Parallel Evolution 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
For each creature token on the battlefield, its controller creates a token that's a copy of that creature. Flashback(You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Complete guide
Looking to double your army in a single stroke? Parallel Evolution is a high-impact green sorcery that rewards players who go wide with creature tokens. Whether cast from your hand or your graveyard, this spell ensures your board presence grows exponentially.
What It Does
Parallel Evolution identifies every creature token currently on the battlefield, regardless of who controls them. Each player then creates a new token that is a copy of every token they already have. This is a symmetrical effect that can benefit opponents, but it is most powerful in a deck dedicated to token production.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, the spell checks the battlefield for all permanents that are both creatures and tokens. Second, for each of those tokens found, its controller creates a new token with the exact same characteristics. Finally, if you cast the spell from your hand, it goes to the graveyard; if you cast it via Flashback, it is exiled instead.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is assuming this card interacts with non-token creatures; it only affects permanents that are already tokens. Also, remember that Flashback is an alternative cost. While you can cast it from your graveyard for {4}{G}{G}{G}, you still must follow sorcery timing restrictions, meaning you can only do so during your main phase when the stack is empty.
When to Play It
This card is best played when you have a qualitative or quantitative advantage in tokens. Since it has Flashback, it is a fantastic discard target or a late-game mana sink to rebuild your board after a wipe. It is particularly potent when your tokens have 'enters-the-battlefield' abilities.
Interaction examples
CopyIf you control three 2/2 wolf tokens (represented by a Copy token), casting Parallel Evolution will result in you creating three more identical 2/2 wolf tokens. You end the resolution with six wolves total.
Skyshroud ClaimTo afford the steep Flashback cost of {4}{G}{G}{G}, you can use Skyshroud Claim to pull two Forest cards from your library onto the battlefield. This thins your deck and provides the specific green mana required to cast Parallel Evolution from your graveyard later.
Rishkar's ExpertiseIf you control a large creature token, you can cast Rishkar's Expertise to draw cards. Since Parallel Evolution has a mana value of 5, you can then cast it for free using the second part of Rishkar's Expertise, doubling your tokens immediately without spending additional mana.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Parallel Evolution
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
"Flashback [cost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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Meta decks with Parallel Evolution
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.