Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 1

The face-down creature has no characteristics other than the ones given to it by Magar’s ability. It has no name, no mana cost, no creature types, and no abilities other than the two Magar gives it. The creature is colorless and has a mana value of 0.

Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 2

You may look at face-down permanents you control at any time.

Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 3

If a face-down permanent you control leaves the battlefield, or if the game ends or you leave the game while you control it, you must reveal it to all players (even though in this case, everyone saw it before it entered).

Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 4

If a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of a face-down creature (or if a token is created that’s a copy of one), that copy has the same characteristics as the face-down creature (in this case, it’s a 3/3 creature with the two abilities and no other characteristics), even though the copy is face up. Importantly, the noted name is not part of the face-down creature’s copiable values, so copies of the face-down creature won’t know the noted name. If one deals combat damage to a player, its controller won’t create a copy of any card.

Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 5

You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You’re not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for indicating this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield. You must also track how each became face down (Magar’s ability, cast face down using the morph ability, and so on).

Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 6

There are no cards in this set that would turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, but some older cards can try to do this. If something tries to turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, reveal that card to show all players it’s an instant or sorcery card. The permanent remains on the battlefield face down. Abilities that trigger when a permanent turns face up won’t trigger, because even though you revealed the card, it never turned face up.

Magar of the Magic Strings — ruling 7

If an effect tries to “blink” a face-down instant or sorcery card—that is, exile it and then return it to the battlefield—the card is exiled and remains in exile.

Magar of the Magic Strings : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Magar of the Magic Strings 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

: Note the name of target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard and put it onto the battlefield face down. It's a 3/3 creature with "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may create a copy of the card with the noted name. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost" and "If this creature would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else."

Complete guide

Step into the spotlight with Magar of the Magic Strings, a legendary Minotaur Performer who turns your graveyard into a literal puppet show. This unique commander animates your used spells as face-down combatants, allowing you to recast them for free every time they strike your opponent.

Bringing Spells to Life

Magar's ability targets an instant or sorcery card in your graveyard and puts it onto the battlefield face down. Unlike Morph or Disguise, these cards do not have a face-up side that is a creature; instead, the effect defines them as 3/3 creatures. They have no name, no mana cost, and no creature types. They only possess two specific abilities: the trigger to copy the noted spell on combat damage, and a replacement effect that exiles them if they would leave the battlefield.

Resolving the Puppet Show

When you activate Magar's ability, you must note the name of the targeted card. The card enters the battlefield face down and colorless. If this creature deals combat damage to a player, its ability triggers, allowing you to create a copy of the card with the noted name and cast it without paying its mana cost. If the creature would ever leave the battlefield—whether it is destroyed, bounced, or exiled—it is moved to the exile zone instead of anywhere else.

Important Clarifications

It is vital to remember that the 'noted name' is not a copiable characteristic. If you use an effect to copy the face-down creature, the copy will be a 3/3 with the same abilities, but it won't 'know' what spell it's supposed to copy when it hits a player. Additionally, because the face-down card is an instant or sorcery, it can never be turned face up on the battlefield. If an effect attempts to turn it face up, you simply reveal the card and it remains face down.

When to Perform

Magar is best utilized when you have high-impact, expensive sorceries in your graveyard that you want to cast multiple times. Since the activation cost is only three mana, you can cheat the mana curve significantly. Ensure you have ways to make your face-down performers unblockable to guarantee the combat damage trigger.

Interaction examples

The Silent Performer

Solemn Simulacrum

If your face-down creature (created by Magar) is destroyed while Solemn Simulacrum is on the battlefield, the face-down creature's replacement effect will exile it. Because the creature is exiled instead of being put into the graveyard, it never 'dies' according to game rules. Therefore, abilities that trigger on death, like the second ability of Solemn Simulacrum, would not trigger for the face-down creature.

Doubling the Encore

Roaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield and chose 'Minotaur', it will not double the combat damage trigger of your face-down creatures. This is because the face-down cards created by Magar have no creature types. However, if you chose a type that Magar actually has (like Minotaur or Performer), the Throne will double Magar's own activated ability if it were a triggered ability, but since Magar's combat damage ability is on the face-down creature itself, the Throne only helps if the face-down creature shares a type with the Throne's choice.

The Exile Clause

You activate Magar of the Magic Strings targeting a sorcery in your graveyard. You now have a 3/3 face-down creature. If your opponent casts a spell to return that creature to your hand, Magar's replacement effect kicks in: 'If this creature would leave the battlefield, exile it instead.' The card goes to exile rather than your hand.

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

How it works : Magar of the Magic Strings

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
The face-down creature has no characteristics other than the ones given to it by Magar’s ability. It has no name, no mana cost, no creature types, and no abilities other than the two Magar gives it. The creature is colorless and has a mana value of 0.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
You may look at face-down permanents you control at any time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If a face-down permanent you control leaves the battlefield, or if the game ends or you leave the game while you control it, you must reveal it to all players (even though in this case, everyone saw it before it entered).
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of a face-down creature (or if a token is created that’s a copy of one), that copy has the same characteristics as the face-down creature (in this case, it’s a 3/3 creature with the two abilities and no other characteristics), even though the copy is face up. Importantly, the noted name is not part of the face-down creature’s copiable values, so copies of the face-down creature won’t know the noted name. If one deals combat damage to a player, its controller won’t create a copy of any card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You’re not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for indicating this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield. You must also track how each became face down (Magar’s ability, cast face down using the morph ability, and so on).
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
There are no cards in this set that would turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, but some older cards can try to do this. If something tries to turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, reveal that card to show all players it’s an instant or sorcery card. The permanent remains on the battlefield face down. Abilities that trigger when a permanent turns face up won’t trigger, because even though you revealed the card, it never turned face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7October 7, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect tries to “blink” a face-down instant or sorcery card—that is, exile it and then return it to the battlefield—the card is exiled and remains in exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.