The dragons of Tarkir have stirred, the battle horn has sounded, and the Mardu Horde is on the march once more. Ready your blades, steel your resolve, and prime your spells because in today's Mechanics Overview Segment, we're diving into one of the most brutal, kinetic, and flavor-soaked mechanics Magic has seen in recent years: Mobilize.

This ain't your grandma's token generator, soldier. Mobilize is fast. Mobilize is deadly. Mobilize is the Mardu way.

What Is Mobilize?

Mobilize [N], where [N] is the number of creature cards in your graveyard. (Whenever this creature attacks, create [N] tapped and attacking 1/1 red Warrior creature tokens. Sacrifice them at the beginning of the next end step.)

Mobilize is a triggered ability that goes off when you declare a creature with Mobilize as an attacker. When you do, you create N Red 1/1 Warrior tokens that enter the battlefield tapped and attacking. Then, at the beginning of the next end step, those tokens are sacrificed.

So yes, your tokens are temporary. However, as you'll soon discover, their short lifespan doesn't make them any less valuable.

The History of Mobilize

Magic players first ventured to the planes of Tarkir back in 2014, greeted by five wedge-aligned clans ruled by ancient dragons and defined by distinct combat philosophies. While that block introduced us to iconic mechanics like Raid (Mardu), Ferocious (Temur), and Delve (Sultai), and so, it didn't yet give the Mardu Horde their most fitting mechanic.

And now, fast forward a decade, Mobilize stormed onto the battlefield as the Mardu Horde's new signature mechanic in Tarkir: Dragonstorm (2025) and its companion Commander product, Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander (2025).

Now, none of this is to say that Raid wasn't a cool concept. It rewarded you for attacking, making combat matter just a bit more beyond just dealing damage. But over time, Raid got reappropriated by Pirates in Ixalan, becoming more of a post-combat value engine than a symbol of Mardu's reckless glory.

At this time of writing, there are a total of 17 Mobilize cards, ranging from humble foot soldiers like Dragonback Lancer to legendary boss monsters like Zurgo, Stormrender. And each card brings its own spin to the battlefield: some scale based on power, others count your dead, and a few just bring the thunder every single turn.

Mobilize Rulings

As per usual, let's quickly break this mechanic down step-by-step before someone calls a judge.

Step 1: The Trigger

The moment you declare a creature with Mobilize as an attacker, the ability triggers. It doesn't particularly care who or what you're swinging at. The ability goes on the stack before blockers are declared, which means your opponents have a window to respond.

And, luckily for us, even if they remove your Mobilize creature before the trigger resolves, you'll still get your tokens. Why? Well, one, because Mobilize doesn't target, and two, the trigger exists independently of its source.

So go ahead and attack with reckless abandon.

Step 2: Token Creation

Once the trigger resolves, you create N red 1/1 Warrior tokens that enter the battlefield tapped and attacking.

That means three important things:

1. The tokens skip the declare attackers step.

   They're already in the red zone when they appear, so you don't "declare" them. Any ability that says "Whenever a creature you control attacks" won't see them enter.

2. The tokens can attack any player or planeswalker.

   They don't have to go after the same player or planeswalker the Mobilize creature attacked. Feel free to spread out!

3. The tokens do count as attacking creatures.

   So if you've got cards that care about "attacking creatures" like Goblin Oriflamme or Trumpet Blast, they certainly do be attacking.

Step 3: The Sacrifice Clause

At the beginning of the next end step, you sacrifice all Warrior tokens created by Mobilize.

This isn't optional. You don't get to keep them for later. Well, this is all unless you've got trustworthy generals like Zurgo, Thunder's Decree, or The Master, Multiplied hanging around to keep morale high.

In short, you can think of Mobilize as a sort of "deploy and destroy" loop:

1. Attack, then summon reinforcements.
2. Smash face(s).
3. Clean up the mess (or don't, if Zurgo says so).

The Glory and the Grave

When the smoke clears and the battlefield lies quiet, what's left of a Mobilize army? Probably not all too much. Maybe just a few smoldering shields, the echo of war drums, and maybe a pile of treasure tokens if you played your Pitiless Plunderer or Warren Soultrader just right. But I feel that's the beauty of Mobilize.

Every time you declare an attack with a Mobilize creature, you're lighting a fuse. It's a short one, sure, but the explosion and tempo swing is often spectacular. The tokens cross the red zone, strike fast, and vanish before anyone can even catch their breath. In all honesty, this is probably the closest Magic gets to orchestrating a surprise attack on the battlefield in real time, complete with the tension, the timing, and the thrill of the inevitable sacrifice.

And for the Mardu, that's no tragedy; it's honor.

With that, I think I've marched on in this segment farther than even Zurgo's horde could run before breakfast. It's probably a good time to sound in the retreat. As always, happy brewing, and may your armies strike fast, die gloriously, and leave your opponents questioning why they didn't remove your Mobilize creature before letting you declare attackers. Until next time, soldier. Dismissed.