Morph — what does it mean?
Cast the creature face down as a 2/2 for 3 generic mana, then later turn it face up for its morph cost to reveal its true form.
Morph appears on 153 cards.
How does Morph work?
Morph lets you cast a card face down for {3} instead of its normal mana cost. On the stack and on the battlefield it's a 2/2 creature with no name, no text, no subtypes and no mana cost. That makes it colorless with a mana value of 0. It's still a creature spell that follows the normal casting rules, so it can be countered, and you can only cast it when you could cast a creature. You may look at your own face-down cards at any time; your opponents can't.
Any time you have priority, you can turn it face up by paying its morph cost. That's a special action: it doesn't use the stack, so nobody can respond to it or counter it. Turning it face up isn't casting it and it doesn't enter the battlefield again, so abilities that trigger when it enters don't trigger. Abilities that trigger when it's turned face up do. It stays the same permanent, so damage, counters and Auras stay on it, and if it has been under your control since the start of the turn, it can still attack.
The classic moments to flip it are after blockers are declared, when a 2/2 suddenly turns out to be much bigger, and in response to a removal spell, since you have priority while that spell is on the stack. Megamorph is a variant: if you turn it face up by paying the megamorph cost, it also gets a +1/+1 counter. A few information rules apply. If you have multiple face-down permanents, you must keep them clearly apart, and a face-down card is revealed when it leaves the battlefield and at the end of the game, so everyone can check it really had morph.
An example at the table
On turn 3 you cast a card face down for 3 mana: a 2/2 without a name. On their turn your opponent attacks with a 3/3 and you block with your 2/2. After blockers are declared you pay its morph cost of 4 mana and turn it face up. It turns out to be a 5/5. Your opponent can't respond to this. In the combat damage step your creature deals 5 damage to the 3/3, which dies, and takes 3. If the creature had an ability that triggers when it enters, it wouldn't trigger now, because it was already on the battlefield.
Cards with Morph
Grim HaruspexIllustration: Seb McKinnon
Hooded HydraIllustration: Chase Stone
Aphetto AlchemistIllustration: Ron Spears
Rattleclaw MysticIllustration: Tyler Jacobson
Gift of DoomIllustration: James ZapataCommon mistakes
- Thinking turning it face up uses the stack. It's a special action, so it can't be responded to or countered.
- Expecting abilities that trigger on entering. The permanent was already on the battlefield, so only abilities that trigger when it's turned face up go off.
- Thinking the face-down creature has the real card's color or name. Face down it's a colorless, nameless 2/2 with mana value 0.
- Flipping in the middle of damage or while something resolves. You can only turn it face up when you have priority.
Frequently asked questions
- Can my opponent respond when I turn a morph face up?
- No. It's a special action that doesn't use the stack.
- Can a face-down spell be countered?
- Yes. Casting it face down is a normal creature spell. If it's countered, it's revealed as it goes to the graveyard.
- Do I have to show my face-down cards at the end?
- Yes. All face-down cards are revealed at the end of the game, and a face-down card is also revealed whenever it leaves the battlefield.
- Does turning a morph face up give it summoning sickness?
- No. It's the same permanent. If you've controlled it since the start of your turn, it can attack.
Official rule: Comprehensive Rules 702.37. More on where this rulebook comes from under Sources.
Often seen with
FlyingTrampleProtectionFirst strikeDefender
Which cards with Morph do you own? →
Last updated: 26 October 2026