Bloodline Pretender MTG Card


Bloodline Pretender shines in tribal decks, growing more formidable with each creature played. Strategic removal is vital to prevent Bloodline Pretender from becoming an overwhelming threat. Despite mana cost concerns, its adaptable nature makes it a compelling choice for diverse strategies.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Shapeshifter
Abilities Changeling
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Changeling (This card is every creature type.) As Bloodline Pretender enters the battlefield, choose a creature type. Whenever another creature of the chosen type enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Bloodline Pretender.


Cards like Bloodline Pretender

Bloodline Pretender, a versatile creature from Magic: The Gathering, draws comparison with cards like Adaptive Automaton and Metallic Mimic, which are also known for championing specific creature types. Bloodline Pretender has the unique advantage of growing stronger with every spell cast that shares its chosen type, making it a potential powerhouse in tribal decks. Adaptive Automaton offers a static power and toughness boost to creatures of the chosen type, an immediate impact that Bloodline Pretender lacks.

Similarly, Metallic Mimic, when entering the battlefield, bestows a +1/+1 counter on each creature of the chosen type that comes into play thereafter. Although it does not grow like Bloodline Pretender, it provides an immediate benefit to your creatures, which can be advantageous in fast-paced games. Bloodline Pretender’s continuous growth, on the other hand, makes it a looming threat that can outsize its counterparts over time.

In essence, Bloodline Pretender holds its ground within the array of tribal support cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its incremental advantage can snowball into a dominant presence, particularly in decks designed to cast numerous creatures of a single type.

Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Metallic Mimic - MTG Card versions
Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Metallic Mimic - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Bloodline Pretender by color, type and mana cost

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Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Stone - MTG Card versions
Gem of Becoming - MTG Card versions
Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
Sunglasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Arena of the Ancients - MTG Card versions
Bösium Strip - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Static Orb - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Wall of Spears - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Stone - MTG Card versions
Gem of Becoming - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Bloodline Pretender. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Abzan MidrangeAbzan Midrange GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 13 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bloodline Pretender thrives in decks built around specific creature types, potentially growing larger with each creature you play and providing an ongoing advantage without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: This card doesn’t directly increase your mana pool, but the consistent creature type synergy can streamline your plays, indirectly speeding up your board development by enhancing the value of each creature played.

Instant Speed: Bloodline Pretender’s ability triggers automatically each time you summon a creature of the chosen type. While not an instant itself, this can quickly escalate its power and toughness, turning it into a formidable threat that reacts instantaneously to your board state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some creatures that offer immediate value upon entering the battlefield, Bloodline Pretender asks for a longer-term commitment. It’s not just about playing it; you have to continuously cast other creatures of the chosen type to harness its potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Bloodline Pretender might seem flexible with its colorless mana cost at face value, but it necessitates playing a deck with a prominent creature type to truly shine. This can sometimes restrict deck-building options, limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Bloodline Pretender falls into a competitive slot for creature spells. In the fast-paced dynamics of many formats, players might find that there are creatures or other spells with more immediate impacts for the same, if not lower, mana investment.


Reasons to Include Bloodline Pretender in Your Collection

Versatility: Bloodline Pretender’s chameleon-like nature allows it to adapt to various tribal decks, providing a seamless fit whether you’re building around wizards, warriors, or any other creature type. Its ability to grow larger with each cast of a similar creature makes it a dynamic card for various strategies.

Combo Potential: With the ability to accrue +1/+1 counters every time you cast a creature of the chosen type, Bloodline Pretender thrives in decks focused on creature synergies. It can become a massive threat on its own or work in concert with other cards that exploit counters for maximum effect.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies often prevail, Bloodline Pretender stands out as a card that can be increasingly potent as the game progresses. Its relevance in the current MTG landscape is bolstered by its capacity to become an unforeseen force in prolonged matches, particularly in decks that churn out numerous creatures of a single type.


How to beat

Bloodline Pretender is an intriguing artifact creature card that finds its strength in decks built around tribal synergy. As it gains a +1/+1 counter whenever another creature of the chosen type enters the battlefield, it can quickly become a formidable force in tribal decks. To counter this growing threat, it’s essential to deploy removal spells on the Pretender before it spirals out of control. Instant removal such as Fatal Push or Heartless Act are effective tools, as they can address the Pretender directly and instantly, irrespective of the size it has become.

Furthermore, if you’re dealing with multiple creatures of the same type and the Bloodline Pretender is on the verge of becoming overwhelming, board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field. These spells remove all creatures from the battlefield, nullifying the advantages gained from tribal synergies. Also, using counter spells to prevent the Pretender from entering the battlefield in the first place, like Dovin’s Veto or Counterspell, can be an effective strategy to ensure that the threat is neutralized before it can even begin to accumulate power.

Ultimately, staying proactive and keeping removal options at the ready is the key to ensuring that the Bloodline Pretender doesn’t escalate beyond control and dominate the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’ve been swayed by the allure of Bloodline Pretender’s potential, you’re not alone. Understanding its nuances and strategizing can make it a mighty asset in your MTG collection. With the right creature type focus, the Pretender can climb to towering strengths, synergizing effectively in tribal decks. If you’re looking to harness this versatile card’s true power or searching for ways to stave off its ascent in an opponent’s deck, the journey doesn’t end here. Let’s dig deeper into the intricate world of MTG strategy where Bloodline Pretender is but one piece in the grand mosaic. Join us for insights that could transform your gameplay into a cascade of victories.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bloodline Pretender MTG card by a specific set like The List and Kaldheim, 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 Bloodline Pretender and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bloodline Pretender Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-09-26The ListPLST KHM-2352015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
22021-02-05KaldheimKHM 2352015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
32022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 7572015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
42023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 3502015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bloodline Pretender has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-02-05 Changeling is a characteristic-defining ability. It functions in all zones, not only while a card that has it is on the battlefield.
2021-02-05 If Bloodline Pretender enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, you can choose one of that creature's creature types and have Bloodline Pretender's last ability trigger for that other creature.
2021-02-05 If Bloodline Pretender is somehow on the battlefield without a chosen creature type, its last ability can't trigger, even if a creature with no creature types enters the battlefield.
2021-02-05 If an effect causes a creature with changeling to become a new creature type, it will be only that new creature type. It will still have changeling; the effect making it all creature types will simply be overwritten.
2021-02-05 If an effect causes a creature with changeling to lose all abilities, it will remain all creature types, even though it will no longer have changeling. This is because changeling applies before the effect that removes it.
2021-02-05 The subtype Shapeshifter that appears on the type line is mostly there to reinforce the flavor. A creature card with changeling is just as much an Elf, a Dwarf, a Sliver, a Goat, a Coward, and a Zombie as it is a Shapeshifter.
2021-02-05 You must choose an existing creature type, such as Vampire or Druid. You can't choose card types (e.g., artifact) or supertypes (e.g., snow).