Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Nightmare Cat
Abilities Partner
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants commanders deathtouch and menace, posing a fierce threat in combat scenarios for MTG players.
  2. Requires another commander in play to utilize its combat enhancements, limiting its standalone potential.
  3. Can fit into various strategies, boosting rogue, warlock, and wizard synergies in your MTG deck.

Text of card

Commanders you control have menace and deathtouch. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)

She sticks to her chosen master closer than their own shadow.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When paired with a commander, Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar can offer indirect card advantage by protecting your key creature from being the target of spells or abilities, potentially saving resources in your hand that would otherwise be used to defend or resurrect your commander.

Resource Acceleration: The subtle resource acceleration comes from enabling your commander to be more aggressive in combat. Thanks to deathtouch provided by Falthis, unfortunate blocks by opponents can result in creature loss, which helps maintain your board presence and potentially leads to more mana available as your opponents deal with a diminished battlefield.

Instant Speed: While Falthis himself does not have instant speed capabilities, the impact on the board is immediate upon entering. Any commanders that have tap abilities or can attack the same turn they come into play will benefit instantly from Falthis’s deathtouch and menace, dissuading opponents from interacting or blocking, which can accelerate your game plan significantly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar necessitates that you have another commander to reap its benefits. This reliance on another entity introduces a setback, particularly in non-commander formats or if your commander has been dealt with.

Specific Mana Cost: As a card requiring black mana, Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar can be restrictive in multicolored decks that may struggle with the requisite mana base, potentially causing delays or casting issues.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana may not seem steep, in the competitive realm of MTG, other creatures at the same cost bracket might offer more immediate board presence or value without the need for a companion commander.


Reasons to Include Falthis Shadowcat Familiar in Your Collection

Versatility: Falthis Shadowcat Familiar slips effortlessly into decks that are led by a commander, giving your pivotal creature menace and buffing up your other rogues, warlocks, and wizards which makes it a flexible addition across various strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can team up with partners to empower your board presence. Its ability to give your commanders menace allows for easier direct attacks, while also providing a black color identity that can be crucial for color fixing in partner-focused decks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where commanders play a critical role, Falthis provides an edge by protecting high-value targets with menace, thereby requiring opponents to allocate more resources if they want to block your attacks, potentially tipping the scales in your favor.


How to beat

Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar, offers players a unique advantage in MTG by granting commanders menace and boosting damage from commanders. To counter this card, a strategic approach must consider the strengths it brings to the battlefield. One effective tactic is to limit the opportunities for Falthis to activate its abilities by controlling the number of creatures on the board. Board wipes or targeted removal can disrupt your opponent’s game plan and neutralize Falthis’s impact.

Enchantment-based removals or pacifism effects can also mitigate the threat by preventing Falthis from contributing to combat scenarios. Moreover, since Falthis is often paired with a potent commander, focusing your removal spells on taking down the partnered commander can be a key move. Without the commander on the field, Falthis’s abilities are significantly less threatening. Lastly, having blockers with reach or cards that can grant your creatures reach will help prevent damage from the menace ability, providing a buffer while you develop a more lasting solution.

In the game of MTG, staying one step ahead of cards like Falthis involves tactical foresight and control over the flow of creatures. By focusing on these strategies, you can diminish the familiar’s battlefield presence and gain the upper hand.


BurnMana Recommendations

Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar enhances strategies by endowing commanders with menace and deathtouch, a subtle yet powerful game-changer in MTG that can shift the tide of battle. The ability to protect and empower your commander is crucial, particularly in commander-focused formats where the synergy of your lead creature heavily influences the game’s outcome. To optimize your deck’s potency and for more resources on harnessing cards like Falthis to amplify your gameplay, visit BurnMana. Here, you’ll gain insights and strategies that can give you the cutting edge in your next MTG duel.


Cards like Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar

Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar stands out in Magic: The Gathering as it accentuates the prowess of commanders. In the realm of creature enhancers, Bastion Protector is another card that offers a parallel benefit, granting indestructible to your commander as well as a bump in power. While the Protector caters more towards defense, Falthis leaps into the fray with a keen focus on offense by giving commanders both deathtouch and menace.

Silas Renn, Seeker Adept provides an alternative strategy for commander-focused decks, offering artifact recursion rather than combat prowess. Though lacking Falthis’s immediate threat on the battlefield, Silas Renn shines in decks with a heavy artifact theme. Comparatively, Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder grants double strike and lifelink when a creature enters the fray, which can lead to massive life swings and lethal attacks, akin to Falthis’s potential for creating an intimidating presence.

In the grand scheme of MTG, Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar emerges as a formidable card, especially when paired with commanders that benefit from becoming more elusive and deadly in combat. It represents a strategic choice for players who enjoy an aggressive command zone dynamic.

Bastion Protector - MTG Card versions
Silas Renn, Seeker Adept - MTG Card versions
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder - MTG Card versions
Bastion Protector - Commander 2015 (C15)
Silas Renn, Seeker Adept - Commander 2016 (C16)
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder - Commander 2016 (C16)

Cards similar to Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)
Dusk Imp - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 862502015normalblackJesper Ejsing
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 5642015normalblackJesper Ejsing
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1262015normalblackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-11-10 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2020-11-10 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2020-11-10 If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
2020-11-10 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Falthis and Kediss are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with black and/or red in their color identity, but not cards with green, white, or blue.
2020-11-10 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined.
2020-11-10 To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability as the game begins. Losing the ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.
2020-11-10 You can choose two commanders with partner that are the same color or colors. In Commander Draft, you can even choose two of the same commander with partner if you drafted them. If you do this, make sure you keep the number of times you've cast each from the command zone clear for "commander tax" purposes.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks