Mirror of the Forebears MTG Card
2016-11-16 - Number 65751
2017-08-25 - Number 54
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Activating Mirror of the Forebears can grant access to multiple creature abilities, enhancing your board’s power.
- Its dependence on specific creature types and active board state can limit its utility in some situations.
- While resource-intensive, its flexibility makes it a valuable addition to tribal-themed decks in MTG.
Text of card
As Mirror of the Forebears enters the battlefield, choose a creature type. : Until end of turn, Mirror of the Forebears becomes a copy of target creature you control of the chosen type, except it's an artifact in addition to its other types.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mirror of the Forebears enables versatility in copying creature types, giving players potential access to multiple abilities and enhancing board presence without losing card equity.
Resource Acceleration: By merely investing mana into the activation cost, you can transform it to mimic the most advantageous creature on the battlefield, offering a cost-effective way to utilize creature abilities and potentially accelerate your game plan.
Instant Speed: The flexibility to activate Mirror of the Forebears at instant speed allows you to adapt to the changing dynamics of a game, providing surprise blockers or utilizing copied abilities at critical moments to sway the outcome in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Mirror of the Forebears demands that you possess a creature type on the field to activate its ability. This requirement can be restrictive when your board state is lacking diversity or when you’re facing removal-heavy decks, potentially leaving the artifact’s ability untapped.
Specific Mana Cost: Activation of Mirror of the Forebears’s ability requires one mana of any color. While this may seem flexible, it demands mana investment during your turn that could otherwise be allocated to development of your board or countering opponents’ moves.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the initial two-mana cost is moderate, continuous use can drain resources quickly. In a fast-paced game where mana efficiency is critical, the cumulative cost of reaping the benefits from Mirror of the Forebears can hamper your ability to respond to other threats or progress your strategy effectively.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Mirror of the Forebears is an adaptable artifact that can seamlessly blend into various deck archetypes. It’s particularly effective in tribal strategies where it can become a copy of any creature sharing a type with the one you control.
Combo Potential: With this card, there’s a plethora of combination options at your disposal. It can be key in creating duplicates of creatures with powerful triggered or activated abilities, amplifying those effects on the battlefield for a game-changing impact.
Meta-Relevance: As the competitive scene evolves, versatile cards like Mirror of the Forebears remain relevant. It adapts to a variety of situations, making your deck resilient against various opponents and able to exploit specific metagame trends.
How to beat
The Mirror of the Forebears is a versatile artifact in Magic: The Gathering that can become a copy of any creature on the battlefield as long as it shares a type with a creature you control. It can be a real game changer by adapting to the most advantageous creature powers present. Understanding its dynamics is key to countering its effects effectively.
When facing an opponent with Mirror of the Forebears, removal spells that target artifacts, such as Abrade or Naturalize, become essential tools. If your opponent has already activated it, eliminating the copied creature type from their battlefield can also nullify the mirror’s abilities. An instant speed removal, such as Disenchant, can catch your opponent off guard, especially when they attempt to declare attackers or blockers, reducing the mirror’s impact on the game.
Additionally, be wary of overextending on the battlefield when you know a Mirror of the Forebears is in play. Careful play and holding onto key removal spells until the right moment can prevent your opponent from maximizing the benefits of this adaptable artifact and could turn the tides of the match in your favor.
Cards like Mirror of the Forebears
When looking at Mirror of the Forebears within the realm of artifact cards in Magic: The Gathering, we see it shares characteristics with several others, though with its unique twists. Sculpting Steel stands out as a clear comparison; it too can become a copy of any artifact on the battlefield. However, Sculpting Steel’s effect is permanent once it enters the battlefield, whereas Mirror of the Forebears offers flexibility, allowing changes each turn depending on the creature types present.
Another artifact to consider is Phyrexian Metamorph. It adds a touch of versatility, as it can copy any artifact or creature, not just those sharing a type with it. But keep in mind, Mirror of the Forebears requires only one mana to activate its ability, while Phyrexian Metamorph asks for a one-time additional phyrexian mana cost upon casting. Echoing the adaptability theme, Clever Impersonator is also a noteworthy mention. It can copy any nonland permanent, which is quite broad, yet it lacks the ongoing flexibility provided by Mirror of the Forebears’ controllable transformation each turn.
Ultimately, what sets Mirror of the Forebears apart in this company is the ongoing tactical advantage it holds by adapting turn after turn, fitting seamlessly into any tribal strategy you’re executing in your Magic: The Gathering match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mirror of the Forebears MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2017, 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 Mirror of the Forebears 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
Printings
The Mirror of the Forebears Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2017-08-25. Illustrated by Kieran Yanner.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-11-16 | Treasure Chest | PZ2 | 65751 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kieran Yanner | |
| 2 | 2017-08-25 | Commander 2017 | C17 | 54 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kieran Yanner |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mirror of the Forebears has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mirror of the Forebears card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-08-25 | If Mirror of the Forebears becomes a copy of a creature that itself has an ability that asks you to choose a creature type as it enters the battlefield and another ability that references “the chosen creature type,” that ability won’t have a choice made for it. You won’t use the type chosen for Mirror of the Forebears. |
| 2017-08-25 | If Mirror of the Forebears becomes a copy of a legendary creature you control, you’ll put one of them into your graveyard. |
| 2017-08-25 | If Mirror of the Forebears becomes a creature the same turn it enters the battlefield, you can’t attack with it or use any of its abilities (if it gains any) unless it has haste. |
| 2017-08-25 | If Mirror of the Forebears copies a creature that’s copying something else, it will become whatever the target is copying. |
| 2017-08-25 | If an effect begins to apply to Mirror of the Forebears before it becomes a copy of another permanent, that effect will continue to apply. For example, if Mirror of the Forebears is activated twice in response to itself targeting first Spirit of the Hearth then Temur Sabertooth, the ability it has while it’s a copy of Temur Sabertooth can be activated and its effect will continue to apply while Mirror of the Forebears is a copy of Spirit of the Hearth. |
| 2017-08-25 | If you activate the second ability of Mirror of the Forebears multiple times in a turn in response to itself, then each time one of those abilities resolves, it will overwrite whatever Mirror of the Forebears is copying. Mirror of the Forebears will wind up as a copy of the permanent targeted by the last ability to resolve. When the turn ends, all instances of the ability will wear off at the same time. |
| 2017-08-25 | If you somehow control a Mirror of the Forebears with no chosen creature type, its activated ability can’t be activated. |
| 2017-08-25 | Mirror of the Forebears becomes an artifact in addition to its other types. This is a copiable value that other effects may copy. |
| 2017-08-25 | Mirror of the Forebears copies the printed values of the target creature, plus any copy effects that have been applied to it. It won’t copy counters on that creature or effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on. Notably, it won’t copy effects that made the target creature become a creature. |
| 2017-08-25 | Once the second ability of Mirror of the Forebears resolves, it no longer has that ability. |
| 2017-08-25 | You can’t choose multiple creature types, such as “Cat Warrior.” A Cat Warrior is both a Cat and a Warrior. It’s affected by anything that affects either type and unaffected by things that affect non-Cat or non-Warrior creatures. |
| 2017-08-25 | You must choose an existing creature type, such as Vampire or Cat. Card types such as “artifact” can’t be chosen. |
