Sword of the ChosenHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Sword of the Chosen is a simple but effective legendary artifact. By tapping it, you can target any legendary creature currently on the battlefield and grant it a +2/+2 bonus that lasts until the end of the turn. Because it is an artifact ability and not an Equipment attachment, the bonus remains even if the Sword is destroyed later in the turn, as long as the ability has already resolved.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you must have a legal target: a creature with the 'Legendary' supertype. You activate the ability by tapping Sword of the Chosen. The ability goes on the stack, and players have a chance to respond. When the ability resolves, the targeted creature gains the +2/+2 bonus immediately. This bonus will persist through all phases of the current turn, including multiple combat phases if applicable, and only expires during the cleanup step.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is trying to target a non-legendary creature; the target must specifically be legendary at the time the ability is activated and when it resolves. Additionally, remember that this is a activated ability, not an Equipment. You do not 'equip' the Sword, so it does not fall off if the creature gains protection from artifacts, though you cannot target a creature that already has protection from artifacts or hexproof from you.

When to Play It

The best time to use Sword of the Chosen is during the Declare Attackers or Declare Blockers step to influence combat math. Since it does not cost mana to activate, you can safely tap out for other spells while still threatening a significant power boost. It is also excellent for helping your legendary creatures survive damage-based sweepers or to reach the 21-commander damage threshold more quickly.

Interaction examples

Speeding Up the Deployment

Sol Ring

With a Sol Ring in your opening hand, you can tap it to produce two colorless mana, allowing you to cast Sword of the Chosen on the very first turn. This sets up your board to immediately buff your commander as soon as it enters the battlefield on a subsequent turn.

Fixing Mana for Legends

Arcane Signet

In a multicolor deck, you can use Arcane Signet to ensure you have the correct colors to cast your legendary commander. Once your commander is on the field, Sword of the Chosen provides the combat support needed to swing through blockers, while your mana remains free for reactive spells.

Stand-alone Combat Trick

If your legendary creature is being blocked by a creature with equal power and toughness, you can tap Sword of the Chosen during the Declare Blockers step. Your creature grows by +2/+2, allowing it to destroy the blocker while surviving the exchange.