Prepared

Keywords · advanced

Prepared is a designation a permanent gains when its own text says it becomes prepared. While prepared, its controller may cast a copy of its "prepare spell" from exile.

How it works

• Preparation cards print two sets of characteristics: their normal characteristics, and a smaller inset "prepare spell" in the text box. You can't cast the card as the prepare spell directly — the inset characteristics only define what a copy of the card may look like.
• When an effect causes a permanent with a prepare spell to become prepared, its controller creates a copy of that permanent in exile using only the prepare spell's characteristics. The copy stays in exile as long as the permanent remains on the battlefield with the prepared designation.
• While that copy sits in exile, the permanent's controller may cast it. Doing so removes the prepared designation from the permanent — it becomes unprepared.
• A permanent can't gain the prepared designation unless it has a prepare spell, and it can't gain the designation again while it already has it.

Rules notes

• A preparation card is still only one card for effects like discarding or drawing, even though it's printed with two sets of characteristics.
• If an effect lets a player choose a card name, they may choose a preparation card's alternative (prepare spell) name.
• In every zone, a preparation card has only its normal characteristics — the alternative prepare-spell characteristics only ever apply to the copy created in exile.

Rule reference

[722.3a] [722.3c] [722.4]