Aunt May 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 another creature you control enters, you gain 1 life. If it's a Spider, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Complete guide
Aunt May is a low-cost legendary creature that provides consistent life gain and character-specific buffs to your board. As a 1-mana Human Citizen, she acts as a support piece that rewards you for expanding your army of creatures. This guide explores her triggered ability and how she interacts with various creatures entering the battlefield.
Understanding the Trigger
Aunt May has a single triggered ability that begins with the word 'Whenever'. This trigger checks every time another creature enters the battlefield under your control. Note that this does not trigger when Aunt May herself enters; she must already be on the battlefield to see other creatures arrive.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, a creature enters the battlefield under your control. This causes Aunt May's ability to trigger and go on the stack. When the ability resolves, you gain 1 life regardless of the creature's type. Then, the ability checks if that creature is a Spider. If it has the Spider subtype, you place a +1/+1 counter on that specific creature.
Identifying Spiders
The +1/+1 counter effect is conditional. While the 1 life is guaranteed for any creature, the counter only applies if the creature currently has the 'Spider' type on the battlefield. If a creature loses its types or is changed into something else before the ability resolves, it will not receive the counter.
When to Play Aunt May
Aunt May is best deployed early in the game to maximize the life gain from subsequent creature spells. Since she only costs one white mana, she can easily be played on turn one, setting up a defensive buffer of life points as you develop your mana dorks or utility creatures.
Interaction examples
Esper SentinelWith Aunt May on the battlefield, you cast Esper Sentinel. When Esper Sentinel enters the battlefield, Aunt May's ability triggers. Upon resolution, you gain 1 life. Since Esper Sentinel is a Human Soldier and not a Spider, it does not receive a +1/+1 counter.
Ornithopter of ParadiseYou control Aunt May and play Ornithopter of Paradise. As the Thopter enters, the trigger goes on the stack. You gain 1 life. Because Ornithopter of Paradise is a Thopter, it does not get the counter, but the life gain can be vital for stabilizing against aggressive opponents.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Aunt May
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Invisible Woman, Sue Storm + Spider-Man, Peter Parker + Aunt May
- 1Gain life.
- 2Spider-Man triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Invisible Woman triggers, creating a 0/4 Wall creature token.
- 4When the Wall enters, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Darien, King of Kjeldor + Blasting Station + Aunt May
- 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 Aunt May trigger.
- 4Resolve the Aunt May trigger, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Resolve the Blasting Station trigger, untapping it.
- 6Repeat.
Heliod, Sun-Crowned + Scurry Oak + Aunt May
- 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, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Kwia Vigorbloom + Emiel the Blessed + Aunt May
- 1Activate Emiel the Blessed by paying
, blinking Kwia. - 2When Kwia enters, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 3Kwia triggers, creating a Lotus token.
- 4Activate the Lotus by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 5Repeat.
Scurry Oak + Aunt May + Spider-Man, Peter Parker
- 1Gain life.
- 2Spider-Man triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Scurry Oak.
- 3Scurry Oak triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Invisible Woman, Sue Storm + Cleric Class + Aunt May
- 1Gain life.
- 2Cleric Class triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on the other Hero.
- 3Invisible Woman triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Archangel of Thune + Invisible Woman, Sue Storm + Aunt May
- 1Gain life.
- 2Archangel of Thune triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control
- 3Invisible Woman triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Archangel of Thune + Scurry Oak + Aunt May
- 1Gain life.
- 2Archangel of Thune triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
- 3Scurry Oak triggers, creating a creature token.
- 4When the creature token enters the battlefield, Aunt May triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Aunt May
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.