Razorgrass Ambush // Razorgrass Field 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
Razorgrass Ambush deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. As this land enters, you may pay 3 life. If you don't, it enters tapped.: Add
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Complete guide
Razorgrass Ambush is a versatile modal double-faced card that serves as both efficient removal and a necessary mana source. Whether you are defending your life total or curving out, this card ensures you never miss a beat in a game of Magic.
Dual Utility Explained
Razorgrass Ambush functions as an instant spell on its front face and a land, Razorgrass Field, on its back face. While in your hand, you choose which side to play; however, in any other zone like the library or graveyard, only the front face's characteristics exist. This means you cannot search for it with an effect that looks for a land card.
Resolution and Life Payment
When casting the instant side, you must target a creature that is currently in combat as an attacker or blocker. When playing the land side, it enters the battlefield tapped unless you choose to pay 3 life. This choice is made as the land enters, and it does not use the stack, so players cannot respond specifically to the life payment.
Common Pitfalls
A frequent mistake is trying to target a creature after combat has ended. Once the end of combat step concludes, the creature is no longer 'attacking' or 'blocking,' making it an illegal target. Additionally, remember that if an effect lets you 'cast' cards from your graveyard, you cannot play the land side, as lands are played, not cast.
Strategic Timing
Use the land side early if you lack white sources, especially if your life total is high enough to afford the 3-point payment for untapped mana. Save the instant side for the declare blockers step to remove high-priority threats that have already committed to combat.
Interaction examples
Your opponent attacks with a 3/3 creature. During the declare attackers step, you cast Razorgrass Ambush targeting that creature. The spell resolves, deals 3 damage, and the creature is destroyed before it can deal combat damage to you.
Swords to PlowsharesIf you cast Razorgrass Ambush on an attacking creature and your opponent attempts to save it with a boost spell, you can respond by casting Swords to Plowshares. While both are removal, Razorgrass Ambush specifically requires the combat state to be valid at the time of targeting and resolution.
Path to ExileIf a player casts Path to Exile on one of your creatures, you may search your library for a basic land. Even though the back face of Razorgrass Ambush is a land, you cannot choose it because it is not a basic land, and in the library, it only has the characteristics of the front-face instant.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Razorgrass Ambush // Razorgrass Field
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you're playing and ignore the other face's characteristics. For example, if an effect stops you from casting creature spells, you can't cast Disciple of Freyalise, but you can still play Garden of Freyalise.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than "play") a specific modal double-faced card, you can't play it as a land.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect. For example, if an effect allows you to play lands from your graveyard, you can play Garden of Freyalise, but you can't cast Disciple of Freyalise.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect allows you to put a card with particular characteristics onto the battlefield without instructing you to play or cast it, you consider only the characteristics of a modal double-faced card's front face to see if that card qualifies. If it does, it enters the battlefield with its front face up. For example, if an effect allows you to put a creature card from your graveyard onto the battlefield, you can put Disciple of Freyalise onto the battlefield. However, an effect that lets you return a land card from your graveyard to your hand won't let you return Garden of Freyalise to your hand, as that card has only its front face's characteristics while in the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that's being considered. On the stack or the battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
A modal double-faced card can't be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Razorgrass Ambush // Razorgrass Field
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