X 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 long as X is in X's owner's opponent's hand, X's owner may cast X and activate X's abilities. That opponent can't cast X and plays with their hand revealed.,
: Put X into target opponent's hand.
Complete guide
X is a unique legendary creature that acts as the ultimate mole in your opponent's strategy. By infiltrating an opponent's hand, X grants you full vision of their hidden resources and allows you to use their own cards against them. This legendary spy turns your opponent's hand into an extension of your own library.
Infiltrating the Hand
X functions through two distinct phases. First, while X is on the battlefield, you can pay {U}{B} and tap it to move X directly into a target opponent's hand. While X resides there, that opponent must play with their hand revealed at all times. Most importantly, the opponent cannot cast X; only the owner of X is permitted to cast X or activate its abilities while it is held by an opponent.
Resolving the Heist
When you activate X's second ability for {3}{U}{B}, you choose a card from the hand X is in as the ability resolves. If you choose a spell, you cast it immediately without paying its mana cost, ignoring normal timing restrictions (such as casting a sorcery on an opponent's turn). If you choose a land, you may only play it if it is your turn and you have an available land play remaining for that turn. Cards cast this way go to their owner's graveyard if they are instants or sorceries, or enter the battlefield under your control if they are permanents.
Common Mistakes
A common error is assuming your opponent can cast X to get it out of their hand; the text explicitly forbids this. Another mistake involves timing: while you can cast spells from their hand at any time the ability resolves, you cannot bypass the rule that says you can only play lands during your own main phase when the stack is empty. Finally, remember that if an opponent discards X or uses an effect to remove it from their hand, you can no longer use its abilities until it returns to an opponent's hand or the battlefield.
When to Deploy X
Deploy X early against decks that rely on specific combo pieces or powerful high-cost spells. Since you cast the spells for free, X is most effective when targeting opponents holding expensive cards like The One Ring or Toxic Deluge. It is also a powerful tool for information, ensuring you always know if the coast is clear before making a big play.
Interaction examples
If X is in an opponent's hand and you see they have Heroic Intervention and Toxic Deluge, you can activate X's ability during their turn. You choose to cast their Heroic Intervention for free, giving your permanents hexproof and indestructible. Because X allows you to ignore timing restrictions for spells, you have successfully stolen their best defensive tool before they can use it against your board.
During your main phase, if you haven't played a land yet, you can activate X's ability while it is in your opponent's hand. You choose Bojuka Bog from their revealed hand. Since it is your turn and you have a land play available, you play Bojuka Bog. It enters the battlefield under your control (tapped), triggers its ability to exile a graveyard, and provides you with black mana for future turns.
After casting X from your opponent's hand and having it enter the battlefield under your control, you can equip it with Swiftfoot Boots. This gives X hexproof, preventing your opponents from targeting it with removal, and haste. With haste, you can immediately use X's tap ability to put it back into an opponent's hand on the same turn it was cast, keeping the spy in constant motion.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : X
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You activate X’s first activated ability while X is on the battlefield under your control. This puts X into an opponent’s hand. That opponent plays with their hand revealed, and they’re not allowed to cast X or activate any of X’s abilities—but you are. You can activate X’s second ability to play one of the cards in that hand.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You choose which card to play as X’s last ability resolves. Your opponent can respond to you activating the ability to get other cards out of their hand. Whatever’s left when the ability resolves is fair game.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You play the card as X’s last ability resolves, with one exception: You can’t play a land this way unless it’s your turn and you have an available land play. If you’re casting a spell this way, you do so as the ability resolves. Ignore any timing restrictions based on the card’s type. You can cast their sorceries or creatures during their turn, for example.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
You don’t own the cards you play this way. An instant or sorcery cast this way will go to its owner’s graveyard. A creature card you cast this way will enter the battlefield under your control, but it will be put into its owner’s graveyard if it dies. The same is true for other permanent cards you cast or lands you play.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Interactions with other cards
These cards' text mentions X.
You have no maximum hand size. {T}: Add {C}.
Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.
Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. It can attack and {T} no matter when it came under your control.) Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Exile target creature. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
You have no maximum hand size. {T}: Add {C}.
This land enters tapped. When this land enters, exile target player's graveyard. {T}: Add {B}.
Permanents you control gain hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay X life. All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn.
Whenever an opponent casts their first noncreature spell each turn, draw a card unless that player pays {X}, where X is this creature's power.
Indestructible When The One Ring enters, if you cast it, you gain protection from everything until your next turn. At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life for each burden counter on The One Ring. {T}: Put a burden counter on The One Ring, then draw a card for each burden counter on The One Ring.
If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost. Exile target creature.
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Meta decks with X
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.