Sunken Palace 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 land enters tapped.: Add
.
Complete guide
Deep within the subterranean reaches of the Lost Caverns of Ixalan lies the Sunken Palace, a Cave land that offers immense power to those who can fuel its ancient magic. While it enters the battlefield tapped, its ability to duplicate spells and abilities makes it a formidable tool for late-game dominance. By exiling the remnants of your past, you can double the impact of your most potent Blue spells.
Deep-Sea Duplication
Sunken Palace is a utility land that provides Blue mana, but its secondary activated ability is the real star. By paying one generic and one Blue mana, tapping the land, and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, you generate a special Blue mana. When this specific mana is spent to cast a spell or activate a non-mana ability, a delayed trigger creates a copy of that spell or ability on the stack.
The Copying Process
Once you spend the special mana, the copy is placed directly onto the stack. For spells, this means the copy will resolve before the original. If the original spell had a value of X, the copy maintains that same value. If it was a modal spell, the copy retains the same mode choices. Crucially, if you copy a permanent spell like an Aura or a Creature, the copy enters the battlefield as a token, though it is not considered 'created' for the purpose of other triggered abilities.
Timing and Restrictions
You cannot use Sunken Palace to copy mana abilities (abilities that produce mana and don't have targets). The copy is not 'cast' or 'activated,' so it won't trigger abilities like Prowess. Additionally, the seven-card exile is a cost; if you don't have enough cards in your graveyard, you cannot activate the second ability at all.
Strategic Deployment
Sunken Palace is best utilized in decks that can fill the graveyard quickly, such as self-mill or spell-heavy control strategies. Because it enters tapped, plan your turns ahead to ensure you have the mana available when your graveyard is sufficiently stocked. Use it to double up on powerful card-draw spells or game-ending activated abilities.
Interaction examples
Command Tower
Exotic OrchardIn a typical opening, you might play Command Tower or Exotic Orchard to establish your colors. Because Sunken Palace enters tapped, you would likely play it on a turn where you don't need all your mana immediately. Once untapped, it functions as a basic source of Blue mana just like your other lands until you are ready to use its exile ability.
Suppose you have seven cards in your graveyard. You activate the second ability of Sunken Palace, exiling those cards to add one Blue mana. You then spend that Blue mana to cast a spell. A copy of that spell is placed on the stack. You may choose new targets for the copy. The copy resolves first, then your original spell resolves, effectively doubling your output for that turn.
If you use the special mana from Sunken Palace to cast a creature spell, the delayed trigger creates a copy of that creature spell on the stack. When the copy resolves, it enters the battlefield as a token copy of that creature. Then, the original creature spell resolves and enters as a non-token permanent. You now have two versions of the creature on the field.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Sunken Palace
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keyword abilities are activated abilities and will have a colon in their reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
A copy is created even if the spell or ability that caused the delayed triggered ability to trigger has been countered by the time that delayed triggered ability resolves. The copy resolves before the original spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
The copy will have the same targets as the spell or ability it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If the spell is a permanent spell with targets, such as an Aura, you may also choose a new target for that spell. The new targets must be legal. If, for any target, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
The copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast" or "activated." Creating the copy won't cause abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell or activates an ability to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell or ability that's copied is modal (that is, it says "Choose one —" or the like), the copy will have the same mode or modes. You can't choose different ones.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell or ability that's copied has an X whose value was determined as it was cast or activated, the copy will have the same value of X.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell or ability has damage divided as it was cast or activated, the division can't be changed (although the targets receiving that damage still can). The same is true of spells and abilities that distribute counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The controller of a copy can't choose to pay any alternative or additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any alternative or additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Resolving copies of permanent spells become tokens as they enter the battlefield. These tokens are not considered "created" when this happens.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Ioreth of the Healing House
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying
, tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding . - 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying
and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability. - 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Ioreth of the Healing House by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Kelpie Guide
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Kelpie Guide by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Aphetto Alchemist
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Aphetto Alchemist by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + North Pole Patrol
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate North Pole Patrol by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Tidewater Minion
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Tidewater Minion by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Clever Conjurer
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Clever Conjurer by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Forensic Researcher
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Forensic Researcher by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Mister Fantastic + Sunken Palace + Fatestitcher
- 1Activate Sunken Palace's second ability by paying , tapping it and exiling seven cards from your graveyard, adding .
- 2Put any triggered ability on the stack.
- 3Holding priority, activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, ensuring to use the mana from Sunken Palace, targeting a triggered ability.
- 4Sunken Palace triggers. Holding priority, activate Fatestitcher by tapping it, untapping Mister Fantastic.
- 5Activate Mister Fantastic by paying and tapping it, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 6Resolve the first Sunken Palace trigger, copying Mister Fantastic's ability, targeting a Sunken Palace trigger.
- 7Resolve the Mister Fantastic ability, copying Sunken Palace's trigger twice.
- 8Repeat from step 6.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Sunken Palace
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