What it does
Prepared isn't an official Magic keyword, so there's no universal rules text for it. The most likely candidate you're thinking of is "Prepare," the ability word used in Outlaws of Thunder Junction on cards like Steer Clear and Take Up the Shield. When you "prepare" a card, you exile it face down, and you may play that card later (for as long as it remains exiled).
The nuance people miss: preparing a card doesn't play it immediately—it sets it aside for future flexibility, often at instant speed or as a mode you can unlock later. You're investing now for value or a defensive option later, so timing and remembering what you've stashed matters.
In Commander, Prepare shines as a value engine—banking removal or tricks across a long, grindy multiplayer game. Just track your exiled cards carefully, since forgetting them wastes the investment.
Iconic cards with Prepared
See all 48 →
