Shivan Wumpus MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Beast
Abilities	Trample
Released	2007-02-02
Set symbol
Set name	Planar Chaos
Set code	PLC
Power	6
Toughness	6
Number	121
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ron Spears

Key Takeaways

The card disrupts opponents’ resources, forcing them to choose between sacrificing a land or facing the creature again.
Its synergy with land destruction strategies can significantly impede opponent’s gameplay and accelerate your advantage.
Despite potential downsides, its strength lies in versatility and ability to alter the flow of the game.

Text of card

Trample When Shivan Wumpus comes into play, any player may sacrifice a land. If a player does, put Shivan Wumpus on top of its owner's library.

It's easier to move the village than to divert the wumpus.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shivan Wumpus offers a unique advantage by potentially putting an opponent at a card disadvantage. When it enters the battlefield, the opponent must decide whether to sacrifice a land or let you return Shivan Wumpus to your hand to cast it again, thereby draining resources from their board.

Resource Acceleration: In conjunction with land destruction or land sacrifice mechanics, Shivan Wumpus can be a potent tool. It can repeatedly accelerate your resource advantage if the opponent opts to sacrifice lands, slowing their development and allowing you to outpace their mana base.

Instant Speed: While Shivan Wumpus itself isn’t an instant, its potential synergy with instant speed land destruction spells can be devastating. It can force opponents into a tough choice during their own turn, making it a strategic addition to any deck focusing on resource denial.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Shivan Wumpus comes with a potential strategic downside. Each time it’s put into a graveyard from the battlefield, the opponent may choose to put a land card on the battlefield, essentially setting up their board while disrupting your tempo.

Specific Mana Cost: At a casting cost that demands three red mana, Shivan Wumpus can be a challenging inclusion in multicolored decks. This specific cost can tie up your mana resources and reduce the flexibility of your plays.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a 6/6 creature for four mana is substantial, the specific mana requirements and the aforementioned risk of benefiting the opponent may not align with the strategies of faster, more agile decks. Other creatures or spells at this mana cost could provide immediate impact without potential drawbacks.

Reasons to Include Shivan Wumpus in Your Collection

Versatility: As a creature that offers a sturdy 6/6 body for a mere four mana, Shivan Wumpus can be a game changer in several deck archetypes. It’s particularly impactful in formats where the power to land ratio is critical, sliding comfortably into red-based aggro or ramp decks.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that penalize or leverage opponent’s land sacrifices, Shivan Wumpus can become part of a punishing combo. It also syncs well with landfall strategies, triggering abilities each time it forces an opponent to put a land into play.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame filled with greedy mana bases and nonbasic lands, the prospect of recurring Shivan Wumpus with various forms of graveyard recursion can put opponents on the back foot, disrupting their strategies while you build a formidable board presence.

How to beat

Contending with Shivan Wumpus in Magic: The Gathering presents a strategic challenge, yet it’s far from insurmountable. As a creature that can potentially recur if an opponent sacrifices a land, it demands a unique approach. Foremost, employing instant-speed removal spells before the Wumpus’s controller has the opportunity to benefit from its land-bouncing ability is key. Spells such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push can efficiently dispose of the creature without permitting its ability to trigger.

Maintaining control over the board is another effective strategy. Establishing a well-fortified battlefield with creatures capable of blocking and surviving an encounter with Shivan Wumpus can deter an opponent from playing it altogether. Furthermore, utilizing countermagic when the Wumpus is cast is a clean solution to this potential threat. Cards like Counterspell or Mana Leak ensure that Shivan Wumpus never touches the battlefield, thus completely negating its ability and preserving your land base intact.

Lastly, one might consider the use of land destruction tactics to capitalize on an opponent’s sacrifice, turning the tables by further disrupting their mana resources. This strategy can backfire however, so it should be used judiciously and in conjunction with other control measures for maximal effectiveness against Shivan Wumpus.

Cards like Shivan Wumpus

Shivan Wumpus brings an interesting dynamic to creature play in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to creatures like Desecration Demon, it presents a formidable presence on the board with a potential downside for the controller. Shivan Wumpus allows opponents to sacrifice a land to put it back on top of your library, potentially stunting your board development. Desecration Demon, which also forces opponents to make a choice – sacrifice a creature or allow it to grow stronger – has a similar pressure strategy without directly affecting mana bases.

Another similar creature is Vexing Devil. Although not as robust in power and toughness as Shivan Wumpus, Vexing Devil poses a choice upon entering the battlefield – either the opponent takes damage or they allow you to keep a 4/3 creature for a single mana. The immediacy of Vexing Devil’s impact can be more appealing in aggressive decks than the repeatable yet potentially slower pressure from Shivan Wumpus.

Analyzing the strategic implications, Shivan Wumpus can be a double-edged sword, able to shape the battlefield but also giving an out to the opponent. Its uniqueness lies in the persistent threat it poses, forcing opponents to continually decide between a lesser of two dangers – maintaining their land or facing a large creature.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shivan Wumpus MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos, 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 Shivan Wumpus and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shivan Wumpus has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2007-02-01	When Shivan Wumpus enters the battlefield, first the active player gets the option to sacrifice a land. If they decline, the next player in turn order gets the option. If a player elects to sacrifice a land, Shivan Wumpus is put on top of its owner’s library, but then all remaining players still get the option. If all players decline, then nothing happens and Shivan Wumpus stays on the battlefield.