I am starting this mini blog series about the iconic Magic: the Gathering creatures in its history beginning from the first sets such as Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited. Check out the black card Juzám Djinn.

Juzám Djinn is iconic because, for a long time, it was the ultimate “bad guy” creature—big, brutal, and way ahead of its time. In an era when most creatures were small and clunky, Juzám was a four-mana 5/5 that came with a tiny drawback and no strings attached. It was the dream card for an aggressive black deck and even players who didn’t run it respected how raw and straightforward its power was. Before mythic rares and overloaded card text, Juzám just hit hard and fast, and that made it unforgettable.

Part of what makes Juzám stick in people’s minds is how rare and mysterious it felt. It was only printed in Arabian Nights, Magic’s first expansion, and the art—this huge, brooding demon by Mark Tedin—looked like something that belonged in a nightmare. The card became a status symbol, not just because it was good, but because it was hard to find and looked absolutely menacing. Check out an old-school decklist using this card below.

Old School Juzam Djinn deck Deck

It’s one of those cards where, even if you’ve never played with it, you know it matters. Juzám didn’t need fancy mechanics or layers of strategy—it just showed up and dared you to deal with it.