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Saruman, the White Hand

Card Name

Saruman, the White Hand

Mana Cost

1

Type

Legendary Creature – Avatar Wizard

Rarity

Mythic Rare

rules Text

Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, amass Orcs X, where X is that spell's mana value. (Put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)Goblins and Orcs you control have ward
2
.

Flavor Text

Over all his works a dark smoke hung and wrapped itself about the sides of Orthanc.

Legal Formats

Commander, Legacy, Vintage

Not Legal Formats

Alchemy, Brawl, Explorer, Historic, Modern, Pauper, Pioneer, Standard

Rulings

(6/16/2023)
A creature that is both a Goblin and an Orc still only gets one instance of ward
2
 from Saruman, the White Hand's last ability.
(6/16/2023)
If Saruman, the White Hand is a Goblin or an Orc, it will have ward
2
.
(6/16/2023)
Amass abilities are now written as "amass [subtype] N." Previous cards with amass have received errata to say "amass Zombies N."
(6/16/2023)
To amass Orcs N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types.
(6/16/2023)
Amass Zombies works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token if you don't control an Army. If the Army creature you chose isn't already a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Zombies, you can end up with an Orc Zombie Army.
(6/16/2023)
In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you played a creature with changeling) while you amass Orcs, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types.
(6/16/2023)
If you don't control an Army, the Orc Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.
(6/16/2023)
Some spells and abilities that amass Orcs may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Orcs.
(6/16/2023)
Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason.