Inside the MTG Balance Room: How They Came Up With Ninjutsu

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
  • The real made up history of how Kevin the Intern came up with historic magic the gathering mechanics!
    #magicthegathering #mtg #mtgcommunity #cardgame

ความคิดเห็น • 131

  • @maxcompton3482
    @maxcompton3482 ปีที่แล้ว +451

    I like to imagine you come up with these skits everytime you lose to a mechanic more than twice in a row

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +176

      Yes BUT this one was the reverse ninjutsu is my favorite mechanic

    • @WCOBDisorder
      @WCOBDisorder ปีที่แล้ว +6

      ​@MaldHound what would reverse ninjutsu even be?

    • @megamallow477
      @megamallow477 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      @@WCOBDisorder you pay a mana cost to send your opponents attacker back and play a random card from their hand

    • @Erin-eb2os
      @Erin-eb2os ปีที่แล้ว +9

      ​@@WCOBDisorder Yes BUT, this one was the reverse [COMMA], ninjutsu is my favorite mechanic

    • @rixaxeno7167
      @rixaxeno7167 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      ​@@WCOBDisorder you swap your creature for a card in your opponent's hand

  • @wilfredsun4056
    @wilfredsun4056 ปีที่แล้ว +68

    "Did that snake just turn into a dragon?"
    "Nah, man it was always a dragon."

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +19

      “Bro are you even paying attention”

  • @CrushedParagon
    @CrushedParagon ปีที่แล้ว +223

    Getting hit by a 1/1 unblockable creature that was actually a Blightsteel Colossus somehow because Satoru is a fair and honest card

    • @AraKnine
      @AraKnine ปีที่แล้ว +37

      Got done in by one my last time at the local "casual" Commander night where that 1/1 became Megatron.

    • @deadlineuniverse3189
      @deadlineuniverse3189 ปีที่แล้ว

      Get hit by a freaking atraxa.
      Even if you have the removal spell that b*tch just multiplied the options

    • @nicholasbenson5880
      @nicholasbenson5880 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      The worst feeling is seeing that white exile instant hit the table right after you ninjutsu in Blightsteel and you don't have a counter on hand or the mana to stop it

    • @adamcappella8088
      @adamcappella8088 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@AraKnine robots in disguise

    • @TheComicBookJoker
      @TheComicBookJoker ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@nicholasbenson5880 Yeah, but the BEST feeling is being the one who exiled the Blightsteel ninja.

  • @hentie3835
    @hentie3835 ปีที่แล้ว +103

    While everyone uses Satoru for degenerate OTKs, I use Satoru to drop a Colossus of Akros on people. Sometimes its just funny to be hit by a 10/10 with defender.

    • @99JDT
      @99JDT ปีที่แล้ว +60

      "Wanna see the Colossus of Akros?"
      "What?"
      -Unlucky tourist being led by Satoru

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +52

      I love satoru but don’t blightsteel because I also love funny confusion over instant death

    • @evilanimegenious
      @evilanimegenious ปีที่แล้ว +5

      That's just arcades with extra steps XD

  • @TheFourthBlackReaper
    @TheFourthBlackReaper ปีที่แล้ว +47

    So much of magic is, “we came up with this really cool and powerful gimmick, but it’s ok, we balanced it by giving it very specific mana costs and only gave it to a few, specific cards aaaaaaaaaand shit we made a card that gives that gimmick to everything again. Damn it.”

  • @stalzek
    @stalzek ปีที่แล้ว +36

    my first thought when i saw satoru was blightsteel

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +30

      “Fair and Honest Magic” - Satoru players lying through their teeth

  • @FanOfMostEverything
    @FanOfMostEverything ปีที่แล้ว +38

    Remember, ninjutsu first came out two sets after original Mirrodin Block. Things actually having mana costs was a radical concept in the wake of Ravager Affinity. (But yeah, Satoru can be a Problem™.)

  • @violetnight9928
    @violetnight9928 ปีที่แล้ว +62

    I feel suddenly inspired to make a ninjutsu deck 🤔

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +16

      Yuriko is calling your name

    • @flameofmage1099
      @flameofmage1099 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You should its fun

    • @stalzek
      @stalzek ปีที่แล้ว

      @@maldhound this is something i had actually already started before this video

    • @erosbronzo6518
      @erosbronzo6518 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ​@MaldHound my wallet is stopping me from answering

    • @TJ_PH
      @TJ_PH ปีที่แล้ว

      my main EDH deck is Satoru Umezawa, it's hilariously fun

  • @teamcyeborg
    @teamcyeborg ปีที่แล้ว +58

    Remember, kids: it's not cheating if it has a mana cost. Then it's an _exploit_.

