Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth 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
This creature enters prepared. (While it's prepared, you may cast a copy of its spell. Doing so unprepares it.) Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Complete guide
Studious First-Year brings the innovative prepare mechanic to the battlefield, blending a low-cost creature with a powerful ramp spell. By entering the battlefield already prepared, this Bear Wizard offers immediate utility and long-term mana development. Understanding how to manage the spell copy in exile is key to mastering this card's dual nature.
What It Does
Studious First-Year is a creature that enters the battlefield 'prepared.' This means that as it enters, its controller creates a copy of its associated spell, Rampant Growth, in exile. As long as the creature remains on the battlefield and prepared, you may cast that copy of Rampant Growth from exile. Once you cast the spell, the creature becomes 'unprepared,' and the connection to the exile zone is severed.
How Preparation Resolves
When Studious First-Year enters the battlefield, a state-based effect creates the Rampant Growth copy in exile. You must pay the mana cost {1}{G} to cast the copy just like a normal sorcery. If the creature leaves the battlefield or is destroyed before you cast the spell, the copy in exile ceases to exist. Crucially, if you cast the Rampant Growth and it is countered or fails to resolve due to illegal targets, the creature still becomes unprepared.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is thinking you can cast Rampant Growth directly from your hand. You cannot; in your hand, library, or graveyard, this card is only the Studious First-Year creature. You must cast the creature first to gain access to the spell. Additionally, if Studious First-Year loses its abilities (via an effect like Humility), it remains prepared, and you can still cast the Rampant Growth from exile.
When to Play It
Play Studious First-Year early to establish board presence while setting up your mana base. Because you can cast the Rampant Growth at any time you could normally cast a sorcery, you can wait for the perfect turn to spend your mana. It is an excellent choice for decks that need blockers against aggressive strategies while simultaneously hunting for specific basic lands to fix their colors.
Interaction examples
Llanowar ElvesOn turn one, you play Llanowar Elves. On turn two, you tap a Forest and Llanowar Elves to cast Studious First-Year. It enters the battlefield prepared. Because you still have one mana left from your second land, you are just one mana short of casting the Rampant Growth copy immediately. This setup allows you to cast the spell on turn three while still having a blocker.
Birds of ParadiseIf you have Birds of Paradise on the field, you can use it to produce {G} to cast Studious First-Year. Once the creature is prepared, you can use the Birds of Paradise again on a later turn to help pay the {1}{G} for the Rampant Growth copy. This allows you to search for a basic land of a color you are missing, ensuring your late-game spells are castable.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a prepare spell with one or more targets has no legal targets when it tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. Since the spell was cast, the associated permanent will still not be prepared.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Only the current controller of a prepared creature can cast the copy of its prepare spell in exile. It doesn't matter who owns that creature or who controlled it when it became prepared.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
As an effect causes a creature with a prepare spell to become prepared (including effects that state that a creature "enters prepared"), that creature's controller creates a copy of that creature's prepare spell in exile. That copy remains in exile for as long as that permanent is on the battlefield and is prepared. That creature's controller may cast that copy as long as it remains in exile. As they cast it, that creature stops being prepared.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
A creature with a prepare spell can't become prepared more than once at the same time. For example, Emeritus of Ideation is on the battlefield and is prepared. When it attacks, its last ability triggers. When that ability resolves, its controller may still exile eight cards from their graveyard, but doing so won't cause Emeritus of Ideation to become prepared a second time or create a second copy of Ancestral Recall in exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect causes a creature to become unprepared, a prepared creature stops being prepared and the associated copy of its prepare spell in exile ceases to exist. If it wasn't prepared at that time, nothing happens.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
A preparation card is a creature card in every zone. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Emeritus of Ideation is a blue creature whose mana value is 5. It can't be the target of Zealous Lorecaster's triggered ability ("When this creature enters, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.").
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If a prepared creature stops being a creature, it will still be prepared, and the copy of its prepare spell will remain in exile. That permanent's controller will still be able to cast it. The same is true if a prepared creature becomes a copy of something else, even if it's then a permanent without a prepare spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a copy of a prepare spell from exile isn't casting it for an alternative cost. Effects that allow you to cast a spell for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost may allow you to apply those to a copy of a prepare spell cast from exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If a prepared creature loses all abilities, it won't stop being prepared, and nothing will happen to its alternative characteristics or to the copy of its prepare spell in exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
A creature without a prepare spell can't become prepared.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
Creating a copy of a creature's prepare spell in exile ignores copy exceptions applied to that creature that would affect the copiable values of that spell. For example, say a player casts Croaking Counterpart (a sorcery that says "Create a token that's a copy of target non-Frog creature, except it's a 1/1 green Frog.") targeting Goblin Glasswright. The token copy of Goblin Glasswright will enter prepared as a 1/1 green Frog creature, but the copy of Craft with Pride in exile will still be a red sorcery. The copy of Craft with Pride won't be green, a creature, or a Frog, and it won't have power or toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose the alternative prepare spell's name. Consider only the alternative characteristics to determine whether that is an appropriate name to choose.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
Preparation cards can only be cast with their base characteristics.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
Being prepared isn't a copiable value. If a permanent becomes a copy of a prepared creature, it won't be prepared. That permanent will have the alternative characteristics, though, and some other effect could cause it to become prepared later.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #15· Wizards of the Coast
While copies of spells in zones other than the stack cease to exist when state-based actions are checked, this does not apply to copies of prepare spells in exile that were created as a creature became prepared.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Retreat to Coralhelm + Displacer Kitten
- 1Activate the creature that taps for mana by tapping it, adding at least
. - 2Cast the copy of Rampant Growth from exile by paying , unpreparing Studious First-Year.
