Dissection Tools 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 Equipment enters, manifest dread, then attach this Equipment to that creature. Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has deathtouch and lifelink. Equip—Sacrifice a creature.
Complete guide
Dissection Tools is a versatile Equipment that brings its own pilot to the battlefield through the manifest dread mechanic. It offers a powerful combination of offensive and defensive keywords, making any creature a significant threat while providing a repeatable way to sacrifice your own permanents for profit.
What It Does
When Dissection Tools enters the battlefield, you look at the top two cards of your library. You choose one to manifest dread—putting it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature—and put the other into your graveyard. Dissection Tools then automatically attaches to that new creature, granting it +2/+2, deathtouch, and lifelink. This turns your face-down card into a 4/4 lifelinking threat immediately.
How It Resolves Step by Step
1. Dissection Tools enters the battlefield and its triggered ability goes on the stack. 2. Upon resolution, you look at the top two cards of your library. Choose one to be your creature and one for the graveyard. 3. The chosen card enters as a 2/2 colorless face-down creature. 4. Dissection Tools attaches to that specific creature. Note that even if Dissection Tools is destroyed while the ability is on the stack, you still manifest dread and put a card into your graveyard.
Sacrifice as a Cost
Unlike most Equipment that costs mana to move, Dissection Tools requires you to sacrifice a creature. You can even sacrifice the creature currently holding the Tools to pay the cost to move it to a new target. However, if you sacrifice the intended target of the equip ability before it resolves, the Tools will simply stay where they were.
When to Play It
This card is excellent in decks that want to fill the graveyard or have 'death triggers' to exploit. Because the equip cost is a sacrifice, it acts as a free sacrifice outlet once the artifact is on the board. It is also a great way to cheat a high-cost creature into play; if you manifest a creature card, you can turn it face up later by paying its mana cost as a special action.
Interaction examples
Dissection Tools
Solemn SimulacrumIf you look at your top two cards and see Solemn Simulacrum, you can manifest it. It enters as a 2/2 and becomes a 4/4 with Dissection Tools. Later, you can pay {4} to turn it face up. Since it was already on the battlefield, its 'enters' ability won't trigger again, but you now have the Golem's traits. If you later sacrifice the Golem to move the Tools, you will get to draw a card from the Golem's death trigger.
The One RingIf you manifest dread and choose The One Ring, it enters face down as a 2/2 creature. Dissection Tools attaches to it, making it a 4/4. However, since the front face of The One Ring is not a creature card, you cannot turn it face up using the manifest rules. It will remain a face-down 2/2 creature unless another effect transforms it or returns it to your hand.
ManifestUsing the Manifest reminder card helps keep your board clear. When Dissection Tools manifests a card, it is a 2/2. If that card is a creature, you can pay its mana cost at any time you have priority to flip it. This does not use the stack, so your opponent cannot respond to you turning the creature face up to suddenly gain a larger blocker or higher lifelink total.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Dissection Tools
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You'll still manifest dread even if this Equipment isn't on the battlefield when its first ability resolves.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You can sacrifice any creature you control to pay Dissection Tools's equip cost, including the creature Dissection Tools is currently equipping.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you sacrifice the creature targeted by the equip ability, then the ability won't resolve and the Equipment will remain attached to whatever it was attached to (if anything). We don't recommend pointlessly dissecting your own creatures under most circumstances, but if you're just looking to sacrifice something, you have the right tools now.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
To manifest dread, look at the top two cards of your library. Manifest one (by putting it onto the battlefield face down) and put the other into your graveyard. The card you put onto the battlefield becomes a 2/2 face-down creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It's colorless and has a mana value of 0. Other effects that apply to the permanent can still grant it any characteristics it doesn't have or change the characteristics it does have.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Any time you have priority, you can turn a manifested permanent you control face up by revealing that it's a creature card (ignoring any copy effects or type-changing effects that might be applying to it) and paying its mana cost. This is a special action. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
Card named in this ruling
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If a manifested creature would have disguise or morph if it were face up, you may also turn it face up by paying its disguise or morph cost, as appropriate.
Card named in this ruling
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Unlike a face-down creature that was cast using a disguise or morph ability, a manifested creature may still be turned face up after it loses its abilities if it's a creature card.
Card named in this ruling
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down. While face down, it can't transform. If the front face of the card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up.
Card named in this ruling
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If your library contains only one card when you manifest dread, you'll look at that card and put it onto the battlefield face down. You won't have the option to put it into your graveyard instead. If your library contains no cards when you manifest dread, you won't do anything.
Card named in this ruling
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Some cards in the Duskmourn release have abilities that trigger "whenever you manifest dread." In circumstances where you are instructed to manifest dread but can't perform some or all of the steps of manifesting dread (probably because your library has one or fewer cards in it), these abilities will still trigger.
