Tideshaper Mystic MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Released	2007-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Lorwyn
Set code	LRW
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	93
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Tedin

Key Takeaways

Delivers control over land types, presenting tactical advantages during gameplay and enabling land-related synergies.
Requires commitment to blue mana and might necessitate discarding, potentially limiting flexibility in some decks.
Crucial for decks using Island synergies, but assess its value against its mana and hand cost requirements.

Text of card

: Target land becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn. Play this ability only during your turn.

He paints with drop and shimmer a world that exists only in the wistful heart.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tideshaper Mystic grants you tactical leverage by letting you manipulate both your own and your opponent’s lands. This control can pave the way for favourable board states and strategic opportunities to outmaneuver your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: This versatile merfolk’s ability to change the land types can potentially unlock your deck’s resource acceleration capabilities. By turning a land into an Island, you enable synergy with cards that benefit from controlling islands or that penalize opponents for having them.

Instant Speed: Although Tideshaper Mystic’s ability is not at instant speed, its efficiency at only one blue mana means it can be played early while still keeping mana available for other instant speed interactions within your turn or on your opponent’s turn, keeping you reactive and prepared at all times.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tideshaper Mystic comes with the downside of potentially needing to toss another card from your hand, which can hamper your game if you’re running low on options. In games where hand size equals strength, this can be an undesirable trade-off.

Specific Mana Cost: This aquatic spellbinder demands a precise mana combination to cast. With its requirement for blue mana, it won’t fit into just any deck, especially if your strategy doesn’t heavily focus on blue’s watery ways.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to utility and influence on the game’s flow, Tideshaper Mystic may not hold up against other options. For the investment of both mana and another card from your hand, it’s essential to weigh if the tides it shapes will truly sway the match in your favor.

Reasons to Include Tideshaper Mystic in Your Collection

Versatility: Tideshaper Mystic offers a flexible role in blue-centric or multicolor decks, as it can manipulate land types, potentially turning enemy resources into Islands or ensuring your land matches your spell requirements.

Combo Potential: This card works wonders with Islandwalk abilities or landfall triggers. It can be a linchpin in strategies designed around locking down an opponent’s mana or enabling powerful synergies based on land types.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where the battlefield often dictates the pace and outcome, Tideshaper Mystic can shift the dynamics in your favor – especially important if the current competitive scene rewards strategic land manipulation and tempo control.

How to Beat

The Tideshaper Mystic is a card that showcases the strategic depth of Magic: The Gathering. Known for its ability to morph lands into Islands, it can be particularly disruptive in decks that rely heavily on land types. To effectively counter this card, prioritizing removal spells that can target creatures at a low cost is key. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile provide efficient solutions to neutralize the Tideshaper Mystic before the opponent’s land base is significantly altered.

Moreover, it’s advantageous to play with nonbasic lands that have multiple land types or those that have abilities to become any land type. This reduces the impact Tideshaper Mystic can have on your mana base. An alternative strategy involves utilizing counterspells to prevent it from entering the battlefield in the first place. In any case, swift response and careful planning will minimize the disruption caused by this elusive Mystic and keep your strategy on track.

Understanding the environments Tideshaper Mystic thrives in, such as Merfolk tribal decks or those that benefit from opponents controlling Islands, and preparing your deck to counteract those situations, is crucial. Flexibility and anticipation are your greatest tools in ensuring its watery magic doesn’t wash away your chance of victory.

Cards like Tideshaper Mystic

Tideshaper Mystic is not your average creature card in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest analogue might be the Master of the Pearl Trident, which also offers Merfolk creatures an additional buff. However, Tideshaper Mystic brings something different to the table with its ability to turn any land into an Island. This mechanic not only enhances Merfolk synergies but can disrupt the opponent’s land base, potentially crippling their mana strategy.

Comparably, Aquitect’s Will is a spell that serves a similar role by converting an opponent’s land into an Island in addition to allowing you to draw a card. The difference lies in its one-time use and the added benefit of cantripping. Streambed Aquitects, another Merfolk card, can also turn lands into Islands but requires a mana investment each time you wish to activate this effect, unlike the constant presence Tideshaper Mystic offers on the field.

While assessing these alternatives, it’s apparent that Tideshaper Mystic holds its own by offering strategic land conversion coupled with a standing threat of empowering other Merfolk in your army. Its consistent presence and passive ability make it a card valued for its potential to impact the game board both offensively and defensively.

Master of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tideshaper Mystic by color, type and mana cost

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tideshaper Mystic MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn, 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 Tideshaper Mystic and other MTG cards: