Skinshifter
Creature — Human Shaman
: Choose one. Activate only once each turn.
• Until end of turn, this creature becomes a Rhino with base power and toughness 4/4 and gains trample.
• Until end of turn, this creature becomes a Bird with base power and toughness 2/2 and gains flying.
• Until end of turn, this creature becomes a Plant with base power and toughness 0/8.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Magic 2012
- Price
- $0.32
- EDHREC rank
- #19184
Skinshifter is a one-card toolbox that swings as a 4/4 trampler, blocks as a 0/8 wall, or flies as a 2/2 — all for two mana up front. The activation cost is one mana per turn with a once-per-turn ceiling, but the payoff is immediate board presence that punishes opponents who can't answer a shapeshifter on the spot. In Doran, the Siege Tower decks specifically, the 0/8 mode becomes a devastating 8-power attacker for a single green mana.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Doran, the Siege Tower
Doran, the Siege Tower makes Skinshifter's 0/8 defender mode read as an 8-power attacker for one mana, which is among the most mana-efficient offensive lines available to the archetype — no other two-drop shifts between an 8-power threat and a 4/4 trampler on demand.
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, Skinshifter earns its slot almost exclusively in toughness-matters builds led by Doran, the Siege Tower, where its 0/8 mode hits like a truck for one green mana each turn. Outside that niche, the once-per-turn restriction and modest base stats make it too narrow to compete with staple green creatures. In Legacy and Vintage, the format is simply too hostile — two mana for a 1/1 that needs activation to threaten anything doesn't pass the rate test when Tarmogoyf and Delver of Secrets exist. Modern has the same problem; Skinshifter is outclassed at every point on the curve and sees no competitive play there. It's a Commander-specific card, full stop.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.32 bulk tier
At $0.32, Skinshifter is firmly bulk — easy to acquire and easy to cut without regret if it underperforms. Bulk rares with narrow homes rarely climb in price, so treat it as a cheap experiment for your Doran, the Siege Tower list rather than a long-term hold.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.