Akroan Horse is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Defender When this creature enters, an opponent gains control of it. At the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent creates a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.
Complete guide
Akroan Horse is a unique artifact creature that embodies the classic myth of the Trojan Horse. Instead of fighting for you, it joins your opponent's ranks to provide you with a steady stream of reinforcements every turn. It is a perfect tool for political maneuvering in multiplayer games or building a token army in a duel.
What it Does
Akroan Horse is a 0/4 artifact creature with Defender. It has two triggered abilities: one that occurs when it enters the battlefield and another that triggers at the start of its controller's upkeep. The primary goal is to give the horse to an opponent so that they are forced to 'host' it while you and other opponents reap the benefits of free creature tokens.
How it Resolves Step by Step
First, you cast Akroan Horse and it enters the battlefield under your control. This triggers its first ability. As the ability resolves, you choose an opponent to take control of the horse; note that this does not target, so even players with Hexproof can be chosen. Once the opponent has control, the horse sits on their side of the board. At the beginning of that opponent's upkeep, the second ability triggers. Because that opponent now controls the horse, 'each opponent' refers to everyone except them. You (and any other players in the game) will each create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.
Common Mistakes
Players often forget that the upkeep trigger benefits the opponents of the Horse's current controller, not the Horse's owner. If you lose control of the Horse, you become the one receiving the tokens. Additionally, because the control-change ability happens after it enters the battlefield, any 'Enters the Battlefield' effects you have (like cards that trigger when an artifact enters under your control) will still see the Horse briefly before it switches sides.
When to Play It
This card is best used in defensive decks or token-themed strategies. Since it has Defender, your opponent cannot easily attack with it. It serves as a persistent generator of Soldier tokens that can be used for blocking, sacrificing, or overwhelming the opponent with numbers.
Interaction examples
SoldierYou cast Akroan Horse and give it to your opponent. On their next upkeep, the Horse's ability triggers. Since you are the opponent of the Horse's controller, you create a 1/1 white Soldier token. This repeats every turn they start with the Horse under their control.
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne with 'Horse' chosen as the creature type, and your opponent controls Akroan Horse, the upkeep ability will trigger twice. This is because Roaming Throne's effect applies to creatures you control, and you are now the one creating the Soldier tokens. Each upkeep, you would get two Soldier tokens instead of one.
Solemn SimulacrumUnlike Solemn Simulacrum, which gives a benefit to the person who played it, Akroan Horse immediately leaves your control. If you play both, you search for a land for the Simulacrum, but the Horse will move to your opponent's side of the board as soon as its entry trigger resolves, eventually giving you tokens instead of immediate resources.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Akroan Horse
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Akroan Horse's enters-the-battlefield ability doesn't target any opponent. In a multiplayer game, you choose the opponent as the ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
In the last ability, “each opponent” refers to opponents of Akroan Horse's controller. In most situations in two-player games, your opponent will control Akroan Horse and you'll put Soldier tokens onto the battlefield.
Card named in this ruling
Related cards and tokens
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Akroan Horse
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.