<p><strong>The creature with Prowess has to be on the battlefield to trigger it.</strong></p>

<p>Prowess is a triggered ability that only works while the card it's printed on is on the battlefield, i.e. as long as it's a permanent. Therefore, if you return Lotus-Eye Mystics with Rally the Ancestors, the Mystics will not get the Prowess trigger from that. </p>

<p>You will, however, get the enters-the-battlefield trigger from the Mystics.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-09T10:11:17.300Z
2015-02-09T10:16:25.303Z
2015-02-09T10:16:25.303Z
Hackworth
<p><strong>Pre-amble</strong><br>
So I am currently building a Blue &amp; White <a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Prowess" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Prowess</a> + <a href="http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Heroic" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Heroic</a> deck in Standard. The idea that I can boost my heroic creatures with instants and auras and reap the benefit across all my prowess creatures.</p>

<p><strong>Possible combo</strong><br>
I'm interested to know if the below combination will work. The <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLotus-Eye%20Mystics%5d">Lotus-Eye Mystics</a> would be in the graveyard, and then I would play Rally the Ancestors. In an ideal scenario the <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bRally%20the%20Ancestors%5d">Rally the Ancestors</a> would trigger the Lotus-Eye Mystics Prowess because it's an instant. Then I can return an enchantment aura back to my hand also.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4rQyh.jpg" alt="Lotus Eye + Rally"></p>

<p><strong>Assumption</strong><br>
I am assuming that Prowess has to be on the battlefield for the effect to trigger, which means that Rally the Ancestors would return the Lotus-Eye Mystics to the battlefield, but because they were in the graveyard when the instant was cast, the Prowess effect cannot trigger.</p>

<p>Is my assumption correct?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-09T13:40:15.960Z
To cast is to put on the stack, choose targets, and pay costs. It happens "long before" the spell resolves.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-09T14:48:25.140Z
Glad to see you returned. If you want to tag a card in an answer or question, type `[mtg:Card Name]`. It will automatically create links to the Gatherer, just like this: [Rally the Ancestors](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=391901). Also, when discussing a mechanic, you can assist answerers by linking to MTGSalvation's page on that mechanic. The syntax is easy: `[Prowess](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Prowess)`. Finally, you might be interested in seeing how U/W Heroic is holding up in [the big tournaments](http://www.starcitygames.com/pages/decklists/).
Rainbolt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-09T23:34:57.063Z
I know "proc" is a word for this too, but "trigger" (as in "triggered ability") is the Magic word.
Cascabel
<magic-the-gathering>
Will returning a creature trigger Prowess?
David Yell
# Will returning a creature trigger Prowess?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-09)

**Pre-amble**  
So I am currently building a Blue & White [Prowess](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Prowess) + [Heroic](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Heroic) deck in Standard. The idea that I can boost my heroic creatures with instants and auras and reap the benefit across all my prowess creatures.

**Possible combo**  
I'm interested to know if the below combination will work. The [Lotus-Eye Mystics](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLotus-Eye%20Mystics%5d) would be in the graveyard, and then I would play Rally the Ancestors. In an ideal scenario the [Rally the Ancestors](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bRally%20the%20Ancestors%5d) would trigger the Lotus-Eye Mystics Prowess because it's an instant. Then I can return an enchantment aura back to my hand also.

![Lotus Eye + Rally](https://i.sstatic.net/4rQyh.jpg)

**Assumption**  
I am assuming that Prowess has to be on the battlefield for the effect to trigger, which means that Rally the Ancestors would return the Lotus-Eye Mystics to the battlefield, but because they were in the graveyard when the instant was cast, the Prowess effect cannot trigger.

Is my assumption correct?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: To cast is to put on the stack, choose targets, and pay costs. It happens "long before" the spell resolves.  
> **username_2**: Glad to see you returned. If you want to tag a card in an answer or question, type `[mtg:Card Name]`. It will automatically create links to the Gatherer, just like this: [Rally the Ancestors](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=391901). Also, when discussing a mechanic, you can assist answerers by linking to MTGSalvation's page on that mechanic. The syntax is easy: `[Prowess](http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Prowess)`. Finally, you might be interested in seeing how U/W Heroic is holding up in [the big tournaments](http://www.starcitygames.com/pages/decklists/).  
> **username_3**: I know "proc" is a word for this too, but "trigger" (as in "triggered ability") is the Magic word.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-02-09. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

**The creature with Prowess has to be on the battlefield to trigger it.**

Prowess is a triggered ability that only works while the card it's printed on is on the battlefield, i.e. as long as it's a permanent. Therefore, if you return Lotus-Eye Mystics with Rally the Ancestors, the Mystics will not get the Prowess trigger from that.

You will, however, get the enters-the-battlefield trigger from the Mystics.


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