Rhys the Redeemed 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

, : Create a 1/1 green and white Elf Warrior creature token. , : For each creature token you control, create a token that's a copy of that creature.

Complete guide

Rhys the Redeemed is a legendary low-cost commander capable of generating an entire army single-handedly. By starting small and exponentially increasing your board presence, this Elf Warrior turns a few tokens into an unstoppable force.

Token Generation and Population

Rhys has two distinct activated abilities. The first costs three mana and creates a single 1/1 green and white Elf Warrior creature token. The second ability, costing six mana, effectively doubles your token board state by creating a copy of every creature token you currently control.

Step-by-Step Resolution

When you activate the second ability, the game checks which creature tokens you control at the moment the ability resolves. For every creature token present, a new token is created with the same characteristics. These new tokens enter the battlefield simultaneously. If a token you controlled was already a copy of something else, the new token will also be a copy of that original object.

Common Pitfalls

It is important to remember that Rhys only copies creature tokens. If you control a non-token creature like Llanowar Elves, Rhys will not create a copy of it. Additionally, if Rhys is removed from the battlefield in response to activating his ability, the ability will still resolve using the last known information of the tokens you control.

Strategic Timing

Because the second ability requires Rhys to tap and costs six mana, it is often best used during your opponent's end step. This allows your new tokens to lose summoning sickness by the start of your turn, while keeping your mana open for defensive spells or reactions during the round.

Interaction examples

Building the Foundation

Elf Warrior

You spend three mana and tap Rhys the Redeemed to create one 1/1 green and white Elf Warrior token. This provides the initial target for Rhys's much more powerful second ability later in the game.

Accelerating Production

Llanowar Elves

Birds of Paradise

While Rhys cannot copy Llanowar Elves or Birds of Paradise because they are not tokens, these creatures provide the necessary mana acceleration to activate Rhys's six-mana doubling ability much earlier than turn six.

The Exponential Growth

Elf Warrior Copy

Copy

If you control five Elf Warrior tokens and activate Rhys's second ability, you will create five additional Elf Warrior tokens (represented by Copy tokens). If you activate it again on the next turn, you will create ten more, bringing your total to twenty tokens.

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