Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 1

You can control two of this permanent, one front-face up and the other back-face up, at the same time.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 2

The back face of a double-faced card doesn't have a mana cost. A double-faced permanent with its back face up has a mana value equal to the mana value of its front face. Each back face has a color indicator that defines its color.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 3

Kytheon's first ability will count creatures that attacked but are no longer on the battlefield (perhaps because they didn't survive combat damage being dealt). It will not count any creatures that were put onto the battlefield attacking, as those creatures were never declared as attackers.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 4

Each face of a double-faced card has its own set of characteristics: name, types, subtypes, power and toughness, loyalty, abilities, and so on. While a double-faced card is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored. While a double-faced card isn't on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 5

The mana value of a double-faced card not on the battlefield is the mana value of its front face.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 6

The back face of a double-faced card (in the case of Magic Origins, the planeswalker face) can't be cast.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 7

A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default, unless a spell or ability instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed, in which case it enters with its back face up.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged — ruling 8

A Magic Origins planeswalker that enters the battlefield because of the ability of its front face will enter with loyalty counters as normal.

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged 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

At end of combat, if Kytheon and at least two other creatures attacked this combat, exile Kytheon, then return him to the battlefield transformed under his owner's control. : Kytheon gains indestructible until end of turn. +2: Up to one target creature an opponent controls attacks Gideon during its controller's next turn if able. +1: Until your next turn, target creature gains indestructible. Untap that creature. 0: Until end of turn, Gideon becomes a 4/4 Human Soldier creature with indestructible that's still a planeswalker. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him this turn.

Complete guide

Witness the transformation of a young Kytheon into the iconic planeswalker Gideon. This double-faced card from Magic Origins rewards aggressive playstyles by rewarding you for leading the charge with a band of allies.

What it Does

Kytheon, Hero of Akros is a 2/1 creature for just one white mana that can protect himself by gaining indestructible. If he attacks alongside at least two other creatures, he exiles himself at the end of combat and returns to the battlefield transformed as Gideon, Battle-Forged. As a planeswalker, Gideon can force enemies to attack him, grant indestructibility to your other troops, or step back onto the front lines as a 4/4 indestructible creature himself.

How it Resolves Step by Step

First, you must declare Kytheon and at least two other creatures as attackers during your declare attackers step. Once combat ends, the transformation ability triggers. Kytheon leaves the battlefield entirely and re-enters as a new object: the planeswalker Gideon, Battle-Forged. Because he enters as a new object, he arrives with three loyalty counters. Note that creatures put onto the battlefield already attacking do not count toward his trigger, as they were never 'declared' as attackers.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is forgetting that Kytheon must survive until the end of combat to transform. If he is destroyed during the declare blockers or combat damage steps, his ability won't trigger. Additionally, remember that while Gideon's third ability makes him a 4/4 creature, he is still a planeswalker. If an opponent uses an effect that prevents damage from being prevented, any damage dealt to him while he is a creature will also result in loyalty counters being removed.

When to Play it

Kytheon is ideal for aggressive decks that can quickly put multiple bodies on the board. His low mana cost makes him a threat from turn one, while his transformation provides long-term value. Use him when you have a board state that allows for a safe attack, ensuring you have enough attackers to trigger his ascension into a planeswalker.

Interaction examples

Leading the Charge

Esper Sentinel

Ornithopter of Paradise

You declare Kytheon, Esper Sentinel, and Ornithopter of Paradise as attackers. Even if the Ornithopter of Paradise is blocked and destroyed in combat, the requirement for 'two other creatures' was met during the declare attackers step. At the end of combat, Kytheon exiles himself and returns as Gideon, Battle-Forged.

Protecting the Sentinel

Esper Sentinel

After transforming into Gideon, Battle-Forged, you can use his +1 loyalty ability to target Esper Sentinel. The Sentinel gains indestructible and untaps. This allows the Sentinel to remain a sturdy blocker while continuing to tax your opponent's noncreature spells through their turn.

