Cerodon YearlingHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Fast and Vigilant Threat

Cerodon Yearling features two powerful keyword abilities: Vigilance and Haste. Haste allows it to ignore the 'summoning sickness' rule, meaning it can attack or use abilities with the tap symbol as soon as it enters the battlefield. Vigilance means that attacking does not cause Cerodon Yearling to tap, allowing it to remain available as a blocker during your opponents' turns.

Combat Step Breakdown

When you cast Cerodon Yearling, it enters the battlefield and can immediately be declared as an attacker during your combat phase. Once declared as an attacker, its vigilance ability ensures it stays upright. Because it remains untapped, it is still a legal candidate to be declared as a blocker during the next player's turn, provided it is not removed or otherwise incapacitated.

Strategic Implementation

The best time to play Cerodon Yearling is early in the game when opponents have not yet established a board presence. Its haste allows you to capitalize on an empty board, and its vigilance ensures that you don't lose the race against other aggressive decks. It serves as an excellent carrier for equipment or enchantments because it contributes to both offense and defense simultaneously.

Common Misconceptions

A common mistake is forgetting that Vigilance only prevents the creature from tapping during the 'Declare Attackers' step. If an effect other than attacking (such as a spell or an ability) requires the creature to tap, Cerodon Yearling will still become tapped. Additionally, Haste only matters on the turn it enters; it does not grant any special bonuses in subsequent turns.

Interaction examples

Immediate Combat Pressure

Professional Face-Breaker

You cast Cerodon Yearling. Because it has haste, you immediately move to combat and attack. If Cerodon Yearling deals combat damage to your opponent, Professional Face-Breaker triggers, granting you a Treasure token. Because of vigilance, Cerodon Yearling remains untapped and ready to defend.

Navigating Tax Effects

Esper Sentinel

If your opponent controls Esper Sentinel, casting Cerodon Yearling does not trigger the Sentinel because the Yearling is a creature spell. Once it resolves, Cerodon Yearling can attack immediately. If you later cast a noncreature spell, you can use the pressure applied by Cerodon Yearling's early attacks to ensure you have the resources to pay the {X} tax.