← MTG Rules

Rules guide · Legendary Creature

Excava, the Risen PastHow it works & interactions with other cards

By the ManaCount desk· 6 min read· Secrets of Strixhaven Commander· April 24, 2026
Carte Magic Excava, the Risen Past

Excava, the Risen Past 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.

01

Official card text

Flying, haste Whenever Excava attacks, return up to one target artifact, creature, or non-Aura enchantment card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield with a finality counter on it. It's a 1/1 Spirit creature with flying in addition to its other types. (If a creature with a finality counter on it would die, exile it instead.)

How it works : Excava, the Risen Past

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

  1. #1· Wizards of the Coast

    If a card in a graveyard has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0 for the purpose of determining its mana value.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  2. #2· Wizards of the Coast

    An artifact creature card or enchantment creature card returned this way will have base power and toughness 1/1.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  3. #3· Wizards of the Coast

    If another effect causes one of the returned permanents to become a creature and sets its base power and toughness as it does so, that creature will have that power and toughness; it won't be 1/1. However, a Vehicle returned this way will remain a 1/1 if you crew it, and a Spacecraft returned this way will remain a 1/1 even if enough charge counters are placed on it for it to become a creature.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

  4. #4· Wizards of the Coast

    An Equipment that's also a creature can't be attached to anything. You can activate its equip ability, but it won't become attached.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

02

Popular combos

Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.

Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
#1

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury

Infinite mana creatures you control can produceInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite untap of creatures you controlInfinite creature ETB
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with haste and mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to a creature with haste and mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
+Anger
#2

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury + Anger

Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite combat damageInfinite combat phases
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to another creature with mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Second Chance
+Solemnity
#3

Excava, the Risen Past + Second Chance + Solemnity

Infinite turnsLock
  1. 1At the beginning of your upkeep, Second Chance triggers, causing you to sacrifice it and get an extra turn after this one.
  2. 2Declare Excava as an attacker. It triggers, returning Second Chance from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Repeat each turn.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
+Lavaleaper
#4

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury + Lavaleaper

Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite combat damageInfinite combat phases
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to another creature with mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
+Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded
#5

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury + Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded

Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite combat damageInfinite combat phases
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to another creature with mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
+Tannuk, Steadfast Second
#6

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury + Tannuk, Steadfast Second

Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite combat damageInfinite combat phases
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to another creature with mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
+Fervor
#7

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury + Fervor

Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite combat damageInfinite combat phases
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to another creature with mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
Excava, the Risen Past
+Solemnity
+Breath of Fury
+Samut, Tyrant Smasher
#8

Excava, the Risen Past + Solemnity + Breath of Fury + Samut, Tyrant Smasher

Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite combat damageInfinite combat phases
  1. 1Declare Excava and the creature with Breath of Fury attached as attackers.
  2. 2Excava triggers, returning up to one creature with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It won't enter with a finality counter on it due to Solemnity.
  3. 3Deal combat damage using the creature that has Breath of Fury attached.
  4. 4Breath of Fury triggers, causing you to sacrifice the creature it is attached to, then attach Breath of Fury to another creature with mana value 3 or less, then causing you to untap all creatures you control and to get an additional combat phase after this one.
  5. 5Repeat each combat phase.
03

Legal formats

historictimelessgladiatorlegacyvintagecommanderoathbreakerbrawlcompetitivebrawlduel
0 Image

Commentaires

  • Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.

Read next

Meta decks with Excava, the Risen Past

Explore the meta
Official source