Fake Your Own Death 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
Until end of turn, target creature gets +2/+0 and gains "When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control and you create a Treasure token." (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Complete guide
Fake Your Own Death is a clever black instant that ensures your best creatures never truly leave the fight. By providing a temporary power boost and a safety net for death, it turns a losing trade into a resource advantage. Whether you are avoiding a board wipe or surprising a blocker, this card is the ultimate insurance policy.
How the Ability Functions
When you cast Fake Your Own Death, the target creature receives a +2/+0 power buff and a specific triggered ability until the end of the turn. This triggered ability monitors the creature; if it moves from the battlefield to the graveyard, the effect triggers. It does not matter how the creature dies—whether through combat damage, being sacrificed, or targeted destruction—as long as it happens before the turn ends.
Resolution Step-by-Step
First, cast the spell and target a creature you control or even one you don't. Once it resolves, the creature gains the buff. If that creature dies, the gained ability triggers and goes on the stack. Upon resolution, the creature card is returned from the graveyard to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control. Simultaneously, the player who controlled the creature when it died creates a Treasure token. Note that if a token creature is targeted, it will trigger the Treasure creation, but the token itself cannot return to the battlefield.
Common Pitfalls
A frequent mistake involves ownership versus control. The creature always returns to its owner's control, regardless of who controlled it when it died. However, the Treasure token is always created by the player who controlled the creature at the moment of its death. Additionally, if the creature is exiled instead of dying (moving to the graveyard), the ability will not trigger at all.
Strategic Timing
The best time to play Fake Your Own Death is in response to a removal spell or during the declare blockers step. Using it during combat allows the +2/+0 bonus to potentially destroy an opponent's creature, while the recursion effect ensures your creature survives the encounter. It also serves as a ritual-like effect if you have a way to sacrifice the creature, providing a fresh Treasure for your next big play.
Interaction examples
TreasureYou attack with a 2/2 creature, and your opponent blocks with their own 2/2. You cast Fake Your Own Death on your creature. It becomes a 4/2. Both creatures die in combat. Your creature's new ability triggers: it returns to the battlefield tapped, and you create a Treasure token, leaving you with a creature and mana for later.
Vampiric Tutor
Dark RitualWith an empty hand except for these cards, you cast Dark Ritual to gain three black mana. You use two mana to cast Fake Your Own Death on a creature you are about to sacrifice to another effect. Once the creature dies and returns, you use the Treasure token generated to pay for Vampiric Tutor, finding the exact card you need for the next turn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Fake Your Own Death
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The Treasure token is created by the creature's controller, who may be different from Fake Your Own Death's controller and may be different from the creature's owner.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If the target creature is a token, the ability still triggers when it dies. Its controller won't return the token to the battlefield, but they will creature a Treasure token.
Card named in this ruling
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Ashnod's Altar
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying
, targeting any creature. - 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying
. - 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage, adding
. - 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Viscera Seer
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting any creature.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying .
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Viscera Seer by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Viscera Seer abilities, causing you to scry 1 that many times.
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Goblin Bombardment
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting any creature.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying .
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Goblin Bombardment by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Goblin Bombardment abilities, dealing that much damage to any target(s).
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Phyrexian Altar
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting any creature.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying .
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage, adding one mana of any color.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Yahenni, Undying Partisan
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting any creature.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying .
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Yahenni, Undying Partisan by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Carrion Feeder
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting any creature.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying .
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Carrion Feeder by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Carrion Feeder abilities, putting that many +1/+1 counters on it.
Dualcaster Mage + Fake Your Own Death + Altar of Dementia
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting any creature.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying .
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters the battlefield, it triggers, copying Fake Your Own Death, targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Fake Your Own Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning itself from your graveyard to the battlefield and creating a Treasure token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Altar of Dementia abilities, causing any number of players to mill that many cards.
Kairi, the Swirling Sky + Fake Your Own Death + Ashnod's Altar
- 1Cast Fake Your Own Death by paying , targeting Kairi.
- 2Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Kairi, adding .
- 3Kairi dies, triggering its ability granted by Fake Your Own Death and its other ability.
- 4Resolve the first Kairi trigger, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped and creating a Treasure token.
- 5Resolve the second Kairi trigger, causing you to mill six cards and return Fake Your Own Death from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Activate the Treasure token by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 7Repeat.
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Meta decks with Fake Your Own Death
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.