_Innistrad_(TM) Frequently Asked Questions Compiled by Matt Tabak, with contributions from Laurie Cheers, Toby Elliott, Lee Sharpe, Eli Shiffrin, and Thijs van Ommen Document last modified September 9, 2011
An FAQ is a collection of clarifications and rulings involving the cards in a new _Magic: The Gathering_(R) set. It's intended to make playing with these new cards more fun by clearing up the common misconceptions and confusion inevitably caused by new mechanics and interactions. As future sets are released, updates to the _Magic_(TM) rules may cause some of this information to become outdated. If you can't find the answer you're looking for here, please contact us at www.wizards.com/customerservice.
This FAQ has two sections, each of which serves a different purpose.
The first section ("General Notes") explains the mechanics and concepts in the set.
The second section ("Card-Specific Notes") contains answers to the most important, most common, and most confusing questions players might ask about cards in the set. Items in the "Card-Specific Notes" section include full card text for your reference. Not all cards in the set are listed. -----
GENERAL NOTES
***Release Information***
The _Innistrad_ set contains 264 cards (107 common, 67 uncommon, 59 rare, 16 mythic rare, and 15 basic land).
Prerelease events: September 24-25, 2011 Launch Parties: September 30-October 3, 2011
The _Innistrad_ set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, September 30, 2011.
At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: _Scars of Mirrodin_(TM), _Mirrodin Besieged_(TM), _New Phyrexia_(TM), _Magic 2012_, and _Innistrad_.
On the world of Innistrad, many creatures hide a darker aspect. The _Innistrad_ set introduces double-faced cards, the first traditional _Magic_ cards ever to not have the _Deckmaster_(TM) card back. Instead, they have two faces: a front face and a back face. A new keyword action, transform, allows you to turn the card over to its other face under certain conditions.
The front face of the card has a sun symbol in its upper left corner. The back face has a moon symbol in its upper left corner. Other than distinguishing one face from the other, these symbols have no effect on game play.
(front face) Cloistered Youth {1}{W} Creature -- Human 1/1 At the beginning of your upkeep, you may transform Cloistered Youth.
(back face) Unholy Fiend *black* Creature -- Horror 3/3 At the beginning of your end step, you lose 1 life.
The official rules for double-faced cards are as follows:
711. Double-Faced Cards
711.1. Each double-faced card has a _Magic_ card face on each side rather than a _Magic_ card face on one side and a _Magic_ card back on the other. Each face may have abilities that allow the permanent to "transform," or turn over to its other face. Tokens and cards with a _Magic_ card back can't transform. (See rule 701.25, "Transform.")
711.1a A double-faced card's front face is indicated by the sun symbol in its upper left corner.
711.1b A double-faced card's back face is indicated by the moon symbol in its upper left corner.
711.1c While a double-faced card is in a public zone, each player may look at both faces.
711.1d If the back face of a double-sided card is a creature, the front face of that card will have the back face's power and toughness printed in italicized gray text in the lower right of its text box. This is reminder text and has no effect on game play.
711.2. Each face of a double-faced card has its own set of characteristics.
711.2a In every zone other than the battlefield, and also on the battlefield with its front face up, a double-faced card has only the characteristics of its front face.
711.2b While a double-faced permanent's back face is up, it has only the characteristics of its back face. The back face doesn't have a mana cost; it has the colors in its color indicator (see rule 202.2e).
711.3. Except for determining whether or not a permanent can transform, a spell, ability, or rule that needs information about a double-faced permanent sees only the information given by the face that's currently up.
Example: A Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of Wildblood Pack (the back face of a double-faced card). Clone will be a copy of Wildblood Pack. Because Clone is itself not a double-faced card, it can't transform.
Example: A player casts Cytoshape, causing a Kruin Outlaw (the front face of a double-faced card) to become a copy of Elite Vanguard (a 2/1 Human Soldier creature) until the end of turn. The player then casts Moonmist, which reads, in part, "Transform all Humans." Because the copy of Elite Vanguard is a double-faced card, it will transform. The resulting permanent will have its back face up, although it will still be a copy of Elite Vanguard that turn.
711.4. If a double-faced card is cast as a spell, it's put on the stack with its front face up. A double-faced card can't be cast face down. See rule 601, "Casting Spells."
711.5. A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up.
711.6. A double-faced permanent always has the status "face up" (see rule 110.6). Double-faced permanents can't be turned face down. If a spell or ability tries to turn a double-faced permanent face down, nothing happens.
711.7. When a double-faced permanent transforms, it doesn't become a new object. Any effects that applied to that permanent will continue to apply to it after it transforms.
Example: An effect gives Village Ironsmith (the front face of a double-faced card) +2/+2 until end of turn and then Village Ironsmith transforms into Ironfang. Ironfang will continue to get +2/+2 until the end of turn.
711.8. If an effect instructs a player to name a card, the player may name either face of a double-faced card but not both.
711.9. Players must ensure that double-faced cards in hidden zones are indistinguishable from other cards in the same zone. To do this, the owner of a double-faced card may use completely opaque card sleeves or substitute a checklist card. Sanctioned tournaments have additional rules for playing with double-faced cards. See rule 100.6.
711.9a If a checklist card is used, the double-faced card it represents must be set aside prior to the beginning of the game (see rule 103.1a) and must be available throughout the game. A checklist card can't be included in a deck unless it is representing a double-faced card.
711.9b The face of each checklist card is divided into sections. Each section lists the name and mana cost of each double-faced card it could represent and includes a fill-in circle. When using a checklist card, exactly one of the fill-in circles must be marked to denote which double-faced card the checklist card represents.
711.9c For all game purposes, a checklist card is considered to be the double-faced card it's representing. It has that double-faced card's characteristics in all zones.
711.9d As a checklist card enters a public zone, the checklist card should be set aside and the double-faced card used instead.
The official rules for transform are as follows:
701.25. Transform
701.25a Only permanents represented by double-faced cards can transform. (See rule 711, "Double-Faced Cards.") If a spell or ability instructs a player to transform any permanent that isn't a double-faced card, nothing happens.
701.25b To transform a permanent, turn it over so that its other face is up.
701.25c Although transforming a permanent uses the same physical action as turning a permanent face up or face down, they are different game actions. Abilities that trigger when a permanent is turned face down won't trigger when that permanent transforms, and so on.
* Each face of a double-faced card has its own name, types, subtypes, power and toughness, abilities, and so on. While a double-faced card is not on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face. While a double-faced card is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored.
* The back face of a double-faced card can't be cast.
* A double-faced card enters the battlefield with the front face up.
* The back face of a double-faced card doesn't have a mana cost; a double-faced permanent with its back face up has a converted mana cost of 0.
* The converted mana cost of a double-faced card not on the battlefield is the converted mana cost of its front face.
* Only a double-faced permanent can transform. "Double-faced" always refers to the physical card. It is neither a characteristic nor a copiable value. For example, a token can never be a double-faced permanent even if it's a copy of one.
* Transforming a permanent doesn't affect any Auras or Equipment attached to that permanent. Similarly, any counters on the permanent will remain on that permanent after it transforms.
* Damage marked on a double-faced permanent will stay marked on that permanent after it transforms. -----
***Theme: Double-Faced Werewolves***
Each Werewolf creature in the _Innistrad_ set is a double-faced card. Each front face has the same triggered ability that may transform it. Similarly, each back face has the same triggered ability that may transform it back.
(front) Tormented Pariah {3}{R} Creature -- Human Warrior Werewolf 3/2 At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Tormented Pariah.
(back) Rampaging Werewolf *red* Creature -- Werewolf 6/4 At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Rampaging Werewolf.
* These abilities look at the entire previous turn, even if the Werewolf with that ability wasn't on the battlefield for some or all of that turn.
* For the back-face triggered abilities, a single player must have cast two or more spells during the previous turn. If multiple players each cast just one spell during the previous turn, the ability won't trigger.
* A player who casts the same card twice during the same turn (perhaps due to the flashback ability) has cast two different spells that turn. The back-face triggered ability will trigger at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. -----
***New Characteristic: Color Indicator***
Each back face of an _Innistrad_ double-faced card has a small dot to the left of its type line. This circular symbol is its "color indicator." A permanent with a red color indicator, for example, is red, just as a card with a red mana symbol in its mana cost is red. A color indicator may represent multiple colors.
