Spine of Ish Sah 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 artifact enters, destroy target permanent. When this artifact is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return it to its owner's hand.
Complete guide
Spine of Ish Sah is a powerful colorless tool that provides versatile removal for any deck. Because it returns to your hand whenever it hits the graveyard from the battlefield, it offers a repeatable way to dismantle your opponent's board. Whether you are playing a mono-brown artifact deck or a control strategy, this artifact ensures you always have an answer ready.
Universal Removal
When Spine of Ish Sah enters the battlefield, you choose a target permanent to destroy. Unlike many other removal spells that are restricted to nonland permanents, this artifact can target anything on the board, including lands, planeswalkers, and enchantments. Its high mana cost is balanced by its ability to neutralize literally any threat your opponent presents.
The Recursive Loop
The second ability is what makes Spine of Ish Sah truly dangerous. If it is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it automatically returns to its owner's hand. This triggers regardless of how it was destroyed—whether it was targeted by an opponent's spell or sacrificed to one of your own abilities. Note that this ability only triggers if it moves from the battlefield to the graveyard; it will not return if it is discarded or countered.
Key Strategic Timing
You should look for ways to sacrifice Spine of Ish Sah after its enter-the-battlefield ability has resolved. By doing so, you can recast it later to destroy another permanent. Because it costs seven mana, it is best utilized in decks that can generate large amounts of mana or cheat artifacts into play. It is a persistent threat that forces opponents to think twice about their board state.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming that Spine of Ish Sah provides a way to sacrifice itself. It does not have a built-in sacrifice ability, so you must have another card or effect to send it to the graveyard if you want to reuse it. Additionally, if the artifact is exiled directly from the battlefield, the triggered ability will not fire, and it will remain in exile.
Interaction examples
Chimil, the Inner SunIf you have Chimil, the Inner Sun on the battlefield, your spells cannot be countered. When you cast Spine of Ish Sah, you ensure its destruction ability will hit the stack. While Chimil, the Inner Sun's 'Discover 5' ability cannot hit the Spine (as it costs 7), the protection from counters ensures you get your removal value every time you recast it from your hand.
Meteor GolemWhile Meteor Golem and Spine of Ish Sah both destroy permanents on entry, the Spine is more versatile. Meteor Golem is limited to nonland permanents an opponent controls. In contrast, Spine of Ish Sah can destroy your own permanents if needed, and it can target lands. Most importantly, if Meteor Golem dies, it stays in the graveyard, whereas Spine of Ish Sah returns to your hand to be cast again.
If you cast Spine of Ish Sah without any other cards, it enters the battlefield and you choose a target, such as an opponent's troublesome land. The land is destroyed. Spine of Ish Sah then sits on the battlefield as a static artifact until an effect causes it to be destroyed, at which point it returns to your hand.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Spine of Ish Sah
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Spine of Ish Sah's last ability doesn't allow you to sacrifice it. You must find another way to get Spine of Ish Sah into the graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Foundry Inspector
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying
. - 2Sculpting Steel enters the battlefield as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah.
- 3Sculpting Steel enters the battlefield, destroying target permanent.
- 4Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding
. - 5Sculpting Steel triggers, returning to your hand.
- 6Repeat.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Cloud Key
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying due to Cloud Key. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah.
- 2When Sculpting Steel enters, its first ability triggers, destroying a permanent.
- 3Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding .
- 4Sculpting Steel's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 5Repeat.
Spine of Ish Sah + Sami, Wildcat Captain
- 1Cast Spine of Ish Sah by paying
due to Sami. - 2When Spine of Ish Sah enters, its first ability triggers, destroying itself.
- 3Spine of Ish Sah's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Repeat.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Glaring Fleshraker
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying due to Glaring Fleshraker.
- 2Glaring Fleshraker's first ability triggers, creating a 0/1 Eldrazi Spawn creature token.
- 3When the Eldrazi Spawn enters, Glaring Fleshraker's second ability triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
- 4Resolve Sculpting Steel. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah.
- 5When Sculpting Steel enters, its first ability triggers, destroying a permanent.
- 6Activate the Eldrazi Spawn by sacrificing it, adding .
- 7Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding .
- 8Sculpting Steel's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Jhoira's Familiar
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying due to Jhoira's Familiar. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah.
- 2When Sculpting Steel enters, its first ability triggers, destroying a permanent.
- 3Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding .
- 4Sculpting Steel's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 5Repeat.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Ugin, the Ineffable
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying
due to Ugin, the Ineffable. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah. - 2When Sculpting Steel enters, its first ability triggers, destroying a permanent.
- 3Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding .
- 4Sculpting Steel's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 5Repeat.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Semblance Anvil
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying due to Semblance Anvil. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah.
- 2When Sculpting Steel enters, its first ability triggers, destroying a permanent.
- 3Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding .
- 4Sculpting Steel's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 5Repeat.
Krark-Clan Ironworks + Spine of Ish Sah + Sculpting Steel + Etherium Sculptor
- 1Cast Sculpting Steel by paying due to Etherium Sculptor. Choose to have it enter as a copy of Spine of Ish Sah.
- 2When Sculpting Steel enters, its first ability triggers, destroying a permanent.
- 3Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sculpting Steel, adding .
- 4Sculpting Steel's second ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to your hand.
- 5Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Spine of Ish Sah
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.