Arcbound Shikari
Artifact Creature — Cat Soldier
First strike
When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter on each other artifact creature you control.
Modular 2 (This creature enters with two +1/+1 counters on it. When it dies, you may put its +1/+1 counters on target artifact creature.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- RW
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Modern Horizons 2
- Price
- $0.30
- EDHREC rank
- #7970
Arcbound Shikari turns every Equipment entering the battlefield into a +1/+1 counter delivery system for your whole team — that's a repeatable, on-board anthem that doesn't cost a card each time. Antler Skulkin offers a pale imitation at a higher mana investment; Arcbound Shikari does it cheaper, broader, and with a modular death trigger stapled on. Run it in any deck that moves Equipment regularly and you'll immediately understand why Zabaz, the Glimmerwasp lists include it at a 94% rate.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Zabaz, the Glimmerwasp
Arcbound Shikari is nearly mandatory in Zabaz, the Glimmerwasp decks — Zabaz's modular synergies mean counters are constantly moving, and Shikari turns every Equipment drop into a board-wide counter distribution event that stacks with Zabaz's own static bonus.
General Ferrous Rokiric
General Ferrous Rokiric churns out Golem tokens from multicolor spells, and Arcbound Shikari ensures every Equipment entering the battlefield pumps that token swarm, turning a go-wide strategy into a go-wide-and-tall strategy simultaneously.
Optimus Prime, Hero
Optimus Prime, Hero is built around suiting up a single massive threat, and Arcbound Shikari multiplies the payoff — each Equipment that lands on Optimus or any other creature distributes counters across the board, so the deck's inherent Equipment density becomes a passive anthem engine.
Cayth, Famed Mechanist
Cayth, Famed Mechanist cares about artifacts entering and generating value from them, and Arcbound Shikari slots in as a low-cost creature that converts each Equipment arrival into a board buff, supporting Cayth's artifact-density gameplan without demanding a dedicated modular package.
Sephiroth, Fallen Hero
Sephiroth, Fallen Hero strategies that layer Equipment onto a growing threat benefit from Arcbound Shikari as an incidental anthem — whenever another piece of Equipment enters, the whole board inches upward, letting Sephiroth's power accumulate faster than opponents can track.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Arcbound Shikari is legal in Commander, Legacy, Modern, Vintage, and Oathbreaker — the formats where it actually sees play are Commander and, occasionally, fringe Modern artifact brews. In Commander it earns its slot cleanly in any Equipment-heavy or modular deck, where the density of Equipment triggers makes its passive ability live every turn rather than once or twice. In Modern and Legacy it competes with a faster clock and a narrower role, and it rarely makes the cut outside dedicated Arcbound synergy shells where modular matters specifically. Vintage has access to everything, so Arcbound Shikari exists there but isn't a draw. Commander is the clear home — the format's slower pace and higher Equipment density let Arcbound Shikari generate consistent, compounding value that it simply doesn't find elsewhere.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Antler SkulkinAshnod's AltarArcbound Shikari
Infinite +1/+1 counters on certain creatures; Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Antler SkulkinKrark-Clan IronworksArcbound Shikari
Infinite +1/+1 counters on certain creatures; Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightArcbound RavagerArcbound Shikari
Infinite LTB; Infinite ETB; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite death triggers; Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature; Infinite +1/+1 counters on certain creatures; Draw the game
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightAshnod's AltarArcbound Shikari
Infinite LTB; Infinite ETB; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite death triggers; Infinite colorless mana; Infinite +1/+1 counters on certain creatures
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightPhyrexian AltarArcbound Shikari
Infinite LTB; Infinite ETB; Infinite colored mana; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite death triggers; Infinite +1/+1 counters on certain creatures
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.30 bulk tier
At $0.30, Arcbound Shikari sits firmly in bulk territory — it's a card you pick up without a second thought when building any Equipment or modular Commander deck. Bulk rares with narrow homes tend to stay near the floor, so don't expect price movement unless a new commander dramatically spikes modular's popularity.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Antler Skulkin
- Zabaz, the Glimmerwasp
- General Ferrous Rokiric
- Optimus Prime, Hero
- Cayth, Famed Mechanist
- Sephiroth, Fallen Hero
- Ashnod's Altar
- Krark-Clan Ironworks
- Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight
- Arcbound Ravager
- Phyrexian Altar
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.