Dragonshift MTG Card


Dragonshift - Dragon's Maze
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Overload
Released2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set nameDragon's Maze
Set codeDGM
Number66
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Key Takeaways

  1. Dragonshift excels at creating airborne threats, shifting board dynamics instantly.
  2. Its instant speed offers surprise battlefield adaptation, disrupting opponents.
  3. Despite mana cost challenges, Dragonshift’s strategic advantage is undeniable.

Text of card

Until end of turn, target creature you control becomes a 4/4 blue and red Dragon, loses all abilities, and gains flying. Overload (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each.")


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dragonshift is adept at turning even the most inconspicuous creature into a formidable flying threat, substantially increasing your on-board presence without the need for additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly generate mana or treasure, the sheer power surge it offers can rapidly accelerate the clock against your opponent, effectively bringing you closer to victory with each transformed creature.

Instant Speed: The nature of Dragonshift at instant speed gives you the upper hand, allowing you to adapt to the battlefield dynamically. Play it during combat or in response to an opponent’s action for a game-changing surprise.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Casting Dragonshift requires you to have a creature to target, potentially leaving you with one less defensive option if an opponent has removal in response.

Specific Mana Cost: With a strict mana cost that demands both blue and red mana, Dragonshift can be challenging to cast on curve, especially in multicolored decks that might struggle with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial investment of four mana and an overload cost of seven, Dragonshift is costly for a one-time effect, competing with other impactful cards in the same mana range that could offer more consistent board presence.


Reasons to Include Dragonshift in Your Collection

Versatility: Dragonshift is not your average combat trick. It has the power to turn any number of creatures you control into 4/4 flying Dragons until end of turn. This ability can be game-changing in decks that swarm the battlefield, providing a formidable airborne threat out of nowhere.

Combo Potential: Couple Dragonshift with cards that generate numerous tokens, and you can create a sudden lethal force capable of soaring over defenders. Or use it to surprise an opponent during blocks, turning chump blockers into dragons that can devour attacking creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where board stalls are common or where flying creatures are paramount, Dragonshift offers a unique way to break the stalemate. It’s also a potent answer to strategies that rely on ground superiority by instantly transforming the state of the battlefield.


How to beat

Dragonshift is an iconic card that can dramatically shift the tides of a Magic: The Gathering game by turning any number of creatures into 4/4 flying Dragons until end of turn. Dealing with an opponent’s unexpected Dragon army requires strategic planning. One effective method is to hold onto instant speed removal spells until your opponent commits to transforming their creatures. A well-timed ‘Settle the Wreckage’ can turn their ambitious play into a costly mistake, as it can clear multiple creatures at once. Additionally, countering Dragonshift itself with spells like ‘Negate’ or ‘Dovin’s Veto’ can nullify the threat before it materializes.

Another tactic involves limiting the potential targets for Dragonshift by keeping the board clear with sweepers like ‘Supreme Verdict’ or ‘Wrath of God’ before your opponent has the chance to mass-transform their creatures into formidable Dragons. Setting a trap with ‘Aetherspouts’ can also be a sly move, sending the new Dragons back to the owner’s library and stalling their assault. Employ these strategies effectively, and you’ll dampen the impact of a surprise Dragonshift, maintaining control over the game’s outcome.


Cards like Dragonshift

Dragonshift is an intriguing option for players looking to elevate their creature’s impact on the battlefield in MTG. It’s often compared to cards like Mass Polymorph, which transforms any number of creatures into something more colossal. However, Dragonshift’s advantage lies in its instant speed, allowing for sudden defensive or offensive shifts mid-combat. While Mass Polymorph permanently alters the battlefield presence with a variety of creatures from your library, Dragonshift specifically turns your creatures into 4/4 flying dragons just for the turn.

Looking at another card, Polymorphous Rush shares the concept of temporarily changing creature identities. It’s as adaptable as Dragonshift, giving you the freedom to choose the creature type, but it doesn’t guarantee the power level that Dragonshift does with its dragon tokens. Lastly, there’s Wings of Velis Vel, which is significantly less mana intensive and grants flying and boosts to a wide range of creatures, yet it doesn’t provide the drastic power upgrade that 4/4 dragons promise via Dragonshift.

In essence, Dragonshift provides a unique mix of flexibility and power, capable of turning the tides in a game by transforming any number of creatures into formidable fliers, a tactical edge that holds its own in the diverse world of MTG creature enhancement spells.

Mass Polymorph - MTG Card versions
Polymorphous Rush - MTG Card versions
Wings of Velis Vel - MTG Card versions
Mass Polymorph - Magic 2011 (M11)
Polymorphous Rush - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Wings of Velis Vel - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Dragonshift by color, type and mana cost

Prismari Command - MTG Card versions
Electrolyze - MTG Card versions
Schismotivate - MTG Card versions
Cerebral Vortex - MTG Card versions
Unnerving Assault - MTG Card versions
Double Negative - MTG Card versions
Counterflux - MTG Card versions
Winterflame - MTG Card versions
Geistblast - MTG Card versions
Ionize - MTG Card versions
Sonic Assault - MTG Card versions
Flame of Anor - MTG Card versions
Frolicking Familiar // Blow Off Steam - MTG Card versions
Electrosiphon - MTG Card versions
Prismari Command - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Electrolyze - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Schismotivate - Guildpact (GPT)
Cerebral Vortex - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Unnerving Assault - Eventide (EVE)
Double Negative - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Counterflux - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Winterflame - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Geistblast - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Ionize - Guilds of Ravnica Promos (PGRN)
Sonic Assault - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Flame of Anor - The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR)
Frolicking Familiar // Blow Off Steam - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Electrosiphon - Fallout (PIP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dragonshift MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Dragonshift and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dragonshift has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-04-15 Because a spell with overload doesn’t target when its overload cost is paid, it may affect permanents with hexproof or with protection from the appropriate color.
2013-04-15 Casting a spell with overload doesn’t change that spell’s mana cost. You just pay the overload cost instead.
2013-04-15 Dragonshift overwrites all previous effects that set a creature’s power or toughness to specific values. However, effects that set a creature’s power or toughness to specific values that start to apply after Dragonshift resolves will overwrite this effect.
2013-04-15 Each affected creature will lose all other colors and creature types and be only red, blue, and a Dragon. Each will retain any other types it may have had, such as artifact.
2013-04-15 Each affected creature will lose any abilities it may have gained prior to Dragonshift resolving. Notably, this includes the ability to cast the copies of a card with cipher that’s encoded on the creature, although that ability will return after the turn ends.
2013-04-15 Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay that much more or less while casting it for its overload cost, too.
2013-04-15 Effects that modify the power or toughness of an affected creature, such as the effects of Phytoburst or Legion’s Initiative, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature’s power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness.
2013-04-15 If any of the affected creatures gains an ability after Dragonshift resolves, it will keep that ability.
2013-04-15 If you are instructed to cast a spell with overload “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to pay its overload cost instead.
2013-04-15 If you cast Dragonshift using overload, only creatures you control when it resolves will be affected. Creatures that come under your control later in the turn will not.
2013-04-15 If you don’t pay the overload cost of a spell, that spell will have a single target. If you pay the overload cost, the spell won’t have any targets.
2013-04-15 Note that if the spell with overload is dealing damage, protection from that spell’s color will still prevent that damage.
2013-04-15 Overload doesn’t change when you can cast the spell.

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