Ward

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Ward
Keyword Ability
Type	Triggered
Introduced	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Last used	Evergreen
Reminder Text	Ward [cost] (Whenever this [permanent] becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays [cost].)
Storm Scale	1
Scryfall Statistics
cards

Ward is an evergreen keyword ability introduced in Strixhaven: School of Mages. Ward is a triggered ability.

Description

Whenever a permanent with ward becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays an additional cost. It is a protective ability in the vein of shroud or hexproof, but it gives the opponent a way out to removing the permanent and hence can be used more frequently.

Before it was keyworded, Ward was known as Frost armor. Early examples of cards with this mechanic include Frost Titan and Diffusion Sliver. The life payment variant had its closest example in Ashenmoor Liege. A variant on cards like Boreal Elemental and Terror of the Peaks simply increased the cost of targeting, which are not vulnerable to uncounterable effects.

The two most common forms are costing additional mana (in white, blue, and green) or costing a payment of life (in black and red). These two approaches both protect against removal but ask different things of the rest of your deck and give opponents different incentives for when to bite the bullet and remove the warded creature. Forge, Neverwinter Charlatan is the first Ward cost (sacrifice a creature) that is potentially impossible to pay, with all prior ward costs being generic enough for all decks.

Going forward, R&D announced some more unique ward costs as well. Discarding a card became a quick third as a cost, which Reality Smasher was a predecessor of. Phyrexian Fleshgorger is the first card with a variable Ward cost (life cost, equal to its power) to go with the size-changing Prototype. Ovika, Enigma Goliath is the first mixed ward cost, requiring both a life and mana payment.

Any spell or ability controlled by an opponent can be affected by ward. This includes Aura spells, triggered abilities, and anything else that target a permanent with ward. Spells and abilities that don't target won't cause ward to trigger.

Ward is integrated into the rules for disguise and cloak.

Gavin's evaluation

In April 2024, Gavin Verhey evaluated the Ward mechanic and came to several observations:

• Creatures with Ward and Ward are too hard to kill effectively, essentially getting semi-hexproof. "Can't be countered" is not a common side benefit on creature removal.
  • Kappa Cannoneer's breach into Legacy was unintended.
  • Generally, it causes tempo loss for one player; while it is clear how this would affect one-on-one matches, it proved to still be significant in multiplayer formats such as Commander.
• Ward really impacts the ability to spend multiple cards to kill off one thing.
  • This especially affects red players, which often rely on mana-efficient targeted damage spells.
• Ward is most fun in small doses.
  • There was probably too much in sets like Murders at Karlov Manor, which had the marquee mechanic of disguise, that had Ward in its text.
• Ward should be something used by R&D with intention.
• Non-mana ward that people consistently can pay for has been pretty fun.

This led him to the following conclusions:

• Ward helps to generate a little bit of tempo. It has a greater impact on Constructed, a format defined by mana efficiency, than in Limited, where it is more minor due to more games played with an excess of mana. However, it should not be given out freely by the designers but should have a purpose.
• Ward should only be used on cards that really need protection. On Commander cards, it should only be used to promote fun gameplay.
• Ward should only appear on expensive cards (six-drops and higher) that R&D don't want to be removed easily. In Commander, Ward is too high a cost.
• Ward and higher should almost never be put on a card.
• Non-mana ward can be further explored.

Featured costs

Cost	Introduced in	Color	Example
Additional mana	Strixhaven: School of Mages		Hamlet Vanguard
Life	Strixhaven: School of Mages		Owlin Shieldmage
Pay life equal to this creature's power	The Brothers' War		Phyrexian Fleshgorger
Discard a card	Adventures in the Forgotten Realms		Westgate Regent
Discard an enchantment, instant, or sorcery card	The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth		Saruman of Many Colors
Sacrifice a permanent	The Brothers' War		Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa
Sacrifice a legendary artifact or legendary creature	The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth		Sauron, the Dark Lord
Sacrifice three nonland permanents	Duskmourn: House of Horror		Valgavoth, Terror Eater
Collect evidence	Murders at Karlov Manor		Axebane Ferox

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

Ward

A triggered ability that can counter spells or abilities that target the permanent with ward. See rule 702.21, “Ward.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 702.21. Ward
  • 702.21a Ward is a triggered ability. Ward [cost] means “Whenever this permanent becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless that player pays [cost].”
  • 702.21b Some ward abilities include an X in their cost and state what X is equal to. This value is determined at the time the ability resolves, not locked in as the ability triggers.

Ruling

• If a player casts a spell that targets multiple permanents their opponent controls with Ward, each of those Ward abilities will trigger. If that player doesn't pay for all of them, the spell will be countered.
• If a spell or ability that can't be countered targets one or more permanents with Ward, its controller may still choose to pay the Ward cost. Nothing happens if they don't pay the cost.

Example

Example

Adrix and Nev, Twincasters
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Ward (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays ).
If one or more tokens would be created under your control, twice that many of those tokens are created instead.

Cards that grant Ward

Creatures

• Bronze Guardian — (for other artifacts)
• Coppercoat Vanguard — (for Humans)
• Dragon's Disciple — (for Dragons)
• Gargantuan Slabhorn — (transformed permanents)
• Giant Ankheg —
• Gold-Forged Thopteryx — (for legendary permanents)
• A-Kargan Warleader — (for Warriors)
• Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa — Sacrifice a permanent
• Saruman, the White Hand — (Goblins and Orcs)
• Shelob, Child of Ungoliant — (for Spiders)
• Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl —
• Svyelun of Sea and Sky (for Merfolk)

Artifacts

• Wondrous Crucible —

Enchantments

• Flowering of the White Tree — (for legendary creatures)
• Innkeeper's Talent — (for permanents with counters)

Auras

• Chains of Custody —
• Crystal Carapace —
• Leyline Immersion —

Equipment

• Dancing Sword —
• Leather Armor —
• Plate Armor —
• Thran Power Suit —
• Winged Boots —

Sorceries

• Better Offer — (Perpetually)

Emblem

• Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir — (Knights)

Cards that negate Ward

• Nowhere to Run
• Shay Cormac