Evoke
Keyword abilities
Cast a creature cheaply for its enters effect — then sacrifice it.
How it works
Evoke [cost] is an alternative cost: you may cast the creature by paying its evoke cost instead of its mana cost. If you do, it's sacrificed when it enters — that sacrifice is a triggered ability that goes on the stack.
It exists for creatures whose value is in an enters ability: Mulldrifter draws two, Shriekmaw kills something, Fury divides damage. The Modern Horizons 2 Elementals have evoke costs that exile a card from your hand instead of mana, which makes Solitude (which has flash) free instant-speed removal.
Common confusions
“Which happens first — the effect or the sacrifice?”
Both trigger as it enters, and you choose the order. Put the sacrifice on the stack first so the creature's own ability resolves first; you can even cast spells in between, before it's sacrificed.
“Can I keep an evoked creature?”
Yes, if it leaves and returns before the sacrifice trigger resolves. Blink it in response (Ephemerate): it comes back as a new object that was never evoked, its enters ability triggers again, and the sacrifice trigger finds nothing to sacrifice.
“Is it still cast?”
Yes — evoke is a way to cast the spell, so it can be countered and "whenever you cast" triggers see it. And when it's sacrificed it dies, so death triggers happen.
“Mana value of an evoked creature.”
Unchanged. Mana value comes from the printed mana cost, not from the evoke cost you paid.
Cards with evoke
Ranked by how often Commander decks actually play them.
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