Emperor of Bones
Mana Cost:
Type: Creature — Skeleton Noble
Oracle Text:
At the beginning of combat on your turn, exile up to one target card from a graveyard.
{1}{B}: Adapt 2.
Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are put on this creature, put a creature card exiled with this creature onto the battlefield under your control with a finality counter on it. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
Power/Toughness: 2/2
Rarity: rare
Prints: View all prints (1) →
Expansion: Modern Horizons 3
Price ( USD): $2.16
USD: $2.16 · EUR: €2.78
Public Decks Using This Card
No public decks are currently using this card.
Character Background
Emperor of Bones is a compact tempo/value engine: a cheap 2/2 that taxes graveyards every combat and can, for 1B, Adapt 2 to create one‑turn reanimations from cards you’ve exiled. Thematically it reads like a necromantic steward—snatching corpses each turn and flinging them back with haste—so in practice it supports aggressive tempo swings and engine‑y value decks rather than long lockdown strategies. It’s especially potent in sacrifice/”aristocrats” shells: exile a big creature then use Viscera Seer or Altar of Dementia plus Blood Artist or Mayhem Devil to turn each ephemeral body into incremental advantage. Deckbuilding tip: include cheap self‑mill or discard enablers and at least one reliable sacrifice outlet so the finality‑timed deaths generate value; prioritize creatures with high‑impact ETB or dies triggers to maximize the temporary reanimation. Be mindful of graveyard hate and spot removal—sequencing (protecting it or adapting immediately) is key to converting its tempo into a sustained advantage.
Generated using gpt-5-mini · Updated at 2026-05-16 12:20:43 UTC