Annoyed Altisaur 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
Reach, trample Cascade (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.)
Complete guide
Annoyed Altisaur is a massive prehistoric threat that brings its own reinforcement to the battlefield. By combining defensive Reach and offensive Trample with the powerful Cascade mechanic, this Dinosaur ensures you get two spells for the price of one. It is a staple for ramp decks looking to maintain momentum in the late game.
What It Does
Annoyed Altisaur is a 6/5 creature with two evergreen keywords and the Cascade ability. Cascade is a triggered ability that occurs as soon as you cast the spell. Even if a player counters your Altisaur, the Cascade trigger remains on the stack and will resolve independently, allowing you to find another nonland card from your deck to cast for free.
How It Resolves Step by Step
When you cast Annoyed Altisaur, place the Cascade trigger on top of the stack. You then exile cards from the top of your library one by one until you hit a nonland card with a mana value less than 7. You may choose to cast that card without paying its mana cost. Finally, all other cards exiled this way are put on the bottom of your library in a random order, and the free spell resolves before the Altisaur itself enters the battlefield.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to pay alternative costs for the free spell, which is not permitted. However, you must pay mandatory additional costs. Additionally, remember the 2021 rule change: the spell you cast must have a mana value less than 7. If you exile a card that could be cast as a different spell (like a modal double-faced card), that specific spell must also meet the mana value requirement.
When to Play It
This creature is best played when you have a high density of impactful 5-mana and 6-mana spells in your deck. Because it costs 7 mana, it has a very high 'hit' range, meaning it can reliably flip into powerful mid-to-late game threats rather than just small utility creatures or mana rocks.
Interaction examples
Avenger of ZendikarYou cast Annoyed Altisaur. The Cascade ability triggers and you exile cards until you reveal Avenger of Zendikar. Since the Avenger has a mana value of 7, which is NOT less than the Altisaur's 7, you must keep exiling. Cascade only stops for cards with a strictly lower mana value.
Craterhoof BehemothIf you cast Annoyed Altisaur and your deck contains Craterhoof Behemoth, you cannot cast the Behemoth via Cascade. Craterhoof Behemoth has a mana value of 8, which is higher than the Altisaur's 7. The Cascade ability will skip over it and continue exiling cards until a card costing 6 or less is found.
In a scenario where Annoyed Altisaur is your only card, you cast it for 7 mana. Even if your opponent uses a counterspell, the Cascade trigger still resolves. You exile cards until you find a nonland card costing 6 or less, ensuring that even if your Dinosaur never hits the field, you still resolve a free spell from your library.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Annoyed Altisaur
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Cascade triggers when you cast the spell, meaning that it resolves before that spell. If you end up casting the exiled card, it will go on the stack above the spell with cascade.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
When the cascade ability resolves, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether or not you cast the last card exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell with cascade is countered, the cascade ability will still resolve normally.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a card "without paying its mana cost," you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If the card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Due to a 2021 rules change to cascade, not only do you stop exiling cards if you exile a nonland card with lesser mana value than the spell with cascade, but the resulting spell you cast must also have lesser mana value. Previously, in cases where a card's mana value differed from the resulting spell, such as with some modal double-faced cards or cards with an Adventure, you could cast a spell with a higher mana value than the exiled card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If cascade allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half but not both halves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Annoyed Altisaur
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.