Shardless Agent MTG Card
2012-06-01 - Number 104
2015-11-18 - Number 117
2016-06-10 - Number 206
2016-11-25 - Number 104
2019-11-07 - Number 1484
2021-06-18 - Number 292
2021-06-18 - Number 423
2021-06-18 - Number 321
2002-06-24 - Number 55697
2002-06-24 - Number 91349
2020-09-26 - Number PCA-104
| Card sets | Released in 11 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Human Rogue |
| Abilities | Cascade |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Cascade (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.)
Cards like Shardless Agent
Shardless Agent is an intriguing card in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to cascade into powerful spells. The card’s allure is akin to that of Bloodbraid Elf, another creature with the cascade mechanic. However, Shardless Agent enjoys broader deck integration due to its lower casting cost and less stringent color requirements. Unlike Bloodbraid Elf, it doesn’t impose aggressive attributes, offering a passive but potent alternative.
Comparatively, Etherium-Horn Sorcerer shares the cascading trait but demands a higher mana expenditure and offers a different flavor with its flexibility to return to its owner’s hand. Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder takes cascading to an elevated level, potentially chaining numerous spells in a single turn. Yet the initial investment is greater, and the setup more intricate. Shardless Agent optimizes cascade within a lower mana curve, focusing on consistency and accessibility.
Within MTG strategy, Shardless Agent earns its place by balancing cost and potential impact, allowing players to craft a flurry of spells smoothly. Its inclusion in decks speaks to its efficiency in synchronizing combo plays without the high-risk, high-reward tension of its counterparts.
Cards similar to Shardless Agent by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Shardless Agent. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Temur Cascade | Legacy | Temur Cascade | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-28 |
 | Living End | Modern | Living End | Modern League 2024-04-29 |
 | Crashing Footfalls | Modern | Crashing Footfalls | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-29 (1) |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shardless Agent is known for creating instant card advantage by allowing you to cascade into another card without spending additional mana. By effectively playing two cards for the price of one, you maintain or advance your position on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Shardless Agent ensures efficient use of mana. It guarantees a spell will be cast through cascade even if your hand is low on action, indirectly speeding up your game plan.
Instant Speed: Though Shardless Agent itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the cascade mechanic can hit spells that do. This unpredictability can be leveraged to disrupt opponents’ strategies at crucial moments, almost as if the agent itself had flash.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike many other value-driven cards in the game, Shardless Agent does not require you to discard, making this point not applicable for its evaluation. This means the card’s impact must be assessed on other aspects, including the synergy between the cascading card and your deck.
Specific Mana Cost: Shardless Agent has a multicolored mana cost, specifically one green, one blue, and one other. This makes it less flexible for deck inclusion as it requires a dedicated mana base focused on at least two colors, potentially limiting the card’s universality across various deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Shardless Agent might appear cost-effective. However, in faster-paced gameplay or highly competitive environments, the mana invested versus the value of the card obtained through cascade could be unfavorable. In scenarios where the deck prioritizes lower-cost spells, or when facing a game where speed is paramount, there may be more mana-efficient cards to use.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Shardless Agent fits effortlessly into a wide range of deck types. It shines in those seeking to harness the power of cascade to cheat out an extra card with no additional cost.
Combo Potential: This card exudes synergy possibilities. In decks that revolve around cascade chains or value engines, Shardless Agent can unexpectedly pivot the game in your favor by digging up precisely the spell you need.
Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment that values efficiency and surprise, Shardless Agent holds its ground. Its ability to potentially turn the tide makes it a solid inclusion in any collection eyeing adaptability as the meta shifts.
How to beat
Shardless Agent carves its niche in MTG as a fan-favorite for its ability to cascade into other spells, providing value and unexpected plays. This allure hinges not just on the card’s own merit but also on the strategy and anticipation it injects into a match. To navigate against a deck featuring Shardless Agent, successful tactics involve disruption and timing. Since the Agent’s value is primarily in its cascade trigger, instant speed removal or counterspells are particularly effective when used in response to the cascade ability, thus ensuring you remove the Agent before it can bring in additional resources.
One significant method is to limit the quality of spells that can be cascaded into, which you can achieve through hand disruption or by applying pressure to force early plays. Cards like Thoughtseize can strip a potentially impactful cascade target before the Agent hits the field. Additionally, since Shardless Agent can only cast a spell with a lower mana cost for free, keeping a mana efficient board can mitigate the damage done by whatever spell is brought into play. It’s a play of foresight and precision to successfully maneuver against the value presented by Shardless Agent.
Being prepared with the proper sideboard cards geared towards non-creature spells is also a measured response. As you sideboard in these tailored responses, your deck adapts to handle the unpredictable nature of a cascade-triggered spell sequence. With these strategies in mind, you’re better equipped to take on Shardless Agent and retain control over the game’s flow.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shardless Agent MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Shardless Agent 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Shardless Agent Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2012-06-01 and 2021-06-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 55697 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | ||
| 2 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 91349 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Mila Pesic | ||
| 3 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 104 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 4 | 2015-11-18 | Legendary Cube Prize Pack | PZ1 | 117 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 5 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 206 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 6 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 104 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 7 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1484 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 8 | The List | PLST | PCA-104 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | ||
| 9 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 292 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 10 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 423 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 11 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 321 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Mila Pesic |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shardless Agent has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shardless Agent card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-06-18 | A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions. |
| 2021-06-18 | Cascade triggers when you cast the spell, meaning that it resolves before that spell. If you end up casting the exiled card, it will go on the stack above the spell with cascade. |
| 2021-06-18 | Due to a recent rules change to cascade, not only do you stop exiling cards if you exile a nonland card with lesser mana value than the spell with cascade, but the resulting spell you cast must also have lesser mana value. Previously, in cases where a card's mana value differed from the resulting spell, such as with some modal double-faced cards or cards with an Adventure, you could cast a spell with a higher mana value than the exiled card. |
| 2021-06-18 | If a spell with cascade is countered, the cascade ability will still resolve normally. |
| 2021-06-18 | If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost. |
| 2021-06-18 | If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card. |
| 2021-06-18 | The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If cascade allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half but not both halves. |
| 2021-06-18 | When the cascade ability resolves, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether or not you cast the last card exiled. |
| 2021-06-18 | You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them. |