    • @TetsuRiken
      @TetsuRiken ปีที่แล้ว +3

      No it's called a macanic exploiting in what happens when you take a mechanic and use it fuck something over in a way that no one intented like show and tell

  • @dzello
    @dzello ปีที่แล้ว +63

    Make a video about mutate HAHAHA. I'd love to see your take on that.

    • @EntheogenShaman
      @EntheogenShaman ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Have fun keeping track of 32 different clones and all of their effects bruh.

    • @shishsquared
      @shishsquared ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I've been playing for a couple years now, I feel like I have a decent grasp of layers, and I still have no idea how mutate works

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +23

      Oh I already have an idea thank you for the suggestion

    • @chrisrones671
      @chrisrones671 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'm excited for this one

    • @ceering99
      @ceering99 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ​@@maldhound Just an hour of reading the rules text and explaining every insane fringe case

  • @anthonyaltovilla3599
    @anthonyaltovilla3599 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Yuriko is my favorite commander and she has never done anything wrong in her life.

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +5

      This is true and we all love her

  • @megamallow477
    @megamallow477 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Dimir: did you come to this table to have fun? Well that sucks. Should I play mill, zombies, ninjas, or rogues?

    • @bloodmage7173
      @bloodmage7173 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Trick question, they all mill

  • @angrydoge4038
    @angrydoge4038 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Never have I appreciated thoughtseize more then when a satoru user is tutoring

  • @Tesork
    @Tesork ปีที่แล้ว +14

    I faced off against Satoru once before. Hit me with Lord of the Void and bunch of Eldrazis on Turn 4. Somehow still managed to win because their Lord whiffed on every hit.

    • @M9Seradon
      @M9Seradon ปีที่แล้ว +3

      The real scary thing about Satoru is when the ninjutsu bs puts a Blightsteel out turn 4.

  • @cdwoods8591
    @cdwoods8591 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Tfw blightsteel starts taking ninja lessons

  • @pencilwatchesstuff791
    @pencilwatchesstuff791 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    And another one that can do it from the command zone giving you potentially infinite uses of the card at always the same price. At a whooping 2 mana. Which is lower than the card's base mana cost. And make it have a powerful lose life effect that hits all other players whenever she deals combat damage.

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Fair Magic baby she earned it don’t know what to tell you

    • @Trasgobardo
      @Trasgobardo ปีที่แล้ว

      Hey
      you're not going to talk shit about my girl Yuriko.
      Yeah, those decks are obnoxious and a dime a dozen net deckers, that's way my Yuriko deck is "just" ninja tribal, not "Whatever the F you can put that has an inflated mana value but is a glorified paper weight, and shit to arrange the top of your deck"
      Playing with those people in casual commander is like playing D&D with certified Munchkins

  • @jester1578
    @jester1578 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Iloved this and now kinda want you to do one of these for pack tactics, more specifically Minion of the Mighty pack tactics

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I will go read what that is and start writing

    • @jester1578
      @jester1578 ปีที่แล้ว

      ​@MaldHound Yay, am the excite 😁. Also hi

  • @varsoonhks3211
    @varsoonhks3211 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I run Goro Goro & Satoru and every time I play my whole table gets upset that I turn my creatures to the right.

  • @killuahsmathetricks389
    @killuahsmathetricks389 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Most hilarious Situation i ever saw with satorou Was a Draht with SET boosters.
    Player A hat satorou out, Attacken and ninjutsued kozilek (list hit) into play xD
    The opponent looked pretty fuzzled 😂😅

  • @megamallow477
    @megamallow477 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    It could be worse. Satoru could have Eminence.

  • @kayel9489
    @kayel9489 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Satoru who? I only heed Yuriko's calling

  • @DevoidGoat
    @DevoidGoat ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Someone Tag Gavin Verhey 🎉
    This too funny 😂

  • @remraven6443
    @remraven6443 ปีที่แล้ว

    Me in the corner working on a poison counters ninjutsu deck with Satoru

  • @bradsimpson8724
    @bradsimpson8724 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I've been fucking around with Satoru Umezawa since Neon Dynasty came out. It's been through several iterations, and it's never not fun. There are certain Commanders everyone should try out, and he is absolutely one of them.

  • @turfinat0r
    @turfinat0r ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I want to make this work with theft. So you steal an eldrazi, beat their face with it, then activate ninjutsu afterwards to get rid of it to rub salt in the wound.

    • @Trasgobardo
      @Trasgobardo ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's something my Yuriko deck does.
      There's plenty faeries in the deck for evasive reasons of course, then there is "Sower of Temptation" to control opponent's creatures, and as a flier it's easy to use it for ninjutsu and try again. Then there are things like "Helm of Possession" that let you control a creature saccing one of yours (I don't now... Your Yuriko that is dirty cheap to Ninjutsu).
      Then there is "Reins of Power" to exchange all your creatures (that can be zero) for an opponents creatures and they gain haste. Swing to another opponent and all that passes through is perfect to ninjutsu. . . or one of the sacc outlets~

  • @varsoonhks3211
    @varsoonhks3211 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The worst thing about Ninjas is that I want nearly every legendary one to be my commander.

  • @Sion428
    @Sion428 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Let's see Tyvar the bellicose! Gym Bros unite!

  • @orange-10897
    @orange-10897 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Sounds like he had a slither blade turn into blightsteel one to many times

  • @Ace-vz8vk
    @Ace-vz8vk ปีที่แล้ว

    I would love to see you roast Jon irenicus the shattered one, or as he is more commonly known “bad Santa.”

  • @jacobd1984
    @jacobd1984 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    One of my favorite decks is a UB deck that uses faeries for etb abilities and ninjas to get them back to hand after swinging in the air. Shoutout to Kevin for enabling this bullshit.

    • @Trasgobardo
      @Trasgobardo ปีที่แล้ว

      That was my modern deck some years back.
      So of course I had to make a Ninja commander with the same "Faeries that actually where ninjas, but in fact where faeries all along"
      Gotta love "Faerie impostor" and "Quickling" with ninjas

  • @jdom-fl1cu
    @jdom-fl1cu ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I play ninja tribal as my go to modern deck, and its ruthless

  • @matthewsan8201
    @matthewsan8201 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Honestly Ninjitsu is a very fun playstyle and mechanic, but of course it feels bad when someone cheats out a Kozalek or somthing with it. But stuff like that is on the same level of frustration as infinite turns or multiple cyclonic rifts.

  • @FunkyPotato8
    @FunkyPotato8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Sea Monster tribal with Satoru at the helm is a stupid fun deck nothing beats ninjitsuing a stupid big kraken

  • @pdxnguyen91
    @pdxnguyen91 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm surprised there wasn't a bit about yuriko and her commander ninjitsu

  • @marklafrancis253
    @marklafrancis253 ปีที่แล้ว

    “No backsies” 🤣🤣

  • @Hashbrown1682
    @Hashbrown1682 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I just want to see your take on plansewalker

  • @ericwolf9664
    @ericwolf9664 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    To think this effect was released in Betrayers, which granted isn't as weak as Saviors but the power difference between those two and Champions was quite notable even by Kamigawa standards.

  • @HutchTheWolf
    @HutchTheWolf ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Ninjutsu is JAWSOME!

    • @SeenBeans
      @SeenBeans ปีที่แล้ว

      I was waiting to see if anyone else got the Street Sharks™️ shirt haha

  • @FrostSylph
    @FrostSylph ปีที่แล้ว +1

    If I had a nickel for every time I've lost on turn 4 to an unblockable blightsteel colossus I'd have two nickels which isn't a lot but its weird that it happened two games in a a row.

  • @hotdachsbun
    @hotdachsbun ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Jawsome shirt!

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! SHILL: It’s sold at Raskolapparel.com and “maldhound” is a 10% off code

  • @millissaramsey6555
    @millissaramsey6555 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Can you do a video over shrines?

  • @jjjjjmtg92
    @jjjjjmtg92 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Seriously would pay money to play Kevin in magic. 🤣😂

  • @Kirkland_Drip
    @Kirkland_Drip 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Bro I legitimately typed in MTG balance after seeing how ninjutsu can cycle cards the untappd lands indefinitely and win the game in like one combo was like this is dumb how is this balanced and your video came up.

