Scurrilous Sentry 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
Menace Whenever this creature enters or attacks, it connives. (Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Complete guide
Meet the Scurrilous Sentry, a versatile Human Knight Rogue that thrives on deception and aggression. This creature uses the connive mechanic to filter your hand while growing into a larger threat every time it steps onto the battlefield or swings into combat.
What It Does
Scurrilous Sentry is a 2/3 creature with Menace, making it difficult for opponents to block without committing multiple creatures. Its primary strength lies in its ability to connive whenever it enters the battlefield or attacks. When a creature connives, you draw a card and then discard a card. If the discarded card was a nonland card, the Sentry receives a permanent +1/+1 counter.
How Connive Resolves
The connive process happens all at once during the resolution of the triggered ability. First, you draw a card from your library. Second, you choose and discard a card from your hand. Finally, if the discarded card was not a land, you place a +1/+1 counter on the Sentry. No player can take actions between these steps; once the ability starts, your opponent cannot wait to see what you discard before trying to remove the creature.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake involves empty hands. If an effect prevents you from drawing cards and your hand is empty, you cannot discard a card. In this specific scenario, you will not be able to put a +1/+1 counter on the Sentry. Additionally, if Scurrilous Sentry leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, you still draw and discard, but no counter is placed anywhere.
When to Play It
Scurrilous Sentry is excellent for smoothing out your draws in the mid-game. Because it connives on both entry and attack, it rewards players who can protect it or grant it Haste. Its Menace ability ensures that as it grows larger from nonland discards, it remains a consistent source of pressure that demands double-blocking.
Interaction examples
You cast Scurrilous Sentry for four mana. When it enters the battlefield, the connive ability triggers. You draw a card and decide to discard a Sorcery card. Because the Sorcery is a nonland card, the Sentry becomes a 3/4 creature with Menace immediately.
On your next turn, you declare Scurrilous Sentry as an attacker. The attack trigger goes on the stack. You draw a card and discard a Land card this time. The Sentry remains its current size because a land was discarded, but you successfully cycled a useless card for a potential new threat.
You play Scurrilous Sentry and its enter-the-battlefield ability triggers. In response, your opponent casts a removal spell to destroy it. The Sentry dies, but the connive ability still resolves. You draw a card and discard a nonland card. You filtered your deck, even though the Sentry wasn't there to receive the counter.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Scurrilous Sentry
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Once an ability that causes a creature to connive begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the conniving creature after you discard a nonland card but before it receives a counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If no card is discarded, most likely because that player's hand is empty and an effect says they can't draw cards, the conniving creature does not receive a +1/+1 counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to connive but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still connives. If you discard a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything. Abilities that trigger "when [that creature] connives" will trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Scurrilous Sentry
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.