Some older cards were printed with a characteristic-defining ability in its rules text box that indicated what color that card was, such as "Dryad Arbor is green" and "Pact of Negation is blue." These cards are receiving updated Oracle(TM) wordings to use color indicators instead. This is a minor functional change in some cases: a color indicator can't be affected by text-changing effects like that of Mind Bend, and Dryad Arbor now remains green when Blood Moon is on the battlefield. -----
***Game Supplement: Checklist Cards***
It's important that the cards in your deck be indistinguishable from one another. To accomplish this with double-faced cards, you can use the checklist cards included in some _Innistrad_ booster packs and in the _Innistrad_ fat pack. These checklist cards have a list of all double-faced cards in the _Innistrad set_ on one side and the typical _Magic_ card back on the other side.
* You must have with you the actual double-faced card the checklist card is representing. The double-faced card should be kept apart from the rest of your deck. In tournaments, the double-faced card should also be kept separate from your sideboard.
* A checklist card can't be included in a deck except when it's being used to represent a double-faced card.
* You must mark exactly one fill-in circle on the checklist card to indicate which double-faced card it represents.
* You can still use card sleeves, even if you also choose to use checklist cards.
* During the game, a checklist card is considered to be the double-faced card it represents. For example, say you have a checklist card in your hand representing Tormented Pariah and an opponent casts Despise. The checklist card is a creature card, so your opponent may choose the checklist card and you would discard it.
* As soon as a checklist card enters a public zone (stack, battlefield, graveyard, or exile unless it's exiled face down), use the double-faced card and set the checklist card aside. If the double-faced card is put into a hidden zone (hand or library), use the checklist card again.
* If a double-faced card is exiled face down, keep its identity hidden by using the face-down checklist card. -----
***New Ability Word: Morbid***
Morbid is an ability word. It appears in italics at the beginning of abilities that check to see if a creature has died that turn. (An ability word has no rules meaning.)
Festerhide Boar {3}{G} Creature -- Boar 3/3 Trample Morbid -- Festerhide Boar enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it if a creature died this turn.
* Morbid abilities merely check if a creature died earlier in the turn. The creature card doesn't need to still be in the graveyard.
* Token creatures can also die, going to their owner's graveyard before ceasing to exist.
* Some morbid abilities that appear on instants and sorceries use the word "instead." The spells have an upgraded effect when they resolve if a creature has died earlier in the turn. You only get the upgraded effect, not both effects.
* Some morbid abilities are activated abilities of permanents. To activate such an ability, a creature must have died earlier in the turn.
* Triggered morbid abilities use an intervening "if" clause. A creature must have died earlier in the turn in order for these abilities to trigger; otherwise they do nothing. In other words, there's no way to have the ability trigger if no creature has died that turn, even if you intend to have a creature die in response to the triggered ability. -----
***Returning Keyword Ability: Flashback***
Flashback is a keyword that has previously appeared in the _Odyssey_(R) and _Time Spiral_(R) blocks.
Dream Twist {U} Instant Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Flashback {1}{U} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
The official rules for flashback are as follows:
702.32. Flashback
702.32a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one that functions while the card is in a player's graveyard and the other that functions while the card is on the stack. "Flashback [cost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack." Casting a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2e-g.
* You must still follow any timing restrictions, including those based on the card's type. You can only cast a sorcery using flashback when you could normally cast a sorcery.
* Casting a spell using flashback doesn't change the mana cost (or converted mana cost) of the spell. You just pay the flashback cost instead.
* Effects that cause you to pay more or less when casting a spell will also affect what you pay when casting the spell using flashback.
* A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, it's countered, or it leaves the stack in some other way. -----
***New Subtype: Curse***
The _Innistrad_ set includes six Auras with enchant player that have a negative effect for the enchanted player. These enchantments have the additional subtype "Curse."
Curse of the Pierced Heart {1}{R} Enchantment -- Aura Curse Enchant player At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, Curse of the Pierced Heart deals 1 damage to that player.
* A Curse spell targets the player it will enchant like any other Aura spell, and a Curse stays on the battlefield like any other Aura. If the enchanted player gains protection from the Curse's color (or any other characteristic the Curse has), the Curse will be put into its owner's graveyard.
* Each of the Curses can be attached to any player, including the player who cast the Curse.
* Curse is an enchantment type, not a creature type (or any other kind of subtype).
* Two _Innistrad_ cards, Bitterheart Witch and Witchbane Orb, have abilities that refer to Curses. -----
***Theme: Vampires with +1/+1 Counters***
Some Vampires on Innistrad thrive on the blood of their enemies and get stronger when they deal combat damage to a player.
Stromkirk Noble {R} Creature -- Vampire 1/1 Stromkirk Noble can't be blocked by Humans. Whenever Stromkirk Noble deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
* The +1/+1 counter isn't put on the creature in time to increase the amount of combat damage dealt during that combat step.
* If such a creature has double strike, the +1/+1 counter put on the creature when first-strike damage is dealt will increase the amount of damage dealt during the regular combat damage step.
* If such a creature deals combat damage to multiple players simultaneously, perhaps because some combat damage was redirected, its ability will trigger for each of those players. -----
***New Keyword Action: Fight***
The _Innistrad_ set introduces the rules term "fight."
Prey Upon {G} Sorcery Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
The official rules for fight are as follows:
701.10. Fight
701.10a A spell or ability may instruct a creature to fight another creature. To fight, each creature deals damage equal to its power to the other creature. When such a spell or ability resolves, if either creature is no longer on the battlefield, is no longer a creature, or is otherwise an illegal target (if the spell or ability targeted that creature), no damage is dealt.
701.10b If a creature fights itself, it deals damage equal to its power to itself twice.
701.10c The damage dealt when a creature fights isn't combat damage.
* The damage is dealt simultaneously.
* The amount of damage each creature deals is equal to its power when the spell or ability that instructs the creatures to fight resolves.
* Five older cards will receive updated Oracle wordings to include the new term. (Several cards with similar effects won't be updated. Most of those cards involve potentially more than two creatures dealing damage or damage that is dealt sequentially rather than simultaneously.) -----
***Cycle: Enemy "Tap Lands"***
The _Innistrad_ set has a cycle of lands that produce two colors of mana and enter the battlefield tapped unless you control a certain land.
Hinterland Harbor Land Hinterland Harbor enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Forest or an Island. {T}: Add {G} or {U} to your mana pool.
* These lands check for lands you control with either of the two listed land types, not either of the two listed names. The lands they check for don't have to be basic lands. For example, if you control Stomping Ground (a nonbasic land with the land types Mountain and Forest), Hinterland Harbor will enter the battlefield untapped.
* As these lands are entering the battlefield, they check for lands that are already on the battlefield. They won't see lands that are entering the battlefield at the same time (due to Primeval Titan's ability, for example). -----
CARD-SPECIFIC NOTES
Abattoir Ghoul {3}{B} Creature -- Zombie 3/2 First strike Whenever a creature dealt damage by Abattoir Ghoul this turn dies, you gain life equal to that creature's toughness.
* You'll gain life equal to the creature's last known toughness before it died. For example, if Abattoir Ghoul deals 3 first-strike damage to a 7/7 creature and then you give the creature -5/-5 before the regular combat damage step, you'll gain 2 life. -----
Altar's Reap {1}{B} Instant As an additional cost to cast Altar's Reap, sacrifice a creature. Draw two cards.
* You can't sacrifice more than one creature to cast Altar's Reap.
* You sacrifice a creature when you pay other costs to cast Altar's Reap. The creature will already be in its owner's graveyard by the time any player gets a chance to respond. -----
Angel of Flight Alabaster {4}{W} Creature -- Angel 4/4 Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, return target Spirit card from your graveyard to your hand.
* The Spirit card must already be in your graveyard when the ability triggers at the beginning of your upkeep. If there is no Spirit card in your graveyard when your upkeep begins, the ability will be removed from the stack with no effect. -----
Angelic Overseer {3}{W}{W} Creature -- Angel 5/3 Flying As long as you control a Human, Angelic Overseer has hexproof and is indestructible.
* If you control a Human, and an effect tries to destroy each Human you control and Angelic Overseer simultaneously, Angelic Overseer won't be destroyed.
