Stolen by the Fae — ruling 1

If a creature on the battlefield has {X} in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.

Stolen by the Fae — ruling 2

If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Stolen by the Fae tries to resolve, the spell won't resolve. You won't create any Faerie tokens.

Stolen by the Fae : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Stolen by the Fae 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

Return target creature with mana value X to its owner's hand. You create X 1/1 blue Faerie creature tokens with flying.

Complete guide

Stolen by the Fae is a versatile blue sorcery that combines tempo disruption with board presence. By bouncing a specific threat, you simultaneously build an army of evasive tokens to take over the skies.

Choosing the Right X

When you cast Stolen by the Fae, you must choose a value for X. This value determines two things: the exact mana value of the creature you are targeting and the number of 1/1 blue Faerie creature tokens with flying you will create. Unlike many bounce spells, this cannot hit just any creature; the mana value must match X exactly. Note that for creatures with {X} in their own mana cost, that X is treated as 0 while they are on the battlefield.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you cast the spell by choosing X and targeting a creature with that mana value. Upon resolution, the spell checks if the target is still legal. If it is, the creature is returned to its owner's hand. Immediately after, you create X tokens. If the target becomes illegal before the spell resolves (for example, if it gains Hexproof or leaves the battlefield), the entire spell fails to resolve and you create no tokens at all.

Common Pitfalls

The most common mistake is targeting a creature that doesn't exactly match your chosen X. If you spend five mana (X=3), you must target a 3-mana creature; you cannot target a 2-mana creature. Additionally, remember that tokens usually have a mana value of 0, so you would need X=0 to bounce a standard Faerie token, though doing so would result in creating zero new tokens.

Interaction examples

Resetting the Board

Stolen by the Fae Ponder

Ponder

If your opponent has a Ponder that was somehow turned into a creature, or any other creature with a mana value of 1, you can cast Stolen by the Fae with X=1. You pay {1}{U}{U}, return the creature to their hand, and you get one 1/1 blue Faerie token.

Bouncing Mid-Sized Threats

Stolen by the Fae

Windfall

Imagine an opponent has a creature with a mana value of 3 (like a creature version of Windfall). You cast Stolen by the Fae with X=3, paying {3}{U}{U}. The creature returns to their hand, and you create three Faerie tokens. This is particularly effective if you follow up with a real Windfall to make them discard that creature.

Targeting a Faerie Token

Stolen by the Fae Faerie

Faerie

If you target a Faerie token (which has a mana value of 0), you must choose X=0. You pay {U}{U}, the token is returned to its owner's hand (and ceases to exist), but because X is 0, you create zero new tokens.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Stolen by the Fae

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1October 4, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature on the battlefield has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2October 4, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Stolen by the Fae tries to resolve, the spell won't resolve. You won't create any Faerie tokens.
Card named in this ruling
Faerie