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{{Infobox keyword
{{Infobox keyword
| type = Activated
| type = Activated
| icon = MTGA Unearth.png
| first = Shards of Alara
| first = Shards of Alara
| last = The Brothers' War
| last = MH3 Commander
| cost = yes
| cost = yes
| reminder = Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.
| reminder = Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.
| stats = {{stats|U=4|B=17|R=4|BR=3|UB=1|WB=1|M=3|A=6}}
| storm = 5
| storm_ref=<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/183192424778/|title=Where's Unearth on the storm scale?|2019-03-03}}</ref>
| stats = {{stats|U=4|B=18|R=4|BR=4|UB=1|WB=1|M=3|A=24}}
}}
}}
'''Unearth''' is a [[keyword ability]] introduced in ''[[Shards of Alara]]'' as the [[Grixis]] signature mechanic.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/specter-present-2008-09-12|The Specter of the Present|[[Mike Turian]]|September 12, 2008}}</ref>   
'''Unearth''' is a [[keyword ability]] introduced in ''[[Shards of Alara]]'' as the [[Grixis]] signature mechanic.<ref>{{DailyRef|latest-developments/specter-present-2008-09-12|The Specter of the Present|[[Mike Turian]]|September 12, 2008}}</ref>   
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===History===
===History===
Unearth was designed by [[Brian Tinsman]], [[Devin Low]] and [[Erik Lauer]]. After ''Shards of Alara'' it also appeared in the other sets of the [[Alara block]], in ''[[Modern Horizons]]''<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/modern-horizons-mechanics-2019-05-31|''Modern Horizons'' Mechanics|[[Matt Tabak]]|May 31, 2019}}</ref>, ''[[Warhammer 40K]]''<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/warhammer-40000-commander-release-notes-2022-09-19|''Warhammer 40,000 Commander'' Release Notes|[[Jess Dunks]]|September 19, 2022}}</ref>  and in ''[[The Brothers' War]]''<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/the-brothers-war-mechanics|title=''The Brothers' War'' Mechanics|author=[[Matt Tabak]]|date=October 27, 2022|publisher=Magicthegathering.com}}</ref>. While one other artifact creature ({{Card|Etherium Abomination}}) used Unearth in Alara Reborn as a cross-Shard piece, ''Warhammer'' used it extensively with artifacts as the faction keyword of the [[Necron]]. In ''[[The Brothers' War]],'' it appeared on noncreatures (artifacts) and was associated with the return of war machines, rather than the reanimation of corpses.
Unearth was designed by [[Brian Tinsman]], [[Devin Low]] and [[Erik Lauer]]. After ''Shards of Alara'' it also appeared in the other sets of the [[Alara block]], in ''[[Modern Horizons]]''<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/modern-horizons-mechanics-2019-05-31|''Modern Horizons'' Mechanics|[[Matt Tabak]]|May 31, 2019}}</ref>, ''[[Warhammer 40K]]''<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/warhammer-40000-commander-release-notes-2022-09-19|''Warhammer 40,000 Commander'' Release Notes|[[Jess Dunks]]|September 19, 2022}}</ref>  and in ''[[The Brothers' War]]''<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/the-brothers-war-mechanics|title=''The Brothers' War'' Mechanics|author=[[Matt Tabak]]|date=October 27, 2022|publisher=Magicthegathering.com}}</ref>. While one other artifact creature ({{Card|Etherium Abomination}}) used Unearth in ''[[Alara Reborn]]'' as a cross-Shard piece, ''Warhammer'' used it extensively with artifacts as the faction keyword of the [[Necron]]. In ''[[The Brothers' War]],'' it also appeared on noncreatures (artifacts) and was associated with the reactivation of buried war machines, rather than the reanimation of corpses.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/the-brothers-war-release-notes|title=The Brothers' War Release Notes|author=[[Jess Dunks]]|date=November 7, 2022|publisher=Magicthegathering.com}}</ref> Further appearances were in ''[[Modern Horizons 3]]'' and ''[[MH3 Commander]]''.  