* If you control a Human, and lethal damage is dealt to Angelic Overseer, that damage will remain marked on it that turn. If later in the turn you no longer control a Human, Angelic Overseer will be destroyed. -----
Armored Skaab {2}{U} Creature -- Zombie Warrior 1/4 When Armored Skaab enters the battlefield, put the top four cards of your library into your graveyard.
* If you have fewer than four cards in your library when Armored Skaab enters the battlefield, you'll put all of them into your graveyard. -----
Ashmouth Hound {1}{R} Creature -- Elemental Hound 2/1 Whenever Ashmouth Hound blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, Ashmouth Hound deals 1 damage to that creature.
* Ashmouth Hound's ability triggers once for each creature it blocks or becomes blocked by. -----
Back from the Brink {4}{U}{U} Enchantment Exile a creature card from your graveyard and pay its mana cost: Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of that card. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
* Although you're paying the card's mana cost, you aren't casting that card. Abilities that reduce the cost to cast a creature spell won't apply, and additional costs to cast that creature can't be paid. If the card has an ability that allows another cost to be paid "rather than its mana cost," that alternative cost can be paid. Other alternative costs that affect what it costs to cast a creature spell, such as evoke, can't.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the creature will also work.
* If you exile a double-faced creature card this way, you'll pay the mana cost of the front face. The token will be a copy of the front face and it won't be able to transform.
* If the exiled creature card has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be zero. -----
Balefire Dragon {5}{R}{R} Creature -- Dragon 6/6 Flying Whenever Balefire Dragon deals combat damage to a player, it deals that much damage to each creature that player controls.
* The damage dealt by Balefire Dragon's triggered ability isn't combat damage. -----
Bitterheart Witch {4}{B} Creature -- Human Shaman 1/2 Deathtouch When Bitterheart Witch dies, you may search your library for a Curse card, put it onto the battlefield attached to target player, then shuffle your library.
* The Curse must be legally able to enchant the player. For example, if the player has protection from red, you couldn't put a red Curse onto the battlefield this way. -----
Blasphemous Act {8}{R} Sorcery Blasphemous Act costs {1} less to cast for each creature on the battlefield. Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature.
* The total cost to cast Blasphemous Act is locked in before you pay that cost. For example, if there are three creatures on the battlefield, including one you can sacrifice to add {1} to your mana pool, the total cost of Blasphemous Act is {5}{R}. Then you can sacrifice the creature when you activate mana abilities just before paying the cost.
* Blasphemous Act's ability can't reduce the total cost to cast the spell below {R}.
* Although players may respond to Blasphemous Act once it's been cast, once it's announced, they can't respond before the cost is calculated and paid. -----
Blazing Torch {1} Artifact -- Equipment Equipped creature can't be blocked by Vampires or Zombies. Equipped creature has "{T}, Sacrifice Blazing Torch: Blazing Torch deals 2 damage to target creature or player." Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* If a Blazing Torch controlled by one player somehow winds up equipping a creature a different player controls, the damage ability can't be activated by either player. Only the creature's controller may activate the ability -- but since that player can't sacrifice Blazing Torch (a permanent he or she doesn't control), the ability's cost can't be paid.
* The source of the damage is Blazing Torch, not the equipped creature. However, the equipped creature's ability is what targets the creature or player. If Blazing Torch is equipped to a red creature, for example, the ability couldn't target a creature with protection from red. It could target a creature with protection from artifacts, but all the damage would be prevented. -----
(front face) Bloodline Keeper {2}{B}{B} Creature -- Vampire 3/3 Flying {T}: Put a 2/2 black Vampire creature token with flying onto the battlefield. {B}: Transform Bloodline Keeper. Activate this ability only if you control five or more Vampires.
(back face) Lord of Lineage *black* Creature -- Vampire 5/5 Flying Other Vampire creatures you control get +2/+2. {T}: Put a 2/2 black Vampire creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
* Activating Bloodline Keeper's last ability multiple times will cause it to transform into Lord of Lineage, then back again, and so on. -----
Bonds of Faith {1}{W} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 as long as it's a Human. Otherwise, it can't attack or block.
* Once the enchanted creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, causing it to stop being a Human won't remove it from combat. It will lose the +2/+2 bonus, however. -----
Boneyard Wurm {1}{G} Creature -- Wurm */* Boneyard Wurm's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
* The ability that defines Boneyard Wurm's power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. If Boneyard Wurm is in your graveyard, it will count itself. -----
Burning Vengeance {2}{R} Enchantment Whenever you cast a spell from your graveyard, Burning Vengeance deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
* Although flashback is the most common way to cast a spell from your graveyard, Burning Vengeance will trigger whenever you cast a spell from your graveyard through any means.
* Burning Vengeance won't trigger when you activate an ability of a card in your graveyard such as unearth or the ability of Reassembling Skeleton.
* Burning Vengeance's triggered ability will resolve before the spell you cast from your graveyard. -----
Cackling Counterpart {1}{U}{U} Instant Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature you control. Flashback {5}{U}{U} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* The token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* If you copy a double-faced creature, the token will be a copy of the face that's up when the token is created. Because the token is not a double-faced card, it won't be able to transform.
* If the copied creature has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be zero.
* If the copied creature is copying something else (for example, if the copied creature is an Evil Twin), then the token enters the battlefield as whatever that creature copied.
* If the copied creature is a token, the token that's created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work. -----
Caravan Vigil {G} Sorcery Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. Morbid -- You may put that card onto the battlefield instead of putting it into your hand if a creature died this turn.
* You can choose to put the basic land card into your hand even if a creature died the turn you cast Caravan Vigil. -----
Charmbreaker Devils {5}{R} Creature -- Devil 4/4 At the beginning of your upkeep, return an instant or sorcery card at random from your graveyard to your hand. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, Charmbreaker Devils gets +4/+0 until end of turn.
* The instant or sorcery card returned to your hand is chosen at random as the triggered ability resolves. If any player responds to the ability, that player won't yet know what card will be returned.
* Because the first ability doesn't target the instant or sorcery card, any instants or sorceries put into your graveyard in response to that ability may be returned to your hand. -----
(front face) Civilized Scholar {2}{U} Creature -- Human Advisor 0/1 {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card. If a creature card is discarded this way, untap Civilized Scholar, then transform it.
(back face) Homicidal Brute *red* Creature -- Human Mutant 5/1 At the beginning of your end step, if Homicidal Brute didn't attack this turn, tap Homicidal Brute, then transform it.
* You don't have priority between untapping Civilized Scholar and transforming it. You can't activate the draw-and-discard ability again, for example.
* You'll tap and transform Homicidal Brute even if it couldn't attack.
* If Civilized Scholar attacks, and later in the turn (but before the beginning of your end step), it transforms, Homicidal Brute's last ability won't trigger. This is because the creature attacked that turn, even if had its other face up at the time. -----
Claustrophobia {1}{U}{U} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature When Claustrophobia enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature. Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
* Claustrophobia can target and enchant an untapped creature.
* The enchanted creature can still be untapped in other ways, such as by Village Bell-Ringer's ability. -----
Creeping Renaissance {3}{G}{G} Sorcery Choose a permanent type. Return all cards of the chosen type from your graveyard to your hand. Flashback {5}{G}{G} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* The permanent types are artifact, creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker. -----
Creepy Doll {5} Artifact Creature -- Construct 1/1 Creepy Doll is indestructible. Whenever Creepy Doll deals combat damage to a creature, flip a coin. If you win the flip, destroy that creature.
* You don't flip the coin until the ability resolves. If you want to respond to the ability, perhaps by regenerating the damaged creature, you'll have to do so before you know the outcome of the flip.
* If the combat damage Creepy Doll deals to a creature is lethal, you'll still flip a coin. If the creature is still on the battlefield (perhaps because it regenerated), it could be destroyed a second time, depending on the coin flip. -----
Curiosity {U} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature Whenever enchanted creature deals damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.
* "You" refers to the controller of Curiosity, which may be different from the controller of the enchanted creature. "An opponent" refers to an opponent of Curiosity's controller.
* Any damage dealt by the enchanted creature to an opponent will cause Curiosity to trigger, not just combat damage.
* Curiosity doesn't trigger if the enchanted creature deals damage to a planeswalker controlled by an opponent. -----
Curse of Oblivion {3}{B} Enchantment -- Aura Curse Enchant player At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, that player exiles two cards from his or her graveyard.
