The Speed Demon (Aetherdrift) - Gatherer

The Speed Demon

Other Variations:

1 2 3 4

Community Rating:

Community Rating: 5 / 5 (0 votes)

Oracle Printed

Card Name:

The Speed Demon

Mana Cost:

Mana Value:

Types:

Legendary Creature — Demon

Card Text:

Flying, trample

Start your engines (If you have no speed, it starts at 1. It increases once on each of your turns when an opponent loses life. Max speed is 4.)

At the beginning of your end step, you draw X cards and lose X life, where X is your speed.

Flavor Text:

Caution is for those who falter.

P/T:

5 / 5

Expansion:

Aetherdrift

Rarity:

Mythic Rare

Card Number:

105

Artist:

Helge C. Balzer

Rulings

2/7/2025	Start your engines! isn’t a triggered ability. Increasing your speed to 1 is something that happens as a state-based action as soon as you control a permanent with the ability. Notably, this includes gaining control of a permanent with the ability that another player controls.
2/7/2025	Your speed doesn’t change until a spell or ability says so, such as the inherent triggered ability that cares about opponents losing life during your turn. Notably, losing control of permanents with start your engines! doesn’t affect your speed.
2/7/2025	Each player tracks their speed (or lack thereof) separately. Increasing your speed has no effect on whether another player has speed.
2/7/2025	If an effect needs to know what a player’s speed is and that player doesn’t have a speed, their speed is considered 0.
2/7/2025	A player “has max speed” if their speed is 4.
2/7/2025	“Max speed — [ability]” means “As long as you have max speed, this object has [ability].” If the granted ability functions in a zone other than the battlefield, the max speed ability does too.