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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!


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Jeskai Elder
- Khans of Tarkir

Reviewed Sep. 19, 2014

Constructed: 2.20
Casual: 2.30
Limited: 3.10
Multiplayer: 2.20

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale:
1 - Horrible  3 - Average.  5 - Awesome

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BMoor

Deck Garage

Jeskai Elder

Unfortunately, we've already seen the Jeskai clan this week. Maybe this week's cards weren't the best five to show off of the set. Then again, our first Jeskai card didn't have the clan's keyword ability: Prowess. It did enable the Jeskai player to play quite a few noncreature spells, though. Coindicence? Of course not!

Prowess is a fairly intriguing ability if you think about it. It encourages you to play more noncreature spells, but all cards with Prowess are creatures. Do you load up on Prowess creatures so you'll have plenty of bodies to maximize the effect of the +1/+1? Or do you add more support spells and combat tricks to make your fewer Prowess creatures hit harder?

It's intriguing on this card, too. Jeskai Elder has a "looting" ability that triggers when it gets through for damage, but no evasion. It wants you to play noncreature spells, both in general (to hit harder and survive what blocks it) and specifically on it (to pump it up). And if you succeed? Well, we just said that Prowess decks are going to have to balance their creature-to-non-creature ratio. The deck filtering ability will let you dig for whichever you need more of while pitching whatever you have too much of.

Constructed- 2
Casual- 2
Limited- 3.5
Multiplayer- 2

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Jeskai Elder
 
Much like the elderly kung fu masters of Hong Kong cinema that it's inspired by, Jeskai Elder is stronger and more dangerous than it looks. Consider how much control decks traditionally fear a creature - or any permanent, really - that provides an advantage for an opponent and which impacts the game early enough that their defenses may not be set up yet. Consider how the prowess keyword gives the Elder's controller a way to help it out in the creature combat that advantage creatures like Merfolk Looter have historically struggled with. Consider that blue has the largest selection of instants and sorceries, including those that let you defend the Elder while also strengthening it and those that let it simply avoid any combat that prowess doesn't help it win.
 
Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 3/5

Paul

Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Jeskai Elder

Welcome back readers todays card of the day is kung fu granny and by that I mean Jeskai elder. The base stats of a 1/2 are sort of meh but the Prowess ability allows it to become large if left unchecked. The ability to loot on hit is highly relevant as opponents have to decide whether to block and get hit with potential Prowess triggers or to let you get your loot on. In standard I think this card requires too much to be good making it a slow and non impactful card. In other constructed formats this card also is a little slow and unlike Kiln Fiend is not as rewarding putting all your eggs into this basket. In casual and multiplayer this is a solid looter that has to hit but carries potential upside in Prowess, I don’t see it becoming super popular but a Prowess deck could be fun. In limited it’s a solid Prowess guy that awards attacking and provides some filtering a solid roleplayer of a card. Overall a pretty below average but fun card.
 
Constructed: 1.5
Casual: 2.0
Limited: 2.5
Multiplayer: 1.5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Jeskai Elder which is a two mana Blue 1/2 with Prowess that gives it +1/+1 until end of turn for each non-creature spell you cast and it also has whenever it deals combat damage to a player you may draw a card then discard a card.  This is a decent creature for a more aggressive Blue build as it can be a variable-sized threat and potentially filter your hand somewhat.  It may actually be more reliable defensively as any combat tricks cast will also add the +1/+1.  Overall it is likely to see some play in Standard, but little to none in other formats.
 
In Limited this is a nice creature to have as even a two mana 1/2 is playable, so boosting it until end of turn for every non-creature spell is a solid benefit.  Hand filtering can be beneficial to pitch an extra land or search for a key card which adds a little more value to an already worthwhile pick.  In Sealed this is an easy inclusion when running Blue as a source of early game pressure with a little late game value, while for Booster this is more of a third or fourth pick when compared to more consistent threats or removal.
 
Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.0
Limited: 3.5
Multiplayer: 3.0

Mattedesa

Deck Garage
Jeskai Elder
 
"Looters", as creatures with the draw/discard ability have been come to be known, have proven to be useful deck thinners. Most of them, however, either have the draw/discard as a tap ability, or have some sort of evasion to get their attack in. The elder, here, has neither. What it does have, is Prowess. Does potentially giving it +1/+1 make it likely enough to get through for combat damage? Unless you're playing a very controlling deck, it's unlikely to get through very often. Even a controlling deck usually wants to play it's instants on the opponent's turn whenever possible. I am not very impressed with Prowess as an ability at this point. I could be proven wrong, but I don't think the Elder is going to see much play outside of limited, where it is an average card at best.
 
Constructed: 1.5
Casual: 1.5
Limited: 3
Multiplayer: 1.5

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