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Emissary of Sunrise

Emissary of Sunrise

Creature — Human Cleric

Set

Ixalan (xln)

Rarity

Uncommon

Mana Cost
2 W
Artist

Deruchenko Alexander

Power / Toughness

2 / 1

Oracle Text

First strike When this creature enters, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)

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Rules for this card

  • Explore Rule 701.44 Glossary

    A keyword action that causes a player to reveal the top card of their library and then to take different actions depending on whether a land card is revealed this way. See rule 701.44, “Explore.”

  • First strike Rule 702.7 Glossary

    A keyword ability that lets a creature deal its combat damage before other creatures. See rule 702.7, “First Strike.”

Rulings (7)

  • Wizards of the Coast
    If an ability instructs a creature to explore, its controller reveals the top card of their library. If it's a land card, they'll put it into their hand. Otherwise, they'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then choose to either leave that card on top of their library or put it into their graveyard.
  • Wizards of the Coast
    If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature you control explores" trigger if appropriate.
  • Wizards of the Coast
    If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
  • Wizards of the Coast
    Some spells or abilities might cause a creature to explore multiple times in a row. If you reveal a nonland card when a creature explores and leave it on top of your library, then the creature explores again immediately afterwards, you'll reveal the same card again.
  • Wizards of the Coast
    Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.
  • Wizards of the Coast
    If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate.
  • Wizards of the Coast
    In some unusual cases, noncreature permanents may explore. For example, if the creature card returned by Defossilize is somehow not a creature once it's on the battlefield, it can still explore. You'll take all the same actions, and you may end up putting a +1/+1 counter on the permanent. (Note that some effects target a creature, and those effects would still require a legal target to have it explore.)

Other Printings

The List (plst)