Ugin's Mastery — ruling 1

Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it's turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn't cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 2

Because face-down creatures don't have names, they can't have the same name as any other creature, even another face-down creature.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 3

The face-down permanent is a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It's colorless and has a mana value of 0. Other effects that apply to the permanent can still grant or change any of these characteristics.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 4

Any time you have priority, you may turn a manifested creature face up by revealing that it's a creature card (ignoring any copy effects or type-changing effects that might be applying to it) and paying its mana cost. This is a special action. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 5

If a manifested creature would have morph if it were face up, you may also turn it face up by paying its morph cost.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 6

Unlike a face-down creature that was cast using the morph ability, a manifested creature may still be turned face up after it loses its abilities if it's a creature card.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 7

A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent, as well as Auras and Equipment that were attached to the permanent, aren't affected.

Ugin's Mastery — ruling 8

Turning a permanent face up or face down doesn't change whether that permanent is tapped or untapped.

Ugin's Mastery : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Ugin's Mastery 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

Whenever you cast a colorless creature spell, manifest the top card of your library. (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.) Whenever you attack with creatures with total power 6 or greater, you may turn a face-down creature you control face up.

Complete guide

Ugin's Mastery is a versatile enchantment that rewards you for wielding colorless power, allowing you to recruit hidden reinforcements from your library. It bridges the gap between casting massive spells and orchestrating a deceptive battlefield strategy through the manifest mechanic.

Colorless Casting and Manifesting

The first ability triggers whenever you cast a colorless creature spell. When this happens, you take the top card of your library and put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. This card is colorless, has no name, no subtypes, and a mana value of 0. If it happens to be a creature card, you can turn it face up at any time by paying its mana cost as a special action.

The Mastery of Combat

The second ability triggers when you declare an attack with creatures whose total power equals 6 or greater. When this trigger resolves, you may choose one face-down creature you control and turn it face up for free. This is exceptionally powerful because it allows you to flip non-creature cards or expensive creatures without paying their mana costs. Note that if you attempt to flip an instant or sorcery this way, you must reveal it, but it stays face down on the battlefield.

Understanding the Flip

Turning a permanent face up is not the same as it entering the battlefield. Any 'enters-the-battlefield' abilities will not trigger. However, the permanent retains its status as tapped or untapped, and any Auras or Equipment attached to it remain attached. If the face-down card is a double-faced card, it enters face down and can be turned face up to its front face if that face is a creature.

Strategic Timing

Ugin's Mastery works best in decks featuring high-power creatures or artifact creatures. Since the manifest trigger happens on 'cast', you get your 2/2 creature before your colorless spell even resolves. The combat trigger checks the total power of all attacking creatures at the moment they are declared as attackers, so make sure your math adds up to at least 6 before moving to the declare attackers step.

Interaction examples

Freeing the Dragon

Summon: Bahamut

Suppose you previously manifested Summon: Bahamut as a 2/2 creature. During your next turn, you attack with that face-down 2/2 and other creatures totaling 6 power. Ugin's Mastery triggers. As the ability resolves, you may turn the face-down Summon: Bahamut face up. Because its front face is a creature, it flips and becomes its Saga Dragon form immediately, without you paying its mana cost.

Constructs of War

Urza's Saga

If you use Urza's Saga to create a large Construct token, that token's power counts toward the 6 power required for Ugin's Mastery. If you attack with a 4/4 Construct and the 2/2 face-down creature created by Ugin's Mastery, the total power is 6. This allows you to trigger the mastery ability and flip your face-down card into something more threatening before blockers are even declared.

Manifesting the Unseen

Manifest

When you cast a colorless creature spell, Ugin's Mastery puts the top card of your library onto the battlefield face down. You can use a Manifest reminder card to cover it. If you later attack with 6 total power, you can use the Mastery's second ability to flip it. If you choose to pay the mana cost instead, you are performing a special action that does not use the stack and cannot be responded to by your opponent.

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

How it works : Ugin's Mastery

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it's turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn't cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
Because face-down creatures don't have names, they can't have the same name as any other creature, even another face-down creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
The face-down permanent is a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It's colorless and has a mana value of 0. Other effects that apply to the permanent can still grant or change any of these characteristics.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
Any time you have priority, you may turn a manifested creature face up by revealing that it's a creature card (ignoring any copy effects or type-changing effects that might be applying to it) and paying its mana cost. This is a special action. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
Card named in this ruling
Manifest
#5July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If a manifested creature would have morph if it were face up, you may also turn it face up by paying its morph cost.
Card named in this ruling
Manifest
#6July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
Unlike a face-down creature that was cast using the morph ability, a manifested creature may still be turned face up after it loses its abilities if it's a creature card.
Card named in this ruling
Manifest
#7July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent, as well as Auras and Equipment that were attached to the permanent, aren't affected.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
Turning a permanent face up or face down doesn't change whether that permanent is tapped or untapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
You can look at a face-down permanent you control any time. You can't look at face-down permanents you don't control unless an effect allows you to or instructs you to.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If a face-down permanent you control leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it. You must also reveal all face-down spells and permanents you control if you leave the game or if the game ends.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You're not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for indicating this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield. You must also track how each became face down (manifested, cast face down using the morph ability, and so on).
Card named in this ruling
Manifest
#12July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If something tries to turn a face-down instant or sorcery card on the battlefield face up, reveal that card to show all players it's an instant or sorcery card. The permanent remains on the battlefield face down. Abilities that trigger when a permanent turns face up won't trigger, because even though you revealed the card, it never turned face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#13July 28, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down. While face down, a transforming double-faced card can't transform or convert. If the front face of a face down double-faced card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up.
Card named in this ruling
Manifest