Gather Specimens

Gather Specimens Rulings

• Oct 1, 2008

  Gather Specimens affects both token creatures and nontoken creatures. It affects creatures that would enter by any means. This includes, of course, creature spells that resolve. It also includes creatures put onto the battlefield as a result of a resolving spell (such as Call of the Herd or Zombify), resolving ability (such as Verdant Force's ability or Doomed Necromancer's ability), cost (such as Varchild's War-Riders's cumulative upkeep cost), replacement effect (such as the one created by Words of Wilding), or any other means.

• Oct 1, 2008

  Gather Specimens isn't targeted. It affects creatures that would enter under any opponent's control.

• Oct 1, 2008

  Gather Specimens won't retroactively change the control of creatures that have already entered that turn.

• Oct 1, 2008

  If a creature spell controlled by an opponent would resolve, it resolves, but the creature enters under your control instead of the opponent's control. Choices made when casting that spell (such as whether it was kicked or the value of X in the spell's cost) are remembered. Any "enters" triggered abilities will trigger after the creature is on the battlefield under your control.

• Oct 1, 2008

  If the effect that puts a creature onto the battlefield also creates a delayed triggered ability, Gather Specimens doesn't change who controls that ability. In the unearth example above, your opponent controls the ability that exiles the creature at the beginning of the end step. On the other hand, if the effect that puts a creature onto the battlefield grants a triggered ability to the creature (with "gains" or "has"), the player who controls the creature at the time the ability triggers will be the player who controls that ability. For example, if your opponent casts Makeshift Mannequin and you cast Gather Specimens in response, the creature will return to the battlefield under your control with a mannequin counter and it will have the ability "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it." If the ability triggers, you'll control it, so you'll have to sacrifice the creature.