Master of Pearls MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Monk
Abilities Morph
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card advantage and can swing games with its dual-mode play morph ability.
  2. Instant speed morph creates unexpected combat tricks, providing tactical benefits.
  3. Demands a specific mana color and a high total mana cost for optimization.

Text of card

Morph (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Master of Pearls is turned face up, creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Master of Pearls provides potential card advantage by having two modes of play. When morphed, it adds a creature to the board, and when flipped for its morph cost, it enhances your entire field, potentially swinging the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly contributing to mana acceleration, by increasing your creature’s power, Master of Pearls enables you to end games faster, thus conserving resources that might otherwise be spent on longer confrontations.

Instant Speed: The ability to turn up Master of Pearls at instant speed allows for surprise combat tricks and a tactical advantage during combat. This can disrupt an opponent’s strategy and enable unexpected wins.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One considerable drawback of Master of Pearls is its reliance on being turned face up to activate its ability. This can put you in a tough spot if you don’t have the necessary mana available, as you lose the opportunity to use the card’s full potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Master of Pearls requires white mana to cast. This can be restrictive as it fits primarily in white or white-inclusive decks, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-colored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To make the most of Master of Pearls, you need to morph it for three mana and then turn it face up for its morph cost. This entails a considerable investment of five total mana for its bolstering effect, which may be less efficient compared to other options that can provide more immediate or substantial board presence benefits.


Reasons to Include Master of Pearls in Your Collection

Versatility: Master of Pearls is well-suited for decks that are designed to act reactively against opponents. When morphed, it maintains a low profile until the right moment for a combat trick, making it easily adaptable to various game situations.

Combo Potential: With Master of Pearls, you have the capability to suddenly bolster your entire board, creating a surprise swing in your favor — perfect for strategies that want to flip the game state in one swift turn.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based combat is prevalent, Master of Pearls can provide a significant tempo shift. Its presence alone can affect how your opponent plays, giving you a psychological edge in matches.


How to beat

Master of Pearls is a unique card that can shift the momentum in Magic: The Gathering when used effectively. This card has the potential to surprise an opponent by bolstering your creatures during the combat phase, thanks especially to its morph ability. To come out ahead, players need a strategy that neutralizes this sudden surge in power. One of the most straightforward approaches is to deal with the Master of Pearls before it can turn face up. Removal spells that can target creatures while they are still morphed, such as Doom Blade or Go for the Throat, are particularly effective as they prevent the Master of Pearls from having any impact on the game.

Another tactic is to utilize counter spells when your opponent attempts to morph Master of Pearls. Countering the morph activation leaves the Master of Pearls in its less threatening state and your opponent without the resources they invested. Lastly, board wipes like Wrath of God can reset the playing field. This removes any accumulated advantage and brings the Master of Pearls down along with the rest of the creatures. Considering these strategies will help maintain control and prevent the Master of Pearls from tipping the scales in your opponent’s favor.


Cards like Master of Pearls

Master of Pearls is a unique creature card in the MTG universe, with its morph ability allowing players a surprise tactic that can turn the tide of battle. Morphin creatures like Ainok Bond-Kin, share the same set and also provide an on field advantage with Outlast, but lack the instantaneous impact of Master of Pearls’ surprise factor.

Hidden Dragonslayer is another similar card, with its Lifelink ability and power to destroy a strong foe proving beneficial. However, Master of Pearls instead offers a wider buff to all your creatures, potentially swaying the entire battlefield in your favor. Whereas Hidden Dragonslayer might provide a more target-focused solution.

Den Protector is worth mentioning; like Master of Pearls, it also morphs, but instead of bolstering your creatures, it retrieves valuable cards from your graveyard. The utility of each card is distinct: while Den Protector is pivotal for strategic resource recovery, Master of Pearls is all about the element of surprise and immediate board presence.

Evaluating Master of Pearls against its counterparts, it’s evident that while there are other morphing options available, its ability to unexpectedly empower your creatures en masse is what distinguishes it in MTG strategic play.

Ainok Bond-Kin - MTG Card versions
Hidden Dragonslayer - MTG Card versions
Den Protector - MTG Card versions
Ainok Bond-Kin - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Hidden Dragonslayer - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
Den Protector - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Master of Pearls MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir Promos and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Master of Pearls and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Master of Pearls Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by David Gaillet.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of Tarkir PromosPKTK 18s2015normalblackDavid Gaillet
22014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 182015normalblackDavid Gaillet
32024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 732015normalblackDavid Gaillet

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Master of Pearls has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-09-20 A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent, as well as Auras and Equipment that were attached to the permanent, aren’t affected.
2014-09-20 Any time you have priority, you may turn the face-down creature face up by revealing what its morph cost is and paying that cost. This is a special action. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to. Only a face-down permanent can be turned face up this way; a face-down spell cannot.
2014-09-20 At any time, you can look at a face-down spell or permanent you control. You can’t look at face-down spells or permanents you don’t control unless an effect instructs you to do so.
2014-09-20 Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it’s turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn’t cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger.
2014-09-20 If a face-down permanent leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it. You must also reveal all face-down spells and permanents you control if you leave the game or if the game ends.
2014-09-20 Morph lets you cast a card face down by paying , and lets you turn the face-down permanent face up any time you have priority by paying its morph cost.
2014-09-20 The face-down spell has no mana cost and has a converted mana cost of 0. When you cast a face-down spell, put it on the stack face down so no other player knows what it is, and pay . This is an alternative cost.
2014-09-20 When the spell resolves, it enters the battlefield as a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It’s colorless and has a converted mana cost of 0. Other effects that apply to the creature can still grant it any of these characteristics.
2014-09-20 You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You’re not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield in order to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for doing this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield.

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