Earthbend

Keywords · intermediate

Earthbend N turns a land you control into a creature and pumps it with +1/+1 counters.

How it works

• "Earthbend N" means target land you control becomes a 0/0 land creature with haste in addition to its other types, then gets N +1/+1 counters put on it.
• The land keeps being a land while it's also a creature; it just adds "creature" to its type line.
• A delayed triggered ability is created: when that land dies or is put into exile, it returns to the battlefield tapped under your control.
• An ability that triggers "whenever a player earthbends" triggers when that delayed triggered ability is created, not when the land later dies.

Rules notes

• The land only comes back if it dies or is exiled. Bouncing it to hand or otherwise removing it from the battlefield some other way does not trigger the return.
• It comes back tapped, so you do not get to use it for mana that same turn if it returns during your turn's later phases.
• Compare with the other Avatar bending mechanics printed alongside it, airbend and firebending, which are separate keyword actions with their own effects not covered here.

Rule reference

[701.66]