Ghoulish Impetus 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 Enchanted creature gets +1/+1, has deathtouch, and is goaded. (It attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.) When enchanted creature dies, return this card to the battlefield at the beginning of the next end step.
Complete guide
Ghoulish Impetus is a persistent black Aura that turns any creature into a recurring nightmare for your opponents. By granting deathtouch, a stat boost, and the goaded keyword, it ensures the battlefield remains chaotic while refusing to stay in the graveyard.
What It Does
This Aura provides three specific buffs to the enchanted creature: +1/+1, deathtouch, and the goaded condition. A goaded creature is forced to attack each combat if able and must attack a player other than you (the controller of Ghoulish Impetus) if able. Most importantly, if the creature dies, Ghoulish Impetus will claw its way back from the graveyard to the battlefield during the next end step.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, cast Ghoulish Impetus targeting a creature. Once it resolves, that creature must attack in every possible combat, but not at you. If the creature dies, the triggered ability goes on the stack. The card stays in the graveyard until the next end step begins, at which point it returns to the battlefield. Because the return ability doesn't say 'attach to a creature,' you choose a legal creature to enchant as it enters the battlefield. This choice does not target, meaning you can even enchant creatures with hexproof.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is thinking goad forces an attack even if the creature is tapped or affected by summoning sickness; if a creature is unable to attack due to game rules or costs, it simply doesn't attack. Another mistake is forgetting the timing of the return; if the creature dies during an end step, Ghoulish Impetus won't return until the beginning of the next turn's end step.
When to Play It
Use this card to weaponize your opponents' utility creatures or to ensure a high-value threat is constantly put in harm's way. Since it returns automatically, it is excellent for grindy games where you expect frequent board wipes or creature trades.
Interaction examples
Black Market ConnectionsIf you use Black Market Connections to create a 3/2 Shapeshifter token, you can enchant that token with Ghoulish Impetus. If the token is blocked and dies due to its own deathtouch trade, Ghoulish Impetus will return at the end of the turn, ready to be placed on a new token created during your next main phase.
Phyrexian ArenaWhile Phyrexian Arena draws you extra cards to find your Ghoulish Impetus, the Aura helps protect your life total. By goading an opponent's largest creature, you ensure that even as you lose life to the Arena, you aren't taking combat damage from that specific threat, as it is forced to attack someone else.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Ghoulish Impetus
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If, during a player's declare attackers step, a creature that player controls that's been goaded is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having a creature attack a player, its controller isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack that player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Attacking with a goaded creature doesn't cause it to stop being goaded. If a creature you control has been goaded by multiple opponents, it must attack one of your opponents that hasn't goaded it, as that fulfills the maximum number of goad requirements. If a creature you control has been goaded by each of your opponents, the creature must attack an opponent (rather than a planeswalker or battle), but you choose which opponent it attacks.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Being goaded isn't an ability the creature has. Once it's been goaded, it must attack as detailed above even if it loses all abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature doesn't meet any of the above exceptions and can attack, it must attack a player other than the controller of the spell or ability that goaded it if able. If the creature can't attack any of those players but could otherwise attack, it must attack a planeswalker an opponent controls, a battle an opponent protects, or a player who goaded it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Ghoulish Impetus
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.