Explore
MTG Mechanic
If a creature you control explores, you reveal the top card of your library. If the revealed card is a land, representing your creature finding some new territory you can check out, put that card into your hand. If it's not a land card, your creature comes back empty-handed (or empty-winged, empty-taloned, empty-pawed, etc.) but still benefits from the attempt. Specifically, you put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then, you decide whether the nonland card goes back on top of your library or into your graveyard.
Explore Rules
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.”
- 701.44a: Certain spells and abilities instruct a permanent to explore. To do so, that permanent’s controller reveals the top card of their library. If a land card is revealed this way, that player puts that card into their hand. Otherwise, that player puts a +1/+1 counter on the exploring permanent and may put the revealed card into their graveyard.
- 701.44b: A permanent “explores” after the process described in rule 701.44a is complete, even if some or all of those actions were impossible.
- 701.44c: If a permanent changes zones before an effect causes it to explore, its last known information is used to determine which object explored and who controlled it.
- 701.44d: If multiple permanents are instructed to explore at the same time, the first player in APNAP order who controls (or, in the case of a permanent no longer on the battlefield, last controlled; see rule 701.44c) one or more of those permanents chooses one of them and it explores. Then this process is repeated for each remaining instruction to explore.
MTGA Sets with Explore
Newest Cards with Explore
