Goryo's Vengeance — ruling 1

If the returned creature leaves the battlefield before the end step, it will remain in its current zone. It won't be exiled.

Goryo's Vengeance — ruling 2

You reveal all cards you intend to splice at the same time. Each individual card can be spliced only once onto any one spell.

Goryo's Vengeance — ruling 3

A card with a splice ability can't be spliced onto itself because the spell is on the stack (and not in your hand) when you reveal the cards you want to splice onto it.

Goryo's Vengeance — ruling 4

You choose all targets for the spell after revealing cards you want to splice, including any targets required by the text of any of those cards. You may choose a different target for each instance of the word "target" on the resulting spell.

Goryo's Vengeance — ruling 5

If all of the spell's targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen.

Goryo's Vengeance : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Goryo's Vengeance 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

Return target legendary creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. Splice onto Arcane (As you cast an Arcane spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's effects to that spell.)

Complete guide

Goryo's Vengeance is a powerhouse of reanimation that brings the greatest legends back for one final, fleeting strike. This Arcane instant offers a cheap way to cheat massive threats into play, provided you can finish the job before they vanish into exile. It is a staple for decks looking to exploit powerful 'enters the battlefield' or 'attack' triggers on a budget of just two mana.

What It Does

Goryo's Vengeance targets a legendary creature card in your graveyard and puts it directly onto the battlefield. The creature gains haste, allowing it to attack or use tap abilities immediately, but it is granted a temporary lease on life. At the beginning of the next end step, the creature must be exiled. Additionally, its Splice onto Arcane ability allows you to add this effect to another Arcane spell by paying an extra cost, keeping the card in your hand for later use.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you cast the spell and choose a legal legendary creature card in your graveyard as the target. Upon resolution, the creature is moved from the graveyard to the battlefield and a continuous effect grants it haste. The spell also creates a delayed triggered ability. This ability will trigger at the start of the very next end step—whether it is yours or your opponent's—to exile that specific permanent. If the creature leaves the battlefield before that trigger resolves, the delayed trigger will do nothing.

Common Mistakes

A common point of confusion involves the timing of the exile trigger. If you cast Goryo's Vengeance during an opponent's end step, the 'next end step' hasn't happened yet; the creature will actually stay on the board through your entire next turn and only be exiled at the beginning of your own end step. Another mistake is forgetting that if the spell is countered or its target becomes illegal before resolution, no part of the effect happens, including the haste or the exile clause.

When to Play It

The best time to use Goryo's Vengeance is when you have a legendary creature with a high impact, such as one that draws cards or deals massive damage when it attacks. Because it is an instant, you can use it defensively to surprise a blocker or at the end of an opponent's turn to maximize the time the creature spends on the battlefield. It is also highly effective when paired with other Arcane spells to generate repeated value via Splicing.

Interaction examples

Setting Up the Graveyard

Vampiric Tutor

You can use Vampiric Tutor during your opponent's end step to put a powerful legendary creature on top of your library. After drawing it and finding a way to discard it, Goryo's Vengeance can then target that legend to bring it back for a swift attack.

Powering Out the Vengeance

Dark Ritual

With a legendary creature already in the graveyard, you can cast Dark Ritual to add three black mana. This provides enough mana to cast Goryo's Vengeance with one mana left over, potentially allowing you to cast it as early as turn one to overwhelm an unprepared opponent.

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

How it works : Goryo's Vengeance

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1December 7, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If the returned creature leaves the battlefield before the end step, it will remain in its current zone. It won't be exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2June 7, 2013· Wizards of the Coast
You reveal all cards you intend to splice at the same time. Each individual card can be spliced only once onto any one spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3June 7, 2013· Wizards of the Coast
A card with a splice ability can't be spliced onto itself because the spell is on the stack (and not in your hand) when you reveal the cards you want to splice onto it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4June 7, 2013· Wizards of the Coast
You choose all targets for the spell after revealing cards you want to splice, including any targets required by the text of any of those cards. You may choose a different target for each instance of the word "target" on the resulting spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5June 7, 2013· Wizards of the Coast
If all of the spell's targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen.
No other card is named in this ruling.