Mercurial Transformation MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery — Lesson |
| Released | 2021-04-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Strixhaven: School of Mages |
| Set code | STX |
| Number | 47 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Craig J Spearing |
Key Takeaways
- Instant speed allows flexibility and precise timing, making it a tactical spell during critical moments.
- Can level the playing field by transforming a powerful creature into a non-threatening being.
- The card’s requirement to discard can be a strategic setback, calling for careful deck integration.
Text of card
Until end of turn, target nonland permanent loses all abilities and becomes your choice of a blue Frog creature with base power and toughness 1/1 or a blue Octopus creature with base power and toughness 4/4.
"For sun's sake, I just want a crab!"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Mercurial Transformation, you not only alter the battlefield dynamics but can potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy, all while maintaining your hand’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: Although this spell doesn’t directly contribute to resource acceleration, it can slow down an opponent’s momentum, effectively giving you a comparative acceleration in your own game plan.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Mercurial Transformation ensures you have the flexibility to wait and judge the best moment for deployment, potentially turning the tide of the game in your favor during the most crucial times.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Mercurial Transformation requires the player to discard a card, which could lead to a decrease in hand advantage, particularly detrimental in situations where card choices are critically important.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost includes blue mana, which may not seamlessly fit into all deck archetypes, especially those that do not run blue or are not optimized for blue mana generation.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher side for its temporary effect, players might opt for alternatives that provide a more permanent solution or have a lesser impact on their mana resources.
Reasons to Include Mercurial Transformation in Your Collection
Versatility: Mercurial Transformation stands out for its ability to adapt to various situations on the battlefield. This instant can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by temporarily transforming their key creature into a less threatening 1/1 Human with no abilities.
Combo Potential: This card wonderfully synergizes with decks that capitalize on enter-the-battlefield or leave-the-battlefield triggers. Its immediate impact can also help clear the way for your creatures to attack or combo off with other spells.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where formidable creatures dominate, having an instant-speed answer like Mercurial Transformation can be crucial. It serves as an effective tool to handle threats dynamically, keeping you competitive in a fluctuating metagame.
How to beat
Mercurial Transformation presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This card enables you to temporarily turn any creature into a 1/1 base power and toughness Human with no abilities, disrupting your opponent’s strategy and potential game-winning combos. To effectively counter this spell, it’s essential to anticipate it, particularly if you’re navigating a blue-centric control meta.
Beyond reaction spells like Counterspell or instant-speed removal, proactive measures can be crucial. Utilizing hexproof or shroud effects to protect your key creatures ensures they are less vulnerable to transformation attempts. Similarly, diversifying your threats reduces the impact on your board presence if a creature does get targeted. Keeping a varied line-up on the board helps to absorb the shock without losing momentum.
A well-timed Mercurial Transformation can shift the tide of a game, so understanding its potential and preparing for it in your deck-building and play strategy can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Cards like Mercurial Transformation
Mercurial Transformation is a unique entry in the realm of temporary creature modification within Magic: The Gathering. Like Mercurial Transformation, cards such as Ovinize shrink down an opponent’s creature to a minimal threat. While Ovinize also leaves the creature without abilities, it does not have the flexibility of being foretold for later use as Mercurial Transformation does.
Another parallel can be drawn with the card Kasmina’s Transmutation. Both cards serve the purpose of neutralizing powerhouse creatures, but Kasmina’s Transmutation is more enduring, offering a permanent alteration rather than Mercurial Transformation’s fleeting effect. However, this comes at the expense of the surprise factor provided by instant-speed play that Mercurial Transformation boasts.
When comparing Mercurial Transformation to its kin in the same sphere, it’s evident that it offers an intriguing combination of being a diminutive and deft spell with the advantage of casting at a moment’s notice. This delicate balance of impact and flexibility grants the card a distinct position among creature-modifying spells in Magic: The Gathering, providing players with a strategic tool for control and tempo plays.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mercurial Transformation MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Mercurial Transformation and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Mercurial Transformation has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mercurial Transformation card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-04-16 | Although you may want to include Lessons in your sideboard if you’re playing with cards that instruct you to learn, Lesson cards can be included in your main deck like other instant or sorcery cards. |
| 2021-04-16 | Lesson is a spell subtype found on some instant and sorcery cards in the Strixhaven set. The Lesson subtype has no special rules associated with it. |
| 2021-04-16 | You choose Frog or Octopus as Mercurial Transformation resolves, not when you cast it. |
