Changeling

Changeling
Keyword Ability
Type	Characteristic-defining
Introduced	Lorwyn
Last used	Morningtide
Reminder Text	Changeling (This card is every creature type.)
Storm Scale	6
Statistics	26 cards 23% 23% 19% 19% 16%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Changeling"

Changeling is a characteristic-defining keyword ability. It only appears on shapeshifter cards and grants those cards all creature types. Changelings were featured in the Lorwyn block; the design was based on Mistform Ultimus' ability.

Rulings

• Because a card with changeling is every creature type, it will be affected by any spell or ability that affects any creature type, regardless of what that creature type is. And because changeling is a characteristic-defining ability, this is true in all zones. For example, if a card tells you to reveal a Merfolk card from your hand, return a Goblin card from your graveyard to your hand, or gain control of a Goat, you can perform these actions on a card with changeling.
• The rules that govern the interaction of continuous effects state that type-changing effects are applied before effects that add or remove abilities. This causes some unusual things to happen.
  • If an effect causes a creature with changeling to lose all creature types, the creature won't lose changeling—but it will lose all its creature types.
  • If an effect causes a creature with changeling to become a new creature type or types, the creature won't lose changeling—but it won't have all creature types anymore. It will be just the new creature type(s).
  • If a card loses the changeling ability, it will still have all creature types. It just won't have changeling.

• Note that effects that grant an object all creature types do *not* give that object changeling.

Examples

Example 1

Woodland Changeling
Creature — Shapeshifter
2/2
Changeling (This card is every creature type at all times.)

Example 2

Crib Swap
Tribal Instant — Shapeshifter
Changeling (This card is every creature type.)
Exile target creature. Its controller creates a 1/1 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling.