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Borrowed Malevolence
Instant
common
Escalate (Pay this cost for each mode chosen beyond the first.) Choose one or both — • Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. • Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Semantic Tags
An instant-speed spell that modifies combat — pump, protection, or removal during combat.
Specifically removes creatures — destroy, exile, damage, or -X/-X.
A keyword ability that can make a creature better in combat. See rule 702.83, “Exalted.”
A keyword that lets a creature card be cast as a mutating creature spell. See rule 702.140, “Mutate.”
A spell or ability that gives a temporary power/toughness boost.
Answers an opponent's threat by destroying, exiling, bouncing, or otherwise removing a permanent or spell.
Format Legality
Price history
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Printings (2)
| Set | Rarity | TCGplayer | Card Kingdom | Cardmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadows over Innistrad Remastered#100 | common | · | · | · |
| Eldritch Moon#82 | common | · | · | · |
Related Concepts
Related Rules
Some keyword abilities, such as equip and modular, represent targeted activated or triggered abilities, and some keyword abilities, such as mutate, cause spells to have targets. In those cases, the phrase “target [something]” appears in the rule for that keyword ability rather than in the ability itself. (The keyword’s reminder text will often contain the word “target.”) See rule 702, “Keyword Abilities.”
A keyword counter on a permanent or on a card in a zone other than the battlefield causes that object to gain that keyword. The keywords that a keyword counter can be are flying, first strike, double strike, deathtouch, decayed, exalted, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, shadow, trample, and vigilance, as well as any variants of those keywords. See rule 613.1f.
Escalate
Exalted
Exalted is a triggered ability. “Exalted” means “Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.”
Escalate is a static ability of modal spells (see rule 700.2) that functions while the spell with escalate is on the stack. “Escalate [cost]” means “For each mode you choose beyond the first as you cast this spell, you pay an additional [cost].” Paying a spell’s escalate cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 601.2f–h.
Mutate
Mutate appears on some creature cards. It represents a static ability that functions while the spell with mutate is on the stack. “Mutate [cost]” means “You may pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost. If you do, it becomes a mutating creature spell and targets a non-Human creature with the same owner as this spell.” Casting a spell using its mutate ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs (see 601.2b and 601.2f–h).
Rulings
If an effect allows you to cast a spell that has escalate without paying its mana cost, you pay escalate costs for that spell if you choose more than one mode.
If one target of an escalate spell becomes illegal, the other targets will still be affected. If all of the targets become illegal, the spell won’t resolve.
You can’t choose any one mode multiple times.
You choose all of your modes at once. You can’t wait to perform one mode’s actions and then decide to choose more modes.
Additional costs don’t affect a spell’s mana value.
If two of the chosen modes of an escalate spell target a creature, you may choose the same creature for each mode’s target, or choose different creatures. The same is true if the chosen modes target a player (or opponent).
Effects that reduce the cost of spells reduce the total cost, including any escalate costs added.