The [[Encore]] mechanic introduced in ''[[Commander Legends]]'' is similar to Unearth, with subtle differences. Creatures with Unearth use the card itself, do not necessarily have to attack, and are exiled at end of turn or if they leave the battlefield.
The [[Encore]] mechanic introduced in ''[[Commander Legends]]'' is similar to Unearth, with subtle differences. Creatures with Unearth use the card itself, do not necessarily have to attack, and are exiled at end of turn or if they leave the battlefield.
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==Rulings==
==Rulings==
* Unearth appears only on creature cards.
* You may activate the unearth ability of a card in your graveyard no matter how it wound up in your graveyard.
* You may activate the unearth ability of a card in your graveyard no matter how it wound up in your graveyard.
* If you activate a card's unearth ability but if that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will resolve and do nothing.
* If you activate a card's unearth ability but if that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will resolve and do nothing.
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{{examples|<c>Dregscape Zombie</c> {{1}}{{B}}<br>Creature {{-}} Zombie<br>2/1<br>Unearth {{B}} ''({{B}}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)''}}
{{examples|<c>Dregscape Zombie</c> {{1}}{{B}}<br>Creature {{-}} Zombie<br>2/1<br>Unearth {{B}} ''({{B}}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)''}}


==Creatures that grants Unearth==
==Creatures that grant Unearth==
*<c>Sedris, the Traitor King</c> {{3}}{{U}}{{B}}{{R}}
*<c>Sedris, the Traitor King</c> {{3}}{{U}}{{B}}{{R}}
*<c>Dregscape Sliver</c> {{1}}{{B}} (Slivers)
*<c>Dregscape Sliver</c> {{1}}{{B}} (Slivers)
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*<c>Ghost Ark</c> {{4}} (Artifact creatures)
*<c>Ghost Ark</c> {{4}} (Artifact creatures)
*<c>Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa</c> {{3}}{{B}}{{R}} (artifacts)
*<c>Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa</c> {{3}}{{B}}{{R}} (artifacts)
*<c>Fallaji Antiquarian</c> {{3}}{{R}} ([[Conjure|Conjured]] creature or artifact)


==Plane card that grants Unearth==
==Plane card that grants Unearth==
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* Unearth was featured as [[rules card]] 3 of 5 in the ''Shards of Alara'' set.
* Unearth was featured as [[rules card]] 3 of 5 in the ''Shards of Alara'' set.
* Unearth was considered as a returning mechanic for ''[[Innistrad]]''.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/16543139774/was-unearth-ever-considered-as-a-mechanic-for|title=Was unearth ever considered as a mechanic for innistrad block due to the graveyard based nature of the set?|January 26, 2012}}</ref> It was also considered for the [[Golgari]] in ''[[Guilds of Ravnica]]'', but it just didn't blend in with the guilds around it.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/179018276783/i-recall-saying-one-day-we-will-know-why-unearth|title=I recall saying one day we will know why Unearth wasn't in Innistrad.|August 31, 2012}}</ref>
* Unearth was considered as a returning mechanic for ''[[Innistrad]]''.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/16543139774/was-unearth-ever-considered-as-a-mechanic-for|title=Was unearth ever considered as a mechanic for innistrad block due to the graveyard based nature of the set?|January 26, 2012}}</ref> It was also considered for the [[Golgari]] in ''[[Guilds of Ravnica]]'', but it just didn't blend in with the guilds around it.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/179018276783/i-recall-saying-one-day-we-will-know-why-unearth|title=I recall saying one day we will know why Unearth wasn't in Innistrad.|August 31, 2012}}</ref>
* Unearth's [[playtest]] name was "Flashdance" based on the [[Flashback]] mechanic and the [[reanimation]] card <c>Dance of the Dead</c>.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/185553840133/ages-ago-it-was-joked-that-players-must-love|title=Why wasn't unearth named something like "comeback"?|June 12, 2019}}</ref>
* Unearth's [[playtest]] name was "Flashdance of the Dead", "Flashdance" for short, based on the [[Flashback]] mechanic and the [[reanimation]] card <c>Corpse Dance</c>.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/185553840133/ages-ago-it-was-joked-that-players-must-love|title=Why wasn't unearth named something like "comeback"?|June 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{YouTubeRef|jofyGSFDq8M|How Trivial with Mark Rosewater|channel=Magic: The Gathering|creator=[[Mark Rosewater]]|date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
**<c>Shallow Grave</c>, <c>Dawn of the Dead</c>, <c>Goryo's Vengeance</c>, <c>Postmortum Lunge</c>, <c>Whip of Erebos</c>, <c>Kheru Lich Lord</c>, <c>Lukka, Wayward Bonder</c>, <c>Wake to Slaughter</c>, <c>Haunted House</c>, <c>Scampire</c>, <c>Ayara, Furnace Queen</c>, and <c>Moira and Teshar</c> use text similar to Unearth affecting other cards.
**<c>Kami of Industry</c>, <c>Balduvian Atrocity</c> and <c>Thunderkin Awakener</c> sacrifice instead of exile, but they have a numerical cap to avoid reanimation of game-ending threats. <c>Apprentice Necromancer</c> does not cap due to being from [[Urza's Destiny]].
**<c>Puppeteer Clique</c> and <c>Gruesome Encore</c> takes from an opponents' graveyard. <c>Macabre Mockery</c> does also but does not exile.
**<c>Feldon of the Third Path</c>, <c>Mimic Vat</c> and <c>Nahiri, the Unforgiving</c> use a token copy template, though the former two are repeatable.


