Glorious SunriseHow it works & interactions with other cards

Choosing Your Path

The ability triggers at the beginning of combat on your turn. You must choose one of the four modes immediately as the ability is put onto the stack. Whether you need an explosive mana boost, card advantage, a health buffer, or a combat finisher, this enchantment adapts to the current state of the game.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, the ability triggers as you enter your combat phase. Second, you choose the mode and, if you chose the mana mode, you select a target land. Third, as the ability resolves, the effect takes place: creatures are buffed, the land gains a new ability, you check if you meet the power requirement to draw, or you simply gain 3 life. Note that for the card draw, the check happens only during resolution.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake involves the card draw mode. You can choose this mode even if you don't currently have a creature with power 3 or greater; however, if you still don't have one when the ability resolves, you won't draw anything. Also, remember that the +1/+1 and trample bonus only applies to creatures you control at the moment the ability resolves; creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn will not receive the bonus.

When to Play It

Glorious Sunrise is best deployed when you have a stable board or need to break a stalemate. If you are behind on life, the healing mode keeps you alive. If you have a large hand but little mana, the land enchantment mode provides a massive three-mana boost from a single land to help you cast more spells.

Interaction examples

Drawing through Adversity

Guardian Project

If you have Guardian Project on the battlefield and cast a creature that brings your board to a power 3 or greater state, you can use Glorious Sunrise's third mode to draw a card during combat. While Guardian Project rewards you for the creature entering, Glorious Sunrise provides a secondary draw engine every turn as long as that creature stays on the board.

The Misconception of Counters

Doubling Season

It is important to note that Glorious Sunrise gives creatures +1/+1 until end of turn; it does not place +1/+1 counters. Therefore, Doubling Season will not interact with or double the combat bonus provided by Glorious Sunrise, as it only doubles permanent counters.

Mana Acceleration

If you choose the second mode, you target a land you control. That land gains the ability to tap for three Green mana until end of turn. You can use this during your combat phase or even during your second main phase to cast high-cost spells, effectively turning a simple Forest into a triple-mana producer.