Clever Impersonator

Creature — Shapeshifter

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

Combos

• Clever Impersonator + Rite of Replication

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (51)

TheOfficialCreator on “yOu cAnT mAkE a ToKeN dEcK wiThOuT wHItE”

3 months ago

Doubling Season would be OP af. Also, I'm surprised you don't run more copier cards, like Phantasmal Image, Clone, Glasspool Mimic  ^Flip, Clever Impersonator, etc, since Sakashima gives you the ability to copy legendary creatures.

multimedia on Braids & her Interdimensional Friends

4 months ago

Hey, thanks for all the upvotes at my decks.

Nice start for mono blue and interesting Commander who I don't see played much. You have 101 cards, Desolation Twin could be cut to make 100. It's a much worse Eldrazi then the others.

Your deck could be less price, it's not overpriced garbage, but you could cut the price in half and it would be just as good. Three of the most expensive price cards here are Blightsteel, Ulamog and Betrays, but without more protection, counterspells and some more haste these creatures can be subpar to cheat with Braids because they don't give you value unless they can attack. Each of these creatures is a must kill by opponents. If you don't get to attack the first turn you give your opponents an entire cycle of turns to find an answer which in multiplayer Commander is a lot time. Treasure Mage is another creature who can tutor for Blightsteel.

---

Consider some more lower mana cost hard counterspells such as Arcane Denial and some creatures who can protect such as Spellskite? Protecting Braids is not as important as protecting what you cheat onto the battlefield because opponents are getting value from Braids too. More one mana instant protection is helpful such as Stubborn Denial and Slip Out the Back which is phasing and it's powerful with Braids.

Swiftfoot Boots is a lesser Greaves, but still fine and wanted in blue that doesn't have haste options. Akroma's Memorial is more price, but it's a big artifact to cheat with Braids that helps to setup other big creatures since it gives haste as well as other attacking abilities. Might also want to play Tribute Mage because can tutor for Greaves.

If you play Blightsteel, Ulamog and Betrays also consider playing some big creatures who give you value without attacking such as Hullbreaker Horror and Tidespout Tyrant? Each are much less price and can pack a punch without attacking. With Braids you'll have mana open to cast spells after your upkeep, use this mana for protection while also getting value from each spell you cast.

Bounce the permanents that your opponents cheat with Braids because the first turns cycle opponents get to trigger Braids before you. Bounce your own clones to clone something else or them. Both of these creatures when you control two them can infinite combo with Sol Ring. Bounce your own creatures who draw to cast or cheat them to draw again. Bouncing Braids can be a smart strategy because sometimes you don't want to give opponents the upkeep trigger and maybe you don't need the trigger.

---

Phasing, when you can control when a creature phases out is a busted effect with Braids. Vanishing can repeatedly protect Braids if you need that or deny your opponents her trigger because of how phasing works, only phasing in at your untap step. With Vanishing you can phase out Braids at any time or after your upkeep trigger which skips all your opponents upkeeps. It also protects her from opponent's sorcery board wipes which are plentiful in multiplayer Commander. You don't have to phase out Braids, but having the option can be helpful and you can politic with it by letting one opponent have the upkeep trigger and skipping the rest.

A phased out creature also phases out all auras/equipment that's attached to it, Vanishing is protected from removal when Braids is phased out. Vodalian Illusionist can also repeatedly phase out Braids. Combine phase out with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir to protect during your turn especially any hasty creatures you cheat with Braids. If you can get Teferi down before you cast Braids then you can flash Braids in before your upkeep to trigger her before your opponents.

---

Consider more draw especially from creatures such as Nezahal, Primal Tide or artifacts such as The Magic Mirror that Braids can cheat? Nezahal is Mystic Remora which is excellent in multiplayer Commander with a big body who can protect itself. With Mirror you can stack the upkeep triggers to draw before Braids trigger. Mulldrifter is a budget creature for draw who can also be easily cast and is a nice target to clone/create token or bounce.

