Malleable Impostor is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Flash Flying You may have this creature enter as a copy of a creature an opponent controls, except it's a Faerie Shapeshifter in addition to its other types and it has flying.
Complete guide
Malleable Impostor is a versatile Faerie Shapeshifter that excels at turning your opponent's strengths against them at a moment's notice. With the power of Flash and Flying, it provides a flexible solution to threats while maintaining a tribal synergy with Faeries.
What it Does
Malleable Impostor allows you to choose any creature controlled by an opponent as it enters the battlefield. It becomes a copy of that creature, but keeps its identity as a Faerie Shapeshifter and retains Flying regardless of what the original creature had. Because it has Flash, you can play it during an opponent's turn to surprise them with a copy of their best attacker or a useful utility creature.
How it Resolves
As Malleable Impostor enters the battlefield, you make the choice of which creature to copy. This does not target the creature, so Hexproof or Shroud will not prevent the copy. It copies the base characteristics of the chosen creature (mana cost, power, toughness, and text), but adds 'Faerie' and 'Shapeshifter' to the type line and 'Flying' to its abilities. Any 'enters-the-battlefield' triggers of the copied creature will trigger for the Impostor.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to copy a creature that is entering the battlefield at the same time as Malleable Impostor; however, you can only choose a creature that is already present. Additionally, remember that it does not copy temporary buffs, counters, or Auras attached to the target. If you choose not to copy anything, it enters as a 0/0 and will likely die immediately unless a global effect increases its toughness.
When to Play it
The best time to cast Malleable Impostor is during your opponent's end step or in response to an attack. By waiting, you gain more information about which creature is the most valuable to copy. If your opponent has a creature with a powerful 'enters-the-battlefield' ability, you can use the Impostor to gain that same advantage for yourself while adding a flying threat to your board.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf your opponent controls a Solemn Simulacrum, you can cast Malleable Impostor. As it enters, it becomes a copy of the Simulacrum but is also a Faerie Shapeshifter with Flying. Because it copies the 'enters' ability, you get to search your library for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. When your Impostor eventually dies, you will also get to draw a card.
Roaming ThroneIf you copy an opponent's Roaming Throne, you choose a creature type as Malleable Impostor enters. If you choose 'Faerie', your Impostor (which is a Faerie Shapeshifter) will now cause other Faerie abilities to trigger an additional time. Note that it will also have Ward {2} and Flying, making it a very difficult-to-remove engine for your tribal synergies.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Malleable Impostor
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Except for the listed exceptions, Malleable Impostor copies exactly what was printed on the original permanent and nothing more (unless that permanent is itself copying something or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any noncopy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen permanent has
in its mana cost, X is 0.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen permanent is copying something else (for example, if the chosen permanent is a Clone), then your Malleable Impostor enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen permanent copied, with the stated exceptions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen permanent is a token, Malleable Impostor copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield, with the listed exceptions. Malleable Impostor does not become a token.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied permanent will trigger when Malleable Impostor enters the battlefield. Any "as [this permanent] enters the battlefield" or "[this permanent] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen permanent will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If Malleable Impostor somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Malleable Impostor can't become a copy of that creature. You may choose only a creature that's already on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Malleable Impostor simply enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature and is probably put into your graveyard immediately, unless something else is increasing its toughness to keep it alive.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Malleable Impostor
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