* If the enchanted player has only one card in his or her graveyard, he or she exiles that card. -----
Curse of Stalked Prey {1}{R} Enchantment -- Aura Curse Enchant player Whenever a creature deals combat damage to enchanted player, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
* The ability will trigger when any creature deals combat damage to the enchanted player, including one controlled by another opponent or even by the enchanted player (if combat damage gets redirected somehow). -----
Curse of the Bloody Tome {2}{U} Enchantment -- Aura Curse Enchant player At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, that player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
* If the enchanted player has only one card in his or her library, he or she puts that card into his or her graveyard. -----
Curse of the Nightly Hunt {2}{R} Enchantment -- Aura Curse Enchant player Creatures enchanted player controls attack each turn if able.
* The enchanted player still chooses which player or planeswalker each creature he or she controls attacks.
* If there are multiple combat phases in a turn, each creature must attack only in the first one in which it's able to.
* If, during the enchanted player's declare attackers step, a creature he or she controls is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having the creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either. -----
Dearly Departed {4}{W}{W} Creature -- Spirit 5/5 Flying As long as Dearly Departed is in your graveyard, each Human creature you control enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
* The effect is cumulative. Human creatures you control will enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter for each Dearly Departed in your graveyard.
* In most cases, when determining whether a creature entering the battlefield under your control should get a +1/+1 counter, you'll simply look at what the creature will look like on the battlefield. You'll consider any effects affecting a creature entering the battlefield under your control that fall under one of these categories: --Replacement effects that have already modified how the permanent enters the battlefield, like the one created by Clone. --Continuous effects that changed the permanent's creature type on the stack, like the one created by Artificial Evolution. --Effects from the permanent's own static abilities, as long as they affect only that permanent, like Adaptive Automaton's.
* However, you'll ignore the continuous effects of static abilities that come from other sources. For example, if you control Xenograft with Human as the chosen creature type, a Vampire creature would not enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter. -----
(front face) Delver of Secrets {U} Creature -- Human Wizard 1/1 At the beginning of your upkeep, look at the top card of your library. You may reveal that card. If an instant or sorcery card is revealed this way, transform Delver of Secrets.
* You can sacrifice the creature Demonmail Hauberk is equipping in order to equip it to another creature. -----
Disciple of Griselbrand {1}{B} Creature -- Human Cleric 1/1 {1}, Sacrifice a creature: You gain life equal to the sacrificed creature's toughness.
* The amount of life you gain is equal to the toughness of the creature as it last existed on the battlefield, not its toughness in the graveyard. -----
Divine Reckoning {2}{W}{W} Sorcery Each player chooses a creature he or she controls. Destroy the rest. Flashback {5}{W}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* Starting with the player whose turn it is, each player chooses a creature in turn order. Players will know the choice of each player who chose before them. -----
Elder of Laurels {2}{G} Creature -- Human Advisor 2/3 {3}{G}: Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control.
* The number of creatures you control is counted as the ability resolves.
* Once the ability has resolved, the bonus won't change if the number of creatures you control changes later in the turn. -----
Endless Ranks of the Dead {2}{B}{B} Enchantment At the beginning of your upkeep, put X 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is half the number of Zombies you control, rounded down.
* If you control fewer than two Zombies, you won't get any tokens.
* The number of Zombies you control is counted when the ability resolves. If you control multiple Endless Ranks of the Dead, the tokens you get when the first ability resolves will count for the subsequent abilities (if the tokens are still under your control at that time). -----
Essence of the Wild {3}{G}{G}{G} Creature -- Avatar 6/6 Creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild.
* Creatures you control don't copy whether Essence of the Wild is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or any Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* Because creatures you control enter the battlefield as a copy of Essence of the Wild, any enters-the-battlefield triggered abilities printed on such creatures won't trigger.
* Replacement effects that modify how a creature enters the battlefield are applied in the following order: first control-changing effects (such as Gather Specimens), then copy effects (such as the abilities of Essence of the Wild and Clone), then all other effects. This is a minor rules change to make Essence of the Wild and similar cards in the future work intuitively.
* If a creature such as Clone is entering the battlefield under your control, there will be two copy effects to apply: the creature's own and Essence of the Wild's. No matter what order these effects are applied, the creature will be a copy of Essence of the Wild when it enters the battlefield.
* Other enters-the-battlefield replacement abilities printed on the creature entering the battlefield won't be applied because the creature will already be Essence of the Wild at that point (and therefore it won't have those abilities). For example, a creature that normally enters the battlefield tapped will enter the battlefield as an untapped Essence of the Wild, and a creature that would normally enter the battlefield with counters on it will enter the battlefield as an Essence of the Wild with no counters.
* External abilities may still affect how a creature enters the battlefield. For example, if your opponent controls Urabrask the Hidden, which reads, in part, "Creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped," a creature entering the battlefield under your control will be a tapped Essence of the Wild.
* If a creature such as Cryptoplasm that's already on the battlefield copies Essence of the Wild and modifies its own copy effect, that modification is also copied by creatures entering the battlefield under your control.
* If you control more than one Essence of the Wild, creatures you control will enter the battlefield as a copy of the one whose copy effect you apply last. -----
Evil Twin {2}{U}{B} Creature -- Shapeshifter 0/0 You may have Evil Twin enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield except it gains "{U}{B}, {T}: Destroy target creature with the same name as this creature."
* Evil Twin copies exactly what was printed on the original creature (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below) and it gains the activated ability. It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or any Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
* If you copy a double-faced creature, Evil Twin will be a copy of the face that's up when Evil Twin enters the battlefield. Because Evil Twin is not a double-faced card, it won't be able to transform.
* If the chosen creature has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be zero.
* If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is another Evil Twin), then your Evil Twin enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature copied.
* If the chosen creature is a token, Evil Twin copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield. Evil Twin is not a token.
* Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Evil Twin enters the battlefield. Any "as [this creature] enters the battlefield" or "[this creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
* If Evil Twin somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Evil Twin can't become a copy of that creature. You may only choose a creature that's already on the battlefield.
* You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Evil Twin enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately. -----
Feeling of Dread {1}{W} Instant Tap up to two target creatures. Flashback {1}{U} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* If Feeling of Dread targets two creatures, and one of them is an illegal target by the time Feeling of Dread resolves, the other creature will still be tapped. -----
Fiend Hunter {1}{W}{W} Creature -- Human Cleric 1/3 When Fiend Hunter enters the battlefield, you may exile another target creature. When Fiend Hunter leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
* If Fiend Hunter leaves the battlefield before its first ability has resolved, its second ability will trigger and do nothing. Then its first ability will resolve and exile the targeted creature indefinitely. -----
Forbidden Alchemy {2}{U} Instant Look at the top four cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. Flashback {6}{B} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* If you have fewer than four cards in your library, you'll look at all the cards there and put one into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. -----
Wizards.Com Boards Net Rep DCI Level 2 Judge
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Frightful Delusion {2}{U} Instant Counter target spell unless its controller pays {1}. That player discards a card.
* You must target a spell in order to cast Frightful Delusion. You can't cast it without a legal target just to make a player discard a card.
* The player discards a card even if he or she pays {1}. -----
Full Moon's Rise {1}{G} Enchantment Werewolf creatures you control get +1/+0 and have trample. Sacrifice Full Moon's Rise: Regenerate all Werewolf creatures you control.
* In order to regenerate Werewolves involved in combat, you must sacrifice Full Moon's Rise before combat damage is assigned. This means they will lose the +1/+0 and trample bonuses before combat damage assignment. -----
Furor of the Bitten {R} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and attacks each turn if able.
* The enchanted creature's controller still chooses which player or planeswalker that creature attacks.
* If there are multiple combat phases in a turn, the enchanted creature must attack only in the first one in which it's able to.
* If, during its controller's declare attackers step, the enchanted creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having the creature attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either. -----
(front face) Garruk Relentless {3}{G} Planeswalker -- Garruk 3 When Garruk Relentless has two or fewer loyalty counters on him, transform him. [0]: Garruk Relentless deals 3 damage to target creature. That creature deals damage equal to its power to him. [0]: Put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield.
(back face) Garruk, the Veil-Cursed *black*, *green* Planeswalker -- Garruk [+1]: Put a 1/1 black Wolf creature token with deathtouch onto the battlefield. [-1]: Sacrifice a creature. If you do, search your library for a creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. [-3]: Creatures you control gain trample and get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
* Garruk Relentless's first ability is a state-triggered ability. It triggers once Garruk has two or fewer loyalty counters on him and it can't retrigger while that ability is on the stack.
