Exquisite Huntmaster 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
When this creature dies, create a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token. Encore(
Complete guide
Exquisite Huntmaster is a resilient Elf Warrior that ensures your board presence remains strong even after it perishes. With the Encore ability, it can return from the grave for one final, explosive assault against every opponent at once.
Understanding Encore
Encore is a keyword ability that functions only while Exquisite Huntmaster is in your graveyard. By paying its Encore cost and exiling the card as a sorcery, you create a temporary token copy for each opponent you currently have. These tokens gain haste and are forced to attack their designated opponent if able, before being sacrificed at the start of the next end step.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, activate the ability by paying the mana cost and exiling the card; this cost cannot be interrupted by opponents. Upon resolution, check the number of opponents still in the game and create that many tokens. During the combat phase, each token must be declared as an attacker against the specific opponent it was created for. Finally, at the beginning of the next end step, the delayed trigger goes on the stack to sacrifice these tokens. Because they are sacrificed, their 'When this creature dies' ability will trigger, leaving you with 1/1 Elf Warrior tokens.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is forgetting that you do not get to choose who the Encore tokens attack; they are legally bound to attack the specific opponent they represent. If an effect prevents a token from attacking its assigned player, it can attack a planeswalker or battle that player controls, but you aren't forced to pay costs (like Ghostly Prison) to make it attack. Additionally, if you lose control of a token before the end step, you cannot sacrifice it, and it will stay on the battlefield.
When to Play It
The best time to use Encore is when your opponents are low on blockers or when you specifically need 'enters the battlefield' or 'dies' triggers. Since Exquisite Huntmaster creates another token when it dies, an Encore activation essentially nets you both immediate damage and a permanent board of 1/1 Elf Warriors for the following turn.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Elf', Exquisite Huntmaster's death trigger will fire twice. When the original dies, you get two 1/1 Elf Warrior tokens. If you later use Encore, each token's death trigger will also trigger twice, potentially creating a massive army of 1/1 tokens from a single graveyard activation.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you have both in a graveyard and limited mana, Exquisite Huntmaster provides better board presence after a sweep. While Solemn Simulacrum provides a land and a card, the Huntmaster's Encore in a three-player game creates two tokens that attack, then die to create two 1/1 Elf Warrior tokens, replacing themselves immediately.
CopyWhen you activate Encore, you use a Copy token to represent the Huntmaster. This copy has the exact same attributes as the original card, including the ability to create an Elf Warrior token when it dies. Even though the Encore tokens are temporary, the 1/1 Elf Warrior tokens they leave behind are permanent.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Exquisite Huntmaster
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect stops a token from attacking a specific player, that token can attack any player, planeswalker, or battle, or not attack at all. If the effect stops the token from attacking a specific player unless a cost is paid, you don't have to pay that cost unless you want to attack that player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Opponents who have left the game aren't counted when determining how many tokens to create.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The tokens copy only what's on the original card. Effects that modified that creature when it was previously on the battlefield won't be copied.
Card named in this ruling
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Exiling the card with encore is a cost to activate the ability. Once you announce that you're activating it, no player may take actions until you've finished. They can't try to remove the card from your graveyard to stop you from paying the cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If one of the tokens can't attack for any reason (such as being tapped), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, you aren't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If one of the tokens somehow is under another player's control as the delayed triggered ability resolves, you can't sacrifice that token. It remains on the battlefield indefinitely, even if you regain control of it later.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Each token must attack the appropriate player if able.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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Meta decks with Exquisite Huntmaster
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