Emerald Dragon // Dissonant Wave 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, trample Counter target activated or triggered ability from a noncreature source. (Then exile this card. You may cast the creature later from exile.)
Complete guide
Emerald Dragon // Dissonant Wave is a versatile green card that offers both high-impact combat presence and rare utility. It functions as both a powerful flying finisher and a specialized counterspell that disrupts noncreature strategies. By using the Adventure mechanic, you can stop a pivotal ability and save the creature for a later turn.
What it Does
Emerald Dragon is a 4/4 creature with Flying and Trample, providing green decks with evasive aggression. Its Adventure side, Dissonant Wave, is a three-mana instant that counters a target activated or triggered ability from a noncreature source. This includes abilities from artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, or even cards in graveyards and hands like Cycling, provided they are not creatures.
How it Resolves Step by Step
When you cast Dissonant Wave, you target an eligible ability currently on the stack. 1. Check if the source is a noncreature (an artifact's activated ability or an enchantment's trigger, for example). 2. Upon resolution, the targeted ability is removed from the stack and will not happen. 3. Dissonant Wave then exiles itself as part of its resolution. 4. While in exile, you may cast Emerald Dragon as a creature during any of your main phases when the stack is empty.
Common Mistakes
The most frequent error is attempting to counter mana abilities or creature abilities. Dissonant Wave cannot target abilities from creature sources, nor can it target mana abilities (abilities that produce mana, don't target, and aren't loyalty abilities). Additionally, if Dissonant Wave is countered or fails to resolve because its target becomes illegal, the card goes to the graveyard instead of exile, and you lose the ability to cast Emerald Dragon later.
When to Play it
Use Dissonant Wave to stop high-impact noncreature triggers, such as the ultimate ability of a Planeswalker or a powerful Saga chapter. It is also excellent for stopping 'enters-the-battlefield' triggers from artifacts or enchantments. Once the threat is neutralized, Emerald Dragon serves as a reliable threat to close out the game, especially against opponents who lack flying blockers.
Interaction examples
On an AdventureIf an opponent controls an enchantment that triggers at the beginning of their upkeep, you can cast Dissonant Wave to counter that specific trigger. Once Dissonant Wave resolves and counters the ability, the card is placed in exile. You can track this by placing it 'On an Adventure', allowing you to cast the Emerald Dragon creature later.
Avenger of Zendikar
Seedborn MuseIf your opponent plays Avenger of Zendikar, Dissonant Wave cannot target its 'enters the battlefield' trigger because the source is a creature. Similarly, Seedborn Muse creates a static effect, not a triggered ability, so there is no ability on the stack for Dissonant Wave to target. Dissonant Wave is strictly reserved for noncreature activated or triggered abilities.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Emerald Dragon // Dissonant Wave
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Activated abilities are written in the form “Cost: Effect.” Some keyword abilities, such as equip, are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder texts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Triggered abilities use the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” They're often written as “[Trigger condition], [effect].” Some keyword abilities, such as prowess and myriad, are triggered abilities and will have “when,” “whenever,” or “at” in their reminder texts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you counter a delayed triggered ability that triggers at the beginning of the “next” occurrence of a specified step or phase, that ability won't trigger again the following time that phase or step occurs.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Mana abilities can't be targeted. An activated mana ability is one that could produce mana as it resolves, doesn't require a target, and isn't a loyalty ability. A triggered mana ability is one that could produce mana as it resolves, triggers on the resolution of an activated mana ability or on mana being added, and doesn't require a target.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Abilities that create replacement effects, such as a permanent entering the battlefield tapped or with counters on it, can't be targeted. Abilities that apply “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” are also replacement effects and can't be targeted.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Activated and triggered abilities from noncreature sources include abilities of noncreature cards that can be activated or triggered from other zones, such as cycling abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
An adventurer card is a permanent card in every zone except the stack, as well as while on the stack if not cast as an Adventure. Ignore its alternative characteristics in those cases. For example, while it’s in your graveyard, Altar of Bhaal is an artifact card whose mana value is 2.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
When casting a spell as an Adventure, use the alternative characteristics and ignore all of the card’s normal characteristics. The spell’s color, mana cost, mana value, and so on are determined by only those alternative characteristics. If the spell leaves the stack, it immediately resumes using its normal characteristics.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast an adventurer card as an Adventure, use only its alternative characteristics to determine whether it’s legal to cast that spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell is cast as an Adventure, its controller exiles it instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard as it resolves. For as long as it remains exiled, that player may cast it as a permanent spell. If an Adventure spell leaves the stack in any way other than resolving (most likely by being countered or by failing to resolve because its targets have all become illegal), that card won’t be exiled and the spell’s controller won’t be able to cast it as a permanent later.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If an adventurer card ends up in exile for any other reason than by exiling itself while resolving, it won’t give you permission to cast it as a permanent spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
You must still follow any relevant timing rules for the permanent spell you cast from exile. Normally, you’ll be able to cast it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect copies an Adventure spell, that copy is exiled as it resolves. It ceases to exist as a state-based action; it’s not possible to cast the copy from exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
An effect may refer to a card, spell, or permanent that “has an Adventure.” This refers to a card, spell, or permanent that has an adventurer card’s set of alternative characteristics, even if they’re not being used and even if that card was never cast as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
If an object becomes a copy of an object that has an Adventure, the copy also has an Adventure. If it changes zones, it will either cease to exist (if it’s a token) or cease to be a copy (if it’s a nontoken permanent), and so you won’t be able to cast it as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #16· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose the alternative Adventure name. Consider only the alternative characteristics to determine whether that is an appropriate name to choose.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #17· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a card as an Adventure isn’t casting it for an alternative cost. Effects that allow you to cast a spell for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost may allow you to apply those to the Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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