- 3When you cast that spell, Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year, which enters prepared.
- 4Resolve Rampant Growth, searching your library for a basic land and putting it onto the battlefield tapped.
- 5When the land enters, Retreat to Coralhelm triggers, untapping the creature that taps for mana.
- 6Repeat.
Displacer Kitten + Intruder Alarm + Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Party Thrasher
- 1Cast Rampant Growth using Party Thrasher's convoke ability by tapping creatures you control.
- 2Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year.
- 3When Studious First-Year enters, Intruder Alarm triggers, untapping all creatures you control.
- 4Repeat.
Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Displacer Kitten + Stone-Seeder Hierophant + Gaea's Cradle
- 1Activate Stone-Seeder Hierophant by tapping it, untapping Gaea's Cradle.
- 2Activate Gaea's Cradle by tapping it, adding at least .
- 3Cast the copy of Rampant Growth from exile by paying , unpreparing Studious First-Year.
- 4When you cast that spell, Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year, which enters prepared.
- 5Resolve Rampant Growth, fetching a basic land from your library to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Stone-Seeder Hierophant triggers, untapping itself.
- 7Repeat.
Displacer Kitten + Intruder Alarm + Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Invasion of Segovia // Caetus, Sea Tyrant of Segovia
- 1Cast Rampant Growth using Caetus, Sea Tyrant of Segovia's convoke ability by tapping creatures you control.
- 2Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year.
- 3When Studious First-Year enters, Intruder Alarm triggers, untapping all creatures you control.
- 4Repeat.
Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Displacer Kitten + Stone-Seeder Hierophant + Simic Growth Chamber
- 1Activate Stone-Seeder Hierophant by tapping it, untapping Simic Growth Chamber.
- 2Activate Simic Growth Chamber by tapping it, adding .
- 3Cast the copy of Rampant Growth from exile by paying , unpreparing Studious First-Year.
- 4When you cast that spell, Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year, which enters prepared.
- 5Resolve Rampant Growth, fetching a basic land from your library to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Stone-Seeder Hierophant triggers, untapping itself.
- 7Repeat.
Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Displacer Kitten + Stone-Seeder Hierophant + Evendo, Waking Haven
- 1Activate Stone-Seeder Hierophant by tapping it, untapping Evendo, Waking Haven.
- 2Activate Evendo, Waking Haven's last ability by tapping it, adding at least .
- 3Cast the copy of Rampant Growth from exile by paying , unpreparing Studious First-Year.
- 4When you cast that spell, Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year, which enters prepared.
- 5Resolve Rampant Growth, fetching a basic land from your library to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Stone-Seeder Hierophant triggers, untapping itself.
- 7Repeat.
Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Displacer Kitten + Stone-Seeder Hierophant + Selesnya Sanctuary
- 1Activate Stone-Seeder Hierophant by tapping it, untapping Selesnya Sanctuary.
- 2Activate Selesnya Sanctuary by tapping it, adding .
- 3Cast the copy of Rampant Growth from exile by paying , unpreparing Studious First-Year.
- 4When you cast that spell, Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year, which enters prepared.
- 5Resolve Rampant Growth, fetching a basic land from your library to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Stone-Seeder Hierophant triggers, untapping itself.
- 7Repeat.
Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth + Displacer Kitten + Stone-Seeder Hierophant + Golgari Rot Farm
- 1Activate Stone-Seeder Hierophant by tapping it, untapping Golgari Rot Farm.
- 2Activate Golgari Rot Farm by tapping it, adding .
- 3Cast the copy of Rampant Growth from exile by paying , unpreparing Studious First-Year.
- 4When you cast that spell, Displacer Kitten triggers, blinking Studious First-Year, which enters prepared.
- 5Resolve Rampant Growth, fetching a basic land from your library to the battlefield tapped.
- 6When the land enters, Stone-Seeder Hierophant triggers, untapping itself.
- 7Repeat.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Studious First-Year // Rampant Growth
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.