Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius 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
Spells you cast from your graveyard or from exile costless to cast. Plotting cards from your hand costs
Complete guide
Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius is a powerful Bear Druid that rewards players for utilizing unconventional zones like the graveyard and exile. By providing a significant cost reduction, he allows you to chain together spells and plan for future turns with the Plot mechanic. Whether you are flash-casting from the bin or setting up a big turn from exile, this genius has the math covered.
A Master of Efficiency
Doc Aurlock provides two distinct cost reductions. First, any spell you cast from your graveyard or from exile costs {2} less to cast. Second, the cost to use the Plot special action from your hand is also reduced by {2}. Note that these abilities only reduce generic mana; you must still pay any colored mana requirements in the spell's cost or the Plot cost.
Resolution Step-by-Step
When you choose to cast a spell from exile or your graveyard, you first determine the total cost. You start with the mana cost (or alternative cost), add any additional costs like kicker, and then subtract cost reductions like Doc Aurlock's. Finally, you pay the resulting mana. For Plotting, you simply announce the special action during your main phase, pay the reduced cost, and move the card to exile. Because Plotting is a special action, opponents cannot respond to the action itself while the card is in your hand.
Timing and Restrictions
It is important to remember that while Doc Aurlock makes Plotting cheaper, he does not change the timing rules. You still cannot cast a plotted card on the same turn you plotted it. Furthermore, if a card has {X} in its mana cost and you cast it for free from exile via Plot, X must be 0. Doc Aurlock's reduction applies only to the initial cost to Plot the card or to cast a spell from those specific zones; it does not change the mana value of the spell.
Strategic Synergy
Doc Aurlock shines in decks that utilize Flashback, Escape, or the new Plot mechanic. By lowering the entry barrier for these spells, you can save your mana from sources like Birds of Paradise for other interactions, ensuring you remain ahead on board state while your graveyard acts as a second hand.
Interaction examples
Birds of ParadiseIf you have a card in hand with Plot {3}{G}, Doc Aurlock's ability reduces the generic mana, making the cost to Plot only {1}{G}. You can tap Birds of Paradise for the {G} and use one other land for the {1}, exiling the card to be cast for free on a later turn.
Llanowar ElvesWith Doc Aurlock on the battlefield, casting a spell from your graveyard that costs {2}{G} will only require {G} to be paid. You can tap Llanowar Elves to provide that single green mana, effectively casting the spell for a total cost of one mana instead of three.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Doc Aurlock’s abilities don’t change the mana cost or mana value of any spell. They change only the total cost you pay to cast spells or plot cards from the appropriate zones.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Doc Aurlock’s abilities can’t reduce the amount of colored mana you pay for a spell or ability. It reduces only the generic mana component of that spell or ability’s cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Plot abilities are written “Plot [cost],” which means “Any time you have priority during your main phase while the stack is empty, you may pay [cost] and exile this card from your hand. It becomes plotted.”
Card named in this ruling
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Exiling a card using its plot ability is a special action. Once you announce you’re taking that action, no other player can respond by trying to remove that card from your hand.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
You can’t cast a plotted card on the same turn it became plotted. On any future turn, you may cast that card from exile without paying its mana cost during your main phase while the stack is empty.
Card named in this ruling
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you’re casting a plotted card from exile without paying its mana cost, you can’t choose to cast it for any other alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the plotted card has any mandatory additional costs, those must still be paid to cast the spell.
Card named in this ruling
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If a plotted card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.Card named in this ruling
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Appa, Steadfast Guardian + Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Aang, Swift Savior // Aang and La, Ocean's Fury
- 1Cast Aang by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang enters, it triggers, airbending Appa.
- 3Cast Appa from exile by paying
due to Doc Aurlock. - 4When Appa enters, it triggers, airbending Aang
- 5Cast Aang from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Appa, Steadfast Guardian + Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Aang, Airbending Master
- 1Cast Aang by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang enters, it triggers, airbending Appa.
- 3Cast Appa from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 4When Appa enters, it triggers, airbending Aang.
- 5Cast Aang from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Appa's second ability triggers, creating a 1/1 Ally creature token.
- 7Repeat from step 2.
Appa, Steadfast Guardian + Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Aang, the Last Airbender
- 1Cast Aang by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang enters, it triggers, airbending Appa.
- 3Cast Appa from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 4When Appa enters, it triggers, airbending Aang.
- 5Cast Aang from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Appa's second ability triggers, creating a 1/1 Ally creature token.
- 7Repeat from step 2.
Monk Gyatso + Lightning Greaves + Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius
- 1Activate Lightning Greaves's equip ability by paying , targeting another nontoken creature you control.
- 2Monk Gyatso triggers, airbending the targeted creature.
- 3The Lightning Greaves ability fizzles due to no longer having a legal target.
- 4Cast the creature from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 5Repeat.
Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Appa, Loyal Sky Bison + Aang, Swift Savior // Aang and La, Ocean's Fury
- 1Cast Aang by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang enters, it triggers, airbending Appa.
- 3Cast Appa from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 4When Appa enters, it triggers, airbending Aang
- 5Cast Aang from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Aang, Airbending Master + Aang, the Last Airbender
- 1Cast Aang, the Last Airbender by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang, the Last Airbender enters, it triggers, airbending Aang, Airbending Master.
- 3Cast Aang, Airbending Master from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 4When Aang, Airbending Master enters, it triggers, airbending Aang, the Last Airbender.
- 5Cast Aang, the Last Airbender from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Aang, the Last Airbender + Appa, Loyal Sky Bison
- 1Cast Aang by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang enters, it triggers, airbending Appa.
- 3Cast Appa from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 4When Appa enters, it triggers, airbending Aang.
- 5Cast Aang from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius + Aang, Airbending Master + Appa, Loyal Sky Bison
- 1Cast Aang by paying its mana cost.
- 2When Aang enters, it triggers, airbending Appa.
- 3Cast Appa from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 4When Appa enters, it triggers, airbending Aang.
- 5Cast Aang from exile by paying due to Doc Aurlock.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
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