Prepared is a new MTG keyword introduced with the Secrets of Strixhaven set. Many players are wondering how it works, as the mechanic wasn’t officially previewed. However, based on the leaked cards and our experience with similar effects, we can make a pretty accurate assesment of how it’ll play out.
How Does Prepared Work?
A creature with prepare spell has its text box split in two halves. (Similar to adventures, even though they work differently.)
You can cast it from your hand for its regular mana cost. It has the abilities from the left side of its text box and enters unprepared.
If that creatures becomes prepared, you can cast its prepare spell (instant or a sorcery) by paying its mana cost. (That’s the spell from the right side of its text box.) When you do so, the creature becomes unprepared.
How do you prepare a creature? It depends on the creature — they’ll probably contain a way to make themselves prepared, but there are other ways of doing so, as you’ll see below.
So, the prepared/unprepared is simply a property of a creature with a prepare spell on it. If you control a prepared creature, you can cast its prepare spell. If a creature is unprepared, you can’t cast the spell part.
Let’s take a look at a couple of cards to further clarify this.
Examples
Here’s Emeritus of Ideation, the first and currently the only card with a prepare spell on it. It’s a mythic, so it’s even more complex than most prepare cards will be.
You can cast it for five mana to get a 5/5 flyer with ward 2. Plus, contrary to the other such creatures, this one already enters prepared.
This means that you can cast its spell part right away. And, yes — your eyes aren’t decieving you, that’s a Power 9 spell, Ancestraly Recall. You pay a blue mana and draw 3 cards. (Or make another player do so for whatever reason.)
When you put the spell on the stack, Emeritus of Ideation becomes unprapared. No stacking Recalls on top of one another.
You can then make it prepared again with its last ability. You attack with it and exile eight cards from your graveyard.
Furthermore, you can also prepare it with Biblioplex Tomekeeper’s enters effect.
(This is one of the leaked Secrets of Strixhaven spoilers with poor image quality, hence the text overlay.)
For four mana you get a 3/4 creature that can prepare on unprepare a creature when it enters. Probably a neat card for draft, if this mecahnic is a key part of the format.
MTG Prepared / Unprepared – FAQ
So, now you know the basic gist of the prepare mechanic. Here are some further explanations about specific scenarios. Keep in mind that this is still mostly guesswork — it’s pretty hard for the mechanic to work differently but not impossible. We’ll know for sure in a week, when they get the official reveal.
No you can’t. You need to cast the creature card first, then make it prepared before you’re able to cast the instant/sorcery part of the card.
Yes you can, but you need to make the creature prepared after each use of a spell.
If you’ve already cast the spell, it’ll still resolve. If you hadn’t cast the spell yet, you can respons to the removal spell by casting the instant prepare spell. If that spell is a sorcery, or you don’t have enough mana, your creature will die without you being able to cast the prepare spell.
No, that’s specific to that one blue mythic. Other cards will feature different spells.
Prepare Some More!
That’s all about the prepare rule. If you’re still wondering about some specific interaction, leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
Furthermore, if you’re excited about these new cards, you can already preorder Secrets of Strixhaven boosters on Amazon.
Want to prepare further for this set? Here are some articles that might interest you:
Until next time, have fun and may you always be able to prepare your creatures!
