Shefet Monitor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Lizard
Abilities Cycling
Power 6
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Shefet Monitor aids in card advantage and strategy execution by cycling for new cards.
  2. It accelerates mana development, giving players the ability to ramp up resources quickly.
  3. Cycling at instant speed allows for flexibility and response to opponents’ actions.

Text of card

Cycling (, Discard this card: Draw a card.) When you cycle Shefet Monitor, you may search your library for a basic land card or a Desert card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library. (Do this before you draw.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shefet Monitor offers a portable form of card advantage, allowing you to cycle the card and draw a new one into your hand. This is particularly beneficial when you’re searching for key components to execute your strategy efficiently.

Resource Acceleration: Upon cycling, it also lets you untap a land which can be an excellent way to ramp up your resources. This is akin to pulling ahead in the race for mana development, letting you deploy threats faster than your opponent.

Instant Speed: The ability to cycle Shefet Monitor at instant speed grants dynamic interaction with the game. You can adapt to your opponent’s moves and decisions during their turn, keeping your options open and staying flexible in your tactics.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To activate its cycling ability, Shefet Monitor requires you to discard it. If your hand is already depleted, losing an additional card could hinder your game plan, putting you at a risk of not having enough reactions or options on your turns.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific combination of mana, including one green and three of any color, to be played. This can be restrictive since it necessitates at least a minimal commitment to green mana sources in your deck architecture, potentially limiting the card’s versatility in decks that aren’t focused on green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of six, Shefet Monitor can be considered costly, especially when you’re in dire need of a quicker response to the board state. In games where speed is crucial, the mana investment to get it onto the battlefield might be too steep compared to other creatures or spells that provide immediate impact for less.


Reasons to Include Shefet Monitor in Your Collection

Versatility: Shefet Monitor offers flexibility in various deck builds, acting as both a powerful creature and a land tutor. Its ability to cycle for a new card while pulling a land directly onto the battlefield makes it a favorite for smoothing out mana curves.

Combo Potential: The lizard can be a key piece in several combos by providing an untapped land through its cycling ability. This can unexpectedly ramp you into a game-changing play or enable landfall triggers at instant speed.

Meta-Relevance: As deckbuilders adapt to fluctuating metagames, Shefet Monitor remains a valuable tool for decks that thrive on land synergy or need reliable ways to accelerate their mana base in the face of control or disruption-heavy opponents.


How to beat

Shefet Monitor presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This sizable creature can not only become an imposing threat on the board but also offers the cycling ability, allowing players to draw a card and ramp their mana by searching for a basic land card. To effectively neutralize this desert serpent, it’s important to prevent the card from hitting the table or to manage it once it’s in play.

One strategy is to use counter spells when your opponent attempts to cast Shefet Monitor. Alternatively, removal spells that can deal with large creatures can be highly effective. Consider timing your Instant-speed removal for when the Monitor is cycled, aiming to disrupt your opponent’s mana base and drawing plans. In addition to targeted removal, board wipes serve as a catch-all answer, clearing Shefet Monitor along with any other threats on the board.

Maintaining a balanced approach between countering key spells and managing on-board presences is critical when facing a card like Shefet Monitor. By keeping its cycling ability in check and being prepared to answer it efficiently when it’s cast, players can greatly minimize the impact of this multifaceted creature.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unravel the secrets of Shefet Monitor, a versatile creature that enhances your MTG gameplay with its strategic cycling ability and land-searching prowess. Its integral role in mana acceleration and deck consistency can’t be overlooked, especially for those savvy enough in green-centered playstyles. Understanding Shefet Monitor’s strengths and limitations is key to optimizing your deck’s performance. For players eager to explore the depths of mana curve management and combo potential, this card is an essential consideration. Dive into our detailed insights on Shefet Monitor, and refine your deck to triumph over the competition. Let’s unlock new levels of play together.


Cards like Shefet Monitor

Shefet Monitor offers a unique blend of utility and power as a creature card within the vast array of Magic: The Gathering options. This card stands out with its cycling ability, enabling players to draw a card and search their library for a basic land card to put onto the battlefield. In comparison, we have Greater Sandwurm, which also carries the cycling ability but lacks the land tutor effect. However, Greater Sandwurm can’t be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less, offering a different kind of strategic advantage in combat.

Analogous to Shefet Monitor in utility but varying in application is the card Krosan Tusker. It also has a cycling ability and when cycled, it allows the drawing of a card and searching a library for a basic land card. Yet, the Tusker does not put the land onto the battlefield, albeit the card goes into one’s hand providing more flexibility for land plays. Moreover, Valley Rannet is another creature card with cycling, though its effect strictly consists of drawing a card without the additional land searching benefits.

Assessing the balance of card utility, ramp ability, and cycling benefits, Shefet Monitor positions well for those looking to synergistically enhance their deck’s mana acceleration and card draw potential in Magic: The Gathering.

Greater Sandwurm - MTG Card versions
Krosan Tusker - MTG Card versions
Valley Rannet - MTG Card versions
Greater Sandwurm - Amonkhet (AKH)
Krosan Tusker - Onslaught (ONS)
Valley Rannet - Alara Reborn (ARB)

Cards similar to Shefet Monitor by color, type and mana cost

Craw Wurm - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Liege - MTG Card versions
Wiitigo - MTG Card versions
Autumn Willow - MTG Card versions
Ancient Silverback - MTG Card versions
Sulam Djinn - MTG Card versions
Verdeloth the Ancient - MTG Card versions
Nemata, Grove Guardian - MTG Card versions
Gang of Elk - MTG Card versions
Kavu Howler - MTG Card versions
Crashing Centaur - MTG Card versions
Giant Warthog - MTG Card versions
Rhox - MTG Card versions
Kodama of the East Tree - MTG Card versions
Terra Stomper - MTG Card versions
Feral Throwback - MTG Card versions
Brontotherium - MTG Card versions
Elvish Aberration - MTG Card versions
Seshiro the Anointed - MTG Card versions
Force of Nature - MTG Card versions
Craw Wurm - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Gaea's Liege - Revised Edition (3ED)
Wiitigo - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Autumn Willow - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Ancient Silverback - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sulam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Verdeloth the Ancient - Modern Masters (MMA)
Nemata, Grove Guardian - The List (PLST)
Gang of Elk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Kavu Howler - Apocalypse (APC)
Crashing Centaur - Odyssey (ODY)
Giant Warthog - Judgment (JUD)
Rhox - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Kodama of the East Tree - Commander Legends (CMR)
Terra Stomper - Zendikar (ZEN)
Feral Throwback - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Brontotherium - Legions (LGN)
Elvish Aberration - Masters 25 (A25)
Seshiro the Anointed - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Force of Nature - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shefet Monitor MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet Remastered, 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 Shefet Monitor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Shefet Monitor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Viktor Titov.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 1862015normalblackViktor Titov
22020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 2172015normalblackViktor Titov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shefet Monitor has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-04-18 Some cards with cycling have an ability that triggers when you cycle them. These triggered abilities resolve before you draw from the cycling ability.
2017-04-18 Triggered abilities from cycling a card and the cycling ability itself aren’t spells. Effects that interact with spells (such as that of Cancel) won’t affect them.
2017-04-18 You can cycle a card even if it has a triggered ability from cycling that won’t have a legal target. This is because the cycling ability and the triggered ability are separate. This also means that if either ability doesn’t resolve (due to being countered with Disallow, for example, or if the triggered ability’s targets have become illegal), the other ability will still resolve.

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