Palace Sentinels 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
When this creature enters, you become the monarch.
Complete guide
Palace Sentinels is a cornerstone of the monarch mechanic in Magic: The Gathering, turning the tide of a game by introducing a powerful crown to fight over. This sturdy Human Soldier not only provides a defensive body but also grants you the privilege of drawing extra cards every turn.
Taking the Crown
When Palace Sentinels enters the battlefield, its triggered ability makes you the monarch. This is a game-wide status that grants you two inherent triggered abilities: you draw a card at the beginning of your end step, and any opponent who deals combat damage to you with a creature becomes the new monarch. Once someone becomes the monarch, there will be exactly one monarch for the remainder of the game.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, Palace Sentinels enters the battlefield, putting its triggered ability on the stack. Once it resolves, you become the monarch, replacing the previous monarch if there was one. At the start of your next end step, a triggered ability goes on the stack allowing you to draw a card. If an opponent attacks you and deals combat damage while you hold the crown, their creature's damage triggers a status change immediately, and they become the monarch.
Common Mistakes
A common point of confusion involves the end step draw. If the 'draw a card' ability triggers during your end step, but an opponent uses an effect to become the monarch before that ability resolves, you—the player who was monarch when it triggered—still get to draw the card. Additionally, remember that 'becoming' the monarch only triggers abilities if you weren't already the monarch; playing a second Palace Sentinels while you are already the monarch won't trigger 'whenever you become the monarch' effects again.
When to Play Palace Sentinels
Palace Sentinels is best played when you have a board state capable of defending against attackers. Since the monarch status is lost upon taking combat damage, you want to ensure your opponents cannot easily strike back. It is particularly effective in multiplayer games where the card draw can help you outpace several opponents at once.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne with 'Human' or 'Soldier' chosen, and Palace Sentinels enters the battlefield, its ability triggers twice. While the first resolution makes you the monarch, the second resolution will also happen. Note that since you are already the monarch after the first trigger, the second trigger simply reaffirms your status without extra benefit, unless you had lost the crown in between triggers via a flash creature.
Solemn SimulacrumYou play Palace Sentinels to become the monarch and use Solemn Simulacrum to block an incoming attack. If the Simulacrum dies in combat, you draw a card from its own ability. If you successfully block all damage, you remain the monarch and draw another card at the beginning of your end step. However, if the opponent's creature has trample and deals even 1 damage to you, they will take the monarch status from you immediately.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Palace Sentinels
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If combat damage dealt to the monarch causes that player to lose the game, the triggered ability that causes the controller of the attacking creature to become the monarch doesn't resolve. In most cases, the controller of the attacking creature will still become the monarch as it is likely their turn.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward. As a player becomes the monarch, the current monarch (if any) ceases being the monarch.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
There are two inherent triggered abilities associated with being the monarch. These triggered abilities have no source and are controlled by the player who was the monarch at the time the abilities triggered. The full texts of these abilities are "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card" and "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch."
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- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the monarch leaves the game during another player's turn, that player becomes the monarch. If the monarch leaves the game during their turn, the next player in turn order becomes the monarch.
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- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Being the monarch carries two inherent triggered abilities. "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card" and "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch."
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- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Abilities that trigger whenever you "become the monarch" trigger only if you aren't already the monarch. For example, if you are already the monarch as Custodi Lich enters the battlefield, its last ability won't trigger.
Card named in this ruling
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack, and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.
Card named in this ruling
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward.
Card named in this ruling
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Meta decks with Palace Sentinels
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.