* You don't add or remove loyalty counters from Garruk Relentless when he transforms into Garruk, the Veil-Cursed. In most cases, he'll have one or two loyalty counters on him.
* You can't activate a loyalty ability of Garruk Relentless and later that turn after he transforms activate a loyalty ability of Garruk, the Veil-Cursed.
* The second ability of Garruk, the Veil-Cursed doesn't target a creature. However, when that ability resolves, you must sacrifice a creature if you control one.
* The number of creature cards in your graveyard is counted when the third ability of Garruk, the Veil-Cursed resolves. Once the ability resolves, the bonus doesn't change if that number changes later in the turn.
* Only creatures you control when the third ability of Garruk, the Veil-Cursed resolves will receive the bonus. Creatures that enter the battlefield or that you gain control of later in the turn won't be affected.
* The planeswalker rules allow only an opponent to redirect noncombat damage that would be dealt to you to a planeswalker you control. For example, you can't cast Shock targeting yourself and choose to redirect that damage to a Garruk Relentless you control hoping to transform him. -----
Geist of Saint Traft {1}{W}{U} Legendary Creature -- Spirit Cleric 2/2 Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.) Whenever Geist of Saint Traft attacks, put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield tapped and attacking. Exile that token at end of combat.
* You declare which player or planeswalker the token is attacking as you put it onto the battlefield. It doesn't have to be the same player or planeswalker Geist of Saint Traft is attacking.
* Although the token is attacking, it was never declared as an attacking creature (for purposes of abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks, for example). -----
Geistcatcher's Rig {6} Artifact Creature -- Construct 4/5 When Geistcatcher's Rig enters the battlefield, you may have it deal 4 damage to target creature with flying.
* The target creature with flying is chosen when the ability triggers and goes on the stack. You choose whether or not Geistcatcher's Rig will deal 4 damage to it when then ability resolves. -----
Geist-Honored Monk {3}{W}{W} Creature -- Human Monk */* Vigilance Geist-Honored Monk's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control. When Geist-Honored Monk enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield.
* The ability that defines Geist-Honored Monk's power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield.
* As long as Geist-Honored Monk is on the battlefield, its second ability will count itself. -----
Ghost Quarter Land {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {T}, Sacrifice Ghost Quarter: Destroy target land. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle his or her library.
* If the targeted land is an illegal target by the time Ghost Quarter's ability resolves, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. The land's controller won't get to search for a basic land card.
* If Ghost Quarter's last ability resolves but the targeted land isn't destroyed (perhaps because it regenerated or is indestructible), its controller will still get to search for a basic land card.
* You can activate the last ability choosing Ghost Quarter itself as the target, but it will be countered for having an illegal target. You won't search for a basic land card. -----
Graveyard Shovel {2} Artifact {2}, {T}: Target player exiles a card from his or her graveyard. If it's a creature card, you gain 2 life.
* The targeted player chooses which card to exile when the ability resolves. -----
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born {3}{U}{B} Legendary Creature -- Zombie Warrior 5/5 Grimgrin, Corpse-Born enters the battlefield tapped and doesn't untap during your untap step. Sacrifice another creature: Untap Grimgrin and put a +1/+1 counter on it. Whenever Grimgrin attacks, destroy target creature defending player controls, then put a +1/+1 counter on Grimgrin.
* If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Grimgrin's last ability resolves, the entire ability is countered and none of its effects will occur. You won't put a +1/+1 counter on Grimgrin.
* If Grimgrin's last ability resolves, but the targeted creature isn't destroyed (perhaps because it regenerated or is indestructible), you'll still put a +1/+1 on Grimgrin.
* If the defending player controls no creatures when Grimgrin attacks, the last ability will be removed from the stack and have no effect. -----
Grimoire of the Dead {4} Legendary Artifact {1}, {T}, Discard a card: Put a study counter on Grimoire of the Dead. {T}, Remove three study counters from Grimoire of the Dead and sacrifice it: Put all creature cards from all graveyards onto the battlefield under your control. They're black Zombies in addition to their other colors and types.
* "Creature cards" includes each card with the type creature, even if it has additional types, such as artifact. -----
Gutter Grime {4}{G} Enchantment Whenever a nontoken creature you control dies, put a slime counter on Gutter Grime, then put a green Ooze creature token onto the battlefield with "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of slime counters on Gutter Grime."
* The power and toughness of the Ooze tokens will constantly update as Gutter Grime accumulates slime counters.
* If you control more than one Gutter Grime, each Ooze token remembers which one created it. The power and toughness of that Ooze will be equal to the number of slime counters on that Gutter Grime only.
* If Gutter Grime leaves the battlefield, the power and toughness of each Ooze token it created will become 0. Unless another effect is raising its toughness above 0, each of these Ooze tokens will be put into its owner's graveyard the next time state-based actions are checked. -----
Heartless Summoning {1}{B} Enchantment Creature spells you cast cost {2} less to cast. Creatures you control get -1/-1.
* The first ability doesn't reduce any colored mana requirements of the creature spell. -----
Heretic's Punishment {4}{R} Enchantment {3}{R}: Choose target creature or player, then put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard. Heretic's Punishment deals damage to that creature or player equal to the highest converted mana cost among those cards.
* If the targeted creature or player is an illegal target by the time the ability resolves, the entire ability will be countered. No cards will be put into your graveyard, and no damage will be dealt.
* If you have two or fewer cards in your library when the ability resolves, all of them will be put into your graveyard. Heretic's Punishment will still deal damage equal to the highest converted mana cost among those cards.
* The converted mana cost of a double-faced card in your graveyard is the converted mana cost of the front face.
* If all three cards have a converted mana cost of 0, no damage will be dealt.
* If a split card is put into your graveyard this way, consider each cost individually. For example, if Crime/Punishment, a split card with converted mana costs of 2 and 5, is put into your graveyard as well as a land and a card with converted mana cost 6, 6 damage is dealt because 6 is greater than 5 and greater than 2. -----
Hysterical Blindness {2}{U} Instant Creatures your opponents control get -4/-0 until end of turn.
* Only creatures controlled by your opponent when Hysterical Blindness resolves will get -4/-0. Creatures that enter the battlefield or that an opponent gains control of later in the turn will be unaffected.
* Hysterical Blindness's effect will continue to apply to a creature even if you (or a teammate) gains control of that creature later in the turn. -----
Inquisitor's Flail {2} Artifact -- Equipment If equipped creature would deal combat damage, it deals double that damage instead. If another creature would deal combat damage to equipped creature, it deals double that damage to equipped creature instead. Equip {2}
* If a creature is equipped with a second Inquisitor's Flail, combat damage dealt by and dealt to that creature will be multiplied by four. A third Inquisitor's Flail would multiply the combat damage by eight, and so on.
* If you divide the combat damage dealt by the equipped creature, perhaps because the creature has trample or is dealing combat damage to multiple creatures, you'll divide the original amount and then double the results. For example, if a 5/5 creature with trample is blocked by a 2/2 creature, you can assign 2 damage to the blocker and 3 damage to the defending player. These amounts are then doubled to 4 and 6 damage, respectively. You can't double the damage to 10 first and then assign 2 to the creature and 8 to the player. -----
Into the Maw of Hell {4}{R}{R} Sorcery Destroy target land. Into the Maw of Hell deals 13 damage to target creature.
* Into the Maw of Hell targets both the land and the creature. You can only cast it if you can choose a legal target for both.
* If one of Into the Maw of Hell's targets is illegal by the time it resolves, Into the Maw of Hell will still affect the remaining legal target. If both targets are illegal at this time, Into the Maw of Hell will be countered. -----
Kessig Cagebreakers {4}{G} Creature -- Human Rogue 3/4 Whenever Kessig Cagebreakers attacks, put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield tapped and attacking for each creature card in your graveyard.
* You count the number of creature cards in your graveyard when the triggered ability resolves.
* You declare which player or planeswalker each token is attacking as you put it onto the battlefield. It doesn't have to be the same player or planeswalker Kessig Cagebreakers is attacking.
* Although the tokens are attacking, they were never declared as attacking creatures (for purposes of abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks, for example). -----
(front face) Kruin Outlaw {1}{R}{R} Creature -- Human Rogue Werewolf 2/2 First strike At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Kruin Outlaw.
