Brutal Cathar // Moonrage Brute 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 this creature enters or transforms into Brutal Cathar, exile target creature an opponent controls until this creature leaves the battlefield. Daybound (If a player casts no spells during their own turn, it becomes night next turn.) First strike Ward—Pay 3 life. Nightbound (If a player casts at least two spells during their own turn, it becomes day next turn.)
Complete guide
Brutal Cathar // Moonrage Brute is a versatile double-faced Werewolf that provides powerful removal while applying pressure on the board. Its ability to exile threats triggers not just when it enters the battlefield, but every time it shifts back into its Human form. Understanding how the Daybound and Nightbound mechanics interact with this card is key to maximizing its potential in your white aggressive decks.
Exile and Transformation
The primary strength of Brutal Cathar is its ability to exile an opponent's creature until it leaves the battlefield. This ability triggers when the creature enters the battlefield as Brutal Cathar or transforms into it. If the card transforms into its Nightbound side, Moonrage Brute, the creature remains exiled. Crucially, if the permanent transforms back into Brutal Cathar later, the ability triggers again, allowing you to exile an additional creature. If multiple creatures are exiled this way, they all return immediately when the permanent leaves the battlefield.
Navigating Day and Night
The Daybound and Nightbound keywords track the game's state based on how many spells players cast. If it is Night, Brutal Cathar will enter the battlefield as Moonrage Brute, meaning the exile ability will not trigger upon entry. However, if it is Day and a player casts no spells on their turn, it becomes Night next turn, transforming your Cathar into a Moonrage Brute. To get the exile trigger again, a player must cast at least two spells on their turn to make it Day again.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake involves timing: if Brutal Cathar leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the target creature is never exiled at all. Furthermore, if you exile a creature token, that token ceases to exist and will not return when Brutal Cathar leaves. It is also important to remember that since the return of the exiled card is a one-shot effect and not a triggered ability, it happens instantly; state-based actions are not checked, and players cannot respond between Brutal Cathar leaving and the creature returning.
When to Play It
Brutal Cathar is best utilized when you need to tempo out your opponent by removing their best blocker or a problematic utility creature. Because Moonrage Brute has First Strike and Ward—Pay 3 life, it is much harder for opponents to remove during the Night. Strategic players will often manipulate the spell count to force transformations, repeatedly triggering the exile effect to clear the path for a lethal swing.
Interaction examples
Brutal Cathar // Moonrage Brute
Solemn SimulacrumYou cast Brutal Cathar while it is Day. When it enters the battlefield, its ability triggers, targeting your opponent's Solemn Simulacrum. The Simulacrum is exiled. Later, your opponent casts a spell to destroy Brutal Cathar. As soon as Brutal Cathar leaves the battlefield, Solemn Simulacrum returns to the battlefield under its owner's control.
Roaming ThroneYou have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Human' or 'Soldier' chosen as the creature type. You cast Brutal Cathar. Because Roaming Throne doubles the triggered abilities of your Humans/Soldiers, Brutal Cathar's enters-the-battlefield ability triggers twice. You may target and exile two different creatures controlled by your opponents. Both will remain exiled until Brutal Cathar leaves the battlefield.
Day // NightIf it is currently Night (tracked by the Day // Night card), and you cast Brutal Cathar, it enters the battlefield with its back face up as Moonrage Brute. Because it did not enter as 'Brutal Cathar' and did not transform into it, the exile ability does not trigger. You get a 3/3 with First Strike and Ward, but you do not exile a creature.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Brutal Cathar // Moonrage Brute
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature token is exiled, it ceases to exist. It won't be returned to the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Permanents with daybound and nightbound can't transform via any means other than their daybound and nightbound abilities. Notably, older cards such as Moonmist that instruct a player to transform permanents don't affect permanents with daybound or nightbound.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The exiled card returns to the battlefield immediately after this creature leaves the battlefield. Nothing happens between the two events, including state-based actions. The two creatures aren't on the battlefield at the same time. For example, if the returning creature is a Clone, it can't enter the battlefield as a copy of Brutal Cathar or Moonrage Brute.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If it's neither day nor night, and a creature with daybound and a creature with nightbound somehow appear on the battlefield at the same time, it becomes day. The creature with nightbound will transform.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
In a multiplayer game, if Brutal Cathar's owner leaves the game, the exiled card will return to the battlefield. Because the one-shot effect that returns the card isn't an ability that goes on the stack, it won't cease to exist along with the leaving player's spells and abilities on the stack.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Brutal Cathar's ability creates two one-shot effects: one that exiles the creature when the ability resolves, and another that returns the exiled card to the battlefield immediately after Brutal Cathar (or Moonrage Brute) leaves the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If it is night, and the active player of the previous turn cast two or more spells during their turn, it becomes day.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If Brutal Cathar leaves the battlefield before its enters-the-battlefield/transforms-into ability resolves, the target creature won't be exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Double-faced permanents with daybound transform to their nightbound faces as it becomes night. Similarly, double-faced permanents with nightbound transform to their daybound faces as it becomes day. This happens immediately and is not a state-based action. It happens any time it becomes day or night, not just during the untap step.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
A transforming permanent doesn't leave the battlefield as it transforms. If Brutal Cathar transforms into Moonrage Brute, the exiled cards remain exiled. If it transforms with its triggered ability on the stack, that ability will still exile the target creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell with daybound during night, that spell will be front face up (that is, daybound face up) on the stack. However, it will enter the battlefield with its back face up (that is, with its nightbound face up). It won't enter with its daybound face up and then transform.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners' graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled creature will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
If it is night, permanents with daybound that enter the battlefield without being cast will enter with their nightbound faces up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
Day and night are designations that the game itself can have. The game starts as neither. Once the game becomes day (or less commonly, night), the game will be exactly one of them—day or night—going back and forth for the rest of the game.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
Before a player untaps their permanents during the untap step, the game checks to see if the day/night designation should change.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #16· Wizards of the Coast
If it is day, and the active player of the previous turn cast no spells during their turn, it becomes night.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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