Aminatou, the Fateshifter MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Aminatou
Loyalty 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Aminatou offers card advantage by drawing and arranging future plays with her -1 loyalty ability.
  2. Her +1 ability enables top-deck manipulation for potential resource acceleration without direct ramping.
  3. Flexibility with instant-speed creatures amplifies Aminatou’s effectiveness during surprise interactions.

Text of card


+1: Draw a card, then put a card from your hand on top of your library.
-1: Exile another target permanent you own, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
-6: Choose left or right. Each player gains control of all nonland permanents other than Aminatou, the Fateshifter controlled by the next player in the chosen direction. Aminatou, the Fateshifter can be your commander.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aminatou the Fateshifter excels at providing card advantage with her -1 loyalty ability. This ability permits you to draw then put a card from your hand on top of your library. It’s an excellent tactic to ensure your next draws are productive or even to manipulate fate with miracle cards. Additionally, her ultimate ability can offer a massive card advantage by allowing you to exchange your hand and permanent cards with those of your opponents, fundamentally altering the state of the game.

Resource Acceleration: The resource acceleration comes into play with Aminatou’s +1 ability, which lets you manipulate the top card of your library, potentially revealing a high-cost card that you can then cheat into play with various shenanigans. Although not direct ramp, it can certainly cut corners to put valuable permanents into play much sooner than usual.

Instant Speed: While Aminatou herself does not operate at instant speed, she synergizes well with cards that do. Her flicker ability at -1 can reset or double up on the enter-the-battlefield (ETB) triggers of any instant speed creatures you control, giving you a form of reactive play, as well as the potential for surprise interactions during your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Aminatou the Fateshifter necessitates a strategic approach to hand management. Each activation of her first ability can put you at a disadvantage if your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: Necessitating white, blue, and black mana, Aminatou’s casting requirements can be stringent. This restricts her to Esper-colored decks and can pose challenges in mana-fixing for a balanced casting base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial loyalty of three and a casting cost of three specific mana, Aminatou may seem less efficient compared to other planeswalkers or spells that offer immediate board impact for the same or less mana investment.


Reasons to Include Aminatou the Fateshifter in Your Collection

Versatility: Aminatou the Fateshifter stands out due to her ability to adapt to multiple gameplay strategies. Her flickering mechanism allows for a dynamism in play, refreshing permanents and reusing enter-the-battlefield effects to your advantage.

Combo Potential: Aminatou harbors immense combo potential, working seamlessly with cards like Felidar Guardian to create infinite enter-the-battlefield triggers. This can lead to powerful plays and potentially game-ending turns when orchestrated correctly.

Meta-Relevance: Her presence in a deck can shake up the meta by offering consistent control elements and unexpected plays. Given the right circumstances and build, Aminatou can pivot a match in your favor against a variety of popular deck archetypes.


How to beat

Aminatou the Fateshifter emerges as a unique planeswalker in the realm of Magic the Gathering. Her ability to manipulate the top card of one’s library, to flicker any nonland permanent, and to swap entire hands of cards, makes her an unpredictable and formidable foe. To counteract Aminatou, smart play is required.

Direct damage spells or abilities that can target planeswalkers, such as Lightning Bolt or Dreadbore, are effective methods for removing Aminatou from the battlefield. Deny your opponent the chance to utilize her abilities by applying pressure with an aggressive deck that can deal damage quickly. Keeping up the pace and applying constant threats to your opponent will minimize the impact of Aminatou’s abilities.

Besides direct damage, using countermagic when Aminatou enters the fray can save you from future headaches. Spells such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent Aminatou from resolving, stopping her synergy before it starts. Another strategy is to use discard effects to remove key pieces from your opponent’s hand, limiting the effectiveness of Aminatou’s ultimate ability. Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can help in achieving this.

Ultimately, to overpower Aminatou the Fateshifter, you must anticipate and neutralize her before her influence can shift the tides of the game in your opponent’s favor. With thoughtful planning and timely intervention, triumph is within reach.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive into realm of strategic depth with the intriguing Aminatou the Fateshifter. Sharpen your MTG gameplay by incorporating this planeswalker’s card advantage techniques, accelerating resources to outmaneuver opponents. Use her unique abilities for powerful play combinations, adapting your strategy to each match’s dynamics. Building a deck around Aminatou requires understanding of her strengths and challenges within the Esper sphere. Embrace her versatility, and refine your deck to optimize her combo potential for a meta-relevant impact. Enhance your collection and join us to explore the guidance for optimizing Aminatou the Fateshifter in your MTG arsenal.


Cards like Aminatou, the Fateshifter

Aminatou, the Fateshifter is a unique planeswalker in the MTG universe. Her closest counterpart might be Venser, the Sojourner, who shares the ability to exile and return other permanents. Though Aminatou’s loyalty abilities allow for more immediate manipulation of both the battlefield and the top card of one’s library, offering a distinct edge in setting up future plays.

Another card with a resemblance is Sorin, Grim Nemesis. While Sorin focuses on dealing damage and gaining life based on the top card of a player’s deck, Aminatou emphasizes the shuffling of those future options, albeit without the built-in damage mechanism. Both excel in manipulating deck order, but Aminatou’s lower casting cost makes her more versatile early in the game.

Oko, Thief of Crowns also operates within the tempo-altering space, offering the ability to exchange creatures and control the board in a way that’s different but similarly disruptive as Aminatou’s permutations. However, Aminatou’s flexibility in deck manipulation and her potential for infinite combos with cards like Felidar Guardian secure her a special spot among MTG’s pantheon of planeswalkers.

Venser, the Sojourner - MTG Card versions
Sorin, Grim Nemesis - MTG Card versions
Oko, Thief of Crowns - MTG Card versions
Venser, the Sojourner - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Sorin, Grim Nemesis - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)
Oko, Thief of Crowns - Throne of Eldraine Promos (PELD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aminatou, the Fateshifter MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2018, 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 Aminatou, the Fateshifter and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Aminatou, the Fateshifter Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 707632015normalblackSeb McKinnon
22018-08-09Commander 2018C18 372015normalblackSeb McKinnon
32018-08-09Commander 2018 OversizedOC18 372015normalblackSeb McKinnon
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1421★2015normalblackUta Natsume
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 14212015normalborderlessUta Natsume
62020-09-26The ListPLST 2X2-1692015normalblackSeb McKinnon
72022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4682015normalblackSeb McKinnon
82022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1692015normalblackSeb McKinnon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Aminatou, the Fateshifter has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-07-13 Aminatou’s second ability can target any permanent you own, including those another player controls.
2018-07-13 As Aminatou’s third ability resolves, you choose a direction, then each player takes control of their new permanents at the same time.
2018-07-13 If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won’t return to the battlefield.
2018-07-13 In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well. The effect of Aminatou’s third ability stops applying to all permanents that player controlled and control of them reverts to their previous controller.
2018-07-13 In a two-player game, each player gains control of each permanent the other controls (aside from Aminatou) no matter which direction you choose.
2018-07-13 Once the exiled permanent returns, it’s considered a new object with no relation to the object that it was. Auras attached to the exiled permanent will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled permanent will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled permanent will cease to exist.
2018-07-13 The effect of Aminatou’s third ability lasts indefinitely. It continues to apply after Aminatou (or her controller) leaves the game.
2018-07-13 You draw a card and put one back all while Aminatou’s first ability is resolving. Nothing can happen between the two, and no player may choose to take actions.

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