Mercurial Pretender 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
You may have this creature enter as a copy of a creature you control, except it has ": Return this creature to its owner's hand."
How it works : Mercurial Pretender
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Mercurial Pretender’s ability doesn’t target the chosen creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The activated ability Mercurial Pretender gives itself becomes part of its copiable values. Unless the ability is overwritten by another copy effect, a creature that’s a copy of Mercurial Pretender will have that ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Mercurial Pretender copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing more (unless that creature is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, etc. For example, if Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield as a copy of a Profane Memento with Ensoul Artifact attached to it, Mercurial Pretender will be a noncreature Profane Memento with Mercurial Pretender’s added activated ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen creature has
in its mana cost (such as Genesis Hydra), X is 0.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen creature is copying something else (for example, if the chosen creature is another Mercurial Pretender), then Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen creature is copying (plus any abilities it gained as part of the copying process, if applicable).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen creature is a token, Mercurial Pretender copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put the token onto the battlefield. Mercurial Pretender is not a token, even when copying one.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield. Any “as [this creature] enters the battlefield” or “[this creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If Mercurial Pretender somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another creature, Mercurial Pretender can’t become a copy of that creature. You may choose only a creature that’s already on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
You can choose not to copy anything. In that case, Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Shapeshifter creature, and is probably put into the graveyard immediately.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Volo, Guide to Monsters + Mercurial Pretender + Peregrine Drake
- 1Activate up to five lands by tapping them, adding at least
. - 2Cast Mercurial Pretender by paying
. - 3Volo triggers, creating a token copy of Mercurial Pretender.
- 4The token Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield as a copy of Peregrine Drake, untapping up to five lands.
- 5Activate up to five lands by tapping them, adding at least .
- 6The nontoken Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield as a copy of Peregrine Drake, untapping up to five lands.
- 7Activate the nontoken Mercurial Pretender by paying
, returning it from the battlefield to your hand. - 8Repeat.
Princess Yue + Wormfang Newt + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Cast Mercurial Pretender by paying its mana cost. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Princess Yue.
- 2Put Mercurial Pretender into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 3When Mercurial Pretender dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield as a land named Moon. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Wormfang Newt, gaining its abilities.
- 4When Mercurial Pretender enters, its first ability triggers, exiling it.
- 5When Mercurial Pretender leaves the battlefield, its second ability triggers, returning Mercurial Pretender from exile to the battlefield. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Princess Yue.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Princess Yue + Wormfang Turtle + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Cast Mercurial Pretender by paying its mana cost. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Princess Yue.
- 2Put Mercurial Pretender into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 3When Mercurial Pretender dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield as a land named Moon. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Wormfang Turtle, gaining its abilities.
- 4When Mercurial Pretender enters, its first ability triggers, exiling it.
- 5When Mercurial Pretender leaves the battlefield, its second ability triggers, returning Mercurial Pretender from exile to the battlefield. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Princess Yue.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Activate Kiki-Jiki by tapping it, creating a token copy of Mercurial Pretender that has haste. Choose to have Mercurial Pretender enter as a copy of Kiki-Jiki.
- 2Put the oldest Kiki-Jiki into the graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 3Repeat step 1 using the Mercurial Pretender token instead.
Felidar Guardian + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Cast Mercurial Pretender by paying its mana cost, choosing to have it enter the battlefield as a copy of Felidar Guardian
- 2When Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Felidar Guardian.
- 3When Felidar Guardian enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Mercurial Pretender. Choose to have Mercurial Pretender enter the battlefield as a copy of Felidar Guardian.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Princess Yue + Astral Dragon + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Cast Mercurial Pretender by paying its mana cost. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Princess Yue.
- 2Put Mercurial Pretender into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 3When Mercurial Pretender dies, it triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield as a land named Moon. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Astral Dragon, gaining its abilities.
- 4When Mercurial Pretender enters, it triggers, creating two token copies of itself, thus creating two copies of Moon with Astral Dragon's abilities, that are 3/3 Dragon creatures in addition to its other types.
- 5Put all but one of the Mercurial Pretenders into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- 6The Mercurial Pretender tokens each trigger. Resolve a trigger, creating two token copies of itself, thus creating two copies of Moon with Astral Dragon's abilities, that are 3/3 Dragon creatures in addition to its other types.
- 7Repeat from step 5.
Mirror-Mad Phantasm + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Activate Mercurial Pretender by paying
, shuffling Mercurial Pretender into your library and milling your entire library due to it not having a card named Mirror-Mad Phantasm in it.
Wispweaver Angel + Mercurial Pretender
- 1Cast Mercurial Pretender by paying its mana cost, choosing to have it enter the battlefield as a copy of Wispweaver Angel
- 2When Mercurial Pretender enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Wispweaver Angel.
- 3When Wispweaver Angel enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Mercurial Pretender. Choose to have Mercurial Pretender enter the battlefield as a copy of Wispweaver Angel.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Mercurial Pretender
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.