(back face) Terror of Kruin Pass *red* Creature -- Werewolf 3/3 Double strike Each Werewolf you control can't be blocked except by two or more creatures. At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Terror of Kruin Pass.
* If Kruin Outlaw somehow transforms after blockers have been declared but before combat ends, any Werewolves you control that are blocked by a single creature will remain blocked. -----
Laboratory Maniac {2}{U} Creature -- Human Wizard 2/2 If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead.
* If for some reason you can't win the game (because your opponent controls Platinum Angel, for example), you won't lose for having tried to draw a card from a library with no cards in it, because the draw was still replaced. -----
Lantern Spirit {2}{U} Creature -- Spirit 2/1 Flying {U}: Return Lantern Spirit to its owner's hand.
* Only Lantern Spirit's controller may activate its ability. -----
Liliana of the Veil {1}{B}{B} Planeswalker -- Liliana 3 [+1]: Each player discards a card. [-2]: Target player sacrifices a creature. [-6]: Separate all permanents target player controls into two piles. That player sacrifices all permanents in the pile of his or her choice.
* When the first ability resolves, first you choose a card to discard, then each other player in turn order chooses a card to discard, then all those cards are discarded simultaneously. No one sees what the other players are discarding before deciding which card to discard.
* The player targeted by the second ability chooses which creature to sacrifice when the ability resolves. This ability doesn't target any creature.
* When the third ability resolves, you put each permanent the player controls into one of the two piles. For example, you could put a creature into one pile and an Aura enchanting that creature into the other pile.
* A pile can be empty. If the player chooses an empty pile, no permanents will be sacrificed. -----
Lost in the Mist {3}{U}{U} Instant Counter target spell. Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
* Lost in the Mist targets both the spell and the permanent. You can only cast it if you can choose legal targets for both parts.
* If one of Lost in the Mist's targets is illegal by the time it resolves, Lost in the Mist will still affect the remaining legal target. If both targets are illegal at this time, Lost in the Mist will be countered. -----
(front face) Ludevic's Test Subject {1}{U} Creature -- Lizard 0/3 Defender {1}{U}: Put a hatchling counter on Ludevic's Test Subject. Then if there are five or more hatchling counters on it, remove all of them and transform it.
* It's possible (though not advisable) to activate the ability of Ludevic's Test Subject enough times in response to one another that a resolving ability places a fifth hatchling counter on Ludevic's *Abomination*. If that happens, it'll transform back into Ludevic's Test Subject. -----
Make a Wish {3}{G} Sorcery Return two cards at random from your graveyard to your hand.
* Make a Wish isn't put into its owner's graveyard until it is finished resolving, so it can't be returned by its own effect.
* The cards aren't randomly chosen until Make a Wish resolves.
* If you only have one card in your graveyard when Make a Wish resolves, that card will be returned to your hand. -----
Manor Gargoyle {5} Artifact Creature -- Gargoyle 4/4 Defender Manor Gargoyle is indestructible as long as it has defender. {1}: Until end of turn, Manor Gargoyle loses defender and gains flying.
* Lethal damage dealt to Manor Gargoyle while it's indestructible will stay marked on it that turn. If Manor Gargoyle stops being indestructible after having been dealt lethal damage earlier in the turn, it will be destroyed. -----
Mask of Avacyn {2} Artifact -- Equipment Equipped creature gets +1/+2 and has hexproof. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.) Equip {3}
* If Mask of Avacyn somehow becomes attached to a creature an opponent controls, that creature can't be the target of spells or abilities you control. -----
Maw of the Mire {4}{B} Sorcery Destroy target land. You gain 4 life.
* If the targeted land is an illegal target by the time Maw of the Mire resolves, it will be countered and none of its effects will occur. You won't gain 4 life. -----
(front face) Mayor of Avabruck {1}{G} Creature -- Human Advisor Werewolf 1/1 Other Human creatures you control get +1/+1. At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Mayor of Avabruck.
(back face) Howlpack Alpha *green* Creature -- Werewolf 3/3 Other Werewolf and Wolf creatures you control get +1/+1. At the beginning of your end step, put a 2/2 green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield. At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Howlpack Alpha.
* A creature that is both a Werewolf and a Wolf will only get +1/+1 from Howlpack Alpha. -----
Memory's Journey {1}{U} Instant Target player shuffles up to three target cards from his or her graveyard into his or her library. Flashback {G} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* You don't have to target any cards when you cast Memory's Journey, but you must target a player.
* If the player is an illegal target by the time Memory's Journey resolves, the spell will have no effect, even if the cards are still legal targets. This is because a spell can't make an illegal target (the player) perform any actions (such as shuffling his or her library).
* Any of the targeted cards that are illegal targets by the time Memory's Journey resolves aren't shuffled into their owner's library.
* If no cards were targeted by Memory's Journey or if all the targeted cards are illegal targets by the time Memory's Journey resolves, the targeted player will still shuffle his or her library.
* If you cast Memory's Journey with flashback, it won't be in the graveyard when you choose targets. It can't target itself. -----
Mentor of the Meek {2}{W} Creature -- Human Soldier 2/2 Whenever another creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield under your control, you may pay {1}. If you do, draw a card.
* You only check the power of the other creature when it enters the battlefield. --If it's 2 or less, the ability will trigger. Once the ability triggers, raising that creature's power above 2 won't affect that ability. --Similarly, reducing the creature's power to 2 or less after it enters the battlefield won't cause the ability to trigger.
* Apply power bonuses from counters the creature enters the battlefield with and continuous effects like Mayor of Avabruck's when checking to see if Mentor of the Meek's ability will trigger.
* You choose whether or not to pay {1} when the triggered ability resolves. -----
Mirror-Mad Phantasm {3}{U}{U} Creature -- Spirit 5/1 Flying {1}{U}: Mirror-Mad Phantasm's owner shuffles it into his or her library. If that player does, he or she reveals cards from the top of that library until a card named Mirror-Mad Phantasm is revealed. The player puts that card onto the battlefield and all other cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard.
* You can only activate the ability if you control Mirror-Mad Phantasm, even if you don't own it.
* If no card named Mirror-Mad Phantasm is revealed (possibly because it was a card copying Mirror-Mad Phantasm or it was a token), all cards from that library will be put into their owner's graveyard.
* If another creature (such as Necrotic Ooze) gains Mirror-Mad Phantasm's activated ability, its owner reveals cards until he or she reveals a card named Mirror-Mad Phantasm. -----
Moldgraf Monstrosity {4}{G}{G}{G} Creature -- Insect 8/8 Trample When Moldgraf Monstrosity dies, exile it, then return two creature cards at random from your graveyard to the battlefield.
* If Moldgraf Monstrosity's ability can't exile it (perhaps because it's not still in the graveyard when the ability resolves), the two creature cards are still returned to the battlefield.
* If two Moldgraf Monstrosities die simultaneously, the first ability to resolve could return the other Moldgraf Monstrosity to the battlefield. If it does, the second Moldgraf Monstrosity's ability won't exile it but it will return two more creature cards to the battlefield. -----
Moment of Heroism {1}{W} Instant Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains lifelink until end of turn. (Damage dealt by the creature also causes its controller to gain that much life.)
* Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant. -----
Moonmist {1}{G} Instant Transform all Humans. Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn by creatures other than Werewolves and Wolves. (Only double-faced cards can be transformed.)
* Moonmist causes any double-faced Human to transform, not just Werewolves.
* Whether or not a creature is a Werewolf or a Wolf is checked only as combat damage is dealt. If the creature isn't a Werewolf or a Wolf at that time, its combat damage will be prevented.
* Moonmist will prevent combat damage dealt by a creature that isn't a Werewolf or a Wolf even if that creature wasn't on the battlefield (or was a Werewolf or a Wolf) when Moonmist resolved. -----
Morkrut Banshee {3}{B}{B} Creature -- Spirit 4/4 Morbid -- When Morkrut Banshee enters the battlefield, if a creature died this turn, target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn.
* The morbid ability is mandatory. If there are no other creatures on the battlefield when the ability triggers (and a creature died this turn), the ability must target Morkrut Banshee itself. -----
Murder of Crows {3}{U}{U} Creature -- Bird 4/4 Flying Whenever another creature dies, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
* If you choose to draw a card, and that draw is replaced by another action, you'll still discard a card.
