Shadowborn Apostle MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 13 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 1 |
Rarity | Common |
Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
Power | 1 |
Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
A deck can have any number of cards named Shadowborn Apostle., Sacrifice six creatures named Shadowborn Apostle: Search your library for a Demon creature card and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
Cards like Shadowborn Apostle
The Shadowborn Apostle offers a unique twist in deck building flexibility within MTG. This one-drop creature allows players to employ any number of copies in a deck, unlike the typical four-card limit. Comparable cards such as Relentless Rats share this exemption from the restriction, encouraging a swarm strategy. However, the Apostle’s synergy with Demon creatures sets it apart, providing a conduit to summon formidable forces from your deck directly onto the battlefield.
Another card that echoes the Apostle’s utility in themed decks is Rat Colony. Also skirting the four-card limit per deck, Rat Colony boosts its power for each other Rat you control. While it lacks the apostle’s sacrificial mechanic to cheat out hefty creatures, the Colony excels in sheer offensive presence, emphasizing the importance of creature type synergies.
Lastly, Persistent Petitioners follows a similar route, enabling a mill strategy empowered by having multiple copies on the field. Unlike Shadowborn Apostle, which pivots on big Demon summons, the Petitioners target the opponent’s library, showing the width of strategic variety present in MTG. In the realm of customizable decks that thrive on repetition and quantity, Shadowborn Apostle undoubtedly carves its niche, offering an alternative avenue for victory through its exceptional demon-summoning capabilities.
Cards similar to Shadowborn Apostle by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Shadowborn Apostle card offers a unique benefit in deck construction. Players can include any number of copies in their deck, unlike the usual four-card limit. This feature allows for a robust strategy centered around this creature, potentially leading to significant card advantage as more Apostles mean increased chances to utilize their powerful ability.
Resource Acceleration: The key characteristic of Shadowborn Apostle is its synergy with powerful Demon creatures. By sacrificing six copies, players can directly summon a Demon from their deck, bypassing the mana cost and usual casting requirements. This ability can be a form of resource acceleration, allowing players to get high-cost creatures into play early in the game.
Instant Speed: Shadowborn Apostle’s ability to be sacrificed doesn’t require tapping and can therefore be activated at instant speed. This aspect enables savvy players to wait until the last possible moment before committing to a strategy, keeping opponent’s guessing and strategically navigating around potential counterplays. Its instant speed interaction opens up flexible gameplay, allowing players to adapt to the fluid dynamics of each match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Shadowborn Apostle does come with a strategic conundrum as it necessitates discarding other copies of itself to be most effective. This can lead to a decrease in hand advantage and makes the player vulnerable to running out of resources.
Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost exclusively in black, Shadowborn Apostle can be restrictive when building decks as it may not fit well outside mono-black or heavily black-influenced deck types. Deck diversification becomes more challenging.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the context of its ability, six apostles are required to summon a Demon, meaning an investment of six mana solely on Apostles, which could be considered inefficient compared to other cards with a lower cost and more immediate impact on the game state.
Reasons to Include Shadowborn Apostle in Your Collection
Versatility: The Shadowborn Apostle offers a unique deck-building flexibility, allowing players to include any number of copies in a deck. This characteristic caters to strategies that thrive on single-card quantity over variety.
Combo Potential: Partnering the card with demons offers immense combo potential, enabling you to summon powerful creatures from your deck swiftly. It serves as a key piece in engine-driven decks that revolve around creature-based synergies and sacrifices.
Meta-Relevance: As gameplay trends oscillate, a deck utilizing a plethora of Shadowborn Apostles remains resilient. This card is capable of disrupting conventional play patterns, making it an evergreen choice for players looking to challenge the status quo of their local meta.
How to beat
Shadowborn Apostle is a unique card that challenges traditional gameplay in MTG. Singularly focused, these cards allow you to bypass the normal deckbuilding rule of four copies by gathering a formidable army of Apostles. Their power lies in numbers, enabling a savvy player to summon formidable demons from their deck. But fear not, there are strategies to disrupt their covenant.
Spot removal may seem like a logical response, yet it’s often a trap; the Apostles are expendable. Patience is key. Instead, focus on sweepers, cards that can clear multiple creatures at a time. Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict can decimate an Apostle army in one fell swoop. Graveyard hate is also effective; with cards like Rest in Peace, you can prevent the Apostles from executing their strategy. Hand disruption is a subtle but powerful tactic against an Apostle-filled hand, disrupting their summoning plans before they unfold.
Ultimately, understanding their strategy and timing your responses will turn the tide in your favor. While the Apostles are persistent, your cunning in managing resources and knowing when to strike will keep them at bay and ensure your dominance on the battlefield.
BurnMana Recommendations
Wrapping up our analysis of Shadowborn Apostle, it’s evident how this card can be the keystone of a highly strategic and potentially game-changing deck. With its unconventional allowance for quantity and its potent synergy with Demon creatures, it presents a unique method to accelerating your board presence. Nonetheless, it demands a dedicated strategy and understanding of its strengths and vulnerabilities. If the thrill of conjuring mighty Demons and masterminding a deck around the Apostles’ singular focus appeals to you, dive deeper into the strategic nuances that make this card a compelling inclusion in any collection. Uncover the full potential of Shadowborn Apostle in your gameplay and let us guide you through each step of this arcane strategy. Visit BurnMana for more insights and tactics to enhance your MTG experience.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shadowborn Apostle MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Shadowborn Apostle and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Shadowborn Apostle Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2022-07-28. Illustrated by 10 different artists.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2013-07-19 | Magic 2014 | M14 | 114 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Lucas Graciano | |
2 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 681 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Boneface | ||
3 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 680 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | AlbaBG | ||
4 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 686 | 2015 | Normal | Black | MURUGIAH | ||
5 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 687 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Roman Klonek | ||
6 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 685 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Meyoco | ||
7 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 688 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Vallez Gax | ||
8 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 681Φ | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Boneface | ||
9 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 682 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Diego Andrade | ||
10 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 684 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Laynes | ||
11 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 683 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Jakub Rebelka | ||
12 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 89 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lucas Graciano | |
13 | 2022-07-28 | Explorer Anthology 1 | EA1 | 6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lucas Graciano |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shadowborn Apostle has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Pauper | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shadowborn Apostle card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2013-07-01 | Shadowborn Apostle’s first ability lets you ignore only the “four-of” rule. It doesn’t let you ignore format legality. |
2013-07-01 | You don’t have to sacrifice the Shadowborn Apostle whose ability you activated. It can be six other Shadowborn Apostles. |
2013-07-01 | You sacrifice the six creatures when you activate the ability. You can’t respond to that ability by activating the ability of one of the other Shadowborn Apostles you just sacrificed. |