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Magic the Gathering card analysis: Shapeshifter's Marrow

"Shapeshifter's Marrow" is a blue enchantment spell printed as rare for the Magic the Gathering expansion set known as "Future Sight." So far, Shapeshifter's Marrow seems to be somewhat interesting provided that one knows how to play this card. In this respect, Shapeshifter's Marrow seems to be an all right card to use in a control deck with blue cards. However, this is all right as a sideboard provided you know if your opponents are going to use decks that have plenty of creatures.


The converted mana cost for Shapeshifter's Marrow is four. You will need two blue mana and two colorless mana to play Shapeshifter's Marrow. For what Shapeshifter's Marrow can do, it seems debatable on whether or not the four mana is a reasonable cost. Keep in mind that Shapeshifter's Marrow is an enchantment spell. It means that Shapeshifter's Marrow is susceptible to anything and everything that affects enchantment spells.


What does Shapeshifter's Marrow do in the first place?


The ability is only effective if opponents have plenty of creatures in their decks. While Shapeshifter's Marrow is on the battlefield, each opponent reveals the top card of his/her library at the beginning of his/her upkeep. If the card revealed is a creature card, s/he puts it into the graveyard. In this respect, Shapeshifter Marrow becomes a copy of that card.


In parenthesis, it says that should it happen, Shapeshifter Marrow loses the ability. With that said, it seems to be a hit or miss with Shapeshifter's Marrow. In this respect, Shapeshifter Marrow could transform into an impressive creature or a crappy creature. There is the risk of wasting space in your deck with a card that could transform into a very crappy creature.


However, you could hope that your opponent may have some impressive creatures such as "Maelstrom Archangel," "Lorescale Coatl," "Inkwell Leviathan," "Ant Queen," and so forth in their decks. If you know your opponents are going to be using such cards in their decks, then you may get some play with Shapeshifter's Marrow.


On the flip side, an opponent could bring out some semi-useless 1/1 creature with no abilities that serves as a defender. If that is the case, you have wasted an enchantment spell. In this respect, you have spent four mana to create a 1/1 creature with no abilities. Because of the risk involved, it would seem that Shapeshifter's Marrow probably will not get much play let alone in the extended format. Since Future Sight has already been phased out, one would not see Shapeshifter's Marrow played in standard unless it got reprinted.


Overall, Shapeshifter's Marrow seems to be an all right card. However, there is nothing great about the enchantment. While the ability seems promising, it is quite risky to use it. You are gambling that it could transform into a great creature or risk it transforming into a crappy creature.



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