Allosaurus Shepherd MTG Card


Grants card advantage by making green spells uncounterable, thus bolstering strategic gameplay. Enhances Elf decks with its ability to swiftly escalate board presence and creature power. Operates at instant speed without tapping, offering dynamic adaptability during matches.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Elf Shaman
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

This spell can't be countered. Green spells you control can't be countered. : Until end of turn, each Elf creature you control has base power and toughness 5/5 and becomes a Dinosaur in addition to its other creature types.


Cards like Allosaurus Shepherd

The Allosaurus Shepherd stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering as a powerful card for players using green creature decks. Sharing the field with cards such as Elvish Mystic, the Shepherd doesn’t just provide mana acceleration, but also guarantees your creature spells can’t be countered, giving it an upper hand in ensuring your creatures hit the battlefield. Elvish Mystic, while delivering early mana advantage, doesn’t offer the same level of spell security.

Similarly, another comparison can be made with Cavern of Souls, a land card that also prevents creatures of a chosen type from being countered. While Cavern of Souls provides this uncounterable trait without taking up a creature slot, Allosaurus Shepherd brings its own creature benefits to the battle, such as transforming all your Elves into bigger, more threatening dinosaurs, enhancing their attack capabilities.

When considering utility and augmentation of a green MTG deck, the Allosaurus Shepherd provides an exceptional combination of protection and aggression, situating it as a unique and influential card among Magic: The Gathering staples for green creature-focused strategies.

Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Cavern of Souls - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Cavern of Souls - MTG Card versions

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Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
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Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions
Willow Geist - MTG Card versions
Nimble Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Elvish Lyrist - MTG Card versions
Elvish Pioneer - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Allosaurus Shepherd. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Cradle ControlCradle Control LegacyCradle ControlLegacy League 2024-03-26
ElvesElves LegacyElvesLegacy Challenge 64 2024-04-14

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Allosaurus Shepherd enables a strategic upper hand by potentially bypassing the need for traditional casting. Once activated, its ability ensures that your green spells can’t be countered, essentially providing an unobstructed path for your key creatures and spells to hit the board and sway the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: This card acts as a powerful enabler for Elf decks, often allowing for a dramatic increase in the pace at which you can play your creatures. With the inherent ability to turn all Elves into formidable 5/5 creatures, the shepherd ramps up your board presence quickly, providing the momentum needed to outpace opponents.

Instant Speed: Its activation does not require tapping and can be utilised at instant speed, making it a robust and versatile asset. You can adapt to the evolving state of the game, committing to its ability when it’s most advantageous to you, thus catching opponents off-guard during crucial moments of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Allosaurus Shepherd, while lacking a traditional discard requirement, can still pose a risk if your hand is empty. The ability to turn Elves into Dinosaurs is null without other cards to support the transformation.

Specific Mana Cost: With its commitment to green mana, deploying Allosaurus Shepherd becomes a strategic consideration, especially in multi-colored decks. The exclusively green mana cost can potentially limit its inclusion only to those decks that can consistently produce the necessary green mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its transformative late-game potential, Allosaurus Shepherd starts with a potentially steep mana investment for its initial 1/1 body. When compared to other one-drop creatures in competitive play, this mana cost could be seen as high, given that immediate impact on the board is not guaranteed.


Reasons to Include Allosaurus Shepherd in Your Collection

Versatility: Allosaurus Shepherd is a powerful addition to any green deck, particularly those in the Commander format. Its ability to turn other Elves you control into larger dinos means it can adapt to the evolving board state, providing both offensive and defensive utility.

Combo Potential: This card interacts well with Elf synergies and can serve as an enabler for game-ending combos by making your Elves uncounterable. Its potential to skyrocket your board presence is magnified when combined with other Elf tribal effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a world where control decks abound, Allosaurus Shepherd shines by providing your Elf spells with a layer of protection from counterspells. Its relevance in competitive play is cemented by its ability to thwart an opponent’s attempts to disrupt your strategy.


How to beat

Allosaurus Shepherd is a standout card in MTG, known for its ability to become a powerhouse and turn your elves into unstoppable juggernauts. To counter this green juggernaut, removing it early is key. Spells that can exile it before it activates or when it’s still a creature without hexproof, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push, are highly effective. Board clearances can also reset the playing field if the Shepherd becomes a threat, but remember, this card’s true strength is in late-game elf synergy.

Consider adjusting your deck to include creature removal tools that don’t target or that can manage multiple creatures at once. Wraths and global de-buffs can maneuver around its transformation ability. In terms of prevention, counterspells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto are your best friends before Allosaurus Shepherd hits the field. Remember, timing is everything, and disrupting an opponent’s elf strategy before it gains momentum can often secure victory against decks wielding this formidable card.

Every MTG game plan has a weakness, and recognizing when to disrupt your opponent’s strategy is essential. Allosaurus Shepherd may be daunting, but with the right tactics and quick action, you can keep this creature in check and maintain control of the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves more than understanding individual cards; it’s about recognizing how each piece fits into your overall strategy. With the Allosaurus Shepherd, you’ve seen how it can dominate the board, protect your spells, and escalate your Elf synergy. If you’re ready to enhance your green deck’s resilience against control strategies and looking to push the power of your Elves, it’s time to consider how the Shepherd fits into your lineup. For insights on optimizing your deck with this dynamic card, the inclusion of synergistic elements, and strategies to overcome common obstacles, connect with our community of experts. Don’t just play, dominate. Learn more and command your matches with confidence.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Allosaurus Shepherd MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Jumpstart, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Allosaurus Shepherd and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Allosaurus Shepherd Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-07-17 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1022812015NormalBlackDouglas Shuler
22020-07-17JumpstartJMP 282015NormalBlackRandy Vargas
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 3652015NormalBorderlessDouglas Shuler
42022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1322015NormalBlackRandy Vargas
52022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4572015NormalBlackRandy Vargas

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Allosaurus Shepherd has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Allosaurus Shepherd card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-06-23 A spell or ability that counters spells can still target spells that can’t be countered. When that spell or ability resolves, the uncounterable spell won’t be countered, but any additional effects of the countering spell or ability will still happen.
2020-06-23 Allosaurus Shepherd’s last ability overwrites all previous effects that set the affected creatures’ power and/or toughness to specific values. Other effects that set these characteristics to specific values that start to apply after the ability resolves will overwrite that part of the effect.
2020-06-23 Effects that modify an affected creature’s power or toughness without setting it will apply no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature’s power or toughness.
2020-06-23 The affected creatures don’t lose any abilities when they become Dinosaurs.