The character first appeared as a major player in 2018’s Dominaria set. Shanna joined Captain Jhoira, serving as a crew member of the storied skyship The Weatherlight. She fights to preserve her family legacy and forge her own, hoping to one day create a legend which can shine just as brightly as her famous ancestor Sisay. Sisay was a major hero during the early days of 90’s magic. She was the product of a carefully controlled bloodline project initiated by master wizard Urza to defend Dominaria against the Phyrexian threat. Her powers make her immune to magic, very handy in a world where spells get slung at you like mashed potatoes in a food fight. And she passed that trait onto her progeny. The existence of Sisay’s bloodline is meant to ensure Dominaria’s safety, but the Phyrexian threat is worse than ever. In years long past, Karn was made by Urza to fight the machine army of the Phyrexians as well, and now he’s returned to resume the battle. And he’ll need Shanna’s help to do it.
But enough story, let’s talk about what a freakin’ sweet card this is. Shanna, Purifying Blade is a 3/3 human warrior creature castable for green, white, and blue. A 3/3 body on a three drop is decent, sure. But her abilities will probably make this dope mythic rare an absolute BOMB in Limited. First off she’s got lifelink, a powerful keyword mechanic that means you gain life whenever the creature deals damage. On top of that, the card gives players the option to pay any amount of mana at the end of their turn and draw that many cards. The only caveat is that that amount of mana can’t be more than the life you gained that turn. Which if you’re doing any kind of damage with Shanna means at least three. That’s gonna get pretty spicy pretty quick. Usually casting a card with three different mana symbols is a no-no in Limited, where players construct decks from randomized card packs, but the existence of the very covetable pain lands in this set is a good indicator that Wizards of the Coast wants you to be able to cast this.
Wizards of the Coast