Monarch

The Monarch marker

The Monarch is a player's designation that was introduced in Conspiracy: Take the Crown.

Description

Only one player at a time can be the monarch and has the following ability: "At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card." Secondly, several cards in the set get better if you're the monarch.

A special marker may be used to indicate the Monarch on the battlefield. This is not a token, because it can't be destroyed.

Monarch was inspired by the The Edge-mechanic from Vampire: the Masquerade (also published by Wizards of the Coast.

Becoming the Monarch

There are three ways a player becomes the monarch:

1. A card makes the player the monarch.
2. If a creature you control deals combat damage to the monarch, you become the monarch.
3. If the monarch leaves the game on their turn, the next player in turn order becomes the monarch.

Rules

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

• 722. The Monarch
  • 722.1. The monarch is a designation a player can have. There is no monarch in a game until an effect instructs a player to become the monarch.
  • 722.2. There are two inherent triggered abilities associated with being the monarch. These triggered abilities have no source and are controlled by the player who was the monarch at the time the abilities triggered. This is an exception to rule 113.8. The full texts of these abilities are “At the beginning of the monarch’s end step, that player draws a card” and “Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch.”
  • 722.3. Only one player can be the monarch at a time. As a player becomes the monarch, the current monarch ceases to be the monarch.
  • 722.4. If the monarch leaves the game, the active player becomes the monarch at the same time as that player leaves the game. If the active player is leaving the game or if there is no active player, the next player in turn order becomes the monarch. If no player still in the game can become the monarch, the game continues with no monarch.
  • 722.5. If the result of a continuous effect generated by a static ability is determined based on who is currently the monarch, but there is no monarch in the game as that effect begins to apply, that effect does nothing until a player becomes the monarch. See rule 613, “Continuous Effects.”

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

Monarch

A designation a player can have. Some effects instruct a player to become the monarch. The monarch draws a card at the beginning of their end step. Dealing combat damage to the monarch steals the title from that player. See rule 722, “The Monarch.”

Rulings

• The game starts with no monarch. Once an effect makes one player the monarch, the game will have exactly one monarch from that point forward.
• Abilities that trigger whenever you "become the monarch" trigger only if you aren't already the monarch. For example, if you are already the monarch as Custodi Lich enters the battlefield, its last ability won't trigger.
• If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack, and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.

Monarch interaction cards

• Crown-Hunter Hireling
• Custodi Lich
• Entourage of Trest
• Keeper of Keys
• Knights of the Black Rose
• Palace Jailer
• Palace Sentinels
• Protector of the Crown
• Queen Marchesa
• Regal Behemoth
• Skyline Despot
• Thorn of the Black Rose
• Throne Warden