Moonshadow
Creature — Elemental
Menace
This creature enters with six -1/-1 counters on it.
Whenever one or more permanent cards are put into your graveyard from anywhere while this creature has a -1/-1 counter on it, remove a -1/-1 counter from this creature.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- mythic
- Set
- Lorwyn Eclipsed
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #9688
Moonshadow generates persistent value by putting -1/-1 counters on creatures, which synergizes with undying payoffs like Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and fuels the counter-removal engine that Tayam, Luminous Enigma demands. The cost is real — this effect needs a dedicated shell to shine; in a generic good-stuff deck it does very little.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Tayam, Luminous Enigma
Tayam, Luminous Enigma runs Moonshadow because its activated ability requires removing three counters from creatures you control, and Moonshadow keeps that supply topped off without spending extra cards or mana.
Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist
Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist cares about manipulating counters on creatures, and Moonshadow provides a repeatable source of -1/-1 counters that plugs directly into that game plan.
Felisa, Fang of Silverquill
Felisa, Fang of Silverquill triggers when nontoken creatures you control die with counters on them, so Moonshadow's -1/-1 counters set up token generation every time those creatures go to the graveyard.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Moonshadow earns its slot — the format's slower pace gives the counter synergies time to compound, and the right commander turns it from a marginal card into a genuine engine piece. In competitive non-rotating formats like Legacy and Vintage, Moonshadow is legal but faces a much higher bar; dedicated counter-manipulation decks exist but are fringe, and faster strategies simply ignore what it does. Modern and Pioneer are similar stories: legal on paper, but the card needs a very specific shell that isn't putting up results in those formats right now. Standard legality makes it accessible for limited experimentation, though the payoffs there depend entirely on what counter synergies the current card pool supports.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Mikaeus, the UnhallowedAshnod's AltarMoonshadow
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite colorless mana; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Mikaeus, the UnhallowedPhyrexian AltarMoonshadow
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite colored mana; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Mikaeus, the UnhallowedViscera SeerMoonshadow
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite scry 1
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Mikaeus, the UnhallowedCarrion FeederMoonshadow
Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Mikaeus, the UnhallowedAltar of DementiaMoonshadow
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite death triggers; Infinite mill; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite self-mill
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data for Moonshadow isn't currently available, so check Scryfall or your preferred retailer for the latest number before picking up copies. Given its niche but genuine role in Tayam, Luminous Enigma builds and similar counter-focused decks, demand is real even if not broad.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.