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Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day
Daily Since November 2001!

Phyrexian Crusader
Image from Wizards.com

Phyrexian Crusader
Mirrodin Besieged

Reviewed Feb. 24, 2011

Constructed: 4.13
Casual: 4.13
Limited: 4.13
Multiplayer: 3.25

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Phyrexian Crusader

First strike and infect are a very potent comination. Any creature that tangles with this guy in combat is going to be shrunk before it has a chance to deal damage back. And if that creature is red or white, it won't deal damage at all. Add to that the fact that red and white are two of the colors most likely to have a kill spell, and that some black mages still use Doom Blade over Go for the Throat, and you have a creature that's very hard to deal with in combat or out. An excellent vanguard of any infect army.

Constructed- 4
Casual- 3
Limited- 4
Multiplayer- 3.5

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Phyrexian Crusader
 
I remember when three-mana black creatures, especially ones with "Phyrexian" in their name, sometimes had drawbacks. I suppose you could argue that the infect ability basically curtails a lot of the Crusader's opportunities: he needs either a lot of companions with infect, or to be the only creature in a deck. Maybe some kind of Preordain/Negate/Creeping Tar Pit deck? I don't know. Even if all he ends up being remembered for is being the best creature in the infect deck, though, that's not nothing. Quite the opposite.
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 3/5
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Phyrexian Crusader which is three mana 2/2 zombie knight with Infect, First Strike, protection from Red, and protection from White.  Combined with being Black and you have a creature that is immune to nearly all removal and with the synergy of First Strike dealing Infect damage can destroy 3/3 creatures with ease. 
A very worthwhile creature for the cost, an automatic four of in any Black Infect deck, and likely to be included in many zombie or general Black builds for some time.
 
In Limited despite not being removal or being a large creature the stability and difficulty in removing it makes this a solid first pick and excellent card to add support to through equipments.  The double Black is a bit of a drawback as is being a small creature in your rare slot in a format that will produce larger creatures over time.  Other than those points this is still an excellent creature to have on the board in the early stages of the game and can shut down any opponent relying heavily on a color it has protection from.
 
Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4.5

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

   Welcome back to pojo.com’s Card of the Day. Today we are taking a look at the Phyrexian Crusader. The Phyrexian Crusader costs two black and one generic mana. The Crusader has First Strike and protection from red and white. The power and toughness is 2/2.

   Easily put, one mean card for the current block. With protection from the main Mirran colors, this guy threatens to get through and deliver some fast poison every turn. Using him properly as a true Phyrexian based deck with green could result in some easy wins with this guy commanding your forces. A Giant Growth or two and then any other decent pump, game, set, match.

     The Phyrexian Crusader doesn’t really need much help from Vintage, since he is at his meanest in standard. The potential to avoid the majority of burn and spot creature removal spells is just such a great asset. And even black removal spells traditionally wouldn’t help much against the Phyrexian Crusader, since Doom Blade and Terro wouldn’t be able to take him out either. Perhaps the greatest threat would still be standard, Go For The Throat.

     But in Vintage this guy really can end games FAST. Cover of Darkness, choose zombies, an Undead Warchief or two, some Cemetary Reapers, and you have an old school zombie butt-whooping with a side of new school poison. That is a dish best served undead.

     Phyrexian Crusader is easily a no brainer addition to any black deck, especially if you run infect. And anyone who says otherwise is obviously Mirran.
 
Casual: 5/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 2/5
Constructed: 4/5


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