Dreadhorde Invasion 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
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life and amass Zombies 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also a Zombie. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token first.) Whenever a Zombie token you control with power 6 or greater attacks, it gains lifelink until end of turn.
Complete guide
Dreadhorde Invasion is a powerful enchantment that provides a constant stream of pressure by growing a single, formidable Zombie Army. This card captures the flavor of an unending siege, rewarding you for maintaining a large token while requiring a small sacrifice of health each turn.
Growing the Horde
At the beginning of your upkeep, Dreadhorde Invasion triggers its primary ability. You lose 1 life and then 'amass Zombies 1.' If you do not control an Army creature, you create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token first. Then, you put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. If that Army isn't already a Zombie, it becomes one in addition to its other types. This process ensures you always have at least one growing threat on the board as long as the enchantment remains.
The Power of Lifelink
The second ability of Dreadhorde Invasion provides a massive payoff for your patience. Whenever a Zombie token you control with power 6 or greater attacks, it gains lifelink until end of turn. It is important to note that this checks the power at the moment the creature is declared as an attacker. If the token's power is boosted later in the combat phase, it won't retroactively gain lifelink; conversely, if its power drops after attacking, it keeps lifelink for the rest of the turn.
Managing Multiple Armies
While Amass typically focuses on one token, certain mechanics like 'changeling' can result in you controlling multiple Army creatures. In these rare cases, when the upkeep trigger resolves, you choose which Army creature receives the +1/+1 counter. You do not create a new token if you already control at least one creature with the Army subtype.
When to Play Dreadhorde Invasion
This card is best suited for control or attrition-based decks that can afford the 1 life per turn. Because it creates a 0/0 token that immediately receives a counter, it interacts uniquely with 'enter the battlefield' effects that check for power. It is an excellent source of repeatable sacrifice fodder or a looming win condition that eventually heals you back once it hits 6 power.
Interaction examples
Black Market ConnectionsIf you use Black Market Connections to create a 3/2 Shapeshifter token with changeling, that token is technically an Army. During your next upkeep, Dreadhorde Invasion will see that you already control an Army (the Shapeshifter). Instead of creating a new 0/0 Zombie Army, you will simply put the +1/+1 counter on the Shapeshifter, making it a 4/3 and adding the Zombie type to its existing types.
Phyrexian ArenaWhen you have both Dreadhorde Invasion and Phyrexian Arena on the battlefield, both will trigger at the beginning of your upkeep. You can choose the order in which they resolve. Typically, you might resolve Phyrexian Arena first to draw your card, then resolve Dreadhorde Invasion to amass your Zombie Army. Note that you will lose a total of 2 life every turn from these combined effects, putting pressure on you to reach that 6-power lifelink threshold quickly.
Zombie ArmyWhen your Zombie Army token reaches 6 power (having 6 counters on it if it started as a 0/0), declaring it as an attacker triggers the second ability of Dreadhorde Invasion. The ability goes on the stack and, upon resolution, the token gains lifelink. Even if your opponent casts a spell to reduce its power to 5 before damage is dealt, the lifelink remains because the condition was met at the moment of attacking.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Dreadhorde Invasion
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Some cards that cause you to amass Zombies also provide bonuses to "Zombie tokens." These affect any token that happens to be a Zombie, not just a Zombie Army you've amassed.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Amass abilities are now written as "amass [subtype] N." Previous cards with amass have received errata to say "amass Zombies N."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Amass Orcs works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token if you don't control an Army. If the Army creature you chose isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Zombies, you can end up with an Orc Zombie Army.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you played a creature with changeling) while you amass Zombies, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
To amass Zombies N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types.
Card named in this ruling
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If you don't control an Army, the Zombie Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.
Card named in this ruling
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If the token's power changes later in the turn after it has attacked, including while Dreadhorde Invasion's second ability is on the stack, it won't cause the token to gain or lose lifelink.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
The power of the Zombie token is checked only immediately after it attacks. Any other abilities that trigger when creatures you control attack won't have resolved yet.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Related cards and tokens
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Dreadhorde Invasion
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.