Erica Ortegas, Plucky PilotHow it works & interactions with other cards

Tapping for Profit

Erica Ortegas features a triggered ability that fires whenever she becomes tapped. Unlike many creatures that require attacking to trigger, Erica's ability functions if she is tapped for any reason, such as being used to pay a crew cost or being affected by an opponent's spell. When the ability resolves, you have the option to put a land card from your hand directly onto the battlefield. This is not your normal land play for the turn, allowing you to jump ahead of the mana curve.

The Delayed Return

The second part of Erica's ability is a delayed triggered ability. If you choose to put a land onto the battlefield during the resolution of the first trigger, a second event is scheduled for the beginning of the next end step. At that time, you must choose a land you control and return it to its owner's hand. It is important to note that you do not have to return the same land you just put down; you can choose any land you control when the end step trigger resolves.

Strategic Considerations

Common mistakes involve forgetting that the land return is mandatory if you utilized the first part of the ability. However, this can be an advantage. You can use this to 'reset' lands with enter-the-battlefield effects or to ensure you have a land in hand to trigger Erica again on your next turn. Because the ability triggers 'whenever' she becomes tapped, effects that untap her allow you to potentially put multiple lands into play in a single turn, provided you have ways to tap her again.

Interaction examples

Doubling Down with the Throne

Roaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Human' or 'Pilot' chosen, Erica's ability triggers twice when she taps. You may put two lands from your hand onto the battlefield. Consequently, two separate delayed triggers will go onto the stack at the beginning of the next end step, requiring you to return two lands to your hand.

Recycling Utility Lands

Solemn Simulacrum

After Solemn Simulacrum enters and fetches a basic land, you can attack with Erica Ortegas. Her trigger allows you to put a new land into play. At the beginning of the end step, the delayed trigger occurs. You can choose to return a land that has a special 'enters-the-battlefield' effect back to your hand, allowing you to replay it later for more value, while keeping the land Solemn Simulacrum provided.