Disciple of Caelus Nin 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 this creature enters, starting with you, each player chooses up to five permanents they control. All permanents other than this creature that weren't chosen this way phase out. Permanents can't phase in.
Complete guide
Disciple of Caelus Nin is a powerful white creature that forces the battlefield into a state of temporal stasis. By making permanents vanish and preventing their return, this Human Wizard can effectively lock your opponents out of their most valuable resources.
A Choice in Time
When Disciple of Caelus Nin enters the battlefield, a choosing process begins starting with the active player. Each player selects up to five permanents they control to keep in existence. Every other permanent on the battlefield—excluding Disciple of Caelus Nin itself—immediately phases out. These objects are treated as though they do not exist; they cannot be targeted, their abilities stop functioning, and they do not occupy space on the board.
The Stasis Lock
While Disciple of Caelus Nin remains on the battlefield, its static ability prevents any permanents from phasing in. Normally, phased-out permanents return during their controller's untap step, but this Wizard stops that process entirely. This applies not only to cards phased out by its own entry ability but also to permanents phased out by other spells or effects. They are stuck in limbo for as long as the Disciple is present.
Leaves and Enters Triggers
A common mistake is assuming that phasing triggers 'leaves the battlefield' or 'enters the battlefield' abilities. According to the Comprehensive Rules, phasing out does not cause a permanent to leave the battlefield, nor does phasing in cause it to enter. This means things like death triggers or 'comes into play' effects will not fire when the Disciple's ability resolves or when it eventually leaves the field and things return.
Breaking the Seal
The moment Disciple of Caelus Nin leaves the battlefield, the restriction on phasing in is lifted. During each player's next untap step, all permanents they control that were phased out will return to the battlefield simultaneously. They return with any counters, Auras, or Equipment that were attached to them when they vanished.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you control Solemn Simulacrum and do not choose it as one of your five permanents when Disciple of Caelus Nin enters, it phases out. Because phasing out is not leaving the battlefield, you do not get to draw a card from its 'When this creature dies' ability. Later, when the Disciple leaves and the Golem phases back in, you do not get to search for a land because it did not 'enter' the battlefield; it simply became phased-in again.
Roaming ThroneSuppose you play Roaming Throne and choose 'Wizard' as it enters. Later, Disciple of Caelus Nin phases it out. While phased out, the Throne's static abilities have no effect on the game. However, once the Disciple leaves and the Throne phases back in, it remembers the choice you made previously. It will still be a Wizard and will still double your other Wizard triggers without you needing to choose a new type.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Disciple of Caelus Nin
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The last ability means that no permanents phase in under any player’s control as long as Disciple of Caelus Nin is on the battlefield. This includes permanents that phase out in ways other than the first ability, and even permanents that are phased out already when it enters the battlefield. Once it leaves the battlefield, each phased out permanent will phase in normally during its controller’s untap step, with one exception (see below).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect causes a permanent to phase out “until” some event occurs, and that event occurs while Disciple of Caelus Nin is still on the battlefield, the phased out permanent stays phased out forever.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If Disciple of Caelus Nin itself phases out, other phased out permanents can phase back in normally while it is phased out. During its controller’s untap step, Caelus Nin and all other phased out permanents that player controls phase in at the same time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
While a permanent is phased out, it’s treated as though it doesn’t exist. It can’t be the target of spells or abilities, its static abilities have no effect on the game, its triggered abilities can’t trigger, it can’t attack or block, and so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Phasing out doesn’t cause any “leaves the battlefield” abilities to trigger. Similarly, phasing in won’t cause any “enters the battlefield” abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Any one-shot effects that are waiting “until [this] leaves the battlefield,” such as that of Banisher Priest, won’t happen when a permanent phases out.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Any continuous effects with a “for as long as” duration, such as that of Vodalian Mindsinger, ignore phased-out objects. Any such effects will expire if their conditions are no longer met after ignoring the phased-out objects.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Each Aura and Equipment attached to a permanent that’s phasing out also phases out. They will phase in with that permanent and still be attached to it. Similarly, permanents that phase out with counters phase in with those counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Choices made for permanents as they entered the battlefield are remembered when they phase in.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Disciple of Caelus Nin + Hive Mind + Teferi's Protection
- 1On the end step prior to your turn, cast Teferi's Protection by paying
. - 2Hive Mind triggers, causing each opponent to copy Teferi's Protection.
- 3Resolve all Teferi's Protections, causing all players to phase out all permanents they control.
- 4During your next untap step, Disciple of Caelus Nin and all other phased out permanents you control phase in.
- 5Disciple of Caelus Nin prevents all permanents your opponents own that are phased out from phasing in, causing them to stay phased out indefinitely.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Disciple of Caelus Nin
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