Ammit Eternal 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
Afflict 3 (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, defending player loses 3 life.) Whenever an opponent casts a spell, put a -1/-1 counter on this creature. Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, remove all -1/-1 counters from it.
Complete guide
Ammit Eternal is a terrifying threat from the sands of Amonkhet, punishing opponents whether they choose to block it or cast spells to stop it. As a 5/5 for just three mana, it exerts massive pressure, though it slowly withers away under the weight of your opponent's actions. Understanding its specific triggers is the key to keeping this Crocodile Demon on the battlefield.
What It Does
Ammit Eternal is an aggressive creature with three distinct abilities. Afflict 3 ensures that even if it is blocked, the defending player loses 3 life. However, it has a built-in drawback: every time an opponent casts a spell, Ammit Eternal receives a -1/-1 counter. To counteract this, it features a reset mechanism that removes all -1/-1 counters whenever it successfully deals combat damage to a player.
How It Resolves Step by Step
When an opponent casts a spell, Ammit Eternal's middle ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of that spell. This means the -1/-1 counter is placed before the spell itself resolves. During combat, if the opponent declares a blocker, Afflict triggers immediately. The life loss occurs before any combat damage is dealt. Finally, if Ammit Eternal is unblocked and deals damage to the player, the trigger to remove counters is the last thing to happen in the combat damage step.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is thinking Afflict triggers for every creature that blocks it. If an opponent blocks Ammit Eternal with three creatures, Afflict only triggers once, causing 3 life loss, not 9. Additionally, remember that the counter-placing ability triggers when the spell is cast. Even if you counter the opponent's spell, the -1/-1 counter will still be placed on Ammit Eternal.
When to Play It
Ammit Eternal is best played in aggressive decks where you can force it through for combat damage early. Because it rewards you for connecting with the opponent's life total, it pairs well with effects that increase its power or ensure it can't be efficiently blocked by small tokens.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumYou attack with Ammit Eternal and your opponent blocks with Solemn Simulacrum. The Afflict 3 ability triggers immediately upon blocking. Before combat damage is dealt, your opponent loses 3 life. Then, Ammit Eternal deals 5 damage to Solemn Simulacrum, and Solemn Simulacrum deals 2 damage to Ammit Eternal. Because it was blocked, Ammit Eternal did not deal damage to the player, so any -1/-1 counters currently on it remain.
Roaming ThroneIf you control Roaming Throne and chose 'Zombie', 'Crocodile', or 'Demon', Ammit Eternal's abilities will trigger twice. If it becomes blocked, the opponent loses 6 life (Afflict 3 triggers twice). Conversely, if an opponent casts a spell, Ammit Eternal will receive two -1/-1 counters instead of one. If it deals combat damage to a player, the removal ability triggers twice, though the second instance will usually have no counters left to remove.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Ammit Eternal
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, that planeswalker's controller is the defending player. If a creature is attacking a battle, that battle's protector is the defending player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Ammit Eternal's middle ability will resolve before the spell that caused it to trigger. The ability will resolve even if that spell is countered.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If multiple creatures block a creature with afflict, afflict triggers only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Afflict causes the defending player to lose life; it's not damage or combat damage.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Afflict resolves before combat damage is dealt. If this loss of life brings a player to 0 life or less, that player loses the game immediately. A blocking creature with lifelink won't deal combat damage in time to save that player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Ammit Eternal
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