Eternalize

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Eternalize
[[File:{{#setmainimage:MTGA Eternalize.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type Activated
Introduced Hour of Devastation
Last used Modern Horizons 3
Reminder Text Eternalize [cost] ([Cost], Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a 4/4 black Zombie ... with no mana cost. Eternalize only as a sorcery.)
Storm Scale 8[1]
Statistics
11 cards
{W} 36.4% {U} 27.3% {B} 9.1% {R} 9.1% {G} 18.2%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Eternalize"

Eternalize is a keyword ability introduced in Hour of Devastation. Eternalize is centered in white and blue, but shows up once in each of the other colors.[2] Storywise, the mechanic is linked to the Eternals, Bolas's army of Zombie Warriors, mummified through the use of lazotep.[3]

Description

The eternalize ability only can 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 four changes: its' power and toughness becomes 4/4, it has no mana cost, it is a zombie in addition to its other creature types, and it becomes a monocolored black creature.[4][5][6]

Punch card with "eternalized" markers

The Hour of Devastation set features a token card for each creature card with eternalize to emphasize the flavor of the Eternals. These supplements are not required to play with cards with eternalize; you can use the same items to represent an eternalized token as you would any other token. For easy play, extra "eternalized" markers were provided on punch cards.

Eternalize is an evolved Embalm.[5] Whereas Embalm represents failed combatants of Trials being returned for general public service, Eternalize takes the winners of the trials and infuses them with lazotep, making them stronger. Many eternalized creatures have abilities that get better because of their increased power, reflecting the skills they carried in life.[4]

The Scarab God, Hour of Eternity, God-Pharaoh's Gift, Lazotep Convert, Lazotep Quarry and potentially Assemble from Parts represent the empowering magic of Eternalize on deceased creatures, but not those chosen by the Trials. Enter the God-Eternals and God-Eternal Oketra also follow the mechanical motif of creating 4/4 zombies.

The mechanic proved a better plot device than as a step forward for Embalm; with its narrow designs, worse popularity, and significant infrastructural requirements, it landed an 8 on the Storm Scale.

History

Eternalize made a reappearance in Modern Horizons 2, on two well-known cards that have "Eternal" in their names: Eternal Witness into Timeless Witness and Eternal Dragon into Timeless Dragon. With the dragon, this set features the first creature to be eternalized with smaller stats than the original. The mechanic also appeared in Modern Horizons 3.

Rules

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

Eternalize
A keyword ability that lets a player exile a creature card from their graveyard to create an eternalized token version of that card. See rule 702.129, “Eternalize.”

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

  • 702.129. Eternalize
    • 702.129a Eternalize is an activated ability that functions while the card with eternalize is in a graveyard. “Eternalize [cost]” means “[Cost], Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that’s a copy of this card, except it’s black, it’s 4/4, it has no mana cost, and it’s a Zombie in addition to its other types. Activate only as a sorcery.”

Examples

Example

Adorned Pouncer {1}{W}
Creature — Cat
1/1
Double Strike
Eternalize {3}{W}{W} ({3}{W}{W}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a 4/4 black Zombie Cat with no mana cost. Eternalize 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.
  • The token is a Zombie in addition to its other types and is black 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.

Eternalize tokens

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Adorned Pouncer Black Creature — Zombie Cat 4/4 Double strike
Champion of Wits Black Creature — Zombie Snake Wizard 4/4 When Champion of Wits enters the battlefield, you may draw cards equal to its power. If you do, discard two cards.
Dreamstealer Black Creature — Zombie Human Wizard 4/4 Menace
When Dreamstealer deals combat damage to a player, that player discards that many cards.
Earthshaker Khenra Black Creature — Zombie Jackal Warrior 4/4 Haste
When Earthshaker Khenra enters the battlefield, target creature with power less than or equal to Earthshaker Khenra's power can't block this turn.
Fanatic of Rhonas Black Creature — Zombie Snake Druid 4/4 {T}: Add {G}.
Ferocious — {T}: Add {G}{G}{G}{G}. Activate only if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
Proven Combatant Black Creature — Zombie Human Warrior 4/4
Resilient Khenra Black Creature — Zombie Jackal Wizard 4/4 When Resilient Khenra enters the battlefield, you may have target creature get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is Resilient Khenra's power.
Sinuous Striker Black Creature — Zombie Snake Warrior 4/4 {U}: Sinuous Striker gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
Steadfast Sentinel Black Creature — Zombie Human Cleric 4/4 Vigilance
Sunscourge Champion Black Creature — Zombie Human Wizard 4/4 When Sunscourge Champion enters the battlefield, you gain life equal to its power.
Timeless Dragon Black Creature — Zombie Dragon 4/4 Flying
Plainscycling {2}
Timeless Witness Black Creature — Zombie Human Shaman 4/4 When Timeless Witness enters the battlefield, return target card from your graveyard to your hand.

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (2019-03-25). "Storm Scale: Kaladesh and Amonkhet". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 19, 2017). "Darkest Hour, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Art of Amonkhet [Sponsored] (Video). loadingreadyrun. YouTube.
  4. ↑ a b Matt Tabak (June 17, 2017). "Hour of Devastation Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (June 17, 2017). "Do all eternalized creatures become 4/4?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  6. ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 24, 2017). "Odds & Ends: Hour of Devastation, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
 
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