What Must Be Done 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
Choose one — • Let the World Burn — Destroy all artifacts and creatures. • Release Juno — Return target historic permanent card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It enters with two additional +1/+1 counters on it if it's a creature. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)
Complete guide
What Must Be Done is a powerful white sorcery that offers flexibility between total board control and precision reanimation. Whether you need to clear the field of threats or bring back a pivotal historical piece, this card serves as a versatile tool for any strategy utilizing legendary, artifact, or Saga permanents.
A Choice of Destruction or Restoration
When you cast What Must Be Done, you must choose one of two modes. The first mode, 'Let the World Burn,' acts as a traditional board wipe, destroying all artifacts and creatures on the battlefield. The second mode, 'Release Juno,' targets a historic card in your graveyard to return it to the battlefield. A card is considered historic if it is an artifact, a Saga, or has the legendary supertype.
The Timing of Release Juno
If you choose 'Release Juno,' you must select a legal target in your graveyard as you cast the spell. When the spell resolves, the permanent enters the battlefield directly. If the chosen card is a creature—or becomes one as it enters—it receives two additional +1/+1 counters. Note that being 'extra' historic (like a legendary artifact) provides no additional bonus; it simply qualifies the card for the effect.
Common Misconceptions
Many players assume 'Let the World Burn' handles all threats, but it specifically misses enchantments that aren't Sagas or artifacts, and it does not affect planeswalkers unless they are also legendary. Additionally, remember that returning a historic card to the battlefield is not the same as casting it. Abilities that trigger 'whenever you cast a historic spell' will not trigger from the 'Release Juno' effect.
Interaction examples
Austere CommandUnlike Austere Command, which allows you to choose two modes and potentially save your own artifacts while destroying creatures, What Must Be Done's first mode is all-or-nothing for both types. If you choose 'Let the World Burn,' everything matching those types is destroyed simultaneously.
FarewellIf your opponent has creatures with Indestructible, 'Let the World Burn' will fail to remove them, whereas Farewell would exile them. However, What Must Be Done provides the 'Release Juno' option, allowing you to pivot from a defensive board wipe to an offensive reanimation play if the board is already clear.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : What Must Be Done
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A card, spell, or permanent is historic if it has the legendary supertype, the artifact card type, or the Saga subtype. Having two of those qualities doesn’t make an object more historic than another or provide an additional bonus—an object either is historic or it isn’t.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Some abilities trigger “whenever you cast a historic spell.” Such an ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell is countered.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that triggers “whenever you cast a historic spell” doesn’t trigger if a historic card is put onto the battlefield without being cast.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Lands are never cast, so abilities that trigger “whenever you cast a historic spell” won’t trigger if you play a legendary land. They also won’t trigger if a card on the battlefield transforms into a card with the legendary supertype, the artifact card type, or the Saga subtype.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Ashnod's Altar
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying
, targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard. - 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying
. - 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Naru Meha, adding
. - 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Phantom Train
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Phantom Train by sacrificing Naru Meha, putting a +1/+1 counter on Phantom Train.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Bloodflow Connoisseur
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Bloodflow Connoisseur by sacrificing Naru Meha, putting a +1/+1 counter on Bloodflow Connoisseur.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Altar of Dementia
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Naru Meha, causing target player to mill cards equal to Naru Meha's power.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Viscera Seer
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Viscera Seer by sacrificing Naru Meha, causing you to scry 1.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Woe Strider
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Woe Strider by sacrificing Naru Meha, causing you to scry 1.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Goblin Bombardment
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Goblin Bombardment by sacrificing Naru Meha, dealing 1 damage to any target.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard + What Must Be Done + Phyrexian Altar
- 1Cast What Must Be Done by paying , targeting any historic permanent card in your graveyard.
- 2Holding priority, cast Naru Meha by paying .
- 3When Naru Meha enters the battlefield, it triggers, targeting What Must Be Done.
- 4Holding priority, activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Naru Meha, adding one mana of any color.
- 5Resolve the Naru Meha trigger, copying What Must Be Done, targeting Naru Meha.
- 6Resolve the copy of What Must Be Done, returning Naru Meha from your graveyard to the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with What Must Be Done
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.