Rona's Vortex 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
Kicker(You may pay an additional
Complete guide
Rona's Vortex is a versatile removal spell that bridges the gap between early-game tempo and late-game permanent removal. While its base form acts as a standard bounce spell, paying the Kicker cost allows you to tuck away threats for good.
What It Does
At its core, Rona's Vortex is a one-mana instant that targets a creature or planeswalker you don't control. By default, it returns that permanent to the owner's hand. However, if you pay the Kicker cost of {2}{B}, the effect changes, sending the target to the bottom of its owner's library instead of their hand.
Resolving the Spell Step by Step
First, you choose to cast the spell and decide if you are paying the Kicker cost. If you do, the total cost becomes {U}{2}{B}. You then choose a legal target: a creature or planeswalker an opponent controls. Upon resolution, the game checks if the Kicker was paid. If yes, the target goes to the bottom of the library; if no, it goes to the hand. Note that if the target becomes illegal before resolution, the entire spell is removed from the stack and does nothing.
Common Mistakes
A common point of confusion is the Mana Value; even if you pay the Kicker, the Mana Value of Rona's Vortex remains 1. Additionally, you cannot choose to return your own permanents to your hand, as the card explicitly specifies a permanent 'you don't control.' Finally, remember that you cannot pay the Kicker cost more than once to get additional effects.
When to Play It
Early in the game, use the unkicked version to stall aggressive creatures or reset a planeswalker's loyalty. In the late game, the Kicker is vital for dealing with cards that have 'when cast' triggers or graveyard recursion, as putting them on the bottom of the library bypasses hand-based replay and graveyard strategies.
Interaction examples
CounterspellIf you cast Rona's Vortex and pay the Kicker cost, your opponent may respond with Counterspell. If Counterspell resolves, Rona's Vortex is put into your graveyard, and the target permanent remains on the battlefield. You lose the total mana spent, including the Kicker cost.
An Offer You Can't RefuseBecause Rona's Vortex is a noncreature spell, it can be targeted by An Offer You Can't Refuse regardless of whether it was kicked. If your kicked Vortex is countered this way, you won't remove the creature, but you will receive two Treasure tokens. The Mana Value for this interaction is always 1.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Rona's Vortex
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell's kicker cost was paid, the spell is "kicked."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The kicker ability doesn't let you pay a kicker cost more than once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you put a permanent with a kicker ability onto the battlefield without casting it, you can't kick it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you copy a kicked spell on the stack, the copy is also kicked. If the copied spell is a permanent spell, the token the copy of that spell becomes when it enters is also kicked.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If a card or token enters as a copy of a permanent, the new permanent isn't kicked, even if the original was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
To determine a spell's total cost, start with the mana cost (or an alternative cost if another card's effect allows you to pay one instead), add any cost increases (such as kicker), then apply any cost reductions. The spell's mana value remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Rona's Vortex
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.