* You can't do anything in between drawing a card and discarding a card, including casting the card you drew. -----
Nevermore {1}{W}{W} Enchantment As Nevermore enters the battlefield, name a nonland card. The named card can't be cast.
* No one can cast spells or activate abilities between the time a card is named and the time that Nevermore's ability starts to work.
* Spells with the chosen name that somehow happen to already be on the stack when Nevermore enters the battlefield are not affected by Nevermore's ability.
* Although the named card can't be cast, it can still be put onto the battlefield by a spell or ability (if it's a permanent card).
* If you want to name a split card, you must name both halves of it (for example, "Boom/Bust"). Neither side of that split card (Boom or Bust) can be cast.
* If you want to name a double-faced card, remember to name the front face of that card. (The back face can't be cast anyway.)
* The named card can be cast again once Nevermore leaves the battlefield. -----
Olivia Voldaren {2}{B}{R} Legendary Creature -- Vampire 3/3 Flying {1}{R}: Olivia Voldaren deals 1 damage to another target creature. That creature becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types. Put a +1/+1 counter on Olivia Voldaren. {3}{B}{B}: Gain control of target Vampire for as long as you control Olivia Voldaren.
* If Olivia Voldaren deals lethal damage to a creature with its first activated ability, that creature will become a Vampire before dying.
* If you activate Olivia Voldaren's last ability, and before that ability resolves you lose control of Olivia Voldaren, the ability will resolve with no effect. You won't gain control of the targeted Vampire. -----
Parallel Lives {3}{G} Enchantment If an effect would put one or more tokens onto the battlefield under your control, it puts twice that many of those tokens onto the battlefield instead.
* All of the tokens enter the battlefield simultaneously. They'll have the same name, color, type and subtype, abilities, power, toughness, and so on.
* If the effect is putting more than one kind of token onto the battlefield, it'll put twice as many of each kind onto the battlefield. For example, if you cast Bestial Menace while controlling Parallel Lives, you'll put two Snake tokens, two Wolf tokens, and two Elephant tokens onto the battlefield.
* If you control two Parallel Lives, then the number of tokens created is four times the original number. If you control three, then the number of tokens created is eight times the original number, and so on.
* If the effect creating the tokens instructs you to do something with those tokens at a later time, like exiling them at the end of combat, you'll do that for all the tokens. -----
Past in Flames {3}{R} Sorcery Each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost. Flashback {4}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* Only instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard when Past in Flames resolves will gain flashback. Instant and sorcery cards that are put into your graveyard later in the turn, including the resolving Past in Flames, won't gain flashback.
* If you cast an instant or sorcery with {X} in its mana cost this way, you still choose the value of X as part of casting the spell.
* If an instant or sorcery card in your graveyard already has flashback, you may use either flashback ability to cast it from your graveyard.
* You may pay any optional additional costs the spell has, such as kicker costs. You must pay any mandatory additional costs the spell has. -----
Purify the Grave {W} Instant Exile target card from a graveyard. Flashback {W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* Purify the Grave can't be used in response to a spell being cast with flashback or a spell that requires cards to exiled from a graveyard as an additional cost to try and counter the spell or prevent it from being cast.
* If it's your turn, and you cast a spell with flashback from your hand, you'll have priority to cast that spell again using flashback before any other player has priority to cast Purify the Grave in order to remove that card from your graveyard. -----
Rage Thrower {5}{R} Creature -- Human Shaman 4/2 Whenever another creature dies, Rage Thrower deals 2 damage to target player.
* If Rage Thrower dies at the same time as another creature, its ability will trigger. -----
Rally the Peasants {2}{W} Instant Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn. Flashback {2}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* Only creatures you control when Rally the Peasants resolves will be affected. Creatures that enter the battlefield or that you gain control of later in the turn will not. -----
Reaper from the Abyss {3}{B}{B}{B} Creature -- Demon 6/6 Flying Morbid -- At the beginning of each end step, if a creature died this turn, destroy target non-Demon creature.
* The morbid ability is mandatory. If you control the only non-Demon creature when the ability triggers, you must choose it as the target. -----
Rooftop Storm {5}{U} Enchantment You may pay {0} rather than pay the mana cost for Zombie creature spells you cast.
* You must still pay any mandatory additional costs, such as exiling a creature card from your graveyard for Makeshift Mauler.
* The mana cost and converted mana cost of the spell are unchanged. Rooftop Storm only changes what you pay. -----
Runechanter's Pike {2} Artifact -- Equipment Equipped creature has first strike and gets +X/+0, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. Equip {2}
* The value of X is constantly updated as instant cards and sorcery cards are put into or removed from your graveyard. -----
Runic Repetition {2}{U} Sorcery Return target exiled card with flashback you own to your hand.
* The card could have been exiled for any reason, not just because it was cast using flashback.
* An effect that gives flashback to an instant or sorcery card in your graveyard stops applying once that card has left the stack. The card won't have flashback while exiled and can't be the target of Runic Repetition (unless it naturally has flashback).
* A card that's exiled face down doesn't have any characteristics or abilities, so it can't be the target of Runic Repetition. -----
Selfless Cathar {W} Creature -- Human Cleric 1/1 {1}{W}, Sacrifice Selfless Cathar: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
* You can activate Selfless Cathar's ability even if you control no other creatures.
* Only creatures you control when Selfless Cathar's ability resolves will be affected. Creatures that enter the battlefield or that you gain control of later in the turn will not. -----
Sever the Bloodline {3}{B} Sorcery Exile target creature and all other creatures with the same name as that creature. Flashback {5}{B}{B} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* Only creatures on the battlefield will be exiled. In other zones, they're "creature cards," not "creatures."
* A double-faced creature only has the name of the face that's up. For example, if Village Ironsmith is targeted by Sever the Bloodline, Ironfang wouldn't be exiled.
* If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Sever the Bloodline resolves, it will be countered and none of its effects will happen. No creatures will be exiled.
* Unless a token is a copy of another creature or was explicitly given a name by the effect that created it, its name is the creature types it was given when it was created. For example, the Zombie tokens created by Army of the Damned and by Cellar Door are all named "Zombie." -----
Skaab Ruinator {1}{U}{U} Creature -- Zombie Horror 5/6 As an additional cost to cast Skaab Ruinator, exile three creature cards from your graveyard. Flying You may cast Skaab Ruinator from your graveyard.
* Skaab Ruinator is on the stack when you pay its costs. It can't be exiled to pay for itself.
* You must exile three creature cards from your graveyard no matter what zone you're casting Skaab Ruinator from. -----
Skirsdag High Priest {1}{B} Creature -- Human Cleric 1/2 Morbid -- {T}, Tap two untapped creatures you control: Put a 5/5 black Demon creature token with flying onto the battlefield. Activate this ability only if a creature died this turn.
* Unlike Skirsdag High Priest itself, the two other creatures you tap to activate the ability aren't required to have been under your control continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn. -----
Slayer of the Wicked {3}{W} Creature -- Human Soldier 3/2 When Slayer of the Wicked enters the battlefield, you may destroy target Vampire, Werewolf, or Zombie.
* If you control the only Vampire, Werewolf, or Zombie, you must target it with Slayer of the Wicked's ability. You choose whether or not to destroy the target when the ability resolves. -----
Snapcaster Mage {1}{U} Creature -- Human Wizard 2/1 Flash When Snapcaster Mage enters the battlefield, target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost. (You may cast that card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* If the targeted instant or sorcery card already has flashback, you may use either flashback ability to cast it from your graveyard. -----
Spare from Evil {1}{W} Instant Creatures you control gain protection from non-Human creatures until end of turn.
* Only creatures you control when Spare from Evil resolves will be affected. Creatures that enter the battlefield or that you gain control of later in the turn won't be.
* A "non-Human creature" is any creature that doesn't have the creature type Human. A creature that is a Human in addition to other creature types is not a non-Human creature. -----
Spider Spawning {4}{G} Sorcery Put a 1/2 green Spider creature token with reach onto the battlefield for each creature card in your graveyard. Flashback {6}{B} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* The number of creature cards in your graveyard is counted when Spider Spawning resolves. -----
Spidery Grasp {2}{G} Instant Untap target creature. It gets +2/+4 and gains reach until end of turn. (It can block creatures with flying.)
