Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 1

Some spells and abilities that give you {E} may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't get any {E}.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 2

Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana "of any type" can't give you energy counters.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 3

Some triggered abilities state that you "may pay" a certain amount of {E}. You can't pay that amount multiple times to multiply the effect. You simply choose whether or not to pay that amount of {E} as the ability resolves.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 4

Some triggered abilities that state that you "may pay" a certain amount of {E} describe an effect that happens "If you do." In that case, no player may take actions to try to stop the ability's effect after you make your choice. If the payment is followed by the phrase "When you do," then you'll choose any targets for that reflexive triggered ability and put it on the stack before players can take actions.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 5

If a spell or ability with one or more targets states that you "may pay" some amount of {E}, and each permanent that it targets has become an illegal target, the spell or ability won't resolve. You can't pay any {E} even if you want to.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 6

{E} is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 7

Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with any specific permanents.

Demon of Dark Schemes — ruling 8

Keep track of how many energy counters each player has. Potential ways to track this include writing theme down on paper or using dice, but any method that is clear and mutually agreeable is fine. (At higher levels of tournament play, dice may not be allowed for tracking counters that players have.)

Demon of Dark Schemes : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Demon of Dark Schemes 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

Flying When this creature enters, all other creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. Whenever another creature dies, you get (an energy counter). , Pay : Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield tapped under your control.

How it works : Demon of Dark Schemes

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells and abilities that give you may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't get any .
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana "of any type" can't give you energy counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
Some triggered abilities state that you "may pay" a certain amount of . You can't pay that amount multiple times to multiply the effect. You simply choose whether or not to pay that amount of as the ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
Some triggered abilities that state that you "may pay" a certain amount of describe an effect that happens "If you do." In that case, no player may take actions to try to stop the ability's effect after you make your choice. If the payment is followed by the phrase "When you do," then you'll choose any targets for that reflexive triggered ability and put it on the stack before players can take actions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability with one or more targets states that you "may pay" some amount of , and each permanent that it targets has become an illegal target, the spell or ability won't resolve. You can't pay any even if you want to.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with any specific permanents.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
Keep track of how many energy counters each player has. Potential ways to track this include writing theme down on paper or using dice, but any method that is clear and mutually agreeable is fine. (At higher levels of tournament play, dice may not be allowed for tracking counters that players have.)
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9June 7, 2024· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. You can't pay more energy counters than you have. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10September 20, 2016· Wizards of the Coast
Demon of Dark Schemes's second triggered ability triggers whenever another creature dies for any reason, not just due to the first triggered ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11September 20, 2016· Wizards of the Coast
If Demon of Dark Schemes dies at the same time as another creature, its second triggered ability triggers.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#12September 20, 2016· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature's owner leaves the game after you've put that creature onto the battlefield with Demon of Dark Schemes's last ability, the creature leaves with that player. If you leave the game before that player, the creature is exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#13September 20, 2016· Wizards of the Coast
The set of creatures affected by Demon of Dark Schemes's first triggered ability is determined as the ability resolves. Creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn and noncreature permanents that become creatures later in the turn won't get -2/-2.
No other card is named in this ruling.