Cloud, Midgar Mercenary 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
When Cloud enters, search your library for an Equipment card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. As long as Cloud is equipped, if a triggered ability of Cloud or an Equipment attached to it triggers, that ability triggers an additional time.
Complete guide
Cloud, Midgar Mercenary is a powerful Soldier that brings the right tools to the battlefield while amplifying their effects. By tutoring for Equipment and doubling triggered abilities, Cloud transforms any gear into a legendary asset. This guide will help you navigate the intricacies of his triggered ability multiplication.
Mastering the Soldier's Arsenal
When Cloud, Midgar Mercenary enters the battlefield, he searches your library for any Equipment card to put into your hand. His true strength, however, lies in his static ability: as long as he is equipped, any triggered ability of Cloud himself or any Equipment attached to him triggers an additional time. Note that this only applies to triggered abilities (starting with 'When', 'Whenever', or 'At') and does not affect activated abilities or static buffs.
How Resolution Works Step by Step
First, Cloud enters the battlefield and his search ability triggers. Since he is not yet equipped, this triggers only once. Once he is equipped, his static ability becomes active. If an Equipment attached to him has a triggered ability (like an 'enters' effect or an 'on attack' effect), that ability triggers twice. You put both instances on the stack separately, choosing targets for each independently. They resolve one at a time, allowing for different choices or payments for each instance.
Avoiding Common Tactical Errors
A common mistake is thinking Cloud doubles abilities of creatures he is merely standing next to. The ability specifically looks for 'Cloud' or 'an Equipment attached to it'. For example, an ability on a creature like Esper Sentinel will not trigger twice because it is not an Equipment and not Cloud. Additionally, Cloud's ability is not a copy effect; the ability triggers twice from the source, meaning 'as this resolves' choices are made twice.
When to Deploy Cloud
Cloud is best played early to secure your key Equipment, but he shines in the mid-game once you have the mana to both play him and equip him. Because his doubling effect is static, it applies immediately once an Equipment is attached. Use this to maximize value from Equipment that triggers when the creature attacks or deals combat damage.
Interaction examples
Ornithopter of ParadiseWhen you cast Cloud, Midgar Mercenary while Ornithopter of Paradise is on the battlefield, Cloud's enters-the-battlefield ability triggers. You search your library for an Equipment. Even though Ornithopter of Paradise is an artifact creature, Cloud's search only finds cards with the 'Equipment' subtype. You reveal the Equipment, put it in your hand, and shuffle.
Esper SentinelIf you have Cloud, Midgar Mercenary equipped with a sword and you also control Esper Sentinel, and an opponent casts their first noncreature spell, Esper Sentinel's ability triggers only once. Even though Cloud is equipped, his ability only doubles his own triggers and his Equipment's triggers. It does not affect other creatures like Esper Sentinel.
Imagine Cloud, Midgar Mercenary is equipped with an Equipment that says 'Whenever this creature attacks, draw a card.' When Cloud attacks, the ability triggers once normally. Because Cloud is equipped, his static ability sees this trigger and causes it to trigger an additional time. You put two 'draw a card' triggers on the stack, eventually drawing two cards total.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a triggered ability is linked to a second ability, additional instances of that triggered ability are also linked to that second ability. If the second ability refers to "the exiled card," it refers to all cards exiled by instances of the triggered ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Triggered abilities use the word "when," "whenever," or "at." They're often written as "[Trigger condition], [effect]." Some keyword abilities are triggered abilities and will have "when," "whenever," or "at" in their reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
In some cases involving linked abilities, an ability requires information about "the exiled card." When this happens, the ability gets multiple answers. If these answers are being used to determine the value of a variable, the sum is used. For example, if Strata Scythe's imprint ability ("When this Equipment enters, search your library for a land card, exile it, then shuffle.") triggers twice (probably because it somehow entered attached to Cloud), up to two total land cards can be exiled. Strata Scythe's last ability will give the equipped creature +1/+1 for each land on the battlefield with the same name as either of the exiled cards.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Cloud's last ability doesn't copy the triggered ability; it just causes the ability to trigger an additional time. Any choices made as you put the ability onto the stack, such as modes and targets, are made separately for each instance of the ability. Any choices made on resolution, such as whether to put counters on a permanent, are also made individually.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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