Waterbender's Restoration 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
As an additional cost to cast this spell, waterbend. (While paying a waterbend cost, you can tap your artifacts and creatures to help. Each one pays for
.) Exile X target creatures you control. Return those cards to the battlefield under their owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.
Complete guide
Waterbender's Restoration is a versatile Blue Lesson that allows you to protect your board by temporarily shifting your creatures out of reality. By utilizing the waterbend mechanic, you can leverage your existing board state to fuel a massive flicker effect without tapping all your lands. Whether you are dodging a board wipe or retriggering enters-the-battlefield abilities, this spell provides a flexible solution for any Blue mage.
Understanding Waterbend
Waterbend is an additional cost that allows you to tap untapped artifacts and creatures you control to pay for generic mana. For Waterbender's Restoration, the value of X is determined by how much mana you choose to spend on the waterbend cost. Each artifact or creature you tap covers {1} of that cost. Note that you can mix and match, paying some of X with mana from your pool and some by tapping permanents. You can even tap creatures with 'summoning sickness' to pay this cost, as waterbend does not use the tap symbol.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When you cast the spell, you first choose the value for X and pay {U}{U} plus the generic mana for X (using waterbend if desired). You then target X creatures you control. Upon resolution, those creatures are exiled immediately. They remain in exile until the beginning of the next end step, at which point they return to the battlefield under their owner's control. If the spell is cast during an end step, the creatures won't return until the beginning of the following turn's end step.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake involves mana abilities. If you tap a Treasure token for mana, it is sacrificed and cannot be tapped for the waterbend cost. Similarly, if you tap a creature for mana (like a Mana Elf), it is already tapped and cannot be used for waterbend. Additionally, remember that because this is a Lesson, you can cast it from your sideboard if a spell or ability allows you to 'learn', or simply include it in your main deck like a standard instant.
When to Play It
The best time to cast Waterbender's Restoration is in response to targeted removal or a board clear. Since it is an instant, you can wait until the last possible second. It is also highly effective for resetting 'enters-the-battlefield' triggers. Because the creatures return at the end step, they will be back in time to block during your opponent's turn if you cast it during your own, or ready to lose summoning sickness if cast on their end step.
Interaction examples
CounterspellIf your opponent attempts to cast a board wipe, you can cast Waterbender's Restoration, tapping three creatures to set X=3. Your creatures are exiled and safe. If your opponent then tries to use Counterspell to stop your Restoration, they can, but if it resolves, your creatures will stay safely tucked away until the end step, dodging the destruction.
An Offer You Can't RefuseSuppose you cast a spell and your opponent uses An Offer You Can't Refuse to counter it. You now have two Treasure tokens. Later, you cast Waterbender's Restoration. You can tap those two Treasure tokens (as artifacts) to pay for {2} of the X cost, rather than sacrificing them for mana. This allows you to exile two creatures for 'free' while saving your Treasures for actual mana later.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Waterbender's Restoration
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a waterbend cost is part of the total cost to cast a spell or activate an ability, you may tap an untapped artifact or creature you control rather than pay one generic mana in that total cost any number of times up to a maximum of the amount of generic mana in the waterbend component of that total cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Even if the cost of the spell or ability that waterbend is part of increases or decreases, you still may only tap artifacts or creatures to pay for costs up to the amount of the generic mana in the waterbend cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
"Waterbend [cost]" means "Pay [cost]. For each generic mana in that cost, you may tap an untapped artifact or creature you control rather than pay that mana."
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
You can tap any untapped creature or artifact you control to pay a waterbend cost, even one you haven't controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If an artifact or creature you control has a mana ability with
in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell or activating an ability with waterbend will result in the artifact or creature being tapped before you pay the spell's costs. You won't be able to tap it again for waterbend. Similarly, if you sacrifice an artifact or creature to activate a mana ability to pay a cost with waterbend, that artifact or creature won't be on the battlefield when you pay the spell's costs, so you won't be able to tap it for waterbend.No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Waterbender's Restoration
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