MTGGoldfish is supported by its audience. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Instant-Speed Tricks

by Sameer Merchant // Jul 9, 2021

This is a list of all the instant-speed tricks in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. Each color is sorted by converted mana cost.

Color	Mana Cost	Card	Type	Oracle Text	Notes
Colorless		Spiked Pit Trap	Artifact	Flash {5}, {T}, Sacrifice Spiked Pit Trap: Choose target creature, then roll a d20. 1-9 \| Spiked Pit Trap deals 5 damage to that creature. 10-20 \| Spiked Pit Trap deals 5 damage to that creature. Create a Treasure token.
White		You're Ambushed on the Road	Instant	Choose one — • Make a Retreat — Return target creature you control to its owner's hand. • Stand and Fight — Target creature gets +1/+3 until end of turn.
		Paladin's Shield	Artifact	Flash When Paladin's Shield enters the battlefield, attach it to target creature you control. Equipped creature gets +0/+2. Equip {3} ({3}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
		You Hear Something on Watch	Instant	Choose one — • Rouse the Party — Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. • Set Off Traps — This spell deals 5 damage to target attacking creature.
		Divine Smite	Instant	Target creature or planeswalker an opponent controls phases out. If that permanent is black, exile it instead. (If it phases out, treat it and anything attached to it as though they don't exist until its controller's next turn.)
		Rally Maneuver	Instant	Target creature get +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Up to one other target creature gets +0/+2 and gains lifelink until end of turn.
		Guardian of Faith	Creature	Flash Vigilance When Guardian of Faith enters the battlefield, any number of other target creatures you control phase out. (Treat them and anything attached to them as though they don't exist until their controller's next turn.)	3/2
Blue		You See a Guard Approach	Instant	Choose one — • Distract the Guard — Tap target creature. • Hide — Target creature you control gains hexproof until end of turn. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
		Mordenkainen's Polymorph	Instant	Until end of turn, target creature becomes a Dragon with base power and toughness 4/4 and gains flying. (It loses all other creature types.)
		Shocking Grasp	Instant	Target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn. Draw a card.
		You Come to a River	Instant	Choose one — • Fight the Current — Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. • Find a Crossing — Target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn and can't be blocked this turn.
		Ray of Frost	Enchantment	Flash Enchant creature When Ray of Frost enters the battlefield, if enchanted creature is red, tap it. As long as enchanted creature is red, it loses all abilities. Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
		Bar the Gate	Instant	Counter target creature or planeswalker spell. Venture into the dungeon. (Enter the first room or advance to the next room.)
		Scion of Stygia	Creature	Flash Cone of Cold — When Scion of Stygia enters the battlefield, choose target creature an opponent controls, then roll a d20. 1-9 \| Tap that creature. 10-20 \| Tap that creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.	2/1
		You Find the Villains' Lair	Instant	Choose one — • Foil Their Scheme — Counter target spell. • Learn Their Secrets — Draw two cards, then discard two cards.
		Dragon Turtle	Creature	Flash Drag Below — When Dragon Turtle enters the battlefield, tap it and up to one target creature an opponent controls. They don't untap during their controllers' next untap steps.	3/5
		Contact Other Plane	Instant	Roll a d20. 1-9 \| Draw two cards. 10-19 \| Scry 2, then draw two cards. 20 \| Scry 3, then draw three cards.
		Sudden Insight	Instant	Draw a card for each different mana value among nonland cards in your graveyard.
		True Polymorph	Instant	Target artifact or creature becomes a copy of another target artifact or creature.
Black		Feign Death	Instant	Until end of turn, target creature gains "When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it."
		Ray of Enfeeblement	Instant	Target creature gets -4/-1 until end of turn. If that creature is white, it gets -4/-4 until end of turn instead.
		Deadly Dispute	Instant	As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice an artifact or creature. Draw two cards and create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
		Grim Wanderer	Creature	Flash Tragic Backstory — Cast this spell only if a creature died this turn.	5/3
		Power Word Kill	Instant	Destroy target non-Angel, non-Demon, non-Devil, non-Dragon creature.
		Manticore	Creature	Flash Flying Tail Spikes — When Manticore enters the battlefield, destroy target creature an opponent controls that was dealt damage this turn.	2/1
		Ebondeath, Dracolich	Creature	Flash Flying Ebondeath, Dracolich enters the battlefield tapped. You may cast Ebondeath, Dracolich from your graveyard if a creature not named Ebondeath, Dracolich died this turn.	5/2
		Eyes of the Beholder	Instant	Target creature gets -11/-11 until end of turn.
Red		Dueling Rapier	Artifact	Flash When Dueling Rapier enters the battlefield, attach it to target creature you control. Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Equip {4} ({4}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
		Dragon's Fire	Instant	As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may reveal a Dragon card from your hand or choose a Dragon you control. Dragon's Fire deals 3 damage to target creature or planeswalker. If you revealed a Dragon card or chose a Dragon as you cast this spell, Dragon's Fire deals damage equal to the power of that card or creature instead.
		You Come to the Gnoll Camp	Instant	Choose one — • Intimidate Them — Up to two target creatures can't block this turn. • Fend Them Off — Target creature gets +3/+1 until end of turn.
		Burning Hands	Instant	Burning Hands deals 2 damage to target creature or planeswalker. If that permanent is green, Burning Hands deals 6 damage instead.
		Critical Hit	Instant	Target creature gains double strike until end of turn. When you roll a natural 20, return Critical Hit from your graveyard to your hand. (A natural 20 is a roll that displays 20 on the die.)
		You Find Some Prisoners	Instant	Choose one — • Break Their Chains — Destroy target artifact. • Interrogate Them — Exile the top three cards of target opponent's library. Choose one of them. Until the end of your next turn, you may play that card, and you may spend mana as through it were mana of any color to cast it.
		You See a Pair of Goblins	Instant	Choose one — • Charge Them — Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn. • Befriend Them — Create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
		Unexpected Windfall	Instant	As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card. Draw two cards and create two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
		Farideh's Fireball	Instant	Farideh's Fireball deals 5 damage to target creature or planeswalker. Roll a d20. 1-9 \| Farideh's Fireball deals 2 damage to each player. 10-20 \| Farideh's Fireball deals 2 damage to each opponent.
Green	/	Hunter's Mark	Instant	This spell costs {3} less to cast if it targets a blue permanent you don't control. This spell can't be countered. Target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Then it deals damage equal to its power to target creature or planeswalker you don't control.
		Wild Shape	Instant	Choose one. Until end of turn, target creature you control has that base power and toughness, becomes that creature type, and gains that ability. • 1/3 Turtle with hexproof. • 1/5 Spider with reach. • 3/3 Elephant with trample.
		Bull's Strength	Instant	Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. Untap it.
		Plummet	Instant	Destroy target creature with flying.
		Spoils of the Hunt	Instant	Target creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each mana from a Treasure that was spent to cast this spell. Then that creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature an opponent controls.
		Choose Your Weapon	Instant	Choose one — • Two-Weapon Fighting — Double target creature's power and toughness until end of turn. • Archery — This spell deals 5 damage to target creature with flying.
		You Happen On a Glade	Instant	Choose one — • Journey On — Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle. • Make Camp — Return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand.