OvinomancerHow it works & interactions with other cards

The Entry Tax

When Ovinomancer enters the battlefield, its triggered ability forces a choice: you must either sacrifice it or return three basic lands you control to their owner's hand. This is a triggered ability, not an additional casting cost, meaning it enters the battlefield first and can be responded to. If you don't have three basic lands to return, you must sacrifice the Ovinomancer.

Step-by-Step Transformation

To activate the destruction ability, you must pay the costs: tap Ovinomancer and return it to your hand. Because returning the card is a cost, it happens immediately and cannot be countered. Then, you choose a target creature. Upon resolution, that creature is destroyed and cannot be regenerated, and its controller receives a 0/1 green Sheep token. Since Ovinomancer is back in your hand, it is safe from sorcery-speed removal and ready to be played again.

Common Mistakes

A common error is attempting to target Ovinomancer with its own ability to generate a Sheep token for yourself. If you do this, Ovinomancer is returned to your hand as a cost, causing the ability to lose its target. The ability will fail to resolve, and no Sheep token will be created. Additionally, remember that the land-return trigger only accepts basic lands; non-basic lands cannot be used to satisfy the cost.

When to Play It

Ovinomancer is best used in long games where you have an abundance of lands or ways to benefit from lands entering the battlefield. It is an excellent answer to creatures with 'Indestructible' (which it cannot kill) versus those with 'Regenerate' (which it can). It excels in defensive shells where you can repeatedly reset your board state while shrinking the opponent's army.

Interaction examples

Farming for Value

Solemn Simulacrum

You have Solemn Simulacrum on the battlefield and five basic lands. You cast Ovinomancer. When it enters, you return three basic lands to your hand. On your next turn, you activate Ovinomancer, returning it to your hand to destroy the Solemn Simulacrum. You draw a card from the Simulacrum's death trigger and your opponent gets a Sheep. You can now replay the lands you bounced and recast the Ovinomancer to repeat the cycle.

Double the Tax

Roaming Throne

With Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Human' or 'Wizard', Ovinomancer's enter-the-battlefield ability triggers twice. You must return three basic lands for the first trigger, then another three for the second trigger. If you cannot fulfill both, you must sacrifice Ovinomancer. This interaction highlights that Ovinomancer's land cost is a triggered ability that can be doubled or even countered by effects that target triggers.

Dealing with the Flock

Sheep

Your opponent attacks with a massive creature. You tap Ovinomancer and return it to your hand, targeting the attacker. The attacker is destroyed regardless of any regeneration shields it might have. Your opponent is left with a 0/1 Sheep token. On your turn, you can recast Ovinomancer, returning three more lands to continue controlling the board.