Sedraxis Alchemist 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
When this creature enters, if you control a blue permanent, return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
Complete guide
Sedraxis Alchemist is a versatile Zombie Wizard that provides a tempo swing for Grixis-colored decks. By leveraging the presence of blue permanents, it allows you to bounce problematic threats or reset your own powerful enter-the-battlefield abilities. Understanding the timing of its triggered ability is key to maximizing its value on the battlefield.
What It Does
Sedraxis Alchemist has a triggered ability that occurs when it enters the battlefield. This ability specifically features an 'intervening if clause,' meaning it checks for a condition: you must control a blue permanent. If you do, you return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. This can target anything from a creature or planeswalker to an enchantment or artifact, as long as it isn't a land.
Resolution Step-by-Step
First, the Alchemist enters the battlefield. At that exact moment, the game checks if you control at least one blue permanent; if you do not, the ability never triggers. If you do control one, the ability is put on the stack and you must choose a target. When the ability attempts to resolve, the game checks the 'if' clause again. If you no longer control a blue permanent at that time, the ability does nothing and the target stays where it is.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is forgetting that this ability is mandatory. If you control a blue permanent and the only nonland permanent on the board is your own, you must target your own permanent. Additionally, remember that the Alchemist itself is black. Unless it has been changed by another effect, Sedraxis Alchemist does not count as its own blue permanent to satisfy the trigger condition.
When to Play It
The best time to cast Sedraxis Alchemist is when you have a stable blue board presence, such as a blue enchantment or creature, to ensure the trigger is active. It is excellent for removing blockers before an attack or bouncing a high-mana cost threat to force your opponent to spend mana casting it again.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Wizard' or 'Zombie' as it entered, and you also control a blue permanent, Sedraxis Alchemist will trigger twice. Because Roaming Throne is colorless, you must ensure you have another blue permanent (like a blue enchantment) for the Alchemist's check to pass. You can then return two different nonland permanents to their owners' hands.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you have a blue permanent on the battlefield, you can use Sedraxis Alchemist to target your own Solemn Simulacrum. This returns the Simulacrum to your hand, allowing you to cast it again later to search for another basic land, effectively turning your bounce spell into a way to ramp further.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Sedraxis Alchemist
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The "intervening 'if' clause" means that (1) the ability won't trigger at all unless you control a permanent of the specified color, and (2) the ability will do nothing unless you control a permanent of the specified color at the time it resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
This ability isn't optional. When Sedraxis Alchemist enters, if you control a blue permanent and no other player controls a nonland permanent, you'll have to target a nonland permanent you control.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Sedraxis Alchemist + Rooftop Storm
- 1Cast Sedraxis Alchemist by paying
. - 2Sedraxis Alchemist enters the battlefield, returning itself to your hand.
- 3Repeat.
Sidisi, Undead Vizier + Rooftop Storm + Sedraxis Alchemist + Gray Merchant of Asphodel
- 1Cast Sidisi by paying .
- 2Sidisi's exploit ability triggers, sacrificing itself.
- 3Sidisi triggers, searching your library for Rot Hulk, putting it in your hand and shuffling your library.
- 4Cast Rot Hulk by paying .
- 5Rot Hulk enters the battlefield, returning Sidisi and Carrion Feeder, if applicable, from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 6Sidisi's exploit ability triggers, sacrificing itself.
- 7Sidisi triggers, searching your library for Sedraxis Alchemist, putting it in your hand and shuffling your library.
- 8Cast Sedraxis Alchemist by paying .
Sidisi, Undead Vizier + Rooftop Storm + Sedraxis Alchemist + Gray Merchant of Asphodel
- 1Cast Sidisi by paying .
- 2Sidisi's exploit ability triggers, sacrificing itself.
- 3Sidisi triggers, searching your library for Rot Hulk, putting it in your hand and shuffling your library.
- 4Cast Rot Hulk by paying .
- 5Rot Hulk enters the battlefield, returning Sidisi and Nantuko Husk, if applicable, from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- 6Sidisi's exploit ability triggers, sacrificing itself.
- 7Sidisi triggers, searching your library for Sedraxis Alchemist, putting it in your hand and shuffling your library.
- 8Cast Sedraxis Alchemist by paying .
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Sedraxis Alchemist
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.