Animate
A animate effect or spell is one that turns a non-creature into a creature, most of the times for a certain amount of time. The mechanic was first introduced in Alpha with Animate Artifact, Animate Dead and Mishra's Factory.
Examples
Animated Artifacts
- Stalking Stones
- Chimeric Staff, and other Chimeric artifacts
- Darksteel Brute
- Jade Idol and all other Idols
- Karn, Silver Golem
- March of the Machines
- Slumbering Tora
- Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Animated creature cards in the graveyard
Animated Enchantments
- Halcyon Glaze
- Still Life
- Testament of Faith
- Lurking Jackals
- The Hidden, Opal and Veiled creatures of Urza's Saga (Hidden Gibbons, Opal Acrolith, Veiled Crocodile etc.)
Animated Lands
Land is the most popular card type to be animated
- Animate Land
- Awakener Druid
- Genju of the Cedars
- Genju of the Falls
- Genju of the Fens
- Genju of the Fields
- Genju of the Realms
- Genju of the Spires
- Hunting Wilds
- Jolrael, Empress of Beasts
- Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
- Lifespark Spellbomb
- Quirion Druid
- Rude Awakening
- Soilshaper
- Vivify
If a land is self-animating its is called a manland.
Animated Planeswalkers
Variants
- Animate Wall allows creatures with defender to attack.
- Licids turn creatures into enchantments.
- Ashnod's Transmograntl and Argent Mutation turn non-artifacts into artifacts.