Mortuary — ruling 1

Mortuary : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Mortuary 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

Whenever a creature is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, put that card on top of your library.

Complete guide

Mortuary is a unique black enchantment that turns your graveyard into a revolving door for your creatures. Instead of letting your fallen allies stay in the dirt, it ensures they are the next thing you draw. This guide covers how to manage your library and graveyard efficiently with this powerful engine.

What Mortuary Does

Mortuary features a mandatory triggered ability that triggers whenever a creature you control is put into your graveyard from the battlefield. When this happens, the specific creature card is moved from the graveyard to the top of its owner's library. Because the ruling states this is not an optional ability, you must perform this action even if you would prefer the creature to stay in your graveyard for other effects.

How it Resolves Step by Step

First, a creature you control must move directly from the battlefield to your graveyard. Once it resides in the graveyard, Mortuary's ability is put onto the stack. When the ability resolves, the card is moved from the graveyard to the top of your library. If multiple creatures die at the same time, you choose the order in which they are placed on top of your library since they each generate their own trigger.

Common Pitfalls

The most common mistake is forgetting that Mortuary is not optional. If your creature is a token, it will trigger Mortuary, but the token will cease to exist before the ability can move it, resulting in no change to your library. Additionally, if the creature card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves (via an opponent's exile effect, for example), the ability will fail to find the card and nothing happens.

When to Play It

Mortuary is best utilized in decks that can draw cards frequently or use 'Enter the Battlefield' effects repeatedly. Since it guarantees your next draw is a creature that just died, it prevents you from being 'locked out' of your best threats by removal spells. It is particularly potent when paired with cards that let you draw during your upkeep or main phase.

Interaction examples

Feeding the Arena

Phyrexian Arena

If your creature dies during an opponent's turn, Mortuary puts it on top of your library. When your upkeep starts, Phyrexian Arena triggers, letting you draw that exact creature immediately. This allows you to bypass the 'delay' of your draw step and re-cast your creature on your turn.

Buying Back Your Mercenaries

Black Market Connections

Suppose you lose a creature during combat. Mortuary places it on top of your library. At the start of your first main phase, you can choose the 'Buy Information' mode on Black Market Connections. You lose 2 life and draw the creature you just lost, effectively returning it to your hand to be played again in the same phase.

Token Interaction

Black Market Connections

If you use Black Market Connections to 'Hire a Mercenary', you create a 3/2 Shapeshifter token. If this token dies while Mortuary is on the battlefield, the ability triggers. However, state-based actions cause the token to vanish from the graveyard before the Mortuary trigger resolves. You will not put a card on top of your library, as the token is no longer there to be moved.

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