Gornog, the Red Reaper 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
Haste Cowards can't block Warriors. Whenever one or more Warriors you control attack a player, target creature that player controls becomes a Coward. Attacking Warriors you control get +X/+0, where X is the number of Cowards your opponents control.
Complete guide
Gornog, the Red Reaper is a terrifying Minotaur Warrior that strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. By turning opposing creatures into Cowards, he ensures your army can bypass defenses and hit harder with every passing turn. Let's look at how this aggressive commander manipulates creature types to dominate the battlefield.
Master of Cowards
Gornog has several distinct abilities that work in harmony. First, he has Haste, allowing him to attack immediately. Second, he possesses a static ability that prevents any creature with the 'Coward' subtype from blocking any creature with the 'Warrior' subtype. Third, whenever one or more Warriors you control attack a player, you target one creature that player controls to become a Coward. Finally, he provides a power buff to your attacking Warriors based on the total number of Cowards your opponents control.
Resolving the Transformation
When you declare one or more Warriors as attackers, Gornog's triggered ability goes on the stack. You choose a target creature controlled by the player being attacked. As this ability resolves, that creature's creature types are overwritten; it loses all previous creature types (like Elf or Soldier) and becomes a Coward. This effect does not have a duration, meaning the creature stays a Coward indefinitely unless it leaves the battlefield or another effect changes its type later.
Strategic Timing and Blocking
A common mistake is trying to turn a creature into a Coward after it has already blocked. If a creature has already been declared as a legal blocker for a Warrior, changing its type to Coward will not remove it from combat or undo the block. To ensure a creature cannot block, the trigger must resolve during the 'Declare Attackers' step, before the 'Declare Blockers' step begins. Also, remember that the power bonus (+X/+0) is dynamic; if a Coward leaves the battlefield mid-combat, the bonus your Warriors receive will immediately decrease.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumYou attack an opponent with Gornog, the Red Reaper and target their Solemn Simulacrum with the triggered ability. The Solemn Simulacrum loses its Golem subtype and becomes a Coward. Because Cowards cannot block Warriors, the opponent can no longer use that creature to block Gornog or any other attacking Warriors you control.
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Warrior,' you attack with Gornog, the Red Reaper. Roaming Throne's ability causes Gornog's trigger to fire twice. You can target two different creatures the defending player controls, turning both into Cowards. In this scenario, Gornog and the Throne (which is a Warrior) would both receive +2/+0 because there are now two Cowards on the opponent's side of the field.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Gornog, the Red Reaper
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Once a creature has blocked a Warrior, turning that creature into a Coward won't remove it from combat or cause the Warrior to become unblocked. (The Coward might suddenly have some regrets, though.)
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Gornog's third ability overwrites the target's existing creature types. Once the ability resolves, that creature will be a Coward and won't have its previous creature types. It retains any other types and supertypes it has as well as any subtypes that aren't creature types.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Gornog's third ability doesn't have a duration. It will remain in effect until the game ends, the target creature leaves the battlefield, or some subsequent effect changes the creature's characteristics, whichever comes first.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
The bonus granted by Gornog's last ability changes as the number of Cowards your opponents control changes.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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