Agent of Shauku MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Mercenary
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	55
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Donato Giancola

Key Takeaways

Agent of Shauku excels in removing threats, maintaining battlefield control, and optimizing card draws.
While offering deck thinning and acceleration, it demands high black mana, leading to deck-building constraints.
It remains a meta-relevant card, able to exile creatures and disrupt opponent strategies in variant formats.

Text of card

o1o B, Sacrifice a land: Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

"Go ahead. Take it. You'll be so very powerful . . . and what harm can it do?"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Agent of Shauku provides a distinct advantage by enabling you to effortlessly eliminate an opponent’s threat. Each time a creature is destroyed, it effectively translates to gaining an edge in the battlefield dynamics, keeping your hand filled with options.

Resource Acceleration: By adding Agent of Shauku to your deck, you’re not simply controlling the game – you’re accelerating your resource pool. This comes from its capacity to thin the deck by systematically removing creatures, therefore increasing the likelihood of drawing into more impactful spells and lands.

Instant Speed: The ability to act at instant speed can’t be overstated. This not only allows strategic flexibility but also the opportunity to respond to threats in real-time. Agent of Shauku gives you the upper hand by being ready to act right in the heat of combat or at a moment’s notice, keeping your opponents on their toes.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The playability of Agent of Shauku is impacted by its stipulation of discarding a card, potentially putting you at a card disadvantage when resources are already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring two black mana to cast, Agent of Shauku demands a heavy commitment to black mana sources, which could restrict its inclusion in multi-color decks that might not accommodate such specific mana needs.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that competes with many impactful spells in MTG, Agent of Shauku could be overlooked in favor of cards with a stronger presence or more versatile abilities for the same mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Agent of Shauku is not just a removal card; it offers strategic options for late-game plays. Its ability to exile any target creature ensures that it can serve as an answer to a wide variety of threats. This makes it a flexible addition to decks that require precise and unconditional removal options.

Combo Potential: This card’s power lies in its ability to synergize with strategies that benefit from exiling creatures. It can combine with graveyard play mechanics or enhance the efficacy of decks that manipulate exile zones. Its integration into combos amplifies its value, making it a tactical choice for creative deck builders.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ever-shifting landscape of the game, Agent of Shauku remains relevant in formats where creatures dominate the board. Its relevance in the meta can disrupt opponents’ strategies, by removing key creatures that could turn the tide of the game in their favor. This disruptiveness ensures that it remains a potent card against many popular deck archetypes.

How to Beat

Agent of Shauku stands as a niche yet potentially troublesome card for players facing off against it in a game of Magic: The Gathering. This creature has the unique ability to sacrifice a land to give itself +1/+1 until end of turn, which can be leveraged to create a formidable attacker or blocker when land resources are abundant.

However, prevailing over this card isn’t insurmountable. Key tactics involve restraining your opponent’s land count, thereby limiting the power-boosting capability of Agent of Shauku. Land destruction spells can effectively reduce the capacity for enhancement, while control strategies that prevent the creature from attacking or blocking can neutralize its impact. Additionally, cards that deny activated abilities can shut down Agent of Shauku’s power-up tactic, leaving it as a manageable threat.

Ultimately, understanding and anticipating the scenarios where Agent of Shauku might be most potent is essential. With a judicious approach to resource denial and ability suppression, players can overcome the challenges posed by this card and maintain control over the game’s flow.

Cards like Agent of Shauku

Agent of Shauku stands out in the realm of black mana creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It bears some similarities to cards like Vampire Cutthroat and Typhoid Rats. Agent of Shauku, much like Vampire Cutthroat, benefits from a form of evasion, being unblockable as long as the opponent controls no other creatures. This trait provides strategic depth, particularly in the early game enabling players to bypass defenders entirely.

However, while Typhoid Rats brings deathtouch to the table, allowing it to act as an effective deterrent against larger creatures, Agent of Shauku does not have this capability. Instead, it’s the Agent’s conditional unblockability that gives it a unique angle for combat and strategy. Furthermore, with the power to sacrifice a land to pump its strength, it aligns more with cards like Bloodflow Connoisseur, which also escalate in potential through sacrifice, although Bloodflow Connoisseur sacrifices creatures instead of lands.

Evaluating these comparisons, Agent of Shauku offers players a distinctive mix of evasive abilities and land sacrificing synergy, carving out its own niche within the suite of black creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Bloodflow Connoisseur - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Agent of Shauku by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Agent of Shauku MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Agent of Shauku and other MTG cards: