Deepchannel Mentor MTG Card


Deepchannel Mentor - Shadowmoor
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Merfolk Rogue
Released2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameShadowmoor
Set codeSHM
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number35
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJesper Ejsing

Key Takeaways

  1. It enables significant card advantage, pressuring opponents to find immediate answers to its effects.
  2. Brings unblockable potential to blue creatures, heightening the damage resources against adversaries.
  3. Necessitates blue creature presence, possessing a high mana cost that could be restrictive.

Text of card

Blue creatures you control are unblockable.

The rivers can no longer provide safe passage for travelers and commerce. They serve only as highways for raiders and channels for blood and woe.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deepchannel Mentor poses a strategic presence on the battlefield. As a blue creature, it can open up opportunities for card advantage, allowing its controller to focus on drawing more cards to find the necessary answers or threats needed during the game. This can be particularly beneficial in decks focused on maintaining hand superiority.

Resource Acceleration: By making all blue creatures you control unblockable, Deepchannel Mentor effectively accelerates the potential damage resources you have at your disposal. It may not produce additional mana or tokens, but it enhances your attacking resources significantly by ensuring your blue minions can consistently hit your adversary, applying pressure without the risk of being blocked.

Instant Speed: Although Deepchannel Mentor is not an instant itself, its ability to give other creatures unblockability at sorcery speed necessitates an immediate response from opponents. This instant-speed type pressure demands the opponent to have an answer or risk falling behind, aligning with the flexible and reactive playstyle prominent in blue decks. This ability to force the opponent’s hand can be considered akin to the strategic value provided by instant speed spells and effects.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deepchannel Mentor requires players to continually have blue creatures to tap, which can be a downside if your board presence is weak or if you’re facing a deck with heavy removal.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands an exclusive investment in blue mana, potentially restricting its integration into multi-colored decks or strategies that require a diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing six mana to cast, Deepchannel Mentor can be seen as a costly investment, particularly when you’re looking for early-game board development or facing fast-paced aggro decks.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Deepchannel Mentor is a solid choice for blue decks that aim to be unblockable. As a creature that turns all blue creatures you control into elusive threats, it provides an edge in getting damage through.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that synergize with unblockable creatures or benefit from successful combat damage to a player, Deepchannel Mentor can be a key piece in executing winning strategies.

Meta-Relevance: As decks that require consistent combat damage for their game plan stay relevant, including Deepchannel Mentor could give you the tactical advantage you need, especially in metas with blockers-heavy opponents.


How to Beat

Deepchannel Mentor is a unique blue creature card that gives your other blue creatures the ability to become unblockable. When facing a deck leveraging this card, it’s critical to anticipate and prevent its effects before your opponent’s creatures slip through defenses. Managing to remove Deepchannel Mentor from the board is paramount. Direct removal spells, countermagic, or board wipes are effective strategies since Deepchannel Mentor’s high casting cost can mean a serious setback when it’s removed from play.

Deck builders often include targeted removal such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade to handle problematic creatures. Counterspells, particularly those with a low mana cost like Negate or Essence Scatter, can prevent Deepchannel Mentor from ever hitting the board. For decks that aren’t equipped with these types of individual solutions, a well-timed board wipe, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, can clear the Mentor along with any threats it aims to protect.

Overall, the key to beating Deepchannel Mentor lies in either pre-emptive action or being reactive with the right answers. By understanding your opponent’s strategy and maintaining control of the board state, you can mitigate the advantage Deepchannel Mentor provides and maintain the upper hand.


BurnMana Recommendations

To wrap up, Deepchannel Mentor exemplifies strategic depth in MTG, often tipping the scales in favor of savvy blue players. Its unblockability gift to blue creatures makes it a linchpin in decks prioritizing evasive offenses. If you’re intrigued by tactical plays and relentless assaults, it’s essential to understand the nuances of implementing such cards in your arsenal. Deepchannel Mentor might not fit every strategy, but its potential is unmistakable in the right setup. Keen to refine your deck-building skills and cultivate a strategic mindset? Dive into our resources for insights and strategies to incorporate Deepchannel Mentor effectively, and steer your way to victory in your next clash.


Cards like Deepchannel Mentor

Deepchannel Mentor, a blue creature from the Magic: The Gathering set Shadowmoor, serves as a remarkable tool for enabling unblockable strategies. A comparable card is Thassa, God of the Sea, from the Theros set. Thassa allows you to make a creature unblockable each turn, offering consistent evasion, although it’s limited to one creature at a time. Deepchannel Mentor, in contrast, grants unblockability to all blue creatures you control, significantly enhancing the effect’s scope.

Another card to consider is Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive, which makes all creatures you control with power or toughness 1 unblockable. The Mentor’s appeal lies in its lack of restrictions related to the creatures’ power or toughness. Cover of Darkness is also worth mentioning, as it can grant fear to creatures of a chosen type, akin to Mentor’s blanket unblockability for blue creatures. However, it is reliant on the opponent not having creatures of the chosen type to block.

Each of these cards offers unique advantages, but for players running a blue-heavy creature stack, Deepchannel Mentor provides a broad and powerful effect that can turn an entire army into an unstoppable force as you delve deeper into the game.

Thassa, God of the Sea - MTG Card versions
Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive - MTG Card versions
Cover of Darkness - MTG Card versions
Thassa, God of the Sea - Theros (THS)
Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive - Dominaria Promos (PDOM)
Cover of Darkness - Onslaught (ONS)

Cards similar to Deepchannel Mentor by color, type and mana cost

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Sibilant Spirit - MTG Card versions
Drifting Djinn - MTG Card versions
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Deepfathom Skulker - MTG Card versions
Shoreline Ranger - MTG Card versions
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Isperia's Skywatch - MTG Card versions
Sea Serpent - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Sibilant Spirit - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Drifting Djinn - Urza's Saga (USG)
King Crab - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Sea Monster - Tenth Edition (10E)
Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sliptide Serpent - Nemesis (NEM)
Mahamoti Djinn - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Deepfathom Skulker - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Shoreline Ranger - Scourge (SCG)
Vedalken Dismisser - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Novijen Sages - Dissension (DIS)
Draining Whelk - Time Spiral (TSP)
Arcanis the Omnipotent - Commander 2017 (C17)
Quicksilver Dragon - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra (DD2)
Frost Titan - Magic 2012 (M12)
Deadeye Navigator - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Harbor Serpent - Magic 2013 (M13)
Skyline Predator - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Isperia's Skywatch - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deepchannel Mentor MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Deepchannel Mentor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deepchannel Mentor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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