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Formidable
Ability Word
Introduced Dragons of Tarkir
Last used Lord of the Rings Holiday Release
Typical Text Formidable — ..., if creatures you control have total power 8 or greater, ...
Storm Scale 9[1]
Statistics
13 cards
{R} 30.8% {G} 61.5% {M} 7.7%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Formidable"

Formidable is an ability word introduced in Dragons of Tarkir, where it is the signature ability of the red-green Clan Atarka.

Description[ | ]

Formidable was designed as an evolution of Ferocious: instead of 4 power focused on one creature, 8 could be distributed amongst many. The future mechanic Pack tactics splits the difference by using 6 power but only for attackers.

Creatures with formidable all care in some way about controlling creatures with total power 8 or greater.[2][3] In theory, it could go on non-creatures like Ferocious did, but it likely did not in the first iteration, as such spells would have to pass a high bar for inclusion given assembling 8 power is difficult enough without the spell itself contributing.

Formidable's design space is small but perhaps has enough for another small return, but its low popularity has kept it from being retried. A single card, Owlbear Shepherd in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, is the only card that has text that matches Formidable since Dragons of Tarkir. Case of the Trampled Garden has an 8-power check, but unlike other uses it is a one-off trigger. Formidable made a return for the Transformers card Ultra Magnus, Armored Carrier and on Gimli's Reckless Might from the Lord of the Rings Holiday Release.

Rulings[ | ]

  • If you control a creature with power less than 0, use its actual power when calculating the total power of creatures you control. For example, if you control three creatures with powers 4, 4, and -2, the total power of creatures you control is 6.
  • Some formidable abilities are activated abilities that require creatures you control to have a total power of 8 or greater. Once you activate these abilities, it doesn't matter what happens to the total power of creatures you control.
  • Other formidable abilities are triggered abilities with an “intervening ‘if’” clause. Such abilities check the total power of creatures you control twice: once at the appropriate time to see if the ability will trigger, and again as the ability tries to resolve. If at that time, the total power of creatures you control is no longer 8 or greater, the ability will have no effect.

Example[ | ]

Example

Stampeding Elk Herd {3}{G}{G}
Creature - Elk
5/5
Formidable — When Stampeding Elk Herd attacks, if creatures you control have total power 8 or greater, creatures you control gain trample until end of turn.

References[ | ]

  1. Mark Rosewater (February 29, 2016). "Storm Scale: Khans of Tarkir Block". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. Matt Tabak (March 2, 2015). "Mechanics of Dragons of Tarkir". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. March 18, 2015. "Dragons of Tarkir Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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