Enter the Unknown — ruling 1

Enter the Unknown's effect allows you to play an additional land during your main phase. Doing so follows the normal timing rules for playing lands.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 2

The effects of multiples of Enter the Unknown in the same turn are cumulative. They're also cumulative with other effects that let you play additional lands, such as the one from Wayward Swordtooth.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 3

If you somehow manage to cast Enter the Unknown when it's not your turn, the target creature explores when it resolves, but you won't be able to play a land that turn.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 4

If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Enter the Unknown tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. It won't explore, and you won't be able to play an additional land.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 5

If an ability instructs a creature to explore, its controller reveals the top card of their library. If it's a land card, they'll put it into their hand. Otherwise, they'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then choose to either leave that card on top of their library or put it into their graveyard.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 6

Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 7

If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.

Enter the Unknown — ruling 8

If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate.

Enter the Unknown : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Enter the Unknown 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

Target creature you control explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.) You may play an additional land this turn.

Complete guide

Enter the Unknown is a versatile green sorcery that bridges the gap between creature enhancement and mana acceleration. By utilizing the explore mechanic, it helps you dig through your library while potentially granting you the permission to play an extra land for the turn.

What It Does

When you cast Enter the Unknown, you choose one target creature you control. As the spell resolves, that creature explores, which involves revealing the top card of your library to either draw a land or grow the creature with a +1/+1 counter. Additionally, the spell grants you the ability to play an extra land during your turn, similar to effects found on powerful exploration-style cards.

Resolving the Spell Step by Step

First, you target a creature you control. If the target is legal upon resolution, you reveal the top card of your library. If it is a land, put it into your hand; if not, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature and decide whether to leave the card on top or discard it. Finally, the spell grants a continuous effect allowing one additional land play. Note that if the creature is removed in response, the entire spell fails to resolve, and you won't get the extra land play.

Common Mistakes

A common misconception is that the extra land play is tied to the explore action succeeding. While the creature must be a legal target for the spell to resolve, you get the extra land play regardless of whether you revealed a land or a nonland card. However, remember that this is a sorcery; if you cast it on an opponent's turn via an effect like flash, you still cannot play a land on their turn because normal timing rules for lands still apply.

When to Play It

Enter the Unknown is most effective in the early game to ensure you don't miss land drops or to speed up your mana curve. It is also highly effective in decks that care about +1/+1 counters or graveyard synergies, as the explore mechanic allows you to curate the top of your deck or fill your graveyard for later use.

Interaction examples

Maximizing Your Mana

Nature's Lore

On turn two, you cast Nature's Lore to put a Forest onto the battlefield. You then cast Enter the Unknown targeting a creature you played on turn one. Even though you already played a land for the turn and used Nature's Lore to put another into play, Enter the Unknown allows you to play a third land from your hand, resulting in a significant mana advantage for turn three.

Fixing Your Draws

Farseek

You cast Farseek to find a specific land type and shuffle your library. Afterward, you cast Enter the Unknown. Because Farseek shuffled your deck, you have a fresh chance to explore. If you reveal a card you don't need, you can put it into the graveyard, effectively 'cleaning' the top of your library before using your extra land play to accelerate your board state.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Enter the Unknown

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
Enter the Unknown's effect allows you to play an additional land during your main phase. Doing so follows the normal timing rules for playing lands.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
The effects of multiples of Enter the Unknown in the same turn are cumulative. They're also cumulative with other effects that let you play additional lands, such as the one from Wayward Swordtooth.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If you somehow manage to cast Enter the Unknown when it's not your turn, the target creature explores when it resolves, but you won't be able to play a land that turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Enter the Unknown tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. It won't explore, and you won't be able to play an additional land.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If an ability instructs a creature to explore, its controller reveals the top card of their library. If it's a land card, they'll put it into their hand. Otherwise, they'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then choose to either leave that card on top of their library or put it into their graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells or abilities might cause a creature to explore multiple times in a row. If you reveal a nonland card when a creature explores and leave it on top of your library, then the creature explores again immediately afterwards, you'll reveal the same card again.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
In some unusual cases, noncreature permanents may explore. For example, if the creature card returned by Defossilize is somehow not a creature once it's on the battlefield, it can still explore. You'll take all the same actions, and you may end up putting a +1/+1 counter on the permanent. (Note that some effects target a creature, and those effects would still require a legal target to have it explore.)
No other card is named in this ruling.