Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator 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
Whenever you cast a legendary spell, untap Rona.: Draw a card, then discard a card.
: Transform Rona. Activate only as a sorcery. (
or 2 life.) Trample Whenever a source deals damage to Rona, that source's controller exiles a card from their hand at random. If it's a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield under your control. Otherwise, you may cast it without paying its mana cost.
Complete guide
Rona, Herald of Invasion is a versatile legendary creature that filters your hand before evolving into a terrifying Phyrexian powerhouse. Whether you are seeking specific combo pieces or looking to punish opponents for interacting with your board, Rona provides immense utility in both forms. This guide will help you master her transformation and the chaotic power of her back face, Rona, Tolarian Obliterator.
Dual Identities: Looter and Obliterator
On her front side, Rona acts as a 'looter,' allowing you to draw and discard cards to sculpt your hand. She features a triggered ability that untaps her whenever you cast a legendary spell, potentially letting you activate her multiple times in a single turn. By paying five mana and two life (or one black mana), she transforms into Rona, Tolarian Obliterator, a creature with Trample that punishes any source that deals damage to her by letting you steal and cast cards from your opponent's hand for free.
Resolving the Obliteration
When Rona, Tolarian Obliterator takes damage, her ability triggers once for each source. During resolution, the source's controller must exile a card from their hand at random. If it is a land, it enters the battlefield under your control immediately. If it is a non-land card, you may cast it without paying its mana cost right then and there. Note that you ignore normal timing restrictions, meaning you can cast sorceries or creatures even during combat or on an opponent's turn, but you must choose 0 for any X in the mana cost.
Strategic Considerations
Common mistakes include trying to untap Rona by playing a legendary land like Plaza of Heroes; however, the rules state that lands are played, not cast, so they do not trigger her ability. Additionally, remember that transforming Rona is a sorcery-speed action. Once she is transformed, she loses the looting ability, so ensure you have drawn the cards you need before committing to the Phyrexian upgrade.
Interaction examples
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf you have a way to return a legendary card to your hand, such as Mox Amber, you can tap Rona to draw and discard, then cast the legendary spell to untap her. While Ornithopter of Paradise is not legendary, having legendary creatures like it in your deck ensures Rona stays active to filter through your library for win conditions.
Blood ArtistIf an opponent controls Blood Artist and its ability deals 1 damage to Rona, Tolarian Obliterator, Rona's ability triggers. The opponent must exile a card at random. If they exile a powerful spell, you cast it for free. If they exile a land, you take it. This makes it extremely dangerous for opponents to use ping effects or small instances of damage against you.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The first ability of Rona, Herald of Invasion will resolve before the spell that caused it to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Playing a legendary land won’t cause the first ability to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The spell you cast from exile without paying its mana cost is cast during the resolution of the triggered ability. Timing restrictions of that spell based on card type are ignored.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell without paying its mana cost, you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay any additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Mox Amber + Retraction Helix
- 1Activate Mox Amber by tapping it, adding
. - 2Cast Retraction Helix by paying , targeting Rona.
- 3Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Mox Amber from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Cast Mox Amber by paying
. - 5Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 6Activate Mox Amber by tapping it, adding one mana of any color among legendary creatures and/or planeswalkers you control.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Mox Opal + Retraction Helix
- 1Activate Mox Opal by tapping it, adding .
- 2Cast Retraction Helix by paying , targeting Rona.
- 3Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Mox Opal from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Cast Mox Opal by paying .
- 5Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 6Activate Mox Opal by tapping it, adding one mana of any color.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Mox Amber + Banishing Knack
- 1Activate Mox Amber by tapping it, adding .
- 2Cast Banishing Knack by paying , targeting Rona.
- 3Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Mox Amber from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Cast Mox Amber by paying .
- 5Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 6Activate Mox Amber by tapping it, adding one mana of any color among legendary creatures and/or planeswalkers you control.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Mox Opal + Banishing Knack
- 1Activate Mox Opal by tapping it, adding .
- 2Cast Banishing Knack by paying , targeting Rona.
- 3Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Mox Opal from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Cast Mox Opal by paying .
- 5Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 6Activate Mox Opal by tapping it, adding one mana of any color.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Retraction Helix + Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
- 1Cast Retraction Helix by paying , targeting Rona.
- 2Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Rograkh from the battlefield to your hand.
- 3Cast Rograkh by paying .
- 4Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Mox Jasper + Retraction Helix
- 1Activate Mox Jasper by tapping it, adding .
- 2Cast Retraction Helix by paying , giving Rona an activated ability this turn.
- 3Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Mox Jasper from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Cast Mox Jasper by paying .
- 5Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 6Activate Mox Jasper by tapping it, adding one mana of any color.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Mox Jasper + Banishing Knack
- 1Activate Mox Jasper by tapping it, adding .
- 2Cast Banishing Knack by paying , giving Rona an activated ability this turn.
- 3Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Mox Jasper from the battlefield to your hand.
- 4Cast Mox Jasper by paying .
- 5Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 6Activate Mox Jasper by tapping it, adding one mana of any color.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator + Banishing Knack + Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
- 1Cast Banishing Knack by paying , targeting Rona.
- 2Activate Rona by tapping it, returning Rograkh from the battlefield to your hand.
- 3Cast Rograkh by paying .
- 4Rona triggers, untapping itself.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Rona, Herald of Invasion // Rona, Tolarian Obliterator
