Emeritus of Conflict // Lightning Bolt

Emeritus of Conflict

one generic mana one red mana Creature — Human WizardPower and toughness2/2

First strike

Whenever you cast your third spell each turn, this creature becomes prepared. (While it's prepared, you may cast a copy of its spell. Doing so unprepares it.)

Lightning Bolt

one red mana Instant

Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target.

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Showing Secrets of Strixhaven#113

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Emeritus of Conflict // Lightning Bolt rulings

2026-03-20
Only the current controller of a prepared creature can cast the copy of its prepare spell in exile. It doesn't matter who owns that creature or who controlled it when it became prepared.
2026-03-20
If a prepared creature loses all abilities, it won't stop being prepared, and nothing will happen to its alternative characteristics or to the copy of its prepare spell in exile.
2026-03-20
Casting a copy of a prepare spell from exile isn't casting it for an alternative cost. Effects that allow you to cast a spell for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost may allow you to apply those to a copy of a prepare spell cast from exile.
2026-03-20
If an effect causes a creature to become unprepared, a prepared creature stops being prepared and the associated copy of its prepare spell in exile ceases to exist. If it wasn't prepared at that time, nothing happens.
2026-03-20
Since Emeritus of Conflict will stop being prepared as soon as the copy of Lightning Bolt is cast, casting that copy of Lightning Bolt as your third spell in a turn will result in Emeritus of Conflict becoming prepared again when its last ability resolves.
2026-03-20
A creature without a prepare spell can't become prepared.
2026-03-20
Emeritus of Conflict's last ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell is countered or otherwise leaves the stack without resolving.
2026-03-20
Preparation cards can only be cast with their base characteristics.
2026-03-20
Being prepared isn't a copiable value. If a permanent becomes a copy of a prepared creature, it won't be prepared. That permanent will have the alternative characteristics, though, and some other effect could cause it to become prepared later.
2026-03-20
A creature with a prepare spell can't become prepared more than once at the same time. For example, Emeritus of Ideation is on the battlefield and is prepared. When it attacks, its last ability triggers. When that ability resolves, its controller may still exile eight cards from their graveyard, but doing so won't cause Emeritus of Ideation to become prepared a second time or create a second copy of Ancestral Recall in exile.
2026-03-20
As an effect causes a creature with a prepare spell to become prepared (including effects that state that a creature "enters prepared"), that creature's controller creates a copy of that creature's prepare spell in exile. That copy remains in exile for as long as that permanent is on the battlefield and is prepared. That creature's controller may cast that copy as long as it remains in exile. As they cast it, that creature stops being prepared.
2026-03-20
Emeritus of Conflict's last ability will count any spells you've cast this turn, which may include Emeritus of Conflict itself. It doesn't matter if the other spells resolved, didn't resolve, were countered, or are still on the stack. If Emeritus of Conflict was the second spell you cast this turn, the next spell you cast this turn is your third spell. If Emeritus of Conflict is your third spell in a turn, it's not on the battlefield for its triggered ability to trigger, and it will not trigger for further spells cast after it that turn.
2026-03-20
If a prepared creature stops being a creature, it will still be prepared, and the copy of its prepare spell will remain in exile. That permanent's controller will still be able to cast it. The same is true if a prepared creature becomes a copy of something else, even if it's then a permanent without a prepare spell.
2026-03-20
If a prepare spell with one or more targets has no legal targets when it tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. Since the spell was cast, the associated permanent will still not be prepared.
2026-03-20
A preparation card is a creature card in every zone. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Emeritus of Ideation is a blue creature whose mana value is 5. It can't be the target of Zealous Lorecaster's triggered ability ("When this creature enters, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.").
2026-03-20
Creating a copy of a creature's prepare spell in exile ignores copy exceptions applied to that creature that would affect the copiable values of that spell. For example, say a player casts Croaking Counterpart (a sorcery that says "Create a token that's a copy of target non-Frog creature, except it's a 1/1 green Frog.") targeting Goblin Glasswright. The token copy of Goblin Glasswright will enter prepared as a 1/1 green Frog creature, but the copy of Craft with Pride in exile will still be a red sorcery. The copy of Craft with Pride won't be green, a creature, or a Frog, and it won't have power or toughness.
2026-03-20
While copies of spells in zones other than the stack cease to exist when state-based actions are checked, this does not apply to copies of prepare spells in exile that were created as a creature became prepared.
2026-03-20
If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose the alternative prepare spell's name. Consider only the alternative characteristics to determine whether that is an appropriate name to choose.

Emeritus of Conflict // Lightning Bolt keyword rules

First strike Rule 702.7

First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule , “Combat Damage Step.”)

If at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule ) as the combat damage step begins, the only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are those with first strike or double strike. After that step, instead of proceeding to the end of combat step, the phase gets a second combat damage step. The only creatures that assign combat damage in that step are the remaining attackers and blockers that had neither first strike nor double strike as the first combat damage step began, as well as the remaining attackers and blockers that currently have double strike. After that step, the phase proceeds to the end of combat step.

Giving first strike to a creature without it after combat damage has already been dealt in the first combat damage step won’t preclude that creature from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step. Removing first strike from a creature after it has already dealt combat damage in the first combat damage step won’t allow it to also assign combat damage in the second combat damage step (unless the creature has double strike).

Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.