Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate MTG Card

Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - Betrayers of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Released	2005-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Betrayers of Kamigawa
Set code	BOK
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	99
Frame	2003
Layout	Flip
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paolo Parente

Key Takeaways

Transforming at instant speed, it disrupts opponents and maintains a strong board presence with stolen creatures.
Despite its power, this card requires careful planning due to specific mana needs and high costs.
It’s versatile and meta-relevant, offering dynamic interactions within Spirit and Arcane themed decks.

Text of card

Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may put a ki counter on Cunning Bandit. At end of turn, if there are two or more ki counters on Cunning Bandit, you may flip it.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate provides a unique advantage by transforming into a creature with the ability to steal creatures from your opponent. This not only depletes their resources but simultaneously bolsters your side of the battlefield, making it a dual-threat that can swing the tide in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: When Cunning Bandit transforms into Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate, it grants you the ability to utilize your opponent’s creatures as a form of indirect resource acceleration. By taking control of opposing creatures, you’re essentially gaining their abilities and stats for your own strategic plays without expending your mana or cards.

Instant Speed: The transition from Cunning Bandit to Azamuki occurs at instant speed, thanks to the Ki counters. This allows you to adapt fluidly to the changing state of the game, activating Azamuki’s theft ability at the most opportune moment to disrupt your adversary’s strategies and secure a commanding position in the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: This card hinges on exile-centric strategies, requiring you to remove a creature you control from the game in order to transform it. It’s a strategic choice that could potentially set you back if you’re not prepared with a creature you’re willing to sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate demands a specific blend of mana to play (two generic and one red). This requirement can pose a challenge in multi-colored decks or when you’re facing a mana crunch.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana upfront and additional costs tied to its abilities, this card might compete with other cards at the same mana value that offer more immediate or impactful in-game benefits without the transformation prerequisite.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate offers a dual-sided functionality that can adapt to different game states. As Cunning Bandit, it can accrue charge counters to become a formidable force. Flipped into Azamuki, it transforms into a powerful Spirit that can dominate the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card possesses a unique interaction with Arcane spells or effects that care about Spirits, making it a dynamic inclusion in decks that capitalise on these synergies. Its ability to potentially steal creatures as Azamuki can turn the tide of a game, offering interesting combo possibilities.

Meta-Relevance: Depending on the decks you face, the flexibility to shift between an aggressive early-game creature and a late-game disruptor means Cunning Bandit // Azamuki is poised to respond to various popular configurations, remaining relevant in a fluctuating competitive environment.

How to beat

Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate is a multifaceted card in MTG that presents challenges but can be strategically overcome. Key to defeating this formidable flip card is to limit its transformation into Azamuki. This can be done by controlling the number of counters it accrues. Instant speed removal, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, are effective tools to eliminate Cunning Bandit before it flips. It’s also prudent to manage your opponent’s creatures, as fewer creatures mean fewer opportunities for Cunning Bandit to gain counters.

Once Cunning Bandit transforms into Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate, the task becomes more daunting due to its evasion and control abilities. However, board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the battlefield. If Azamuki’s presence persists, cards that neutralize abilities or alter control, such as Turn to Frog or Confiscate, provide solutions to bypass its treacherous capabilities.

Understanding the dynamic between Cunning Bandit and Azamuki is crucial. Acting swiftly to prevent the flip or having answers for post-transformation are definitive methods to keep this adversary in check and secure your position in the game.

Cards like Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate

The duality of Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate places it among unique transforming cards within the Magic: The Gathering universe. It shares thematic and gameplay similarities with Werewolf cards like Huntmaster of the Fells // Ravager of the Fells, which also flip into a new creature, offering both an engaging play pattern and strategic versatility. However, Cunning Bandit has the added dimension of amassing Ki counters, a feature it holds alone among transform cards.

Examining the flip mechanic closer, we spot similarities with Delver of Secrets // Insectile Aberration. Both cards begin as modest creatures that evolve into more powerful beings, yet Cunning Bandit’s transformation depends on its unique Ki counter accumulation, contrasting Delver’s dependency on revealing an instant or sorcery card from the top of a player’s library.

Lastly, Bloodline Keeper // Lord of Lineage resonates with Cunning Bandit in their ability to switch forms and dictate play. While Bloodline Keeper focuses on Vampire synergy, generating creature tokens and bolstering their abilities, Cunning Bandit’s flip side, Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate, wreaks havoc by stealing opponents’ creatures. The transformative impact on gameplay and threat mitigation of Cunning Bandit is therefore quite distinct.

Huntmaster of the Fells // Ravager of the Fells - MTG Card versions

Delver of Secrets // Insectile Aberration - MTG Card versions

Bloodline Keeper // Lord of Lineage - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate by color, type and mana cost

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions

Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions

Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers 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 Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate and other MTG cards: