CardShark Content - “Beatdown” Bedford Crenshaw (2/10/2005)

It has been a stated policy of Wizards R&D to make white weenie a force to reckon with again. Each time they fail to do so. Has Betrayers done it? In my drafting experience, I only saw one guy go for white, and he ended up losing to a 10-year old. This is a review of white cards from Betrayers for their use in Limited and white weenie decks. The sarcasm is a freebie.

A: Anything with a Grade of A goes automatically into decks with white. Swords to Plowshares

Swords to Plowshares
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Artist: Jeff A. Menges Text: Target creature is removed from game entirely. Creature's controller gains life points equal to creature's power.

is a good example.
B: B-grades cards for white are nice, but may not fit every build. White Knight

White Knight
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Knight Rarity: U Artist: Daniel Gelon Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Protection from black, first strike

is an example for a B card.
C: C-graded cards for white could be seen in constructed, but usually are only useful if the environment is estranged from the norm. Disempower

Disempower
	Set: Mirage Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: John Matson Text: Put target artifact or enchantment on top of owner's library.

is a perfect example.
D: These cards are just not suited for constructed at all. They may be too expensive, or are antithetical to the principles of winning. Benalish Hero

Benalish Hero
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Hero Rarity: C Artist: Douglas Shuler Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Bands

exemplifies this.
F: Total absolute trash; these are the cards which should be thrown at Maro

Maro
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elemental Rarity: R Number: 241 Artist: Stuart Griffin Power: * Toughness: * Text: Maro's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand.

at point-blank range. Great Wall

Great Wall
	Set: Legends Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Artist: Sandra Everingham Text: Creatures with plainswalk may be blocked as if they did not have this ability.

is the pinnacle of F-grade excrement.

Day of Destiny

Day of Destiny
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Legendary Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 1 Artist: Daren Bader Text: Legendary creatures you control get +2/+2.

– Grade C-
This is overcosted. They should have cost it like Crusade

Crusade
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Artist: Mark Poole Text: All white creatures gain +1/+1.

, with a 1W or WW cost. At 4cc and Legendary, it is fit only if your theme deck is Legends or you happen to draft a ridiculous amount of Legends to put in your booster draft deck, say at least 6-7 Legends.

Empty-Shrine Kannushi – Grade C-
Do you want a weenie for your domain deck? Here you go. :-p

RmFpdGhmdWwgSquire

Squire
	Set: The Dark Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Squire Rarity: C Artist: Dennis Detwiller Power: 1 Toughness: 2

– Grade C
An average creature for white. Decent for draft, or a fun Spirit

Spirit
	Set: Divine vs Demonic Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying

deck.

Final Judgment

Final Judgment
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 4 Artist: Kev Walker Text: Remove all creatures from the game.

– Grade C-
Unless you are facing reanimation, this is just an overcosted Wrath of God

Wrath of God
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Artist: Quinton Hoover Text: All creatures in play are buried.

.

Genju of the Fields

Genju of the Fields
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Enchant Plains Rarity: U Number: 5 Artist: Greg Staples Text: 2: Until end of turn, enchanted Plains becomes a 2/5 white Spirit creature with "Whenever this creature deals damage, you gain that much life." It's still a land. When enchanted Plains is put into a graveyard, you may return Genju of the Fields from your graveyard to your hand.

– Grade C+
I like this in draft, as it makes a nice blocker that can occasionally attack and give you a bit of life for defense. I don’t see this being constructed worthy, save for maybe a rogue control deck.

Heart of Light

Heart of Light
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 6 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to and dealt by enchanted creature.

– Grade C
I already have a strong collection of these, as I hate drafted them with a passion at the prereleases. They nullify a strong attacker of your opponents, but then you give him an invincible blocker. If you want a permanent blocker on your side, go ahead and draft it. This is not constructed worthy.

Hokori, Dust Drinker

Hokori, Dust Drinker
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: R Number: 7 Artist: Darrell Riche Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Lands don't untap during their controllers' untap steps. At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player untaps a land he or she controls.

– Grade C-
Now I am longing for Winter Orb

Winter Orb
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Rarity: R Artist: Mark Tedin Text: A player may not untap more than one land during the untap phase of each of his or her turns.

s. Not only because they did the ability better, but because they had neat, better artwork. (I love bears; they’re not totally awesome like penguins are, but they are up there.) Plus, they are currently (2/4/05) cheaper than Hokori. Horoki should be considered a “trick” card for Limited, and that’s it.

Hundred-Talon Strike – Grade B-
Used correctly, it is decent creature kill for white, and has a relatively cheap Splice cost. Could slip in few constructed decks.

Indebted Samurai

Indebted Samurai
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Samurai Rarity: U Number: 9 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) Whenever a Samurai you control is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Indebted Samurai.

– Grade C+
It’s a nice addition to Samurai tribal decks. A decent draft creature, but probably won’t make a dent in constructed.

Kami of False Hope

Kami of False Hope
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Number: 10 Artist: Daren Bader Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Sacrifice Kami of False Hope Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.

– Grade C
An annoying Fog

Fog
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Text: Creatures attack and block as normal, but none deal any damage or otherwise affect any creature as a result of an attack or block. All attacking creatures are still tapped. Play any time before attack damage is dealt.

effect finds some use in Limited, but not constructed.

Kami of the Honored Dead

Kami of the Honored Dead
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 7 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: U Number: 12 Artist: Mark Zug Power: 3 Toughness: 5 Text: Flying Whenever Kami of the Honored Dead is dealt damage, you gain that much life. Soulshift 6 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 6 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)

– Grade C+
I like this card better than the rest of its cycle. That said, 7 mana is pretty expensive for Kamigawa drafts. Not constructed worthy in the least.

Kami of the Tattered Shoji – Grade D+
Is an occasion 2/5 flyer for 5cc threatening? Well, maybe more so than a “My Little Pony”, but not by much.

Kentaro, the Smiling Cat

Kentaro, the Smiling Cat
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Human Samurai Rarity: R Number: 13 Artist: Donato Giancola Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) You may pay X rather than pay the mana cost for Samurai spells you play, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.

– Grade B
A good draft creature, especially if you have Samurai in 2-3 colors. Nice for tribal decks. Could easily see play in Kamigawa Constructed decks, and maybe even in Type 2.

Kitsune Palliator

Kitsune Palliator
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Fox Cleric Rarity: U Number: 14 Artist: Dave Dorman Power: 0 Toughness: 2 Text: T: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to each creature and each player this turn.

– Grade D+
It’s filler for a draft deck, that’s it. Would have been a better card had it been named Kitsune Pollinator, or at least be rather amusing.

Mending Hands

Mending Hands
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 15 Artist: Douglas Shuler Text: Prevent the next 4 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.

– Grade C-
It’s a 22nd or 23rdrd card for a Limited deck which is light on tricks. Healing Salve

Healing Salve
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Dan Frazier Text: Gain 3 life, or prevent up to 3 damage from being dealt to a single target.

s are just not tourney worthy, R&D.

Moonlit Strider

Moonlit Strider

Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Number: 16 Artist: John Avon Power: 1 Toughness: 4 Text: Sacrifice Moonlit Strider Target creature you control gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. Soulshift 3 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)

– Grade C
More Limited-filler dreck. At least it’s cheap and makes a decent blocker.

Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo – Grade C-
Can’t attack, and it not that great of a wall. Damage redirection can be useful, but not that useful.

Oyobi Who Split the Heavens – Grade C+
It’s a great killer card in Limited, but that 7cc makes it risky and keeps it from being tourney worthy.

Patron of the Kitsune

Patron of the Kitsune

Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: R Number: 19 Artist: Ben Thompson Power: 5 Toughness: 6 Text: Fox offering (You may play this card any time you could play an instant by sacrificing a Fox and paying the difference in mana costs between this and the sacrificed Fox. Mana cost includes color.) Whenever a creature attacks, you may gain 1 life.

– Grade B-
A nice Orim

Orim
	Set: Vanguard Sub Type: Character Rarity: X Number: 5 Artist: Rebecca Guay Power: +0 Toughness: +12 Text: Your creatures can block as though they had flying.

’s Prayer effect on a solid creature. Good for both offense and defense. A worthy card for Limited even if you don’t have any foxes. Depending on the quality of foxes available, it may see play in Kamigawa Constructed.

Scour

Scour
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 18 Artist: Eric Peterson Text: Remove target enchantment from the game. Search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for all copies of that card and remove them from the game. That player then shuffles his or her library.

– Grade C
I’m worried about artifacts. When I am worried about enchantments, I’ll call you. This wasn’t played that much even when Opalescence

Opalescence
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 13 Artist: John Avon Text: Each other global enchantment is a creature with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost. It's still an enchantment.

decks were a problem.

Shining Shoal

Shining Shoal
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: R Number: 21 Artist: Ben Thompson Text: You may remove a white card with converted mana cost X in your hand from the game rather than pay Shining Shoal's mana cost. The next X damage that a source of your choice would deal to you or a creature you control this turn is dealt to target creature or player instead.

– Grade A-
This is the white card from Betrayers that everyone is talking about. It is a powerful card, and may show up in Extended. However, given how weak White is in Type 2 now, I don’t expect to see it there anytime soon.

Silverstorm Samurai

Silverstorm Samurai
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Fox Samurai Rarity: C Number: 22 Artist: Michael Sutfin Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: You may play Silverstorm Samurai any time you could play an instant. Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)

– Grade C-
Some are calling this card the Chimney Imp

Chimney Imp
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Imp Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Christopher Moeller Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying When Chimney Imp is put into a graveyard from play, target opponent puts a card from his or her hand on top of his or her library.

of Betrayers. That’s a bit unfair. It is definitely unworthy of constructed play, but makes a half-way decent Limited filler.

Split-Tail Miko – Grade C
It’s good defensively, but it does nothing to help you win. Once again, more Limited filler.

Takeno's Cavalry

Takeno's Cavalry
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Samurai Archer Rarity: C Number: 24 Artist: Darrell Riche Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Bushido 1 (When this blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) T: Takeno's Cavalry deals 1 damage to target attacking or blocking Spirit.

– Grade D+
Onslaught

Onslaught
	Set: Exodus Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Enchantment Rarity: C Number: 92 Artist: Paolo Parente Text: Whenever you successfully cast a creature spell, tap target creature.

Block got the combat Tims correct. This card is bad. At best it’s a 2/2 blocker, which for 4cc is weak. This means its Limited to Timming during combat. Once again, more Limited filler dreck.

Tallowisp

Tallowisp
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: U Number: 25 Artist: Ron Spears Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may search your library for an enchant creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.

– Grade C-
Nice blocker, but how many “enchant creatures” do you play with? ‘Nuff said.

Terashi's Grasp

Terashi's Grasp
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Sorcery Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: C Number: 26 Artist: Mark Tedin Text: Destroy target artifact or enchantment. You gain life equal to its converted mana cost.

– Grade B
The best replacement for Disenchant

Disenchant
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Amy Weber Text: Target enchantment or artifact is destroyed.

yet for white. Should easily be in every white deck in Type 2 until Mirrodin rotates out. Not main deck worthy for Kamigawa Limited or Constructed, but a solid sideboard option.

Terashi's Verdict

Terashi's Verdict
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: U Number: 27 Artist: Ron Spears Text: Destroy target attacking creature with power 3 or less.

– Grade C+
It’s OK early game, but once you are staring down fatties, you are in trouble. Marginal in all formats.

Ward of Piety

Ward of Piety
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: U Number: 28 Artist: Tim Hildebrandt Text: 1W: The next 1 damage that would be dealt to enchanted creature this turn is dealt to target creature or player instead.

– Grade C
Rather mana intensive, but has its niche in Limited.

Waxmane Baku

Waxmane Baku
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: C Number: 29 Artist: Greg Hildebrandt Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may put a ki counter on Waxmane Baku. 1, Remove X ki counters from Waxmane Baku Tap X target creatures.

– Grade C+
It’s a mainstay for white Kamigawa Limited decks. Tapping creatures can always be useful. Not constructed worthy.

Yomiji, Who Bars the Way

Yomiji, Who Bars the Way
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 7 Color: White Type: Legendary Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: R Number: 30 Artist: Hideaki Takamura Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Whenever a legendary permanent other than Yomiji, Who Bars the Way is put into a graveyard from play, return that card to its owner's hand.

– Grade D+
An expensive 4/4 with an ability of little use that could backfire on you. Pass.

There you have it. Unless you got the Kitsune patron or Shining Shoal

Shining Shoal
	Set: Betrayers of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: R Number: 21 Artist: Ben Thompson Text: You may remove a white card with converted mana cost X in your hand from the game rather than pay Shining Shoal's mana cost. The next X damage that a source of your choice would deal to you or a creature you control this turn is dealt to target creature or player instead.

, white is no better than a support color for Limited, and adds very little to Constructed. This set did betray white; will the next set be white’s savior? I’m not optimistic.

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