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Phylactery Lich

Magic: The GatheringMagic 2013#104

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Magic: The Gathering

Mana cost

Magic 2013M13 · #104
Card type
Creature — Zombie
Rarity
Rare
Indicative price
0.21 € · ★ 0.63 € · 0.26 $ · ★ 0.54 $
Mana value
3
Power
5
Toughness
5
Colour
Black

Card text

Indestructible As this creature enters, put a phylactery counter on an artifact you control. When you control no permanents with phylactery counters on them, sacrifice this creature.

Format legality

  • BrawlLegal
  • CommanderLegal
  • DuelLegal
  • GladiatorLegal
  • HistoricLegal
  • LegacyLegal
  • ModernLegal
  • OathbreakerLegal
  • PennyLegal
  • PioneerLegal
  • PredhLegal
  • TimelessLegal
  • VintageLegal

Legalities follow the imported catalogue; check format rules before a tournament.
Data imported on 2026-10-06 (UTC).

Indicative Scryfall prices, updated daily. ★: foil; ★ E: etched foil. EUR and USD represent different markets.

Printing information

Illustrator
Michael Komarck
Card language
English
Release date
2012-07-13

Rulings

If Phylactery Lich and an artifact are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, you can’t put a phylactery counter on that artifact. You must choose an artifact you control that’s already on the battlefield.

If you control no artifacts as Phylactery Lich enters the battlefield, its first ability won’t do anything. As soon as it enters the battlefield, its last ability will trigger (unless you control some other permanent with a phylactery counter on it) and you’ll have to sacrifice it.

Phylactery Lich’s first ability doesn’t target the artifact. No player may take actions between the time you choose an artifact and the time you put a phylactery counter on it.

Phylactery Lich’s last ability checks your permanents for any phylactery counters, not just the specific one that it caused you to put on an artifact. For example, if you control two Phylactery Liches and two different artifacts with phylactery counters, neither Phylactery Lich will be sacrificed if one of those artifacts leaves the battlefield.

Phylactery Lich’s last ability is a “state trigger.” Once a state trigger triggers, it won’t trigger again as long as the ability is on the stack. If the ability is countered and the trigger condition is still true, it will immediately trigger again.

Other printings of this card

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