Skittering InvasionHow it works & interactions with other cards

The Power of Kindred

Skittering Invasion features the Kindred card type (formerly known as Tribal). This means that while it is a sorcery, it also possesses the Eldrazi creature type. This allows it to interact with any effects that specifically look for Eldrazi cards in your hand, library, or graveyard. Additionally, because Kindred is a distinct card type, it counts toward effects that check the number of card types among permanents or cards in zones.

Generating Mana and Presence

When this spell resolves, you place five 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn tokens onto the battlefield. These tokens are unique because they can be sacrificed at any time you could pay mana to add one colorless mana ({C}) to your pool. You do not need to wait for summoning sickness to wear off to sacrifice them for mana, as the ability does not use the tap symbol.

Resolution Step-by-Step

First, you cast Skittering Invasion by paying seven colorless mana. Once the spell resolves, all five tokens enter the battlefield simultaneously. Any abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield will trigger five times. From that point forward, you have five separate permanents that can block or be converted into mana as needed.

When to Invade

This spell is best utilized in decks that need to ramp into massive threats or decks that benefit from having a high number of creatures on board. Since the tokens are colorless, they survive board wipes that target colored permanents. It is also an excellent tool for providing fodder for 'annihilator' abilities or sacrifice costs.

Interaction examples

Surviving the Dust

All Is Dust

If you cast Skittering Invasion to create five Eldrazi Spawn, and later cast All Is Dust, your tokens will remain on the battlefield. Because the Eldrazi Spawn are colorless and All Is Dust only forces players to sacrifice colored permanents, your swarm stays intact while your opponents likely lose their boards.

Revealing the Invasion

Calamity of the Titans

While Skittering Invasion is an Eldrazi card, it is not a creature card. If you cast Calamity of the Titans, you cannot reveal Skittering Invasion to satisfy the additional cost, as Calamity of the Titans specifically requires you to reveal a colorless creature card from your hand.

Rapid Mana Acceleration

Eldrazi Spawn

After Skittering Invasion resolves, you control five Eldrazi Spawn. You can immediately sacrifice all five of them to add five colorless mana to your mana pool. This effectively means Skittering Invasion can act as a ritual, allowing you to spend seven mana now to 'bank' five mana for a massive spell later in the same turn.