Crimson Cowl, Master of EvilHow it works & interactions with other cards

Assembling the Syndicate

Crimson Cowl, Master of Evil features a triggered ability that triggers whenever one or more nontoken Villains you control attack a player. This includes the Master of Evil himself! The key requirement is that the attacking creatures must be 'nontoken' and share the 'Villain' creature type. When this condition is met, you create a 2/1 black Villain creature token that comes equipped with menace, making it difficult for your opponents to block effectively.

Resolution Step-by-Step

The ability triggers during the Declare Attackers step. First, you choose which creatures are attacking and which player they are attacking. If at least one nontoken Villain is assigned to attack a player, Crimson Cowl's ability goes on the stack. Note that attacking a Planeswalker or a Battle will not trigger this ability; the target must be a player. Once the ability resolves, you place the 2/1 Villain token onto the battlefield. Since this happens during the Declare Attackers step, the new token is created before blockers are declared, though the token itself is not attacking this turn unless specified otherwise.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is assuming the ability triggers for every nontoken Villain you attack with. The text specifies 'one or more,' meaning you only get one token per attacked player, regardless of whether you attack with one Villain or five. Additionally, remember that the tokens created by this card are Villains, but they are 'tokens.' Because the trigger specifically requires 'nontoken' Villains, your 2/1 tokens cannot trigger Crimson Cowl's ability in future turns.

When to Strike

Maximize Crimson Cowl by attacking as early and often as possible. Because the tokens have menace, they are excellent at chipping away at life totals or forcing your opponent to make unfavorable double-blocks. If you can grant Crimson Cowl haste or protection, you can begin generating your army the very turn he hits the table.

Interaction examples

Doubling the Villainy

Roaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Villain' chosen as the creature type, Crimson Cowl's ability will trigger an additional time. When you attack a player with Crimson Cowl (a nontoken Villain), you will create two 2/1 black Villain creature tokens instead of one.

Identifying the Targets

Solemn Simulacrum

If you attack a player with both Crimson Cowl and Solemn Simulacrum, the ability triggers because Crimson Cowl is a nontoken Villain. However, Solemn Simulacrum is a Golem, not a Villain, so it does not contribute to the trigger. If Crimson Cowl is removed from combat before the trigger resolves, you still get your 2/1 Villain token because the condition was met at the time attackers were declared.

Solo Operations

Even if Crimson Cowl, Master of Evil is the only creature you control, he can trigger his own ability. When he attacks a player, his status as a nontoken Villain satisfies the requirement, granting you a 2/1 token to help defend your life total or prepare for the next turn's assault.