Aether TideHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Aether Tide requires you to choose a value for X when you cast it. This value determines two things: the number of creature cards you must discard as an additional cost and the number of target creatures you will return to their owners' hands. Note that you cannot choose an X higher than the number of creature cards you are able to discard from your hand.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you announce the spell and choose a value for X. Second, you select X target creatures currently on the battlefield. Third, you pay the mana cost of {X}{U} and discard X creature cards from your hand simultaneously. When the spell resolves, all target creatures that are still legal targets are returned to their owners' hands at the same time.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is trying to target more or fewer creatures than the X value chosen. You must target exactly X creatures; if there are not enough creatures on the battlefield to satisfy the chosen X, you cannot cast the spell for that value. Additionally, if a target becomes illegal before resolution, the remaining legal targets are still bounced, but if all targets become illegal, the spell fails to resolve.

When to Play It

Aether Tide is most effective in decks that can easily refill their hand or benefit from having creatures in the graveyard. Since it is a sorcery, you should use it during your main phase to remove blockers before an attack or to reset an opponent's board development. It is particularly strong against tokens, as they will cease to exist once they leave the battlefield.

Interaction examples

Setting Up the Tide

Ponder

You cast Ponder to look at the top three cards of your library. Seeing two creature cards, you put them on top and draw one. On your next turn, you draw the second creature. Now with two creatures in hand, you can cast Aether Tide where X is 2, discarding both creatures to bounce two problematic threats from your opponent's side.

Digging for Costs

Preordain

If you need to bounce three creatures but only have two in hand, you cast Preordain. You scry 2 and find a creature card, putting it on top of your library and then drawing it. With the third creature card now in hand, you can successfully cast Aether Tide for X=3, targeting and bouncing three creatures.