Spinewoods Paladin 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
Trample When this creature enters, you gain 3 life. Plot(You may pay
Complete guide
Spinewoods Paladin is a versatile green creature that offers both defensive stability and aggressive pressure. By utilizing the Plot mechanic, you can invest mana early to deploy this Knight for free on a crucial later turn.
Understanding the Plot Mechanic
Spinewoods Paladin features the Plot keyword, which allows you to exile the card from your hand by paying its Plot cost of {3}{G}. This is a special action that can only be taken during your main phase when the stack is empty, meaning your opponents cannot respond to the exile. Once plotted, the card sits in exile until a future turn, where you may cast it as a sorcery without paying its mana cost.
Entering the Battlefield
When Spinewoods Paladin enters the battlefield, its triggered ability goes on the stack, granting you 3 life upon resolution. Additionally, because it has Trample, any excess damage it deals beyond what is needed to destroy a blocker is assigned to the defending player or planeswalker. This combination makes it a strong stabilizing tool against aggressive decks.
Timing and Restrictions
A crucial rule of Plot is that you cannot cast a plotted card on the same turn you exiled it. You must wait for a later turn to cast it from exile. While casting it for its Plot cost bypasses the mana cost, you must still follow sorcery timing restrictions. If the card had any mandatory additional costs, you would still need to pay those, though Spinewoods Paladin has none.
When to Plot vs. Hard Cast
Deciding whether to cast Spinewoods Paladin for {4}{G} or plot it for {3}{G} depends on your mana curve and the game state. Plotting it on turn four allows you to have a 'free' 5/4 creature on turn five, leaving all your lands untapped to cast other spells or protect your board. If you desperately need the 3 life immediately to survive, casting it normally is the better play.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Human' or 'Knight' chosen, Spinewoods Paladin's enters-the-battlefield ability will trigger twice. You will gain 3 life, and then another 3 life, for a total of 6 life.
Solemn SimulacrumOn turn four, you can use your mana to cast Solemn Simulacrum to ramp a land into play. On turn five, you can Plot Spinewoods Paladin for {3}{G} and still have mana left over for a two-mana spell. On turn six, you can cast the Paladin for free from exile and use all your mana for another high-cost threat.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Spinewoods Paladin
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Plot abilities are written “Plot [cost],” which means “Any time you have priority during your main phase while the stack is empty, you may pay [cost] and exile this card from your hand. It becomes plotted.”
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Exiling a card using its plot ability is a special action. Once you announce you’re taking that action, no other player can respond by trying to remove that card from your hand.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You can’t cast a plotted card on the same turn it became plotted. On any future turn, you may cast that card from exile without paying its mana cost during your main phase while the stack is empty.
Card named in this ruling
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you’re casting a plotted card from exile without paying its mana cost, you can’t choose to cast it for any other alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the plotted card has any mandatory additional costs, those must still be paid to cast the spell.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If a plotted card has
in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.Card named in this ruling
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Meta decks with Spinewoods Paladin
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