* Spidery Grasp can target a creature that's already untapped. It will still get +2/+4 and gain reach. -----
Splinterfright {2}{G} Creature -- Elemental */* Trample Splinterfright's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard. At the beginning of your upkeep, put the top two cards of your library into your graveyard.
* The ability that defines Splinterfright's power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. If Splinterfright is in your graveyard, it will count itself.
* If Splinterfright's controller has only one card in his or her library, he or she puts that card into his or her graveyard. -----
Stensia Bloodhall Land {T}: Add {1} to your mana pool. {3}{B}{R}, {T}: Stensia Bloodhall deals 2 damage to target player.
* Like other lands, Stensia Bloodhall is colorless. The damage it deals is from a colorless source, even though activating its ability requires colored mana. -----
Stitcher's Apprentice {1}{U} Creature -- Homunculus 1/2 {1}{U}, {T}: Put a 2/2 blue Homunculus creature token onto the battlefield, then sacrifice a creature.
* You can't do anything in between the Homunculus token being created and having to sacrifice a creature.
* If you control no creatures when the ability resolves, you'll put the Homunculus token onto the battlefield and immediately sacrifice it. -----
Stony Silence {1}{W} Enchantment Activated abilities of artifacts can't be activated.
* Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keywords, such as equip, are activated abilities; they have colons in their reminder text.
* Mana abilities of artifacts also can't be activated.
* Triggered abilities and static abilities of artifacts are unaffected. Also, activated abilities (such as cycling or unearth) of artifact cards not on the battlefield are unaffected. -----
Sturmgeist {3}{U}{U} Creature -- Spirit */* Flying Sturmgeist's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand. Whenever Sturmgeist deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
* The ability that defines Sturmgeist's power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. -----
(front face) Thraben Sentry {3}{W} Creature -- Human Soldier 2/2 Vigilance Whenever another creature you control dies, you may transform Thraben Sentry.
* If multiple creatures you control die simultaneously, Thraben Sentry's ability will trigger that many times. Each time one of those abilities resolves, you may transform the creature, even if it's Thraben Militia at the time. -----
Traitorous Blood {1}{R}{R} Sorcery Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap it. It gains trample and haste until end of turn.
* Traitorous Blood can target any creature, even one that's tapped or one you already control.
* Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it. -----
Travel Preparations {1}{G} Sorcery Put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to two target creatures. Flashback {1}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
* You can't target the same creature twice to put two +1/+1 counters on it.
* If Travel Preparations targets two creatures, and one of them is an illegal target by the time Travel Preparations resolves, you'll still put a +1/+1 counter on the other creature. -----
Tree of Redemption {3}{G} Creature -- Plant 0/13 Defender {T}: Exchange your life total with Tree of Redemption's toughness.
* When the ability resolves, Tree of Redemption's toughness will become your former life total and you will gain or lose an amount of life necessary so that your life total equals Tree of Redemption's former toughness. Other effects that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.
* Any toughness-modifying effects, counters, Auras, or Equipment will apply after its toughness is set to your former life total. For example, say Tree of Redemption is enchanted with Spectral Flight (which makes it 2/15) and your life total is 7. After the exchange, Tree of Redemption would be a 2/9 creature (its toughness became 7, which was then modified by Spectral Flight) and your life total would be 15.
* If Tree of Redemption isn't on the battlefield when the ability resolves, the exchange can't happen and the ability will have no effect. -----
Trepanation Blade {3} Artifact -- Equipment Whenever equipped creature attacks, defending player reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a land card. The creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each card revealed this way. That player puts the revealed cards into his or her graveyard. Equip {2}
* The land card is counted when calculating the bonus, and it will be put into the graveyard with the other revealed cards.
* If the equipped creature is attacking a planeswalker in any game except a Two-Headed Giant game, the controller of the planeswalker is the defending player.
* If the equipped creature is attacking in a Two-Headed Giant game, the controller of the attacking creature chooses one of the two defending players, even if the creature is attacking a planeswalker. -----
Tribute to Hunger {2}{B} Instant Target opponent sacrifices a creature. You gain life equal to that creature's toughness.
* The amount of life you gain is equal to the creature's toughness as it last existed on the battlefield. -----
(front face) Ulvenwald Mystics {2}{G}{G} Creature -- Human Shaman Werewolf 3/3 At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Ulvenwald Mystics.
(back face) Ulvenwald Primordials *green* Creature -- Werewolf 5/5 {G}: Regenerate Ulvenwald Primordials. At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Ulvenwald Primordials.
* You can regenerate Ulvenwald Primordials in response to the triggered ability that would transform it. If you do, the regeneration shield will apply to Ulvenwald Mystics that turn. -----
Unbreathing Horde {2}{B} Creature -- Zombie 0/0 Unbreathing Horde enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each other Zombie you control and each Zombie card in your graveyard. If Unbreathing Horde would be dealt damage, prevent that damage and remove a +1/+1 counter from it.
* Only one +1/+1 counter will be removed, no matter how much damage is prevented.
* If Unbreathing Horde has no +1/+1 counters on it (but its toughness is raised above 0 by another effect), any damage dealt to it will still be prevented, even though no counter will be removed.
* If Unbreathing Horde enters the battlefield from a graveyard, it will count itself when determining how many +1/+1 counters it enters the battlefield with. -----
Undead Alchemist {3}{U} Creature -- Zombie 4/2 If a Zombie you control would deal combat damage to a player, instead that player puts that many cards from the top of his or her library into his or her graveyard. Whenever a creature card is put into an opponent's graveyard from his or her library, exile that card and put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield.
* If you control multiple Undead Alchemists, the multiple replacement abilities will have no added effect. Combat damage dealt to a player by a Zombie you control will be replaced only once with cards being put into that player's graveyard.
* Whenever a creature card is put into an opponent's graveyard from his or her library, the triggered ability of each Undead Alchemist you control will trigger. The first such ability to resolve will exile that creature card and create a Zombie token. Subsequent abilities won't exile the creature card, but each will create another Zombie token. -----
Unruly Mob {1}{W} Creature -- Human 1/1 Whenever another creature you control dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Unruly Mob.
* If Unruly Mob and another creature you control die simultaneously (perhaps because they were both attacking or blocking), Unruly Mob will die before its triggered ability resolves. It can't be saved by the +1/+1 counter that would have been put on it. -----
Vampiric Fury {1}{R} Instant Vampire creatures you control get +2/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
* Only Vampires you control when Vampiric Fury resolves will receive the bonus. Creatures that enter the battlefield, that you gain control of later in the turn, or that become Vampires later in the turn won't be affected. -----
Village Bell-Ringer {2}{W} Creature -- Human Scout 1/4 Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) When Village Bell-Ringer enters the battlefield, untap all creatures you control.
* Untapping an attacking creature doesn't remove it from combat. -----
Wooden Stake {2} Artifact -- Equipment Equipped creature gets +1/+0. Whenever equipped creature blocks or becomes blocked by a Vampire, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated. Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
* The Vampire is destroyed before any combat damage is dealt. -----
Woodland Sleuth {3}{G} Creature -- Human Scout 2/3 Morbid -- When Woodland Sleuth enters the battlefield, if a creature died this turn, return a creature card at random from your graveyard to your hand.
* The creature card isn't chosen at random until the ability resolves.
* Woodland Sleuth could die in response to its own morbid ability. If this happens, the ability could return Woodland Sleuth to its owner's hand. -----
Wreath of Geists {G} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
* The value of X is constantly updated as creature cards are put into or removed from your graveyard. -----
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Questions don't have to make sense, but answers do.
Claustrophobia {1}{U}{U} Enchantment -- Aura Enchant creature When Claustrophobia enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature. Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
* Claustrophobia can target and enchant an untapped creature.
* The enchanted creature can still be untapped in other ways, such as by Village Bell-Ringer's ability.
Pretty sure this entry was supposed to say Claustrophobia can target and enchant a tapped creature. Just a guess, but based on previous similar cards, that's the question that usually gets asked.
I never let my mind wander. It's too small to let it go off by itself
CCG achievements Still calls the games CCGs and not TCGs... bah, young 'uns!
Decipher games 2001 North American Continental Champion Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductee Responsible for killing Young Jedi CCG (really!)
Wizards of the Coast games Won my one and only Pokemon tournament using only Pikachu and Raichu in the deck - and declaring loudly "PEEE-KAH-CHUUUUU" -- true story.
