Transmogrify – Core Set 2021 MTG Review

David
Fanany
Player
since
1995

You may be familiar with the blue version of this card, Polymorph; if so, Transmogrify has the same combo potential, and being in red might open up additional options. Not that you couldn’t already play a part-red Polymorph deck, but now it can be mono-red. It might be an interesting twist on red midrange, as it’d probably be nothing but token generators and huge dragons, and people wouldn’t expect it (unless they read this review). I expect it will be aimed at opposing creatures less frequently, though it is obviously still an option, even more so than with Polymorph. While blue can slow down high-toughness creatures with bounce effects or steal them, red is often just dead to a card like Elder Gargaroth; in a desperate situation, the risk of turning it into another Gargaroth (or worse, Uko) might sometimes be worth taking.

Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 3/5
Commander: 3/5

Polymorphing, but back in red. Transmogrify is one of those cards that makes for a clean and rude combo if you can build your deck in a way to abuse it; the clear synergy is to have only Absolute Units hiding in there, make a token, and then bring out something worthwhile by hitting it with Transmogrify. The other side of the coin is that this is a four-mana removal spell on an opponent’s creature, with the caveat that it can blow up spectacularly if you turn their innocuous little Brushwagg into a Lhurgoyf (to use an example). This is definitely a bit more of a fun card (thanks to only being sorcery speed), but there’s still plenty of room for fun in decks, and there may be times where this ends a game on the spot.

Constructed: 3.25 (there are ways to abuse this, but I feel like the formats most inclined to making this pop are the formats where it’s outclassed)
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 3.75 (probably more removal here; better to Transmogrify away a Baneslayer Angel)
Multiplayer: 3
Commander: 3.5