Fauna Shaman MTG Card
2010-07-16 - Number 172
2018-12-07 - Number 164
2019-11-21 - Number 14
2022-11-18 - Number 179
2022-11-18 - Number 346
2002-06-24 - Number 105754
2022-11-18 - Number 24
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Elf Shaman |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
, , Discard a creature card: Search your library for a creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
She wears the talismans of every creature she can evoke.
Cards like Fauna Shaman
Fauna Shaman has carved out a unique niche within the roster of creature cards in MTG. Notably, it echoes the abilities of the famed Survival of the Fittest, a powerful card that allows for the searching of creatures in your library at the cost of discarding a creature card. While Survival of the Fittest is an enchantment that can be used multiple times in a turn, Fauna Shaman is a creature, limiting its activation to once per turn unless you untap it some other way.
On the other side of the spectrum lies Birthing Pod, which shares the creature-tutoring aspect but through a different avenue, requiring a sacrifice and mana payment to find a creature of a higher converted mana cost. Birthing Pod is more restrictive in terms of the creature chain it can assemble, whereas Fauna Shaman provides more freedom to choose the creature you need most at any given time.
In a game that values adaptability, Fauna Shaman’s ability to shape-hand tactics holds strong. It offers players greater command over their decks, threading a line between the unrestricted search of Survival of the Fittest and the evolutionary steps dictated by Birthing Pod.
Cards similar to Fauna Shaman by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Fauna Shaman. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Abzan Amalia Combo | Pioneer | Abzan Amalia Combo | Pioneer League 2024-05-04 |
 | Bant Vannifar | Pioneer | Bant Vannifar | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-07 |
 | Selesnya Heliod Combo | Modern | Selesnya Heliod Combo | Modern Challenge 64 2024-05-06 |
| Golgari Toolbox | Pioneer | Golgari Toolbox | Pioneer Challenge 32 2024-05-05 |
| 4c Amalia Combo | Pioneer | 4c Amalia Combo | Pioneer Super Qualifier 2024-05-04 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Fauna Shaman lets you trade a creature card in your hand for any other creature card in your deck. This keeps your hand stocked with relevant creatures to match the evolving state of the game.
Resource Acceleration: By effectively tutoring for the perfect creature, it accelerates your resource allocation, letting you access the creatures you need without waiting to naturally draw them. Though not directly accelerating mana, it ensures optimal use of your resources.
Instant Speed: While Fauna Shaman’s ability isn’t at instant speed, it allows a degree of flexibility similar to instants. You can choose to use it during your turn or wait until just before your next turn begins, keeping your opponents guessing about your next move.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Fauna Shaman necessitates trading away one of your cards in hand, which can deplete your resources faster and prove disadvantageous when options are needed most.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation hinges on green mana, thereby tethering it mostly to green-centered or multicolored decks and potentially hampering its versatility in others.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an activation cost that requires both mana and a discard, players may find alternate creature tutors provide more cost-effective means to acquire the creatures they need on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include Fauna Shaman in Your Collection
Versatility: Fauna Shaman serves as a powerful utility creature that has a place in numerous decks requiring creature consistency. By discarding a creature card, you can search your library for another creature, ensuring you have the right tool for any situation.
Combo Potential: This card is a linchpin for combo decks, allowing players to fetch crucial combo pieces with ease. Its ability is a repeatable tutor effect that puts players a step ahead by honing their strategy as the game progresses.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies prevail, Fauna Shaman’s tutoring ability remains highly pertinent. It enables adaptation to the ebb and flow of the game, giving its controller a significant advantage in responding to the changing battlefield.
How to beat
Fauna Shaman’s role in Magic: The Gathering centers around tutoring creatures directly into the player’s hand, thus modifying the battlefield dynamics turn after turn. Functioning similarly to a creature-based Demonic Tutor, the Fauna Shaman demands immediate answers or it has the potential to significantly impact the game with a steady stream of creatures tailored to counter an opponent’s strategy.
To effectively neutralize this threat, players could utilize instant speed removal to disrupt the Fauna Shaman’s activation, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push. Another option is to apply graveyard hate that blocks the Shaman’s ability to recycle creatures, cards like Grafdigger’s Cage or Relic of Progenitus fit this scenario. Strategic use of counter spells when your opponent attempts to summon Fauna Shaman or leveraging board wipes before the Shaman generates significant card advantage are also viable tactics to maintain control of the game.
Overall, successful strategies against Fauna Shaman involve anticipation and timely disruption. Keeping answers in hand and reacting before the Shaman’s ability starts shaping the game ensures that your opponent doesn’t gain the upper hand with their creature-based strategies.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Fauna Shaman MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic 2011, 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 Fauna Shaman 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 Fauna Shaman Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 105754 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Elias | ||
| 2 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 172 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Steve Prescott | |
| 3 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 164 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Steve Prescott | |
| 4 | 2019-11-21 | Historic Anthology 1 | HA1 | 14 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Steve Prescott | |
| 5 | The Brothers' War Art Series | ABRO | 24 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Nicholas Elias | ||
| 6 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War | BRO | 179 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Elias | |
| 7 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War | BRO | 346 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Elias |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Fauna Shaman has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |