Liliana of the Veil 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
+1: Each player discards a card. −2: Target player sacrifices a creature. −6: Separate all permanents target player controls into two piles. That player sacrifices all permanents in the pile of their choice.
Complete guide
Liliana of the Veil is a powerhouse of control, stripping resources from opponents and dismantling their boards. Costing just three mana, she forces tough decisions on everyone at the table. Mastering her abilities requires a deep understanding of timing and resource management.
Resource Attrition
Liliana's first ability forces each player to discard a card. This is a symmetrical effect that benefits you when you have no cards in hand or want to fill your graveyard. Her second ability targets a specific player, forcing them to choose and sacrifice one of their own creatures, bypassing protection like Hexproof on the player.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When activating the +1 ability, the active player chooses a card first, followed by other players in turn order; all cards are then revealed and discarded simultaneously. For the -6 ultimate, you (the controller of Liliana) divide all of the target player's permanents into two piles. The target player then chooses one of those piles and sacrifices everything in it. Note that one pile can be empty, which would result in no permanents being sacrificed if chosen.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error involves thinking you cannot activate the +1 if a player has an empty hand; you can, though that player simply won't discard. Regarding the ultimate, players often forget that they, not the opponent, create the piles. You can strategically split lands and non-land permanents to force an impossible choice.
Strategic Timing
Use the -2 ability immediately if the opponent has only one high-value creature. Use the +1 when you are ahead on board and want to prevent the opponent from holding onto answers. The ultimate is best used when you can split their resources so that keeping their creatures means losing all their lands, or vice-versa.
Interaction examples
If you have zero cards in hand and your opponent has one, activating Liliana's +1 ability results in only the opponent discarding. This turns a symmetrical effect into a pure advantage for you.
If your opponent controls a creature with Indestructible, Liliana's -2 ability is the perfect answer. Because the ability causes a player to sacrifice a creature rather than destroying it, Indestructible does not prevent the creature from being put into the graveyard.
When you activate the -6 ability, you put all of the opponent's lands in Pile A and all of their creatures and artifacts in Pile B. The opponent must then choose which half of their board to lose forever, often ending the game on the spot.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Liliana of the Veil
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You can activate Liliana’s first ability even if some or all players will be unable to discard a card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
When Liliana’s first ability resolves, first the player whose turn it is chooses a card in hand without revealing it, then each other player in turn order does the same. Then all the chosen cards are discarded at the same time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
When Liliana’s third ability resolves, you put each permanent the player controls into one of the two piles. For example, you could put a creature into one pile and an Aura enchanting that creature into the other pile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A pile can be empty. If the player chooses an empty pile, no permanents will be sacrificed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Liliana of the Veil
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