Undying

Undying
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Duels Undying.png}}|70x70px]]
Keyword Ability
Type	Triggered
Introduced	Dark Ascension
Last used	Lord of the Rings Holiday Release
Reminder Text	Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Storm Scale	6
Statistics	19 cards 15.8% 36.8% 26.3% 21.1%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Undying"

Undying is a keyword triggered ability introduced in Dark Ascension.

Description

Undying's function is similar to persist, a keyword ability from the Shadowmoor block; if a permanent with undying is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it returns to the battlefield under its owner's control. However, unlike persist, a creature with undying returns to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it (rather than a -1/-1 counter) unless it already had one or more of those counters on it when it died.

History

Undying was also featured in Avacyn Restored and Modern Horizons.

It was one of the non-evergreen, non-deciduous keywords included in the Unfinity sticker sheets, and was also used as a one-off on Witch-King, Sky-Scourge from the Lord of the Rings Holiday Release.

Rules

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

Undying

A keyword ability that can return a creature from the graveyard to the battlefield. See rule 702.93, “Undying.”

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

• 702.93. Undying
  • 702.93a Undying is a triggered ability. “Undying” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.”

Rulings

• All cards printed with undying are creatures. If a creature with undying stops being a creature, undying will still trigger.
• Likewise, if a noncreature permanent becomes a creature, gains undying, and is put into a graveyard, the undying ability will still trigger even though that permanent won't be a creature when it returns to the battlefield.
• Multiple instances of undying trigger separately, but are effectively redundant as only the first instance to resolve will have any effect.
• An object returned to the battlefield with the undying ability is a new object with no memory of its previous existence. It has "summoning sickness".
• Tokens can gain undying, and the ability will trigger if a token is put into a graveyard. However, like all tokens, it can't return to the battlefield and will cease to exist as a state-based action before the ability would go on the stack.
• Undying relies on the last known information about the permanent just before it was put into a graveyard. If that permanent had a +1/+1 counter on it, then receives enough -1/-1 counters for it to be put into a graveyard due to having 0 toughness or lethal damage marked on it, it won't return to the battlefield despite the state-based action of +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters "cancelling each other out". As the permanent last existed on the battlefield, it had a +1/+1 counter on it, so undying will not trigger.

Example

Example

Sightless Ghoul
Creature — Zombie Soldier
2/2
Sightless Ghoul can't block.
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Cards that grant Undying

Creature

• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (Non-Humans)

Instant

• Undying Evil

Sticker

• Phyrexian Midway Bamboozle

External links

• Wizards of the Coast (January 19, 2012). "Frequently Asked Questions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.