Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 1

Dice are identified by the number of faces each one has. For example, a d20 is a twenty-sided die.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 2

Dice used must have equally likely outcomes and the roll must be fair. Although physical dice are recommended, digital substitutes are allowed, provided they have the same number of equally likely outcomes as specified in the original roll instruction.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 3

An ability that tells you to roll a die will also specify what to do with the result of that roll. Most often, this is in the form of a “results table” in the card text.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 4

The instruction to roll a die and the effect that occurs because of the result are all part of the same ability. Players do not get the chance to respond to the ability after knowing the result of the roll.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 5

An effect that says “choose a target, then roll a d20” or similar still uses the normal process of putting an ability on the stack and resolving it. Choosing targets is part of putting the ability on the stack and rolling the d20 happens later, as the ability resolves.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 6

Some effects may modify the result of a die roll. This may be part of the instruction to roll a die or it may come from other cards. Anything that references the “result” of a die roll is looking for the result after these modifications. Anything that is looking for the “natural result” is looking for the number shown on the face of the die before these modifications.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 7

Some abilities, like that of Pixie Guide and Barbarian Class, replace rolling a die with rolling extra dice and ignoring the lowest roll. The ignored rolls are not considered for the effect that instructed you to roll a die, and do not cause abilities to trigger. For all intents and purposes, once you determine which dice count, any extra dice were never rolled.

Neverwinter Hydra — ruling 8

Some effects instruct you to roll again. This uses the same number and type of dice as the original roll, and that roll will use the same set of possible outcomes.

Neverwinter Hydra : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Neverwinter Hydra 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

As this creature enters, roll X d6. It enters with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the total of those results. Trample Ward (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays .)

How it works : Neverwinter Hydra

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Dice are identified by the number of faces each one has. For example, a d20 is a twenty-sided die.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Dice used must have equally likely outcomes and the roll must be fair. Although physical dice are recommended, digital substitutes are allowed, provided they have the same number of equally likely outcomes as specified in the original roll instruction.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that tells you to roll a die will also specify what to do with the result of that roll. Most often, this is in the form of a “results table” in the card text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
The instruction to roll a die and the effect that occurs because of the result are all part of the same ability. Players do not get the chance to respond to the ability after knowing the result of the roll.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
An effect that says “choose a target, then roll a d20” or similar still uses the normal process of putting an ability on the stack and resolving it. Choosing targets is part of putting the ability on the stack and rolling the d20 happens later, as the ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Some effects may modify the result of a die roll. This may be part of the instruction to roll a die or it may come from other cards. Anything that references the “result” of a die roll is looking for the result after these modifications. Anything that is looking for the “natural result” is looking for the number shown on the face of the die before these modifications.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Some abilities, like that of Pixie Guide and Barbarian Class, replace rolling a die with rolling extra dice and ignoring the lowest roll. The ignored rolls are not considered for the effect that instructed you to roll a die, and do not cause abilities to trigger. For all intents and purposes, once you determine which dice count, any extra dice were never rolled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Some effects instruct you to roll again. This uses the same number and type of dice as the original roll, and that roll will use the same set of possible outcomes.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
While playing Planechase, rolling the planar die will cause any ability that triggers whenever a player rolls one or more dice to trigger. However, any effect that refers to a numerical result will ignore the rolling of the planar die.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Tournament events have more specific rules regarding dice and die-rolling. For more information, please see the most recent version of the Magic Tournament Rules at https://wpn.wizards.com/en/document/magic-gathering-tournament-rules.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11July 23, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
If a player casts a spell that targets multiple permanents their opponent controls with ward, each of those ward abilities will trigger. If that player doesn't pay for all of them, the spell will be countered.
No other card is named in this ruling.