Senu, Keen-Eyed Protector – Assassin’s Creed
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2024
Ratings:
Constructed: 3.63
Casual: 5.00
Limited: N/A
Multiplayer: 3.25
Commander [EDH]: 3.37
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
In certain ways, Senu reads like a fairly typical value-generating legendary creature, except in mono-white. But she also has combat-relevant abilities, which I always like to see on creatures (the only card type that attacks and blocks); and she also has an element of trickery, perhaps fitting for an eagle who is also an assassin. For example, she can return early from any effect that exiles until the end of your turn, like Glimmerpoint Stag. She can’t be exiled permanently by anything, for that matter, as long as you have attackers, which confounds opponents who instinctively reach for cards like Expel and Overwhelming Remorse. And honestly, she just comes across as way cooler than a lot of value-generating legendary creatures!
She’d have been by far the best creature in mono-white decks ten years ago, but even if Modern has moved on from Glorious Anthem, it’s hard to imagine there won’t be some incentive to find a role for her – white has never gotten anything with quite this configuration of abilities before.
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 5
Limited: N/A
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
B I R D
Many assassins benefit from faithful companions, and several Assassin’s Creed games offer such. In particular, several games starred a BIRD companion, and Senu hails from Origins as the faithful avian perversion at the beck and call of Bayek, the game’s protagonist.
Senu, Keen-Eyed Protector is a good representation of her abilities, sending her off to go prowling before returning in time to swoop and descend upon some innards. A 2/1 with flying and vigilance is a pretty decent attacker on its own, and she can fly off to go trawling for more information before returning later. One notable thing is that she can return even if she was exiled by something other than her own ability, and that opens up a lot of avenues.
As a 2/1, she’s nothing too special, but the right board set-up lets her come back pretty easily as a surprise bonus attacker, here to show why swooping is bad. I do think that there’s some intrigue to be had with using her in ways that are repeatable, and the ability to absorb a blow and fly off (if said blow lacks trample) can be useful in a pinch.
Constructed: 3.75 (I feel like decks using Thalia, Guardian of Thraben will get a lot of mileage, since the abilities pair well with her)
Casual: 5
Limited: N/A
Multiplayer: 3
Commander [EDH]: 3.75
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