Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 1

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.

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 2

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.

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 3

If the spell that's copied is modal (that is, it says "Choose one —" or the like), the copy will have the same mode or modes. You can't choose different ones.

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 4

You can't choose to pay any additional costs for a copied spell. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too.

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 5

If the copied spell divides damage or distributes counters among a number of targets, the division and number of targets can't be changed. If you choose new targets, you must choose the same number of targets.

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 6

The copy will have the same targets as the spell it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 7

The copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast." Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger.

Way of the Cryomancer — ruling 8

If the spell that's copied has an X whose value was determined as it was cast, the copy has the same value of X.

Way of the Cryomancer : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Way of the Cryomancer 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

When Way of the Cryomancer enters, empower Jace 5. (Put five 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.") Planeswalkers you control have "[−3]: When you next cast an instant or sorcery spell this turn, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy."

How it works : Way of the Cryomancer

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1August 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
#2August 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
#3August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell that's copied is modal (that is, it says "Choose one —" or the like), the copy will have the same mode or modes. You can't choose different ones.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
You can't choose to pay any additional costs for a copied spell. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
If the copied spell divides damage or distributes counters among a number of targets, the division and number of targets can't be changed. If you choose new targets, you must choose the same number of targets.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
The copy will have the same targets as the spell it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can't choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
The copy is created on the stack, so it's not "cast." Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
If the spell that's copied has an X whose value was determined as it was cast, the copy has the same value of X.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9August 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
#10August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
Only one loyalty ability of each planeswalker may be activated per turn, no matter how many it has gained.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11August 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
#12August 21, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
Any choices made when the spell resolves won't have been made yet when it's copied. Any such choices will be made separately when the copy resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.