When a double-faced card (“DFC”) isn’t on the battlefield, it only has the characteristics of its front (sun) side. This means that barring odd circumstances (i.e., Loyal Cathar‘s triggered ability), a DFC always enters the battlefield sunny-side up.

This rule creates an interesting interaction when you transform a DFC and then flicker it with something like Cloudshift. It leaves the battlefield with its back face up; however, as soon as it’s put into exile, its turned day-side-up, and the game can only see its front face. When a flickered permanent re-enters the battlefield, it’s treated as a new object with no memory of its former existence. This means that in addition to being undamaged, summoning sick, untapped and with no lingering effects from previously resolved spells/abilities on it, it’ll forget that it was ever transformed and enter the battlefield front-face-up, as though it were just cast.

Today’s Rules Tip written by
Jen Wong, Level 1 judge from Irvine, CA