Ugin's Construct 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
When this creature enters, sacrifice a permanent that's one or more colors.
Complete guide
Ugin's Construct is a massive 4/5 artifact creature that offers significant power for a low mana cost of four generic mana. However, this efficiency comes with a steep requirement: you must appease its colorless nature by sacrificing something vibrant. Understanding how to manage its enter-the-battlefield trigger is key to maximizing its value on the board.
What It Does
Ugin's Construct is a colorless artifact creature with a triggered ability that occurs exactly when it enters the battlefield. This ability forces its controller to choose one permanent they control that has at least one color (White, Blue, Black, Red, or Green) and sacrifice it. Because the Construct itself is colorless, it can never be the target of its own sacrifice ability.
Resolution Step-by-Step
First, the Construct enters the battlefield, putting its triggered ability on the stack. Next, players have a chance to respond with spells or abilities. When the ability resolves, you check all permanents you control for color. If you have one or more colored permanents, you must choose one and move it to the graveyard. If you control only colorless permanents (such as lands or other artifacts) at the moment of resolution, the ability does nothing and you sacrifice nothing.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is assuming you must sacrifice Ugin's Construct if it is your only creature. Since the card is colorless, it is not a legal choice for its own ability. Another mistake is forgetting that lands are generally colorless; you cannot sacrifice a Forest or Island to satisfy this trigger unless an effect has specifically given that land a color. Additionally, this is not a 'target' ability, so keywords like Hexproof do not protect your permanents from being chosen for sacrifice.
When to Play It
The best time to cast Ugin's Construct is when your board consists entirely of colorless permanents, such as in an artifact-heavy deck or early in the game when you only have lands out. It is also an excellent tool for triggered ability synergies, as it provides a high-stat body that can trigger other 'enters the battlefield' effects without necessarily costing you a permanent if you plan your board state correctly.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf you control Solemn Simulacrum and cast Ugin's Construct, the Construct's ability triggers. Because Solemn Simulacrum is a colorless artifact creature, it is not a valid choice for the sacrifice. If these are your only two permanents besides lands, you do not sacrifice anything, keeping both creatures on the battlefield.
Roaming ThroneIf Roaming Throne is on the battlefield with 'Construct' chosen as its type, Ugin's Construct entering will trigger its ability twice. If you control colored permanents, you will be forced to sacrifice two of them. However, since both Roaming Throne and the Construct are colorless, neither can be chosen to satisfy these triggers.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Ugin's Construct
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you control only colorless permanents as the ability resolves (for example, basic lands and face-down permanents), you won’t sacrifice anything.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Ugin's Construct
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.