Oops, I Accidentally Changelings · 6:34pm Mar 27th, 2014
So, I was reading Who Are You, And What Have You Done With Diamond Tiara?, and I got to the part about Stinkmire Bog. Well, my muse, being the fickle thing that she is, perked up and said, "Hey, didn't we decide changelings are blue-black? Let's make some changeling cards."
And I was like, "But I had actual things in real life I wanted to accomplish today."
But she said, "How much does Phyrexian Infiltrator cost to cast?" and that was apparently that. Here. Have some bugponies. 
Quickshift 1U
Instant
Exile target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control. If a creature with a different name than the exiled card enters the battlefield this way, draw a card.
"Every face outlives its usefulness in time. Always have another one prepared."
—Smug Superiority, identity juggler
Changeling Emulator 1UU
Creature — Shapeshifter
Kicker 2
You may have Changeling Emulator enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield an opponent controls, except it gains "When this creature enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, exchange control of it and target creature with the same name."
0/0
Identity Juggler 1UU
Creature — Shapeshifter
1UU: Identity Juggler becomes a copy of target creature and gains this ability.
"The world is my closet, and every creature therein is an outfit."
0/1
Mirrorcast 1UU
Instant
Kicker 3
Copy target instant or sorcery spell. If Mirrorcast was kicked, counter that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
"Every thinking creature finds imitation easier than creation. It's just exaggerated in our case."
—Queen Chrysalis
Borrowed Passion 2U
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent casts a red spell, you may draw a card.
A blood-boiling rage is as inspiring to changelings as a masterfully crafted work of art.
Chitin Cloaker 2U
Creature — Shapeshifter Rogue
B: Chitin Cloaker gains intimidate until end of turn.
Any changeling can look like something else. Few can look like nothing at all.
2/2
Changeling Egg 2U
Creature — Shapeshifter
Defender
When Changeling Egg dies, put a token that's a copy of target creature onto the battlefield.
"They are our future, and like any future, their form is unknowable until their time comes."
—Queen Chrysalis
0/3
Chrysalis's Courtiers 2UU
Creature — Shapeshifter Advisor
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card if that creature has the same name as another nontoken creature.
Shapeshifting is both art form and competition in Chrysalis's court, with status and praise accorded to the most accurate imitators.
2/4
Adaptive Changeling 3U
Creature — Shapeshifter
1: Adaptive Changeling gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
1: Adaptive Changeling gets -1/+1 until end of turn.
Changelings are always ready to redefine themselves as the situation merits.
2/3
Nectarpod 3U
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
2B: Enchanted creature's controller loses 1 life.
"It was not in any way, shape, or form enjoyable."
—Princess Celestia
Changeling Futurist 3UU
Creature — Shapeshifter
As Changeling Futurist enters the battlefield, you may reveal a creature card from your hand. If you do, Changeling Futurist enters the battlefield as a copy of that card.
She takes the shape of things to come.
0/0
Innocuous Infiltrator 3UU
Creature — Shapeshifter
You may have Innocuous Infiltrator enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it gains "As long as this creature has the same name as another creature, this creature has hexproof."
"The animators aren't as lazy as you think they are."
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
0/0
Voice of the Swarm 3UU
Sorcery
Draw a card for each creature you control, then discard a card for each distinct name among those creatures. (Any number of creatures with the same name have one distinct name among them.)
Before thought, before individuality, there was the Swarm.
Memory Molder 4U
Creature — Shapeshifter Wizard
Flying
Whenever Memory Molder deals combat damage to a player, fateseal X, where X is the damage dealt this way. (To fateseal X, look at the top X cards of an opponent's library, then put any number of them on the bottom of that player's library and the rest on top in any order.)
2/2
Taste of Suffering BB
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent loses life, you gain 1 life.
"Pain and fear aren't nearly as filling as love, but they do in a pinch."
—Smug Superiority, identity juggler
Amophage Mentor 1B
Creature — Shapeshifter Wizard
1B: Target creature you control gains lifelink until end of turn.
"You were not hatched knowing how to feed. You could eke out an existence, sipping at affection given to you like a beggar's alms. I will teach you your birthright as a drone of the Swarm."
2/1
Siege Diver 1BB
Creature — Shapeshifter Soldier
Flying, haste
1U: Return Siege Diver to its owner's hand.
Most changelings turn into other ponies. Military changelings turn into versions of themselves capable of surviving multiple mile-high dives into cobblestones.
2/1
Changeling Insinuator 2B
Creature — Shapeshifter Rogue
(2u)(2u)(2u): Exchange control of Changeling Insinuator and target creature.
"What do you mean you don't recognize me? I've been working here for years."
2/2
Love Siphon 2B
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -1/-1.
