Korozda Monitor 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
Trample Scavenge(
Complete guide
Korozda Monitor is a resilient Lizard from the Golgari Swarm that ensures your defeat is never permanent. While it serves as a reliable trampling threat on the battlefield, its true value lies in the Scavenge keyword, which allows it to empower your other creatures from beyond the grave.
A Second Life Through Scavenge
Korozda Monitor features the Scavenge keyword, a graveyard-based ability. While the card is in your graveyard, you can pay its Scavenge cost of {5}{G}{G} and exile it to place +1/+1 counters on a target creature you control. The number of counters added is equal to Korozda Monitor's power at the moment it left the graveyard, which is typically three.
Activating the Ability Step by Step
To use Scavenge, you must first ensure it is your main phase and the stack is empty, as it can only be activated as a sorcery. First, announce the ability and choose a target creature. Second, pay the total cost of {5}{G}{G} and exile Korozda Monitor from your graveyard. Once these costs are paid, the ability is put onto the stack. If the ability resolves, the target creature receives the +1/+1 counters.
Timing and Costs
A common mistake is trying to respond to the Scavenge activation by removing the card from the graveyard. Because exiling the card is part of the activation cost, the card is already moved to the exile zone before any player gets priority to cast spells like Cremate. Additionally, if the target creature leaves the battlefield or becomes an illegal target before the ability resolves, the Scavenge ability fails and no counters are placed, though the card remains exiled.
When to Use Scavenge
Since Scavenge is expensive at seven mana, it is best utilized during the late game when you have excess mana and need to turn a small utility creature into a significant threat. Because Korozda Monitor has Trample, it is often better to keep it on the battlefield as an attacker until your opponent is forced to trade with it, maximizing its value.
Interaction examples
Eternal WitnessIf your Korozda Monitor is in the graveyard, you could cast Eternal Witness to return it to your hand to play it again. Alternatively, if you have seven mana available, you can exile the Monitor to Scavenge onto the Eternal Witness, turning the 2/1 Shaman into a 5/4 powerhouse.
Solemn SimulacrumAfter Solemn Simulacrum has fetched your land, it often sits on the board as a small blocker. If Korozda Monitor is in your graveyard, you can use Scavenge to put three +1/+1 counters on the Golem. This creates a 5/5 attacker that your opponent will be hesitant to kill, as doing so will still trigger the Golem's card-draw ability.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Korozda Monitor
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Exiling the creature card with scavenge is part of the cost of activating the scavenge ability. Once the ability is activated and the cost is paid, it’s too late to stop the ability from being activated by trying to remove the creature card from the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Korozda Monitor
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.