Ad Nauseam — ruling 1

Each time you put the revealed card into your hand and lose the appropriate amount of life, you decide whether to continue by revealing another card. You don't decide in advance how many cards to put into your hand this way.

Ad Nauseam — ruling 2

If a card in a player's library has {X} in its mana cost, X is 0 for the purpose of determining its mana value.

Ad Nauseam — ruling 3

You may continue to reveal cards with Ad Nauseam even if your life total has been reduced to 0 or less. If you continue, you will continue to lose life, dropping your life total into negative numbers. As soon as you stop, you'll lose the game as a state-based action.

Ad Nauseam : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Ad Nauseam is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its mana value. You may repeat this process any number of times.

Complete guide

Ad Nauseam is a high-risk, high-reward instant that allows you to trade your life total for massive card advantage. By repeatedly revealing cards from the top of your library, you can fill your hand with the tools you need to win, provided your life total can handle the cost.

How Ad Nauseam Works

When Ad Nauseam resolves, you reveal the top card of your library and move it into your hand. You then lose life equal to that card's mana value. The most important part of this spell is the phrase 'You may repeat this process any number of times,' which allows you to continue drawing until you choose to stop or you run out of cards.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you reveal the top card. Second, you put that card into your hand. Third, you lose life equal to its mana value. After these three steps, you decide whether to repeat the entire process. You do not have to declare how many cards you will take upfront; you make the decision one card at a time after seeing what you revealed and how much life you lost.

Understanding Mana Values

When calculating life loss, always use the mana value printed on the card. For cards with {X} in their mana cost, X is treated as 0. If you reveal a double-faced card, use the mana value of the front face. If you reach 0 or less life during this process, you don't lose immediately; state-based actions are not checked until Ad Nauseam finishes resolving entirely. However, if you are at 0 or less life once the spell is done, you will lose the game.

When to Cast Ad Nauseam

Because this is an instant, the best time to cast it is usually on your opponent's end step. This allows you to untap all your mana on your turn with a massive hand. Be wary of your life total, especially against aggressive decks, as revealing a high-cost card unexpectedly could result in a self-inflicted defeat.

Interaction examples

Revealing Free Spells

Deadly Rollick

If you reveal Deadly Rollick with Ad Nauseam, you put it into your hand and lose 4 life. Even though Deadly Rollick can be cast for free if you control a commander, its mana value is always determined by the mana symbols in its upper right corner, which is 4.

Modal Double-Faced Cards

Fell the Profane // Fell Mire

If you reveal the double-faced card Fell the Profane // Fell Mire, you only look at the front face (the Instant side) to determine life loss. You will put the card in your hand and lose 4 life, as the back face (the Land) is ignored while the card is in your library.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Ad Nauseam

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1March 20, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
Each time you put the revealed card into your hand and lose the appropriate amount of life, you decide whether to continue by revealing another card. You don't decide in advance how many cards to put into your hand this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2March 20, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
If a card in a player's library has in its mana cost, X is 0 for the purpose of determining its mana value.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3March 20, 2026· Wizards of the Coast
You may continue to reveal cards with Ad Nauseam even if your life total has been reduced to 0 or less. If you continue, you will continue to lose life, dropping your life total into negative numbers. As soon as you stop, you'll lose the game as a state-based action.
No other card is named in this ruling.