Feign 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 gains "When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it."
Complete guide
Feign Death is a powerful one-mana instant that ensures your most valuable creatures have a second chance at life. By granting a temporary triggered ability, it protects your board from removal while potentially making your creature even stronger. Whether you are avoiding a board wipe or seeking to reuse a powerful effect, this spell is a staple for black decks.
Granting Resiliency
When you cast Feign Death, you target a creature currently on the battlefield. It gains a specific triggered ability that lasts until the end of the current turn. This ability only triggers if the creature moves from the battlefield to the graveyard. If the creature is exiled or returned to your hand instead, Feign Death will not bring it back.
Resolution and Timing
Once the creature with the Feign Death buff dies, the granted ability triggers and goes on the stack. When that trigger resolves, the card is moved from the graveyard back to the battlefield. It enters the battlefield tapped and receives a +1/+1 counter. Note that the creature is considered a new object with no memory of its previous existence, except for the fact that it was the card that just died.
Common Pitfalls
A frequent mistake is forgetting that the creature returns under its owner's control, not necessarily the controller's. If you use Feign Death on a creature you stole from an opponent, it will return to their side of the field when it dies. Additionally, because the creature returns as a new object, any other counters or Auras that were on it before it died will not stay on it.
Strategic Implementation
The best time to cast Feign Death is in response to a removal spell or just before a combat trade. Since it only costs one black mana, it is easy to keep open during crucial turns. It is also an excellent way to re-trigger 'enters-the-battlefield' abilities for a very low investment.
Interaction examples
Dark RitualIf you have a creature you must protect but lack the mana, you can cast Dark Ritual to add three black mana to your pool. Use one of those mana to cast Feign Death on your creature. If an opponent tries to destroy it later that turn, the creature will return to the battlefield tapped with a +1/+1 counter, and you will still have two black mana left in your pool for other spells.
Vampiric TutorIn a scenario where your creature is about to die, you can cast Feign Death to ensure its return. After the creature dies and returns to the battlefield with its +1/+1 counter, you can cast Vampiric Tutor to search for a way to protect it further or a card to win the game, placing that card on top of your library for your next draw.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Feign Death
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Ashnod's Altar + Dualcaster Mage + Feign Death
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Viscera Seer + Dualcaster Mage + Feign Death
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Viscera Seer by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Viscera Seer abilities from step 5.
Goblin Bombardment + Dualcaster Mage + Feign Death
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Goblin Bombardment by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Goblin Bombardment abilities from step 5.
Phyrexian Altar + Dualcaster Mage + Feign Death
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Dualcaster Mage + Carrion Feeder + Feign Death
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Carrion Feeder by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Carrion Feeder abilities from step 5.
Altar of Dementia + Dualcaster Mage + Feign Death
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Altar of Dementia abilities from step 5.
Dualcaster Mage + Feign Death + Yahenni, Undying Partisan
- 1Cast Feign Death by paying its mana cost.
- 2Holding priority, cast Dualcaster Mage by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Dualcaster Mage enters, it triggers, copying Feign Death, with the copy targeting Dualcaster Mage.
- 4Resolve the copy of Feign Death.
- 5Holding priority, activate Yahenni by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage.
- 6When Dualcaster Mage dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Resolve all Yahenni abilities from step 5.
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed + Pitiless Plunderer + Feign Death
- 1During your precombat main phase, cast Feign Death by paying
, targeting Xiahou Dun. - 2Activate Xiahou Dun by sacrificing it, targeting Feign Death.
- 3When Xiahou Dun dies, it and Pitiless Plunderer trigger.
- 4Resolve the Pitiless Plunderer trigger, creating a Treasure token.
- 5Resolve the Xiahou Dun trigger, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 6Resolve the Xiahou Dun ability from step 2, returning Feign Death from your graveyard to your hand.
- 7Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding .
- 8Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Feign Death
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