Answered Prayers 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
Whenever a creature you control enters, you gain 1 life. If this enchantment isn't a creature, it becomes a 3/3 Angel creature with flying in addition to its other types until end of turn.
Complete guide
Answered Prayers is a versatile white enchantment that rewards you for expanding your board presence. Not only does it provide a consistent source of life gain, but it also has the potential to descend from the heavens as a powerful aerial threat. Understanding the timing of its transformation is key to mastering this card in your next match.
What It Does
This card functions as a dual-purpose enchantment. Its primary role is to trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, granting you 1 life. Additionally, the first time this happens each turn, it transforms into a 3/3 Angel creature with flying. Importantly, it retains its enchantment type even while it is a creature.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, a creature must enter the battlefield under your control. This triggers the ability of Answered Prayers. When the ability resolves, you gain 1 life immediately. Then, the game checks if Answered Prayers is currently a creature; if it is not, it becomes a 3/3 Angel with flying until the end of the turn. If it is already a creature when a second creature enters, you still gain the 1 life, but the transformation effect simply doesn't apply.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error involves 'summoning sickness.' Even though Answered Prayers is an enchantment, once it becomes a creature, it must follow the rules for attacking. If you haven't controlled the enchantment continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, you cannot attack with it the same turn it transforms. Also, remember that it remains an enchantment, meaning it can be targeted by both creature removal and enchantment removal.
When to Play It
Answered Prayers excels in aggressive decks that need to maintain health while applying pressure. It is best played early to maximize the life gain triggers. Because it only becomes a creature during the turn a creature enters, it provides a unique defense against board wipes that only affect creatures during your opponent's turn, as it will safely revert to an enchantment when your turn ends.
Interaction examples
Ghostly PrisonWith Ghostly Prison on the board, you make it difficult for opponents to attack you. When you play a creature, Answered Prayers transforms into a 3/3 Angel blocker. This combination forces the opponent to pay mana to attack while you gain life and establish a flying blocker to protect your life total further.
Smothering TitheIn a multiplayer game, Smothering Tithe helps you generate Treasure tokens to cast more creature spells. Each time you use those treasures to cast a creature, Answered Prayers triggers. This ensures that you are gaining life every turn and keeping your 3/3 Angel active to pressure opponents who are struggling to pay the tithe.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Answered Prayers
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If Answered Prayers becomes a creature but you haven’t controlled it continuously since your most recent turn began, you won’t be able to attack with it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Once Answered Prayers becomes a creature, you’ll still gain life whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Darien, King of Kjeldor + Blasting Station + Answered Prayers
- 1Activate Blasting Station by tapping it and by sacrificing any other creature you control, dealing 1 damage to yourself.
- 2Darien triggers, causing you to create a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 3When the Soldier enters, Blasting Station and Answered Prayers trigger.
- 4Resolve the Answered Prayers trigger, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Resolve the Blasting Station trigger, untapping it.
- 6Repeat.
Animation Module + Ashnod's Altar + Archangel of Thune + Answered Prayers
- 1Gain life.
- 2Archangel of Thune triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
- 3Animation Module triggers, causing you to pay
to create a 1/1 Servo artifact creature token. - 4When the Servo enters, Answered Prayers triggers, causing you to gain life.
- 5Archangel of Thune triggers. Holding priority, activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing the Servo, adding
. - 6Resolve the Archangel of Thune trigger, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Famished Paladin + Presence of Gond + Answered Prayers
- 1Tap Famished Paladin to create a 1/1 creature token.
- 2The token ETBs, triggering Answered Prayers, turning Answered Prayers into an Angel and gaining you 1 life.
- 3Famished Paladin triggers, untapping itself.
- 4Repeat for infinite creature tokens.
Cleric Class + Herd Baloth + Answered Prayers
- 1Gain life.
- 2Cleric Class triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Herd Baloth.
- 3Herd Baloth triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Answered Prayers triggers, causing you to gain 2 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Basking Broodscale + Cleric Class + Answered Prayers
- 1Gain life.
- 2Cleric Class triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Basking Broodscale.
- 3Basking Broodscale triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Answered Prayers triggers, causing you to gain 2 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Light of Promise + Herd Baloth + Answered Prayers
- 1Gain life.
- 2Light of Promise triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Herd Baloth.
- 3Herd Baloth triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Answered Prayers triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Cleric Class + Scurry Oak + Answered Prayers
- 1Gain life.
- 2Cleric Class triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Scurry Oak.
- 3Scurry Oak triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Answered Prayers triggers, causing you to gain 2 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Heliod, Sun-Crowned + Scurry Oak + Answered Prayers
- 1Gain life.
- 2Heliod triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Scurry Oak.
- 3Scurry Oak triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Answered Prayers triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Answered Prayers
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