4/2 is do-able, but now I remember that there was a reason that I made him so expensive - because he is a 4/4 with first strike. I searched Gatherer for other (mostly red) creatures with high power and toughness and first stike and that is how I determined the cost (4/4's with first strike are almost always 6 mana or more). I concede that the toughness is largely irrelevant in combat because of first strike; however, I didn't want him to die to
Shock outside of combat (he is an expensive rare afterall, and that would be rather anticlimactic).
I had considered adding the
Hand to Hand ability as a static ability rather than an activated ability, but that just seemed tacked on to me:
Master Swordsman
Creature – Human Warrior
4/4
First strike
Instants and activated abilities that aren't mana abilities can't be played during the combat phase.
Does anyone think the wording/timing of making Hand to Hand an activated ability is off? I struggled with it at first. I don't think activating it during the combat phase in response to an instant ot activated ability would counter that instant or activated ability or prevent it from resolving, so you would want to activate it before the combat phase. Which led to this wording:
: Instants and activated abilities that aren't mana abilities can't be played during the combat phase. Play this ability only before the comabat phase.
But I don't think the "Play this ability only before the comabat phase" is necessary.
As for this being a white ability, white is definitely the rule making color, but Hand to Hand is a red card (albeit an old red card). Perhaps had Hand to Hand been printed today it would fall in the white portion of the color wheel. I'm sure there are others that aren't coming to me right now, but
Suppression Field is an example of a similar white rule making card. A white/red creature or a red creature with a white activation (or vice versa) is a possibility that I will consider.
Another possibility for flavor is:
Orc Warlord Creature – Orc Warrior
4/4
First strike
: Until end of turn, instants and activated abilities that aren't mana abilities can't be played during the combat phase.
Another possibility to up the power level is:
: Until end of turn, instants and activated abilities
opponents control that aren't mana abilities can't be played during the combat phase.
I don't know if I like Anusien's firebreathing idea (you would have to activate it before combat unless you used the above wording), but I do like zeus-online's provoke idea. It seems very fitting, and red is tied with green and white for creatures with
provoke.
Master Swordsman Creature – Human Warrior
4/4
First strike
Provoke
(When this attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.): Until end of turn, instants and activated abilities that aren't mana abilities can't be played during the combat phase.
Edit: Shoot, this kind of puts
Lowland Tracker to shame. Mine is a rare, if that counts for anything. Maybe if I drop to 4/3? And maybe this
should be a white Human Soldier...
Master Swordsman 
Creature – Human Soldier
4/3
First strike
Provoke
(When this attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.): Until end of turn, instants and activated abilities that aren't mana abilities can't be played during the combat phase.
Edit again: Another possiblity that was suggested to me is
Goblin Fire Fiend's ability:
Master Swordsman must be blocked if able.
It's not as powerful as provoke, but it may bring the power level in line.
I made a R/W render:
Master Swordsman
