Shapeshifter's Marrow MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2007-05-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Future Sight |
| Set code | FUT |
| Number | 58 |
| Frame | future |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Chippy |
Text of card
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, that player reveals the top card of his or her library. If it's a creature card, the player puts the card into his or her graveyard and Shapeshifter's Marrow becomes a copy of that card. (If it does, it loses this ability.)
Cards like Shapeshifter's Marrow
Shapeshifter’s Marrow invites captivating fluidity to the battlefield, akin to yet distinct from other transformative cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its similarity to Clone effects is evident in its potential to mimic creatures, but the Marrow reframes card assimilation with an anticipation element. Clone and its variants directly copy creatures already on the field, facilitating immediate tactical adjustments. Shapeshifter’s Marrow, however, forecasts the top card of an opponent’s library with an element of surprise, shaping your field based on their draw. This deferred replication allows for a strategic breadth, albeit with a reliance on an opponent’s deck composition.
Exploring the theme of adaptability further, we encounter the card Volrath’s Shapeshifter. This acts similarly by changing the creature it embodies, though based on the top card of your own graveyard. This self-reliant nature affords a player direct influence over the shapeshifting process. Shapeshifter’s Marrow, to contrast, adds an unpredictable twist by integrating the unknown aspect of an opponent’s deck. This offers a game of conjecture and adaptation that few cards can match.
Through analyzing the nuances of these transformation-capable cards, Shapeshifter’s Marrow presents a unique blend of predictive gameplay and adaptability that distinguishes itself within Magic: The Gathering’s vast pool of cards, injecting an intriguing layer of strategy into the creature-copying archetype.
Cards similar to Shapeshifter's Marrow by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Shapeshifter’s Marrow, you have the unique advantage of not just drawing a card, but potentially cheating a creature card directly into play. This can lead to overwhelming board presence and tip the scales in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct mana ramp, Shapeshifter’s Marrow can bypass mana costs of high-value creature cards. This effectively accelerates your resource output by not spending mana on potentially costly creatures.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Shapeshifter’s Marrow at instant speed can be a game-changer, allowing you to respond to the end of your opponent’s turn. This optimizes your mana usage and can surprise your opponents with sudden shifts in the board state.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shapeshifter’s Marrow has an upkeep cost that requires you to discard a card, potentially depleting valuable hand resources.
Specific Mana Cost: The enchantment demands three blue mana, making it a challenging fit for multicolored or color-flexible strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana total investment, including three of those being blue, this card’s initial cost can impact your tempo, especially when playing against faster decks.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Shapeshifter’s Marrow offers a unique adaptability to your deck, allowing for dynamic responses to an ever-changing battlefield. It seamlessly integrates into strategies centered around creature-based synergies or decks that leverage board states dependent on creature types.
Combo Potential: This card opens up avenues for powerful combinations with cards that monitor creatures entering the battlefield or changing types. Its ability to potentially manifest any creature from the top of an opponent’s library into your own can be the cornerstone of inventive and unexpected win conditions.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Shapeshifter’s Marrow gains additional value by possibly drawing high-impact creatures from the opponent’s deck. It adds a layer of unpredictability to games, making it a challenging card for opponents to play around.
How to beat Shapeshifter’s Marrow
Navigating the dynamic gameplay of Magic the Gathering often involves encountering unique cards like Shapeshifter’s Marrow. This card has the potential to drastically pivot a game’s direction by covertly introducing creatures onto the battlefield. The card’s strength lies in its erratic nature as it continuously checks the top card of an opponent’s library and potentially spawns a copy of any creature it reveals at the end of turn.
Defeating Shapeshifter’s Marrow requires an intimate knowledge of this mechanism. Cards equipped to exile or tuck it back into a player’s library can effectively neutralize its influence. Additionally, manipulating the top of an opponent’s library, such as through scry effects or reorder spells, can mitigate the potential creatures that Shapeshifter’s Marrow could emulate.
Strategies should also involve maintaining removal options for whatever creatures Shapeshifter’s Marrow manages to conjure. Quick reaction times and preparedness with instant-speed spells can be game changers. In essence, controlling the flow of the opponent’s library and having readily available creature removal is key to beating Shapeshifter’s Marrow and maintaining the upper hand in your MTG matches.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shapeshifter's Marrow MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight, 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 Shapeshifter's Marrow and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shapeshifter's Marrow 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 Shapeshifter's Marrow card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2007-05-01 | If the revealed card is a creature card, Shapeshifter’s Marrow becomes a copy of that card permanently. It’s no longer an enchantment. |
| 2007-05-01 | If the revealed card isn’t a creature card, it stays on top of that player’s library. Shapeshifter’s Marrow remains an enchantment. |
| 2007-05-01 | In a Two-Headed Giant game, this ability triggers separately for each player at the start of the opposing team’s turn. If the first ability to resolve reveals a creature card, Shapeshifter’s Marrow becomes a creature. If the second ability to resolve also reveals a creature card, the ex-Shapeshifter’s Marrow then becomes a copy of that creature. |