Ancient Brass DragonHow it works & interactions with other cards

Rolling for the Dead

When Ancient Brass Dragon deals combat damage to a player, its ability triggers. You first roll a twenty-sided die (d20). The result of this roll, represented as X, determines the total mana value of creature cards you can target in graveyards. You are not restricted to your own graveyard; you can target creatures from any player's graveyard to bring back to the battlefield under your control.

Resolution Step-by-Step

The ability uses a 'reflexive trigger.' First, the initial ability triggers when damage is dealt. Second, you roll the d20. After the roll, the 'When you do' part of the ability creates a second, separate trigger that goes on the stack. At this point, you choose your targets based on the number rolled. Finally, if the targets are still legal when that second trigger resolves, those creatures enter the battlefield simultaneously.

Common Pitfalls

It is important to remember that you must choose your targets after you know the result of the roll, not before. If the roll is a 1, you can only target a creature with mana value 0 or 1. If you roll a 20, you can pick any combination of creatures as long as their combined mana values do not exceed 20. If a targeted card leaves the graveyard before the ability resolves, you still get the remaining legal targets as long as their total mana value was legal when you chose them.

When to Strike

Because Ancient Brass Dragon has Flying, it is often easy to trigger this ability. You should aim to have high-impact creatures in your graveyard before the combat phase. Since the creatures enter under your control, this is a perfect way to bypass high casting costs and trigger 'enters the battlefield' abilities all at once.

Interaction examples

Clearing the Path

Massacre Wurm

If Ancient Brass Dragon deals combat damage and you roll a 6 or higher, you can target Massacre Wurm in your graveyard. When Massacre Wurm enters the battlefield, its ability triggers, giving all creatures your opponents control -2/-2, potentially wiping their board and causing them to lose life for each creature that dies.

The Praetor's Return

Sheoldred, Whispering One

If you roll a 7 or higher on your d20 roll, you can return Sheoldred, Whispering One to the battlefield. This not only gives you a powerful 6/6 attacker with Swampwalk but also sets up a recurring cycle where Sheoldred will bring back even more creatures during your next upkeep.

A Massive Resurrection

Massacre WurmSheoldred, Whispering One

Suppose you roll a 15. The combined mana value of Massacre Wurm (6) and Sheoldred, Whispering One (7) is 13. Since 13 is less than or equal to your roll of 15, you can target and return both creatures to the battlefield at the same time, giving you a dominant board presence immediately after combat.