Embalm
| Embalm | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Activated |
| Introduced | Amonkhet |
| Last used | Commander 2019 |
| Reminder Text | Embalm [cost] ([Cost], Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a white Zombie ... with no mana cost. Embalm only as a sorcery.) |
| Statistics |
15 cards  40%  33.3%  6.7%  6.7%  13.3% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Embalm" | |
Embalm is a keyword ability introduced in Amonkhet.[1][2][3] Embalm is centered in white and blue.[4][5][6]
Description
The embalm ability can only be activated if the creature is in your graveyard. When activated, the card is exiled but it creates a token copy of that creature. Moreover, this creature token has three changes: it has no mana cost, it is a zombie in addition to its other creature types, and it becomes a monocolored white creature. It acts much closer to a creature analogue of Flashback than Unearth, as Unearth fails to retain the full functionality of the creature on the second usage.
The Amonkhet set features a token card for each creature card with embalm to emphasize the flavor of mummification. These supplements are not required to play with cards with embalm; you can use the same items to represent an embalmed token as you would any other token.[7] For easy play, extra "embalmed" marked were provided on punch cards.
Embalm was evolved into Eternalize for Hour of Devastation.[8]
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Embalm
- A keyword ability that lets a player exile a creature card from their graveyard to create a mummified token version of that card. See rule 702.128, “Embalm.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 702.128. Embalm
- 702.128a Embalm is an activated ability that functions while the card with embalm is in a graveyard. “Embalm [cost]” means “[Cost], Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that’s a copy of this card, except it’s white, it has no mana cost, and it’s a Zombie in addition to its other types. Activate only as a sorcery.”
- 702.128b A token is “embalmed” if it’s created by a resolving embalm ability.
Examples
Example
Sacred Cat
Creature — Cat
1/1
Lifelink
Embalm (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a white Zombie Cat with no mana cost. Embalm only as a sorcery.)
Rulings
- The token copies exactly what was printed on the original card and nothing else. It doesn't copy any information about the object the card was before it was put into your graveyard.[7]
- The token is a Zombie in addition to its other types and is white instead of its other colors. It has no mana cost, and thus its converted mana cost is 0. These are copiable values of the token that other effects may copy.
- If the card copied by the token had any "when [this permanent] enters the battlefield" abilities, then the token also has those abilities and will trigger them when it's created. Similarly, any "as [this permanent] enters the battlefield" or "[this permanent] enters the battlefield with" abilities that the token has copied will also work.
Embalm tokens
| Token Name | Color | Type Line | P/T | Text Box | Source | Printings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angel of Sanctions | White | Creature — Zombie Angel | 3/4 | Flying Whenever Angel of Sanctions enters the battlefield, you may exile target nonland permanent an opponent controls until Angel of Sanctions leaves the battlefield. |
||
| Anointer Priest | White | Creature — Zombie Human Cleric | 1/3 | Whenever a creature token enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 1 life. | ||
| Aven Initiate | White | Creature — Zombie Bird Warrior | 3/2 | Flying | ||
| Aven Wind Guide | White | Creature — Zombie Bird Warrior | 2/3 | Flying, vigilance Creature tokens you control have flying and vigilance. |
||
| Glyph Keeper | White | Creature — Zombie Sphinx | 5/3 | Flying Whenever Glyph Keeper becomes the target of a spell or ability for the first time each turn, counter that spell or ability. |
||
| Heart-Piercer Manticore | White | Creature — Zombie Manticore | 4/3 | When Heart-Piercer Manticore enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice another creature. When you do, Heart-Piercer Manticore deals damage equal to that creature's power to target creature or player. | ||
| Honored Hydra | White | Creature — Zombie Snake Hydra | 6/6 | Trample | ||
| Labyrinth Guardian | White | Creature — Zombie Illusion Warrior | 2/3 | Whenever Labyrinth Guardian becomes the target of a spell, sacrifice it. | ||
| Oketra's Attendant | White | Creature — Zombie Bird Soldier | 3/3 | Flying | ||
| Sacred Cat | White | Creature — Zombie Cat | 1/1 | Lifelink | ||
| Tah-Crop Skirmisher | White | Creature — Zombie Snake Warrior | 2/1 | |||
| Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun | White | Legendary Creature — Zombie Human Cleric | 2/2 | At the beginning of combat on your turn, target creature token you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn and can't be blocked this turn. | ||
| Trueheart Duelist | White | Creature — Zombie Human Warrior | 2/2 | Trueheart Duelist can block an additional creature each combat. | ||
| Unwavering Initiate | White | Creature — Zombie Human Warrior | 3/2 | Vigilance | ||
| Vizier of Many Faces | White | Creature — Zombie Shapeshifter Cleric | 0/0 | You may have Vizier of Many Faces enter the battlefield as any creature on the battlefield, except it has no mana cost, it's white and it's a Zombie in addition to its other types. |
References
- ↑ Blake Rasmussen (March 27, 2017). "So Much Amonkhet News". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Matt Tabak (April 3, 2017). "Amonkhet Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ethan Fleischer (April 4, 2017). "Five Trials". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Dave Humpherys (April 4, 2017). "Developing Amonkhet". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 10, 2017). "Amonkhet Down to Business, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Sam Stoddard (April 28, 2017). "Developing Embalm and Aftermath". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Wizards of the Coast (February 9, 2017). "Amonkhet Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 26, 2017). "Darkest Hour, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.