At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted creature's controller, you gain 1 life and that player loses 1 life.
Changeling Hatchery 2BB
Enchantment
2BB: Put X 1/1 black Shapeshifter creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is the life target opponent has lost this turn.
Like any parasite, changelings feed best on a weakened host.
Malice Gorger 2BB
Creature — Shapeshifter
Intimidate
B: Malice Gorger gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Changelings can feed any emotion, but darker feelings lead to addiction, irrationality, and eventual degeneration to a mindless beast.
1/1
Eater of Last Thoughts 3B
Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying
Whenever a white creature dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Eater of Last Thoughts.
"Ponies always think of others in their final moments. All the love and hope they felt and would feel comes out of them in one delicious burst."
2/2
Changeling Desecrator 3BB
Creature — Shapeshifter
1B: Exile target creature card from an opponent's graveyard. Changeling Desecrator gains that card's abilities until end of turn.
Degenerate changelings find themselves willing to do anything if it will heighten the shock and disgust their victims feel.
3/3
Changeling Psychovore UB
Creature — Shapeshifter Wizard
Flying
Whenever Changeling Psychovore deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card. If you do, you lose 1 life.
Advancing from draining emotions to draining thoughts is a long, dangerous process, but well worth the effort.
2/1
Changeling Thrall 1UB
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature's power is 0.
"Thralls are a big responsibility, my children. You have to feed them, speak for them, wipe off the drool…"
—Queen Chrysalis
Hive Tactician 2UB
Creature — Shapeshifter Soldier
1U: Target creature you control becomes the color of your choice until end of turn.
1B: Target creature you control gains intimidate until end of turn.
Much of changeling military strategy boils down to what form to take when.
3/3
Changeling Historian 3(ub)(ub)
Creature — Shapeshifter
You may have Changeling Historian enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature card in a graveyard.
"We study history for the same reasons as anypony: we wish to better understand those who came before us."
0/0
Identity Theft 3UBB
Sorcery
Destroy target creature. Put a token that's a copy of that creature onto the battlefield.
"The 'long-lost twin' story can work only so many times."
—Smug Superiority, identity juggler
And, once I finished adding the italic tags, May spoke up again. (Yes, I named my muse. Why not? She's an imaginary friend with benefits.) "Hey, how about Carnifex's OC queens? They're cool. Let's cardify them."
Argh blar fine. Why can't you give me ideas in narrative form?
Myxine, Parasitic Siren 4UU
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying, islandwalk
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, tap that creature. As long as that creature remains tapped, it doesn't untap during its controller's untap step and has "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 3. If you do, untap this creature."
"Won't you stay for a while?"
3/4
Ambrosia, Playful Sadist 4BB
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying, lifelink
BB: Ambrosia, Playful Sadist deals 1 damage to each creature that was dealt damage this turn.
"Oh, you look like you're going to be fun!"
3/4
Calliphora, Nekropolis Queen 4BB
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying, deathtouch
Whenever a non-Shapeshifter creature dies, put a 1/1 black Shapeshifter creature token onto the battlefield.
"I have returned for you, my love. Will you not follow me home?"
3/4
Miasma, Apex Scavenger 4BB
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying
Whenever a creature you control regenerates, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
2B, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Regenerate each creature you control.
"I am a queen and will be accorded the respect I am due. ...You gonna eat that?"
3/3
Needs more Phyrexian Obliterator-type Changelings.
Are there any "Oh my gosh I was a changeling all along?!" cards?
My muse is probably called Halley.
She's awesome when she's there, but she only seems to visit every 75 years...
Also, the Ambrosia link leads to a 404 error.
1959320
Huh. I think you figured out one of Sheoldred's eleven secret herbs and species.
Still, changelings don't usually favor obliteration as a tactic. It's hard to get love out of ashes.
1959453
Well, there's always Crib Swap, but you probably had something like this in mind:
Sleeper Shinobi 2UU
Creature — Shapeshifter Ninja
Ninjutsu 2U
Whenever Sleeper Shinobi deals combat damage to a player, you may have Sleeper Shinobi become a copy of target creature, gain this ability, and become a Ninja in addition to its other creature types.
2/1
The moral of the story is that everything is secretly a ninja, a changeling, or a changeling ninja.
wizards.com/global/images/mtgcom_daily_af52_picMain_en.jpg
1959912
Your muse may or may not possess the soul of Mark Twain. In a snowglobe.
Also, I fixed the link. An extra zero got in there somehow. Extraneous holes in a link to changelings. Who would have thought?
I was listening to the following before I came across this, just started it really.
[youtube=ZXT-Y3w523A]
Coincidence? Or changeling plot? We'll never know... .
