Unlicensed HearseHow it works & interactions with other cards

How it Works

Unlicensed Hearse has three distinct parts: an activated ability to exile cards, a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power and toughness, and a crew ability. The first ability allows you to tap the Hearse to exile up to two target cards from a single graveyard. The second ability continuously updates its power and toughness to match the total count of cards exiled by that specific permanent.

Resolution Step by Step

First, you activate the exile ability by tapping the Hearse and choosing up to two targets in one graveyard. Upon resolution, those cards are moved to the exile zone. The Hearse then tracks these cards for as long as it remains on the battlefield. Even if it is not currently a creature, it still 'remembers' every card it has exiled. When you pay the Crew 2 cost by tapping creatures with total power 2 or greater, it becomes an artifact creature with stats determined by that running tally.

Common Mistakes

The most common error involves crewing the Hearse before it has exiled any cards. If you activate the crew ability while zero cards are exiled, Unlicensed Hearse becomes a 0/0 creature. Unless you have an anthem effect or a counter increasing its toughness, it will be put into the graveyard as a state-based action immediately. Additionally, if the Hearse leaves the battlefield and returns, it is considered a new object and will start at 0/0 again, losing the count of cards previously exiled.

When to Play It

Unlicensed Hearse is best deployed early to begin eating away at your opponent's resources. Because the exile ability does not require it to be a creature, you can use it every turn cycle to build its power. Once the exile count is high enough to threaten your opponent's life total or block their largest attacker, use your utility creatures to crew it and enter combat.

Interaction examples

Building Power Early

Sol Ring

You cast Unlicensed Hearse using mana from Sol Ring. On your opponent's turn, you tap the Hearse to exile two cards from their graveyard. The Hearse is now effectively a 2/2 creature once crewed. On your next turn, you exile two more, making it a 4/4. The growth is permanent as long as the Hearse stays in play.

Targeted Removal

Arcane Signet

Your opponent attempts to recur a card from their graveyard. In response, you tap Unlicensed Hearse and target that specific card (and one other, like an Arcane Signet that was destroyed earlier). The cards are exiled, the opponent's spell loses its target, and the Hearse's power and toughness increase by two.