Shard Phoenix
Creature — Phoenix
Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.)
Sacrifice this creature: It deals 2 damage to each creature without flying.
: Return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate only during your upkeep.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Japan Junior Tournament
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #19086
Shard Phoenix trades board presence for inevitability — it deals 2 damage on every attack, recurs itself from the graveyard for three mana and a discard, and laughs at removal. The cost is real: five mana for a 2/2 flier is underpowered in a vacuum, so Shard Phoenix only earns its slot in decks that actively reward phoenix-type recursion or death triggers.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Syrix, Carrier of the Flame
Syrix, Carrier of the Flame turns every phoenix that dies or returns from the graveyard into a damage trigger, and Shard Phoenix is purpose-built to abuse that loop — recurring itself repeatedly to stack those triggers while also benefiting from Syrix's power-boosting anthem each time another phoenix enters.
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 |
In Commander, Shard Phoenix belongs in dedicated phoenix tribal or graveyard-value shells; outside of those, five mana for a 2/2 with incremental recursion is too slow to matter. Legacy and Vintage have access to it but will never touch it — the format's critical mass of broken threats makes grinding value with a 2/2 a non-starter. Modern is similarly hostile; the format has moved far past the point where Shard Phoenix's rate is competitive. Commander is the realistic home, and even there it's a role-player rather than a staple.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Shard Phoenix isn't currently available in our feed, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for the latest. Given its narrow application — primarily Syrix builds and phoenix tribal — expect it to sit in budget territory.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.