I like "Voice of the Swarm". The name is not a part of the card Wizards R&D makes sue of often so it's always nice to see new ways of doing so that make you stop and go "Hey, that really could work.".
Though I know it's not a "hard rule" but it just feels wrong to me that "Malice Gorger" is not a Shade.
Speaking of Creature Types I wish to point out that "Drone" is a valid type for use. Maybe on say "Changeling Hatchery"? I can understand why most of therm only have the "Shapeshifter" type but lacking "Drone" on a few also feels off to me.
As for for "Nectar Oracle", oooohhhhhh "Nectar Oracle".
First: I point you to Dimir Guildmage. Just as a straight up obvious comparison.
Second: targeted discard is a very powerful effect and is only very very rarely outside of sorcery speed/your turn only, and anything that is outside of that is a one shot effect that itself alone can not recur (dying effect/sacrifice self effect/one shot instant (not counting silver border cards)).
I strip my opponents hand of all cards through some means (easy to do really) and then with a non-summoning sick (or even just tap ability useable via Thousand-Year Elixir) "Nectar Oracle" I lock them forever out of the game by making them discard the card they just drew during the Draw Step before they move into their Main Phase (504.3).
Barring uncounterable instant speed creature destruction/damage that's a concession worthy situation. And they can't even try to draw it out if they have no board state, because then you can just call them on "slow playing". With the strong combination of bounce-counter-discard-destory-draw that Blue-Black has this would not be that hard to set up.
"Nectar Oracle" aside I really love these Changelings cards. Shame we'll never see any more. Because you never see a good Changeling who knows what they are doing.
Maybe you're a Changeling already.
And you don't even know it... .
1960028
Yeah, you're right. The main problem is that I play very little Constructed, and none of it serious, tournament play. When I balance cards, I tend to do it either on a one-to-one basis or from the perspective of Limited. And even then, Nectar Oracle is kind of nuts. It has been cut from the list and provided below for curious future readers.
"Drone" is intended more a class thing in changeling society than the actual sub-sapient servitude implied by the creature type. And that class thing is defined as "every changeling who isn't a queen."
And on the subject of changeling shades, I will note that there is a precedent.
Nectar Oracle 2UB
Creature — Shapeshifter Shaman
1U, T: Target player draws a card.
1B, T: Target player discards a card.
A hive's nectar contains all the thoughts and feelings its drones have gathered, combined in an almost-awareness that a few gifted changelings can channel.
1/2
1960090
Technically "Ghostly Changeling" is a Shade. And a Ninja and a Nephilim and a, well, you get the idea.
There have been very few not straight up Shades with this ability and every time it just feels... wrong to me. It's a personal thing.
And I'll give you that Drone bit. It was just an idea as I was going through the list of creature types because it's been so long I had confused "Shade" and "Wraith" and doing a search on the latter didn't find me the ability I was looking for (and so few cards) that I had to look through the whole list of creature types again to find the one I wanted. I came across "Drone" while doing so.
We need more Assembly-Workers! And Riggers! Contraptions for all!
1960143
Do not get me started on Riggers. Seriously. I have made hypothetical Riggers. I think Pinkie may be a Rigger. If that peppermint helithopter isn't a Contraption, I don't know what is.
1960314
Riggers Assemble! The Assembling Has Been Doubled! Faster! MORE POWER!
I could keep this up all night but I've gone and hurt myself with all the giggling and laughing so I'll stop now.
(For those who do not get the joke have a look at this.)
This card seems pretty bonkers. It's more or less a Dark Confidant with evasion and less lifeloss. It's a little more mana intensive and doesn't draw unless it attacks, but with evasion and in UB, getting it through really shouldn't be much of a problem.
...Come to think of it, Shadowmage Infiltrator is a much more apt comparison. Now, Shadowmage is a very powerful card already, but the psychovore here is nettet in just about every way - it presents a faster clock, it is harder to block (on average, Shadowmage whizzes last red, green and white, but is easily stopper by blue and black, while Psychovore is hård, but possible, to stop for every colour) and is an entire mana cheaper. Shadowmage's only upsides are slight boost in survivability and no health cost, both of which are pretty neglible.
1959966
in that case, I think that just about every one of your Changeling creatures should have Lifelink as an ability. it just makes sense.
And then WotC was a Changeling. All of it. Just one Changeling. Gosh, now I want to see someone write a "X large group of ponies is just one Changeling" story.
1961820
Nonsense. At the very least, Richard Garfield is a queen. And possibly Mark Rosewater as well. She replaced him while he was still writing for Roseanne. Hollywood is full of changelings.
1961906 Your pronouns a little confused, there. I mean, it's an inherently pronoun-confusing situation, but Dr. Garfield and MaRo should have the same one, masculine or feminine. Or perhaps spivak.