Champion
- For the test-card job, see Champion (creature type).
| Champion | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type |
Triggered (1st ability) Triggered (2nd ability) |
| Introduced | Lorwyn |
| Last used | Morningtide |
| Reminder Text | Champion an [object] (When this enters, sacrifice it unless you exile another creature you control. When this leaves the battlefield, that card returns to the battlefield.) |
| Storm Scale | 7[1] |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
|
12 cards  16.7%  25%  8.3%  25%  25% | |
Champion is a keyword ability that allows a player to upgrade a permanent into a powerful creature. When a creature with champion enters, its controller exiles another permanent of the same creature type. The exiled permanent is "championed" and returns to the battlefield when its champion leaves the battlefield.
Champion was introduced in Lorwyn, and considered for inclusion in Lorwyn Eclipsed eighteen years later. A cycle of cards in the latter set uses Behold to recreate the flavor of Champion, without some of the original keyword's gameplay issues.
Development
Lorwyn
"Evolution" mechanics in trading card games change a creature in play into a more powerful one. The requirement for an existing card to upgrade from serves as a significant limitation and allows for cards that seem powerful for their cost. They are common in other card games, and Wizards of the Coast often considers their inclusion during the initial design for new trading card games. Matt Place, a designer for Lorwyn, had previous experience designing and developing those games, and expressed disbelief that Magic did not have such a mechanic in a conversation with Bill Rose. Rose suggested that an evolution mechanic should be included in Lorywn.[2]
Mark Rosewater designed the mechanic, and initially called it "upgrade". His non-negotiable design criteria were that the keyword needed to be on a creature, and needed to replace a creature. He wanted the upgraded creature to be able to "evolve" from more than one creature, but not every creature, and used typal restrictions to create that balance. To make Champion distinct from Auras and Equipment, it exiles the original creature, and returning that creature when the upgraded creature leaves the battlefield avoids the card disadvantage typical to Auras.[2][3] Champion still presents a window of opportunity for a two-for-one scenario while the enters the battlefield trigger is on the stack. That possibility drew attention on the Wizards forums prior to the set's Prerelease.[4]
The Creative team changed the flavor of the ability away from evolution, because evolution was a poor fit for Lorwyn. The ability was tried on lands, but playtesting demonstrated that players did not understand why lands were replacing other lands. Development restricted the ability to higher rarities to maintain a high power level, and made the uncommon champions shapeshifters to keep the ability viable in Limited play, where having another creature of the same type is less frequent.[2] In addition to the uncommon changeling cards in Lorwyn, Morningtide has a pair of creatures that can champion either of two creature types.[5]
While the original design allowed for championing noncreature Kindred permanents, development changed the ability so that only creatures could be championed, but ultimately changed it back.[2] Creative helped to justify the original design, saying that a creature could champion an abstract idea just as easily as it could a fellow creature.[6]
The second and third abilities of Wormfang Drake from Judgment are equivalent to "Champion a creature". That card predates Lorwyn by 5 years.
Lorwyn Eclipsed
In 2026, Lorwyn Eclipsed included a callback to Champion with a cycle of cards using the Behold mechanic. Whereas Champion requires an existing creature on the battlefield, Behold allows a creature either on the battlefield or in the player's hand, which reduces the frequency that the "champion" becomes a dead card in the hand.[7]
Rules
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 14, 2025—Avatar: The Last Airbender)
- 702.72. Champion
- 702.72a Champion represents two triggered abilities. “Champion an [object]” means “When this permanent enters, sacrifice it unless you exile another [object] you control” and “When this permanent leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner’s control.”
- 702.72b The two abilities represented by champion are linked. See rule 607, “Linked Abilities.”
- 702.72c A permanent is “championed” by another permanent if the latter exiles the former as the direct result of a champion ability.
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (November 14, 2025—Avatar: The Last Airbender)
- Champion, Championed
- “Champion” is a keyword ability that lets one creature temporarily replace another. A permanent is “championed” by another permanent if the latter exiles the former as the direct result of a champion ability. See rule 702.72, “Champion.”
Rulings
From the Lorwyn Rules Primer (August 23, 2007)[8]
- A creature's own champion ability won't allow you to remove that creature from the game.
- If a creature with champion leaves play before its comes-into-play ability resolves, its leaves-play ability will do nothing. Then its comes-into-play ability will resolve. Its controller may remove a permanent of the appropriate quality he or she controls from the game. If the player does, that card won't come back. If the player doesn't, nothing happens (because the creature with champion isn't around to be sacrificed.)
- If a creature with champion loses the champion ability (due to Humble, for example) and then leaves play, champion's leaves-play ability won't trigger. The removed card remains removed from the game.
- All Lorwyn cards with both changeling and champion have "champion a creature." The ability allows you to remove any other creature you control from the game.
- All other Lorwyn cards with champion have "champion a [creature type]." The ability doesn't limit you to creatures. For example, a card with "champion a Kithkin" allows you to remove a Kithkin enchantment from the game.
Examples
Example 1
Changeling Berserker 
Creature — Shapeshifter
5/3
Changeling (This card is every creature type.)
Haste
Champion a creature (When this enters, sacrifice it unless you exile another creature you control. When this leaves the battlefield, that card returns to the battlefield.)
Example 2
Thoughtweft Trio 
Creature — Kithkin Soldier
5/5
First strike, vigilance
Champion a Kithkin (When this enters, sacrifice it unless you exile another Kithkin you control. When this leaves the battlefield, that card returns to the battlefield.)
This creature can block any number of creatures.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (2020-12-28). "Where is champion on the storm scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ a b c d Mark Rosewater (October 1, 2007). "And the Rest". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 15, 2025). "Playing to Lorwyn, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 08, 2007). "Before and After". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 14, 2008). "But Wait, There's More". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Champions of Goldmeadow (en). MAGIC: THE GATHERING. Archived from the original on 2021-06-14.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 5, 2026). "Total Eclipsed of the Sun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark L. Gottlieb, Laurie Cheers, Jeff Jordan, and Lee Sharpe (August 23, 2007). "Lorwyn™ Rules Primer (DOC)". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009.