Braids is a Wizard you could take advantage of some Wizard only effects such as Azami, Lady of Scrolls can repeatedly draw two cards by tapping her and Braids. Galecaster Colossus can repeatedly bounce two nonland permanents opponents cheated with Braids. Riptide Laboratory can repeatedly bounce Braids. Combine this effect with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir to deny your opponents Braids triggers by flash cast her at last opponent's end step and then after your upkeep bounce her with Riptide. Teferi is also a Wizard.

Vedalken AEthermage can Wizardcycle to get any Wizard including Orvar, the All-Form who does count as a Wizard while in your library/hand/graveyard. Vodalian Illusionist is also a Wizard. Wizard's Retort is Counterspell with Braids.

---

I like the secondary strategy of cloning your own or opponents permanents and/or gaining control of your opponents permanents that they cheat with Braids. You could expand on this strategy with Agent of Treachery, who is more price, but he can gain control of any permanent. He's also not legendary making him an excellent clone/create token target since the more of him you have the easier to control three permanents you don't own to then repeatedly draw. He's a good target to bounce because you don't lose the permanent you gained control of. Clever Impersonator can clone any nonland permanent.

Instants with buyback that target such as Mind Games and Capsize are good with Orvar, the All-Form to repeatedly trigger it. Capsize can be a win condition when you create infinite blue mana which mono blue is quite good at doing. If you want go this route you wouldn't have to add very many cards. In fact Orvar + Peregrine Drake + any buyback instant that targets is a combo for infinite blue mana from Islands as well as infinite Drake tokens as a potential win condition.

---

Consider more ramp? You're playing a lot of high CMC spells that you're counting on Braids to cheat them, but if you don't control Braids then more ramp could help to cast these spells. More ramp can also help to be able to cast Braids and have mana up for instant interaction the turn you play her.

High Tide is a favorite of mono blue since it's only one mana and playing so many Islands. Caged Sun with or without Braids can help to repeatedly cast almost any spell. Combine Tide/Sun with a draw spell such as Pull from Tomorrow or Blue Sun's Zenith to draw a lot of cards at instant speed, giving you a lot of options of permanents to cheat with Braids.

Good luck with your deck.

SirChris39 on Miirym job!

4 months ago

magwaaf the clones i am using in my deck is Clever Impersonator , Clone, Phyrexian Metamorph, Spark Double , Deadeye Navigator

griffstick on Clone help!

4 months ago

Altered Ego, Spark Double, Stunt Double, Progenitor Mimic, Dack's Duplicate, Vesuvan Shapeshifter, Phyrexian Metamorph, Clever Impersonator, Sakashima's Student, Sakashima's Protege, Irenicus's Vile Duplication

king-saproling on The Reality Chip v1

6 months ago

Thoughts on these? Trinket Mage, Tribute Mage, Sculpting Steel, Mirrormade, Clever Impersonator, Ugin, the Ineffable, Vedalken Archmage, Riddlesmith, Skyswimmer Koi, Codex Shredder, Ghoulcaller's Bell, Wand of Vertebrae, Pyxis of Pandemonium, Millikin

LandoLRodriguez on The Lost Art(ifact) of Keeping a Secret

8 months ago

Changes, 19 Mar 2022: -1 Phyrexian Metamorph, +1 Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant. J-G just fits right in here. Plenty of artifacts, instants, and sorceries to quickly make his initial 7 mana worth it, and his second ability is exactly mean enough to be on-theme here. I was getting away from counter magic in this deck, but coming as a passive ability is just fine. The metamorph was selected for removal because J-G is gonna be doing part of his copying job himself, and Clever Impersonator does the same job slightly better if I really need it.

heinrichgraum on Planeswalkers Perfected

8 months ago

Thank you! That is a very, very tough question given this deck's blatant disregard for budget considerations, but only a handful are over $10 in their cheapest printings. I would probably reconsider some of the cards that have been cut over this decks long history. Venser, the Sojourner, Ob Nixilis Reignited, Kiora, Master of the Depths, and Vraska the Unseen all spring to mind. I would also consider bringing back some of the old creatures like Clever Impersonator and Gilder Bairn which got cut to trim down towards the legendary theme.

theanimetrix on Enchantments are "friendly"

8 months ago

Sweet deck, Dueling Grounds and Aurification are good protection cards. Also Clever Impersonator might be better than Dance of Many though it i'snt an enchantment.