  • @matthewskullblood9778
    @matthewskullblood9778 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    good old ninjas

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว

      Best mechanic ever printed

    • @matthewskullblood9778
      @matthewskullblood9778 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@maldhound I should say everyone but wotc loves ninjas

  • @Fluffy_Kun
    @Fluffy_Kun ปีที่แล้ว

    Head Developer: Kevin any ideas for creatures that we could use this new idea with?
    Kevin: A Rat but SExY.
    Head Developer: What!
    Kevin: And also it will be a Prerelease promo.

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah don’t mind me blatantly turning this into the next skit ✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻

    • @Fluffy_Kun
      @Fluffy_Kun ปีที่แล้ว

      @@maldhound Nah no problem, Ink Eyes is one of my favourite commander decks of mine. I have her in all the different artworks. I cannot wait for this skit.

  • @keepingitcasualmtg
    @keepingitcasualmtg ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Either that book opens backwards or you're a fellow lefty

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I do be out here left handed

  • @idfk1323
    @idfk1323 ปีที่แล้ว

    Teaser for a satoru roast? 👀

  • @Surya-uj7re
    @Surya-uj7re ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Bit disappointed. When the guy started going on among marketability, I expected him to ask 'what do you wanna call it', and the answer is 'ninjutsu' and he'd immediately go 'oh we are going to sell so much of that!'

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Damn I tunneled on the pun too much

    • @Surya-uj7re
      @Surya-uj7re ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@maldhound Cheers! Also, just a thought, but consider creating separate playlists on your profile since you have several different series going on.

  • @RainShadow-yi3xr
    @RainShadow-yi3xr 21 วันที่ผ่านมา

    They really went and put Active Tag in a freakin card game. Ninjutsu rules even though its janky as all hell.

  • @zackarieneifert7014
    @zackarieneifert7014 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    as the proud owner of yuriko ninjutsu tribal, yeah, you get it. except i hit you with like 4 things and then also you take extra damage and i get card advantage because dimir is totally fair right?

  • @erikwilliams1562
    @erikwilliams1562 ปีที่แล้ว

    Dattebayo!!

  • @ericaschner3283
    @ericaschner3283 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Which boosters had the feet pics? So I can avoid them. 😏

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Rumor has it Kevin still has all of them in a personal collection

  • @deadlineuniverse3189
    @deadlineuniverse3189 ปีที่แล้ว

    So just Kicker with extra steps

  • @hughjness2555
    @hughjness2555 ปีที่แล้ว

    And then we’ll give it to a commander so it can get put into play a million times and not increase its Commander tax.

  • @briankenney9528
    @briankenney9528 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love ninjutsu

  • @AquaAK723
    @AquaAK723 ปีที่แล้ว

    but it's just kicker.

  • @MageSkeleton
    @MageSkeleton ปีที่แล้ว

    Fun fact, there are TWO legendary creatures with Ninjitsu, but only ONE legendary creature with COMMANDER NINJITSU. In my opinion, Yuriko should be banned.... Along with Thassa's Oracle..... and Mox Diamond and Lions eye diamond.... and Kenrith.... and Kinnon..... and thrassios.......

  • @Eramiserasmus
    @Eramiserasmus ปีที่แล้ว

    How many times did you lose to ninjutsu this month? It feels like this is fueled by spite.

    • @maldhound
      @maldhound  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I am actually a ninjutsu player so this was me reflecting on my own sins

    • @Eramiserasmus
      @Eramiserasmus ปีที่แล้ว

      @@maldhound That makes it even funnier! Tbh I have a Yuriko Ninja/Ninjutsu Tribal deck but it's lower powered so I never play it around friends.

  • @flukenukeem
    @flukenukeem ปีที่แล้ว

    But then Commander ninjitsu…

  • @E1YK001
    @E1YK001 ปีที่แล้ว

    Take this 1/1 Unblockable. Errr, I mean 11 Infect.

  • @Neohampster
    @Neohampster ปีที่แล้ว

    NInjutsu does nothing for a decade, nobody cares. They print a few good ninja that occasionally do work and a single bomb and everybody loses their mind.
    Meanwhile elves still exist...

  • @TheTransforcer
    @TheTransforcer ปีที่แล้ว

    No takebacksies. Classic. Ninjitsu is so annoying.

  • @jonlangthorne7924
    @jonlangthorne7924 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ninjitsu is a mechanic that lets control players pretend they aren’t control. 0/10 terrible mechanic. As a regular Dimir player I hate ninjitsu

  • @derekanderson9819
    @derekanderson9819 ปีที่แล้ว

    Do urtet myr