potentially leaving a player vulnerable while they set up the mana base to cast it.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Kagemaro, First to Suffer provides a unique and flexible solution to controlling the board. Whether you’re running a commander deck or a black control deck, this card adapts well to different situations, offering both creature removal and a potential game-ending threat.

Combo Potential: For those who enjoy building around combos, Kagemaro can be a key piece. Its ability, scaling with the number of cards in your hand, synergizes with strategies that involve card draw or reanimation, leading to powerful board wipes or direct player damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with creature-heavy strategies, Kagemaro serves as a robust answer to swarming tactics. Recognizing when creature decks are prevalent can make this card a timely and potent inclusion, countering the current trends effectively.

How to beat

Kagemaro, First to Suffer introduces a unique dynamic to battles in the realm of Magic: The Gathering with its power and toughness being equal to the number of cards in your hand. This card can pose a significant threat, especially in decks that maintain a large hand size. To counter Kagemaro, minimizing your hand size can make the creature more manageable to deal with through damage or destruction effects.

Effective strategies include playing discard spells to reduce your own hand size or using removals when Kagemaro’s power and toughness are weakened. Cards such as Lightning Bolt or Fatal Push can be opportune answers when Kagemaro’s size is diminished. Another tactic is to employ graveyard manipulation, extracting this formidable threat before it’s able to create a substantial impact on the game’s trajectory.

Overall, the key to outmaneuvering Kagemaro, First to Suffer lies in strategic hand and battlefield management. By carefully choosing when to play or hold back cards, players can mitigate the advantages this powerful creature brings to the table and maintain control over the game flow.

Cards like Kagemaro, First to Suffer

Kagemaro, First to Suffer introduces a unique approach to creature control on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. It stands out in its capacity to scale its power and toughness with the size of your hand, reminiscent of Maro, a card which similarly adjusts its strength based on hand size. However, Kagemaro carries the added ability to devastate the board once sacrificed, setting it apart from its counterpart.

Then consider a close relative in strategy, Massacre Wurm. This creature affects the board upon entering, giving a penalty to your opponent for each of their creatures that dies. Unlike Kagemaro, Massacre Wurm’s impact is immediate and independent of hand size but doesn’t offer the flexibility of a sacrifice ability. Additionally, Erebos’s Intervention merges targeted removal and graveyard control. While it doesn’t revolve around creature size, it provides an avenue for selective disruption akin to Kagemaro’s sweeping potential.

The versatility of Kagemaro, First to Suffer is striking when pitted against these parallel cards. Its blend of variable power and sweeping board control offers a dynamic tool for players seeking a commanding presence on the playing field and positions Kagemaro as a powerful choice in creature-centric decks.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kagemaro, First to Suffer 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 Kagemaro, First to Suffer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kagemaro, First to Suffer has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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