Overlord of the HauntwoodsHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Overlord of the Hauntwoods is an Enchantment Creature that creates a unique land token named Everywhere whenever it enters the battlefield or attacks. The Everywhere token is every basic land type, meaning it can tap for any color of mana and helps satisfy requirements for cards that care about specific land types. You can cast it for its full cost or use the Impending keyword to play it early as a non-creature enchantment that eventually awakens into a creature once its time counters are removed.

How it Resolves Step by Step

First, you choose to cast the spell for its mana cost or its Impending cost. On the stack, it is always a creature spell. When it enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack. Once that ability resolves, you create a tapped Everywhere token. If you paid the Impending cost, the permanent enters with four time counters and is not a creature. At the beginning of each of your end steps, you remove one time counter. As soon as the last counter is removed, the permanent immediately becomes an Enchantment Creature.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is thinking the Everywhere token is a basic land. While it has all basic land types (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest), it does not have the 'Basic' supertype, so you cannot search for it with effects that specify a basic land card. Another mistake involves cloning; if a card like Roaming Throne enters as a copy of a permanent cast with Impending, the copy will not have time counters and will be a creature immediately.

When to Play It

Play this card early using the Impending cost if you are struggling with mana fixing or need to ramp into larger spells. The Everywhere token provides immediate value even if the Overlord isn't a creature yet. If you are already ahead on mana, casting it for its full cost allows you to attack sooner, triggering the ability again to create even more Everywhere tokens.

Interaction examples

Everywhere and Basic Land Search

Overlord of the HauntwoodsSolemn Simulacrum

You cast Overlord of the Hauntwoods and create an Everywhere token. Later, you cast Solemn Simulacrum. When the Simulacrum enters, you can search for a basic land card. Even though Everywhere has all basic land types, you cannot choose a token from your library, nor does the Everywhere token on the field count as a 'Basic' land for any card effects that specifically require that supertype.

Doubling the Domain

Overlord of the HauntwoodsRoaming Throne

You have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Avatar' or 'Horror' chosen as the creature type. You cast Overlord of the Hauntwoods. Because Roaming Throne doubles the triggered abilities of creatures of the chosen type, the 'enters' ability of the Overlord triggers twice. You will create two tapped Everywhere tokens instead of one. Note that even if the Overlord is currently a non-creature due to Impending, Roaming Throne still sees it as a creature card type on the battlefield for the purpose of this trigger.

The Impending Clock

Overlord of the Hauntwoods

You cast Overlord of the Hauntwoods for its Impending cost of {1}{G}{G}. It enters the battlefield with four time counters and triggers its ability to create an Everywhere token. At the end of that turn, you remove one counter (three remain). After three more of your end steps, the last counter is removed, and the Overlord can finally block or attack on your next turn.