Dracoplasm MTG Card
1997-10-14 - Number 266
2015-05-06 - Number 208
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Shapeshifter |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 0 |
Text of card
Flying When you play Dracoplasm, sacrifice any number of creatures. Dracoplasm comes into play with power equal to the total power of the sacrificed creatures and toughness equal to the total toughness of those creatures. o R: Dracoplasm gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Cards like Dracoplasm
In Magic: The Gathering, Dracoplasm holds a unique position among creature cards, thanks to its shapeshifting agility. It’s akin to cards like Arcane Adaptation which alters creature types, but Dracoplasm stands out by directly embodying the power and toughness of the creatures it envelops. A precise analogue is Volrath’s Shapeshifter, adjusting its stats based on the top card of your graveyard – yet Dracoplasm allows for a permanent fusion upon entry, not fluctuating with graveyard changes.
Another comparison can be made with Body Double, a clone creature that copies not just stats but abilities from the graveyard dwellers. However, Body Double doesn’t possess the scalability of Dracoplasm, which can become overwhelmingly powerful with the right creatures to sacrifice. Quasiduplicate should also be mentioned, offering the ability to replicate your creatures on the battlefield, but lacks the immediate board presence and imposing stat block potential of Dracoplasm.
While assessing these creatures, Dracoplasm is quite niche, with its unique blend of stat adjustment and tactical sacrifice, positioning itself as a strong contender in decks that benefit from its polymorphic nature. Its capacity to become a major threat at a moment’s notice is what sets it apart in the wide array of transformative MTG cards.
Cards similar to Dracoplasm by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dracoplasm presents a dynamic card advantage by potentially transforming multiple creatures into a single, larger threat. This consolidation can be an advantageous maneuver, especially when turning tokens or expendable creatures into a more formidable presence on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While Dracoplasm itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense of ramping mana, its ability to combine the power and toughness of other creatures can indirectly translate to an acceleration of combat potency. Efficiently upgrading creature assets can be likened to a resourceful leap forward in the red zone.
Instant Speed: The capacity to sacrifice creatures at instant speed with Dracoplasm provides a tactical edge, offering flexibility in response to removal or during combat. This swift reactivity enables strategic plays that can significantly alter the course of a game, as Dracoplasm swoops in to consume and emerge more powerful, unbound by the constraints of sorcery speed.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: For players looking to wield the power of Dracoplasm, one notable drawback lies in its discard condition. To summon it, you must sacrifice another creature, a steep price that can deplete your board presence and resources, particularly in tight scenarios where every creature counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Strategic flexibility can be hampered by Dracoplasm‘s stringent mana requirements. The alignment of your mana pool can tilt the scales, as producing both blue and red mana is compulsory, potentially complicating its inclusion in multicolor decks that span beyond these hues.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing triangle-red-blue mana plus additional creatures can set back your tempo compared to other options in the same mana range. High-octane moments in the game often call for swift and economical plays, and Dracoplasm can be a slow burner, struggling to match the immediate impact of lower-cost creatures or spells that cater to a rapid battlefield evolution.
Reasons to Include Dracoplasm in Your Collection
Versatility: Dracoplasm exhibits great adaptability on the battlefield, capable of fitting seamlessly into various deck themes. Serving as a chimera, it can adopt the form of the most advantageous creature you currently own, potentially transforming into a powerful entity with the ability to turn the tide in a game.
Combo Potential: This card thrives when combined with strategies that amass numerous creatures on the field. Sacrificing these creatures to spawn Dracoplasm not only produces a formidable creature but also opens up avenues for leveraging graveyard-based synergies or enacting sacrifice triggers for other strategic plays.
Meta-Relevance: In dynamic MTG metas, where board states are constantly evolving, Dracoplasm can be a game-changer. With its shape-shifting ability, it adapts to the most pressing threats or fortifies your position against them, ensuring its relevance regardless of the prevailing deck trends.
How to beat
Dracoplasm is a unique card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering due to its shapeshifting ability and the potential power it can bring to the battlefield. To effectively counter this creature card, players should focus on keeping instant-speed removal in hand. Spells like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization can disrupt an opponent’s strategy by erasing Dracoplasm before its power and toughness become too great. It’s also recommended to manage the board and keep the number of creatures your opponent controls to a minimum, limiting the potential sacrifice options for powering up Dracoplasm.
Control decks that limit creature abilities can also be strong against Dracoplasm. Utilizing countermagic such as Counterspell or Negate can prevent Dracoplasm from entering the battlefield in the first place. Furthermore, since Dracoplasm’s power is defined by the creatures sacrificed to summon it, creature theft spells or effects that exile creatures from the graveyard can be potent tools. Finally, because Dracoplasm becomes the only creature on its controller’s side post-transformation, board wipes can be efficiently utilized to remove it without facing multiple threats at once.
In summary, through strategic removal, counterplay, creature control, and the wise use of board wipes, you can dampen the threat posed by Dracoplasm, seamlessly maintaining the upper hand in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dracoplasm MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Tempest Remastered, 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 Dracoplasm and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Dracoplasm Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by Andrew Robinson.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 266 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Andrew Robinson | |
| 2 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 208 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Andrew Robinson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dracoplasm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |