---
name: "Sméagol, Helpful Guide"
mana_cost: "{1}{B}{G}"
cmc: 3
type_line: "Legendary Creature — Halfling Horror"
colors: []
color_identity: ["B", "G"]
keywords: []
set: "PLTR"
set_name: "Tales of Middle-earth Promos"
collector_number: "231s"
rarity: "rare"
artist: "Campbell White"
oracle_id: "6b974499-bf1c-4e5b-a72c-c72220f4e591"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/smagol-helpful-guide-pltr"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "not_legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "legal"
---

# Sméagol, Helpful Guide
- **Mana Cost:** `{1}{B}{G}` (CMC: 3)
- **Type:** Legendary Creature — Halfling Horror

## Oracle Text
At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, the Ring tempts you.
Whenever the Ring tempts you, target opponent reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a land card. Put that card onto the battlefield tapped under your control and the rest into their graveyard.

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [The Ring Goes South](/printing/the-ring-goes-south-ltr.md) — Sorcery
2. [Call of the Ring](/printing/call-of-the-ring-ltr.md) — Enchantment
3. [Gollum, Patient Plotter](/printing/gollum-patient-plotter-ltr.md) — Legendary Creature — Halfling Horror
4. [Gollum, Scheming Guide](/printing/gollum-scheming-guide-ltr.md) — Legendary Creature — Halfling Horror
5. [Ringwraiths](/printing/ringwraiths-ltr.md) — Creature — Wraith Knight
6. [Took Reaper](/printing/took-reaper-ltr.md) — Creature — Halfling Peasant

## Printing Details
- **Set:** Tales of Middle-earth Promos (PLTR) #231s
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Artist:** Campbell White
- **Total Printings:** 5 across all historical editions

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `not_legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `legal`

## Official Rulings
- *(2023-06-16)* The Ring gains its abilities in order from top to bottom. Once it gains an ability, it has that ability for the rest of the game.
- *(2023-06-16)* Sméagol, Helpful Guide's first ability will trigger only once during your end step, no matter how many creatures died under your control this turn. However, if no creatures have died under your control so far this turn as your end step begins, the ability won't trigger at all. It's not possible to cause a creature to die under your control during the end step in time to have the ability trigger.
- *(2023-06-16)* Each time the Ring tempts you, you must choose a creature if you control one.
- *(2023-06-16)* Sméagol, Helpful Guide doesn't need to have been on the battlefield when the creature died. For example, if a creature dies under your control during combat on your turn and you cast Sméagol, Helpful Guide during your second main phase, its first ability will trigger at the beginning of your end step.
- *(2023-06-16)* The Ring can tempt you even if you don't control a creature. In this case, abilities that trigger "whenever the Ring tempts you" will still trigger.
- *(2023-06-16)* As the Ring tempts you, you get an emblem named The Ring if you don't have one. Then your emblem gains its next ability and you choose a creature you control to become (or remain) your Ring-bearer.