Ephemerate 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
Exile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control. Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Complete guide
Ephemerate is a premier defensive and value-oriented spell that allows you to blink your creatures in and out of existence. By briefly exiling a creature you control and returning it, you can trigger enter-the-battlefield abilities or dodge incoming removal. Thanks to the Rebound keyword, you get to repeat this powerful effect for free during your next upkeep.
Blinking for Value
When Ephemerate resolves, you exile a creature you control and immediately return it to the battlefield. Because the creature leaves and returns, the game treats it as a brand-new object. This means any damage marked on it is removed, any counters it had disappear, and it is no longer the target of any spells or abilities that were previously targeting it. Importantly, it returns under its owner's control, which is relevant if an opponent had previously stolen it from you.
The Rebound Mechanic
If you cast Ephemerate from your hand, it doesn't go to the graveyard after resolving; instead, it goes to exile. At the beginning of your next upkeep, a delayed triggered ability goes on the stack allowing you to cast it again for free. You must choose a legal target for the second casting. If you cannot or choose not to, the card stays in exile forever. Note that if the original spell was countered or lost its target before resolving, Rebound does not trigger, and the card goes straight to the graveyard.
Common Mistakes
Players often forget that a token exiled by Ephemerate ceases to exist immediately and will not return to the battlefield. Additionally, keep in mind that any Auras attached to the creature will be put into the graveyard when the creature is exiled, while Equipment will simply fall off and remain on the battlefield. Lastly, the creature returns with 'summoning sickness' unless it has Haste, so you generally cannot attack with it immediately after the blink.
Interaction examples
Swords to PlowsharesAn opponent casts Swords to Plowshares targeting your creature. In response, you cast Ephemerate. Your creature is exiled and immediately returns as a new object. The Swords to Plowshares now has an illegal target and fails to resolve, saving your creature and denying your opponent the life gain.
Path to ExileYou cast Ephemerate from your hand to protect a creature from Path to Exile. The creature returns safely, and Ephemerate is exiled due to Rebound. On your next upkeep, the Rebound trigger occurs. Even if your opponent has no more removal, you can cast Ephemerate again for free to trigger your creature's enter-the-battlefield ability a second time.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Ephemerate
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Once the exiled creature returns, it's considered a new object with no relation to the object that it was. Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners' graveyards. Equipment attached to the exiled creature will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won't return to the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Casting the card again due to rebound's delayed triggered ability is optional. If you choose not to cast the card, or if you can't (perhaps because there are no legal targets available), the card will stay exiled. You won't get another chance to cast it on a future turn. If you do cast the card, it's put into its owner's graveyard as normal once it resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell with rebound that you cast from your hand is countered or doesn't resolve (most likely because its targets have become illegal), none of its effects will happen, including rebound. The spell will be put into its owner's graveyard and you won't get to cast it again on your next turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Preston, the Vanisher + Felidar Guardian + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Ephemerate by paying its mana cost, blinking Felidar Guardian.
- 2Felidar Guardian and Preston trigger.
- 3Resolve the Felidar Guardian trigger, blinking another permanent you control.
- 4Resolve the Preston trigger, creating a token copy of Felidar Guardian that is a 0/1 Illusion.
- 5When the Felidar Guardian token enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking the nontoken Felidar Guardian.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward + Restoration Angel + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Abdel Adrian from the command zone by paying
and command tax, if applicable. - 2Abdel Adrian enters the battlefield, exiling Restoration Angel and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 3Cast Ephemerate by paying , blinking Abdel Adrian.
- 4Abdel Adrian leaves and enters the battlefield, causing Restoration Angel to return to the battlefield from exile, and triggering Abdel Adrian and Restoration Angel's enters-the-battlefield ability.
- 5Resolve the Abdel Adrian trigger, exiling Restoration Angel and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 6Resolve the Restoration Angel trigger, blinking Abdel Adrian.
- 7Repeat from step 4.
Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward + Felidar Guardian + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Abdel Adrian from the command zone by paying and command tax, if applicable.
- 2Abdel Adrian enters the battlefield, exiling Felidar Guardian and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 3Cast Ephemerate by paying , blinking Abdel Adrian.
- 4Abdel Adrian leaves and enters the battlefield, causing Felidar Guardian to return to the battlefield from exile, and triggering Abdel Adrian and Felidar Guardian's enters-the-battlefield ability.
- 5Resolve the Abdel Adrian trigger, exiling Felidar Guardian and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 6Resolve the Felidar Guardian trigger, blinking Abdel Adrian.
- 7Repeat from step 4.
Dualcaster Mage + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Ephemerate by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Ephemerate, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Ephemerate, blinking Dualcaster Mage.
- 5Repeat from step 3.
Preston, the Vanisher + Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward + Fiend Hunter + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Ephemerate by paying , blinking Fiend Hunter.
- 2When Fiend Hunter enters the battlefield, its first ability and Preston trigger.
- 3Resolve the Fiend Hunter trigger, exiling Abdel Adrian.
- 4Resolve the Preston trigger, creating a copy of Fiend Hunter that is a 0/1 Illusion.
- 5When the token Fiend Hunter enters the battlefield, its first ability triggers, exiling the nontoken Fiend Hunter until the token Fiend Hunter leaves the battlefield.
- 6When the nontoken Fiend Hunter leaves the battlefield, its second ability triggers, returning Abdel Adrian from exile to the battlefield.
- 7When Abdel Adrian enters the battlefield, it and Preston trigger.
- 8Resolve the Preston trigger, creating a token copy of Abdel Adrian that is a 0/1 Illusion.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Ephemerate by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Naru Meha enters, it triggers, copying Ephemerate, with the copy targeting Naru Meha.
- 4Resolve the copy of Ephemerate, blinking Naru Meha.
- 5Repeat from step 3.
Ephemerate + Archaeomancer + Time Warp
- 1Cast Time Warp by paying its mana cost, causing you to take an extra turn after this one.
- 2Cast Ephemerate by paying , blinking Archaeomancer and exiling Ephemerate.
- 3When Archaeomancer enters, it triggers, returning Time Warp from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Move to your next turn. At the beginning of your upkeep, Ephemerate's rebound ability triggers, causing you to cast it from exile without paying its mana cost.
- 5Resolve Ephemerate, blinking Archaeomancer.
- 6When Archaeomancer enters, it triggers, returning Ephemerate from your graveyard to your hand.
- 7Repeat.
Lumbering Battlement + Restoration Angel + Ephemerate
- 1Cast Ephemerate by paying , blinking Lumbering Battlement.
- 2Lumbering Battlement leaves the battlefield, causing Restoration Angel to return to the battlefield.
- 3Restoration Angel and Lumbering Battlement enter the battlefield, triggering their abilities.
- 4Resolve the Lumbering Battlement trigger, exiling Restoration Angel until Lumbering Battlement leaves the battlefield.
- 5Resolve the Restoration Angel trigger, blinking Lumbering Battlement.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
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