Minion Reflector MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	2008-10-03
Set symbol
Set name	Shards of Alara
Set code	ALA
Number	211
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Tedin

Key Takeaways

Minion Reflector excels in card advantage, doubling creature outputs and bolstering on-board presence.
Acts as a resource accelerator by duplicating mana-ability creatures and adding battlefield resources.
Enables instant-speed interactions, increasing tactical plays, and surprising opponents with dual abilities.

Text of card

Whenever a nontoken creature comes into play under your control, you may pay . If you do, put a token into play that's a copy of that creature. That token has haste and "At end of turn, sacrifice this permanent."

To crack a mirror is to provide an opening for the reflection to escape.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Minion Reflector shines when it comes to creating additional value from your creatures. Whenever you cast a creature spell, the Reflector gives you an additional token that’s a copy of that creature. This essentially doubles the output of your creature spells, leading to significant card advantage over time, allowing you to outpace opponents in terms of on-board presence.

Resource Acceleration: By duplicating your creatures that have mana abilities or come into play with additional resources, Minion Reflector can be seen as a form of resource acceleration. Having extra creatures means extra attacks, extra blockers, and potentially extra mana — all of which can propel you ahead of the competition rapidly.

Instant Speed: While Minion Reflector itself is not an instant speed spell, it does allow for some instant speed interactions. The tokens it creates enter the battlefield immediately which means if the original creature had an instant-speed ability, you now have the power to use that ability twice as much within a single turn cycle, catching opponents off-guard and maximizing your tactical flexibility during crucial moments of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Minion Reflector, any benefit you gain from duplicating a creature comes at the additional cost of having to sacrifice the token at the end of the turn. This process could force you to relinquish a potentially advantageous board position and waste precious resources.

Specific Mana Cost: The artifact requires two generic and three hybrid (red or green) mana to cast, which may present a hurdle in non-red or green builds. Decks that don’t run these colors might find the card incompatible or too color-demanding to effectively integrate.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s activation cost of two mana may be substantial, particularly when considering the tempo of the game. Players might find that, in the turns where casting Minion Reflector would be ideal, allocating two additional mana to duplicate a creature could place them behind, especially when alternatives with lower costs or more permanent effects are available.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Minion Reflector offers flexibility in any build looking to make the most out of enter-the-battlefield effects or creatures. Its ability to duplicate creatures can seamlessly integrate into a myriad of deck themes, from token generation to powerful singular creature strategies.

Combo Potential: The clone effect of Minion Reflector isn’t just impressive; it’s a combo enabler. When paired with creatures that have on-death or leaves-the-battlefield abilities, it can lead to explosive turns that push the boundaries of what your deck can do.

Meta-Relevance: With the constantly shifting MTG landscape, having a card that can adapt to various meta challenges is crucial. Minion Reflector remains relevant by providing a tool that can pivot your deck’s strategy to counter prevailing trends or exploit weaknesses in popular archetypes.

How to beat

Confronting a Minion Reflector on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering can be a daunting task. This artifact has the capacity to swiftly tilt the scales, duplicating creatures and overwhelming opponents. With each activation, the user not only amplifies their board presence but also maximizes enter-the-battlefield effects, leading to potentially game-winning scenarios.

To counter this, pinpoint removal of artifacts becomes crucial. Options like Disenchant or Krosan Grip allow players to dismantle the reflector before it can be used effectively. Keeping mana open for such spells can be key in halting your adversary’s momentum. Additionally, countering the original creature spell that would trigger the Reflector’s ability also serves as a preemptive strike. Binder spells like Negate or creatures with countering abilities could be vital in your deck to address such threats effectively.

Ultimately, maintaining board control with regular checks on your opponent’s artifact arsenal and creature summons is essential. Handling a Minion Reflector requires a blend of strategic removal and constant vigilance, ensuring that your rival’s cunning duplicate ploys are kept in check, securing your path to victory.

Cards like Minion Reflector

Minion Reflector is a unique artifact that carves its niche in the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to duplicate creatures for a mere two mana and sacrifice stands out among other cards. When evaluating its contemporaries, we can consider Mimic Vat and Flameshadow Conjuring as comparable artifacts. Mimic Vat, rather than copying your creatures, imprints a creature card from any graveyard and creates a token copy. This tokengenerating artifact differs from Minion Reflector in that it offers more utility by potentially accessing a broader range of creatures, but it’s limited by the necessity of something dying first to be maximally effective.

On the other hand, Flameshadow Conjuring shares the similar trait of creating a creature token copy for a red mana whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield. Unlike Minion Reflector, which demands the creature to be sacrificed at the end of the turn, the tokens from Flameshadow Conjuring last longer, thereby possibly providing a sustained advantage. Nevertheless, its color restriction to red makes it a little less versatile compared to the colorless Minion Reflector.

In the spectrum of creature-copying artifacts within Magic: The Gathering, Minion Reflector exhibits significant versatility and a strong potential for explosive turns, especially when utilized in decks designed to maximize its effect.

Flameshadow Conjuring - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Minion Reflector by color, type and mana cost

The Deck of Many Things - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Minion Reflector MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Minion Reflector and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Minion Reflector 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 Minion Reflector card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2008-10-01	As the token is created, it checks the printed values of the creature it’s copying, as well as any copy effects that have been applied to it. It won’t copy counters on the creature, nor will it copy other effects that have changed the creature’s power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
2008-10-01	If the creature that caused Minion Reflector’s ability to trigger has already left the battlefield by the time the ability resolves, you can still pay . If you do, you’ll still put a token onto the battlefield. That token has the copiable values of the characteristics of that nontoken creature as it last existed on the battlefield.
2008-10-01	The copiable values of the token’s characteristics are the same as the copiable values of the characteristics of the creature it’s copying, plus haste and “At end of turn, sacrifice this permanent.” That means if something becomes a copy of the token, it will also have haste and it will also have to be sacrificed at the end of the turn.