Sparring Mummy 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, untap target creature.
Complete guide
Sparring Mummy is a versatile white creature that provides immediate utility upon entering the battlefield. By untapping a creature, it allows you to reset a powerful ability or prepare a surprise blocker during your turn.
What It Does
Sparring Mummy features a triggered ability that triggers specifically when it enters the battlefield. The ability requires a single target creature, which can be any creature currently on the battlefield, including Sparring Mummy itself if you have a way to make it enter tapped or simply want to satisfy the targeting requirement.
Step by Step Resolution
First, the Sparring Mummy spell resolves and is placed onto the battlefield. This immediately puts the 'enters' ability on the stack. You must then choose a target creature. Once both players pass priority, the ability resolves and the targeted creature is changed from a tapped state to an untapped state. If the creature is already untapped, the ability finishes resolving with no visible effect.
Strategic Timing
To get the most value, use Sparring Mummy after you have already attacked or used a creature's 'Tap' ability. Since this is an 'enters' ability, you can also utilize blink or flicker effects to trigger the untap multiple times, allowing you to reuse a specific creature's power throughout a single turn.
Common Pitfalls
Remember that you must choose a target when the ability goes on the stack. If there are no other creatures on the battlefield, you must target Sparring Mummy. Additionally, untapping a creature does not grant it 'Haste,' so you still cannot use the tap ability of a creature that has not been under your control since the start of your turn.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Zombie' as its type, Sparring Mummy's ability triggers twice when it enters. This allows you to target and untap two different creatures, or the same creature twice if you need to respond to an effect in between.
Solemn SimulacrumAfter attacking with Solemn Simulacrum, you can play Sparring Mummy. The Mummy's ability targets the tapped Solemn Simulacrum, untapping it so it is ready to serve as a blocker during your opponent's next turn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Sparring Mummy
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
The Jolly Balloon Man + Ertha Jo, Frontier Mentor + Sparring Mummy
- 1Activate a mana-producing creature by tapping it, adding at least
. - 2Activate The Jolly Balloon Man by paying and tapping it, targeting the mana-producing creature.
- 3Ertha Jo triggers, copying The Jolly Balloon Man's ability, targeting Sparring Mummy.
- 4Resolve the copy of The Jolly Balloon Man's ability, creating a token copy of Sparring Mummy that is a 1/1 Balloon with haste.
- 5When Sparring Mummy enters the battlefield, it triggers, untapping The Jolly Balloon Man.
- 6Resolve the Jolly Ballon Man ability from step 2, creating a token copy of the mana-producing creature that is a 1/1 Balloon with haste.
- 7Activate the mana-producing creature token by tapping it, adding at least .
- 8Repeat from step 2.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Sparring Mummy
- 1Activate Kiki-Jiki by tapping it, creating a token copy of Sparring Mummy with haste.
- 2When the Sparring Mummy token enters, it triggers, untapping Kiki-Jiki
- 3Repeat.
Splinter Twin + Sparring Mummy
- 1Activate Sparring Mummy by tapping it, creating a token copy of itself with haste.
- 2When the token Sparring Mummy enters the battlefield, it triggers, untapping the nontoken Sparring Mummy.
- 3Repeat.
Ghired, Mirror of the Wilds + Sparring Mummy
- 1Create a token copy of Sparring Mummy.
- 2Activate Ghired by tapping it, creating a token copy of the Sparring Mummy copy.
- 3When the Sparring Mummy token enters the battlefield, it triggers, untapping Ghired.
- 4Repeat from step 2.
Othelm, Sigardian Outcast + Ashnod's Altar + Sparring Mummy
- 1Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Sparring Mummy, adding
. - 2Activate Othelm by paying
and tapping it, returning Sparring Mummy from your graveyard to the battlefield. - 3Sparring Mummy enters the battlefield, untapping Othelm.
- 4Repeat.
Adarkar Valkyrie + Sparring Mummy + Viscera Seer
- 1Activate Adarkar Valkyrie by tapping it, making it so the next time Sparring Mummy dies this turn it will be returned to the battlefield.
- 2Activate Viscera Seer by sacrificing Sparring Mummy.
- 3Adarkar Valkyrie triggers, returning Sparring Mummy to the battlefield.
- 4Sparring Mummy enters the battlefield, untapping Adarkar Valkyrie.
- 5Resolve the Viscera Seer's ability, scrying one.
- 6Repeat.
Jaxis, the Troublemaker + Sparring Mummy + Phyrexian Altar
- 1Activate Jaxis by paying
, tapping it and discarding a card, creating a token copy of Sparring Mummy with haste. - 2The Sparring Mummy token enters the battlefield, untapping Jaxis.
- 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the Sparring Mummy token, adding .
- 4The Sparring Mummy token dies, causing you to draw a card.
- 5Repeat.
Adarkar Valkyrie + Sparring Mummy + Phyrexian Altar
- 1Activate Adarkar Valkyrie by tapping it, making it so the next time Sparring Mummy dies this turn it will be returned to the battlefield.
- 2Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Sparring Mummy, adding one mana of any color.
- 3Adarkar Valkyrie triggers, returning Sparring Mummy to the battlefield.
- 4Sparring Mummy enters the battlefield, untapping Adarkar Valkyrie.
- 5Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Sparring Mummy
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