Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 1

An adventurer card is a permanent card in every zone except the stack, as well as while on the stack if not cast as an Adventure. Ignore its alternative characteristics in those cases. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Questing Druid is a green creature card whose mana value is 2. It can't be the target of Tenacious Tomeseeker's triggered ability ("return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand").

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 2

When casting a spell as an Adventure, use the alternative characteristics and ignore all of the card's normal characteristics. The spell's color, mana cost, mana value, and so on are determined by only those alternative characteristics. If the spell leaves the stack, it immediately resumes using its normal characteristics.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 3

If you cast an adventurer card as an Adventure, use only its alternative characteristics to determine whether it's legal to cast that spell. For example, if you control Johann, Apprentice Sorcerer ("Once each turn, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell from the top of your library.") and Questing Druid is on top of your library, you can cast Seek the Beast, but not Questing Druid.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 4

If a spell is cast as an Adventure, its controller exiles it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard as it resolves. For as long as it remains exiled, that player may cast it as a permanent spell. If an Adventure spell leaves the stack in any way other than resolving (most likely by being countered or by failing to resolve because its targets have all become illegal), that card won't be exiled and the spell's controller won't be able to cast it as a permanent later.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 5

If an adventurer card ends up in exile for any other reason than by exiling itself while resolving, it won't give you permission to cast it as a permanent spell.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 6

You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions for the permanent spell you cast from exile. Normally, you'll be able to cast it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 7

If an effect copies an Adventure spell, that copy is exiled as it resolves. It ceases to exist as a state-based action; it's not possible to cast the copy as a permanent.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn — ruling 8

An effect may refer to a card, spell, or permanent that "has an Adventure." This refers to a card, spell, or permanent that has an adventurer card's set of alternative characteristics, even if they're not being used and even if that card was never cast as an Adventure.

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn 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

At the beginning of your upkeep, put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn. You gain 2 life.

Complete guide

Virtue of Persistence is a powerful black enchantment that offers both early-game removal and late-game inevitability. Whether you are picking off small threats with Locthwain Scorn or reanimating giants every turn, this card is a cornerstone for control and midrange strategies alike.

Two Spells in One

As an Adventurer card, you have a choice. You can cast the Adventure side, Locthwain Scorn, for two mana to weaken a creature and gain life. If it resolves, the card is exiled 'On an Adventure,' allowing you to cast the enchantment side, Virtue of Persistence, later. Alternatively, you can skip the Adventure and cast the enchantment directly from your hand for seven mana.

The Upkeep Trigger

Once Virtue of Persistence is on the battlefield, its ability triggers at the start of every one of your upkeeps. You choose a target creature card from any graveyard—not just your own. As the ability resolves, that creature enters the battlefield under your control. This does not count as casting the creature, so it cannot be countered by spells that target creature spells.

Adventure Timing and Rules

While in your hand, library, or graveyard, the card is only an enchantment with a mana value of 7. You can only cast Locthwain Scorn as a sorcery, and it must resolve to be cast later as an enchantment. If the sorcery is countered or its target becomes illegal, the card goes to the graveyard and you lose the chance to cast the enchantment from exile.

When to Play It

Use Locthwain Scorn early to survive aggressive starts. The life gain helps stabilize your total while you build toward seven mana. Once the enchantment is down, focus on protecting your life total; the repeated reanimation will eventually overwhelm your opponent by draining their graveyard of threats or returning your own.

Interaction examples

Recovering from a Board Wipe

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn

Kindred Dominance

If you cast Kindred Dominance to clear the board, both graveyards will be full of creatures. During your next upkeep, Virtue of Persistence triggers. You can target the best creature destroyed by Kindred Dominance to return it immediately to the battlefield under your control, giving you an instant advantage on an empty board.

Synergy with Mill

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn

Breach the Multiverse

First, you cast Breach the Multiverse to mill ten cards from each player and steal two threats. On your following turn, the Virtue of Persistence enchantment triggers. Since Breach the Multiverse filled the graveyards with even more options, you can now pick the third-best creature from that pile and add it to your growing army of Phyrexians.

The Adventure Loop

Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn

On an Adventure

You cast Locthwain Scorn targeting an opponent's creature. As it resolves, the creature gets -3/-3, you gain 2 life, and the card is placed in exile 'On an Adventure'. On your next main phase, because it is in exile and was cast as an Adventure, you may pay five generic and two black mana to cast Virtue of Persistence.

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

How it works : Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
An adventurer card is a permanent card in every zone except the stack, as well as while on the stack if not cast as an Adventure. Ignore its alternative characteristics in those cases. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Questing Druid is a green creature card whose mana value is 2. It can't be the target of Tenacious Tomeseeker's triggered ability ("return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand").
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
When casting a spell as an Adventure, use the alternative characteristics and ignore all of the card's normal characteristics. The spell's color, mana cost, mana value, and so on are determined by only those alternative characteristics. If the spell leaves the stack, it immediately resumes using its normal characteristics.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast an adventurer card as an Adventure, use only its alternative characteristics to determine whether it's legal to cast that spell. For example, if you control Johann, Apprentice Sorcerer ("Once each turn, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell from the top of your library.") and Questing Druid is on top of your library, you can cast Seek the Beast, but not Questing Druid.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell is cast as an Adventure, its controller exiles it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard as it resolves. For as long as it remains exiled, that player may cast it as a permanent spell. If an Adventure spell leaves the stack in any way other than resolving (most likely by being countered or by failing to resolve because its targets have all become illegal), that card won't be exiled and the spell's controller won't be able to cast it as a permanent later.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If an adventurer card ends up in exile for any other reason than by exiling itself while resolving, it won't give you permission to cast it as a permanent spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions for the permanent spell you cast from exile. Normally, you'll be able to cast it only during your main phase while the stack is empty.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect copies an Adventure spell, that copy is exiled as it resolves. It ceases to exist as a state-based action; it's not possible to cast the copy as a permanent.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
An effect may refer to a card, spell, or permanent that "has an Adventure." This refers to a card, spell, or permanent that has an adventurer card's set of alternative characteristics, even if they're not being used and even if that card was never cast as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect refers to a card, spell, or permanent that has an Adventure, it won't find an instant or sorcery spell on the stack that's been cast as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If an object becomes a copy of an object that has an Adventure, the copy also has an Adventure. If it changes zones, it will either cease to exist (if it's a token) or cease to be a copy (if it's a nontoken permanent), and so you won't be able to cast it as an Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose the alternative Adventure name. Consider only the alternative characteristics to determine whether that is an appropriate name to choose.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#12September 1, 2023· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a card as an Adventure isn't casting it for an alternative cost. Effects that allow you to cast a spell for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost may allow you to apply those to the Adventure.
No other card is named in this ruling.