Shelob's Ambush MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 559
2023-06-23 - Number 108
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Food |
Text of card
Target creature gets +1/+2 and gains deathtouch until end of turn. Create a Food token. (It's an artifact with ", , Sacrifice this artifact: You gain 3 life.")
As Frodo ran forward, eager, rejoicing to be free, Shelob with hideous speed came behind and stung him in the neck.
Cards like Shelob's Ambush
Shelob’s Ambush continues to intrigue players as a notable control element in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal. It bears similarities to other snare cards like Giant Spider, which also possesses the reach ability to thwart flying creatures. However, Shelob’s Ambush adds a layer of strategy by potentially removing an opponent’s key attacker or blocker from combat if certain conditions are met.
Its kinship can also be drawn with cards like Deadly Recluse, another card that offers both deathtouch and reach. Both cards are excellent defensive tools, yet Shelob’s Ambush differentiates itself by being an instant, allowing for surprise tactics and providing an edge in versatility over the sorcery-speed Recluse.
Comparing Shelob’s Ambush to larger sweepers such as Arachnogenesis provides insight into the scope of creature control – while Arachnogenesis can nullify an entire assault and create blockers, Shelob’s Ambush shines in its lower mana cost, offering a more immediate and cost-effective solution against singular threats. Although it lacks the broader impact, its precision in combat scenarios proves invaluable. Hence, Shelob’s Ambush occupies a valuable niche in the realm of reactive measures within the game.
Cards similar to Shelob's Ambush by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Shelob's Ambush. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Black Burn | Pauper | Black Burn | Liga Gacha de Pauper 2024 - Etapa 1 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shelob’s Ambush provides a valuable opportunity to potentially remove a creature while also drawing a card, keeping your hand replenished and maintaining pressure on the opponent.
Resource Acceleration: The card may not generate mana or Treasure tokens directly, but by clearing the path of potential blockers or threats, it accelerates your game plan, paving the way for your own creatures to press the advantage.
Instant Speed: With the flexibility of instant speed, Shelob’s Ambush allows you to adapt to the battlefield dynamically. This means you can tailor your response to threats on the fly, potentially swinging the momentum of the game in your favor at a crucial moment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shelob’s Ambush necessitates discarding a card, presenting a challenge when your hand is already depleted or when every card in hand is crucial for your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise combination of black and green mana, this card might not easily fit into multicolor decks that don’t focus on these colors, potentially reducing its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that includes both black and green mana and an additional card to discard, other cards in the same mana range may provide a bigger immediate impact on the game without the discard downside.
Reasons to Include Shelob’s Ambush in Your Collection
Versatility: Shelob’s Ambush is not just a removal spell; its capacity to tackle creatures with varying power levels makes it adaptable for numerous situations. It’s an all-star in decks that demand both creature control and instant-speed interaction.
Combo Potential: This card can unexpectedly clear the way for your attacking creatures or disrupt your opponent’s combo pieces. Its surprise factor can turn the tide in games, especially when combined with cards that benefit from an empty battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: The shifting landscape of deck builds often includes hefty creatures. Shelob’s Ambush could become a mainstay in sideboards, or even main decks, to preemptively strike against commonly played bruisers and maintain board advantage.
How to beat
Shelob’s Ambush presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, a spell that can turn the tide by forcing a player to sacrifice a nontoken creature. This move can be particularly devastating in decks that rely heavily on key creatures for their strategy. In order to effectively navigate around Shelob’s Ambush, it’s crucial to adopt a strategy that diminishes its impact.
Start by diversifying your threats; don’t put all your power into one creature that could be easily removed. Instead, maintain a field of both token and non-token creatures or employ tactics that permit creatures to be sacrificed without significant loss. Utilizing creatures with enter the battlefield or death triggers can mitigate the damage caused by your own creatures being sacrificed and can even turn the situation to your advantage.
Another approach is to keep instant-speed responses in your hand to protect your valuable creatures or to counter the spell outright. Anticipating when your opponent might have the mana and opportunity to cast Shelob’s Ambush can inform when to hold back or proceed with committing creatures to the board. Vigilance and a well-rounded deck can make Shelob’s Ambush less of a threat and more of an inconvenience that you are well-prepared to handle.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shelob's Ambush MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Shelob's Ambush 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 Shelob's Ambush Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Simon Dominic.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 559 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Simon Dominic | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 108 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Simon Dominic |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shelob's Ambush has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shelob's Ambush card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | Do not eat the delicious cards. No, not even for second breakfast. |
| 2023-06-16 | Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures in other sets, it's never a creature type. |
| 2023-06-16 | If an effect refers to a Food, it means any Food artifact, not just a Food artifact token. For example, you can sacrifice Lembas, an artifact card with the Food subtype, to activate the last ability of Bill the Pony. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some spells and abilities that create Food tokens may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't create any Food tokens. |
| 2023-06-16 | You can't sacrifice a Food token to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate the last ability of Bill the Pony. |