Bat 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
Flying
Complete guide
The Bat token is a classic evasive creature found across many sets, usually appearing as a 1/1 black creature with flying. While small on its own, its ability to bypass ground blockers makes it a persistent threat in combat and a useful resource for sacrifice effects.
What it Does
A Bat token is a 1/1 black creature token with the Flying keyword. Flying means this creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach. Because it is a token, it only exists on the battlefield; if it moves to any other zone (like your hand or library), it ceases to exist as a state-based action.
How it Resolves
When a spell or ability that creates a Bat token resolves, the token enters the battlefield under your control. It immediately has 'summoning sickness' unless it has haste, meaning it cannot attack or use abilities with the tap symbol until you begin a turn with it under your control. If the token is created by an effect like Leering Onlooker, it may enter the battlefield tapped as specified by that card's text.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is forgetting that tokens have a mana value of 0 unless they are a copy of another permanent. Another error involves zone changes: if a Bat token is targeted by Chaos Warp, it is shuffled into the library and then ceases to exist. You still resolve the rest of Chaos Warp's effect, but the token itself cannot be 'found' in the library later.
When to Play it
Bat tokens are most effective when used as repeatable fodder for sacrifice abilities or as a way to chip away at an opponent's life total when the ground is stalled. Since they are often generated by artifacts or creature deaths, they excel in 'Aristocrats' style decks that benefit from creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.
Interaction examples
Skeletal VampireYou cast Skeletal Vampire, and its triggered ability creates two 1/1 black Bat tokens. If an opponent casts Path to Exile on your Vampire, you can respond by activating its ability to sacrifice one Bat to regenerate it. Note that the Bat token will be exiled if it is targeted by Path to Exile itself, but you still get to search for a basic land.
Desecrated TombWhile Evolving Wilds moves itself from the battlefield to the graveyard, Desecrated Tomb only triggers when a creature card leaves the graveyard. If you use a different effect to return a creature to your hand or battlefield, Desecrated Tomb triggers and grants you a 1/1 Bat token.
If you control five Bat tokens and your opponent controls five creatures, Blasphemous Act costs only {2}{R} to cast because there are ten total creatures on the battlefield. When it resolves, it deals 13 damage to every creature, including all Bat tokens, likely destroying them unless they are indestructible.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Bat
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Interactions with other cards
These cards' text mentions Bat.
Exile target creature. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
{T}, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal those cards, put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand, then shuffle.
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each creature on the battlefield. Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature.
Search your library for a Plains, Island, Swamp, or Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Search your library for a Forest card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
The owner of target permanent shuffles it into their library, then reveals the top card of their library. If it's a permanent card, they put it onto the battlefield.
{T}, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {C}. {2}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for up to two basic land cards that share a land type, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Plains or Island card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Related cards and tokens
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Meta decks with Bat
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.