Saga
Saga is an enchantment subtype introduced in Dominaria. Each Saga tells the story of a key event from the the plane's past as it unfolds during each of your turns.[1]
Description
As a Saga enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As your precombat main phase begins (immediately after your draw step), you put another lore counter on each Saga you control. Putting a lore counter on a Saga in either of these ways doesn't use the stack. Each symbol on the left of a Saga's text box represents a chapter ability. A chapter ability is a triggered ability that triggers when a lore counter that is put on the Saga causes the number of lore counters on the Saga to become equal to the ability's chapter number. Chapter abilities are put onto the stack and may be responded to.
Saga cards have a special vertically-aligned frame treatment which received mixed reactions.[2][3] The rules text with the three chapter abilities is on the left side, and the art is on the right side. Each of the Sagas shows a story through art from within the world of Dominaria and the style of each type of art varies from Saga to Saga. All of them have the vertical art.[4]
The Saga design was directly changed from the original planeswalker design for Future Sight.[5][6]
Sagas appear in all rarities except common.[7]
Example
Rules
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 714. Saga Cards
- 714.1. Each Saga card has a striated text box containing a number of chapter symbols. Its illustration is vertically oriented on the right side of the card, and its type line is along the bottom of the card.
- 714.2. A chapter symbol is a keyword ability that represents a triggered ability referred to as a chapter ability.
- 714.2a A chapter symbol includes a Roman numeral, indicated here as “{rN}.” The numeral I represents 1, II represents 2, III represents 3, and so on.
- 714.2b “{rN}—[Effect]” means “When one or more lore counters are put onto this Saga, if the number of lore counters on it was less than N and became at least N, [effect].”
- 714.2c “{rN1}, {rN2}—[Effect]” means the same as “{rN1}—[Effect]” and “{rN2}—[Effect].”
- 714.2d A Saga’s final chapter number is the greatest value among chapter abilities it has. If a Saga somehow has no chapter abilities, its final chapter number is 0.
- 714.2e A Saga’s final chapter ability is the chapter ability which has its final chapter number in its chapter symbol.
- 714.3. Sagas use lore counters to track their progress.
- 714.3a As a Saga without the read ahead ability enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As a Saga with the read ahead ability enters the battlefield, its controller chooses a number from one to that Saga’s final chapter number. That Saga enters the battlefield with the chosen number of lore counters on it. (See rule 702.155, “Read Ahead.”)
- 714.3b As a player’s precombat main phase begins, that player puts a lore counter on each Saga they control. This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack.
- 714.4. If the number of lore counters on a Saga permanent is greater than or equal to its final chapter number, and it isn’t the source of a chapter ability that has triggered but not yet left the stack, that Saga’s controller sacrifices it. This state-based action doesn’t use the stack.
Rulings
- A chapter ability doesn't trigger if a lore counter is put on a Saga that already had a number of lore counters greater than or equal to that chapter's number. For example, the third lore counter put on a Saga causes the III chapter ability to trigger, but I and II won't trigger again.
- Once a chapter ability has triggered, the ability on the stack won't be affected if the Saga gains or loses counters, or if it leaves the battlefield.
- If multiple chapter abilities trigger at the same time, their controller puts them on the stack in any order. If any of them require targets, those targets are chosen as you put the abilities on the stack, before any of those abilities resolve.
- If counters are removed from a Saga, the appropriate chapter abilities will trigger again when the Saga receives lore counters. Removing lore counters won't cause a previous chapter ability to trigger.
- Once the number of lore counters on a Saga is greater than or equal to the greatest number among its chapter abilities—in the Dominaria set, this is always three—the Saga's controller sacrifices it as soon as its chapter ability has left the stack, most likely by resolving or being countered. This state-based action doesn't use the stack. (note: it's only sacrificed if it still has 3+ lore counters on it as the state-based action checks)
List of Sagas
White
Blue
Black
Red
Green
References
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