Silk, Web Weaver — ruling 1

You must follow all normal timing rules when casting a spell with web-slinging. For creatures, that usually means you must cast it during a main phase of your turn while the stack is empty.

Silk, Web Weaver — ruling 2

The creature you return must be tapped at the time you pay costs, but doesn't necessarily need to be tapped before you start casting the spell. For example, if you tap a creature with a mana ability to pay part of the spell's web-slinging cost, you could also return that creature to your hand to pay the cost.

Silk, Web Weaver — ruling 3

Web-slinging represents an alternative cost. If another effect allows you to play a card for a different alternative cost, including "without paying its mana cost," you can't also choose to pay its web-slinging cost. If any additional costs from other sources are applied, you must pay those.

Silk, Web Weaver — ruling 4

If any permanent has an ability that triggers when the permanent you return leaves the battlefield, that ability will be put on the stack after you finish casting the spell, and it will resolve before that spell.

Silk, Web Weaver : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Silk, Web Weaver 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

Web-slinging (You may cast this spell for if you also return a tapped creature you control to its owner's hand.) Whenever you cast a creature spell, create a 1/1 green and white Human Citizen creature token. : Creatures you control get +2/+2 and gain vigilance until end of turn.

Complete guide

Meet Silk, Web Weaver, a versatile Spider Human Hero that turns every creature spell into an opportunity to expand your board. Whether you are using web-slinging to get her onto the battlefield early or boosting your army for a lethal swing, she is a powerful engine for any Selesnya deck.

Mastering the Web-slinging Cost

Web-slinging is an alternative cost that allows you to cast Silk, Web Weaver for just three mana instead of four. To do this, you must return a tapped creature you control to its owner's hand as part of the casting process. Note that this is a cost, so it cannot be responded to by your opponents to stop the spell from being cast. The creature must be tapped at the moment you pay the cost; if you use a creature's mana ability to help pay for the spell, that creature becomes tapped and can then be returned to fulfill the web-slinging requirement.

Building a Citizen Army

Silk's second ability triggers whenever you cast a creature spell, creating a 1/1 green and white Human Citizen creature token. Because this ability triggers on 'cast,' the token is created and placed on the stack on top of the creature spell that triggered it. This means you will get your Human Citizen before the creature spell actually resolves and enters the battlefield.

The Final Charge

For five mana, Silk can pump your entire board, giving your creatures +2/+2 and vigilance until end of turn. This ability is particularly effective because of the vigilance it grants, allowing you to attack with your Human Citizen tokens and still have them available to block during your opponent's next turn. Since it affects 'creatures you control,' it will buff any creature currently on your battlefield when the ability resolves.

Interaction examples

Bouncing for Value

Silk, Web Weaver

Eternal Witness

If you have an Eternal Witness on the battlefield that is currently tapped (perhaps from attacking), you can cast Silk, Web Weaver using her web-slinging cost. You pay {1}{G}{W} and return Eternal Witness to your hand. This not only saves you mana but allows you to cast Eternal Witness again later to trigger its enter-the-battlefield ability once more.

The Citizen Chain

Silk, Web Weaver

Solemn Simulacrum

Human Citizen

With Silk, Web Weaver already on the battlefield, you cast Solemn Simulacrum. Silk's ability triggers immediately. First, you create a 1/1 Human Citizen creature token. Then, Solemn Simulacrum resolves and enters the battlefield, letting you search for a basic land. You now have two new bodies on the board from a single spell.

Web-Slinging and Mana Dorks

Silk, Web Weaver

If you control a creature with a mana ability, you can tap that creature to produce mana to pay for Silk's web-slinging cost. Because the creature is now tapped, it is a legal choice to be returned to your hand to satisfy the rest of the web-slinging cost. This allows you to effectively 're-use' creatures that have already exhausted their utility for the turn.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Silk, Web Weaver

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1September 19, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
You must follow all normal timing rules when casting a spell with web-slinging. For creatures, that usually means you must cast it during a main phase of your turn while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2September 19, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
The creature you return must be tapped at the time you pay costs, but doesn't necessarily need to be tapped before you start casting the spell. For example, if you tap a creature with a mana ability to pay part of the spell's web-slinging cost, you could also return that creature to your hand to pay the cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3September 19, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
Web-slinging represents an alternative cost. If another effect allows you to play a card for a different alternative cost, including "without paying its mana cost," you can't also choose to pay its web-slinging cost. If any additional costs from other sources are applied, you must pay those.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4September 19, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
If any permanent has an ability that triggers when the permanent you return leaves the battlefield, that ability will be put on the stack after you finish casting the spell, and it will resolve before that spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.