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Rules guide · Enchantment

Tortured ExistenceHow it works & interactions with other cards

By the ManaCount desk· 4 min read· Stronghold· March 2, 1998
Carte Magic Tortured Existence

Tortured Existence 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.

01

Official card text

{B}, Discard a creature card: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

How it works : Tortured Existence

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

  1. #1· Wizards of the Coast

    You can’t return the same card you are discarding. This is because you pick the target before paying the costs.

    No other card is named in this ruling.

02

Popular combos

Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.

Kheru Goldkeeper
+Tortured Existence
#1

Kheru Goldkeeper + Tortured Existence

Infinite self-discard triggers
  1. 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, returning another creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
  2. 2Kheru Goldkeeper triggers, creating a Treasure token.
  3. 3Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding {B}.
  4. 4Repeat.
Hashaton, Scarab's Fist
+Tortured Existence
+Peregrine Drake
#2

Hashaton, Scarab's Fist + Tortured Existence + Peregrine Drake

Infinite creature ETBInfinite self-discard triggersInfinite tapped creature tokens
  1. 1Activate up to five lands by tapping them, adding at least {2}{U}{B}{B}.
  2. 2Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding Peregrine Drake, targeting any other creature card in your graveyard.
  3. 3Hashaton triggers, causing you to pay {2}{U} to create a token copy of Peregrine Drake that is a 4/4 Zombie.
  4. 4When the Peregrine Drake token enters the battlefield, it triggers, untapping up to five lands.
  5. 5Resolve the Tortured Existence ability, returning the targeted creature from your graveyard to your hand.
  6. 6Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, targeting Peregrine Drake.
  7. 7Hashaton triggers. Choose not to pay.
  8. 8Resolve the Tortured Existence ability, returning Peregrine Drake from your graveyard to your hand.
Tortured Existence
+Phyrexian Altar
+Teval, the Balanced Scale
#3

Tortured Existence + Phyrexian Altar + Teval, the Balanced Scale

Infinite creature LTBInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggers
  1. 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, returning another creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
  2. 2Teval triggers, creating a creature token.
  3. 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the creature token, adding {B}.
  4. 4Repeat.
Tortured Existence
+Phyrexian Altar
+Insidious Roots
#4

Tortured Existence + Phyrexian Altar + Insidious Roots

Infinite creature LTBInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggers
  1. 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, returning another creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
  2. 2Insidious Roots triggers, creating a creature token.
  3. 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the creature token, adding {B}.
  4. 4Repeat.
Tortured Existence
+Phyrexian Altar
+Tormod, the Desecrator
#5

Tortured Existence + Phyrexian Altar + Tormod, the Desecrator

Infinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggers
  1. 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, returning another creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
  2. 2Tormod triggers, creating a creature token.
  3. 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the creature token, adding {B}.
  4. 4Repeat.
Tortured Existence
+Phyrexian Altar
+Imotekh the Stormlord
#6

Tortured Existence + Phyrexian Altar + Imotekh the Stormlord

Infinite artifact ETBInfinite artifact LTBInfinite artifact sacrifice triggersInfinite artifact tokens
  1. 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, returning another creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
  2. 2If the returned card was an artifact creature card, Imotekh the Stormlord triggers, creating two artifact creature tokens.
  3. 3Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing a creature token, adding {B}.
  4. 4Repeat.
Tortured Existence
+Insidious Roots
+Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
#7

Tortured Existence + Insidious Roots + Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler

Infinite creature ETBInfinite self-discard triggersInfinite tapped creature tokensInfinite +1/+1 counters on certain creatures
  1. 1Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, returning any other creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
  2. 2Insidious Roots triggers, creating a 0/1 Plant creature token, then putting a +1/+1 counter on each Plant you control.
  3. 3Activate the Plant by tapping it, adding {B}.
  4. 4Repeat.
Hashaton, Scarab's Fist
+Tortured Existence
+Palinchron
#8

Hashaton, Scarab's Fist + Tortured Existence + Palinchron

Infinite creature ETBInfinite mana lands you control can produceInfinite self-discard triggersInfinite copies of creature cards in your graveyard that are 4/4 Zombies
  1. 1Activate up to seven lands by tapping them, adding at least {2}{U}{B}{B}.
  2. 2Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding Palinchron, targeting any other creature card in your graveyard.
  3. 3Hashaton triggers, causing you to pay {2}{U} to create a token copy of Palinchron that is a 4/4 Zombie.
  4. 4When the Palinchron token enters the battlefield, it triggers, untapping up to seven lands.
  5. 5Resolve the Tortured Existence ability, returning the targeted creature from your graveyard to your hand.
  6. 6Activate Tortured Existence by paying {B} and discarding a creature card, targeting Palinchron.
  7. 7Hashaton triggers. Choose not to pay.
  8. 8Resolve the Tortured Existence ability, returning Palinchron from your graveyard to your hand.
03

Legal formats

legacypaupervintagecommanderoathbreakerpaupercommanderduelpremodernpredhtlr
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