Polymorphist's Jest 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
Until end of turn, each creature target player controls loses all abilities and becomes a blue Frog with base power and toughness 1/1.
Complete guide
Polymorphist's Jest is a powerful blue instant that can turn a terrifying army into a harmless pond of amphibians. By stripping away abilities and setting base stats, it levels the playing field just when your opponent thinks they have the upper hand. Whether you are using it as a defensive tool or an offensive sweep, understanding its timing is key.
What it does
This spell targets a player and transforms every creature they currently control. Affected creatures lose all of their printed and granted abilities, change their color to blue, and become Frogs. Crucially, their base power and toughness are set to 1/1, overwriting any previous base stat changes.
How it resolves step by step
First, you choose a target player. Upon resolution, the game identifies every creature that player controls at that exact moment. These creatures lose their abilities and creature types, becoming 1/1 blue Frogs. Any creature entering the battlefield or changing control after the spell has finished resolving will not be affected by the transformation.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that this spell removes counters or buffs. It does not. Effects like +1/+1 counters or spells that give +N/+N apply on top of the 1/1 base stats. Additionally, it cannot stop 'enters the battlefield' abilities that have already triggered; the creature must already be on the battlefield for the Jest to affect it.
When to play it
The best time to cast Polymorphist's Jest is during the Declare Attackers step. By turning attackers into 1/1 Frogs without abilities, you can safely block and destroy them with your own creatures. It is also effective in response to a player attempting to use a creature's activated ability, though it will not stop an ability that is already on the stack.
Interaction examples
You cast Polymorphist's Jest targeting an opponent who controls a 5/5 Dragon with Flying. The spell resolves, and the Dragon becomes a 1/1 blue Frog with no abilities. It can no longer fly, and it can be easily blocked or destroyed by a simple 1/2 creature.
CounterspellYou cast Polymorphist's Jest to shrink an opponent's board. Your opponent attempts to stop the spell by casting their own spell to save their creatures. You cast Counterspell targeting their response. Your Counterspell resolves first, then Polymorphist's Jest resolves, successfully turning their board into Frogs.
Arcane DenialAfter you cast Polymorphist's Jest, your opponent tries to cast a spell to give their creatures Indestructible to survive the turn. You cast Arcane Denial to counter that spell. The opponent's creatures remain vulnerable 1/1 Frogs, and they will draw cards later, but their board is likely lost during combat.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Polymorphist's Jest
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If one of the affected creatures gains an ability after Polymorphist’s Jest resolves, it will keep that ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Creatures that enter the battlefield or come under the target player’s control after Polymorphist’s Jest resolves won’t be affected.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The creatures will lose all other colors and creature types, but they will retain any other card types (such as artifact) or supertypes (such as legendary) they may have.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Polymorphist’s Jest overwrites all previous effects that set the creatures’ base power and toughness to specific values. Any power- or toughness-setting effects that start to apply after Polymorphist’s Jest resolves will overwrite this effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Polymorphist’s Jest doesn’t counter abilities that have already triggered or been activated. In particular, there is no way to cast this spell to stop a creature’s ability that says “At the beginning of your upkeep,” “When this creature enters the battlefield,” or similar from triggering.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Effects that modify a creature’s power and/or toughness, such as the effect of Titanic Growth, will apply to the creatures no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for any counters that change their power and/or toughness and effects that switch power and toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If one of the Theros block Gods is affected by Polymorphist’s Jest, it will be a legendary 1/1 blue Frog enchantment creature with no abilities. If it stops being a creature, perhaps because your devotion to its color(s) decreased, it will be a legendary blue enchantment with no abilities. The way continuous effects work, the God’s type-changing ability is applied before the effect that removes that ability is applied.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Polymorphist's Jest
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