Leonin ScimitarHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Leonin Scimitar is an Artifact — Equipment that grants the equipped creature a +1/+1 bonus. This bonus applies to both the creature's power (how much damage it deals) and its toughness (how much damage it can take before being destroyed). Like most Equipment, the Scimitar stays on the battlefield even if the creature it is attached to leaves play.

How to Equip

To use Leonin Scimitar, you must pay its Equip cost of {1}. This is an activated ability that targets a creature you control. You can only activate this ability during your own main phase when the stack is empty—the same timing as a sorcery spell. Once the ability resolves, the Scimitar becomes attached to the target creature and the bonus is applied immediately.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is trying to move Leonin Scimitar as a defensive trick during an opponent's turn. Because the Equip ability is limited to 'sorcery speed,' you cannot respond to a removal spell or an attacker by moving the Scimitar to a different creature. Additionally, remember that equipping does not tap the Equipment or the creature, and the Scimitar does not fall off if the creature becomes tapped.

Strategic Play

Because Leonin Scimitar costs only {1} to cast and {1} to equip, it is an excellent tool for making small creatures relevant in the late game. It can turn a 1/1 token into a 2/2, allowing it to trade with larger threats or survive small board wipes. If you have extra mana, you can 'chain' the equipment between attackers and blockers across different turns.

Interaction examples

Fast Mana Starts

Sol Ring

If you have Sol Ring on turn one, you can tap it to add two colorless mana. You use the first mana to cast Leonin Scimitar and the second mana to immediately equip it to a creature you played, such as a one-drop, allowing you to attack for extra damage as early as turn two.

Fixing for Equipment

Arcane Signet

While Leonin Scimitar only requires colorless mana, having an Arcane Signet ensures you always have the mana available to move the Scimitar. If you draw a new creature, you can tap the Signet for one mana of any color to pay the Equip cost, shifting the +1/+1 bonus to your newest threat without tapping your lands.