Vincent Valentine // Galian Beast 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 a creature an opponent controls dies, put a number of +1/+1 counters on Vincent Valentine equal to that creature's power. Whenever Vincent Valentine attacks, you may transform it. Trample, lifelink When Galian Beast dies, return it to the battlefield tapped (front face up).
Complete guide
Vincent Valentine is a formidable Legendary Assassin that thrives on the demise of your enemies. By absorbing the strength of fallen foes, he can eventually transform into the terrifying Galian Beast to dominate the combat phase.
Growing Through Carnage
Vincent Valentine's first ability is a triggered ability that watches for whenever an opponent's creature dies. When this happens, you check the power of that creature as it last existed on the battlefield. You then place a number of +1/+1 counters on Vincent equal to that number. Because this ability counts power at the moment of death, even debuffs or temporary pumps affecting the dying creature will be accounted for in the final counter count.
The Transformation Process
When Vincent Valentine attacks, you have a choice to transform him into Galian Beast. This transformation happens during the Declare Attackers step. Once transformed, he gains Trample and Lifelink. Note that Galian Beast retains any +1/+1 counters he had as Vincent, making him a massive threat. If Galian Beast dies, his triggered ability returns him to the battlefield tapped and on his front face (Vincent Valentine), allowing the cycle of growth to begin again.
Strategic Timing
You should play Vincent Valentine when you have ways to remove your opponent's creatures, such as through combat or spells. Since he returns as Vincent after Galian Beast dies, he is incredibly resilient to board wipes. Use the transformation trigger wisely; if you need the lifelink to survive or trample to push through damage, transform him immediately upon attacking.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf your opponent's Solemn Simulacrum dies while Vincent Valentine is on the battlefield, Vincent's ability triggers. Since the Golem's power was 2 when it left the battlefield, you put two +1/+1 counters on Vincent Valentine.
Roaming ThroneIf you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Assassin' chosen as the creature type, Vincent Valentine's abilities will trigger an additional time. If an opponent's creature with 3 power dies, Vincent will receive 3 counters twice, for a total of six +1/+1 counters.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Vincent Valentine // Galian Beast
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A nonmodal double-faced card enters with its front face up by default, unless a spell or ability instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed or allows you to cast it transformed, in which case it enters with its back face up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The back face of a nonmodal double-faced card usually has a color indicator that defines its color.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you are instructed to put a card that isn't a double-faced card onto the battlefield transformed, it will not enter at all. In that case, it stays in the zone it was previously in. For example, if a single-faced card is a copy of Crystal Fragments, it will be exiled during the resolution of its second ability and remain in exile.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Use the creature's power as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how many +1/+1 counters to put on Vincent Valentine.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
A token that is created as a copy of a double-faced permanent or a double-faced card in another zone is a double-faced token. It will have both the front face and back face of whatever object it's copying. If it's copying a double-faced permanent whose back face is up, the token will enter with its back face up. It can transform if instructed to do so.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Each nonmodal double-faced card in this release is cast face up. In every zone other than the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of its front face. If it is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's up; the other face's characteristics are ignored.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Each face of a nonmodal double-faced card has its own set of characteristics: name, types, subtypes, abilities, and so on. While a nonmodal double-faced permanent is on the battlefield, consider only the characteristics of the face that's currently up. The other set of characteristics is ignored.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The mana value of a nonmodal double-faced card is the mana value of its front face, no matter which face is up.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
In the Commander variant, a double-faced card's color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered. For example, Cecil, Dark Knight's color identity is black and white, since its front face is black and its back face has a white color indicator.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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