Clever Impersonator MTG Card


Clever Impersonator offers game-changing versatility by copying powerful permanents on the battlefield. It’s a key component for combos, enhancing decks with potential game-winning plays. Despite its cost, its meta-relevance and adaptable nature make it a collection must-have.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Shapeshifter
Power 0
Toughness 0

Text of card

You may have Clever Impersonator enter the battlefield as a copy of any nonland permanent on the battlefield.

"Our own selves are the greatest obstacles to enlightenment." —Narset, khan of the Jeskai


Cards like Clever Impersonator

Clever Impersonator offers a unique spin on clone effects within Magic: The Gathering. Much like its counterparts such as Clone or Phyrexian Metamorph, it can enter the battlefield as a copy of any nonland permanent. However, Clever Impersonator steps ahead by allowing you to duplicate any planeswalker, enchantment, or artifact, showing its flexibility compared to Clone, which is restricted to creatures only.

Phyrexian Metamorph brings the ability to clone at a potentially lower cost through Phyrexian mana, but it can’t become a copy of planeswalkers. The versatility of Clever Impersonator is further emphasized when placed alongside Sakashima’s Student, which has the Ninjutsu ability allowing a surprise factor but is again limited to copying creatures.

Assessing these options, it is clear that Clever Impersonator holds its ground as an exceptionally versatile card. Its ability to mimic virtually any powerful nonland permanent gives players the strategic advantage of transforming their game state, leveraging the most influential pieces on the board, regardless of their type.

Clone - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Metamorph - MTG Card versions
Sakashima's Student - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Metamorph - MTG Card versions
Sakashima's Student - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Quintorius ComboQuintorius Combo PioneerQuintorius ComboPioneer Challenge 32 2024-02-25
5c Enigmatic Fires5c Enigmatic Fires Pioneer5c Enigmatic FiresPioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-03-10
4c Enigmatic Fires4c Enigmatic Fires Pioneer4c Enigmatic FiresPioneer Preliminary 2024-04-02
Enigmatic IncarnationEnigmatic Incarnation ExplorerThe Pizza Box Open: Explorer
WURGWURG ModernModern Last Chance 2024-03-17
Bant ControlBant Control GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 11 2024
Keruga FiresKeruga Fires Pioneer5c Enigmatic FiresMagicCon: Chicago - 2nd Chance PTQ

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Clever Impersonator card offers versatile card advantage by copying any nonland permanent on the battlefield. This adaptability provides players with the potential to duplicate the best assets in play, whether it’s their own or their opponent’s.

Resource Acceleration: While the impersonator itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its ability to copy artifacts or creatures that provide mana can effectively serve as a form of resource acceleration, giving you more mana to leverage earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: Despite being a sorcery-speed spell, the strategic deployment of Clever Impersonator can feel like it’s at instant speed since it allows you to immediately benefit from the copied permanent’s abilities. The right move can instantly swing the momentum in your favor, similar to the benefits of casting an actual instant.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Clever Impersonator offers versatility in what it can copy, it doesn’t mitigate the cost of discarding another card. If your hand is already depleting, playing this card could deplete it further, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Clever Impersonator requires two blue mana to cast, which ties it strictly to blue-themed decks or those with a reliable mana base that can accommodate this requirement. Players running decks without ample blue mana sources may find this card challenging to cast on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a total of four mana, Clever Impersonator has a higher investment cost when compared with other clone effects or value-adding creatures. This may slow you down, especially when competing against decks that put pressure on the board early in the game.


Reasons to Include Clever Impersonator in Your Collection

Versatility: Clever Impersonator boasts unprecedented flexibility, capable of copying any nonland permanent on the battlefield. This means it can adapt to a variety of board states and strategies, making it a valuable addition to any deck looking to leverage the strengths of other cards in play.

Combo Potential: With the ability to clone combo pieces from either your own setup or an opponent’s, the impersonator can become a critical component in executing game-winning interactions. It’s like having a wildcard in your deck that harmoniously aligns with synergistic plays.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-changing landscape of competitive play, having a card that’s as reactive as Clever Impersonator is a boon. It can morph to meet the demands of popular decks, counter dominant strategies, or become an integral part of your own tactical approach, ensuring it rarely loses its effectiveness in the meta.


How to beat

When faced with the versatility of Clever Impersonator in Magic: The Gathering, it’s important to remember that its strength lies in its ability to copy any nonland permanent. Dealing with this card requires preemptive action or clever play. One effective strategy is to limit valuable targets for it to copy. This could mean waiting to play out your own high-value permanents until after the impersonator has been played. Control decks that can remove threats or counter spells are particularly effective, as they can manage the board and handle the impersonator directly.

Graveyard removal tools can also be handy, disrupting the impersonator’s target options once they’re in the graveyard. Another approach is to use cards that punish the copying of your permanents or spells, which can deter your opponent from targeting your game-changing cards. Lastly, remember that Clever Impersonator is as vulnerable as the permanent it copies—if the original can be removed easily, then so can the impersonator. Keeping these strategies in mind, you can outmaneuver an opponent leveraging Clever Impersonator’s transformative power.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG players seeking to outwit opponents will find a strategic ally in Clever Impersonator. With its unparalleled ability to duplicate key cards, it’s a must-have for those aiming to refine their decks with a blend of versatility and surprise. If you’re looking to capitalize on the most influential permanents in play and shape the battlefield to your whim, consider adding this dynamic card to your arsenal. Keen to expand your collection with cards like Clever Impersonator or uncover strategies to optimize their use? Dive deeper with us as we explore the endless possibilities that make MTG a constantly evolving, captivating experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Clever Impersonator MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir Promos and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Clever Impersonator and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Clever Impersonator Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2022-12-13. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of Tarkir PromosPKTK 34p2015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
22014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 342015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
32019-08-23Commander 2019C19 822015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak
42022-12-13Explorer Anthology 2EA2 92015NormalBlackSlawomir Maniak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Clever Impersonator has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2014-09-20 Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the chosen permanent will trigger when Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield. Any “as
-his permanent] enters the battlefield” or “
-his permanent] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen permanent will also work.
2014-09-20 Clever Impersonator copies exactly what is printed on the chosen permanent (unless that permanent is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether that permanent has any counters on it or any Auras and/or Equipment attached to it, and it doesn’t copy any non-copy effects that have changed that permanent’s power, toughness, types, color, abilities, or so on.
2014-09-20 If Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield as a copy of a planeswalker, it will enter the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to the loyalty printed in the lower right corner of the planeswalker card. It won’t copy the number of loyalty counters on the original planeswalker.
2014-09-20 If Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield at the same time as another permanent, it can’t become a copy of that permanent. You may choose only a nonland permanent that’s already on the battlefield.
2014-09-20 If the chosen permanent has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2014-09-20 If the chosen permanent is a copy of something else (for example, if the chosen permanent is another Clever Impersonator), then your Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen permanent copied.
2014-09-20 If the chosen permanent is a token, Clever Impersonator copies the original characteristics of that token as defined by the effect that put that token onto the battlefield. Clever Impersonator is not a token.
2014-09-20 Remember that if you control more than one legendary permanent with the same name, you’ll choose one to remain on the battlefield and put the rest into their owner’s graveyard.
2014-09-20 You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature, and it’s put into the graveyard immediately (unless something is raising its toughness above 0).
2014-09-20 You choose which nonland permanent Clever Impersonator will copy, if any, as it enters the battlefield. This doesn’t target that nonland permanent.