Wishful Merfolk MTG Card
2019-10-04 - Number 73
2019-11-07 - Number 554
2020-07-17 - Number 197
2020-09-26 - Number ELD-73
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk |
| Abilities | Defender |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Defender : Wishful Merfolk loses defender and becomes a Human until end of turn.
She yearned to walk on dry land so she might take her vengeance there.
Cards like Wishful Merfolk
Wishful Merfolk stands out in the vast sea of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shares some features with other merfolk such as River Sneak, which also has a two-mana cost and is comparable in its ability to be unblockable under certain conditions. However, Wishful Merfolk distinguishes itself with higher toughness, providing staying power on the battlefield, albeit requiring a payment of life to become unblockable.
Watertrap Weaver is another card to consider alongside Wishful Merfolk. While the Weaver doesn’t present the same challenge to opponents with evasion abilities, it compensates by tapping a target creature, effectively removing it from combat or disabling an activated ability for a turn. This makes Watertrap Weaver a choice card for tempo strategies.
Moreover, Mist-Cloaked Herald presents itself as a minimalistic alternative. It’s a simple, cost-effective merfolk with a permanent unblockable feature. Although it lacks the raw survivability of Wishful Merfolk, the Herald thrives on consistent evasion without the life payment trade-off.
Whether seeking to hold the line or slip past defenses, each merfolk card adds a unique ripple to the gameplay experience, with Wishful Merfolk potentially fulfilling a role of a resilient, if somewhat costly, evader in Magic: The Gathering decks.
Cards similar to Wishful Merfolk by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wishful Merfolk provides a valuable defensive option which, when skillfully deployed, can discourage opponents from attacking, thereby preserving your hand and maintaining control over the game.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly contributing to traditional resource acceleration, the ability of Wishful Merfolk to sustain board presence without immediate investment can indirectly allow for mana and resources to be allocated elsewhere, effectively smoothing out your mana curve.
Instant Speed: Although the Wishful Merfolk itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with instant speed spells by providing a reliable blocker. This can be a tactical advantage, keeping your opponent guessing and wary of committing to attacks or expending resources prematurely.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside of Wishful Merfolk is its requirement to discard another card, which can deplete your hand, especially if you’re already at a card disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card requires a specific combination of blue mana to cast. This can make it challenging to play in multi-colored decks that may not always have the necessary blue mana available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Wishful Merfolk’s mana cost may be considered steep for its stat line and abilities. There are other creatures in the same mana range that can potentially provide more impact on the game board.
Reasons to Include Wishful Merfolk in Your Collection
Versatility: Wishful Merfolk offers flexibility in various blue-based strategies. As a creature card, it can serve both as an early blocker and a proactive option for themes leaning towards enchantment synergies due to its transformation ability.
Combo Potential: In combination with enchantment-centric mechanics or those that target creatures, Wishful Merfolk transitions from a simple defender to a potentially offensive asset on the board, meshing well with combo-oriented decks seeking such versatility.
Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamic nature of MTG’s meta, Wishful Merfolk’s adaptability can be crucial in matchups that favor being able to switch roles between an aggressive and defensive posture, making it a competent choice for blue decks keeping pace with shifting environments.
How to Beat
Confronted with the Wishful Merfolk in MTG, a player is facing a card that presents a unique defensive challenge with its transformation ability. Understanding its dual nature is key to overcoming this crafty creature. On the surface, Wishful Merfolk may appear to be a standard two-mana creature with decent toughness, but when it becomes a target of a spell, its true power unfolds as it transforms into a formidable 4/2 attacker, shedding its defender status.
To circumvent this, targeting the card indirectly is a strategic approach. Utilizing spells that do not target, such as those dealing damage to all creatures or altering the state of the board without singling out the Merfolk, can be highly effective. Board wipes or mass removal spells sidestep the transformation trigger and clear the path. Another tactic involves timing your spells to disenchant or remove the Merfolk before it can transform, essentially catching your opponent off-guard during their turn when they have less mana to respond or their defenses are down.
This approach highlights the importance of patience and timing in gameplay, revealing that sometimes the key to winning is cleverly navigating around an opponent’s strengths, rather than engaging them head-on.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wishful Merfolk MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine and Mystery Booster, 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 Wishful Merfolk 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Wishful Merfolk Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Livia Prima.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-10-04 | Throne of Eldraine | ELD | 73 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Livia Prima | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 554 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Livia Prima | |
| 3 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 197 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Livia Prima | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | ELD-73 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Livia Prima |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wishful Merfolk has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Wishful Merfolk card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2019-10-04 | While Wishful Merfolk is a Human, it's no longer a Merfolk. |