Hakbal of the Surging Soul

Hakbal of the Surging Soul {2}{G}{U}

Legendary Creature - Merfolk Scout
At the beginning of combat on your turn, each Merfolk creature you control explores.
Whenever Hakbal of the Surging Soul attacks, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you don't, draw a card.
3/3
Details
Legalities
Rulings
  • 2023-11-10 Each of your Merfolk creatures will explore during the resolution of Hakbal of the Surging Soul's first ability. Players won't be able to respond between the explores.
  • 2023-11-10 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.
  • 2023-11-10 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.
  • 2023-11-10 If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
  • 2023-11-10 If you control multiple Merfolk, you choose the order in which they explore. Make sure it's clear which Merfolk is exploring before you reveal any cards.
  • 2023-11-10 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.)
  • 2023-11-10 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.
  • 2023-11-10 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.
Links
Printings
  • The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander 3 19 29 123 (mythic)

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Foreign names
  • 翻涌之魂哈巴尔
  • Hakbal von der Wogenden Seele
  • Hakbal de l'Âme déferlante
  • Hakbal dell'Anima Crescente
  • うねる魂のハクバル
  • Hakbal da Alma Crescente
  • Hakbal, el Alma Creciente