Pawpatch Recruit 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
Offspring(You may pay an additional
Complete guide
Pawpatch Recruit is a versatile Rabbit Warrior that brings friends to the battlefield and punishes opponents for targeting your board. With its Offspring ability and a unique triggered ability, this creature ensures that your army grows stronger whenever your opponent tries to interfere.
What It Does
Pawpatch Recruit is a 2/1 creature with Trample. When you cast it, you can pay an additional {2} for its Offspring cost. If you do, you get a 1/1 token copy of it when the original enters the battlefield. Its most powerful feature is a triggered ability: whenever an opponent targets any creature you control with a spell or ability, you put a +1/+1 counter on a different creature you control.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, you cast Pawpatch Recruit and choose whether to pay the {2} Offspring cost. If the spell resolves, the creature enters the battlefield. If you paid the Offspring cost, an enters-the-battlefield ability triggers to create the 1/1 token. Once on the board, the Recruit watches for opponent interactions. If an opponent targets one of your creatures, the Recruit's counter ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of the opponent's spell. This means your creature gets the +1/+1 counter before the opponent's spell even resolves.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is trying to put the +1/+1 counter on the creature that was actually targeted by the opponent; however, the ability specifically states the counter must go on a creature 'other than' the one being targeted. Additionally, remember that Offspring only triggers if the original spell successfully enters the battlefield. If Pawpatch Recruit is countered, you do not get the token, even if you paid the extra mana.
When to Play It
Play Pawpatch Recruit early to apply pressure with Trample, or wait until you have three mana to utilize the Offspring cost. It is especially effective in 'Go-Wide' strategies where you have multiple targets. Because the token also has the triggered ability, having both the original and the token on the field means a single targeted spell from an opponent will trigger two counters, doubling your value.
Interaction examples
Pawpatch RecruitYou cast Pawpatch Recruit and pay a total of {2}{G}. When it enters, its Offspring ability triggers. Even if the opponent destroys the original Recruit in response to the trigger, you still create a 1/1 token copy of it because the ability has already moved to the stack.
Birds of ParadiseWith Pawpatch Recruit and Birds of Paradise on your battlefield, your opponent casts a spell to destroy your Birds of Paradise. The Recruit's ability triggers. You choose to put a +1/+1 counter on the Pawpatch Recruit. The counter is placed on the Recruit before the Birds of Paradise is destroyed.
Llanowar ElvesIf you have the original Pawpatch Recruit and its 1/1 Offspring token on the field alongside Llanowar Elves, and an opponent targets the Llanowar Elves with an ability, both Recruits trigger. You can put two +1/+1 counters on the original Recruit, or one on the original and one on the token, as both are valid 'other' creatures.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Pawpatch Recruit
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Pawpatch Recruit’s last ability resolves before the spell or ability that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell or ability is countered.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability an opponent controls targets a single creature you control more than once, Pawpatch Recruit’s last ability will trigger only once. However, if a spell or ability an opponent controls targets multiple creatures you control, Pawpatch Recruit’s last ability will trigger once for each of those permanents.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You can pay an offspring cost only once as you cast a spell with offspring. You can’t try to pay it multiple times to get more token copies.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell is countered, the offspring ability will not trigger, and no token will be created.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell resolves but the creature with offspring leaves the battlefield before the offspring ability resolves, you’ll still create a token copy of it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
The token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else, except it’s a 1/1 (unless that creature is copying something else; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its types, color, or so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
In the rare case where the original creature is copying something else when the offspring ability resolves, the token enters as whatever that creature copied, except it’s a 1/1.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Many creatures with offspring abilities have other abilities that refer to them as “this creature” rather than referring to them by name. This difference is for clarity purposes and does not change the function of any of these abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Any “enters” abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters. Any “as [this creature] enters” or “[this creature] enters with” abilities of the copied creature will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
The token created by the offspring ability isn’t “cast”, so abilities that trigger when a creature spell is cast won’t trigger for the copy.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
In the rare case where the creature doesn’t have the offspring ability when it enters, the ability won’t trigger even if you paid the offspring cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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