Patriarch's Bidding 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
Each player chooses a creature type. Each player returns all creature cards of a type chosen this way from their graveyard to the battlefield.
Complete guide
Patriarch's Bidding is a powerful black sorcery that can shift the tides of a Commander game in a single turn. It serves as the ultimate recovery tool for tribal decks, allowing players to pull their entire army back from the grave for just five mana. However, be wary, as your opponents will also get to bring back their fallen comrades.
Choosing Your Tribe
When Patriarch's Bidding resolves, the active player (the player whose turn it is) chooses a creature type first. Then, in turn order, each other player does the same. You must choose a valid creature type like 'Zombie' or 'Dragon'; you cannot choose 'Artifact' or 'Legendary' as these are not creature types. Even if someone else has already picked the type you wanted, you can still choose it, though it won't change the outcome of what gets returned.
Mass Resurrection
After all choices are made, the magic happens simultaneously. Every creature card in every graveyard that matches at least one of the chosen types is put onto the battlefield at the same time. This means all 'enters-the-battlefield' abilities will trigger simultaneously, and you can order your own triggers in any way you choose.
Strategic Considerations
A common mistake is forgetting that this spell is symmetrical. While you might be bringing back twenty Goblins, your opponent might bring back a single, game-ending Eldrazi or Praetor. Always check your opponents' graveyards before casting this to ensure you aren't accidentally handing them the win.
Interaction examples
DamnationIf an opponent casts Damnation to destroy your entire board of Elves, they all head to the graveyard. On your next turn, you can cast Patriarch's Bidding, choose 'Elf', and every single one of those creatures will return to the battlefield ready for a counter-attack.
Living DeathUnlike Living Death, which swaps the battlefield and the graveyard for everyone regardless of creature type, Patriarch's Bidding is surgical. If you are playing a focused tribal deck and your opponent is playing a mix of good creatures, Patriarch's Bidding is often better because you get everything back while they might only get one or two creatures that match the chosen types.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Patriarch's Bidding
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The player whose turn it is chooses a creature type first, followed by each other player in turn order. Then, all creature cards that have one or more of the chosen types are returned to the battlefield at the same time.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Any player may choose a creature type that's already been chosen. Doing so won't affect which creature cards are returned to the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Each player may choose any creature type, even if they don't have any creature cards of that type in their graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
You must choose a creature type, such as Elf or Shaman. You can't choose other card types such as artifact or supertypes such as legendary.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Patriarch's Bidding
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.