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

How it works : Kytheon, Hero of Akros // Gideon, Battle-Forged

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1September 29, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
You can control two of this permanent, one front-face up and the other back-face up, at the same time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2April 8, 2016· Wizards of the Coast
The back face of a double-faced card doesn't have a mana cost. A double-faced permanent with its back face up has a mana value equal to the mana value of its front face. Each back face has a color indicator that defines its color.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
Kytheon's first ability will count creatures that attacked but are no longer on the battlefield (perhaps because they didn't survive combat damage being dealt). It will not count any creatures that were put onto the battlefield attacking, as those creatures were never declared as attackers.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
Each face of a double-faced card has its own set of characteristics: name, types, subtypes, power and toughness, loyalty, abilities, and so on. While a double-faced card is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored. While a double-faced card isn't on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a double-faced card not on the battlefield is the mana value of its front face.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
The back face of a double-faced card (in the case of Magic Origins, the planeswalker face) can't be cast.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
A double-faced card enters the battlefield with its front face up by default, unless a spell or ability instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed, in which case it enters with its back face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
A Magic Origins planeswalker that enters the battlefield because of the ability of its front face will enter with loyalty counters as normal.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
In some rare cases, a spell or ability may cause one of these five cards to transform while it's a creature (front face up) on the battlefield. If this happens, the resulting planeswalker won't have any loyalty counters on it and will subsequently be put into its owner's graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
You can activate one of the planeswalker's loyalty abilities the turn it enters the battlefield. However, you may do so only during one of your main phases when the stack is empty. For example, if the planeswalker enters the battlefield during combat, there will be an opportunity for your opponent to remove it before you can activate one of its abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down (this is also true if it's put onto the battlefield face down some other way). Note that "face down" is not synonymous with "with its back face up." A manifested double-faced card is a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. While face down, it can't transform. If the front face of a manifested double-faced card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up. A double-faced card on the battlefield can't be turned face down.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#12June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
Gideon's first ability causes a creature to attack him if able. If, during its controller's declare attackers step, that creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under its controller's control continuously since that player's turn began, then that creature doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having that creature attack, its controller isn't forced to pay that cost. If they don't, the creature doesn't have to attack.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#13June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature targeted by Gideon's first ability changes controllers before it has the chance to attack Gideon, the ability will apply to it during its new controller's next turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#14June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
Gideon's third ability causes him to become a creature with the creature types Human Soldier. He remains a planeswalker with the planeswalker type Gideon. (He also retains any other card types or subtypes he may have had.) Each subtype is correlated to the proper card type: Gideon is just a planeswalker type (not a creature type), and Human and Soldier are just creature types (not planeswalker types).
No other card is named in this ruling.
#15June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
If you activate Gideon's third ability and then damage is dealt to him that can't be prevented, that damage has all applicable results: specifically, the damage is marked on Gideon (since he's a creature) and that damage causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from him (since he's a planeswalker). If Gideon has no loyalty counters on him, he's put into his owner's graveyard as a state-based action. (As long as he still has indestructible, the marked damage won't cause him to be destroyed.)
No other card is named in this ruling.
#16June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
If Gideon can't be attacked, perhaps because he has left the battlefield before the creature's controller's next combat, the creature targeted by Gideon's first ability can attack you or another planeswalker you control, or its controller can choose to have it not attack at all.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#17June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
Say you activate Gideon's third ability, then an opponent gains control of him before combat. You may have any of your creatures attack Gideon (since he's still a planeswalker). Then Gideon may block (since he's a creature). He may block any eligible attacking creature, including one that's attacking him. During combat, he behaves as an attacked planeswalker and/or a blocking creature, as appropriate. For example, he deals combat damage to any creatures he's blocking, but he doesn't deal combat damage to any unblocked creatures that are attacking him.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#18June 22, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
If Gideon becomes a creature due to his third ability, that doesn't count as having a creature enter the battlefield. Gideon was already on the battlefield; he only changed his types. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield won't trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.