Phyrexian Metamorph MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Phyrexian Shapeshifter
Power 0
Toughness 0

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides immediate card advantage by replicating influential creatures or artifacts already in play.
  2. Capable of duplicating mana rocks for expedited mana acceleration, challenging opponents to keep pace.
  3. Leverages strategic instant-speed interactions by copying flash creatures or artifacts for disruptive plays.

Text of card

({U/P} can be paid with either or 2 life.) You may have Phyrexian Metamorph enter the battlefield as a copy of any artifact or creature on the battlefield, except it's an artifact in addition to its other types.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Phyrexian Metamorph’s flexibility as a clone effect allows you to replicate the most influential creature or artifact on the battlefield. This often results in immediate card advantage as you effectively obtain the best card in play without spending an additional card from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly a resource acceleration tool, Phyrexian Metamorph can copy artifacts that provide such effects. For example, duplicating a mana rock effectively doubles your mana acceleration, aiding in outpacing your opponents.

Instant Speed: While Phyrexian Metamorph itself is not an instant, its ability to come into play as a copy of an instant-speed flash creature or artifact means you can potentially benefit from instant-speed interactions. This flexibility allows for strategic plays that can disrupt your opponents’ plans at critical moments.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Phyrexian Metamorph necessitates a blue mana alongside two generic and two life points if paid with Phyrexian mana, which could restrict its inclusion to blue-centric or compatible decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although versatile, the combined cost of four mana might be considered steep for players aiming to optimize mana expenditure, especially in formats where efficiency is key.

Discard Requirement: While Phyrexian Metamorph itself doesn’t demand a discard, it’s worth noting that it can copy creatures that do, potentially causing a disadvantage if you’re copying a creature with an enter-the-battlefield effect that forces a discard.


Reasons to Include Phyrexian Metamorph in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Metamorph is a shapeshifter, allowing it to adapt to a wide range of situations by copying any artifact or creature on the field. Its flexibility ensures it’s a valuable asset in decks that need to respond dynamically to opponents’ threats.

Combo Potential: The ability to mimic the abilities of other creatures and artifacts means that it can become an integral part of infinite combos or synergy-driven plays. This card amplifies strategies built around enter-the-battlefield effects or sacrifice mechanics, setting the stage for game-winning moves.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta teeming with powerful artifacts and creatures, Phyrexian Metamorph holds its ground as a card that can not only copy key pieces of an opponent’s strategy but can also become the lynchpin in yours. Its continuous relevance in various metas solidifies its status as a staple in any collector’s arsenal.


How to beat

The Phyrexian Metamorph is a versatile and potentially game-changing card, able to clone any artifact or creature on the battlefield, even those with powerful enter-the-battlefield effects or formidable abilities. However, there are strategies to counteract this formidable blue shapeshifter. Firstly, holding up instant-speed removal can be key. As soon as the Metamorph comes into play and before its cloning effect resolves, targeted removal like Path to Exile or Abrupt Decay can effectively neutralize it, along with its targeted clone, in one swoop.

Don’t overlook the power of counterspells, such as Mana Leak or Negate. By countering the Metamorph on the stack, it prevents any copy effect from happening at all. Lastly, cards with hexproof or shroud protect themselves from becoming targets of the Metamorph’s ability. With smart anticipation and the right cards on hand, you can overcome the challenge posed by Phyrexian Metamorph, ensuring it doesn’t turn the tide of battle against you.

While the Metamorph offers strong utility and adaptability, it’s by no means unbeatable. Understanding its mechanics and having the appropriate cards at the ready can make all the difference in maintaining the upper hand.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the deep strategies of MTG is akin to crafting a masterpiece, and Phyrexian Metamorph is a versatile brush in your artistic arsenal. Whether you’re looking to gain an edge in card advantage or seeking the perfect piece to complete a combo, this card’s ability to adapt to the battlefield’s demands makes it indispensable. We recommend adding Phyrexian Metamorph to your deck as it mirrors the most powerful creatures and artifacts in play, seamlessly fitting into multiple strategies. Dive into MTG’s dynamic play environment and let Phyrexian Metamorph unlock new potentials in your game. Learn more with us and refine your collection for your next victory.


Cards like Phyrexian Metamorph

Phyrexian Metamorph offers a unique flexibility in the realm of clone effects within Magic: The Gathering. This card is similar to the likes of Clone, as it can enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the field. What sets Phyrexian Metamorph apart is its ability to also copy artifacts, not just creatures, giving it an edge in decks that utilize a variety of important artifacts.

Clever Impersonator is another versatile card that can copy any nonland permanent, not just creatures and artifacts. However, the Metamorph’s lower cost and Phyrexian mana payment option give it an advantageous position in terms of mana flexibility. On the opposite spectrum, Sculpting Steel cannot copy creatures, limiting its utility to artifacts alone, yet it shares the same mana cost as Phyrexian Metamorph.

Assessing the landscape of clone cards, Phyrexian Metamorph stands out with its broader copying capabilities and payment versatility, allowing players to adapt to more diverse game states and gain a strategic edge over opponents who might not anticipate an artifact becoming a formidable threat.

Clone - MTG Card versions
Clever Impersonator - MTG Card versions
Sculpting Steel - MTG Card versions
Clone - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Clever Impersonator - Khans of Tarkir Promos (PKTK)
Sculpting Steel - Mirrodin (MRD)

Cards similar to Phyrexian Metamorph by color, type and mana cost

Blue Mana Battery - MTG Card versions
Machine God's Effigy - MTG Card versions
Cobalt Golem - MTG Card versions
Filigree Sages - MTG Card versions
Mindlock Orb - MTG Card versions
Faerie Mechanist - MTG Card versions
Cumber Stone - MTG Card versions
Master Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dukhara Peafowl - MTG Card versions
Chipper Chopper - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret's Gatebreaker - MTG Card versions
Filigree Attendant - MTG Card versions
Futurist Sentinel - MTG Card versions
Encroaching Mycosynth - MTG Card versions
Transplant Theorist - MTG Card versions
Mindsplice Apparatus - MTG Card versions
Tamiyo's Immobilizer - MTG Card versions
Synthesis Pod - MTG Card versions
Surgical Metamorph - MTG Card versions
Invasion of Vryn // Overloaded Mage-Ring - MTG Card versions
Blue Mana Battery - Renaissance (REN)
Machine God's Effigy - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Cobalt Golem - Mirrodin (MRD)
Filigree Sages - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Mindlock Orb - The List (PLST)
Faerie Mechanist - The List (PLST)
Cumber Stone - Conflux (CON)
Master Transmuter - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Dukhara Peafowl - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Chipper Chopper - Unstable (UST)
Tezzeret's Gatebreaker - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Filigree Attendant - Commander Masters (CMM)
Futurist Sentinel - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Encroaching Mycosynth - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Transplant Theorist - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Mindsplice Apparatus - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Tamiyo's Immobilizer - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Synthesis Pod - Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)
Surgical Metamorph - Alchemy: Phyrexia (YONE)
Invasion of Vryn // Overloaded Mage-Ring - March of the Machine (MOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Metamorph MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Phyrexian Metamorph and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phyrexian Metamorph Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2011-05-12 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by 10 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 400822003normalblackJung Park
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 828282015normalblackThomas M. Baxa
32011-05-12New Phyrexia PromosPNPH 42★2003normalblackJung Park
42011-05-13New PhyrexiaNPH 422003normalblackJana Schirmer & Johannes Voss
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4562003normalblackJana Schirmer & Johannes Voss
62019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11102015normalborderlessYoji Shinkawa
72020-08-07Double Masters2XM 612015normalblackJana Schirmer & Johannes Voss
82020-08-07Double Masters2XM 3412015normalborderlessThomas M. Baxa
92020-09-26The ListPLST NPH-422003normalblackJana Schirmer & Johannes Voss
102022-07-28Historic Anthology 6HA6 22015normalblackJana Schirmer & Johannes Voss
112024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 1162015normalblackJana Schirmer & Johannes Voss

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Metamorph has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-06-01 A card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its mana cost is each color that appears in that mana cost, regardless of how that cost may have been paid.
2011-06-01 Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied permanent will trigger when Phyrexian Metamorph enters the battlefield. Any “as
-his] enters the battlefield” or “
-his] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen permanent will also work.
2011-06-01 As you cast a spell or activate an activated ability with one or more Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, you choose how to pay for each Phyrexian mana symbol at the same time you would choose modes or choose a value for X.
2011-06-01 Except for also being an artifact, Phyrexian Metamorph copies exactly what was printed on the original permanent and nothing more (unless that creature is itself copying something or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any noncopy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
2011-06-01 If Phyrexian Metamorph copies a noncreature artifact, it is no longer a creature.
2011-06-01 If Phyrexian Metamorph somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another permanent (due to Mass Polymorph or Liliana Vess's third ability, for example), Phyrexian Metamorph can't become a copy of that permanent. You may choose only a permanent that's already on the battlefield.
2011-06-01 If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is a Clone), then your Phyrexian Metamorph enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature copied, except it's also an artifact.
2011-06-01 If the chosen permanent has in its mana cost (such as Protean Hydra), X is considered to be zero.
2011-06-01 If the chosen permanent is a token, Phyrexian Metamorph copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield, except it's also an artifact. Phyrexian Metamorph is not a token.
2011-06-01 If you're at 1 life or less, you can't pay 2 life.
2011-06-01 Phyrexian mana is not a new color. Players can't add Phyrexian mana to their mana pools.
2011-06-01 To calculate the mana value of a card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, count each Phyrexian mana symbol as 1.
2011-06-01 You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Phyrexian Metamorph simply enters the battlefield as a 0/0 artifact creature and is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action (unless something else is raising its toughness).

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