Korvold and the Noble ThiefHow it works & interactions with other cards

Generating Your Hoard

When Korvold and the Noble Thief enters the battlefield and after your first draw step following that, the Saga triggers its first and second chapters. Each of these chapters creates a single Treasure token. These tokens are artifacts that can be tapped and sacrificed to add one mana of any color to your mana pool. This provides a two-turn setup phase where you are effectively banking mana for the explosive third chapter.

The Noble Theft

The third chapter is the climax of the story, where you exile the top three cards of a target opponent's library. You gain permission to play those cards during the turn the ability resolves. It is important to note that 'play' includes both casting spells and playing lands. However, you must still follow all normal timing restrictions and pay any necessary mana costs to use these cards.

Timing and Restrictions

A common mistake is assuming you can play the exiled cards for free or at any time. If you exile a land card, you can only play it during one of your main phases while the stack is empty, and only if you have not already used your land play for the turn. Similarly, if you exile a sorcery or enchantment, you cannot cast it during combat or in response to another spell. The permission to play these cards ends when the turn concludes.

Strategic Execution

Because the third chapter happens after your draw step, you will have your full turn to utilize the exiled cards. If you have built up your Treasure tokens from chapters one and two, you can use that specific mana to cast spells even if they require colors your current land base doesn't produce. This makes the card an excellent tool for color-fixing when playing your opponent's deck.

Interaction examples

Funding a Combat Surge

Aggravated AssaultTreasure

If you have Aggravated Assault on the battlefield, you can use the Treasure tokens generated by the first two chapters of the Saga to pay for its activation cost. Since the Saga provides mana that can be saved across turns, you can wait until Chapter III resolves to see if you steal an opponent's creature, then use your Treasures to activate Aggravated Assault for an additional combat phase with your new army.

The Ultimate Tribal Theft

Shared Animosity

Suppose Chapter III of the Saga exiles a creature from your opponent's deck that matches a creature type you already control. If you have Shared Animosity on the battlefield, you can cast that creature using your Treasures. When you attack with both your original creatures and the stolen one, Shared Animosity will trigger, buffing all of them because they share a type, turning your opponent's card against them.

Playing Stolen Lands

After Chapter III triggers, you exile three cards and one of them is a mountain. During your main phase, you decide to play that mountain. This counts as your one land play for the turn. You do not need to pay any mana to play the land, but you cannot play it if you already played a land earlier that turn from your hand.