Prowess in MTG – Rules, Best Cards + Decks!

Prowess MTG Rules

What does the MTG reminder text say about Prowess?

Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

See Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules 702.108. “Prowess” for more information.

If a creature has prowess, it gets +1/+1 whenever you cast an instant, sorcery, enchantment, artifact, or planeswalker spell.

The prowess keyword was introduced as the mechanic for the Jeskai Way faction in Khans of Tarkir set, and it immediately reappeared in Fate Reforged. As blue needed a new combat keyword, prowess was made evergreen in Magic Origins.

However, because it is a complex ability with limited design potential, prowess was phased out of being evergreen in Hour of Devastation. It is still used though, and it recently appeared in Core Set 2021.

Prowess is still a primary ability in blue, but it is only a secondary ability in red and tertiary in white. Red already has other versatile combat keywords, while white doesn’t focus much on generic noncreature spellcasting.

MTG Prowess Examples

For example, I control the prowess creature [c]Seeker of the Way[/c]. Because it has prowess, whenever I cast a noncreature spell, it will get +1/+1 until end of turn. The type of the spell doesn’t matter as long as it isn’t a creature.

As such, if I cast an instant, such as [c]Absorb Identity[/c], my [c]Seeker of the Way[/c] will get +1/+1. Casting instants is arguably the best use of prowess, as it means I can buff my prowess creatures during combat or even during my opponent’s turn.

Because I’ve cast a noncreature spell, Seeker of the Way is buffed from a 2/2 to a 3/3. This is very helpful, as not only will it deal extra damage now, but it has better survivability too. As such, if it was blocking a 2 power creature like [c]Adherent of Hope[/c], it’ll now survive.

Prowess triggers for each noncreature spell I cast that turn, too. So if I cast another instant, Seeker of the Way becomes 4/4 until end of turn. An artifact, and it gets another +1/+1, bringing it up to 5/5. 

Of course, the prowess creature will go back to its default power and toughness at end of turn. As such, it’s a good idea not to waste spells unnecessarily if you need the buffs for your creatures later on.

Prowess vs Counterspells

Even if my noncreature spell is countered, my prowess creature will still get +1/+1. This is because the countered spell is still cast, even if it doesn’t resolve. As such, countering spells isn’t an effective way to play against prowess.

For example, imagine I control the prowess creature [c]Heartfire Immolator[/c] while I cast the noncreature spell [c]Bronze Sword[/c]. Prowess automatically triggers and Heartfire Immolator gets +1/+1. However, my opponent counters Bronze Sword with [c]Cancel[/c].

Heartfire Immolator keeps the +1/+1 it got from Bronze Sword, even if it is countered. The ability had already triggered, so what happens to that noncreature spell now is irrelevant.

Casting counterspells will trigger prowess as they are still noncreature spells! As such, if I cast Cancel myself while controlling Heartfire Immolator, it’ll get +1/+1 no matter what I target to counter. This can be a sweet way to block an opponent’s surprise boosts during their attack while also simultaneously increasing the power and toughness of your defending creatures!

Prowess vs Protection

What if your prowess creature has protection from the spell you cast? That doesn’t matter. Prowess still triggers. It only checks if a noncreature spell is cast, not whether it targets the prowess creature itself.

So, let’s say that I cast [c]Feat of Resistance[/c] targeting [c]Jeskai Elder[/c] and choose to give it protection from white until the end of the turn. Firstly, because Jeskai Elder has prowess, it automatically gets +1/+1 as Feat of Resistance is a noncreature spell.

Then, suppose I cast another white noncreature spell, such as [c]Academic Probation[/c]. Even though Jeskai Elder now has protection from white so I can’t target it with Academic Probation, prowess will still trigger and give it another +1/+1 because I cast a noncreature spell.

Prowess + Double Strike

Prowess plus double strike is a powerful combination. It effectively gives prowess creatures +2/+2 every time I cast a noncreature spell. Casting multiple spells per turn gets out of hand incredibly fast.

For instance, I control the prowess creature [c]Mistral Singer[/c], and I’ve equipped it with [c]Embercleave[/c] so it has double strike. Now, if I cast a noncreature spell, Mistral Singer gets +1/+1 as normal.

But when Mistral Singer attacks, it now deals its damage twice, once as first strike damage and then again as regular combat damage. This means this +1/+1 from prowess applies twice. Double strike makes prowess twice as effective!

What happens if I cast a noncreature spell after the first time my double strike prowess creature deals damage? Well, its regular combat damage still gets +1/+1. However, its first round of damage does not retroactively get increased by 1.

Prowess + Trample

Trample is a useful ability to give to a prowess creature. This pair of abilities allows you to make the best use of the prowess buffs by allowing your creature to deal excess combat damage to your opponent.

Say I control the prowess creature [c]Shipwreck Dowser[/c], which starts as 3/3. I enchant Shipwreck Dowser with [c]Rune of Might[/c], so that it gets +1/+1 and has trample. I cast another noncreature spell too. Prowess triggers twice, giving my creature an additional +2/+2.

Now I attack with the 6/6 Shipwreck Dowswer. My opponent blocks it with the 1/1 [c]Faerie Guidemother[/c]. Usually, the excess 5 damage would just be wasted. However, trample allows me to deal that damage to my opponent, while prowess has increased the total amount of damage my two.

Prowess is also a good way to stop the effects of trample from happening. By casting noncreature spells, I’m able to raise my prowess blocker’s toughness high enough that I won’t take excess damage from any trample attacks. My creature might even survive combat entirely.

Best MTG Prowess Cards 

Monastery Mentor (Prowess White Creature)

Not only does [c]Monastery Mentor[/c] have prowess, but it also makes prowess tokens! This quickly snowballs into a huge amount of damage, as each noncreature spell you cast boosts the mentor and its tokens, as well as creating another token for the next attack. Nice!

Elsha of the Infinite (Prowess Blue/Red/White Creature)

Monastery Swiftspear (Prowess Red Creature)

Stormwing Entity (Prowess Blue Creature)

If you cast an instant or sorcery spell, then [c]Stormwing Entity[/c] only costs two mana to cast for the rest of the turn. Yes, that’s right. For the cost of a [c]Storm Crow[/c], you get a 3/3 flying prowess creature, and you scry 2. Needless to say, this is absolutely phenomenal.

Soul-Scar Mage (Prowess Red Creature)

With [c]Soul-Scar Mage[/c], all your burn spells deal damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters. Not only that, Soul-Scar Mage is another red one-drop that’s a 1/2 with prowess, so you can run a second playset of [c]Monastery Swiftspears[/c] in your Red Deck Wins.

Goblin Wizardry (Prowess Red Instant)

The first noncreature prowess card, [c]Goblin Wizardry[/c] is deceptively powerful. It makes two 1/1 goblin wizard tokens that have prowess. As such, that’s a total of 4 power the next time you cast another noncreature spell, and it’s at instant speed too!