Tarrian's Journal // The Tomb of Aclazotz 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
, Sacrifice another artifact or creature: Draw a card. Activate only as a sorcery.
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Complete guide
Tarrian's Journal is a versatile legendary artifact that rewards you for sacrificing resources and eventually transforms into a powerful land. Once it becomes The Tomb of Aclazotz, it grants you the dark power to resurrect creatures from your graveyard as Vampires. This double-faced card is a must-have for decks that want to turn disposable tokens or creatures into card advantage and long-term value.
How Tarrian's Journal Functions
While it is on its front face, Tarrian's Journal acts as a sacrifice outlet. By tapping it and sacrificing another artifact or creature, you draw a card. Note that this ability can only be activated as a sorcery, meaning during your main phase while the stack is empty. Its second ability allows you to transform it by paying two mana, tapping it, and discarding your hand. Interestingly, you can activate this even if your hand is empty, making the cost easy to pay in the late game.
The Tomb of Aclazotz Step-by-Step
Once transformed, the card becomes a Legendary Land called The Tomb of Aclazotz. It taps for black mana, but its second ability is the star. When you tap it, you gain a 'permission' to cast a creature spell from your graveyard later that turn. You don't choose the creature when the ability resolves; you simply gain the right to cast one. When you do cast a creature this way, it becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types on the stack and on the battlefield, and it enters with a finality counter.
Understanding Finality Counters
The finality counter is a replacement effect. If a creature with one of these counters would die (be put into the graveyard from the battlefield), it is exiled instead. These counters are not keyword counters and don't grant abilities, so even if the creature loses all abilities, it will still be exiled if it tries to go to the graveyard. However, if the creature is returned to your hand or put into your library, the counter does not trigger, and the card moves to that zone normally.
Timing and Strategy
You must still follow all normal timing restrictions when casting a creature from your graveyard via The Tomb of Aclazotz. Unless the creature has Flash, you can only cast it during your main phase. If you manage to untap the land and activate it again, you gain an additional permission to cast another creature spell from your graveyard that turn.
Interaction examples
Sol RingIf you have an extra Sol Ring on the battlefield and need more cards in hand, you can tap Tarrian's Journal and sacrifice the Sol Ring during your main phase. This allows you to draw a card, effectively turning a redundant mana rock into fresh resources.
Arcane SignetSuppose you are searching for a specific spell. You can sacrifice your Arcane Signet to Tarrian's Journal to draw a card. If the card you drew isn't helpful and you have two mana available, you can then activate the journal's second ability to discard your hand and transform it into The Tomb of Aclazotz, preparing your graveyard for the following turns.
While you have The Tomb of Aclazotz on the battlefield, you can use the mana from Sol Ring and Arcane Signet to help pay the costs of a creature spell in your graveyard. After tapping the Tomb to gain the permission, you cast the creature. It enters the battlefield as a Vampire and receives a finality counter. If that creature is later destroyed, the finality counter ensures it is exiled rather than returning to the graveyard.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Tarrian's Journal // The Tomb of Aclazotz
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Multiple finality counters on a single permanent are redundant.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You can discard your hand even if you hand has zero cards in it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You don't choose which creature spell you're casting while activating or resolving The Tomb of Aclazotz's last ability. The ability creates a permission for you to cast a creature spell from your graveyard later in the turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions for creature spells you cast with the permission granted by The Tomb of Aclazotz's last ability. Normally, you'll be able to cast them only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
The creature spell you cast will be a Vampire in addition to its other types while on the stack. The resulting creature will be a Vampire in addition to its other types.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you somehow activate The Tome of Aclazotz's ability more than once during a turn, you can cast a creature spell for each ability's permission. Similarly, if another effect allows you to cast a creature spell from your graveyard, you may use that permission and later use The Tomb of Aclazotz's ability to cast another creature spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Finality counters work on any permanent, not only creatures. If a permanent with a finality counter on it would be put into a graveyard from the battlefield, exile it instead.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Finality counters don't stop permanents from going to zones other than the graveyard from the battlefield. For example, if a permanent with a finality counter on it would be put into its owner's hand from the battlefield, it does so normally.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Finality counters aren't keyword counters, and a finality counter doesn't give any abilities to the permanent it's on. If that permanent loses its abilities and then would go to a graveyard, it will still be exiled instead.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Tarrian's Journal // The Tomb of Aclazotz
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