Awaken the Honored Dead 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
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I — Destroy target nonland permanent. II — Mill three cards. III — You may discard a card. When you do, return target creature or land card from your graveyard to your hand.
Complete guide
Awaken the Honored Dead is a versatile Sultai Saga that provides a complete cycle of removal, graveyard setup, and recursion. It allows you to deal with immediate threats before digging deeper into your library for the resources you need later in the game.
Understanding the Three Chapters
When Awaken the Honored Dead enters the battlefield, Chapter I immediately targets and destroys a nonland permanent. After your next draw step, Chapter II mills three cards to fuel your graveyard. Finally, Chapter III provides a choice: you may discard a card to trigger a reflexive ability that returns a creature or land from your graveyard to your hand.
The Reflexive Trigger in Chapter III
The final chapter is unique because it uses a reflexive trigger. You do not choose a target for the return ability when the chapter first triggers. Instead, you decide whether to discard a card as the ability resolves. If you do discard, a second ability goes on the stack immediately, and it is at this point that you choose the creature or land target in your graveyard.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common error is assuming you must target a card already in the graveyard before Chapter III resolves. Because of the reflexive trigger, the card you discard can actually be the target of the ability. Also, remember that since the destruction in Chapter I is targeted, if the target becomes illegal (such as gaining Hexproof), the ability will fail to resolve.
When to Play This Saga
This card is best played when you need to remove a problematic enchantment, artifact, or creature while simultaneously setting up your late-game strategy. It is particularly effective in decks that value specific creatures or lands that have been discarded or destroyed earlier in the match.
Interaction examples
Rhystic StudyIf your opponent has Rhystic Study slowing down your plays, you can cast Awaken the Honored Dead and use Chapter I to target and destroy it. This clears the way for your future spells while the Saga remains on the board to mill cards and eventually return a key creature to your hand.
Garruk's UprisingIf Garruk's Uprising is on the battlefield, you can use the Saga's Chapter III to return a high-power creature from your graveyard to your hand. Once you cast that creature and it enters the battlefield, Garruk's Uprising will trigger, allowing you to draw a card and replace the one you discarded for the Saga's effect.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Awaken the Honored Dead
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You don’t choose a target for Awaken the Honored Dead’s final chapter ability at the time it triggers. Rather, a second “reflexive” ability triggers when you discard a card this way. You choose a target for that ability as it goes on the stack. You may choose the card you just discarded as the target or a card that was already in your graveyard. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Awaken the Honored Dead
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.