Bolas's Citadel — ruling 1

Bolas's Citadel lets you look at the top card of your library whenever you want (with one restriction—see below), even if you don't have priority. This action doesn't use the stack. Knowing what that card is becomes part of the information you have access to, just like you can look at the cards in your hand.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 2

If the top card of your library changes while you're casting a spell, playing a land, or activating an ability, you can't look at the new top card until you finish doing so. This means that if you cast the top card of your library, you can't look at the next one until you're done paying for that spell.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 3

You must follow the normal timing permissions and restrictions of the cards you play from your library.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 4

You can play a land card from the top of your library only if you have available land plays remaining.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 5

If a spell has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 6

If you cast a spell for another cost "rather than pay 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, such as that of Spark Harvest, those must be paid to cast the card.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 7

Bolas's Citadel may be one of the permanents you sacrifice to activate its last ability.

Bolas's Citadel — ruling 8

In a Two-Headed Giant game, the last ability of Bolas's Citadel causes the opposing team to lose 20 life.

Bolas's Citadel : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Bolas's Citadel 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

You may look at the top card of your library any time. You may play lands and cast spells from the top of your library. If you cast a spell this way, pay life equal to its mana value rather than pay its mana cost. , Sacrifice ten nonland permanents: Each opponent loses 10 life.

Complete guide

Bolas's Citadel is a powerhouse legendary artifact that turns your library into an extension of your hand. By sacrificing your life force instead of spending mana, you can tear through your deck to find victory at any cost. This guide will help you navigate the intricacies of casting spells from the top of your library.

Unlocking the Library

Bolas's Citadel provides constant information by allowing you to look at the top card of your library at any time, even without priority. This is a special action that doesn't use the stack. While it's on the battlefield, you can play land cards (if you have land plays available) and cast spells directly from the top of your deck. When casting a spell this way, you pay life equal to the card's mana value instead of paying its mana cost. Note that if you are in the middle of casting a spell or activating an ability and the top card changes, you cannot look at the new top card until that process is fully complete.

Timing and Costs

You must still obey all normal timing rules; for example, you can only cast a sorcery or creature from the top of your library during your main phase when the stack is empty. If a spell has {X} in its mana cost, you must choose 0 for X, as you are casting it without paying its mana cost. While you cannot use other alternative costs, you can—and must—pay any additional costs required by the spell. Finally, the Citadel features a devastating activated ability: you can tap it and sacrifice ten nonland permanents to make each opponent lose 10 life. Bolas's Citadel can even be one of the permanents you sacrifice to its own ability!

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is trying to look at the next card in the library before finishing the current spell's payment. You must wait until the spell is fully cast before seeing what's next. Another error involves land plays; Bolas's Citadel does not grant extra land plays, so if you've already played your land for the turn, you cannot play a land from the top. Additionally, if the top card is a card you cannot cast or play (like a second land), you are 'stuck' until you can draw that card or shuffle your library.

Interaction examples

Chaining Spells with Card Draw

Vanquisher's Banner

If you have Vanquisher's Banner on the battlefield and cast a creature of the chosen type from the top of your library using Bolas's Citadel, the Banner's triggered ability goes on the stack. When it resolves, you draw a card. This is a great way to clear a land or an unwanted card from the top of your deck so you can continue casting spells with the Citadel.

Sacrificing for the Win

Gilded Lotus

Imagine you have Gilded Lotus and nine other nonland permanents (including Bolas's Citadel itself). You can activate the Citadel's ability by tapping it and sacrificing all ten permanents. Even though Gilded Lotus is a mana rock and Bolas's Citadel is your engine, sacrificing them to deal the final 10 damage to each opponent is a legal and often game-ending move.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Bolas's Citadel

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
Bolas's Citadel lets you look at the top card of your library whenever you want (with one restriction—see below), even if you don't have priority. This action doesn't use the stack. Knowing what that card is becomes part of the information you have access to, just like you can look at the cards in your hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If the top card of your library changes while you're casting a spell, playing a land, or activating an ability, you can't look at the new top card until you finish doing so. This means that if you cast the top card of your library, you can't look at the next one until you're done paying for that spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
You must follow the normal timing permissions and restrictions of the cards you play from your library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
You can play a land card from the top of your library only if you have available land plays remaining.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell 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.
#6May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell for another cost "rather than pay 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, such as that of Spark Harvest, those must be paid to cast the card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
Bolas's Citadel may be one of the permanents you sacrifice to activate its last ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
In a Two-Headed Giant game, the last ability of Bolas's Citadel causes the opposing team to lose 20 life.
No other card is named in this ruling.