Unsettled Mariner MTG Card


Unsettled Mariner - Modern Horizons
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Shapeshifter
Abilities Changeling
Released2019-06-14
Set symbol
Set nameModern Horizons
Set codeMH1
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number216
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJohn Stanko

Key Takeaways

  1. Unsettled Mariner indirectly gives card advantage by protecting your board, forcing opponents to recalculate.
  2. Its instant-speed ability ensures robust defense, efficiently disrupting opponents’ targeting strategies.
  3. Mana saving via deterrence can accelerate your resource allocation, maximizing play impact.

Text of card

Changeling (This card is every creature type.) Whenever you or a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays .

The call of the sea shapes many souls.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Unsettled Mariner benefits your gameplay by making it more difficult for your opponents to target your creatures and spells. This protective measure means you’re more likely to maintain a strong board presence, effectively granting you an indirect form of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your resources, Unsettled Mariner can save you mana in the long run. By deterring opponents from targeting your permanents, you waste less mana on casting spells to protect your important cards, accelerating your resource allocation for more impactful plays.

Instant Speed: Although Unsettled Mariner is not an instant itself, its ability functions at instant speed. This allows you to react to your opponents’ targeting spells and abilities on the fly, ensuring that your defensive strategy is as immediate and disruptive as necessary.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some cards that bolster your hand, Unsettled Mariner doesn’t offer any draw or discard utility, potentially leaving it a passive addition when card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both white and blue mana, Unsettled Mariner demands a certain deck structure that can be a drawback for mono-colored or multicolor decks not aligned with its Azorius color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature that provides a protective aura, its combined mana cost of two may be steep, especially when you could deploy more aggressive creatures or control spells at the same cost.


Reasons to Include Unsettled Mariner in Your Collection

Versatility: Unsettled Mariner shines in its flexibility, easily nestling into creature-based strategies or decks that revolve around tribal synergies. Its Shapeshifter lineage means it can assume any creature type, making it a valuable asset in tribal-themed decks across various formats.

Combo Potential: This card serves as both a protector and enabler within combo decks. Its ability to ward off targeted spells or abilities by taxing your opponents’ resources can safeguard key combo pieces from disruption. Its presence reinforces strategies by providing an extra layer of security during pivotal turns.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where interaction is pivotal and removal spells are abundant, Unsettled Mariner asserts itself as a pertinent choice. By deterring targeted actions, it helps maintain board presence and adds a taxing dilemma to opponents’ strategies, which adapts well against various popular decks in the current meta.


How to beat Unsettled Mariner

Unsettled Mariner presents a unique challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering. As a shapeshifter with changeling abilities, it carries every creature type and adds a layer of protection that can disrupt your opponent’s tactics. This creature forces the opponent to pay an extra mana whenever it or another creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls. Overcoming this can be pivotal in gaining the upper hand in a match.

One strategy to bypass Unsettled Mariner’s defensive trait is employing spells that affect multiple creatures or the entire board without targeting specifically, such as board wipes or global debuffs. Cards like Wrath of God or Pyroclasm can clear the battlefield without incurring additional costs. Another approach is to take advantage of spells that remove abilities, like Shadowspear, which can nullify Mariner’s effect for a crucial turn. Careful planning of your mana to account for the extra cost when targeting is also essential when facing this card. Thus, to beat Unsettled Mariner, a blend of non-targeted removal, strategic mana planning, and ability-negating tools should be included in your game plan.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re keen to fortify your MTG deck’s defensive capabilities, Unsettled Mariner is a key player not to overlook. Adaptability is a trait that resonates in every aspect of the game, and this card exemplifies it beautifully—an ally for any creature type and a guardian against targeted threats. Understanding the depth of its protective nature and the nuance in playing it effectively is pivotal. Curious to learn how Unsettled Mariner can safeguard your most prized board positions and outwit your opponents? We encourage you to discover the strategic advantages and comprehensive analysis that will take your gameplay to the next level.


Cards like Unsettled Mariner

Unsettled Mariner shines in the realm of creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarity to cards like Mother of Runes, which grants protection to another target creature. Nevertheless, Unsettled Mariner provides a broader defensive mechanism, requiring opponents to pay an additional cost for targeting any permanent you control, not just creatures. This distinction enhances the resilience of your entire board, not just individual creatures.

Another comparable card is Judge’s Familiar, a creature that can be sacrificed to counter target instant or sorcery spell unless its controller pays one extra mana. While Judge’s Familiar offers a one-time use shield against particular spells, Unsettled Mariner extends this protective clause against all types of spells and abilities, thereby offering a persistent hurdle for opponents.

Exploring further, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben comes to mind, imposing a tax on noncreature spells. Although Thalia specifically targets the spell-slinging aspect of your opponent’s game, Unsettled Mariner’s influence on abilities and targeting spells alike makes it a versatile inclusion in any deck that focuses on safeguarding its permanents across the board.

By evaluating the protectiveness and nuisance factor, Unsettled Mariner certainly holds a valuable position among creatures that affect the game by taxing opponent’s actions and strengthening your defensive line in Magic: The Gathering.

Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Judge's Familiar - MTG Card versions
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Judge's Familiar - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben - Dark Ascension (DKA)

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Skycat Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Crystalline Sliver - Commander Masters (CMM)
Galina's Knight - Invasion (INV)
Meddling Mage - The List (PLST)
Niambi, Esteemed Speaker - Core Set 2021 (M21)
Azorius Guildmage - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Kwain, Itinerant Meddler - Commander Legends (CMR)
Harbin, Vanguard Aviator - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Lavinia, Azorius Renegade - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Pride of the Clouds - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Sygg, River Guide - Lorwyn (LRW)
Mistmeadow Witch - Kaldheim Commander (KHC)
Deft Duelist - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer - Shards of Alara (ALA)
New Prahv Guildmage - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Deputy of Acquittals - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Battlewise Hoplite - Explorer Anthology 1 (EA1)
Dauntless River Marshal - Magic 2015 (M15)
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)
Senate Guildmage - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
Skycat Sovereign - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Promos (PIKO)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Unsettled Mariner MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons, 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 Unsettled Mariner and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Unsettled Mariner has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-06-14 If a spell or ability an opponent controls targets only you or only one permanent you control, but it targets you or that permanent multiple times, Unsettled Mariner’s ability triggers only once.
2019-06-14 If you and a permanent you control each become the targets of the same spell or ability an opponent controls, Unsettled Mariner’s ability will trigger twice. The same is true if two permanents you control each become the targets of the same spell or ability an opponent controls.

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