Revolutionist — ruling 1

Cards are discarded in a Magic game only from a player's hand. Effects that put cards into a player's graveyard from anywhere else do not cause those cards to be discarded.

Revolutionist — ruling 2

Madness works independently of why you're discarding the card. You could discard it to pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or because you have too many cards in your hand during your cleanup step. You can't discard a card with madness just because you want to, though.

Revolutionist — ruling 3

A card with madness that's discarded counts as having been discarded even though it's put into exile rather than a graveyard. If it was discarded to pay a cost, that cost is still paid. Abilities that trigger when a card is discarded will still trigger.

Revolutionist — ruling 4

A spell cast for its madness cost is put onto the stack like any other spell. It can be countered, copied, and so on. As it resolves, it's put onto the battlefield if it's a permanent card or into its owner's graveyard if it's an instant or sorcery card.

Revolutionist — ruling 5

Casting a spell with madness ignores the timing rules based on the card's card type. For example, you can cast a sorcery with madness if you discard it during an opponent's turn.

Revolutionist — ruling 6

To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a madness cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was.

Revolutionist — ruling 7

If you choose not to cast a card with madness when the madness triggered ability resolves, it's put into your graveyard. Madness doesn't give you another chance to cast it later.

Revolutionist — ruling 8

If you discard a card with madness to pay the cost of a spell or activated ability, that card's madness triggered ability (and the spell that card becomes, if you choose to cast it) will resolve before the spell or ability the discard paid for.

Revolutionist : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Revolutionist 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

When this creature enters, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand. Madness (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)

Complete guide

Revolutionist is a versatile Human Wizard that helps you reclaim powerful spells from your graveyard. Its Madness ability allows you to cast it at a discount whenever you discard it, turning a potential loss into a strategic advantage.

A Second Chance for Spells

When Revolutionist enters the battlefield, you choose one target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard and return it to your hand. This ability triggers whether you cast it for its full cost of 5R or for its Madness cost of 3R. Because it is an 'enters' ability, it will also trigger if the creature is put onto the battlefield by other effects or returned from exile.

Understanding the Madness Key

Madness works in a specific sequence: if an effect or cost causes you to discard Revolutionist, it goes to exile instead of the graveyard. This triggers a Madness ability. When that trigger resolves, you may cast the card for 3R. If you do, it goes onto the stack. If you choose not to, or if you cannot pay the cost, the card is moved from exile to your graveyard. Importantly, casting it via Madness ignores normal timing rules, letting you play this creature even during an opponent's turn if you have a way to discard it.

Timing and Interaction

If you discard Revolutionist to pay for a cost, its Madness trigger goes on top of the stack and will resolve before the original spell or ability. Once the Revolutionist spell itself resolves and enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack. This means you will return a spell to your hand before the initial effect that caused the discard even happens.

Interaction examples

Fueling the Revolutionist

Goldspan Dragon

If you have Revolutionist in hand and an effect forces you to discard it, you can use Treasure tokens generated by Goldspan Dragon to pay the Madness cost. Since Goldspan Dragon makes your Treasures produce two mana each, sacrificing just two Treasures covers the entire 3R cost. Revolutionist then enters the battlefield, letting you pick up an instant or sorcery you previously cast to protect your Dragon.

Exile and Casting

Etali, Primal Storm

When Etali, Primal Storm attacks and exiles Revolutionist from the top of your library, you may cast it for free. When Revolutionist enters the battlefield this way, its ability triggers. You can target any instant or sorcery that was already in your graveyard. Note that you cannot target cards currently being exiled by Etali, as they are not in the graveyard yet when Revolutionist's ability targets.

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

How it works : Revolutionist

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Cards are discarded in a Magic game only from a player's hand. Effects that put cards into a player's graveyard from anywhere else do not cause those cards to be discarded.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Madness works independently of why you're discarding the card. You could discard it to pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or because you have too many cards in your hand during your cleanup step. You can't discard a card with madness just because you want to, though.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
A card with madness that's discarded counts as having been discarded even though it's put into exile rather than a graveyard. If it was discarded to pay a cost, that cost is still paid. Abilities that trigger when a card is discarded will still trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
A spell cast for its madness cost is put onto the stack like any other spell. It can be countered, copied, and so on. As it resolves, it's put onto the battlefield if it's a permanent card or into its owner's graveyard if it's an instant or sorcery card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a spell with madness ignores the timing rules based on the card's card type. For example, you can cast a sorcery with madness if you discard it during an opponent's turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a madness cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If you choose not to cast a card with madness when the madness triggered ability resolves, it's put into your graveyard. Madness doesn't give you another chance to cast it later.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If you discard a card with madness to pay the cost of a spell or activated ability, that card's madness triggered ability (and the spell that card becomes, if you choose to cast it) will resolve before the spell or ability the discard paid for.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9December 8, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If you discard a card with madness while a spell or ability is resolving, it moves immediately to exile. Continue resolving that spell or ability, noting that the card you discarded is not in your graveyard at this time. Its madness triggered ability will be placed onto the stack once that spell or ability has completely resolved.
No other card is named in this ruling.