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Moxonomy

Ordeal of Nylea

Enchantment — Aura1 generic manaGreen mana

The Ordeal cycle bound ramp to aggression, and this is the color where that bargain makes the most sense: you cash it in only by swinging. The trigger fires when the enchanted creature attacks, adding a counter and then checking for three or more, so the Aura sacrifices the moment that threshold is crossed. On a fresh body that takes a few swings; on a creature already wearing counters (a heroic target, something pumped by another effect, a one-drop with prior growth) it can resolve in one or two attacks. That counter-checking, rather than attack-counting, is the wrinkle that lets the cycle play faster than its base case suggests. The payoff is two basic lands onto the battlefield tapped, a genuine ramp spell hidden inside a combat aura, and the tension is that its two halves pull in opposite temporal directions. A creature growing each combat wants to close the game; fetching two lands wants more turns to spend the mana. Where most acceleration buys tempo by sitting out a turn, this one demands you keep attacking, then rewards a board you already committed. The risk is baked in: the lands arrive only if the creature lives to keep swinging, so removal or a fortunate block strips the body and the development with it. That conditionality kept the rate honest. As a two-mana Aura that simply ramped it would be absurd; tying the payout to surviving combat turns it into a wager on tempo rather than guaranteed acceleration.

Ordeal of Nylea (j22)
J22 · #699uncommon
Pricing
Normal: $0.23
Foil:
Oracle Text

Rules text

Enchant creature Whenever enchanted creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has three or more +1/+1 counters on it, sacrifice this Aura. When you sacrifice this Aura, search your library for up to two basic land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Legalities

Format Status

Standard
Legal
Pioneer
Legal
Modern
Legal
Legacy
Legal
Vintage
Legal
Commander
Legal
Pauper
N/A
Brawl
Legal
Historic
Legal
Alchemy
Legal
Timeless
Legal
Standard Brawl
Legal
More formats
Old School
N/A
Premodern
N/A
PreDH
N/A
Pauper Commander
N/A
Oathbreaker
Legal
Gladiator
Legal
Penny Dreadful
Legal
Duel Commander
Legal
Future Standard
Legal
COMPETITIVEBRAWL
Legal
TLR
Legal
Printings elsewhere

Other printings

4 sets
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