Shardless Agent MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Human Rogue
Abilities Cascade
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers instant card advantage via cascade, playing extra card at no additional cost.
  2. Assures mana efficiency and synergy with decks utilizing the cascade mechanic.
  3. Requires strategic deck construction due to specific multicoloured mana costs.

Text of card

Cascade (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shardless Agent is known for creating instant card advantage by allowing you to cascade into another card without spending additional mana. By effectively playing two cards for the price of one, you maintain or advance your position on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Shardless Agent ensures efficient use of mana. It guarantees a spell will be cast through cascade even if your hand is low on action, indirectly speeding up your game plan.

Instant Speed: Though Shardless Agent itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the cascade mechanic can hit spells that do. This unpredictability can be leveraged to disrupt opponents’ strategies at crucial moments, almost as if the agent itself had flash.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike many other value-driven cards in the game, Shardless Agent does not require you to discard, making this point not applicable for its evaluation. This means the card’s impact must be assessed on other aspects, including the synergy between the cascading card and your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Shardless Agent has a multicolored mana cost, specifically one green, one blue, and one other. This makes it less flexible for deck inclusion as it requires a dedicated mana base focused on at least two colors, potentially limiting the card’s universality across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Shardless Agent might appear cost-effective. However, in faster-paced gameplay or highly competitive environments, the mana invested versus the value of the card obtained through cascade could be unfavorable. In scenarios where the deck prioritizes lower-cost spells, or when facing a game where speed is paramount, there may be more mana-efficient cards to use.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Shardless Agent fits effortlessly into a wide range of deck types. It shines in those seeking to harness the power of cascade to cheat out an extra card with no additional cost.

Combo Potential: This card exudes synergy possibilities. In decks that revolve around cascade chains or value engines, Shardless Agent can unexpectedly pivot the game in your favor by digging up precisely the spell you need.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment that values efficiency and surprise, Shardless Agent holds its ground. Its ability to potentially turn the tide makes it a solid inclusion in any collection eyeing adaptability as the meta shifts.


How to beat

Shardless Agent carves its niche in MTG as a fan-favorite for its ability to cascade into other spells, providing value and unexpected plays. This allure hinges not just on the card’s own merit but also on the strategy and anticipation it injects into a match. To navigate against a deck featuring Shardless Agent, successful tactics involve disruption and timing. Since the Agent’s value is primarily in its cascade trigger, instant speed removal or counterspells are particularly effective when used in response to the cascade ability, thus ensuring you remove the Agent before it can bring in additional resources.

One significant method is to limit the quality of spells that can be cascaded into, which you can achieve through hand disruption or by applying pressure to force early plays. Cards like Thoughtseize can strip a potentially impactful cascade target before the Agent hits the field. Additionally, since Shardless Agent can only cast a spell with a lower mana cost for free, keeping a mana efficient board can mitigate the damage done by whatever spell is brought into play. It’s a play of foresight and precision to successfully maneuver against the value presented by Shardless Agent.

Being prepared with the proper sideboard cards geared towards non-creature spells is also a measured response. As you sideboard in these tailored responses, your deck adapts to handle the unpredictable nature of a cascade-triggered spell sequence. With these strategies in mind, you’re better equipped to take on Shardless Agent and retain control over the game’s flow.


Cards like Shardless Agent

Shardless Agent is an intriguing card in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to cascade into powerful spells. The card’s allure is akin to that of Bloodbraid Elf, another creature with the cascade mechanic. However, Shardless Agent enjoys broader deck integration due to its lower casting cost and less stringent color requirements. Unlike Bloodbraid Elf, it doesn’t impose aggressive attributes, offering a passive but potent alternative.

Comparatively, Etherium-Horn Sorcerer shares the cascading trait but demands a higher mana expenditure and offers a different flavor with its flexibility to return to its owner’s hand. Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder takes cascading to an elevated level, potentially chaining numerous spells in a single turn. Yet the initial investment is greater, and the setup more intricate. Shardless Agent optimizes cascade within a lower mana curve, focusing on consistency and accessibility.

Within MTG strategy, Shardless Agent earns its place by balancing cost and potential impact, allowing players to craft a flurry of spells smoothly. Its inclusion in decks speaks to its efficiency in synchronizing combo plays without the high-risk, high-reward tension of its counterparts.

Bloodbraid Elf - MTG Card versions
Etherium-Horn Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder - MTG Card versions
Bloodbraid Elf - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Etherium-Horn Sorcerer - Planechase 2012 (PC2)
Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder - Commander 2016 (C16)

Cards similar to Shardless Agent by color, type and mana cost

Evolution Vat - MTG Card versions
Simic Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Simic Cluestone - MTG Card versions
Simic Locket - MTG Card versions
Agent's Toolkit - MTG Card versions
Evolution Vat - Dissension (DIS)
Simic Keyrune - Commander 2015 (C15)
Simic Cluestone - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Simic Locket - The List (PLST)
Agent's Toolkit - New Capenna Commander Promos (PNCC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shardless Agent 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 Shardless Agent and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Shardless Agent Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2012-06-01 and 2021-06-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 556972015normalblackIzzy
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 913492015normalblackMila Pesic
32012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 1042003normalblackIzzy
42015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 1172015normalblackIzzy
52016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 2062015normalblackIzzy
62016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1042015normalblackIzzy
72019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 14842015normalblackIzzy
82020-09-26The ListPLST PCA-1042015normalblackIzzy
92021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 2922015normalblackIzzy
102021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4231997normalblackIzzy
112021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 3212015normalborderlessMila Pesic

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shardless Agent has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-06-18 A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions.
2021-06-18 Cascade triggers when you cast the spell, meaning that it resolves before that spell. If you end up casting the exiled card, it will go on the stack above the spell with cascade.
2021-06-18 Due to a recent rules change to cascade, not only do you stop exiling cards if you exile a nonland card with lesser mana value than the spell with cascade, but the resulting spell you cast must also have lesser mana value. Previously, in cases where a card's mana value differed from the resulting spell, such as with some modal double-faced cards or cards with an Adventure, you could cast a spell with a higher mana value than the exiled card.
2021-06-18 If a spell with cascade is countered, the cascade ability will still resolve normally.
2021-06-18 If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
2021-06-18 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card.
2021-06-18 The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If cascade allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half but not both halves.
2021-06-18 When the cascade ability resolves, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether or not you cast the last card exiled.
2021-06-18 You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them.

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