Shrewd Negotiation MTG Card
2016-09-30 - Number 64
2020-11-12 - Number 66
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
Key Takeaways
- Enables advantageous trades, swinging power on the board through shrewdly chosen artifact exchanges.
- Although not instant speed, the card requires strategic planning for maximum effect during your turn.
- Cost and sacrifice are considerable, assessing its value is key given the discard requirement and mana cost.
Text of card
Exchange control of target artifact you control and target artifact or creature you don't control.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shrewd Negotiation enables a trade of permanents that can shift the balance of power on the board. By giving away a less valuable permanent for something more crucial from your opponent, you effectively gain card advantage. It’s all about the quality of the exchange – the chance to upgrade one of your assets without losing card quantity.
Resource Acceleration: While Shrewd Negotiation doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it functions as a form of indirect resource acceleration by allowing you to acquire a more impactful permanent. This can often lead to gaining control of a permanent that has resource-generating abilities, thus accelerating your position in the game.
Instant Speed: Shrewd Negotiation operates at sorcery speed, meaning it requires strategic planning. Although it isn’t an instant, the ability to exchange control of permanents during your turn allows for carefully timed plays that can disrupt your opponent’s strategy or improve your board state significantly with forethought and precise execution.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shrewd Negotiation’s effect necessitates that players sacrifice an artifact they control—not just discard it, but actually lose it from the battlefield. This could be a costly exchange, especially if your artifacts carry significant value or are integral to your game strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: With its requirement for both blue mana and generic mana, Shrewd Negotiation’s casting cost may not always align smoothly with decks that aren’t heavily invested in blue or that run a tight color-based mana curve.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While exchanging control of two target artifacts might initially seem like a beneficial trade, the reality is that for five mana, you could be casting spells that directly influence the board state or advance your position more significantly than a mere swap, making Shrewd Negotiation a potential suboptimal play in certain situations.
Reasons to Include Shrewd Negotiation in Your Collection
Versatility: Shrewd Negotiation offers a flexible option for decks that focus on artifact strategies. With the ability to exchange control of an artifact you own for one an opponent controls, it allows you to adapt to various game situations and secure key pieces on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: This card shines in scenarios where you can turn low-value artifacts into game-winning advantages. It pairs well with decks that produce numerous inexpensive artifacts, allowing for a trade up to more impactful ones in your opponent’s possession.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where powerful artifacts are prevalent, Shrewd Negotiation can be a game-changer. It’s particularly potent against opponents using high-impact artifacts, providing a way to tip the scales in your favor without having to resort to direct removal.
How to beat
Shrewd Negotiation presents a unique strategic challenge in MTG, allowing players to exchange control of an artifact they own for one that an opponent controls. Devising a strategy to counteract such a potentially game-altering exchange is crucial. Having low-value artifacts on the field to offer up as bargaining chips can mitigate the impact. Cards like Servo Token or Clue Token come in handy as they are often of lesser importance and can be sacrificed without giving away a significant advantage.
Implementing instant-speed removal or artifact destruction can also disrupt the Shrewd Negotiation exchange. Timing these actions to occur in response to the spell ensures that you retain your valuable assets. Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant provide an efficient means of removing key artifacts from the equation, making Shrewd Negotiation less beneficial or even disadvantageous for your opponent.
Ultimately, staying mindful of the board state and maintaining control over your artifact assets will help you navigate the challenges posed by Shrewd Negotiation in MTG. A well-timed removal or the presence of expendable artifacts can prevent your opponent from gaining the upper hand through cunning exchanges.
Cards like Shrewd Negotiation
Shrewd Negotiation is a clever twist on the theme of permanents exchange in Magic: The Gathering, offering players a strategic way to trade their way to victory. This spell resembles other exchange cards like Confusion in the Ranks, allowing for the swapping of control over permanents. However, Shrewd Negotiation has a more targeted approach, only requiring an artifact you possess as the exchange currency. Confusion in the Ranks, conversely, triggers whenever any non-token permanent enters the battlefield under an opponent’s control, resulting in potential chaos.
Exchange of Fortune is another card with similar trading mechanics, but instead of trading permanents, it gives the option to trade hands with an opponent. Shrewd Negotiation demands a more pinpoint strategy, asking players to evaluate the field and choose the optimal artifact to swap. Daring Thief is another comparable card that uses the inspired mechanic to swap control of nonland permanents, though it is less controlled than Shrewd Negotiation as it relies on the creature becoming untapped.
When considering the nuances of each exchange card, Shrewd Negotiation stands out for those looking to leverage their artifacts to gain tactical advantages over specific threats or key components of an opponent’s game plan in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Shrewd Negotiation by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shrewd Negotiation MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Kaladesh 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 Shrewd Negotiation and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Shrewd Negotiation Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh | KLD | 64 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak | |
| 2 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 66 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shrewd Negotiation has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shrewd Negotiation card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-09-20 | Gaining control of an Equipment doesn't cause it to move, though it will allow you to activate its equip ability later to attach it to a creature you control. |
| 2016-09-20 | If one of the target permanents is an illegal target as Shrewd Negotiation resolves, the exchange won't happen. |
| 2016-09-20 | In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well, and any effects that give the player control of permanents immediately end. |
