Manifest

Manifest
Keyword Action
Introduced	Fate Reforged
Last used	Modern Horizons
Reminder Text	Manifest card (Put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Storm Scale	6
Statistics	22 cards 18.2% 22.7% 18.2% 9.1% 22.7% 4.5% 4.5% per Commander 2019
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keyword:"Manifest"

Manifest is a keyword action introduced in Fate Reforged. When you manifest a card, you put it onto the battlefield face down.

Description

Flavorwise, manifest represents Ugin's draconic magic from Tarkir's past, rooted in concealment and deception. It was designed to feel like a proto-morph mechanic.

While face down, a manifested card is a 2/2 colorless creature with no name, no abilities, and no creature types.

A manifested creature card may be turned face up for its mana cost. A manifested noncreature card can't be turned face up this way.

After Fate Reforged, Manifest was featured in Commander 2018, Modern Horizons and Commander 2019.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

Manifest

A keyword action that puts a card onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. See rule 701.34, “Manifest,” and rule 708, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

• 701.34. Manifest
  • 701.34a To manifest a card, turn it face down. It becomes a 2/2 face-down creature card with no text, no name, no subtypes, and no mana cost. Put that card onto the battlefield face down. That permanent is a manifested permanent for as long as it remains face down. The effect defining its characteristics works while the card is face down and ends when it’s turned face up.
  • 701.34b Any time you have priority, you may turn a manifested permanent you control face up. This is a special action that doesn’t use the stack (see rule 116.2b). To do this, show all players that the card representing that permanent is a creature card and what that card’s mana cost is, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. The effect defining its characteristics while it was face down ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. (If the card representing that permanent isn’t a creature card or it doesn’t have a mana cost, it can’t be turned face up this way.)
  • 701.34c If a card with morph is manifested, its controller may turn that card face up using either the procedure described in rule 702.37e to turn a face-down permanent with morph face up or the procedure described above to turn a manifested permanent face up.
  • 701.34d If a card with disguise is manifested, its controller may turn that card face up using either the procedure described in rule 702.168d to turn a face-down permanent with disguise face up or the procedure described above to turn a manifested permanent face up.
  • 701.34e If an effect instructs a player to manifest multiple cards from their library, those cards are manifested one at a time.
  • 701.34f If an effect instructs a player to manifest a card and a rule or effect prohibits the face-down object from entering the battlefield, that card isn’t manifested. Its characteristics remain unmodified and it remains in its previous zone. If it was face up, it remains face up.
  • 701.34g If a manifested permanent that’s represented by an instant or sorcery card would turn face up, its controller reveals it and leaves it face down. Abilities that trigger whenever a permanent is turned face up won’t trigger.
  • 701.34h See rule 708, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents,” for more information.

Rulings

• You may put an overlay card on a manifested creature while it's on the battlefield. The overlay is just a reminder. You don't have to use it if you don't want to, and it doesn't change how face-down creatures function.
• Any time you have priority, you can turn a manifested creature face up if it's a creature card. You do this by revealing what its mana cost is and paying that cost.
• As soon as the card is face up, it has its normal characteristics.
• If you manifest a noncreature card, it can't be turned face up this way.
• If you happen to manifest a card with morph, you can turn it face up either by paying its mana cost (if it's a creature card) or by paying its morph cost.
• Turning a face-down creature face up doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
• If the face-down creature has any counters on it, those remain on the face-up creature. It's not a new creature, and it doesn't enter the battlefield just by turning face up. Any Auras or Equipment attached to the manifested creature remain attached to it after it turns face up.
• A few older cards turn a face-down creature face up. If you manifest an instant or sorcery card, and one of these older cards tries to turn it face up, reveal the card and it stays on the battlefield face down.
• The rules for double-faced cards were changed slightly to account for the possibility that they are manifested. If a double-faced card is manifested, it will be put onto the battlefield face down. While face down, it can't transform. If the front face of the card is a creature card, you can turn it face up by paying its mana cost. If you do, its front face will be up. A double-faced card on the battlefield still can't be turned face down.

Card that interacts with manifested cards

• Qarsi Deceiver

Examples

Example

Soul Summons
Sorcery
Manifest the top card of your library. (Put it on the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)