Skittish ValeskHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Creature of Chance

Skittish Valesk features a triggered ability that occurs at the start of your upkeep. You must flip a coin, and if you lose the flip, the creature turns face down. While face down, it becomes a 2/2 creature with no name, creature types, abilities, or mana cost. However, because it has Morph, you can pay {5}{R} at any time you have priority to turn it face up again, returning it to its 5/5 state.

The Morphing Process

When you turn Skittish Valesk face up using its Morph cost, it does not count as entering the battlefield. It remains the same permanent, so any Auras, Equipment, or counters currently on it stay attached. Turning it face up is a special action that does not use the stack and cannot be responded to, though the upkeep coin flip that turns it face down is a standard triggered ability that players can respond to.

Strategic Deployment

You can cast Skittish Valesk face down for {3} generic mana as a 2/2 creature. This allows you to get a blocker or attacker on the board early before investing the full {5}{R} to reveal its true power. Because the coin flip trigger only exists when the card is face up, your face-down 2/2 will never turn itself over via its own ability until you choose to reveal it.

Interaction examples

Aggressive Opening

You cast Skittish Valesk face down for {3}. On your next turn, you attack for 2 damage. Before your opponent can block, you pay {5}{R} to turn it face up. It is now a 5/5 creature. During your next upkeep, you must flip a coin; if you lose, it turns back into a face-down 2/2, losing its 5/5 stats.

Dinosaur Synergy

Etali, Primal Storm

You attack with Etali, Primal Storm and exile Skittish Valesk from the top of your library. You may cast it for free. If you cast it face up, it enters as a 5/5 and will trigger the coin flip on your next upkeep. If you choose to cast it face down using Morph, you must still pay the {3} cost, as casting a card face down is an alternative cost that Etali's 'without paying its mana cost' effect does not cover.

Funding the Flip

Ancient Copper Dragon

After Skittish Valesk loses a coin flip and turns face down, you need mana to turn it back up. You attack with Ancient Copper Dragon and deal damage, rolling a d20. If you roll a 6 or higher, you create enough Treasure tokens to immediately pay the {5}{R} Morph cost, turning Skittish Valesk back into a 5/5 before your opponent's next turn.