Shimian Night Stalker MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 116
1995-07-01 - Number 36
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Nightstalker |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Key Takeaways
- Shimian Night Stalker offers card advantage by trading cards for opponent creatures during combat.
- This creature provides strategic flexibility with its instant-speed ability, disrupting enemy tactics.
- It can strain hand resources and mana bases, demanding extensive commitment for activation.
Text of card
o Boc T: Redirect all damage done to you from any one attacking creature to the Shimian Night Stalker.
"'Tis now the very witching time of night,/ When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out/ Contagion to this world." —William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shimian Night Stalker’s ability to potentially remove an opponent’s creature from combat is a subtle way of generating card advantage. By neutralizing a threat, you effectively trade one card for another, creating a more favorable board state for yourself.
Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct form of resource acceleration, Shimian Night Stalker provides tactical advantage without demanding high mana investment. This allows players to use their mana resources for other strategies or spells throughout the game.
Instant Speed: The creature’s ability to activate instant speed is highly beneficial. It enables you to surprise your opponent by removing a creature from combat during their turn, which can be pivotal in preventing damage or disrupting their combat strategies.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shimian Night Stalker demands the player discard a card each time you want to activate its ability. This prerequisite chips away at your hand, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if you’re short on options or parting with a valuable card.
Specific Mana Cost: Clocking in with a demanding mana cost, the card requires three black mana. This steep cost can strain your mana base, particularly in multicolored decks where casting spells with triple colored mana requirements might hinder your game strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of four mana, including three of a specific type, it’s a heavy investment for a creature with an activated ability that also requires additional card resources. In environments teeming with nimble and low-cost creatures, allocating such resources to summon Shimian Night Stalker can leave you trailing behind the curve.
Reasons to Include Shimian Night Stalker in Your Collection
Versatility: Shimian Night Stalker offers flexibility as it can serve as both an offensive threat and a defensive tool. This creature can be aligned with various deck themes, especially those that utilize the graveyard or take advantage of the night stalker’s ability to discard unwanted cards.
Combo Potential: This card has the potential to fit into combo-centric decks, utilizing its discard ability to strategically place key cards in the graveyard. It pairs well with abilities or mechanics that benefit from card discard or graveyard synergy.
Meta-Relevance: While this creature may not be a mainstay in current competitive formats, it can shine in casual play groups or specific meta environments that are creature-heavy. In such settings, the Shimian Night Stalker’s discard ability can be a tactical asset.
How to beat
The Shimian Night Stalker is a classic creature card that can present a unique challenge to players in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its ability to force the discard of cards, it can disrupt your opponent’s hand and game plan. However, overcoming this card requires a strategic approach. Playing cards that regenerate or sacrifice themselves can nullify the Night Stalker’s ability, making it ineffective.
Another tactic is to leverage spells or abilities that can exile or pacify creatures, thus neutralizing the Night Stalker without the need to engage it directly in combat. Cards with Hexproof or Shroud are also effective as they are immune to the Night Stalker’s targeted ability. Additionally, you can change the tide by maintaining card advantage or utilizing graveyard retrieval strategies to recover any lost resources. Always remember that staying ahead in card count can diminish the impact of discard effects on your overall strategy.
Ultimately, acknowledging the potential of the Shimian Night Stalker and preparing countermeasures in your deck construction will enable you to stay in control of the game and emerge victorious in the face of this nocturnal predator.
Cards like Shimian Night Stalker
Shimian Night Stalker stands as a unique creature within Magic: The Gathering. It hails from an older set, offering a particular creature removal ability that resonates with certain deck strategies. This ability to trade another creature for an opponent’s card during combat is reminiscent of cards such as Royal Assassin. Royal Assassin shares the potential for creature removal but it allows for more control as it targets tapped creatures without requiring a sacrifice.
Exploring further, Nekrataal enters the picture, which also offers a creature destruction effect upon entering the battlefield but lacks the repeatability found in Shimian Night Stalker’s ability. Still, Nekrataal offers the convenience of immediate effect without further cost.
When leveraging darker tactics on the battlefield, the value of cards like Shimian Night Stalker becomes apparent. While not the strongest card compared to newer, more efficient creatures, it encapsulates the essence of its era in MTG. Its playstyle requires careful strategic planning and a willingness to sacrifice for greater board control.
Cards similar to Shimian Night Stalker by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shimian Night Stalker MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Chronicles, 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 Shimian Night Stalker 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 Magic products
Printings
The Shimian Night Stalker Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 1995-07-01. Illustrated by Jesper Myrfors.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 116 | 1993 | normal | black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 2 | 1995-07-01 | Chronicles | CHR | 36 | 1993 | normal | white | Jesper Myrfors |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shimian Night Stalker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shimian Night Stalker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Can redirect damage from combat and from abilities, but the creature must be attacking before you can use this card’s ability. |
