Aether Spellbomb 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
, Sacrifice this artifact: Return target creature to its owner's hand.
, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.
Complete guide
Aether Spellbomb is a versatile artifact that provides blue mages with the perfect balance of utility and card advantage. Whether you need to bounce a threatening creature or dig deeper into your library, this cheap artifact is a staple for controlling the battlefield.
Dual Utility Options
Aether Spellbomb features two distinct activated abilities that both require sacrificing the artifact as a cost. The first ability costs one blue mana and allows you to return a target creature to its owner's hand. The second ability costs one generic mana and lets you draw a card, ensuring the card is never a dead draw in your hand.
Activating the Abilities
When you activate either ability, you must pay the mana cost and sacrifice Aether Spellbomb simultaneously as part of the activation cost. Because sacrificing the artifact is a cost, your opponent cannot respond to the sacrifice itself to destroy the Spellbomb; by the time they get priority, the Spellbomb is already in the graveyard and the ability is on the stack.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is trying to activate both abilities at once. Since both abilities require you to sacrifice Aether Spellbomb as a cost, you can only choose one. Once the cost is paid and the artifact is in the graveyard, it is no longer on the battlefield to be sacrificed for the other ability.
Strategic Timing
As an artifact with activated abilities that do not have timing restrictions, you can use Aether Spellbomb at instant speed. You can wait until an opponent's end step to draw a card, or bounce an attacking creature during the declare blockers step to save your life total.
Interaction examples
Sol RingOn turn one, you play an Island and cast Sol Ring. You then use one colorless mana from Sol Ring to cast Aether Spellbomb. You now have the Spellbomb ready on the board with one colorless mana remaining from Sol Ring and one blue mana available from your Island to react to your opponent's play.
Arcane SignetIf you are struggling to find land, you can tap Arcane Signet for one mana of any color to pay the generic cost of Aether Spellbomb's second ability. You sacrifice the Spellbomb and draw a card immediately, helping you cycle through your deck to find the resources you need.
With one blue mana available, you can respond to an opponent's spell that targets your creature. By activating the first ability, you return your own creature to your hand. The opponent's spell will lose its target and fail to resolve, effectively saving your creature for later use.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Aether Spellbomb
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying
due to Etherium Sculptor. - 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying due to Foundry Inspector.
- 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying due to Cloud Key.
- 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying due to Jhoira's Familiar.
- 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying
- 3Mirran Spy and Glaring Fleshraker's first ability trigger.
- 4Resolve the Mirran Spy trigger, untapping Emry.
- 5Resolve the Glaring Fleshraker trigger, creating a 0/1 Eldrazi Spawn creature token.
- 6When the Eldrazi Spawn enters, Glaring Fleshraker's second ability triggers, dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
- 7Activate the Eldrazi Spawn by sacrificing it, adding
. - 8Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying due to Semblance Anvil.
- 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying due to Helm of Awakening.
- 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch + Urza, Lord High Artificer + Mirran Spy + Aether Spellbomb
- 1If Aether Spellbomb is in your graveyard, activate Emry by tapping it, targeting Aether Spellbomb.
- 2Cast Aether Spellbomb either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying due to Shuri.
- 3Mirran Spy triggers, untapping Emry.
- 4Activate Urza's first ability by tapping Aether Spellbomb, adding .
- 5Activate Aether Spellbomb's second ability by paying and sacrificing it, causing you to draw a card.
- 6Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Aether Spellbomb
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