Saruman of Many Colors 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
Ward—Discard an enchantment, instant, or sorcery card. Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, each opponent mills two cards. When one or more cards are milled this way, exile target enchantment, instant, or sorcery card with equal or lesser mana value than that spell from an opponent's graveyard. Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
Complete guide
Saruman of Many Colors is a powerful Legendary Avatar Wizard that rewards you for chaining spells together. By monitoring your spell count each turn, you can deplete your opponents' libraries and turn their own magic against them. This card excels in decks that can reliably cast multiple cheap spells to trigger its impactful reflexive ability.
Ward and Protection
Saruman is difficult to remove thanks to his specific Ward cost. An opponent targeting Saruman must discard an enchantment, instant, or sorcery card to prevent their spell or ability from being countered. If they do not have one of these specific card types in hand, they simply cannot pay the cost, and their attempt to target Saruman will fail.
Triggering the Ability
The ability triggers specifically on the second spell you cast each turn. It doesn't matter if the first spell resolved or was countered; the game counts how many spells you have attempted to cast. When that second spell is cast, each opponent mills two cards. If at least one card is milled this way, a second 'reflexive' triggered ability goes on the stack, allowing you to target a valid card in an opponent's graveyard.
Casting the Copy
The mana value of the target card in the opponent's graveyard must be less than or equal to the mana value of the second spell you cast. You exile that card and create a copy of it. You must cast this copy immediately while the ability is resolving. You cannot save it for later. If the copy has {X} in its mana cost, X must be 0. While you don't pay the mana cost, you must still pay mandatory additional costs, and you may choose to pay optional additional costs like Kicker.
Strategic Timing
Because Saruman triggers on the second spell of *each* turn, you can potentially trigger his ability on an opponent's turn using Instants. This allows you to disrupt their graveyard multiple times in a single round. Always keep track of your spell count to ensure your 'big' payoff spell isn't the one that triggers the mill, but rather the reference point for the mana value check.
Interaction examples
Syr Konrad, the GrimWith Syr Konrad, the Grim on the battlefield, casting your second spell triggers Saruman of Many Colors to make each opponent mill two cards. If any creature cards are among those milled, Syr Konrad's ability will trigger, dealing 1 damage to each opponent for each creature card that hit the graveyard.
Gray Merchant of AsphodelIf your second spell of the turn is Gray Merchant of Asphodel (mana value 5), Saruman triggers. You mill your opponents and can then target an enchantment, instant, or sorcery in an opponent's graveyard with mana value 5 or less. Note that even though Gray Merchant provides two black pips for devotion, it is a creature and cannot be targeted or copied by Saruman's ability.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Saruman of Many Colors
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you don't have an enchantment, instant, or sorcery card in your hand, you won't be able to pay Saruman of Many Colors's ward cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If you don't want to cast the copy, you can choose not to; the copy ceases to exist the next time state-based actions are checked.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You don't choose a target for Saruman of Many Colors's ability at the time it triggers. Rather, a second "reflexive" ability triggers when one or more cards are milled this way. You choose a target for that ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.
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 pay any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
You cast the copy while the ability is resolving and still on the stack. You can't wait to cast it later in the turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell you cast 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.
Legal formats
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