Card named in this ruling
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
At any time, you can look at a face-down spell or permanent you control. You can't look at face-down permanents or spells you don't control unless an effect instructs or allows you to do so.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
If a face-down creature loses its abilities, it can't be turned face up with a disguise or morph ability because it will no longer have that ability (or the associated cost) once face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it's turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn't cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
Because face-down creatures don't have a name, they can't have the same name as any other creature, even another face-down creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent and Auras and Equipment that were attached to that permanent aren't affected unless the new characteristics of the object change the legality of those targets or attachments.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #16· Wizards of the Coast
Turning a permanent face up or face down doesn't change whether that permanent is tapped or untapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #17· Wizards of the Coast
If a face-down spell leaves the stack and goes to any zone other than the battlefield (if it was countered, for example), you must reveal it. Similarly, if a face-down permanent leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it. You must also reveal all face-down spells and permanents you control if you leave the game or the game ends.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #18· Wizards of the Coast
You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can be easily differentiated from each other. You're not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield to confuse other players. The order in which they entered should remain clear, as well as what ability caused them to be face down. (This includes manifest, disguise, cloak, morph, and a few older effects that turn cards face down.) Common methods for doing this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield.
Card named in this ruling
- #19· Wizards of the Coast
If something tries to turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, reveal that card to show all players it's an instant or sorcery card. The permanent remains on the battlefield face down. Abilities that trigger when a permanent turns face up won't trigger, because even though you revealed the card, it never turned face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Guardian of the Forgotten + Dissection Tools
- 1Activate Dissection Tools' equip ability by sacrificing the creature it is attached to, targeting another creature you control.
- 2When the creature dies, Guardian of the Forgotten triggers, causing you to manifest the top card of your library.
- 3Resolve the Dissection Tools trigger, attaching it to the targeted creature.
- 4Repeat.
Yedora, Grave Gardener + Ambush Commander + Dissection Tools
- 1Activate Dissection Tools' equip ability by sacrificing another nontoken Forest, which is a creature due to Ambush Commander, targeting Yedora.
- 2When the Forest dies, Yedora triggers, returning the Forest from your graveyard to the battlefield face down as a Forest land.
- 3Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to Yedora.
- 4Repeat.
Dissection Tools + One with the Kami
- 1Activate Dissection Tools' equip ability by sacrificing the creature it is attached to, targeting any other creature, ensuring to not select the creature with One with the Kami attached, if able.
- 2One with the Kami triggers, creating a number of 1/1 Spirit creature tokens equal to the sacrificed creature's power.
- 3Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to the targeted creature.
- 4Repeat.
Koll, the Forgemaster + Dissection Tools + Impulsive Pilferer + Puresteel Paladin
- 1Activate an equipment except Dissection Tools' equip ability by paying
, attaching it to Impulsive Pilferer. - 2Activate Dissection Tools by sacrificing Impulsive Pilferer, targeting Koll.
- 3When Impulsive Pilferer dies, it and Koll trigger.
- 4Resolve the Impulsive Pilferer trigger, creating a Treasure token.
- 5Resolve the Koll trigger, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to Koll.
- 7Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding
. - 8Cast Impulsive Pilferer by paying its mana cost.
Koll, the Forgemaster + Dissection Tools + Impulsive Pilferer + Lightning Greaves
- 1Activate Lightning Greaves's equip ability by paying , attaching it to Impulsive Pilferer.
- 2Activate Dissection Tools by sacrificing Impulsive Pilferer, targeting Koll.
- 3When Impulsive Pilferer dies, it and Koll trigger.
- 4Resolve the Impulsive Pilferer trigger, creating a Treasure token.
- 5Resolve the Koll trigger, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to Koll.
- 7Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 8Cast Impulsive Pilferer by paying its mana cost.
Koll, the Forgemaster + Dissection Tools + Impulsive Pilferer + Grafted Wargear
- 1Activate Grafted Wargear's equip ability by paying , attaching it to Impulsive Pilferer.
- 2Activate Dissection Tools by sacrificing Impulsive Pilferer, targeting Koll.
- 3When Impulsive Pilferer dies, it and Koll trigger.
- 4Resolve the Impulsive Pilferer trigger, creating a Treasure token.
- 5Resolve the Koll trigger, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to Koll.
- 7Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 8Cast Impulsive Pilferer by paying its mana cost.
Koll, the Forgemaster + Dissection Tools + Shuko + Impulsive Pilferer
- 1Activate Shuko's equip ability by paying , attaching it to Impulsive Pilferer.
- 2Activate Dissection Tools by sacrificing Impulsive Pilferer, targeting Koll.
- 3When Impulsive Pilferer dies, it and Koll trigger.
- 4Resolve the Impulsive Pilferer trigger, creating a Treasure token.
- 5Resolve the Koll trigger, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to Koll.
- 7Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 8Cast Impulsive Pilferer by paying its mana cost.
Koll, the Forgemaster + Dissection Tools + Puresteel Paladin + Myr Moonvessel
- 1Activate an equipment except Dissection Tools' equip ability by paying , attaching it to Myr Moonvessel.
- 2Activate Dissection Tools by sacrificing Myr Moonvessel, targeting Koll.
- 3When Myr Moonvessel dies, it and Koll trigger.
- 4Resolve the Myr Moonvessel trigger, adding
. - 5Resolve the Koll trigger, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Dissection Tools ability, attaching it to Koll.
- 7Cast Myr Moonvessel by paying its mana cost.
- 8Repeat.
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Meta decks with Dissection Tools
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