Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 1

Wayward Swordtooth's middle ability is cumulative if you control more than one. It's also cumulative with other effects that let you play additional lands, such as the one from Enter the Unknown.

Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 2

Once you have the city's blessing, you have it for the rest of the game, even if you lose control of some or all of your permanents. The city's blessing isn't a permanent itself and can't be removed by any effect.

Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 3

A permanent is any object on the battlefield, including tokens and lands. Spells and emblems aren't permanents.

Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 4

If you cast a spell with ascend, you don't get the city's blessing until it resolves. Players may respond to that spell by trying to change whether you get the city's blessing.

Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 5

If you control ten permanents but don't control a permanent or resolving spell with ascend, you don't get the city's blessing. For example, if you control ten permanents, lose control of one, then cast Golden Demise, you won't have the city's blessing and the spell will affect creatures you control.

Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 6

If your tenth permanent enters the battlefield and then a permanent leaves the battlefield immediately afterwards (most likely due to the "Legend Rule" or due to being a creature with 0 toughness), you get the city's blessing before it leaves the battlefield.

Wayward Swordtooth — ruling 7

Ascend on a permanent isn't a triggered ability and doesn't use the stack. Players can respond to a spell that will give you your tenth permanent, but they can't respond to getting the city's blessing once you control that tenth permanent. This means that if your tenth permanent is a land you play, players can't respond before you get the city's blessing.

Wayward Swordtooth : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Wayward Swordtooth 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

Ascend (If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city's blessing for the rest of the game.) You may play an additional land on each of your turns. This creature can't attack or block unless you have the city's blessing.

Complete guide

Wayward Swordtooth is a powerhouse Dinosaur that rewards you for building a wide board while helping you ramp to your biggest threats. This creature provides extra land drops to accelerate your game plan, but it requires the City's Blessing before it can join the fray in combat.

Ramping with the Swordtooth

The primary appeal of Wayward Swordtooth is its ability to let you play an additional land on each of your turns. This is a static ability that takes effect as long as the Dinosaur is on the battlefield. Note that this is cumulative; if you control two copies of Wayward Swordtooth, you may play two additional lands, for a total of three land drops per turn.

Understanding Ascend

Ascend checks if you control ten or more permanents. Once you hit this threshold while Wayward Swordtooth is on the battlefield, you get the City's Blessing for the rest of the game. A permanent includes lands, tokens, and creatures. Once you have the blessing, you cannot lose it, even if your permanent count drops below ten later. Until you have the blessing, Wayward Swordtooth cannot attack or block, effectively acting as a utility wall.

Timing and the Stack

Ascend on a permanent does not use the stack. The moment you play your tenth permanent (such as a land), you immediately gain the City's Blessing. Opponents cannot respond to the acquisition of the blessing itself, though they can respond to spells or abilities that would result in you reaching ten permanents. If Wayward Swordtooth is your tenth permanent, you get the blessing as soon as it enters the battlefield.

When to Play It

This card is best played early in decks that have plenty of lands in hand to take advantage of the ramp. Since its body is a 5/5 for only three mana, it becomes an incredible offensive and defensive threat once you reach the City's Blessing, making it ideal for 'Lands Matter' decks or Dinosaur tribal strategies.

Interaction examples

Accelerating your Land Count

Sakura-Tribe Elder

You play Wayward Swordtooth on turn three. Because of its static ability, you play a second land from your hand immediately. On turn four, you play your first land, then cast Sakura-Tribe Elder. You then play your second land allowed by the Dinosaur. Finally, you sacrifice Sakura-Tribe Elder to search for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield. You have significantly outpaced your opponent's mana production.

Reaching the City's Blessing

Solemn Simulacrum

City's Blessing

Suppose you control eight permanents, including Wayward Swordtooth. You cast Solemn Simulacrum. When it enters the battlefield, you now control nine permanents. Its triggered ability goes on the stack to search for a land. When that land enters the battlefield, it becomes your tenth permanent. You immediately gain the City's Blessing. Wayward Swordtooth can now attack during your next combat phase because you have the blessing.

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

How it works : Wayward Swordtooth

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
Wayward Swordtooth's middle ability is cumulative if you control more than one. It's also cumulative with other effects that let you play additional lands, such as the one from Enter the Unknown.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
Once you have the city's blessing, you have it for the rest of the game, even if you lose control of some or all of your permanents. The city's blessing isn't a permanent itself and can't be removed by any effect.
Card named in this ruling
City's Blessing
#3January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
A permanent is any object on the battlefield, including tokens and lands. Spells and emblems aren't permanents.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell with ascend, you don't get the city's blessing until it resolves. Players may respond to that spell by trying to change whether you get the city's blessing.
Card named in this ruling
City's Blessing
#5January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If you control ten permanents but don't control a permanent or resolving spell with ascend, you don't get the city's blessing. For example, if you control ten permanents, lose control of one, then cast Golden Demise, you won't have the city's blessing and the spell will affect creatures you control.
Card named in this ruling
City's Blessing
#6January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If your tenth permanent enters the battlefield and then a permanent leaves the battlefield immediately afterwards (most likely due to the "Legend Rule" or due to being a creature with 0 toughness), you get the city's blessing before it leaves the battlefield.
Card named in this ruling
City's Blessing
#7January 19, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
Ascend on a permanent isn't a triggered ability and doesn't use the stack. Players can respond to a spell that will give you your tenth permanent, but they can't respond to getting the city's blessing once you control that tenth permanent. This means that if your tenth permanent is a land you play, players can't respond before you get the city's blessing.
Card named in this ruling
City's Blessing