Teval, the Balanced Scale — ruling 1

If multiple cards leave your graveyard at the same time, Teval’s last ability will trigger only once.

Teval, the Balanced Scale : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Teval, the Balanced Scale 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

Flying Whenever Teval attacks, mill three cards. Then you may return a land card from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped. Whenever one or more cards leave your graveyard, create a 2/2 black Zombie Druid creature token.

Complete guide

Teval, the Balanced Scale is a powerful Spirit Dragon that bridges the gap between life and death through efficient recursion and board presence. By milling your library and returning lands to the battlefield, it ensures your mana base grows while simultaneously raising an army of the undead.

Harnessing the Balance

Teval features two distinct triggered abilities. The first is an attack trigger that mills three cards and allows you to return any land card from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped. The second is a triggered ability that creates a 2/2 black Zombie Druid creature token whenever one or more cards leave your graveyard for any reason, whether they are returned to your hand, exiled, or put onto the battlefield.

Resolution Step-by-Step

When you declare Teval as an attacker, its first ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution, you mill three cards. Immediately after milling, you check your graveyard for a land card; if one is present, you may put it onto the battlefield tapped. Because the land is leaving the graveyard, Teval's second ability triggers. Note that if you return a land that was already in your graveyard or one you just milled, the timing remains the same: the land enters, then the token-generating ability is placed on the stack.

Understanding the Limit

A common mistake involves the 'one or more' clause on Teval's token ability. If an effect moves multiple cards from your graveyard to another zone at the exact same time, you only create one 2/2 black Zombie Druid token. To maximize your token production, you should look for effects that move cards from the graveyard one by one or in separate instances throughout a turn.

Interaction examples

Recursive Ramp

Zombie Druid

You declare Teval, the Balanced Scale as an attacker. You mill three cards, and one of them is a Forest. You choose to return that Forest to the battlefield tapped. Because a card left your graveyard, Teval's second ability triggers, and you create a 2/2 black Zombie Druid token.

Witnessing the Growth

Eternal Witness

With Teval on the battlefield, you cast Eternal Witness. When Eternal Witness enters, its ability targets a spell in your graveyard. When that spell is returned to your hand, it has left the graveyard. This triggers Teval, the Balanced Scale, granting you a 2/2 black Zombie Druid token in addition to your recovered card.

Sacrificial Value

Solemn Simulacrum

If your Solemn Simulacrum is in the graveyard and you use an effect to exile it or return it to the battlefield, Teval will see the creature card leave that zone. This results in the creation of a 2/2 black Zombie Druid token, demonstrating that Teval cares about any card type leaving the graveyard, not just lands.

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

How it works : Teval, the Balanced Scale

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1April 4, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
If multiple cards leave your graveyard at the same time, Teval’s last ability will trigger only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.