Tortoise Formation
Shards of Alara 61 • common
- Set
- Shards of Alara
- Collector number
- 61
- Rarity
- Common
- Mana cost
- 3 generic mana blue mana
- Type
- Instant
- Colors
- Blue
- Artist
- Mark Zug
- Market price
- $0.12
What it does
Creatures you control gain shroud until end of turn. (They can't be the targets of spells or abilities.)
At sea, the Jhessian fleet strikes swiftly and decisively. On land, facing the elite cavalry of Valeron, its marines must rely on more cautious strategies.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperLegal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Tortoise Formation was released in 2008 as part of the Shards of Alara expansion for Magic: The Gathering. The card was designed to support the set's central 'Bant' faction, which focused on defensive mechanics and creature-heavy board states, reflecting the theme of a utopian, order-driven shard of the Alara multiverse.
The artwork was illustrated by Steve Prescott, who emphasized the sturdy, stoic nature of the creatures through a composition that highlights their armored shells and cohesive positioning. Upon its release, the card was received as a niche utility piece for limited formats, praised for its ability to stabilize boards in slower, strategic matches rather than being a competitive staple in faster constructed formats.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Tortoise Formation
Tortoise Formation is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Shards of Alara 61 • common. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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