Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader 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
More Than Meets the Eye(You may cast this card converted for
Complete guide
Starscream, Power Hungry is a dual-faced Transformers card that utilizes the Monarch mechanic to punish opponents and gain card advantage. Whether appearing as a Robot or a Vehicle via the More Than Meets the Eye ability, he thrives on the struggle for the throne. This guide explains how to manage his conversions and maximize his life-drain triggers.
What it does
On his front face, Starscream, Power Hungry is a 4/4 flyer that forces an opponent to lose 2 life whenever you draw a card, provided you are the monarch. On his back face, Starscream, Seeker Leader is a 2/3 Vehicle with Living metal, meaning he is automatically a creature during your turn. This side has haste and menace, and if he deals combat damage while no monarch exists, that player becomes the monarch. Crucially, gaining the monarchy causes him to convert to his front face, while taking combat damage yourself converts him back to the seeker form.
How it resolves step by step
First, decide which face to cast; using More Than Meets the Eye {2}{B} puts the Seeker Leader side on the stack. If you are the Seeker Leader and deal combat damage to an opponent when there is no monarch, that player becomes the monarch. This triggers Starscream's 'Whenever you become the monarch' ability if you later steal the crown. Once you are the monarch, any card draw (including the one at your end step) triggers the 2-life loss. If an opponent hits you with a creature, they become the monarch and Starscream converts back to his Seeker Leader side immediately.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is forgetting that 'Living metal' only makes Starscream a creature during your own turn. On an opponent's turn, the Seeker Leader side is just an artifact, which means he cannot block unless crewed by another effect. Also, remember that 'convert' is identical to 'transform'; it does not cause the permanent to leave the battlefield, so all counters and attachments stay on him during the flip.
When to play it
Cast the front side if you are already the monarch to immediately benefit from card draw triggers. Cast the back side using More Than Meets the Eye if the monarch hasn't been established yet or if you need a hasty, evasive threat to steal the monarchy from an opponent. The back side's menace makes it much easier to connect and reclaim your crown.
Interaction examples
Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader
The MonarchIf the game has no monarch, you can cast Starscream as the Seeker Leader. When he deals combat damage to an opponent, that player becomes the monarch. Later, if you deal combat damage to that player, you become the monarch. This triggers Starscream's ability to convert back to his Power Hungry side. Now, at the beginning of your end step, The Monarch status causes you to draw a card, which triggers Starscream to make an opponent lose 2 life.
Roaming ThroneWith Roaming Throne on the battlefield naming 'Robot', Starscream's triggered abilities will trigger twice. While you are the monarch, drawing a single card will cause Starscream to trigger two separate times, resulting in a target opponent losing a total of 4 life.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you are the monarch and have Starscream, Power Hungry on the battlefield, you can block with Solemn Simulacrum. When the Simulacrum dies, its triggered ability lets you draw a card. This draw happens during the combat phase, triggering Starscream to drain an opponent for 2 life instantly, rather than waiting for your end step draw.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward. As a player becomes the monarch, the current monarch (if any) ceases being the monarch.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
There are two inherent triggered abilities associated with being the monarch. These triggered abilities have no source and are controlled by the player who was the monarch at the time the abilities triggered. The full texts of these abilities are "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card" and "Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch."
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.
Card named in this ruling
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the monarch leaves the game during another player's turn, that player becomes the monarch. If the monarch leaves the game during their turn, the next player in turn order becomes the monarch.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If combat damage dealt to the monarch causes that player to lose the game, the triggered ability that causes the controller of the attacking creature to become the monarch doesn't resolve. In most cases, the controller of the attacking creature will still become the monarch as it is likely their turn.
Card named in this ruling
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
The convert keyword action functions the same way as the transform keyword action found on some other cards; to convert a permanent on the battlefield, turn it over so that its other face is up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a converted permanent on the battlefield is equal to the mana value of the card's front face, no matter which face is up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Converting a permanent doesn't affect any Auras or Equipment that are attached to it. Similarly, any counters on the permanent will remain on that permanent after it converts. Any continuous effects from a resolved spell or ability will continue to affect it. Any spells or abilities on the stack that target a permanent continue to do so after that permanent converts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Any triggered ability of another card that triggers whenever a permanent transforms will also trigger whenever a permanent converts.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Similarly, an ability of another card that instructs you to "transform" one of these cards will cause you to convert it, even if that ability doesn't use the word "convert."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
"More Than Meets the Eye [cost]" means "You may cast this card converted by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost." It functions in any zone from which the spell can be cast.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
The cost is an alternative cost, so it can't be combined with any other alternative costs. It can be combined with any applicable additional costs.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
When you cast a spell using its More Than Meets the Eye ability, the card is put onto the stack with its back face up. The resulting spell has all characteristics of that face.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a More Than Meets the Eye cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of a spell cast using More Than Meets the Eye is determined by the mana cost on the front face of the card, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
A spell cast this way enters the battlefield with its back face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #16· Wizards of the Coast
If you copy a permanent spell cast this way, the copy has the characteristics of the card's back face, even though it isn't itself a double-faced card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #17· Wizards of the Coast
"Living metal" means "As long as it's your turn, this permanent is an artifact creature in addition to its other types."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #18· Wizards of the Coast
While it's a creature, the Vehicle has its printed power and toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #19· Wizards of the Coast
If a static ability of another permanent applies only to noncreature permanents, that ability applies to a Vehicle with living metal only during your opponents' turns. For example, if you control Arcee, Acrobatic Coupe and March of the Machines, Arcee will be a 2/2 artifact creature during your turn and a 3/3 artifact creature (because its mana value is 3) during each opponent's turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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