Transformation

From MTG Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
For the official double-faced card mechanic, see Transform.

Transformation is a slang term used by Magic R&D to describe the following effect: "~ is a (color) (card type) with base power and toughness P/T."[1] This mechanic is primary in blue.

Description

Transformation overwrites the base power and toughness of a creature. It can be temporary, through a one-shot spell or ability that lasts for the turn, or more permanent, usually through an Aura; more complex designs have more abstract conditions. This ability used to be in both blue and white, but R&D decided to focus it in blue.[1] Sometimes blue can overwrite what the creature is currently doing and just make it the "transformed" creature. The one thing that R&D has taken from blue is destroying or exiling a creature and then giving the controller of that creature a creature token as a means of flavoring transformation. That is now a white ability flavored as giving compensation for destroying/exiling the creature. This means all of blue's transformation abilities are auras or limited effects on spells or activations.[2]

Green has started to gain some use, but the general difference is that blue usually uses it as a shrinking effect like removal, whereas green uses it to pump creatures in a way that's hard to compound. Blue using it as pumping has a similar application.

A small number of cards transform permanents into noncreatures, such as an enchantment, a land, a Clue, a Vehicle or a Treasure.

Examples

Only examples that affect other creatures are listed. Those that affect only themselves and those that animate noncreatures are left for other pages.

The list below has the affected creature losing all abilities. Those listed as non-enchantments are assumed to be either triggered abilities or spell abilities that last until end of turn unless specified.

Color Name Type P/T Color Creature Type Notes
{W} Darksteel Mutation Aura 0/1 Insect Becomes an artifact creature and has no other types
with Indestructible
{W} Humble Instant 0/1
{W} Humility Enchantment 1/1 All creatures
{W} Minimus Containment Aura Treasure Becomes a Treasure
{W} Overwhelming Splendor Aura Curse 1/1 All creatures controlled by enchanted player
{W} Rasaad, Radiant Monk Creature 1/1
{W} Reprobation Aura 0/1 Coward Loses noncreature types
{U} Amphibian Downpour Aura 0/1 Frog
{U} Astroquarium Artifact 4/4 or 8/8 Shark or Octopus
{U} Dance of the Skywise Instant 4/4 {U} Dragon Illusion with Flying
{U} Deep Freeze Aura 0/4 {U}+ Wall+ with Defender
{U} Flatline Instant 0/1 Creatures target player control
{U} Eaten by Piranhas Aura 1/1 {B} Skeleton
{U} Frogify Aura 1/1 {U} Frog
{U} Gift of Tusks Instant 3/3 {G} Elephant
{U} Hunted by The Family Sorcery 1/1 {W} Human
{U} Ichthyomorphosis Aura 0/1 {U} Fish
{U} Imprisoned in the Moon Aura {C} Land Gains "{T}: Add {C}"
{U} In Too Deep Aura {C} Clue Gains Clue text
{U} Kasmina's Transmutation Aura 1/1
{U} Mercurial Transformation Sorcery - Lesson 1/1 or 4/4 {U} Frog or Octopus
{U} Metamorphic Blast Instant 0/1 {W} Rabbit
{U} Ovinize Instant 0/1
{U} Polymorphist's Jest Instant 1/1 {U} Frog
{U} Poppet Factory Artifact 3/3 Affects tokens while controlled
{U} Shadow Puppeteers Creature 4/4 {R}+ Dragon+ Flying creatures only
{U} Sludge Monster Creature 2/2 Creatures with slime counters
While controlled
{U} Stasis Field Aura 0/2 Gains defender
{U} The Flood of Mars Creature 3/3 {U} Alien Zombie Horror Creatures with flood Counter
Becomes a copy of the original
{U} Turn Instant 0/1 {R} Weird
{U} Turn to Frog Instant 1/1 {U} Frog
{U} Utter Insignificance Aura 1/1
{U} Vedalken Humiliator Creature 1/1 All opponent's creatures
{U} Warkite Marauder Creature 0/1
{U} Will Kenrith Planeswalker 0/3
{U} Witness Protection Aura 1/1 {G/W} Citizen Name becomes Legitimate Businessperson
{B} Sudden Spoiling Instant 0/2 Creatures target player control
{B} Vraska, Betrayal's Sting Planeswalker Treasure Becomes a Treasure
Permanent effect with no reminding marker
{G} Kenrith's Transformation Aura 3/3 {G} Elk
{G} Lignify Tribal Aura 0/4 Treefolk
{G} Trickster's Elk Bestow Aura 3/3 {G} Elk
{G}{W} The Curse of Fenric Saga 6/6 Legendary Horror Nontoken creature
{U}{R} Dragonshift Instant 4/4 {U}{R} Dragon with Flying
{G}{U} Oko, Thief of Crowns Planeswalker 3/3 {G} Elk Also can target artifacts
Permanent effect with no reminding marker
{G}{U} Snakeform Instant 1/1 {G} Snake
{W}{U}{B} Obscura Confluence Instant 1/1

