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Clever Impersonator, art by Slawomir Maniak
Art by Slawomir Maniak · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast · image via Scryfall
Selected printing · USD
$3.44
checked Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfall
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Clever Impersonator

{2}{U}{U} · Creature — Shapeshifter

You may have this creature enter as a copy of any nonland permanent on the battlefield.

Rulings (10)

Sep 20, 2014 · 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.

Sep 20, 2014 · 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).

Sep 20, 2014 · 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.

Sep 20, 2014 · 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.

Sep 20, 2014 · 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.

Sep 20, 2014 · Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the chosen permanent will trigger when Clever Impersonator enters the battlefield. Any "as [this permanent] enters the battlefield" or "[this permanent] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen permanent will also work.

Sep 20, 2014 · You choose which nonland permanent Clever Impersonator will copy, if any, as it enters the battlefield. This doesn't target that nonland permanent.

Sep 20, 2014 · If the chosen permanent has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.

Sep 20, 2014 · 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.

Sep 20, 2014 · 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.

LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
ModernLegal
PioneerLegal
StandardNot legal
PauperNot legal
PremodernNot legal
cEDHLegal

Where it’s played now

Inclusion by archetype · cEDH

% of archetype's lists running it · last 30 days · n=26 decks
ArchetypeFormatInclusionCopiesDecks (n)
Kinnan, Bonder ProdigycEDH100%14
Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker / Rograkh, Son of RohgahhcEDH100%6
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder / Thrasios, Triton HerocEDH100%1
Glarb, Calamity's AugurcEDH100%1
Gyruda, Doom of DepthscEDH100%1
Heliod, the Radiant DawncEDH100%1
Jhoira, Ageless InnovatorcEDH100%1
Kenrith, the Returned KingcEDH100%1
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · MTGO + papercasthaven.com

Price

Clever Impersonator — price trend

Daily cheapest printing · USD · last 90 days · n=2 snapshots
Data as of Jun 14, 2026 · Scryfallcasthaven.com

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