Unstable Shapeshifter
Creature — Shapeshifter
Whenever another creature enters, this creature becomes a copy of that creature, except it has this ability.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Tempest
- Price
- $0.91
- EDHREC rank
- #24714
Unstable Shapeshifter copies any creature that enters the battlefield, making it a permanent shapeshifter that upgrades itself every time you drop something new — no activated ability, no mana sink, just passive continuous threat escalation. The catch is Mirror-Mad Phantasm: anything that references the card's own name mid-copy will behave unexpectedly, so know your pile before you build around it.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Unstable Shapeshifter does its real work — creature density is high, ETB triggers are everywhere, and the card effectively auctions itself to whoever just played the most threatening thing at a four-player table. In Legacy and Vintage it's legal but ignored: those formats move too fast and too non-creature for a four-mana do-nothing-on-entry shapeshifter to compete. Oathbreaker is legal and theoretically workable in a creature-heavy build, but the format's lower power ceiling means the card is just fine rather than exceptional.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Unstable ShapeshifterChainer, Nightmare AdeptInfinite ReflectionLiliana, Dreadhorde General
Near-infinite ETB; Infinite draw triggers; Infinite looting; Near-infinite storm count; Near-infinite self-discard triggers; Near-infinite LTB; Near-infinite death triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.91 bulk tier
At $0.91, Unstable Shapeshifter sits firmly in bulk territory — easy to pick up as a throw-in or singles order filler. The price is unlikely to move meaningfully without a reprint into a high-profile Commander precon that pushes a shapeshifter or clone theme.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Mirror-Mad Phantasm
- Chainer, Nightmare Adept
- Infinite Reflection
- Liliana, Dreadhorde General
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.