[{"text":"Hey everyone! I typically write articles about Main Character teams, and strategies for using them effectively. Today, I thought it would be nice to change it up and talk about a specific card. So in this post, we\u2019re going to be talking about Shapeshift."},{"image":[{"src":"cap345170capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"A few of us have been debating the \u2018best overall card\u2019 in the cube.  Our criteria for the \u2018best overall card\u2019 is something along the lines of:"},{"list":[{"listType":"bullet"},{"caption":"Works well when used by most character combinations"},{"caption":"Can go into nearly any deck, whether you find yourself buying heroes, equipment, etc."}]},{"header":"THIS CARD HAS ALL CARD NAMES AND IS ALSO A HERO, VILLAIN, AND EQUIPMENT WHILE YOU OWN IT."},{"text":"That sentence is often overlooked, and perhaps not taken into account nearly enough throughout the course of a game. This means that while you own the card, it is a Super Power, Hero, Villain and Equipment whether it is in your hand, in play, or in the&nbsp;discard pile."},{"text":"From a card-interaction standpoint, the ability of shapeshift to be (almost) all types while in so many zones can have substantial payoffs. Let\u2019s look at some different groups of cards that can interact with Shapeshift, but first, lets look at a few of the things you can't do with this card."},{"header":"THINGS YOU CAN&#39;t DO WITH SHAPESHIFT"},{"image":[{"src":"cap846725capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"You cannot interact with Shapeshift as it if were any of its additional types unless you own it. This means no gaining it with Black Latern Power Ring or with Collapsible Staff. When someone doesn\u2019t own Shapeshift, it's just a lowly Super Power. Unfortunate."},{"header":"THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH SHAPESHIFT"},{"text":"Assuming you own Shapeshift, let\u2019s look at some of the sweet interactions you can take advantage of:"},{"image":[{"src":"cap618772capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"We can interact with Shapeshift as if it were a Punch using Daughter of Gotham City. That\u2019s a solid upgrade. We get our Shapeshift [Punch] back to our hand. We can also reveal and draw it with Nightwing and then repeat the reveal and draw process. These interactions are often used when looking for other cards, but also interact with Shapeshift in a sneaky way."},{"header":"SHAPESHIFT EVEN MESSES UP YOUR OPPONENTS"},{"text":"Not only does Shapeshift has some unique interactions just from other cards in your deck, your opponents might find themselves inadvertently letting you interact with it as well."},{"image":[{"src":"cap914354capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"We can happily return our Shapeshift to our hand if we\u2019re attacked by Parasite and likewise we can put Shapeshift back on top of our deck if we get attacked by Ms. Harley Quinn. If you are putting that Shapeshift to good use your opponents will think twice about using those attacks when they see Shapeshift in your discard pile!"},{"header":"COLLATERAL DAMAGE FROM SHAPESHIFT"},{"text":"A few cards will punish you for using Shapeshift, but there aren\u2019t many. By and large, the positive interactions with it far outweigh the negative. A few that might trip you up include:"},{"image":[{"src":"cap780776capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"Star Sapphire Power Ring will often force you to be unable to draw the revealed cards if one of them happens to be Shapeshift since it classifies as so many types while in your deck. Likewise, Psycho Pirate is going to give you the option of holding onto Shapeshift, but at the expense of discarding every other card in your hand. Since Shapeshift has every card name it's automatically a duplicate of every other card. That\u2019s a bit unfortunate."},{"header":"INTERESTING INTERACTIONS"},{"text":"There are a few cards that didn\u2019t fit well into other categories, but I wanted to give honorable mention to."},{"image":[{"src":"cap654755capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"T-Wing will be worth another VP if you end the game with it and a Shapeshift, and is a good pickup if you\u2019ve found yourself with a few other low cost cards. Duplication is interesting, but can require a bit of setup. You can also get a lot of value out of cards that trigger when a specific type is played, such as the following:"},{"image":[{"src":"sha785176shapeshi.jpg"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"This scenario is interesting, and is probably always going to result in a big turn for you.&nbsp; You have two options, both of which are probably really good.&nbsp; Duplicate the Shapeshift, getting an extra 2-power from the Crown while also making each of your opponents destroy one card in their hand.&nbsp; Note: Shapeshift has all names while you own it, so your opponents will always have a card to destroy between their hand and discard pile.&nbsp; Your other option is to Duplicate the Crown, which can add up to some serious power if you've played a few other cards that counted towards the Crowns bonus power.&nbsp; You'll likely be able to defeat the SuperVillian, or buy out the Line-Up, whichever you prefer!"},{"header":"GOOD SHAPESHIFT INTERACTIONS"},{"text":"Now we\u2019ll look at some cards which don\u2019t require any work, and are just plain good when Shapeshift is involved."},{"image":[{"src":"cap328122capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"With Animal Man, it's hard to miss if Shapeshift is your top card. You have mostly Villains in your deck? Name Villain...if it turns out that Shapeshift is on top of your deck then great, you get to draw him. T-Spheres has similar utility, in that you\u2019ll never \u2018miss\u2019 if Shapeshift is in your top three cards because it has all card names. Name Kick, put Shapeshift in your hand if you reveal it! Name Punch, put Shapeshift in your hand if you reveal it!"},{"text":"Bunker is just as good because Shapeshift is basically four different types in one card, so you can pick and choose what you want him to be at times. Imagine you reveal the following three cards from the top of your deck:"},{"image":[{"src":"cap254856capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"Bunker will gladly let you return one equipment (Aquaman\u2019s Trident), one Location (Atlantis) and one Hero (Shapeshift) to your hand."},{"header":"SHAPESHIFT IS ALWAYS A SPECIFIC NAMED CARD"},{"text":"Since Shapeshift is every named card in the game, he pairs up real well with any of the following:"},{"image":[{"src":"cap380629capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"image":[{"src":"cap354885capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"Shapeshift makes an excellent Jervis Tetch, Catwoman, Starbolt, Royal Flush Gang, etc.  It is the combo enabler of all combo enablers.  Due to the sheer size of the cube, you might be worried if you\u2019ll ever have a Starbolt flip out into the lineup and perhaps be wary of picking up a mid-game Warrior Princess.  If you have a Shapeshift you don\u2019t need to worry about such piddly things such as \u2018will this card ever come up\u2019 because you already have it in your deck!"},{"header":"THE WOMBO-COMBO"},{"text":"The last card I want to discuss is Mirror Gun.  If you can pair this card with Shapeshift when you have a sizeable discard pile, the game will end very quickly."},{"image":[{"src":"cap633141capture.png"},{"caption":""}]},{"text":"I have never pulled this combo off in an actual game...but if I ever do it will be a game I won\u2019t soon forget!  Let\u2019s see how this would play out:"},{"list":[{"listType":"bullet"},{"caption":"Play Shapeshift"},{"caption":"Get a measly one power"},{"caption":"Wow, ok"},{"caption":"Great"},{"caption":"Anything else?"}]},{"text":"Play Mirror Gun.&nbsp; Now I'll return one copy of every unique card in my discard pile to my hand..."},{"text":"Ok, so I can return one Punch, one Kick...and one of every single unique card in my discard pile (because you played Shapeshift and it has all card names). Your opponents will probably start counting up their VP once they see you returning 10-20 (potentially even more) cards from your discard pile to your hand. This is living the dream."},{"text":"That\u2019s it for this article. Hopefully I\u2019ve shown you some reasons to pick up a Shapeshift next time you see one&nbsp;in the lineup and maybe you can be the first person to live the Shapeshift + Mirror Gun dream!<br>"}]