Zara, Renegade Recruiter 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
Flying Whenever Zara attacks, look at defending player's hand. You may put a creature card from it onto the battlefield under your control tapped and attacking that player or a planeswalker they control. Return that creature to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.
Complete guide
Zara, Renegade Recruiter is a high-flying Human Pirate that specializes in press-ganging your opponent's own creatures into service. By peeking at your opponent's hand when she attacks, you can temporarily draft their best threats to fight on your side. This provides both information and immediate board presence during your combat phase.
Press-Ganging From the Hand
When Zara, Renegade Recruiter is declared as an attacker, her ability triggers. You look at the defending player's hand and may choose a creature card to put onto the battlefield under your control. Because the creature enters the battlefield already attacking, it bypasses restrictions like Defender. It will stay on the field until the next end step, at which point it returns to its owner's hand.
Resolution Step by Step
First, declare Zara as an attacker. Her ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution, you look at the defending player's hand and choose a creature card. You then place that creature onto the battlefield tapped and attacking either the defending player or a planeswalker they control. At the beginning of the next end step, a delayed triggered ability triggers to return that specific creature to the opponent's hand.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is assuming 'Attack' triggers on the stolen creature will work. Since the creature enters already attacking, it was never 'declared' as an attacker, so its own attack triggers will not fire. Additionally, if the creature leaves the battlefield before the end step (due to a sacrifice effect or removal), the delayed trigger to return it to the owner's hand will fail to find it, and it will stay in the new zone.
When to Play Zara
Zara is most effective when your opponent is holding expensive or powerful utility creatures. Since she grants you the 'Enters the battlefield' effects of whatever you steal, she is a fantastic way to gain value while simultaneously pressuring your opponent's life total or planeswalkers.
Interaction examples
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne with 'Pirate' chosen, Zara's ability triggers twice when she attacks. You can look at the opponent's hand twice and potentially put two different creatures from their hand onto the battlefield attacking. Note that both creatures will be returned to their owner's hand at the next end step.
Solemn SimulacrumIf you attack with Zara and see Solemn Simulacrum in the opponent's hand, you can put it onto the battlefield attacking. Even though it is attacking, its 'enters' ability triggers, allowing YOU to search for a basic land. At the end of the turn, the Golem returns to the opponent's hand, but you keep the land.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Zara, Renegade Recruiter
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, that planeswalker's controller is the defending player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Although the creature is attacking, it was never declared as an attacking creature. This means that abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks won't trigger when the creature enters the battlefield attacking.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Any effects that say the creature can't attack affect only the declaration of attackers. They won't stop the creature from entering the battlefield attacking. For example, you could put a creature card with defender onto the battlefield tapped and attacking this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
The creature is returned to its owner's hand only if it's still on the battlefield as the delayed triggered ability resolves. If it's somewhere else at that time, it stays where it is.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If you lose the game before the creature put onto the battlefield under your control returns to its owner's hand, that creature is exiled. If that creature's owner loses the game while you control the creature, the creature leaves the game with them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Zara, Renegade Recruiter
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