Priest of Fell Rites — ruling 1

If a creature returned to the battlefield by the unearth ability would leave it for any reason, it's exiled instead—unless the spell or ability that's causing the creature to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it. In that case, the spell or ability succeeds at exiling the creature. If the spell or ability later returns the creature card to the battlefield (as Ephemerate might, for example), the creature card will return as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it.

Priest of Fell Rites — ruling 2

Activating a creature card's unearth ability isn't the same as casting the creature card. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the creature card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Cancel) will not.

Priest of Fell Rites — ruling 3

You choose the target of the first ability before paying any of that ability's costs. In other words, you can't choose Priest of Fell Rites itself as the target to bring it back from the graveyard.

Priest of Fell Rites : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Priest of Fell Rites 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

, Pay 3 life, Sacrifice this creature: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery. Unearth (: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)

Complete guide

Priest of Fell Rites is a powerful utility creature that serves as a repeatable reanimation engine from the graveyard. By combining sacrifice synergies with the Unearth mechanic, this Human Warlock ensures your biggest threats never stay dead for long. Understanding the timing and costs of its abilities is key to mastering its role in your Orzhov deck.

Bringing Back the Dead

Priest of Fell Rites has an activated ability that requires you to tap it, pay 3 life, and sacrifice it as a cost. When this ability resolves, you return a target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Because the sacrifice is a cost, the Priest will be in the graveyard by the time the ability is on the stack, but you must choose the target for the ability before you pay the costs. This means you cannot target the Priest of Fell Rites that is currently activating the ability to return itself.

The Unearth Mechanic

If Priest of Fell Rites is in your graveyard, you can pay its Unearth cost of {3}{W}{B} to bring it back to the battlefield with haste. This is an activated ability, not a spell, so it cannot be countered by traditional counterspells like Cancel. The creature must be exiled at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield for any other reason. Note that if you use the Priest's own sacrifice ability while it was Unearthed, it will still end up in exile instead of the graveyard because of the Unearth replacement effect.

Timing and Restrictions

Both the reanimation ability and the Unearth ability can only be activated as a sorcery. This means you must be the active player, it must be your main phase, and the stack must be empty. You cannot use the Priest to block and then sacrifice it before damage, nor can you Unearth it during an opponent's turn to surprise them with a blocker.

Interaction examples

Early Game Value

Esper Sentinel

If your Esper Sentinel was destroyed early in the game, you can cast Priest of Fell Rites on turn two. On turn three, you activate the Priest's ability by tapping it, paying 3 life, and sacrificing it. You target the Esper Sentinel in your graveyard. The Sentinel returns to the battlefield immediately, allowing you to resume taxing your opponent's noncreature spells.

Sacrifice Synergies

Blood Artist

With Blood Artist on the battlefield, you activate the ability of Priest of Fell Rites. As part of the cost, you sacrifice the Priest. This triggers Blood Artist, allowing you to drain 1 life from an opponent and gain 1 life back, partially offsetting the 3 life cost required to activate the Priest's reanimation effect.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Priest of Fell Rites

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1June 18, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature returned to the battlefield by the unearth ability would leave it for any reason, it's exiled instead—unless the spell or ability that's causing the creature to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it. In that case, the spell or ability succeeds at exiling the creature. If the spell or ability later returns the creature card to the battlefield (as Ephemerate might, for example), the creature card will return as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2June 18, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Activating a creature card's unearth ability isn't the same as casting the creature card. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the creature card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Cancel) will not.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3June 18, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
You choose the target of the first ability before paying any of that ability's costs. In other words, you can't choose Priest of Fell Rites itself as the target to bring it back from the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.