Sword of the Samurai Strategy on Magic 2014

Sword of the Samurai Strategy on Magic 14

The Sword of the Samurai deck is the second-to-last deck in the Expansion campaign, and is currently one of the most popular decks in the game.  Unfortunately it's strengths are typically overlooked and mismanaged - thankfully that won't happen for you, because you've had the good fortune to stumble across this fine guide.  Read on to unlock the key strategy that makes the Samurai deck one of the most powerful decks in the game.

The Swords of the Samurai deck has a few things about it that you must understand in order to use it effectively.  Every card is not a samurai, but all samurai's counters scale when they block depending on their Bushido rank.  The best cards in this deck typically effect all of the Samurai creature types, as do the best equipment pieces, so you want to make sure to keep your samurai count high.  The second thing to understand about this deck is that it's true strength lies in acquiring and equpping it's equipment and enchantments.  There are four equipment cards that you need to have in your deck:  Umezawa's Jitte, Sword of Fire and Ice, Sword of War and Peace, and Oathkeeper.

Also include Stonehewer Giants in your deck, as they give you the ability to draw these equipments the turn after they are played and equip it for no mana cost.   

The order in which you should acquire and equip these is as follows:

1.  Oathkeeper - this grants a +3/+1 counter on it's equpiped creature, and as long as this card is equipped on a samurai, if they die they will be resurrected for no cost after immediately entering the graveyard, making this a very good card to attach to a blocker

2.  Umezawa's Jitte - this card only depends on it's equipped creature to deal damage - to anything, not just to the opponent.  When it deals combat damage, the card gains 2 counters.  You can use these counters to give creatures -1/-1 (if your opponent has a */1 or */2 creature, this makes it a nuke), give the equipped creature +2/+2 (which makes for great killing blows), or to give you 2 life for each counter on the card. 

3.  Sword of Fire and Ice - This card does not initially appear as useful as it really is.  Not only does it grant +2/+2 and protect the equipped creature from red and blue creature types; when the equipped creature deals damage to your opponent, the card deals another two damage to either the opponent or one of his creatures (making it another nuke), and allows you to draw a card!  Drawing cards at will is one of the most powerful abilities in this entire game, so this card is crucial. 

4.  Sword of War and Peace - Last, and least, is the Sword of War and Peace.  This card also gives +2/+2 and protection from red and white, and it also allows additional effects whenever the creature that it's attached to strikes your opponent directly - the card deals damage to your opponent equal to the number of cards he has in his hand, and heals you for the number of cards that you have in yours.


IMPORTANT EQUPIMENT NOTICE: DO NOT include any other pieces of equpiment from this deck in your 60 card deck.  They are not worth the space they take up.


BEST SAMURAIS TO INCLUDE:
Konda's Hantamoto
Arabia Mothrider
Indebted Samurai
Kitsune Samurai
Nagao
Takeo
Konda


IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL CARDS TO INCLUDE:
Lightning Helix - use to nuke creatures or opponent for 3 and heal yourself for 3
Masako - allows your cards to block even when tapped
Glory of Warfare - gives your creatures +2/0 or 0/+2 depending on whether or not it is your attack/defense turn
Balefire Leige - gives all creatures 1/1 for their color, and deals 3 damage to the opponent when you cast a red spell, and heals you for 3 when you cast any white spell
Zealous Conscripts - hits with haste and gives you a one-turn control over one of your opponent's creatures on the board.  Steal their strongest to turn the tide!
Yosei - this white dragon is a flier (which you have to capitalize on, given this deck's lack of them), and also taps your opponent's cards and makes them skip their attack phase.
Godo - this card allows an additional attack turn when it attacks, and when it enters the field allows you to place an equipment on the board as well
Myojin - this card is indestrucible (and eventually if he's in your deck you will play him - more often than you think) . . . as long as it has it's counter.  When the counter is removed, the creature remains, and ALL other creatures are destroyed. 


Difficulties in the Campaign

Believe it or not, as long as you adhere to this guide, there will be no difficulties in the campaign for this deck.  Aside from being one of the hyped OP expansion decks (in part with good reason), it allows for a strong defense and a decent attack early on, allows you to remove threats and heal with relative ease, and keeps your cards alive.  What more could you ask for?

As you play and unlock new cards for this deck, make sure that you visit the deck manager and remove the excess weight. It is imperative that you keep your deck at a low number, no more than 65, if you want a fighting chance. To understand why it is important to keep your card count low, visit our Starter's Guide.