Burning-Yard TrainerHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Lead from the Front

Burning-Yard Trainer is a 3/3 creature with two keyword abilities: trample and haste. This means it can attack the same turn it enters the battlefield and any excess damage it deals beyond a blocker's toughness is dealt to the defending player or planeswalker. Its most important feature, however, is its triggered ability that buffs a fellow Knight.

Breaking Down the Trigger

When Burning-Yard Trainer enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack. You must choose another target Knight you control. Note that this ability cannot target Burning-Yard Trainer itself. Upon resolution, that target Knight gains +2/+2, trample, and haste until the end of the current turn. If you have no other Knights on the battlefield, the ability is simply removed from the stack with no effect.

Strategic Timing and Synergy

Because the buff includes haste, this card is best played during your pre-combat main phase. It allows a Knight that was just cast or one affected by summoning sickness to join the attack immediately. The addition of trample also helps smaller Knights punch through token strategies or low-toughness blockers.

Common Misconceptions

A common mistake is forgetting that the target must be a Knight. If a creature loses its Knight subtype in response to the ability, the ability will fail to resolve. Additionally, remember that the +2/+2 bonus and the keywords only last until the cleanup step of the turn the ability triggered.

Interaction examples

Doubling the Charge

Roaming Throne

If you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Knight' as it entered, its static ability will apply to Burning-Yard Trainer. When the Trainer enters, its ability triggers twice. You can target the same Knight twice to give it +4/+4, or target two different Knights to give them both +2/+2, trample, and haste.

Building a Board State

Solemn Simulacrum

If you play Solemn Simulacrum on turn four to fetch a land, you set up the mana required for Burning-Yard Trainer on turn five. While Solemn Simulacrum is a Golem and cannot be targeted by the Trainer's Knight-specific buff, the Trainer can still attack immediately thanks to its own haste, while the Golem provides a defensive body or card draw upon its death.

The Solo Sprint

When Burning-Yard Trainer enters an empty board, its enters-the-battlefield ability triggers but has no valid targets. Since the ability specifies 'another target Knight,' it cannot target itself. You still get a 3/3 creature with trample and haste ready to attack, but the additional +2/+2 buff is lost.