Shabraz, the Skyshark MTG Card

Shabraz’s card drawing paired with life-gain optimizes your hand and fortifies your strategy. Resource acceleration occurs as Shabraz increases in power with each card drawn. Combining Shabraz with Brallin adds instant speed interaction, elevating tactical play.

Shabraz, the Skyshark - Commander 2020 (C20)

Commander 2020 (C20)
2020-04-17 - Number 14

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number C20-14

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Mythic
Type	Legendary Creature — Shark Bird
Abilities	Flying,Partner,Partner with
Power	3
Toughness	3

Text of card

Partner with Brallin, Skyshark Rider Flying Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Shabraz, the Skyshark and you gain 1 life. {WU}: Target Human gains flying until end of turn.

Cards like Shabraz, the Skyshark

Shabraz the Skyshark emerges as a unique creature within the pantheon of MTG flying threats. It shares thematic parallels with Stormtide Leviathan, which also commands the skies and seas with its imposing presence. However, Shabraz sets itself as a standout with its synergistic abilities, growing in power with each card draw, simultaneously bolstering your life total. By comparison, Stormtide Leviathan offers a distinct board control advantage by restricting creatures to those with flying or islandwalk from attacking, a different approach to dominating a game.

Drake Haven offers a glimpse into another aspect of card draw synergy much like Shabraz. While Shabraz rewards you for each card drawn with increased power and life, Drake Haven focuses on creating a 2/2 Drake creature token with flying for each cycle or discard. The versatility of Drake Haven lies in its token generation, providing board presence through multiple creatures, unlike Shabraz’s singular but ever-growing presence. Finally, there’s Windreader Sphinx, which once again centers on card draw. This sphinx endows you with the ability to draw a card whenever a creature with flying attacks, broadening your options and potential plays as combat ensues, yet without the inherent stat growth found in Shabraz.

In examining the dynamics and synergies of these creatures, Shabraz the Skyshark offers MTG players an appealing blend of aggression and resourcefulness, making it a compelling choice for decks that prize card draw interactions and aerial dominance.

Cards similar to Shabraz, the Skyshark by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Diving into the depths of MTG decks, Shabraz the Skyshark shines as a dynamic addition capable of quickly tipping the scales in your favor. This creature card not only boosts your battlefield presence but also circles around core strategies with finesse.

Card Advantage: Shabraz the Skyshark is a potent draw engine that flies into the fray with an ability to fatten your hand. Whenever you gain life, you get to draw a card which can be a consistent source of card advantage. This can easily be paired with life-gain strategies to ensure you never run out of options throughout the duel.

Resource Acceleration: In addition to its card drawing prowess, Shabraz the Skyshark also lends itself to resource acceleration. With every card you draw, Shabraz gets larger, transforming each card advantage into a more formidable presence on the battlefield and pressuring your opponent with an ever-increasing threat.

Instant Speed: The Skyshark’s partner-in-crime, Brallin, Skyshark Rider, provides a means to interact at instant speed. While Shabraz itself may not be instant speed, the synergistic combination with Brallin adds that layer of flexibility, allowing for swift and unexpected maneuvers that can adapt to the ebb and flow of the game.

Whether it’s building your hand, accelerating your resources, or utilizing instant speed tactics, Shabraz the Skyshark can be the cornerstone of a deck that soars high above the competition.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Shabraz, the Skyshark, you’re often incentivized to discard cards to grow its power. This can be a limiting factor, particularly in strategies that do not have ample card draw or ways to benefit from discarding.

Specific Mana Cost: Shabraz’s specific mana requirements of white, blue, and generic mana may not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks, potentially restricting its inclusion to only certain types of decks that can consistently produce these colors of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Shabraz can be considered mana-intensive. In the fast-paced game environments, this higher cost can be a significant drawback as it competes with other impactful plays at the same or lower mana value.

Reasons to Include Shabraz the Skyshark in Your Collection

Versatility: Shabraz the Skyshark adapts to numerous deck builds due to its flying trait and life gain mechanics. Its dynamic presence on the battlefield can turn the tides, whether in dedicated lifegain decks or as a resilient threat in control-oriented plays.

Combo Potential: This creature works well with cycling and card-drawing strategies, growing in power with each card drawn. This synergistic effect provides an opportunity to craft powerful combos, turning card advantage into a formidable offensive.

