Shaper Parasite MTG Card

Planar Chaos (PLC)
2007-02-02 - Number 46

Commander 2014 (C14)
2014-11-07 - Number 125

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 485

Shaper Parasite - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 85

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number C14-125

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Illusion
Abilities	Morph
Power	2
Toughness	3

Key Takeaways

Shaper Parasite’s morph allows unexpected plays and provides flexibility in using mana.
Turning face up at instant speed, it offers strategic advantages during opponent’s turns.
Morphing first can be resource costly, highlighting the card’s strategic deployment timing.

Text of card

Morph (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Shaper Parasite is turned face up, target creature gets +2/-2 or -2/+2 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shaper Parasite can be an excellent addition to your deck when it comes to gaining an edge over your opponent. As it allows you to manipulate the power and toughness of target creatures, you can use this ability to protect your own creature from removal or weaken an opponent’s threat, effectively giving you the upper hand without losing card resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Shaper Parasite itself does not directly provide mana, its morph ability allows for strategic plays without committing large amounts of mana early on. This can indirectly accelerate your resources by giving you flexibility; you can develop your board while keeping mana available for other actions.

Instant Speed: The real power of Shaper Parasite comes from its ability to be turned face up at instant speed. This pivotal trait means you can adapt to the flow of the game, choosing the most opportune moment to surprise your opponent and swing the game in your favor – all during their turn or in response to their actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Shaper Parasite demands that you morph it first which, in terms of card advantage, is akin to a discard. When you are aiming to curve out or develop your board, this morph cost can set you back.

Specific Mana Cost: For effective use, the Shaper Parasite requires double blue mana in its unmorph cost. This can be restrictive, especially in multicolored decks that may struggle with mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial morph cost and an additional requirement of three mana to activate its ability, Shaper Parasite has a relatively high total mana investment. There are other creatures or spells that can disrupt or remove opponents’ creatures for less mana.

Reasons to Include Shaper Parasite in Your Collection

Versatility: Shaper Parasite, with its morph ability, creates opportunities for surprise tactics and can adapt to various situations on the battlefield. Its ability to adjust the power and toughness of creatures adds a layer of strategic depth, making it suitable for numerous blue-centric decks.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with strategies that capitalize on reducing a creature’s toughness to zero for removal or potentially increasing your own creature’s power for a decisive strike. Its interaction with cards that track when creatures’ stats change can form the basis of potent combinations.

Meta-Relevance: Shaper Parasite holds its ground in metas where combat tricks and creature-stats manipulation can turn the tide of the game. It’s especially relevant in environments where control decks flourish, allowing players to achieve a tactical advantage by using a single card for both offensive and defensive maneuvers.

How to beat

Shaper Parasite is a nuanced creature card with the potential to influence the board in Magic: The Gathering. With the capacity to modify a creature’s power and toughness, it poses a unique threat to opponents. When aiming to outwit this card, strategic use of creature buffs and protection spells can be crucial. Consider utilizing instant-speed removals such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile to eliminate key targets before the Shaper Parasite’s morph ability takes effect.

Additionally, maintaining a stronger board presence than what the Shaper Parasite can handle is vital. Packing your deck with robust, high-toughness creatures diminishes the Parasite’s impact, making it harder for your opponent to utilize its ability effectively. It’s also worth noting that the Shaper Parasite’s controller must pay three mana to turn it face up, so pressuring their mana resources can limit their options and keep the Parasite in check.

Effectively mitigating the influence of Shaper Parasite involves timely reactions, resilient creature choices, and resource denial. When you adapt your gameplay to these aspects, your likelihood of reigning over the matchup increases, keeping the Shaper Parasite from shaping the battle in your opponent’s favor.

Cards like Shaper Parasite

Shaper Parasite finds its niche in the realm of combat trick and creature modification cards within Magic: The Gathering. This card is often mentioned in the same breath as creatures like Man-o’-War, for its ability to influence the board by altering a creature’s power and toughness. What makes Shaper Parasite different is its Morph capability, allowing for a sneaky deployment which can unravel an opponent’s strategy mid-combat.

Another card worth considering is Whip Sergeant, which also manipulates creatures but does so by giving them haste. Unlike Shaper Parasite, which potentially weakens or strengthens creatures, Whip Sergeant’s focus is entirely on accelerating your offensive strategy. The subtlety of Shaper Parasite’s power lies in its flexibility to serve as both an offensive and defensive tool, similar to the way a card like Sudden Spoiling can completely alter the state of play, but without the same blanket effect and at the advantage of being able to reuse Shaper Parasite’s ability.

Within this corner of MTG, where creatures’ fates can be twisted with a single spell, Shaper Parasite holds a valuable position. It’s not just about changing numbers on the field; it’s about waiting for the perfect moment to unveil the Parasite’s power, shifting the tide of battle to your favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shaper Parasite MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Commander 2014, 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 Shaper Parasite and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Shaper Parasite Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by rk post.

#	Release	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2007-02-02	Planar Chaos	PLC	46	2003	normal	black	rk post
2	2014-11-07	Commander 2014	C14	125	2015	normal	black	rk post
3	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	485	2015	normal	black	rk post
4	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	C14-125	2015	normal	black	rk post
5	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR	85	2015	normal	black	rk post

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shaper Parasite has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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