Ordeal of Nylea 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
Enchant creature Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice this Aura. When you sacrifice this Aura, search your library for up to two basic land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Complete guide
Ordeal of Nylea is a powerful Aura that rewards aggressive gameplay with significant mana ramp. By enchanting a creature and leading it into battle, you grow your threat while preparing your mana base for the late game.
Growing and Harvesting
Ordeal of Nylea has two distinct parts: an attack trigger and a sacrifice trigger. Each time the enchanted creature attacks, you put a +1/+1 counter on it. Immediately after that counter is placed, the game checks if the creature has three or more +1/+1 counters on it. If it does, you must sacrifice the Aura to trigger its final effect.
Resolution Step by Step
First, declare the enchanted creature as an attacker. This puts the Ordeal's ability on the stack. When the ability resolves, you place the counter. Then, the game checks the total count of +1/+1 counters on that creature. Note that this check only happens during the resolution of the attack trigger. If the creature reaches three counters through another spell or ability, you won't sacrifice the Ordeal until the next time the creature attacks and that trigger resolves.
The Sacrifice Trigger
The land-searching ability triggers specifically when Ordeal of Nylea is sacrificed. While the most common way to do this is through its own attack trigger, any effect that causes you to sacrifice the Aura will work. Once it hits the graveyard via sacrifice, you search for up to two basic lands and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
Strategic Timing
To maximize this card, enchant a creature that already has +1/+1 counters on it. Since the check for three counters happens 'then' (immediately after adding one), you can trigger the land search on your very first attack if the creature starts with at least two counters.
Interaction examples
Hardened ScalesWith Hardened Scales on the battlefield, the attack trigger of Ordeal of Nylea will place two +1/+1 counters on the creature instead of one. This allows you to reach the three-counter threshold much faster, often sacrificing the Aura on only your second attack even if the creature started with zero counters.
Garruk's UprisingIf you enchant a 3/3 creature with Ordeal of Nylea, it becomes a 3/3. When it attacks, the Ordeal puts a +1/+1 counter on it, making it a 4/4. Because Garruk's Uprising gives your creatures trample, your growing threat becomes harder to block. Additionally, if you play a creature that is large enough to trigger Uprising's draw effect, the extra lands provided by the Ordeal sacrifice will help you cast those extra cards.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Ordeal of Nylea
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The check of whether the enchanted creature has three or more +1/+1 counters on it happens as part of the resolution of the attack triggered ability. If the third +1/+1 counter is put on the enchanted creature any other way, you won't sacrifice Ordeal of Nylea until the next time the creature attacks.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Ordeal of Nylea's last ability will trigger when you sacrifice it for any reason, not just when you sacrifice it because of the effect of its second ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Tiller Engine + Faith Healer
- 1Activate Yenna by paying
and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2. - 2Activate Faith Healer by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Tiller Engine triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Faith Healer ability from step 2, causing you to gain 2 life.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Tiller Engine + Phantatog
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Phantatog's first ability by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Tiller Engine triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Phantatog ability from step 2, giving it +1/+1 until end of turn.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Tiller Engine + Auratog
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Auratog by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Tiller Engine triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Auratog ability from step 2, giving it +2/+2 until end of turn.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Tiller Engine + Thaumatog
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Thaumatog's second ability by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Tiller Engine triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Thaumatog ability from step 2, giving it +1/+1 until end of turn.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Amulet of Vigor + Faith Healer
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Faith Healer by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Amulet of Vigor triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Faith Healer ability from step 2, causing you to gain 2 life.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Amulet of Vigor + Thaumatog
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Thaumatog's second ability by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Amulet of Vigor triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Thaumatog ability from step 2, giving it +1/+1 until end of turn.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Tiller Engine + Gatherer of Graces
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Gatherer of Graces by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Tiller Engine triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Gatherer of Graces ability from step 2, regenerating it.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Yenna, Redtooth Regent + Ordeal of Nylea + Amulet of Vigor + Gatherer of Graces
- 1Activate Yenna by paying and tapping it, creating a token copy of Ordeal of Nylea, then untapping Yenna and causing you to scry 2.
- 2Activate Gatherer of Graces by sacrificing the Ordeal of Nylea token.
- 3The Ordeal of Nylea token's second ability triggers, causing you to search your library for two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
- 4When the lands enter the battlefield, Amulet of Vigor triggers twice, untapping them.
- 5Resolve the Gatherer of Graces ability from step 2, regenerating it.
- 6Activate the two lands by tapping them, adding .
- 7Repeat.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Ordeal of Nylea
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.