Spark Double 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
You may have this creature enter as a copy of a creature or planeswalker you control, except it enters with an additional +1/+1 counter on it if it's a creature, it enters with an additional loyalty counter on it if it's a planeswalker, and it isn't legendary.
Complete guide
Spark Double turns your best creature or planeswalker into a second, nonlegendary threat—with an extra counter for good measure. Its ability changes how it enters the battlefield, so understanding what it copies and when you choose makes all the difference.
What Spark Double Does
For {3}{U}, Spark Double may enter as a copy of a creature or planeswalker you already control. The copy isn't legendary, even if the original is, so the legend rule won't make you choose between the original and this copy. It copies the permanent's copiable characteristics, generally its printed characteristics, rather than its current appearance. It doesn't copy existing counters, tapped status, attached Auras or Equipment, or ordinary effects changing power, toughness, or types. If the chosen permanent is already a copy, Spark Double uses that permanent's copiable characteristics instead. Copying a token doesn't make Spark Double a token. As it enters, it gets an additional +1/+1 counter if it's a creature and an additional loyalty counter if it's a planeswalker. A planeswalker copy normally starts with its printed starting loyalty plus one, not the original's current loyalty. Whether it gets either kind of counter depends on its characteristics as it enters.
How It Resolves: Choose, Copy, Enter
1. Cast Spark Double. Its copy ability doesn't target, and you don't choose what to copy when you cast it. Opponents can respond to the spell before it resolves. 2. As Spark Double would enter, you may choose a creature or planeswalker you control that's already on the battlefield. You can't choose a permanent entering simultaneously with it. Nobody gets priority between this choice and Spark Double entering. 3. Apply the copy effect, including the nonlegendary exception. Copied abilities that modify how the permanent enters also apply, along with Spark Double's additional counters. 4. It enters with those characteristics and counters. Any applicable enters-the-battlefield abilities trigger and are put on the stack after the spell finishes resolving, before a player next receives priority. Example 1 — Copying Solemn Simulacrum: First, control Solemn Simulacrum and resolve Spark Double, choosing it. Spark Double enters as an artifact creature named Solemn Simulacrum with an additional +1/+1 counter. Its copied enters ability triggers; when that ability resolves, you may search for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. If the copy later dies, its copied dies ability lets you draw a card when that trigger resolves.
Common Mistakes: Counters, Choices, and Extra Triggers
Existing counters aren't copied. A Solemn Simulacrum with several +1/+1 counters doesn't pass those counters to Spark Double; Spark Double gets its own additional counter instead. Likewise, a nonlegendary copy keeps the copied name—it doesn't remain named Spark Double. The nonlegendary exception is itself copiable. However, an existing +1/+1 counter isn't part of those copiable characteristics. Example 2 — Copying Roaming Throne: First, control Roaming Throne, then resolve Spark Double choosing it. The copy has Roaming Throne's as-it-enters choice, so choose a creature type for this new permanent; you don't inherit the original's choice. It enters with an additional +1/+1 counter and has the copied ward and trigger-enhancing abilities. The creature-type choice is not a triggered ability, so Roaming Throne cannot make that choice happen an additional time. Example 3 — Copying Solemn Simulacrum alongside Roaming Throne: First, control Roaming Throne with Golem chosen and a Solemn Simulacrum. Resolve Spark Double copying Solemn Simulacrum. The copy enters as a Golem, so its enters ability triggers an additional time because of Roaming Throne. Resolve the two triggers separately: each gives you the option to search for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. Roaming Throne adds a trigger; it doesn't add another +1/+1 counter.
When to Play Spark Double
Play Spark Double when you already have a creature or planeswalker worth duplicating. Copying Solemn Simulacrum provides an immediate enters trigger and a potential card draw when the copy dies; copying Roaming Throne can expand your support for creature triggered abilities. Remember that opponents can remove your intended copy before Spark Double resolves. Because the choice happens as it enters, you may choose a different eligible permanent that's still on the battlefield. The ability only copies permanents you control, so an opponent's best creature or planeswalker isn't an available fallback.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Spark Double
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Spark Double copies exactly what was printed on the original permanent (unless that permanent is copying something else or is a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether that permanent is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or any Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Spark Double isn’t legendary if it copies a legendary permanent, and this exception is copiable. If something else copies Spark Double later, that copy also won’t be legendary. If you control two or more permanents with the same name but only one is legendary, the “legend rule” doesn’t apply.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the copied permanent has
in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen permanent is copying something else (for example, if the chosen permanent is another Spark Double), then Spark Double enters the battlefield as whatever the chosen permanent copied.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the chosen permanent is a token, Spark Double copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created the token. Spark Double doesn’t become a token in this case.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied permanent will trigger when Spark Double enters the battlefield. Any “as [this permanent] enters the battlefield” or “[this permanent] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen permanent will also work.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If it copies a planeswalker, Spark Double enters with the appropriate number of loyalty counters as printed on the card plus one. If it copies a creature, Spark Double enters with a +1/+1 counter on it, plus any counters that will be put on it from abilities it copied and other abilities of other objects.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If the copied permanent is affected by a type-changing effect, Spark Double may enter the battlefield with different permanent types than the copied permanent currently has. Use the characteristics of Spark Double as it enters the battlefield, not of the copied permanent, to determine whether it enters with an additional counter on it. Notably, if Spark Double copies a Gideon planeswalker that’s a creature because its loyalty ability caused it to become a planeswalker creature, Spark Double enters as a noncreature planeswalker and doesn’t get a +1/+1 counter. On the other hand, if Spark Double copies Gideon Blackblade during your turn, Spark Double enters as a planeswalker creature and gets both kinds of counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If Spark Double somehow enters the battlefield at the same time as another permanent, it can’t become a copy of that permanent. You may choose only a creature or planeswalker that’s already on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Felidar Guardian + Spark Double
- 1Cast Spark Double by paying its mana cost, choosing to have it enter the battlefield as a copy of Felidar Guardian
- 2When Spark Double enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Felidar Guardian.
