mtg card shuffler with sleeves Sleeved by Bohemian including Yu Mtg Deck Shuffle - Etsy

The last ability of Nine Lives triggers no matter how it leaves the battlefield

You may put up to two creature and/or land cards from among the milled cards into your hand

If your opponent attacks with a creature and your creature has protection from that creature in some way (like if your opponent attacks with Coral Commando and you block with Bloated Toad), the blocking happens as normal, but the damage dealt by the attacking creature to your creature is prevented thanks to the protection

Cards like Tourach, Dread Cantor or Dauthi Voidwalker can substitute Shadow really well giving more midrange quality to the shells while Ragavan and DRC are the turn 1 tempo openers for the decks