Pendelhaven Elder 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 1/1 creature you control gets +1/+2 until end of turn.
Complete guide
Pendelhaven Elder is a classic utility creature that provides a significant defensive and offensive boost to your smallest units. By harnessing the power of nature, this Elf Shaman ensures that your tiny creatures can survive combat and deal much more damage than expected. It is a staple for any strategy that goes wide with small tokens or utility creatures.
What It Does
The ability of Pendelhaven Elder is straightforward: you tap it to give every 1/1 creature you control +1/+2 until the end of the turn. It does not target specific creatures, meaning it can bypass protection or hexproof, and it checks for any creature whose current power and toughness are exactly 1/1.
Resolving the Ability
When the ability resolves, the game checks the power and toughness of all creatures you control. This check includes all current modifiers, such as +1/+1 counters, equipment, or other continuous effects. Only those that are exactly 1/1 at that moment receive the bonus. Once the bonus is applied, it lasts until the end of the turn, even if the creature's power or toughness changes further later on.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is thinking the bonus applies to creatures that enter the battlefield after the ability has already resolved; it does not. Additionally, if a creature is a 1/1 base, but is currently a 2/2 due to a static effect like an anthem, Pendelhaven Elder will not buff it, because its actual current stats are not 1/1.
When to Play It
This ability is best activated during the declare attackers or declare blockers step. Because it provides a +2 boost to toughness, it is an excellent tool for keeping your utility creatures alive during a combat phase where they would otherwise be traded or destroyed by small attackers.
Interaction examples
Llanowar Elves
Birds of ParadiseIf you control both Llanowar Elves and Birds of Paradise, both are currently 1/1 creatures. When you tap Pendelhaven Elder, the ability checks their stats upon resolution. Both creatures become 2/3 until the end of the turn, allowing them to block larger creatures and survive.
Suppose your Llanowar Elves has a +1/+1 counter on it, making it a 2/2. If you activate Pendelhaven Elder, the ability sees the Elves as a 2/2, not a 1/1. Consequently, the Elves will not receive the +1/+2 bonus because the Elder looks at the final power and toughness, not the base stats printed on the card.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Pendelhaven Elder
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Pendelhaven Elder's ability affects only 1/1 creatures you control at the time it resolves. Creatures you begin to control later in the turn or that become 1/1 later in the turn won't get +1/+2.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Pendelhaven Elder's ability looks at each creature's actual power and toughness taking into account counters and effects that raise or lower its power and/or toughness, not just its base power and toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Pendelhaven Elder
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.