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's deckbuilding rule applies only to your starting deck, which is the deck you begin play with each game. It won't consider any cards in your sideboard, so those cards don't have to follow the deck-building rule.
• You can just ignore the deck-building rule and include creature cards with companion in your main deck. This is especially relevant to formats like Booster Draft, where following the deck-building rule may not be possible.
• Each Commander deck may include a chosen companion. It starts outside the game and doesn't count as one of your 100 cards. Just like the rest of your deck, your commander must follow the deck-building rule if you're going to use a companion. Additionally, your chosen companion must be within your Commander's color identity.

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.