In Garruk's WakeHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

In Garruk's Wake is a high-cost black sorcery that destroys two specific permanent types: creatures and planeswalkers. Crucially, it only affects permanents you do not control. This means your own creatures and planeswalkers are completely safe from its effect, allowing you to maintain your board presence while eliminating blockers and opposing threats simultaneously.

How It Resolves Step by Step

When you cast In Garruk's Wake, it is placed on the stack and players have the opportunity to respond. Once it resolves, the game checks for all creatures and planeswalkers currently on the battlefield that are controlled by your opponents. All these permanents are destroyed at the same time. Any 'leaves the battlefield' or 'dies' triggers will trigger accordingly. Note that this spell does not target, so creatures with Hexproof or Shroud will still be destroyed.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is forgetting that this spell specifically uses the word 'destroy.' It will not remove creatures with Indestructible, as they cannot be destroyed by effects that use that terminology. Additionally, unlike some other sweepers, it does not prevent regeneration, so opponents may use regeneration shields to save their creatures if they have the mana available.

When to Play It

Because of its high mana cost of nine, In Garruk's Wake is best suited for late-game scenarios or decks that can generate significant amounts of mana quickly. It is most effective when your opponents have established a complex board state with multiple blockers or high-loyalty planeswalkers that are difficult to deal with through combat alone.

Interaction examples

Mass Resurrection Combo

Rise of the Dark Realms

First, you cast In Garruk's Wake to destroy every creature your opponents control, sending them all to their respective graveyards. On your next turn (or the same turn if you have the mana), you cast Rise of the Dark Realms. This allows you to take all those freshly destroyed creatures and put them onto the battlefield under your control, effectively turning your opponents' best threats against them.

Comparing Efficiency and Draw Power

Decree of Pain

While Decree of Pain is a powerful board wipe that draws you cards, it destroys all creatures, including your own. In contrast, In Garruk's Wake costs more mana but is selective. If you have a large army, In Garruk's Wake is the superior choice to keep your pressure on the board, whereas Decree of Pain is better when you need to refill your hand and don't mind losing your creatures.