Meta-Relevance: In a constantly shifting metagame, Shabraz provides an edge, particularly in formats where lifegain and aerial supremacy are crucial. This makes it a strong contender against a variety of decks, keeping it relevant in numerous play environments.

How to beat

Shabraz the Skyshark presents a unique challenge for players in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This fearsome creature swiftly becomes a threat due to its ability to grow in power with each card draw and its life-gain mechanism. To effectively counter Shabraz, focus on using removal spells that can deal with creatures regardless of their size, such as Path to Exile or Murderous Rider. Additionally, prevent your opponent from drawing multiple cards by employing cards like Narset, Parter of Veils or Spirit of the Labyrinth to disrupt their strategy.

Another strategy is to take control of the battlefield. Utilizing prison effects like Ghostly Prison or Propaganda can restrict your opponent’s ability to attack, giving you time to establish a board presence and find a solution to Shabraz’s menace. If your deck has access to flying blockers, including them can also be beneficial, making it harder for your opponent’s Skyshark to make a significant impact.

Ultimately, being prepared to face Shabraz means having a well-rounded defense. By keeping a close eye on your opponent’s card draw potential and maintaining a ready suite of removals or control cards, you can preserve the balance of the game in your favor.

BurnMana Recommendations

Reimagining your MTG strategy takes a keen eye for powerful synergies and standout cards like Shabraz the Skyshark. With its ability to tip the scales in a single swoop, it deserves a spot in decks that capitalize on life gain and card draw mechanics. Sharpen your tactical approach by taking advantage of Shabraz’s potential to expand your hand size and accelerate your resources. Consider the balance of prowess and challenge it introduces to your deck, and how it interacts with the current metagame to stay ahead of opponents. For a deeper dive into optimizing Shabraz the Skyshark and other innovative deck-building strategies, fly on over and join our community, where mastering MTG is a continuing journey towards your next resounding victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shabraz, the Skyshark MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2020 and The List, 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 Shabraz, the Skyshark and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Shabraz, the Skyshark Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-04-17 and 2020-04-17. Illustrated by Paul Scott Canavan.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2020-04-17	Commander 2020	C20		14	2015	Normal	Black	Paul Scott Canavan
2	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST		C20-14	2015	Normal	Black	Paul Scott Canavan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shabraz, the Skyshark has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2020-04-17	A creature with a “partner with” ability can’t partner with any creature other than its designated partner. Losing a partner ability during the game doesn’t cause either to cease to be your commander.
2020-04-17	Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2020-04-17	Brallin’s middle ability deals 1 damage to each opponent even if you can’t put a +1/+1 counter on Brallin, most likely because Brallin has left the battlefield.
2020-04-17	Brallin’s middle ability gives it only one +1/+1 counter each time it resolves, no matter how many opponents are dealt damage.
2020-04-17	If a spell or ability causes you to put cards into your hand without specifically using the word “draw,” it’s not a card drawn.
2020-04-17	If you discard a card as a cost to cast a spell or activate an ability, Brallin’s middle ability resolves before that spell or ability but after you’ve chosen targets for it. If you discard a card while a spell or ability is resolving, that spell or ability finishes resolving before Brallin’s triggered ability does.’
2020-04-17	If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders’ combined color identities. If Haldan and Pako are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with blue, red, and/or green in their color identity, but not cards with white or black.
2020-04-17	Note that the target player searches their library (which may be affected by effects such as that of Stranglehold) and that the card they find is revealed, even though these words aren’t included in the ability’s reminder text.
2020-04-17	Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won’t have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from one of them, not from both of them combined. Command Beacon’s effect puts one into your hand from the command zone, not both.
2020-04-17	Shabraz’s middle ability has you gain 1 life even if you can’t put a +1/+1 counter on Shabraz, most likely because Shabraz has left the battlefield.
2020-04-17	The second ability represented by the “partner with -ame]” keyword modifies the rules for deck construction in the Commander variant and has no function outside of that variant. If a legendary creature card with “partner with -ame]” is designated as your commander, the named legendary creature card can also be designated as your commander.
2020-04-17	The triggered ability of the “partner with” keyword still triggers in a Commander game. If your other commander has somehow ended up in your library, you can find it. You can also target another player who might have that card in their library.
2020-04-17	“Partner with -ame]” represents two abilities. The first is a triggered ability: “When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named -ame], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle their library.”