Changeling WayfinderChangeling Wayfinder | Art by Quintin Gleim

Hey, everyone! We're on our fourth article focusing on mechanics that debuted in the original Lorwyn/Shadowmoor block. Last week looked at the most played kindred cards in Commander, and today I'm covering more cards that give typal synergies a boost. That's right, today is the changeling ability's time in the spotlight!

The mechanic has since reappeared in Kaldheim, Modern Horizons sets, and various Commander sets before reappearing in Lorwyn Eclipsed. While we won't be seeing any of Magic's newest Shapeshifters on this list, I am curious to know how the original creatures with the mechanic stack up against newer designs.

Let's find out!

10. Universal AutomatonUniversal Automaton - 65,499 decks

Changeling cards are already so versatile because they can slot into any typal deck in their colors, so the colorless Universal AutomatonUniversal Automaton is surely the ultimate cheap placeholder — or role-player, if you prefer. It appears in a sizable 76% of Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw decks, but that's likely because it figures into this sweet combo that puts all your artifacts and your relevant creatures into play from your library:

Outside of combo applications, Automaton shines in aggressive typal decks that really need a one-drop and that don't mind that it's just a 1/1 in play. That means Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow and Ninjas, Reaper KingReaper King and Scarecrows, and even Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave and Elves and The Ur-Dragon, because getting to critical mass of your creature type is just that important.

9. Masked VandalMasked Vandal - 69,431 decks

We love it when our NaturalizeNaturalize comes with upside. Reclamation SageReclamation Sage is incredible in Commander because it's DisenchantDisenchant on a stick. So, how about a version that costs one mana fewer and triggers typal synergies?

Okay, Vandal isn't strictly better than Sage because you do need a creature card in your graveyard to exile as part of its ability's cost, but combat is a thing that happens in this format, right? Voja, Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable, and Shelob, Child of UngoliantShelob, Child of Ungoliant decks all like attacking and are pretty natural homes for this Shapeshifter.

You can also run this in self-mill-heavy flavors of typal like Grist, the Hunger TideGrist, the Hunger Tide and Insects or Disa the RestlessDisa the Restless and Lhurgoyfs. Hakbal of the Surging SoulHakbal of the Surging Soul and his Merfolk also get you there by tacking explore onto your creatures, which can help you get fodder in the graveyard for Vandal.

Additional costs in Commander are often invitations to pile more synergy into your deck rather than than restrictions, so get to vandalizing!

8. Bloodline PretenderBloodline Pretender - 75,779 decks

How do we like a Universal Automaton that can do other stuff as well? It turns out we like Bloodline PretenderBloodline Pretender about 15% more!

Being a colorless artifact that is also a Dwarf, it also works with Magda and Clock of OmensClock of Omens to pretty much dump your deck onto the table. It also works well with Wick, the Whorled MindWick, the Whorled Mind to stand is as a Snail that grows very large — hopefully large enough to whittle some life totals at the table down to zero, though drawing 10 sounds good, too.

Notably, the Pretender is also a Villain, making it good and selfishly on-theme enough to make Bennie Smith's Doctor Octopus, Master Planner build.

7. Morophon, the BoundlessMorophon, the Boundless - 72,510 decks, 13,320 as commander

It's the Super Changeling! Or the Ur-Changeling? Whatever you call them, Morophon is the perfect commander for when you just don't know which typal payoff you want to lead your deck, or when you value the generous colored mana discount over other abilities. Morophon is also just a very popular card in the 99 because it generates so much mana in rainbow decks like Dragons, Ulalek's Eldrazi, and Slivers.

Jodah, Archmage EternalJodah, Archmage Eternal also works perfectly with Morophon, making your spells of the chosen creature type free! That's unbeatable value.

6. Taurean MaulerTaurean Mauler - 127,698 decks

Our first card from the original Lorwyn block, Morningtide's Taurean MaulerTaurean Mauler gets huge just from a game of Magic happening around it. It's like Managorger HydraManagorger Hydra or Forgotten AncientForgotten Ancient, but with the added utility of working with typal synergies!

You know which cards key off certain types and work especially well with high powers? Minsc & Boo, Timeless HeroesMinsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes comes to mind, though I guess you don't need to draw a bunch of cards. I already brought up Wick, but he loves Mauler, too. Shalai and HallarShalai and Hallar don't care about types, but, as with a ton of other cards, they can keep the board clear of small creatures together.

Shoutout to Unsettled MarinerUnsettled Mariner as well, who missed the list by around 30,000 decks but who's still an excellent role player in decks from Scarecrows to Dragons. The protection ability helps cards like Mauler and some of the other cards on this list do their thing for longer.

