Thranduil, the Elvenking 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
Thranduil has all activated abilities of all Elf cards in your graveyard. Whenever another legendary Elf you control enters, draw two cards, then discard a card.
Complete guide
Thranduil, the Elvenking is a powerful commander that harnesses the knowledge of fallen kin while rewarding you for gathering legendary allies. By turning your graveyard into a toolbox of abilities, he ensures that your Elves remain useful even after they have left the battlefield. This Noble master of Mirkwood combines card advantage with the versatility of his ancestors.
A Living Library of Abilities
Thranduil's first ability is a static effect that grants him every activated ability of Elf cards currently residing in your graveyard. An activated ability is always written in the format '[Cost]: [Effect]'. This includes keyword abilities like cycling or scavenge if they appear on Elf cards. If an ability in the graveyard refers to the original card's name, you treat it as if it says 'Thranduil, the Elvenking' instead. Note that he only gains activated abilities; he does not gain triggered abilities (which start with 'when', 'whenever', or 'at') or static abilities from the cards in the graveyard.
Resolution of Entry Triggers
Whenever another legendary Elf enters the battlefield under your control, Thranduil's second ability triggers. This is a mandatory trigger, meaning you must draw two cards and then discard one card as the ability resolves. This process happens entirely during the resolution of the trigger; players cannot cast spells or activate abilities between the moment you draw and the moment you discard. Because this is a triggered ability, it can be copied or doubled by other effects that interact with triggered abilities.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming Thranduil gains the power, toughness, or types of the cards in the graveyard; he only gains their activated abilities. Additionally, if he gains a pair of 'linked abilities' (where one ability exiles a card and another refers to it), those links are specific to that instance. If Thranduil leaves the battlefield or the Elf card leaves the graveyard and returns, the link is broken, and he cannot access cards exiled by the 'previous' version of the ability.
When to Play Thranduil
Thranduil is best utilized in a deck that focuses on legendary Elves and graveyard synergy. You should play him when you have established a graveyard with utility Elves that have powerful mana-sink abilities or protection mechanics. Because he provides significant card draw, he is excellent for rebuilding your hand after a board wipe, provided you can follow up with another legendary Elf to restart his engine.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you play Roaming Throne and choose 'Elf', Thranduil's triggered ability will trigger twice whenever another legendary Elf enters the battlefield. You will draw two cards and discard one, then draw another two cards and discard another one. Roaming Throne also benefits from being an Elf itself, but since Thranduil specifies 'another legendary Elf', the Throne will only double triggers from other legendary Elves you play.
Solemn SimulacrumWhen Solemn Simulacrum enters the battlefield, its own triggered ability allows you to search for a land. However, since Solemn Simulacrum is a Golem and not a legendary Elf, its entry does not trigger Thranduil's ability. Furthermore, since the Simulacrum does not have any activated abilities (only triggered ones), Thranduil will not gain any abilities from it if it is in the graveyard.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Thranduil, the Elvenking
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If an activated ability of an Elf card in your graveyard references the card it's printed on by name, treat Thranduil, the Elvenking's instance of that ability as though it referenced Thranduil by name instead.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If Thranduil, the Elvenking gains a set of linked activated abilities (for example, one ability that exiles a card and another that refers to the card "exiled with" the object), that link only lasts for as long as Thranduil has those abilities. If it loses the abilities and then regains them, the link is lost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keyword abilities are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Thranduil, the Elvenking + Devoted Druid + Immaculate Magistrate
- 1Activate Thranduil using Immaculate Magistrate's ability by tapping it, putting a +1/+1 counter on Thranduil for each Elf you control.
- 2Activate Thranduil using Devoted Druid's second ability by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 3Repeat.
Thranduil, the Elvenking + Devoted Druid + Timberwatch Elf
- 1Activate Thranduil using Timberwatch Elf's ability by tapping it, giving Thranduil +1/+1 until end of turn for each Elf you control.
- 2Activate Thranduil using Devoted Druid's second ability by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 3Repeat.
Thranduil, the Elvenking + Devoted Druid + Greenhilt Trainee
- 1Activate Thranduil using Greenhilt Trainee's ability by tapping it, giving Thranduil +4/+4 until end of turn.
- 2Activate Thranduil using Devoted Druid's second ability by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 3Repeat.
Thranduil, the Elvenking + Umbral Mantle + Woodland Weavemaster
- 1Activate Thranduil using Woodland Weavemaster's ability by tapping it, adding an amount of mana equal to Thranduil's power that can only be spent to cast Elf spells or activate abilities of Elves.
- 2Activate Thranduil using the ability granted to it by Umbral Mantle by paying
and untapping it, giving it +2/+2 until end of turn. - 3Repeat.
Thranduil, the Elvenking + Devoted Druid + Tromell, Seymour's Butler
- 1Activate Thranduil using Tromell's ability by tapping it, putting a +1/+1 counter on Thranduil for each nontoken creature that entered under your control this turn.
- 2Activate Thranduil using Devoted Druid's second ability by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 3Activate Thranduil using Devoted Druid's first ability by tapping it, adding
. - 4Activate Thranduil using Devoted Druid's second ability by putting a -1/-1 counter on it, untapping it.
- 5Repeat.
Legal formats
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