Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 1

You choose how the counters will be distributed as you put the reflexive triggered ability onto the stack. Each target creature must be assigned at least one counter.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 2

You may choose zero target creatures for Yannik's reflexive triggered ability. If you do, no creature receives +1/+1 counters.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 3

If Yannik leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, you won't exile any creature you control. Yannik's reflexive triggered ability won't trigger.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 4

Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners' graveyards. Any Equipment will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist. When the card returns to the battlefield, it will be a new object with no connection to the card that was exiled.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 5

If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won't return to the battlefield. It will still let the ability distribute counters.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 6

Yannik's triggered ability doesn't target the creature you control. That creature is chosen as the triggered ability resolves. After it's exiled, the reflexive triggered ability triggers and targets are chosen to receive the counters.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 7

Use the power of the creature as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how many +1/+1 counters to distribute.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel — ruling 8

If one of the target creatures becomes an illegal target in response to the reflexive triggered ability, the +1/+1 counters that would have been put on that creature are lost. They can't be put on another legal target.

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel 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

Partner with Nikara, Lair Scavenger Vigilance When Yannik enters, exile another creature you control until Yannik leaves the battlefield. When you do, distribute X +1/+1 counters among any number of target creatures, where X is the exiled creature's power.

How it works : Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
You choose how the counters will be distributed as you put the reflexive triggered ability onto the stack. Each target creature must be assigned at least one counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
You may choose zero target creatures for Yannik's reflexive triggered ability. If you do, no creature receives +1/+1 counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If Yannik leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, you won't exile any creature you control. Yannik's reflexive triggered ability won't trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners' graveyards. Any Equipment will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist. When the card returns to the battlefield, it will be a new object with no connection to the card that was exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won't return to the battlefield. It will still let the ability distribute counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Yannik's triggered ability doesn't target the creature you control. That creature is chosen as the triggered ability resolves. After it's exiled, the reflexive triggered ability triggers and targets are chosen to receive the counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Use the power of the creature as it last existed on the battlefield to determine how many +1/+1 counters to distribute.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If one of the target creatures becomes an illegal target in response to the reflexive triggered ability, the +1/+1 counters that would have been put on that creature are lost. They can't be put on another legal target.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Yannik can be the target of its own reflexive triggered ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.

Popular combos

Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.

#1
Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward + Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel + Restoration Angel
Infinite creature LTBInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature tokensInfinite blinking of nonland permanents
1Cast Abdel Adrian from the command zone by paying and command tax, if applicable.
2When Abdel Adrian enters the battlefield, it triggers, exiling Yannik and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
3When Yannik leaves the battlefield, Restoration Angel returns from exile to the battlefield.
4When Restoration Angel enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Abdel Adrian.
5Abdel Adrian leaves and re-enters the battlefield, causing Yannik to return from exile to the battlefield, and triggering both Yannik and Abdel Adrian's abilities.
6Resolve the Yannik trigger, exiling Restoration Angel until Yannik leaves the battlefield.
7Resolve the Abdel Adrian trigger, exiling Yannik and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
8Repeat from step 3.

#1
Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward + Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel + Restoration Angel
Infinite creature LTBInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature tokensInfinite blinking of nonland permanents
1Cast Abdel Adrian from the command zone by paying and command tax, if applicable.
2When Abdel Adrian enters the battlefield, it triggers, exiling Yannik and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
3When Yannik leaves the battlefield, Restoration Angel returns from exile to the battlefield.
4When Restoration Angel enters the battlefield, it triggers, blinking Abdel Adrian.
5Abdel Adrian leaves and re-enters the battlefield, causing Yannik to return from exile to the battlefield, and triggering both Yannik and Abdel Adrian's abilities.
6Resolve the Yannik trigger, exiling Restoration Angel until Yannik leaves the battlefield.
7Resolve the Abdel Adrian trigger, exiling Yannik and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
8Repeat from step 3.

#3
Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel + Glorious Protector + Felidar Guardian
Infinite blinking of most creaturesInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite +1/+1 counters on creatures you control
1Cast Yannik by paying plus commander tax, if applicable.
2Yannik enters the battlefield, triggering itself, exiling Felidar Guardian until Yannik leaves the battlefield and triggering the last part of its ability.
3Resolve this trigger, putting a +1/+1 counter on any target creature.
4Cast Glorious Protector by paying .
5Glorious Protector enters the battlefield, triggering itself, exiling Yannik and any number of other non-Angel creatures you control until Glorious Protector leaves the battlefield.
6Felidar Guardian returns from exile to the battlefield due to Yannik leaving the battlefield, triggering itself, blinking Glorious Protector.
7Yannik returns from exile to the battlefield without using the stack due to Glorious Protector leaving the battlefield.
8When Yannik and Glorious Protector enter the battlefield, they each trigger themselves.

#4
Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel + Lumbering Battlement + Felidar Guardian
Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite +1/+1 counters on creatures you control
1Cast Yannik either from your hand or from the command zone by paying plus commander tax, if applicable.
2Yannik enters the battlefield, exiling Felidar Guardian and putting a +1/+1 counter on any other creature you control.
3Cast Lumbering Battlement by paying .
4Lumbering Battlement enters the battlefield, exiling Yannik.
5Yannik leaves the battlefield, returning Felidar Guardian from exile to the battlefield.
6Felidar Guardian enters the battlefield, blinking Lumbering Battlement.
7Lumbering Battlement leaves and enters the battlefield, returning Yannik from exile to the battlefield, and triggering Lumbering Battlement's enters-the-battlefield ability.
8Yannik enters the battlefield, exiling Felidar Guardian and putting a +1/+1 counter on any other creature you control.

#6
Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel + Karmic Guide + Ashnod's Altar
Infinite colorless manaInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTB
1Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Yannik, adding .
2Yannik leaves the battlefield, returning Karmic Guide from exile to the battlefield.
3Karmic Guide enters the battlefield, returning Yannik from your graveyard to the battlefield.
4Yannik enters the battlefield, exiling Karmic Guide until Yannik leaves the battlefield and distributing two +1/+1 counters among creatures you control.
5Repeat.

Interactions with other cards

These cards' text mentions Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel.

Nikara, Lair Scavenger

Partner with Yannik, Scavenging Sentinel (When this creature enters, target player may put Yannik into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) Menace Whenever another creature you control leaves the battlefield, if it had one or more counters on it, you draw a card and you lose 1 life.