5. Mirror EntityMirror Entity - 133,803 decks

I wasn't playing long ago enough to draft this, but I do have fond memories trying to make Mirror EntityMirror Entity work in Cube. It's just such a fun card, whose sole job is to make your creatures impossibly large. And, since you're probably putting this in a typal deck, you're going to have a lot of them to work with!

Voja and Rin and Seri are once again popular homes for this. As is any deck that produces 1/1 tokens of the same type, like Urtet, Remnant of MemnarchUrtet, Remnant of Memnarch or Millicent, Restless RevenantMillicent, Restless Revenant.

There are also several ways to combo with Entity, including this clever and convoluted one involving Worldspine WurmWorldspine Wurm and activating for zero mana:

Or, you could just make your creatures infinitely large with Wirewood SymbioteWirewood Symbiote and Priest of TitaniaPriest of Titania. Your choice!

4. Changeling OutcastChangeling Outcast - 171,259 decks

Universal Automaton already showed us that a cheap changeling is a good changeling. A cheap, unblockable Shapeshifter, then, is exactly what Ninjas and other saboteur decks — decks that play around with creatures dealing combat damage to opponents — want to begin the game with. It's almost an auto-include in Yuriko at almost 90%, while Outcast is in fact very welcome in Gonti, Canny AcquisitorGonti, Canny Acquisitor, Anowon, the Ruin ThiefAnowon, the Ruin Thief, and Olivia, Opulent OutlawOlivia, Opulent Outlaw.

A lot of us already know this to be true, but I really love how legendary Pro Tour player and Cube enthusiast Luis Scott-Vargas put it on a podcast: one-drops need to do less than you might think to be good. Outcast does plenty!

3. RealmwalkerRealmwalker - 175,848 decks

I absolutely adore Oracle of Mul DayaOracle of Mul Daya and Courser of KruphixCourser of Kruphix, so it's pretty easy to sell me on a creature-oriented riff that also works with typal stuff. Decks from Elves to Merfolk to Dogs and Cats want RealmwalkerRealmwalker, because bodies that also provide card advantage can run away with the game.

This is especially true in formats with a ton of library manipulation like Fetch lands causing you to shuffle and scry/surveil effects. Worldly TutorWorldly Tutor is a pretty easy one-two punch to assemble, too.

2. Maskwood NexusMaskwood Nexus - 212,832 decks

Dear reader, you might have something to say about it in the comments, but I don't mind that the top two cards on this list are not creatures with the Shapeshifter type nor the changeling ability. Maskwood NexusMaskwood Nexus is a very popular card that does take advantage of the changeling ability it grants all your creatures to combo off with The World TreeThe World Tree to put all your creatures into play, which should then lead to any number of game-winning combos:

Combos aside, Nexus still helps you get the most out of cards like Voja and Rin and Seri, which both care about two creature types. It can get pretty silly when every creature nets you both a Dog and a Cat, which then helps you scale the Inseperable's activated ability.

Likewise, Magda generates mana with Dwarves but tutors up Dragons, so Nexus comes in handy here to broaden the range of what you can fetch. And hey, if you have time, make a few 2/2s that soak up whatever synergies you have going on!

1. Black Market ConnectionsBlack Market Connections - 478,803 decks

When I wrote my article on the most played mono-black cards in Commander almost two years ago, Black Market ConnectionsBlack Market Connections wasn't on the list. In 2026, it's in more decks than Zulaport CutthroatZulaport Cutthroat, VictimizeVictimize, and Blood ArtistBlood Artist!

These are wild numbers for a card printed in 2022, but it makes sense given how flexible the enchantment is. It's either an easier-to-cast Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena, mana ramp in the color black, or a steady stream of tokens that work in any deck. That's such a powerful package that I'm not too concerned how often this is used to boost typal synergies versus how much of the time it's a card advantage or ramp engine, because it's all of them at once!

The life loss is a bridge you'll have to cross when you get there! Check out DougY's recent list on Advisors for a deck where the 3/2s are actually great, as they are in Marneus CalgarMarneus Calgar. The Treasures, meanwhile, absolutely shine in Vihaan, GoldwakerVihaan, Goldwaker.

One Good Mimic Deserves AnotherOne Good Mimic Deserves Another

I would say that was a pretty varied list in terms of color identities and mana costs, but everything on the list either have the same creature types or produce creatures with all types. So much for there being different decks you can play, the game's gone! Kidding aside, I enjoyed seeing how EDHREC players are using these cards to ensure they have critical mass of typal synergies.

What's your favorite Shapeshifter that didn't make this list? Let us know!