Shaman of Forgotten Ways
Creature — Human Shaman
: Add two mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast creature spells.
Formidable — 
, : Each player's life total becomes the number of creatures they control. Activate only if creatures you control have total power 8 or greater.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- mythic
- Set
- Dragons of Tarkir
- Price
- $9.49
- EDHREC rank
- #6356
Shaman of Forgotten Ways hits the table as a three-mana dork that taps for two green — one of the most efficient mana creatures in Commander — and carries a Biorhythm stapled to its back for decks that can pay the activation. Ruric Thar, the Unbowed lists run it in over 40% of builds because the package of fast ramp plus a creature-based Biorhythm is exactly what a Gruul beats-and-punishes strategy wants.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
Ruric Thar, the Unbowed punishes noncreature spells, so the ideal closing line is creature-based — and Shaman of Forgotten Ways delivers exactly that with a Biorhythm activation that doesn't trigger Ruric's damage ability.
Agatha of the Vile Cauldron
Agatha of the Vile Cauldron exiles creatures to put +1/+1 counters on herself and grants their activated abilities to creatures with counters, so Shaman of Forgotten Ways turns every pumped creature on your board into a potential Biorhythm outlet.
Surrak Dragonclaw
Surrak Dragonclaw runs a creature-dense Temur package where Shaman of Forgotten Ways serves as early acceleration toward the expensive top end, with the Biorhythm activation sitting in reserve as a surprise closer once the board is established.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Shaman of Forgotten Ways earns its reputation — a two-mana-producing three-drop is already above rate, and the Biorhythm ability is a genuine game-ender in a format where life totals vary wildly and creature-heavy boards are the norm. Outside Commander, the card is legal in Legacy, Vintage, Modern, and Pioneer, but sees essentially no competitive play in any of them; the Biorhythm activation is too slow and situational against the fast, interaction-dense decks those formats demand. Oathbreaker is its only other realistic home, where the same creature-synergy shells that want it in Commander apply.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds hits a similar sweet spot of mana acceleration on a creature body, though it lacks the Biorhythm closer and costs more to acquire. For pure ramp replacement, Selvala, Explorer Returned and Fyndhorn Elves paired with any four-drop finisher get you most of the mana output Shaman of Forgotten Ways provides, just without the built-in win condition.
Price Context
Current price
$9.49 mid tier
At $9.49, Shaman of Forgotten Ways sits in the mid tier — expensive enough to feel like a deliberate inclusion, cheap enough that it belongs in most creature-matters Commander builds that can use it. The combination of genuine ramp and a unique win condition on one card keeps demand steady, so this price is unlikely to crater.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.