Wizards of the Coast is issuing errata for Killmonger, Ruthless Usurper ahead of the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes set release, joining a small but notable group of MTG cards that needed official text corrections after printing.
What’s Changing?
The Commander version of Wakanda’s notorious supervillain was missing key wording in its ability box. Players quickly spotted the issue after Killmonger was previewed in the Doom Prevails Commander Deck.
The fix adds “until end of turn” to the end of the card’s second line. The corrected text now reads:
“Whenever Killmonger attacks, he gets +1/+0 for each artifact defending player controls until end of turn.”
Without this wording, the power boost could become permanent, which fundamentally changes how the card functions and creates unintended gameplay problems.
Magic Head Designer Mark Rosewater confirmed the errata on his Blogatog yesterday, confirming this was a printing oversight rather than a design change.
Why Errata Happens in MTG
Errata in Magic typically falls into three categories:
| Type | When It Happens | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Day-zero fix | Missing words or rules errors right after printing | Killmonger, Hostage Taker |
| Rules clarification | New rules make old text unclear | Companion mechanic |
| Keyword updates | Standardizing old cards with new keywords | Surveil, Landfall updates |
Wizards issue a functional errata (changes that actually alter how a card works) to prevent broken gameplay like infinite loops.
Other Notable MTG Errata Cases
Killmonger isn’t the first card to receive this kind of correction. Here are other examples:
- Hostage Taker: Added “another” to prevent the card from exiling itself and creating an infinite loop.
- Companion Mechanic: Changed from a free sideboard cast to a 3-mana cost to move from sideboard to hand, fixing an overly powerful mechanic.
- Ajani’s Chosen: Removed the “may” from its trigger, making the token creation mandatory instead of optional.
- Diplomatic Relations: A missing line was corrected before the Edge of Eternities set release because it altered the card’s gameplay function.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Will the old card still work?
A: Yes. When Wizards issues errata, they update the card’s text in the Oracle database—the official rules reference for all Magic cards. In gameplay, players follow the updated Oracle text, not what’s printed
Q: Will the card get reprinted with the correct text?
A: Reprints with corrected text may come in future sets but not guaranteed.
