Cyclonus, the Saboteur // Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter 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
More Than Meets the Eye(You may cast this card converted for
Complete guide
Cyclonus, the Saboteur is a versatile Dimir artifact that embodies the tactical flexibility of the Transformers series. Whether you cast him as a front-line infiltrator or a high-speed Cybertronian Fighter, he excels at manipulating the flow of time and resources.
Dual Modes and Conversion
Cyclonus features the 'More Than Meets the Eye' keyword, allowing you to cast him on his front face for four mana or his back face for seven mana. On his front face, he is a 3/4 Robot with Flying that connives when dealing damage. If his power reaches 5 or greater after conniving, he converts into his Vehicle form. On his back face, 'Living metal' ensures he is a creature during your turn, and dealing damage in this form triggers a conversion back to the front face while granting you an extra beginning phase.
Resolution Step-by-Step
When Cyclonus, the Saboteur deals combat damage, the connive ability triggers first. You draw a card and discard a card; if you discarded a nonland card, he receives a +1/+1 counter. Immediately after this, the game checks his power. If it is 5 or higher, he flips to his Vehicle side. Conversely, if Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter deals combat damage, he converts to his Robot side, and a delayed trigger creates a full extra beginning phase—consisting of an untap, upkeep, and draw step—immediately following the current phase.
Strategic Considerations
A common mistake is forgetting that 'Living metal' only makes Cyclonus a creature during your turn. On an opponent's turn, the Vehicle side is just an artifact, meaning it cannot block unless you have another way to crew it. Additionally, remember that converting does not cause the permanent to leave the battlefield; any counters, Auras, or Equipment attached to Cyclonus remain exactly where they are through the transformation.
When to Play Cyclonus
Play Cyclonus early as a Saboteur if you need to filter your deck and build a growing threat. Use the 'More Than Meets the Eye' cost when you have a stable board and want to exploit the extra beginning phase immediately. The extra untap and draw steps are devastating when you have multiple upkeep triggers or 'tap' abilities ready to be reused.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter deals combat damage to a player, he converts and creates an extra beginning phase. During that extra phase, you will untap all your permanents and draw a card. If you have Solemn Simulacrum on the battlefield, you benefit twice from its presence: once during your normal turn, and again as you untap your lands and draw an extra card during the bonus phase, effectively doubling your mana acceleration and card flow for the next main phase.
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Robot', Cyclonus, the Saboteur's combat damage ability triggers twice. The first trigger resolves, causing him to connive. If he is already at 4 power and you discard a nonland card, he hits 5 power and converts to the Vehicle side. Because the second trigger is already on the stack, it still resolves even though he changed faces; the second trigger will then follow the rules for the Vehicle side, causing him to convert back and potentially granting an extra beginning phase in a single combat step.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Cyclonus, the Saboteur // Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
After Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter converts into Cyclonus, the Saboteur, it's still an attacking creature in combat, and will still have any gained abilities. Notably, if it has somehow gained double strike, it will convert before dealing combat damage in the regular combat damage step. This may cause it to convert again when it deals combat damage to a player a second time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The convert keyword action functions the same way as the transform keyword action found on some other cards; to convert a permanent on the battlefield, turn it over so that its other face is up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a converted permanent on the battlefield is equal to the mana value of the card's front face, no matter which face is up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Converting a permanent doesn't affect any Auras or Equipment that are attached to it. Similarly, any counters on the permanent will remain on that permanent after it converts. Any continuous effects from a resolved spell or ability will continue to affect it. Any spells or abilities on the stack that target a permanent continue to do so after that permanent converts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Any triggered ability of another card that triggers whenever a permanent transforms will also trigger whenever a permanent converts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Similarly, an ability of another card that instructs you to "transform" one of these cards will cause you to convert it, even if that ability doesn't use the word "convert."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
"More Than Meets the Eye [cost]" means "You may cast this card converted by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost." It functions in any zone from which the spell can be cast.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The cost is an alternative cost, so it can't be combined with any other alternative costs. It can be combined with any applicable additional costs.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
When you cast a spell using its More Than Meets the Eye ability, the card is put onto the stack with its back face up. The resulting spell has all characteristics of that face.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a More Than Meets the Eye cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of a spell cast using More Than Meets the Eye is determined by the mana cost on the front face of the card, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
A spell cast this way enters the battlefield with its back face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
If you copy a permanent spell cast this way, the copy has the characteristics of the card's back face, even though it isn't itself a double-faced card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
"Living metal" means "As long as it's your turn, this permanent is an artifact creature in addition to its other types."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
While it's a creature, the Vehicle has its printed power and toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
If a static ability of another permanent applies only to noncreature permanents, that ability applies to a Vehicle with living metal only during your opponents' turns. For example, if you control Arcee, Acrobatic Coupe and March of the Machines, Arcee will be a 2/2 artifact creature during your turn and a 3/3 artifact creature (because its mana value is 3) during each opponent's turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Cyclonus, the Saboteur // Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter + Aggravated Assault
- 1Deal combat damage to an opponent using Cyclonus, the Saboteur.
- 2Cyclonus triggers, causing it to connive and convert it to Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter.
- 3Move to your postcombat main phase.
- 4Activate any number of permanents you control by tapping them, adding at least
. - 5Activate Aggravated Assault by paying , causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat and main phase after this one.
- 6Move to your next combat phase, and deal combat damage to an opponent using Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter.
- 7Cyclonus triggers, causing you to convert it to Cyclonus, the Saboteur and to get an additional beginning phase after this one.
- 8Move to your beginning phase, causing you to untap all permanents you control.
Najeela, the Blade-Blossom + Cyclonus, the Saboteur // Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter
- 1Declare Cyclonus, the Saboteur as an attacker.
- 2Holding priority, activate any number of permanents you control by tapping them, adding at least
. - 3Activate Najeela by paying , untapping all attacking creatures, giving them trample, lifelink and haste, and gaining an additional combat phase after this one.
- 4Deal combat damage to an opponent using Cyclonus, the Saboteur.
- 5Cyclonus triggers, causing it to connive and convert it to Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter.
- 6Move to your next combat phase, and declare Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter as an attacker.
- 7Holding priority, activate any number of permanents you control by tapping them, adding at least .
- 8Activate Najeela by paying , untapping all attacking creatures, giving them trample, lifelink and haste, and gaining an additional combat phase after this one.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Cyclonus, the Saboteur // Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter
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