Xenograft MTG Card


Xenograft - New Phyrexia
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2011-05-13
Set symbol
Set nameNew Phyrexia
Set codeNPH
Number51
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDaniel Ljunggren

Key Takeaways

  1. Xenograft’s tribal synergy enhances creature-based strategies for dominant board presence and value generation.
  2. Demands for exact deck composition and higher mana cost necessitate calculated inclusion in any deck.
  3. Inspires versatile and dynamic play, influencing combo potential and ongoing deck adaptability in a match.

Text of card

As Xenograft enters the battlefield, choose a creature type. Each creature you control is the chosen type in addition to its other types.

"I despise Vorinclex and his slobberings about 'evolution.' Only I know true progress." —Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Xenograft enables turning all your creatures into a chosen creature type, which pairs exceptionally well with tribal strategies that rely on creature-type synergies to draw cards or trigger abilities. This can lead to gaining a substantial advantage on the board as your creatures work cohesively to generate additional value.

Resource Acceleration: By transforming all creatures you control into a singular type, Xenograft can drastically increase the efficiency of cards that reduce casting costs or enhance the play of creatures of a specific tribe, such as those found in Elves or Goblins decks, thereby accelerating your resource availability along with your strategic execution.

Instant Speed: Though Xenograft itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its enduring effect on the battlefield allows you to seamlessly integrate other instant-speed tribal spells into your game plan. It adds another layer of depth, as you’re able to adapt to changing circumstances by capitalizing on the newfound versatility of your creatures, without missing a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Xenograft doesn’t require a card to be discarded, it does demand precise deck construction to be effective. Decks without a creature type focus may find this card less beneficial.

Specific Mana Cost: Its demand for one blue and four other mana can be challenging to manage, especially in multicolored decks with a tight mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Xenograft requires a significant investment before it can influence the game. There are other cards at lower costs that can offer immediate impact or utility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Xenograft is incredibly flexible as it can turn any creature on the board into the creature type of your choice. This can be immensely beneficial in tribal decks or strategies that require specific creature type interactions.

Combo Potential: This card opens up a myriad of combo possibilities, especially in synergy with cards that have effects based on creature types, such as “Lord” cards that boost creatures of a certain type, or with effects that trigger upon a certain creature type entering the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-evolving landscape of the game, Xenograft holds its utility by allowing you to adapt your deck’s creature types to best counter or exploit prevalent meta decks.


How to beat Xenograft

Xenograft, found in the world of Magic: The Gathering, presents a unique challenge with its ability to designate a creature type of your choice to all creatures you control. It sounds daunting, but like any card in the game, it can be outmaneuvered. Adapt your strategy by increasing the number of removal spells in your deck. A well-timed removal can disrupt your opponent’s synergy, especially if they rely heavily on the tribal benefits that Xenograft provides.

Diversify your deck with versatile answers like artifact destruction or enchantment removal. Consider implementing cards such as Disenchant or Naturalize, which can directly target and eliminate Xenograft, or broader options like Return to Nature or Reclamation Sage that deal with multiple card types.

Anti-tribal cards can also be a thorn in the side of a Xenograft user. For instance, cards like Engineered Plague which punishes players for controlling creatures of a certain type, or Tsabo’s Decree, capable of clearing out creatures of the chosen type, weaken the structure of a Xenograft-centric deck.

Focusing on these strategies will enhance your game against Xenograft, turning a potentially tricky situation into a manageable one with the right preparations and responses. Equipping your deck with the right tools ensures your place in the Magic: The Gathering matches, even when up against the dynamic power of Xenograft.


BurnMana Recommendations

The art of building a winning deck in MTG revolves around understanding the synergy between cards. Xenograft, while unique in its capability to unify creature types, requires thoughtful integration into your strategy. It excels in tribal decks, magnifying the effects of creature-type interactions. In considering its inclusion, ensure your mana base can support its cost, and explore combos that could be enabled. While facing this card or using it, have a plan, perhaps removing artifacts and enchantments before they disrupt your tempo. Interested in deepening your gameplay and discovering new strategies? Dive deeper with us to optimize your deck synergies and conquer your next MTG battle.


Cards like Xenograft

Xenograft holds a unique position in the pantheon of creature type altering spells in Magic: The Gathering. When considering cards with similar effects, you might look towards Conspiracy. Conspiracy essentially serves the same purpose as Xenograft, choosing a creature type and making all your creatures that type, but it does so as an enchantment that applies immediately, without needing a range of mana colors.

Unnatural Selection is another card that treads similar ground. It allows a player to change the creature type of individual creatures at will with a single mana payment. This adaptability can be beneficial, although it doesn’t blanket affect all your creatures like Xenograft. There’s also Arcane Adaptation, which, like Xenograft, allows you to designate a creature type that affects all creatures you control and any creature that enters the battlefield under your control for as long as it remains on the field.

Despite the similarities, Xenograft distinguishes itself with its ability to instantaneously alter the board’s dynamics and continuously affect creatures as they come into play. Its role in decks that capitalize on creature type synergies cannot be understated, marking its impact in MTG strategic play.

Conspiracy - MTG Card versions
Unnatural Selection - MTG Card versions
Arcane Adaptation - MTG Card versions
Conspiracy - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Unnatural Selection - Apocalypse (APC)
Arcane Adaptation - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)

Cards similar to Xenograft by color, type and mana cost

Psychic Allergy - MTG Card versions
Power Struggle - MTG Card versions
Duplicity - MTG Card versions
Dream Halls - MTG Card versions
Bureaucracy - MTG Card versions
Treachery - MTG Card versions
Heightened Awareness - MTG Card versions
Sunken Hope - MTG Card versions
Ice Cave - MTG Card versions
Persuasion - MTG Card versions
Telekinetic Bonds - MTG Card versions
Reflections of Littjara - MTG Card versions
Mind Control - MTG Card versions
Future Sight - MTG Card versions
Dispersing Orb - MTG Card versions
Wrath of Marit Lage - MTG Card versions
Shared Fate - MTG Card versions
Cowardice - MTG Card versions
Battle of Wits - MTG Card versions
Followed Footsteps - MTG Card versions
Psychic Allergy - The Dark (DRK)
Power Struggle - Astral Cards (PAST)
Duplicity - Tempest (TMP)
Dream Halls - Stronghold (STH)
Bureaucracy - Unglued (UGL)
Treachery - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Heightened Awareness - Prophecy (PCY)
Sunken Hope - Planechase Anthology (PCA)
Ice Cave - The List (PLST)
Persuasion - Tenth Edition (10E)
Telekinetic Bonds - Judgment (JUD)
Reflections of Littjara - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Mind Control - Magic 2012 (M12)
Future Sight - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Dispersing Orb - Onslaught (ONS)
Wrath of Marit Lage - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Shared Fate - The List (PLST)
Cowardice - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Battle of Wits - The List (PLST)
Followed Footsteps - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Xenograft MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Xenograft and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Xenograft has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-06-01 Creature cards not on the battlefield and creature spells are not affected.
2011-06-01 You must choose an existing _Magic_ creature type.
2017-09-29 Replacement effects that modify creatures of a certain type as they enter the battlefield will apply (or not apply) after you apply this effect. For example, if Warrior is the chosen creature type and you control Bramblewood Paragon, a Runeclaw Bear would enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter.

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