Companion

Companion
Keyword Ability
Type	Static
Introduced	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Last used	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Reminder Text	Companion — [deck-building restriction] (If this card is your chosen companion, you may cast it once from outside the game.)
Statistics	10 cards 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
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keyword:"Companion —"

For the app, see Magic: The Gathering Companion.

Companion is a keyword ability is featured in Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. Companion is also the name for legendary creatures with that keyword ability. There are ten companions in the set.

Description

Companion marker

Companion ability

The companion ability lists a deckbuilding rule. If your starting deck follows that rule, then the legendary creature can serve as your chosen companion.

Chosen companion

You can have up to one chosen companion for each game. That chosen companion doesn't start in your main deck. Rather, it's a card in your sideboard. (If you're playing casually without sideboards, it's just in your collection outside the game. All the same rules apply to it.) This means it doesn't count as a card toward meeting the minimum deck size in the format you're playing, but in Constructed formats, it is one of your fifteen sideboard cards. Just before the game begins, reveal your chosen companion to all players. Once during the game, you may cast your chosen companion from your sideboard. Doing so follows all the normal rules for casting a creature spell, so do so only during your main phase.

Casting your chosen companion brings it onto the game for good. The spell will go on the stack. If it resolves, it will enter the battlefield under your control. If it's countered, it will go to your graveyard. Once it's in the game, it can be exiled, go back to your hand, be shuffled into your library, etc. It won't return to your sideboard until the game ends.

Rulings

• Your companion begins the game outside the game. In tournament play, this means your sideboard. In casual play, it's simply a card you own that's not in your starting deck.
• Before shuffling your deck to become your library, you may reveal one card from outside the game to be your companion if your starting deck meets the requirements of the companion ability. You can't reveal more than one. It remains revealed outside the game as the game begins.
• The requirements of the companion ability apply only to your starting deck. They do not apply to your sideboard.
• If more than one player wishes to reveal a companion, the starting player does so first, and players proceed in turn order. Once a player has chosen not to reveal a companion, that player can't change their mind.
• If you reveal a companion outside the game, for as long as it remains there, you may cast it any time it's legal to cast. Once you do, it comes into the game and behaves like any other card you've brought into the game. For example, * if it's countered or destroyed, it's put into your graveyard, remaining in the game.
• The companion's other abilities apply only if the creature is on the battlefield. They have no effect while the companion is outside the game.
• The companion ability has no effect if the card is in your starting deck and creates no restriction on putting a card with a companion ability into your starting deck. For example, Zirda may be in your starting deck even if your other permanent cards don't all have activated abilities.
• You may have one companion in the Commander variant. Your deck, including your commander, must meet its companion requirement. Your companion is not one of your one hundred cards.

Examples

Example

Keruga, the Macrosage
Legendary Creature — Dinosaur Hippo
5/4
Companion — Your starting deck contains only cards with converted mana cost 3 or greater and land cards. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may cast it once from outside the game.)
When Keruga, the Macrosage enters the battlefield, draw a card for each other permanent you control with converted mana cost 3 or greater.