Ripple

Ripple
Keyword Ability
Type	Triggered
Introduced	Coldsnap
Last used	Coldsnap
Reminder Text	Ripple N (When you cast this spell, you may reveal the top N cards of your library. You may cast any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Storm Scale	8
Statistics	6 cards 16.7% 16.7% 16.7% 16.7% 16.7% 16.7%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Ripple"

Ripple is a triggered ability that first appeared in Coldsnap. It so far has appeared on two instants, a sorcery, an aura and a creature, as well as being given to all spells you control by the artifact Thrumming Stone.

Description

When a player casts a spell with ripple, the triggered ability allows the player to reveal a given number of cards from the top of their library and cast all cards that were revealed this way with the same name as the spell without paying their mana cost. The rest of the cards are then put on the bottom of that player's library. So far, all the cards with Ripple have a Ripple value of four, but if the mechanic was revisited in future sets this could be altered.

The mechanic was a gimmick based off the fact that the Coldsnap was intended to be a triple small set draft experience, with the higher density of repeated commons. With the transition to all large-set expansions and its uselessness in Commander, its odds of returning are slim.

Rules

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

Ripple

A keyword ability that may let a player cast extra cards from their library for no cost. See rule 702.60, “Ripple.”

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

• 702.60. Ripple
  • 702.60a Ripple is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with ripple is on the stack. “Ripple N” means “When you cast this spell, you may reveal the top N cards of your library, or, if there are fewer than N cards in your library, you may reveal all the cards in your library. If you reveal cards from your library this way, you may cast any of those cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs, then put all revealed cards not cast this way on the bottom of your library in any order.”
  • 702.60b If a spell has multiple instances of ripple, each triggers separately.

Rulings

• When you cast a spell with ripple, the ripple ability will resolve before the spell does.
• If you choose to reveal cards, you may cast any or all of the revealed cards with the same name as the spell. Any cards you don't cast, including those with the same name, will be put on the bottom of your library in any order.
• For each revealed card you choose to cast, follow all the normal steps for casting it, though you won't have to pay its mana cost. Any additional costs are paid as normal. All cards casted this way go on the stack on top of the original spell, then all abilities that trigger when you cast the new spells (including their ripple abilities) go on the stack on top of them.
• After you cast the original spell with ripple, ripple's triggered ability goes on the stack and you receive priority. But you don't receive priority after you cast a spell during a ripple ability's resolution; after the ripple ability resolves, the active player receives priority.

Examples

Example

Surging Flame
Instant
Ripple 4 (When you cast this spell, you may reveal the top four cards of your library. You may cast any revealed cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs. Put the rest on the bottom of your library.)
Surging Flame deals 2 damage to any target.

Trivia

Thrumming Stone famously combos with Relentless Rats or other relentless creatures. Each time that a Relentless Rats is revealed and cast, it will trigger another Ripple 4. It is not uncommon for a Rats deck to run 20 Relentless Rats in the deck, so a Thrumming Stone, followed by a Relentless Rats could flush an army of Relentless Rats onto the battlefield each giving the other a static +1/+1 bonus.