Sentinel of the Nameless City
Vigilance Whenever this creature enters or attacks, create a Map token. (It's an artifact with "{1}, {T}, Sacrifice this token: Target creature you control explores. Activate only as a sorcery.")
Rulings (7)
Nov 10, 2023 · Some spells or abilities might cause a creature to explore multiple times in a row. If you reveal a nonland card when a creature explores and leave it on top of your library, then the creature explores again immediately afterwards, you'll reveal the same card again.
Nov 10, 2023 · If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate.
Nov 10, 2023 · In some unusual cases, noncreature permanents may explore. For example, if the creature card returned by Defossilize is somehow not a creature once it's on the battlefield, it can still explore. You'll take all the same actions, and you may end up putting a +1/+1 counter on the permanent. (Note that some effects target a creature, and those effects would still require a legal target to have it explore.)
Nov 10, 2023 · If an ability instructs a creature to explore, its controller reveals the top card of their library. If it's a land card, they'll put it into their hand. Otherwise, they'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then choose to either leave that card on top of their library or put it into their graveyard.
Nov 10, 2023 · Map tokens are a kind of predefined token. Each one is a colorless artifact with the artifact subtype Map and the ability "{1}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Target creature you control explores. Activate only as a sorcery."
Nov 10, 2023 · Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.
Nov 10, 2023 · If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
Where it’s played now
Inclusion by archetype · Standard
| Archetype | Format | Inclusion | Copies | Decks (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golgari Cub | Standard | 66.7% | 4× | 9 |
| Golgari Midrange | Standard | 62.5% | 4× | 8 |
| Selesnya Cub | Standard | 1.1% | 1× | 94 |