Ethereal Ambush 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
Manifest the top two cards of your library. (To manifest a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Complete guide
Ethereal Ambush is a versatile Simic instant that allows you to surprise your opponents by populating your board with hidden threats directly from your library. By manifesting the top two cards of your deck, you gain two 2/2 creatures that have the potential to reveal themselves as powerful permanents later in the game.
What It Does
Ethereal Ambush places the top two cards of your library onto the battlefield face down as 2/2 colorless creatures. These creatures have no name, no creature types, and a mana value of 0. If a manifested card is a creature card, you can pay its mana cost as a special action at any time you have priority to turn it face up. If the card is not a creature card (such as an instant or sorcery), it generally remains a 2/2 creature unless another effect allows it to turn face up.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, identify the top card of your library and put it onto the battlefield face down. Second, identify the new top card of your library and put that onto the battlefield face down as well. It is important to note that these cards enter one at a time; if you are playing with the top card of your library revealed, you will see the second card before it is manifested. You must maintain a clear order on the battlefield so players know which card was manifested first.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to trigger 'enters-the-battlefield' abilities when turning a manifested creature face up; since the permanent was already on the battlefield, these do not trigger. Additionally, remember that you must reveal any face-down permanents you control if they leave the battlefield or if the game ends. Finally, while you can look at your own face-down cards at any time, you cannot shuffle or mix them up to confuse your opponent about which card is which.
When to Play It
As an instant, Ethereal Ambush is an excellent combat trick or end-of-turn play. You can use it to create two blockers out of nowhere during an opponent's attack step, or cast it right before your turn begins to have two attackers ready to go. It is also a great way to 'cheat' expensive creatures onto the battlefield, as turning them face up is a special action that does not use the stack and cannot be countered.
Interaction examples
During your opponent's declare attackers step, you cast Ethereal Ambush. You manifest the top two cards of your library as 2/2 creatures. You can then immediately use these new creatures to block incoming attackers, potentially trading with their units or simply absorbing damage.
Return of the WildspeakerAfter manifesting two cards with Ethereal Ambush, they are non-Human 2/2 creatures. If you cast Return of the Wildspeaker choosing the first mode, you will draw at least two cards. If you later turn one of those manifested cards face up and it has a high power, such as a 6/6 creature, a subsequent Return of the Wildspeaker would allow you to draw six cards instead.
Force of WillIf you cast Ethereal Ambush and one of the top cards is Force of Will, that card becomes a 2/2 creature. Since Force of Will is an instant and not a creature card, you cannot turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If it leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it to show it was Force of Will. However, while it is on the battlefield, it still functions perfectly as a 2/2 creature for combat or sacrificial purposes.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Ethereal Ambush
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Because face-down creatures don't have names, they can't have the same name as any other creature, even another face-down creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent, as well as Auras and Equipment that were attached to the permanent, aren't affected.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Turning a permanent face up or face down doesn't change whether that permanent is tapped or untapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
At any time, you can look at a face-down permanent you control. You can't look at face-down permanents you don't control unless an effect allows you to or instructs you to.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If a face-down permanent you control leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it. You must also reveal all face-down spells and permanents you control if you leave the game or if the game ends.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
The cards are manifested one at a time. It must remain clear which face-down creature was the top card of your library and which one was the second card of your library.
Card named in this ruling
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If you're playing with the top card of your library revealed as Ethereal Ambush resolves (perhaps because you control a card such as Courser of Kruphix), you'll manifest the top card, reveal the next card (now the top card), and then manifest that card.
Card named in this ruling
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The face-down permanent is a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It's colorless and has a mana value of 0. Other effects that apply to the permanent can still grant or change any of these characteristics.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Any time you have priority, you may turn a manifested creature face up by revealing that it's a creature card (ignoring any copy effects or type-changing effects that might be applying to it) and paying its mana cost. This is a special action. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
Card named in this ruling
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If a manifested creature would have morph if it were face up, you may also turn it face up by paying its morph cost.
Card named in this ruling
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
Unlike a face-down creature that was cast using the morph ability, a manifested creature may still be turned face up after it loses its abilities if it's a creature card.
Card named in this ruling
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it's turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn't cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You're not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield in order to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for indicating this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield. You must also track how each became face down (manifested, cast face down using the morph ability, and so on).
Card named in this ruling
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
There are no cards in the Fate Reforged set that would turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, but some older cards can try to do this. If something tries to turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, reveal that card to show all players it's an instant or sorcery card. The permanent remains on the battlefield face down. Abilities that trigger when a permanent turns face up won't trigger, because even though you revealed the card, it never turned face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down. While face down, it can't transform. If the front face of the card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up.
Card named in this ruling
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Kitsa, Otterball Elite + Ashnod's Altar + Intruder Alarm + Ethereal Ambush
- 1Cast Ethereal Ambush by paying its mana cost.
- 2Kitsa's prowess ability triggers, giving it +1/+1 until end of turn.
- 3Holding priority, activate Kitsa's second ability by paying
and tapping it, copying Ethereal Ambush. - 4Resolve the copy of Ethereal Ambush, causing you to put a card from your library onto the battlefield face-down as a 2/2 creature.
- 5When the creature enters, Intruder Alarm triggers, untapping all creatures.
- 6Holding priority, activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing the face-down creature, adding
. - 7Repeat from step 3
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Meta decks with Ethereal Ambush
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