True Polymorph MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. True Polymorph creates strategic opportunities by transforming battlefield assets into more valuable counterparts.
  2. Its instant speed allows for surprise tactics and immediate responses to threats.
  3. While versatile, it demands considerable mana, potentially hindering early play and strategy.

Text of card

Target artifact or creature becomes a copy of another target artifact or creature.

Maybe a little *too* convincing.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: True Polymorph can be a game-changer by transforming any creature or artifact on the battlefield into something more valuable from your deck. Deploying this card strategically can help you maintain board superiority by replacing weaker assets with stronger ones or disrupting your opponent’s key pieces.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly accelerating resources in terms of mana, True Polymorph can significantly progress your board state by allowing access to powerful creatures or artifacts that would otherwise require more time and resources to play. This acceleration of board presence can prove to be a crucial advantage.

Instant Speed: As a powerful option to be played at instant speed, True Polymorph offers flexibility and surprise, enabling you to respond to threats immediately or adjust your tactics during the opponent’s turn. This can catch an adversary off guard, effectively disrupting their strategy and providing you with an unforeseen upper hand.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The casting of True Polymorph demands that you tap out a significant amount of resources, potentially leaving you vulnerable to your opponent’s next move. Using this spell means carefully considering the trade-off between its transformative power and the loss of other actions during your turn.

Specific Mana Cost: A split mana cost that requires both blue and generic mana can restrict its use mainly to blue-aligned or multicolored decks. Players solely running other colors will find True Polymorph incompatible with their deck’s mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a hefty cost of six mana, True Polymorph comes into play later in the game. There are other spells and creatures that offer similar or even enhanced effects for a lower mana investment, making the decision to include True Polymorph in your deck a strategic one.


Reasons to Include True Polymorph in Your Collection

Versatility: True Polymorph is a card that boasts an ability to transform any creature, artifact, or enchantment into another permanent card type, allowing for dynamic in-game adjustments. This makes it a valuable addition to various decks that rely on adaptability.

Combo Potential: This card has immense synergy with numerous strategies. It can be used to upgrade your own permanents into more powerful ones or to disrupt opponents by transforming their key pieces into less threatening entities.

Meta-Relevance: Given its transformative capabilities, True Polymorph can become a crucial tech choice in a meta filled with creature-heavy decks or environments where converting your assets into threats or answers is pivotal.


How to beat

Mastering the strategy against True Polymorph can drastically enhance your MTG gameplay. This powerful card has the potential to turn any creature, artifact, or enchantment into something far more benign or beneficial for its caster. To effectively counter this spell, players should consider holding onto instant-speed removal or counter magic. Strategic use of cards like Negate or Dispel can interrupt the transformation process, keeping the battlefield in your favor. Control decks may include versatile answers such as Hero’s Downfall to deal with whatever threat True Polymorph attempts to create.

Additionally, adapting your gameplay to prioritize threats can reduce the effectiveness of True Polymorph. It can only be as powerful as the targets available on the board. Therefore, managing your creature’s strength and minimizing the presence of high-value targets on your side can dull True Polymorph’s impact. Further, awareness and mindfulness of the mana available to your opponent can provide a sign as to when they might have this spell at the ready, allowing you to play around it and diminish its potential to sway the game.

Successfully navigating around the twists True Polymorph can bring to the table signifies a well-prepared MTG player with solid knowledge of the game’s intricacies and the foresight to mitigate opponents’ plays.


Cards like True Polymorph

True Polymorph stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a transformative spell within the card alteration niche. This card echoes the abilities of other change-inducing spells like Polymorph, enabling players to morph creatures or even artifacts into new entities entirely. Yet, True Polymorph offers a unique twist—permanent change. Unlike its cousin Polymorph, which temporarily transforms creatures, True Polymorph’s effect lingers, forging lasting board impact.

Diving into comparisons, there is also Mass Polymorph, which targets multiple creatures but with a more random outcome, as opposed to True Polymorph’s precise metamorphosis. Complementary to this is Shape Anew, which shares the artifact conversion aspect. Shape Anew, however, is restricted to artifacts alone and relies on the top card of your library, whereas True Polymorph gives the caster complete control over the end result.

As we evaluate these spell cards, True Polymorph’s versatility in choosing either creatures or artifacts and its enduring effect solidifies its position within MTG as a formidable and strategic tool for long-term game influence.

Polymorph - MTG Card versions
Mass Polymorph - MTG Card versions
Shape Anew - MTG Card versions
Polymorph - Mirage (MIR)
Mass Polymorph - Magic 2011 (M11)
Shape Anew - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to True Polymorph by color, type and mana cost

Opportunity - MTG Card versions
Spelljack - MTG Card versions
Sublime Epiphany - MTG Card versions
Supplant Form - MTG Card versions
Into Thin Air - MTG Card versions
Reweave - MTG Card versions
Time Stop - MTG Card versions
Overwhelming Intellect - MTG Card versions
Gather Specimens - MTG Card versions
Counterlash - MTG Card versions
Chronostutter - MTG Card versions
Waterwhirl - MTG Card versions
Will of the Naga - MTG Card versions
Mirror Match - MTG Card versions
Aethersnatch - MTG Card versions
Synthetic Destiny - MTG Card versions
Scour the Laboratory - MTG Card versions
Prying Eyes - MTG Card versions
Commence the Endgame - MTG Card versions
Masterful Replication - MTG Card versions
Opportunity - The List (PLST)
Spelljack - Judgment (JUD)
Sublime Epiphany - Core Set 2021 (M21)
Supplant Form - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Into Thin Air - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Reweave - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Time Stop - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Overwhelming Intellect - Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari (DDJ)
Gather Specimens - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Counterlash - The List (PLST)
Chronostutter - The List (PLST)
Waterwhirl - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Will of the Naga - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Mirror Match - Legendary Cube Prize Pack (PZ1)
Aethersnatch - Legendary Cube Prize Pack (PZ1)
Synthetic Destiny - Kaldheim Commander (KHC)
Scour the Laboratory - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Prying Eyes - Commander Legends (CMR)
Commence the Endgame - War of the Spark Promos (PWAR)
Masterful Replication - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase True Polymorph MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and 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 True Polymorph and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The True Polymorph Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by Steve Prescott.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 926842015normalblackSteve Prescott
22021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 802015normalblackSteve Prescott
32021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 80a2015normalblackSteve Prescott
42021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 80p2015normalblackSteve Prescott
52021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 80s2015normalblackSteve Prescott
62021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 3692015normalblackSteve Prescott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where True Polymorph has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering True Polymorph card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-07-23 If an effect begins to apply to the first target permanent before it becomes a copy of another permanent, that effect will continue to apply.
2021-07-23 If either target is an illegal target for True Polymorph as it resolves, the spell will do nothing.
2021-07-23 If the first target becomes a creature the same turn it entered the battlefield, you can't attack with it or use any of its abilities unless it has haste.
2021-07-23 If the first target permanent copies a permanent that's copying something else, it will become whatever the second target is copying.
2021-07-23 If the target permanent is an Equipment attached to a creature and it becomes a copy of a non-Equipment permanent, it becomes unattached. If it becomes a copy of an Equipment, it remains attached.
2021-07-23 True Polymorph causes the first target permanent to copy the printed values of the second target permanent, including any copy and mutate effects that have been applied to it. It won't copy counters on that permanent or effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
2021-07-23 True Polymorph's effect does not have a duration. The copy effect it creates lasts as long as the first target remains on the battlefield.

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