Mordenkainen's Polymorph MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Number | 65 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Oriana Menendez |
Key Takeaways
- Flipping low-cost creatures into powerful threats can rapidly tilt the battlefield balance in your favor.
- Instant speed allows strategic flexibility, transforming blockers or endangered creatures during combat.
- This card’s versatility makes it a valuable asset for dynamic, tempo-shifting deck strategies.
Text of card
Until end of turn, target creature becomes a Dragon with base power and toughness 4/4 and gains flying. (It loses all other creature types.)
"Your purpose may change along with your shape, but you will serve regardless."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Mordenkainen’s Polymorph, the ability to replace a creature and potentially bring out a more powerful one from your library offers a solid chance to shift the balance of card quality in your favor on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly produce additional mana like some other spells, the fact that you can transform a low-cost creature into a potential high-cost one can be seen as a form of acceleration, giving you access to more powerful creatures sooner than you normally would.
Instant Speed: The magic behind this card is its functionality at instant speed, allowing you to adapt swiftly to the ever-changing dynamics of the game, turning chump blockers into lethal threats or transforming an endangered creature into something new entirely at a moment’s notice. This can lead to significant swings in your favor during pivotal moments of a match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Mordenkainen’s Polymorph requires the player to discard a card, which may be a significant drawback during crucial game moments where your hand size is vital.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both blue and generic mana, potentially limiting its inclusion to decks that can accommodate the specific color requirement without disrupting the mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher end for its effect, players might find it less attractive compared to other spells that provide similar utility or body on the board for a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Mordenkainen’s Polymorph in Your Collection
Versatility: Mordenkainen’s Polymorph brings a fresh twist to deck building, allowing players to seamlessly incorporate it into various archetypes. Its ability to turn any creature into a potential game-winner with its polymorph effect makes it a unique and flexible spell.
Combo Potential: This card shines in creating combo possibilities, providing a way to cheat high-cost creatures onto the battlefield early. It can transform a disposable token into a massive threat, which can be a game-ending move.
Meta-Relevance: In an ever-shifting meta, Mordenkainen’s Polymorph can catch opponents off guard. It has the potential to disrupt established board positions and turn the tide in favor of the spell caster, which makes it a savvy addition for those looking to challenge the status quo in their local scene or in competitive play.
How to beat Mordenkainen’s Polymorph
Mordenkainen’s Polymorph is a blue spell that can be quite a conundrum for players on the receiving end in Magic: The Gathering. Playing against it involves an understanding that this card shuffles a creature into the library and then seeks to bring out the top card if it’s a creature onto the battlefield. While powerful, there are strategies to neutralize its impact. Having instant-speed removal or bounce effects to use in response to Mordenkainen’s Polymorph can help to counter its potentially game-changing effect.
One approach is to maintain a hand with instant removals such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, which can eliminate the incoming creature before it can exert influence on the game. Furthermore, creature counters like Essence Scatter are also effective as they prevent Mordenkainen’s Polymorph from resolving successfully.
In essence, the key to beating Mordenkainen’s Polymorph revolves around preparedness and timely reactions. Having the right counters or removal tools at the appropriate moment not only neutralizes the threat but also maintains the tempo in your favor. It’s about disrupting the opponent’s intended plays and maximizing the effectiveness of your interaction spells.
Cards like Mordenkainen's Polymorph
Mordenkainen’s Polymorph is a transformative spell in MTG that adds new dimensions to blue-centric magic decks. It shares its polymorphic nature with cards like Transmogrify, enabling players to swap a creature for a new one from the top of the library. Mordenkainen’s Polymorph stands out with its ability to target any creature, giving it a broad range of potential uses.
Parallel to this is Pongify, another blue spell that destroys a creature and replaces it with an ape token. While Pongify is cheaper to cast, Mordenkainen’s Polymorph allows for more strategic depth by potentially bringing in any creature from the deck, not just a token. Mass Polymorph is yet another related card, but it impacts the whole board by replacing several creatures at once, though at a significantly higher mana cost.
Looking at the strategic implications, Mordenkainen’s Polymorph promises more control and surprise elements, allowing for a game-changing creature to enter the battlefield. Its versatility in targeting makes it a worthy inclusion for players who like to manipulate the battlefield with cunning and unpredictability.
Cards similar to Mordenkainen's Polymorph by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mordenkainen's Polymorph MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Mordenkainen's Polymorph and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mordenkainen's Polymorph has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mordenkainen's Polymorph card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-07-23 | Mordenkainen's Polymorph will overwrite any previous effects that set the creature's power and toughness to specific values. Effects that otherwise modify the target creature's power and toughness will still apply no matter when they took effect. The same is true for +1/+1 counters. |
| 2021-07-23 | The creature doesn't lose any of its abilities. |
