Shanna, Purifying Blade MTG Card
2022-09-09 - Number 218
2022-09-09 - Number 358
2022-09-09 - Number 218p
2022-09-09 - Number 317
2022-09-09 - Number 218s
2022-09-09 - Number 77
2022-09-09 - Number 55
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human Warrior |
| Abilities | Lifelink |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Shanna generates card advantage with token-based combat damage, offering players valuable resource replenishment.
- Life gain strategies synergize with Shanna, creating tokens that escalate your board presence efficiently.
- Instant speed reactions from drawn cards enhance strategic flexibility, making Shanna a thrilling play.
Text of card
Lifelink At the beginning of your end step, you may pay . If you do, draw X cards. X can't be greater than the amount of life you gained this turn.
Shanna had heard Sisay's legend all her life. Now it was time to forge her own.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Tailored for those who understand the importance of maintaining a steady flow of resources, Shanna, Purifying Blade enables players to potentially draw a card every time a token you control deals combat damage to a player. This could quickly overwhelm your opponent with an army of tokens while replenishing your hand with more options.
Resource Acceleration: Players seeking to quickly escalate their board presence will appreciate Shanna’s attribute of creating a 1/1 white Soldier creature token with lifelink each time you gain life. This synergizes with various life-gain strategies, accelerating the pace of your play and bolstering your defenses with every health point restored.
Instant Speed: With an inherent ability to react rapidly, any card you draw from Shanna’s triggered effect at instant speed adds to your arsenal of surprises. Keep your opponents guessing as you play creatures or spells in a flash, manipulating the game in your favor when they least expect it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the potential drawbacks of Shanna, Purifying Blade is the necessity to discard another card to utilize its full potential. This clause can be cumbersome when your hand is already depleted, and you’re trying to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Shanna, Purifying Blade requires green and white mana to cast, which may not seamlessly fit into all deck types. This specificity makes it less versatile for players who are not running a deck that supports both colors efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is relatively steep for its body and immediate impact, some players might find Shanna less appealing compared to other creatures in the same cost bracket. This could lead to it seeing less play, particularly in formats where mana efficiency is paramount.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Shanna, Purifying Blade can easily find a home in a variety of deck archetypes due to her adaptive strength and combat abilities. Her power grows with the number of cards in your hand, making her a formidable presence in both aggro and control decks alike.
Combo Potential: This card has excellent synergy with strategies that encourage card draw, allowing her power to scale rapidly. Additionally, any deck mechanic that rewards creature strength or volume of creatures will pair well with Shanna, giving her an edge on the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: Given her capacity to become an increasingly large threat, Shanna, Purifying Blade holds her own in a meta with heavy removal. She can serve as a resilient threat against control decks and can outpace the aggression of other midrange decks.
How to beat
Shanna, Purifying Blade showcases a dynamic presence on any battlefield in MTG, drawing strength from the number of tokens a player controls. Her power to discourage spell targeting from opponents with numerous tokens makes her a formidable adversary. Facing off against Shanna requires precision, as her strength grows with each token under your command. Key tactics involve limiting the creation of those tokens or swiftly removing her from play before she can accumulate too much power.
Removal spells that aren’t target-specific skirt around her protection ability. Board wipes such as Doomskar or Extinction Event can level the playing field by clearing all creatures, including Shanna. Enchantments that restrict abilities or continuously manage the board are also effective. Imposing Detaine by Detention Sphere or utilizing Confounding Conundrum to disrupt token strategies prevents her from reaching her full potential.
To sum up, securing victory against Shanna, Purifying Blade demands a focus on controlling the token population and applying non-targeted removals. Match-ups that incorporate these elements stand a much better chance of negating her influence and tipping the scales in their favor.
Cards like Shanna, Purifying Blade
Shanna, Purifying Blade finds her niche within the roster of MTG’s legendary creatures. She can be easily compared to other creatures like Emmara, Soul of the Accord, which also taps to produce tokens or effects. Unlike Emmara, Shanna’s strength is not in creating tokens but in potentially amassing a formidable power and toughness as the game progresses, counting on the spells you cast. This differs from cards like Joraga Treespeaker, which has mana ramp as a great advantage but doesn’t scale in power the same way Shanna does.
Another card to consider is Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves. Both cards are legendary creatures that can influence the board considerably, though Tolsimir brings immediate value by creating a token upon entry and having a life-gain ability. Shanna instead offers long-term value with a potentially increasing threat. Lastly, we have Trostani Discordant, which offers a dual purpose of token generation and a global buff to other creatures. While Trostani provides a widespread advantage, Shanna’s ability to grow in power with each non-creature spell stakes a claim for her unique position in deck strategies, often being the center of attention due to her burgeoning size.
Ultimately, Shanna, Purifying Blade stands out among similar MTG cards for players who prefer to build their strength over time and enjoy casting non-creature spells that pave the way for a formidable offensive presence on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Shanna, Purifying Blade by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shanna, Purifying Blade MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United and Dominaria United, 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 Shanna, Purifying Blade and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Shanna, Purifying Blade Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-09-09 and 2022-09-09. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United | DMU | 218 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Magali Villeneuve | |
| 2 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United | DMU | 358 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jody Clark | |
| 3 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United Promos | PDMU | 218p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Magali Villeneuve | |
| 4 | Dominaria United Art Series | ADMU | 77 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | |||
| 5 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United | DMU | 317 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jody Clark | |
| 6 | Dominaria United Art Series | ADMU | 55 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | |||
| 7 | 2022-09-09 | Dominaria United Promos | PDMU | 218s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Magali Villeneuve |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shanna, Purifying Blade has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shanna, Purifying Blade card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-09-09 | You choose the value for X as the ability resolves. |