Shapeshifters

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Far below the surface of the earth, strange amorphous creatures have developed a thriving world, based on the manipulation of their own genetics. Now they plan to apply that knowledge to conquer our world above. Taking samples of the most powerful creatures and warriors they can find, these shapeshifters can use the best of whoever whomever they copy.

Shapeshifters are from the Science Fiction Double Feature set and do not have a Titan card.

Complexity Level: Medium

Mechanics

Copying Opponents
Destroying Your Own Minions
Playing Minions From Your Deck

Shapeshifters depend on the power and abilities of your partner faction and your opponent(s). The abilities of every Shapeshifter minion reflects another minion, and useless if there is none other.

Shapeshifters also have many ways to essentially replace themselves (constrained to same or lower power), which is very reliant on what cards you have. However, this allows access to play many minions directly from anywhere in your deck.

As an extension of this, Shapeshifters have many ways to destroy minions you control and also to shuffle the deck (both occasionally exploitable mechanics). In addition, "search deck for same or lower power" cards will be able to summon Mimic as it has power 0 and will at least match the highest power minion in play. The inclusion of a couple buffing cards allows Shapeshifters to hold their weight in raw power beyond just breaking even.

You can also copy an action, with Cellular Bonding.

Strategy

While not among the most complicated factions in the game, Shapeshifters require quite a bit of knowledge of the game to play effectively. The more you know about your own and your opponents' factions and what to expect from them, the better. Do your opponents' minions have great abilities for your Copycats to copy, and if they aren't in play right now, is it worth waiting until they are? Can you pull off wild combos with your Mimics? Not every faction you and your opponent chooses will be of use to Shapeshifters, so avoid picking them as your first faction.

Synergy

Shapeshifters cause sudden and often drastic changes to the game, so they favor on-play abilities. Pairing with a faction with extra printed power makes sense, and since Shapeshifters can destroy their own minions for benefits, pairing with ones that can revive minions also makes sense.

Itty Critters: Predominantly filled with on-play abilities, the Critters function well. They also help put minions back into your deck for Shapeshifters to change into, and Critter Champion and Coachs can send out either Mimics or Copycats.
Zombies: Destroy your minions and revive them. Zombies have lots of on-play abilities, too.

Cards - Minions

1x Doppelgänger

Power 5 - Special: When this minion goes to the discard pile from a base, search your deck for a minion and play it as an extra minion. Shuffle your deck.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

Since minions on a scored base are discarded before the base is replaced, this card’s replacement cannot be played onto the new base. If Transmogrify destroys Doppelgänger, both abilities trigger. If conditions prohibit playing the chosen minion, discard it instead.

2x G.E.L.F.

Power 0 - Talent: Search your deck for a non-G.E.L.F. minion of power 4 or less. Shuffle this minion into your deck and play that minion here as an extra minion.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

3x Mimic

Power 0 - Ongoing: This minion’s power is equal to the highest power printed on a minion card in play

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

Mimic’s starting power equals the highest printed power in play, but it can then be modified by abilities or +1 power counters. If the highest printed power in play changes, so does the starting power of Mimic. While in your hand or deck Mimic’s power is 0; it can be played by G.E.L.F., “...Really?” and Transmogrify.

4x Copycat

Power 2 - Choose another player’s minion in play. This card has the same ability as that minion until the end of the turn.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

This can copy any type of ability (on-play, Ongoing, Special, Talent), though not every ability will trigger before the end of the turn. Being immune to effects (e.g., Elder Thing) does not prevent copying. The copied ability expires if the Copycat leaves play before the end of the turn. Copying a minion’s ability does not copy its name (e.g., copying War Raptor lets it increase power for other War Raptors but not for itself). Ignore prerequisites for playing (e.g., Shoggoth) since the Copycat is already in play. If the copied ability imposes conditions that last beyond the end of the turn (e.g., Mind Lady, Bruiser), then treat the effect the same way that you would if the original card were to leave play before its effects ended.

1x Shell Game

Play on a minion. Ongoing: This minion cannot be destroyed.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

A

1x Splice as Nice

Play on a minion. Ongoing: This minion has +2 power.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

2x Transmogrify

Destroy one of your minions. Search your deck for a minion with the same or lower power and play it as an extra minion. Shuffle your deck.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

If the minion you choose to destroy is protected, you still resolve the rest of the ability.

Cards - Bases

1x Faceless City

Breakpoint 20 - VPs: 4 2 1 - Once per turn, after you play a minion here, search your deck for a copy of that minion, reveal it, and place it into your hand. Shuffle your deck.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications:

This ability is optional. Shuffle only if you searched for a card.

1x The Vats

Breakpoint 15 - VPs: 3 1 1 - You may not play a minion here that has the same name as another minion here.

Errata? Yes/No

Clarifications: