Violent Echoes — ruling 1

Empower Jace won't let you put loyalty counters on nontoken Jace planeswalkers. However, if you control a Jace planeswalker token that you got another way (such as an effect that creates a token that's a copy of a permanent), empower Jace will put loyalty counters on that.

Violent Echoes — ruling 2

If you control a Jace planeswalker token, you can't choose to create a new one when you empower Jace. You have to put the loyalty counters on your existing Jace planeswalker token. In the rare case that you control multiple Jace planeswalker tokens, you'll choose one of those tokens to put the loyalty counters on.

Violent Echoes — ruling 3

Excess damage has been dealt to a creature if the damage dealt to it is greater than lethal damage. Usually, this means damage greater than its toughness, although damage already marked on the creature is taken into account.

Violent Echoes — ruling 4

For a planeswalker, excess damage means damage in excess of the planeswalker's loyalty (the number of loyalty counters it has on it).

Violent Echoes — ruling 5

Some spells and abilities that empower Jace may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't empower Jace.

Violent Echoes — ruling 6

To empower Jace N, if you don't control a Jace planeswalker token, create a blue Jace planeswalker token with 0 loyalty, "[−1]: Surveil 1," and "[−3]: Draw a card." Choose a Jace planeswalker token you control. Put N loyalty counters on it.

Violent Echoes : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Violent Echoes 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

Violent Echoes deals 6 damage to target creature or planeswalker. If excess damage was dealt to that permanent this way, empower Jace X, where X is that excess damage. (Put that many loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")

How it works : Violent Echoes

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
Empower Jace won't let you put loyalty counters on nontoken Jace planeswalkers. However, if you control a Jace planeswalker token that you got another way (such as an effect that creates a token that's a copy of a permanent), empower Jace will put loyalty counters on that.
Card named in this ruling
Jace
#2August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
If you control a Jace planeswalker token, you can't choose to create a new one when you empower Jace. You have to put the loyalty counters on your existing Jace planeswalker token. In the rare case that you control multiple Jace planeswalker tokens, you'll choose one of those tokens to put the loyalty counters on.
Card named in this ruling
Jace
#3August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
Excess damage has been dealt to a creature if the damage dealt to it is greater than lethal damage. Usually, this means damage greater than its toughness, although damage already marked on the creature is taken into account.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
For a planeswalker, excess damage means damage in excess of the planeswalker's loyalty (the number of loyalty counters it has on it).
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells and abilities that empower Jace may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't empower Jace.
Card named in this ruling
Jace
#6August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
To empower Jace N, if you don't control a Jace planeswalker token, create a blue Jace planeswalker token with 0 loyalty, "[−1]: Surveil 1," and "[−3]: Draw a card." Choose a Jace planeswalker token you control. Put N loyalty counters on it.
Card named in this ruling
Jace