The following list will not have the target lose abilities i.e. the transformation is only a power and toughness change. The same assumption regarding non-enchantments and time duration applies.

Color Name Type P/T Color Creature Type Notes
{W} Archon of the Wild Rose Creature 4/4 Other enchanted creatures controlled
While controlled
Gives flying
{W} Curse of Conformity Aura Curse 3/3 Loses creature types All non-legendary creatures of enchanted player
{W} Baffling Defenses Instant 0/X Perpetual effect

X is target's toughness

{W} Graven Dominator Creature 1/1 Each other creature
{W} Harmonious Archon Creature 3/3 All Non-Archon creatures
While controlled
{W} Mirror Entity Creature X/X All types All creatures controlled
{W} Sigarda's Summons Enchantment 4/4 Angel+ Controlled creatures with +1/+1 counters
{W} Swift Reconfiguration Aura Vehicle Loses all other types
Gains Crew 5
{W} Taranika, Akroan Veteran Creature 4/4 Gains indestructible
{W} Teyo, Aegis Adept Planeswalker X/X X is the target's toughness
Perpetual effect
Gains "can attack as though it didn't have defender"
{U} Awakened Awareness Aura 1/1
{U} Behind the Mask Instant 4/3 or 1/1 Can target artifacts
{U} Better Offer Sorcery X/X Gains Ward {1}
{U} Brine Hag Creature 0/2 All creatures that damaged the dead Brine Hag
Permanent effect without a marker
{U} Burden of Proof Aura 1/1 If non-Detective
{U} Candlekeep Inspiration Sorcery X/X
{U} Diminish Instant 1/1
{U} Dreadful as the Storm Instant 5/5 The Ring Tempts You
{U} Eccentric Apprentice Creature 1/1 {U} Bird with Flying
{U} Illusory Wrappings Aura 0/2
{U} Majestic Metamorphosis Instant 4/4 Angel artifact Gains flying
Can target artifacts
{U} Mass Diminish Sorcery 1/1
{U} Mordenkainen's Polymorph Instant 4/4 {U} Dragon Gains Flying
{U} Octavia, Living Thesis Creature 8/8
{U} Octopus Umbra Aura 8/8 Gains a tapping ability
{U} One with the Stars Aura Enchantment Loses other types
{U} Phantasmal Form Instant 3/3 {U}+ Illusion+ with Flying
{U} Reduce in Stature Aura 0/2
{U} Relic's Roar Instant 4/3 Dinosaur Can target artifacts
{U} Serendib Sorcerer Creature 0/2
{U} Serpentine Ambush Instant 5/5 {U} Serpent
{U} Startling Development Instant 4/4 {U} Serpent
{U} Suit Up Instant 4/5 Artifact creature Can target Vehicles
{U} Symmetry Sage Creature 2/X X is target's toughness
{U} A-Symmetry Sage Creature 3/X X is target's toughness
{U} Water Wings Instant 4/4 Gains flying and hexproof
{U} Will, Scholar of Frost Planeswalker 0/2
{U} Wings of Velis Vel Instant 4/4 All types Gains flying
{U} Zhalfirin Shapecraft Instant 4/3
{B} Blade of the Oni Equipment - Demon 5/5 {B}+ Demon+ Gains Menace
While equipped
{B} Six-Sided Die Instant X/1
{B} Sorceress Queen Creature 0/2
{B} Withercrown Aura 0/X X is target's toughness
{R} Creepy Puppeteer Creature 4/3
{G} Allosaurus Shepherd Creature 5/5 Dinosaur+ Affects all Elves controlled
{G} Belt of Giant Strength Equipment 10/10 While equipped
{G} Creeperhulk Creature 5/5 Gains trample
{G} Cycle of Life Enchantment 0/1 Until next upkeep

