Kor Skyfisher 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
Flying When this creature enters, return a permanent you control to its owner's hand.
Complete guide
Kor Skyfisher is a classic creature that combines aggressive stats with a unique utility effect. By returning a permanent to your hand, you can reuse powerful enter-the-battlefield abilities or save a card from removal. Mastering this Kor Soldier requires understanding the timing of its trigger and how to turn a perceived drawback into a strategic advantage.
What It Does
Kor Skyfisher is a 2/3 creature with Flying for just two mana. The trade-off for these efficient stats is its triggered ability: when it enters the battlefield, you must return a permanent you control to its owner's hand. This includes lands, creatures, enchantments, or even Kor Skyfisher itself.
Resolving the Trigger Step by Step
When Kor Skyfisher enters the battlefield, its ability is placed on the stack. Importantly, this ability does not target. You do not choose which permanent to return when the ability is put on the stack; instead, you make the choice only as the ability resolves. Once you choose a permanent, it is immediately returned to your hand, and no player can cast spells or activate abilities in between your choice and the action of returning it.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is thinking you must return a different permanent. If Kor Skyfisher is still on the battlefield when its ability resolves, you are allowed to choose Kor Skyfisher itself to return to your hand. Another mistake is trying to respond to the choice of the permanent. Since the ability doesn't target, opponents must decide whether to respond before they know which card you intend to pick.
When to Play It
Play Kor Skyfisher when you want to reset 'once per turn' effects or protect valuable assets. It is particularly effective for 'bouncing' permanents that have already provided value, allowing you to cast them again for additional benefits or to untap a land that was already used for mana earlier in the turn.
Interaction examples
Esper SentinelIf your Esper Sentinel has been weakened or you simply want to reposition your board, you can play Kor Skyfisher to return Esper Sentinel to your hand. This allows you to cast the Sentinel again later, potentially after its power has been boosted, to continue taxing your opponent's noncreature spells.
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf you have an Ornithopter of Paradise that is currently tapped for mana, you can cast Kor Skyfisher and return the Ornithopter to your hand. While this removes your mana source temporarily, it can protect the fragile artifact creature from an opponent's board wipe, allowing you to redeploy your acceleration on a following turn.
If you have no other permanents you wish to return, you can simply choose Kor Skyfisher as the permanent to return to your hand during the resolution of its own ability. This is a common play when you have excess mana and want to trigger 'creature entered the battlefield' effects multiple times.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Kor Skyfisher
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Kor Skyfisher’s triggered ability doesn’t target a permanent. You choose which one to return to its owner’s hand as the ability resolves. No one can respond to the choice.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If Kor Skyfisher is still on the battlefield as its triggered ability resolves, you may return Kor Skyfisher itself.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Defiler of Faith + Pearl Medallion + Kor Skyfisher
- 1Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying
and 2 life due to Defiler of Faith and Pearl Medallion. - 2Defiler of Faith triggers, creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 3When the Soldier enters, the "Soul Sister" card triggers, causing you to gain life.
- 4Resolve Kor Skyfisher. When it enters, it and the Soul Sister trigger.
- 5Resolve the Kor Skyfisher trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Soul Sister trigger, causing you to gain life.
- 7Repeat.
Intruder Alarm + Kor Skyfisher
- 1Activate all mana-producing creatures you control by tapping them, adding at least
. - 2Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying .
- 3Kor Skyfisher enters the battlefield, triggering Intruder Alarm and Kor Skyfisher.
- 4Resolve the Intruder Alarm's trigger, untapping all creatures you control.
- 5Resolve the Kor Skyfisher's trigger, returning it to your hand.
- 6Repeat.
Aluren + Kor Skyfisher
- 1Cast Kor Skyfisher without paying its mana cost due to Aluren.
- 2When Kor Skyfisher enters, it triggers, returning itself from the battlefield to your hand.
- 3Repeat.
Oketra's Monument + Dazzling Theater // Prop Room + Kor Skyfisher
- 1Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying or by tapping a white creature.
- 2Oketra's Monument triggers, creating a 1/1 Warrior creature token.
- 3Resolve the Kor Skyfisher spell.
- 4When Kor Skyfisher enters the battlefield, it triggers, returning itself from the battlefield to your hand.
- 5Repeat.
Defiler of Faith + Cloud Key + Kor Skyfisher
- 1Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying and 2 life due to Defiler of Faith and Cloud Key.
- 2Defiler of Faith triggers, creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 3When the Soldier enters, the "Soul Sister" card triggers, causing you to gain life.
- 4Resolve Kor Skyfisher. When it enters, it and the Soul Sister trigger.
- 5Resolve the Kor Skyfisher trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Soul Sister trigger, causing you to gain life.
- 7Repeat.
Defiler of Faith + Kor Skyfisher + The Wind Crystal
- 1Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying and 2 life due to Defiler of Faith and The Wind Crystal.
- 2Defiler of Faith triggers, creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
- 3When the Soldier enters, the "Soul Sister" card triggers, causing you to gain life, doubled by The Wind Crystal.
- 4Resolve Kor Skyfisher. When it enters, it and the Soul Sister trigger.
- 5Resolve the Kor Skyfisher trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
- 6Resolve the Soul Sister trigger, causing you to gain life, doubled by The Wind Crystal.
- 7Repeat.
Peregrine Drake + Panharmonicon + Kor Skyfisher
- 1Activate up to five lands by tapping them, adding at least
. - 2Cast Peregrine Drake by paying its mana cost.
- 3When Peregrine Drake enters, it triggers twice. Resolve the first trigger, untapping five lands.
- 4Holding priority, activate up to five lands by tapping them, adding at least .
- 5Resolve the second Peregrine Drake trigger, untapping five lands.
- 6Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying its mana cost.
- 7When Kor Skyfisher enters, it triggers twice, returning it and Peregrine Drake from the battlefield to your hand.
- 8Repeat.
Oltec Matterweaver + Kor Skyfisher + Mondrak, Glory Dominus
- 1Cast Kor Skyfisher by paying .
- 2Oltec Matterweaver triggers, creating two token copies of any Treasure or Gold token you control.
- 3When Kor Skyfisher enters the battlefield, it triggers, returning itself from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Activate two Treasures by tapping and sacrificing them, or two Golds by sacrificing them, adding .
- 5Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Kor Skyfisher
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