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 17:31, 31 May 2024

Unearth
[[File:{{#setmainimage:MTGA Unearth.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type Activated
Introduced Shards of Alara
Last used MH3 Commander
Reminder Text Unearth [cost] (Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
Storm Scale 5[1]
Statistics
59 cards
{U} 6.8% {B} 30.5% {R} 6.8% {U/B} 1.7% {B/R} 6.8% {W/B} 1.7% {M} 5.1% {artifact symbol} 40.7%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Unearth"

Unearth is a keyword ability introduced in Shards of Alara as the Grixis signature mechanic.[2]

Description

Unearth returns a permanent to the battlefield and gives it haste, at the expense of the permanent being exiled at the end of turn. It functions similarly to flashback, providing a one-time effect that can be cast from the graveyard. However, flashback only appears on instants and sorceries, and Unearth is strictly limited to permanent cards.

History

Unearth was designed by Brian Tinsman, Devin Low and Erik Lauer. After Shards of Alara it also appeared in the other sets of the Alara block, in Modern Horizons[3], Warhammer 40K[4] and in The Brothers' War[5]. While one other artifact creature (Etherium Abomination) used Unearth in Alara Reborn as a cross-Shard piece, Warhammer used it extensively with artifacts as the faction keyword of the Necron. In The Brothers' War, it also appeared on noncreatures (artifacts) and was associated with the reactivation of buried war machines, rather than the reanimation of corpses.[6] Further appearances were in Modern Horizons 3 and MH3 Commander.

The Encore mechanic introduced in Commander Legends is similar to Unearth, with subtle differences. Creatures with Unearth use the card itself, do not necessarily have to attack, and are exiled at end of turn or if they leave the battlefield.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Unearth
A keyword ability that lets a player return a creature card from their graveyard to the battlefield. See rule 702.84, “Unearth.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

  • 702.84. Unearth
    • 702.84a Unearth is an activated ability that functions while the card with unearth is in a graveyard. “Unearth [cost]” means “[Cost]: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate only as a sorcery.”

Rulings

  • You may activate the unearth ability of a card in your graveyard no matter how it wound up in your graveyard.
  • If you activate a card's unearth ability but if that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will resolve and do nothing.
  • Activating a creature card's unearth ability isn't the same as casting the creature card. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the creature card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul) will not.
  • At the beginning of the next end step, a creature returned to the battlefield with unearth is exiled. This is a delayed triggered ability, and it can be countered by effects such as Stifle or Voidslime that counter triggered abilities. If the ability is countered, the creature will stay on the battlefield and the delayed trigger won't trigger again. However, the replacement effect will still exile the creature when it eventually leaves the battlefield.
  • Unearth grants haste to the creature that's returned to the battlefield. However, neither of the "exile" abilities is granted to that creature. If that creature loses all its abilities, it will still be exiled at the beginning of the next end step, and if it would leave the battlefield, it is still exiled instead.
  • If a creature returned to the battlefield with unearth would leave the battlefield for any reason, it's exiled instead — unless the spell or ability that's causing the creature to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it. In that case, it succeeds in exiling it. If it later returns the creature card to the battlefield (as Oblivion Ring or Flickerwisp might, for example), the creature card will return as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it.

Examples

Example

Dregscape Zombie {1}{B}
Creature — Zombie
2/1
Unearth {B} ({B}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)

Creatures that grant Unearth

Plane card that grants Unearth

  • Grixis (blue, black, and/or red creature cards in your graveyard)

Trivia

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (2019-03-03). "Where's Unearth on the storm scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. ↑ Mike Turian (September 12, 2008). "The Specter of the Present". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Matt Tabak (May 31, 2019). "Modern Horizons Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Jess Dunks (September 19, 2022). "Warhammer 40,000 Commander Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ Matt Tabak (October 27, 2022). "The Brothers' War Mechanics". Magicthegathering.com.
  6. ↑ Jess Dunks (November 7, 2022). "The Brothers' War Release Notes". Magicthegathering.com.
  7. ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 26, 2012). "Was unearth ever considered as a mechanic for innistrad block due to the graveyard based nature of the set?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  8. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 31, 2012). "I recall saying one day we will know why Unearth wasn't in Innistrad.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  9. ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 12, 2019). "Why wasn't unearth named something like "comeback"?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  10. ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 4, 2023). "How Trivial with Mark Rosewater (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.

External links

 
Other
 
Other
Digital only
Miscellaneous
Playtest
Unreleased
Former
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