Emblem

Current emblem frame (Core Set 2020)

An emblem is a marker with an ability on it, created by Planeswalker cards.

Description

An emblem is different from a card or a token. The ability and the controlling player are the only characteristics it has. Emblems have no color, name, card type, or anything else — just that ability. They are placed in the command zone, which is the same place where Archenemy schemes, Planechase planes, Vanguard cards, and EDH commanders are placed. An emblem is not a permanent, and absolutely nothing can touch it or get rid of it as long as the player who gained it remains in the game, simply because no cards say that they can.

Restarting the game eliminates all emblems, and subgames are unaffected by emblems in the main game.

Emblems were created in the July 2010 rules update to fix rules revolving around Elspeth, Knight-Errant's ultimate, which left an effect hanging over the game without any visual indicator. Elspeth could theoretically "go off" and then be shuffled back in the deck or somehow end up totally out of play, but still have her indestructibility clause hanging over the battle for turns to come. This situation left open the possibility that players would just forget about it.

Emblems are cumulative, so it's possible to have the same emblem multiple times, but not all emblems have abilities that are cumulative themselves.

History

The Emblem for Sorin, Lord of Innistrad from Dark Ascension was the first emblem to be actually printed.

Starting with Magic 2015, emblems have a type line, which includes the Planeswalker subtype. That does not change the rule from 114.3 that emblems do not have any types, and the types on the emblem are only present as a visual representation.

This was reverted in Core Set 2020 where the name of the card creating the emblem is now again in the name line and the type line only displays "Emblem". This change brings the current design closer to the original design and reflects the emblem rules better.

Rules

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

Emblem

An emblem is a marker used to represent an object that has one or more abilities, but no other characteristics. See rule 114, “Emblems.”

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

• 114. Emblems
  • 114.1. Some effects put emblems into the command zone. An emblem is a marker used to represent an object that has one or more abilities, but usually no other characteristics.
  • 114.2. An effect that creates an emblem is written “[Player] gets an emblem with [ability].” This means that [player] puts an emblem with [ability] into the command zone. The emblem is both owned and controlled by that player.
  • 114.3. An emblem has no characteristics other than the abilities defined by the effect that created it. In particular, an emblem has no types, no mana cost, and no color. Most emblems also have no name.
  • 114.4. Abilities of emblems function in the command zone.
  • 114.5. An emblem is neither a card nor a permanent. Emblem isn’t a card type.

Trivia

• Emblem was featured as rules card 5 of 5 in the Scars of Mirrodin set.
• Emblems function similar to the text on Vanguard cards.
• Venser and Koth's emblems were featured in their Duel Deck.
• Elspeth's emblem was first printed in Modern Masters.
• Emblems can't be destroyed, as the "destroy" keyword only applies to permanents, and emblems are not permanents. R&D has no plans to create spells that are able to remove them.
• Emblems are a planeswalker-only thing.
  • Technically cards like Praetor's Counsel and Finale of Revelation effectively act as emblems, being “effects that last for the rest of the game”.
• The Mystery Booster test card Baneslayer Aspirant is the first non-planeswalker to interact with emblems.

Gallery

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  Original emblem frame

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  Post-Magic 2015 emblem frame