Flickering Ward — ruling 1

If you choose White, the enchanted creature will have Protection from White. This will cause any other white Auras attached to that creature to be put into their owner's graveyard, but Flickering Ward will remain on the battlefield.

Flickering Ward : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Flickering Ward 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

Enchant creature As this Aura enters, choose a color. Enchanted creature has protection from the chosen color. This effect doesn't remove this Aura. : Return this Aura to its owner's hand.

Complete guide

Flickering Ward is a classic defensive tool that offers your creatures unparalleled flexibility on the battlefield. By choosing a color as it enters, you can shield your champion from removal or ensure they can walk past defenders unblocked.

Choosing Your Shield

As Flickering Ward enters the battlefield, you choose a color. This is not a triggered ability, so it doesn't use the stack and cannot be responded to. The enchanted creature immediately gains protection from that color. While protection usually causes Auras of that color to fall off, Flickering Ward has a special exception: it explicitly states that its own effect does not remove it, even if you choose White.

The Bounce Ability

For a single white mana, you can return Flickering Ward to its owner's hand. This is an activated ability that can be used at any time you have priority. This allows you to 'reset' the protection if your opponent tries to target the creature with a different color, or simply to save the enchantment from being destroyed by a removal spell.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is forgetting how protection interacts with other enchantments. If you choose White, Flickering Ward stays, but any other white Auras or Equipment on that creature will fall off and go to the graveyard. Also, remember that protection prevents Damage, Enchanting/Equipping, Blocking, and Targeting (DEBT); it does not protect from board wipes that do not target or deal damage.

Interaction examples

Protecting Your Assets

Authority of the Consuls

If your opponent has Authority of the Consuls, your creatures enter tapped. However, if you have a creature already on board and you cast Flickering Ward choosing White, your creature gains protection from White. While this doesn't stop Authority of the Consuls from affecting new creatures entering, it does mean white spells like 'Path to Exile' can no longer target your protected creature.

Evading Construct Blockers

Urza's Saga

Imagine your opponent has a massive Construct token generated by Urza's Saga. These tokens are colorless. If you cast Flickering Ward, you must choose a color (White, Blue, Black, Red, or Green). You cannot choose 'colorless.' Therefore, Flickering Ward cannot give a creature protection from the artifacts generated by Urza's Saga, as they lack a color.

The Self-Preservation Loop

If an opponent casts a spell to destroy Flickering Ward, you can pay {W} in response to return it to your hand. The opponent's spell will lose its target and fizzle. On your next turn, you can recast Flickering Ward and choose a new color, making it a nightmare for opponents to permanently remove.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Flickering Ward

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
If you choose White, the enchanted creature will have Protection from White. This will cause any other white Auras attached to that creature to be put into their owner's graveyard, but Flickering Ward will remain on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.