Startled Awake // Persistent Nightmare
~$1.02 low · ~$2.83 high
Blue. Sorcery // Creature — Nightmare
Shadows over Innistrad #88 · Illustrated by Sean Sevestre
Shadows over Innistrad #88 · Illustrated by Sean SevestreWhat is Startled Awake // Persistent Nightmare worth?
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TCGplayer market prices in USD, updated October 14, 2026. Each price is for one printing and one finish.
Oracle text
Startled Awake
Sorcery
Target opponent mills thirteen cards.
: Put this card from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate only as a sorcery.
Persistent Nightmare
Creature — Nightmare
Skulk (This creature can't be blocked by creatures with greater power.)
When this creature deals combat damage to a player, return it to its owner's hand.
1/1
"It seemed so real!"
Format legality
All 2 printings of Startled Awake // Persistent Nightmare
| Printing | Rarity | Non-foil | Foil | Cardmarket (EUR) | My collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Shadows over Innistrad Promos psoi #88s· 2016Promomythic· Cardmarket €2.98 foil | mythic | No non-foil printing | $2.82 | €2.98 foil | |
 Shadows over Innistrad soi #88· 2016mythic· Cardmarket €0.72 · €2.92 foil | mythic | $1.02 | $2.83 | €0.72€2.92 foil |
Prices are TCGplayer market prices in USD for each printing and finish, via Scryfall. They are a guide, not an appraisal.
Where to buy Startled Awake // Persistent Nightmare
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Card details
- First printed
- 2016
- Printings
- 2
- Mana value
- 4
- EDHREC rank
- #14,170 on EDHREC (Commander popularity)
- Keywords
- Skulk, Transform, Mill
- Artist
- Sean Sevestre
What the codes mean
The small print at the bottom of the Shadows over Innistrad card (#88).
088 · SOI · M · EN
- 088Collector number: this card's place in the set list. Main-set cards print it over the set's card count.
- SOISet code for Shadows over Innistrad
- MMythic rare
- ENPrinted in English
How to read a Magic card: every part and code, on real cards.
Rulings (3)
2016-04-08
A sorcery can't be put onto the battlefield and a permanent can't transform into a sorcery. If an effect exiles Persistent Nightmare and then instructs you to return it to the battlefield, it remains face up in exile (unless that effect instructs you to put it onto the battlefield transformed, in which case it returns as Persistent Nightmare). If an effect instructs you to transform Persistent Nightmare, the instruction is ignored.
2016-04-08
If you cause a creature to have 0 power or less, use the actual value (which may be negative) to determine whether it can block or be blocked. A creature with skulk and 0 or less power most likely won't be blocked, but it won't deal combat damage and won't trigger any abilities that trigger when combat damage is dealt.
2016-04-08
Skulk matters only as blockers are chosen. Modifying either creature's power after blockers are chosen won't cause the attacking creature to become unblocked.
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