Morbid (2024)

Morbid is an ability word introduced in Innistrad. It signals that a spell or ability has different effects, additional effects, or may only be used if a creature has died earlier in the same turn.^[2]

History[ | ]

During design, morbid was called "deathwatch".^[3]

After Innistrad, morbid was also featured in Dark Ascension, Conspiracy, Commander 2014 and Modern Horizons.^[4] Without the ability word, it was featured as the draft archetype in Core Set 2021 and Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, and appears occasionally on single cards.

Morbid was one of the non-evergreen, non-deciduous ability words included in the Unfinity sticker sheets and was included as a one-off in the Doctor Who and Fallout Commander decks.

Rulings[ | ]

• Morbid abilities merely check if a creature died earlier in the turn. The creature card doesn't need to still be in the graveyard.
• Token creatures can also die, going to their owner's graveyard before ceasing to exist.
• Some morbid abilities that appear on instants and sorceries use the word "instead." The spells have an upgraded effect when they resolve if a creature has died earlier in the turn. You only get the upgraded effect, not both effects.
• Some morbid abilities are activated abilities of permanents. To activate such an ability, a creature must have died earlier in the turn.
• Triggered morbid abilities use an intervening "if" clause. A creature must have died earlier in the turn in order for these abilities to trigger; otherwise, they do nothing. In other words, there's no way to have the ability trigger if no creature has died that turn, even if you intend to have a creature die in response to the triggered ability.
• Using Morbid allows a card to be state-based as long as conditions are met.

Examples[ | ]

Morbid cards without the ability word[ | ]

References[ | ]

External links[ | ]

• Innistrad mechanics
• Innistrad faq