Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker MTG Card

Shirei excels in recurring low-power creatures, ensuring a consistent board presence and strategic advantage. While versatile, Shirei requires a deck built around its specific ability, potentially limiting deck design. Understanding Shirei’s role is key to either leveraging its strengths in your deck or effectively countering it.

Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
2005-02-04 - Number 81

Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker - Ultimate Masters (UMA)

Ultimate Masters (UMA)
2018-12-07 - Number 112

Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker - Commander Masters (CMM)

Commander Masters (CMM)
2023-08-04 - Number 186

Commander Masters (CMM)
2023-08-04 - Number 676

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Spirit
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

Whenever a creature with power 1 or less is put into your graveyard from play, you may return that creature card to play under your control at end of turn if Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker is still in play.

Cards like Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker

Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker offers a unique twist on creature recursion in MTG. Its ability to return creatures with power 1 or less to the battlefield at the end of turn gives it an edge in decks that focus on small creatures and sacrifice mechanics, similar to cards like Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder. However, Endrek Sahr doesn’t guarantee the return of the tokens, adding an element of risk.

Looking at Teysa, Orzhov Scion, we find a commander who benefits from sacrificing creatures, but unlike Shirei, she focuses on creating spirits rather than recurring the original creatures. Grave Pact is another card that creates leverage from creature death, though it primarily serves as a deterrent by forcing opponents to also sacrifice creatures, rather than directly capitalizing on the death of your own small creatures.

Ultimately, Shirei opens a distinct avenue for players to harness the recurring power value from their low-power creatures, establishing itself as a formidable presence in MTG strategies that center around incremental advantages and consistent board presence.

Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker by color, type and mana cost

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker thrives on keeping your hand filled with options. By bringing back creatures with power one or less from your graveyard to the battlefield at the end of each turn, Shirei ensures a steady flow of creatures that can often be utilized for various effects or sacrificed for other benefits.

Resource Acceleration: This legendary creature facilitates a unique form of resource acceleration by resurrecting low-power creatures, which can be pivotal for abilities that require tapping or sacrificing creatures. The consistent revival encourages a robust board presence that can translate into a de facto form of ramping up your available resources every turn.

Instant Speed: Although Shirei itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it allows you to maintain a board state that can react to your opponent’s moves. Since Shirei brings creatures back at the end of the turn, you can effectively use your creatures’ abilities during your opponent’s turn, giving you a form of interaction and influence on the game during times when you’re typically not in control.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker demands a playstyle revolving around the consistent ability to sacrifice creatures. While providing an interesting recursion mechanism, it can also become a drawback if you’re unable to maintain a board presence with suitable creatures to sacrifice, effectively nullifying Shirei’s unique ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Shirei’s casting cost requires two black mana, which could restrict its integration into multicolored decks. Players may find themselves constrained by their mana base, unable to cast Shirei when needed if they’re not sufficiently prepared with the right mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a five mana value to cast Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker, players might find this cost steep in comparison to other commanders or key creatures that could potentially offer more immediate or impactful advantages on the battlefield at a lower investment. This may affect the pacing of strategic development for decks that include Shirei.

Reasons to Include Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker in Your Collection

Versatility: Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker offers a unique ability to bring back small creatures at the end of every turn. This effect creates ongoing value in decks that utilize creatures with 1 power, turning them into recurring resources for various strategies.

Combo Potential: With abilities that trigger on creature death or ETB (Enter The Battlefield), Shirei can become the engine for an intricate combo machine, generating advantages with each cycle of creatures leaving and re-entering the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where removal is rampant, having a commander like Shirei that can consistently recover key creatures becomes crucial. It allows for resilience and adaptability against control-heavy and creature-averse decks.

How to beat Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker

Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker stands out in the realm of MTG for its unique ability to bring back creatures from the graveyard. It does fantastic work in decks revolving around small creatures, reviving those with power one or less at the end of each turn. The continuous stream of creatures it can potentially regenerate turns encounters with Shirei into wars of attrition.

To combat this, focus on removing Shirei from the battlefield as a priority. Direct removal spells, board wipes, or exile effects are particularly effective against it. Since Shirei’s ability is conditional on its presence during the end step, eliminating it at any point before then prevents creature recursion. Graveyard hate cards are also valuable, as they can stop or slow down the reanimation process.

Speed can also be a great ally against Shirei. Applying pressure with an aggressive start or disrupting the player’s hand with thoughtseize-type effects can compromise their gameplay. By anticipating and interrupting this synergy before it stabilizes, you can maintain control of the game. Recognizing Shirei’s intrinsic value to its deck will guide you to victory over this persistent caretaker.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa and Ultimate Masters, 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 Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-02-04 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2005-02-04	Betrayers of Kamigawa	BOK	81	2003	Normal	Black	Wayne Reynolds
2	2018-12-07	Ultimate Masters	UMA	112	2015	Normal	Black	Wayne Reynolds
3	2023-08-04	Commander Masters	CMM	186	2015	Normal	Black	Wayne Reynolds
4	2023-08-04	Commander Masters	CMM	676	2015	Normal	Borderless	Flavio Girón

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2018-12-07	If Shirei leaves the battlefield and returns to the battlefield after a creature with power 1 or less is put into your graveyard, Shirei is considered a new object. The delayed triggered ability won’t return the creature to the battlefield.
2018-12-07	Shirei’s ability can’t return any creatures that died before Shirei entered the battlefield.
2018-12-07	Shirei’s ability only triggers if the creature’s power immediately before leaving the battlefield is 1 or less, regardless of its power in your graveyard.
2018-12-07	Shirei’s ability triggers if a creature you own with power 1 or less dies under another player’s control.