Emergency Powers 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
Each player shuffles their hand and graveyard into their library, then draws seven cards. Exile Emergency Powers. Addendum — If you cast this spell during your main phase, you may put a permanent card with mana value 7 or less from your hand onto the battlefield.
Complete guide
Emergency Powers is a high-impact blue and white instant that resets the game state for all players while potentially giving you a massive tempo advantage. By shuffling away exhausted resources and replenishing everyone's hands, it serves as both a political tool and a powerful combo enabler. The card shines brightest when used during your own turn to capitalize on its unique Addendum bonus.
A Complete Game Reset
When Emergency Powers resolves, every player must take their current hand and their entire graveyard and shuffle them back into their library. Once the libraries are randomized, each player draws exactly seven cards. This effectively wipes away graveyard-based strategies and forces everyone to work with a fresh set of resources. Finally, as the spell finishes its base effect, it is exiled to prevent it from being easily recurred from the graveyard.
Understanding the Addendum Bonus
While Emergency Powers is an instant, it features the Addendum keyword. If you cast this spell during your main phase, you receive a significant bonus: you may put a permanent card with mana value 7 or less from your hand onto the battlefield. This happens as part of the spell's resolution, after you have drawn your seven new cards. This means you can drop a powerful creature, enchantment, or planeswalker that you just drew, effectively bypassing its mana cost.
Timing and Strategy
A common mistake is forgetting that the Addendum bonus only applies if you cast the spell during your main phase; casting it during your combat phase or an opponent's turn will not trigger the permanent-drop effect. Additionally, if the spell is countered, you do not get to shuffle, draw, or use the Addendum ability. If you choose to put a card with {X} in its mana cost onto the battlefield via Addendum, keep in mind that X must be 0.
Interaction examples
Dig Through TimeIf your opponent attempts to cast Dig Through Time by exiling cards from their graveyard to pay for Delve, you can cast Emergency Powers in response. Emergency Powers will resolve first, shuffling their graveyard into their library. When Dig Through Time finally attempts to resolve, your opponent will have a fresh hand of seven cards, but their graveyard will be empty for future Delve attempts.
Sublime EpiphanyDuring your main phase, you cast Emergency Powers. It resolves, everyone shuffles and draws seven. Because it is your main phase, the Addendum ability triggers. From your seven new cards, you find a permanent and put it onto the battlefield. If an opponent tried to use Sublime Epiphany to counter your spell, the entire effect—including the shuffle and the Addendum bonus—would be prevented.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Emergency Powers
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Addendum abilities of instant spells apply while the spell is resolving, not immediately after casting it. If the spell is countered, you don't get the addendum bonus.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect copies a spell with an addendum ability while it's on the stack, the copy wasn't cast at all, so you won't get the addendum bonus.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a card in your hand has
in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Emergency Powers
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.