<p><strong>If an effect tries to copy a double-faced permanent, it sees whichever side is face-up.</strong></p>
<p>There's actually an example in the comprehensive rules that covers this sort of scenario:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>711.3. Except for determining whether or not a permanent can transform, a spell, ability, effect, or rule that needs information about a double-faced permanent sees only the information given by the face that's currently up.</p>
<p><em>Example: A Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of Wildblood Pack (the back face of a double-faced card). The Clone will be a copy of the Wildblood Pack. Because the Clone is itself not a double-faced card, it can't transform.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Whenever a clone-style effect tries to copy a permanent, it copies the <em>copiable values</em> of that permanent. In the case of a double-faced permanent (that isn't already a copy of something else), those values are whatever is printed on the face that is currently showing.</p>
<p>Note, however, that if a permanent can only transform if it's actually represented by a double-faced card. If you create a copy of Ludevic's Test Subject <em>before</em> it transforms, you can add as many counters as you want, but it will never become Ludevic's Abomination.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>701.25a Only permanents represented by double-faced cards can transform. (See rule 711, “Double-Faced Cards.”) If a spell or ability instructs a player to transform any permanent that isn‘t represented by a double-faced card, nothing happens.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-29T19:59:52.010Z
I am so unhappy with thus ruling thematically and mechanically
Andrey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-19T12:11:00.563Z
2012-02-19T12:11:00.563Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
Stuart Cook
<p>Say someone has <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=221179" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ludevic's Test Subject</a>, which is a 0/3 Defender, and after some mechanics, transforms into a 13/13 Lizard Horror with Trample.</p>
<p>Say this someone managed to transform said card into its 13/13 Trample form, and then cast <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Phyrexian%20Metamorph">Phyrexian Metamorph</a> on it (or any other clone type card if it would matter between different ones). Does the Metamorph/Clone/etc. come into play transformed, or as the 0/3 Defender?</p>

<magic-the-gathering><mtg-double-faced-cards>
What happens if you use a Clone Effect on a Double Faced Card that's Transformed?
Ender
# What happens if you use a Clone Effect on a Double Faced Card that's Transformed?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-19)

Say someone has [Ludevic's Test Subject](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=221179), which is a 0/3 Defender, and after some mechanics, transforms into a 13/13 Lizard Horror with Trample.

Say this someone managed to transform said card into its 13/13 Trample form, and then cast [Phyrexian Metamorph](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Phyrexian%20Metamorph) on it (or any other clone type card if it would matter between different ones). Does the Metamorph/Clone/etc. come into play transformed, or as the 0/3 Defender?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering, mtg-double-faced-cards


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-19. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

**If an effect tries to copy a double-faced permanent, it sees whichever side is face-up.**

There's actually an example in the comprehensive rules that covers this sort of scenario:

> 711.3. Except for determining whether or not a permanent can transform, a spell, ability, effect, or rule that needs information about a double-faced permanent sees only the information given by the face that's currently up.
>
> *Example: A Clone enters the battlefield as a copy of Wildblood Pack (the back face of a double-faced card). The Clone will be a copy of the Wildblood Pack. Because the Clone is itself not a double-faced card, it can't transform.*

Whenever a clone-style effect tries to copy a permanent, it copies the *copiable values* of that permanent. In the case of a double-faced permanent (that isn't already a copy of something else), those values are whatever is printed on the face that is currently showing.

Note, however, that if a permanent can only transform if it's actually represented by a double-faced card. If you create a copy of Ludevic's Test Subject *before* it transforms, you can add as many counters as you want, but it will never become Ludevic's Abomination.

> 701.25a Only permanents represented by double-faced cards can transform. (See rule 711, “Double-Faced Cards.”) If a spell or ability instructs a player to transform any permanent that isn‘t represented by a double-faced card, nothing happens.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I am so unhappy with thus ruling thematically and mechanically  

---

