Pouncing Shoreshark MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Shark Beast
Abilities Mutate, Flash
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Pouncing Shoreshark offers card advantage through its mutate ability and potential for board control.
  2. The card’s strategic use can be limited by the requirement of another creature presence on the battlefield.
  3. Versatile and meta-relevant, it’s essential for decks that leverage mutate mechanics and creature control.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Mutate (If you cast this spell for its mutate cost, put it over or under target non-Human creature you own. They mutate into the creature on top plus all abilities from under it.) Flash Whenever this creature mutates, you may return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The mutate feature of Pouncing Shoreshark provides significant card value by allowing you to do more with a single card. When played on another creature, it not only offers a new, potentially more powerful creature but also triggers any mutate effects from earlier mutations adding to your overall card power.

Resource Acceleration: Pouncing Shoreshark doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, but by bouncing an opponent’s creature to their hand, it disrupts their board development. This, in turn, can give you an advantage in using your resources more effectively as your opponent is forced to spend mana to reestablish their board state.

Instant Speed: While Pouncing Shoreshark itself doesn’t have instant speed, its mutate ability can be applied at instant speed if you are mutating it onto a creature that has flash. This gives you the flexibility to adapt to the battlefield on your opponent’s turn, catching them off guard and maximizing your strategic options.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing the Pouncing Shoreshark requires the right strategical moment. If it’s used as a mutate host or for its mutate ability, keep in mind you will need an additional creature card on the battlefield. This puts a demand on your available creatures and could leave you at a disadvantage if you’re unable to maintain board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: With a specific mana requirement of one island and four generic mana, integrating Pouncing Shoreshark into your deck can be challenging if you’re running a multicolor deck lacking in sufficient blue mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Pouncing Shoreshark’s initial casting or mutate cost is considered high. There are other creatures with similar or lower mana costs that offer immediate impact without the prerequisite of another creature on the board.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pouncing Shoreshark offers the ability to fit into various deck archetypes, particularly those capitalizing on mutate mechanics or needing flexible creature control.

Combo Potential: With its mutate ability, the card can create powerful interactions, effectively removing opponents’ threats and enhancing your battlefield presence simultaneously.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to disrupt opponent plays and provide board advantage, Pouncing Shoreshark maintains relevance in metas with creature-heavy decks.


How to Beat Pouncing Shoreshark

Pouncing Shoreshark emerges as a versatile creature in Magic: The Gathering, particularly in decks that favor the mutate mechanic. This card can catch opponents off guard with its ability to return a creature an opponent controls to their hand. Despite its tactical prowess, overcoming Pouncing Shoreshark relies on smart deck building and strategic play.

A straightforward strategy is to limit the targets for its mutate ability. Playing fewer creatures or those with hexproof can naturally weaken Pouncing Shoreshark’s potential impact. Holding onto removal spells until your opponent attempts to mutate allows you to respond effectively, nullifying their turn and wasting their resources. Instant speed removals or effects that counter triggered abilities provide a reliable safeguard against this mutative threat.

Moreover, having creatures with greater power and toughness can simply outclass the Shoreshark, diminishing its role on the battlefield. Alternatively, cards that can exile creatures bypass the return-to-hand effect, ensuring that Pouncing Shoreshark and its host leave the game for good. With these considerations, players can confidently navigate around the challenges posed by this unique MTG card.


BurnMana Recommendations

As we’ve dived into the dynamics of Pouncing Shoreshark, it’s evident that this card can be a game-changer in creature-heavy matchups. Its ability to bounce opponents’ creatures and the flexibility provided by the mutate mechanic can create significant swings in board control. For those looking to upgrade their MTG arsenal, incorporating a card like Pouncing Shoreshark could be the key to outpacing the competition. Savvy players know that every card counts, and understanding when and how to deploy such tactical assets is crucial. Learn more about harnessing the potential of Pouncing Shoreshark by joining the BurnMana community today.


Cards like Pouncing Shoreshark

Pouncing Shoreshark serves as an intriguing piece in the creature-based strategies in MTG, notably within the mutate mechanic. It holds a kinship with cards like Auspicious Starrix, which also utilizes mutate to manipulate the board. However, Pouncing Shoreshark has the advantage of being able to bounce a creature upon mutating, whereas Auspicious Starrix excels in creating a wider board presence by dropping extra permanents into play.

Dire Fleet Daredevil presents an alternate form of interaction; though it doesn’t mutate, upon entry, it offers the chance to cast a spell from an opponent’s graveyard, delivering a different form of disruption. While Pouncing Shoreshark specializes in tempo, creating advantageous turns by returning opposing creatures to their owner’s hand, Dire Fleet Daredevil focuses on leveraging your opponents’ spells for your gain.

Ultimately, Pouncing Shoreshark’s unique combination of the mutate ability and its capacity to swing the game tempo with its creature bouncing effect positions it as a versatile and tactical choice within MTG’s creature-focused decks.

Auspicious Starrix - MTG Card versions
Dire Fleet Daredevil - MTG Card versions
Auspicious Starrix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Dire Fleet Daredevil - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pouncing Shoreshark MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Pouncing Shoreshark and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pouncing Shoreshark Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2022-07-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 809752015mutateblackDaniel Warren Johnson
22020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 2852015mutateblackDaniel Warren Johnson
32020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 642015mutateblackDan Scott
42020-09-26The ListPLST IKO-2852015mutateblackDaniel Warren Johnson
52022-07-07Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's GateHBG 9082015mutateblackDan Scott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pouncing Shoreshark has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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