While this card may be a bit underpowered for the smaller cubes, it is quite good if you have room for it. Then again, smaller cubes are all running the 6+ super powerful equipments, so Manriki-Gusari may find targets in those cubes more often, because Jitte and Swords appear more regularly than in bigger cubes.
Speaking of Jitte and Swords: Those cards are among the most powerful cards in the cube, so I am glad to have any help against them that I can get. The ability to destroy those monsters is quite welcome if it comes strapped to an already reasonable card. And moving a +1/+2 bonus around for only 1 and a manageable casting cost is reasonable. With creatures on both sides, this bonus often allows your X drops to kill X+1 drops in combat and live. That is an advantage in combat situations that you shouldn't underestimate.
For as often as this card is drafted last or not main-decked it is an incredible fist-pump moment when you've drafted it and see your opponent plop down a Stoneforge Mystic early on.
What I think some people are missing is that on its own it is on par with or better than Trusty Machete. The equipment-busting is a very excellent bonus.
I like it, but as stated before, only in smaller cubes, like 360. Being able to hit the swords, jitte, or batterskull is fantastic, hell even hitting grafted wargear or bonesplitter is pretty nice.
It's just not a good enough card for 360 though. You already have to cut reasonabl equipment like Warhammer, which I'd much rather have than the Gusari
+ equipment is very strong in cube
+ +1/2 is relevant --> maindeckable and not dead if opponent doesnt have equipment.
+ costs only one to equip
My Peasant Cube: @ mtgsalvation---- @ cubecobra
Speaking of Jitte and Swords: Those cards are among the most powerful cards in the cube, so I am glad to have any help against them that I can get. The ability to destroy those monsters is quite welcome if it comes strapped to an already reasonable card. And moving a +1/+2 bonus around for only 1 and a manageable casting cost is reasonable. With creatures on both sides, this bonus often allows your X drops to kill X+1 drops in combat and live. That is an advantage in combat situations that you shouldn't underestimate.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
But any cube big enough to run the Machete may have enough equipment in it that I'd want the Gusari, so including both may be a solid option.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
My 360 Pauper Cube
CubeTutor
My 360 Core Set Cube
CubeTutor
Draft it on Cubetutor!