Coat of Arms 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
Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature on the battlefield that shares at least one creature type with it. (For example, if two Goblin Warriors and a Goblin Shaman are on the battlefield, each gets +2/+2.)
Complete guide
Coat of Arms is a classic artifact that transforms tribal decks into unstoppable forces by boosting every creature's power based on its kinship. Whether you are leading an army of Goblins or a swarm of Slivers, this card ensures that numbers truly mean strength. Understanding how it calculates bonuses is key to mastering the battlefield.
What It Does
Coat of Arms provides a continuous effect that grants each creature +1/+1 for each other creature on the battlefield sharing a creature type. It is a symmetrical effect, meaning it counts your creatures and your opponents' creatures alike. The bonus is calculated dynamically; as creatures enter or leave the battlefield, the power and toughness of all relevant creatures update immediately.
How It Resolves Step by Step
When Coat of Arms is on the battlefield, you do not choose a specific type. Instead, for every individual creature, you look at its creature types. You then count how many other creatures on the battlefield have at least one of those same types. Even if a creature shares multiple types—such as being both a Goblin and a Warrior—it only counts as one creature for the +1/+1 bonus calculation.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is double-counting. If you have two creatures that share two types, they still only provide +1/+1 to each other, not +2/+2. Additionally, remember that Coat of Arms does not give a bonus to a creature based on its own types if it is the only creature of that type; it only counts other creatures. Finally, since it is a symmetrical effect, be careful not to accidentally buff your opponent's blockers!
When to Play It
This card is best utilized in 'go-wide' strategies where you control many creatures of the same type. Because it costs five mana and impacts the whole board, you should ideally cast it when you already have a board presence established, allowing you to swing for lethal damage immediately before your opponent can benefit from the effect.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you control Coat of Arms and a single Solemn Simulacrum, the Golem does not receive a bonus. Because there are no other creatures on the battlefield that share the 'Golem' type, the count is zero, and it remains a 2/2.
If you control two copies of Solemn Simulacrum, each one checks the battlefield for other Golems. Since each sees one other Golem, they both receive +1/+1 from Coat of Arms, making them 3/3 creatures.
The One RingCoat of Arms only affects and counts permanents with the 'Creature' type. If you have The One Ring on the battlefield, it does not receive a bonus, nor does it provide a bonus to any creatures, as it lacks a creature type like 'Artifact' or 'Human'.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Coat of Arms
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Sharing multiple creature types doesn't give an additional bonus. Coat of Arms counts creatures, not creature types.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature has more than one creature type, and one of those types matches the creature you are calculating for, then count that creature. Only one type needs to match in order to get counted.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you have a creature with more than one creature type, count all creatures which have either creature type.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Scurry Oak + Coat of Arms
- 1Put a +1/+1 counter on Scurry Oak.
- 2Scurry Oak triggers, creating a 1/1 Squirrel creature token that gets +1/+1 for each other Squirrel on the battlefield.
- 3The Squirrel enters the battlefield, triggering Scurry Oak's evolve ability, putting a +1/+1 counter on Scurry Oak.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Devoted Druid + Presence of Gond + Coat of Arms
- 1Activate Devoted Druid by tapping it, creating a 1/1 Elf Warrior token.
- 2Activate Devoted Druid by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 3Repeat.
Ghoulcaller Gisa + Thornbite Staff + Phyrexian Altar + Coat of Arms
- 1Activate Ghoulcaller Gisa's ability to sacrifice a creature and create at least 1 zombie.
- 2Thornbite Staff allows Ghoulcaller Gisa to untap with her ability.
- 3Sacrifice the zombie to Ghoulcaller Gisa again to create 2 zombies.
- 4Thornbite Staff untaps Ghoulcaller Gisa again.
- 5Sacrifice a zombie to Ghoulcaller Gisa to create 3 zombies.
- 6Thornbite Staff untaps Ghoulcaller Gisa again.
- 7Sacrifice a zombie to Phyrexian Altar to add
to your mana pool. - 8Activate Ghoulcaller Gisa's ability to sacrifice a zombie and create 3 zombies.
Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate + Helm of the Host + Coat of Arms
- 1At the beginning of your combat phase, Helm of the Host triggers, creating a nonlegendary token copy of Omarthis with haste.
- 2Put a +1/+1 counter on the Omarthis token or another colorless creature you control.
- 3The nontoken Omarthis triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on itself.
- 4The Omarthis token triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on itself.
- 5Repeat from step 3.
Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate + Mirage Mirror + Coat of Arms + Mirror Gallery
- 1Put a +1/+1 counter on a colorless creature you control.
- 2Omarthis's first triggered ability triggers.
- 3In response, activate Mirage Mirror by paying
, causing it to become a copy of Omarthis until end of turn. - 4Resolve the Omarthis trigger, putting a +1/+1 counter on itself.
- 5Mirage Mirror triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on itself.
- 6Omarthis triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on itself.
- 7Repeat from step 5 any number of times.
- 8End the loop by declining to place a +1/+1 counter on a creature.
Ganax, Astral Hunter + Cloudstone Curio + Slumbering Dragon + Shivan Devastator
- 1Cast Slumbering Dragon by paying
. - 2When Slumbering Dragon enters the battlefield, Ganax and Cloudstone Curio trigger.
- 3Resolve the Ganax trigger, creating a Treasure artifact token.
- 4Resolve the Cloudstone Curio trigger, returning Shivan Devastator from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 6Cast Shivan Devastator by paying .
- 7When Shivan Devastator enters the battlefield, Ganax and Cloudstone Curio trigger.
- 8Resolve the Ganax trigger, creating a Treasure artifact token.
The Locust God + Elemental Bond + Coat of Arms
- 1Draw a card.
- 2The Locust God triggers, creating a 1/1 Insect creature token with flying and haste.
- 3When the Insect enters the battlefield as a 3/3 due to Coat of Arms, Elemental Bond triggers, causing you to draw a card.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Splinter Twin + Devoted Druid + Coat of Arms
- 1Activate Devoted Druid by tapping it, creating a token copy of it with haste.
- 2Activate the nontoken Devoted Druid's second ability by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 3Repeat.
- 4Once you have infinite Devoted Druid tokens, you may tap them to get infinite
.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Coat of Arms
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