Only on your creature that entered that turn

{G} Exuberant Wolfbear Creature X/Y X/Y is Wolfbear's stats
Target Human controlled
{G} Gigantiform Aura 8/8 Gains trample
{G} Gigantomancer Creature 7/7
{G} Halsin, Emerald Archdruid Creature 4/4 {G}+ Bear+ Target token controlled
{G} Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse Creature X/X X is cards in hand
All creatures controlled
{G} Raised by Giants Legendary Enchantment - Background 10/10 Giant Commanders
{G} Scale Up Sorcery 6/4 {G} Wurm
{G} Singing Tree Creature 0/X Attacking creature's toughness unchanged
{G} Vengeant Earth Instant 4/4 Elemental Gains haste
{G} Voice of the Vermin Creature 4/4
{G} Wild Shape Instant 1/3 or 1/5 or 3/3 Turtle or Spider or Elephant Hexproof or Reach or Trample, respectively to types
{W}{U} Aven Mimeomancer Creature 3/1 Gains flying
As long as it has a feather counter
{W}{U} Godhead of Awe Creature 1/1 All other creatures
While controlled
{U}{B} Coerced To Kill Aura 1/1 Assassin+ Gains Deathtouch
{U}{B} Inkfathom Witch Creature 4/1 Unblocked creatures
{B}{G} Vhati il-Dal Creature X/1 or 1/X X is the original creature's stat
{G}{W} Almost Perfect Aura 9/10 Gains indestructible
{G}{W} Kudo, King Among Bears Creature 2/2 Bear+ All other creatures

Until Kudo leaves

{G}{U} Biomass Mutation Instant X/X All creatures controlled
{G}{U} Chrome Host Hulk Creature 5/5
{G}{U} Oko, the Trickster Planeswalker 10/10 All creatures controlled
Gains trample
{G}{U} Oko's Hospitality Sorcery 3/3 All creatures controlled
{G}{U} Omnibian Creature 3/3 Frog
{G}{U} The Bears of Littjara Enchantment - Saga 4/4 Any number of Shapeshifters

Continues after the Saga has left

{G}{U} Square Up Instant 4/4
{G}{U} Restless Vinestalk Land 3/3
{G}{U} Tanazir Quandrix Creature X/Y X/Y is Tanazir's stats
{G}{U} Unruly Krasis Creature X/X X is Unruly Krasis's power
{R}{G}{W} Minsc, Beloved Ranger Creature X/X Giant+
{G}{W}{U} Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl Creature 7/7 or 1/1
{U}{B}{R} Hostile Takeover Sorcery One becomes 1/1; another becomes 4/4
{C} Cogwork Progenitor Creature 1/1 Gnome+
{C} Flayer of Loyalties Creature 10/10
{C} The Capitoline Triad Emblem 9/9 Creatures controlled

Emblem granted by activated ability of a creature

{C} Chariot of the Sun Artifact X/1 Gains flying

X is target's power

{C} Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut Artifact 5/3 Juggernaut Creatures controlled

Until Graaz leaves

{C} Island of Wak-Wak Land 0/X Only flying creatures
X is target's toughness

References

  1. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 18, 2021). "Mechanical Color Pie 2021 Changes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
Retrieved from "https://mtg.wiki/index.php?title=Transformation&oldid=303031"