- 3When Felidar Guardian enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Spark Double. Choose to have Spark Double enter the battlefield as a copy of Felidar Guardian.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Aminatou, the Fateshifter + Spark Double + Oath of Teferi
- 1Activate Aminatou's second loyalty ability by removing a loyalty counter from them, blinking a permanent you own.
- 2Activate Aminatou's second loyalty ability by removing a loyalty counter from them, blinking Spark Double and choosing to have it enter as a non-legendary copy of Aminatou.
- 3Activate Spark Double's second loyalty ability by removing a loyalty counter from it, blinking a permanent you own.
- 4Activate Spark Double's second loyalty ability by removing a loyalty counter from it, blinking Aminatou.
- 5Repeat.
Pramikon, Sky Rampart + Spark Double
- 1Because Spark Double and Pramikon disagree on the direction in which players can attack, players are unable to attack at all so long as there are three or more players.
Felidar Guardian + Spark Double + Panharmonicon
- 1Cast Spark Double having it enter as a copy of Felidar Guardian.
- 2It enters and blinks Felidar and a land.
- 3Tap the land for mana.
- 4Felidar Guardian enters blinking a land and Spark Double.
- 5Tap the land.
- 6Repeat.
Orvar, the All-Form + Spark Double + Mind Games
- 1Cast Mind Games with buyback by paying
, targeting Spark Double. - 2Orvar triggers, creating a token copy of Spark Double that enters the battlefield as a nonlegendary token copy of Orvar.
- 3Resolve Mind Games, returning it to your hand.
- 4Cast Mind Games with buyback by paying , targeting Spark Double.
- 5Orvar and the Spark Double token trigger, creating two token copies of Spark Double that enters the battlefield as a nonlegendary token copy of Orvar.
- 6Resolve Mind Games, returning it to your hand.
- 7Cast Mind Games with buyback by paying , targeting any Island that enters the battlefield untapped.
- 8Orvar, Spark Double and the three Spark Double tokens trigger, creating five token copies of the Island.
Orvar, the All-Form + Spark Double + Whim of Volrath
- 1Cast Whim of Volrath with buyback by paying , targeting Spark Double.
- 2Orvar triggers, creating a token copy of Spark Double that enters the battlefield as a nonlegendary token copy of Orvar.
- 3Resolve Whim of Volrath, returning it to your hand.
- 4Cast Whim of Volrath with buyback by paying , targeting any Island that enters the battlefield untapped.
- 5Orvar, Spark Double and the Spark Double token trigger, creating three token copies of the Island.
- 6Resolve Whim of Volrath, returning it to your hand.
- 7Activate the Island tokens by tapping them, adding .
- 8Repeat from step 4.
Orvar, the All-Form + Spark Double + Clockspinning
- 1Cast Clockspinning with buyback by paying
, targeting Spark Double. - 2Orvar triggers, creating a token copy of Spark Double that enters the battlefield as a nonlegendary token copy of Orvar.
- 3Resolve Clockspinning, returning it to your hand.
- 4Cast Clockspinning with buyback by paying , targeting Spark Double.
- 5Orvar and the Spark Double token trigger, creating two token copies of Spark Double that enters the battlefield as a nonlegendary token copy of Orvar.
- 6Resolve Clockspinning, returning it to your hand.
- 7Cast Clockspinning with buyback by paying , targeting any Island that enters the battlefield untapped.
- 8Orvar, Spark Double and the three Spark Double tokens trigger, creating five token copies of the Island.
Terra, Magical Adept // Esper Terra + Spark Double
- 1Cast Spark Double by paying , choosing to have it enter the battlefield as a copy of Esper Terra that isn't legendary. This will cause it to enter the battlefield with a lore counter as it will be a Saga.
- 2Spark Double's first chapter ability triggers, creating a token copy of Spark Double with haste, which will enter as a copy of Esper Terra with haste that isn't legendary and with one to four lore counters on it.
- 3The Spark Double token's chapter abilities will trigger according to how many lore counters were placed on it.
- 4Resolve the first Spark Double trigger, creating a token copy of Spark Double with haste, which will enter as a copy of Esper Terra with haste that isn't legendary and with one to four lore counters on it.
- 5Repeat from step 3.
Legal formats
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