Arcane Bombardment — ruling 1

The spell that caused Arcane Bombardment's ability to trigger is normally still on the stack while that ability resolves. That spell won't be among the cards in your graveyard when you exile an instant or sorcery from it at random.

Arcane Bombardment — ruling 2

If you've already cast an instant or sorcery spell the turn that Arcane Bombardment enters the battlefield, it won't trigger until you cast an instant or sorcery spell on a later turn.

Arcane Bombardment — ruling 3

You cast the desired copies as the triggered ability resolves. You don't get to cast them later in the turn. You choose the order of copies as you cast them.

Arcane Bombardment — ruling 4

If you cast a spell with {X} in its cost without paying its mana cost, you must choose 0 for X.

Arcane Bombardment — ruling 5

If Arcane Bombardment leaves the battlefield, the exiled cards remain in exile. If it returns to the battlefield or you play another copy of it, you won't get to cast copies of the cards previously exiled.

Arcane Bombardment : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Arcane Bombardment 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

Whenever you cast your first instant or sorcery spell each turn, exile an instant or sorcery card at random from your graveyard. Then copy each card exiled with this enchantment. You may cast any number of the copies without paying their mana costs.

Complete guide

Arcane Bombardment is a powerhouse enchantment that rewards you for playing spells by accumulating a library of magic in exile. Every time you cast your first instant or sorcery each turn, you build a snowball of free spells that grows larger and larger. It is the ultimate engine for players who love high-variance, high-impact turns.

What It Does

Arcane Bombardment triggers once per turn when you cast your first instant or sorcery spell. When this happens, it selects one instant or sorcery card at random from your graveyard and exiles it. Then, it creates a copy of every card currently exiled by this specific enchantment, allowing you to cast those copies for free immediately.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you cast an instant or sorcery from your hand or another zone; this puts the Bombardment trigger on the stack above your spell. Second, the ability resolves: you exile a random legal target from your graveyard. Third, the enchantment looks at all cards it has exiled so far. Finally, you choose which of those copies you want to cast and in what order, placing them all on the stack to resolve before your original triggering spell.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is trying to exile the spell that triggered the ability; since that spell is still on the stack, it isn't in the graveyard yet and cannot be chosen. Additionally, if the enchantment leaves the battlefield and returns, it is considered a new object. It will not remember the cards previously exiled, and those cards will remain in exile forever without being copied.

When to Play It

This card is best played in decks with a high density of spells and ways to fill the graveyard quickly. Because it can trigger on opponents' turns as well, it is highly effective when paired with cheap instants, ensuring you get a trigger during every single turn of the game round.

Interaction examples

The First Trigger

If you have a Lightning Bolt in your graveyard and you cast an Opt, Arcane Bombardment triggers. The Bolt is exiled at random. You then copy the Bolt and may cast the copy for free. The Opt then resolves normally.

Scaling Damage

Fiery Emancipation

If Arcane Bombardment exiles a damage-dealing spell like Shock, you can cast the copy for free. With Fiery Emancipation on the battlefield, the 2 damage from the Shock copy is tripled, dealing 6 damage to your target instead.

Non-Interaction Check

Warstorm Surge

Note that casting spells with Arcane Bombardment does not naturally trigger Warstorm Surge. Warstorm Surge requires a creature to enter the battlefield, whereas Arcane Bombardment only copies and casts instant and sorcery spells. Unless your exiled spells create creature tokens, these two enchantments operate independently.

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

How it works : Arcane Bombardment

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1April 29, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
The spell that caused Arcane Bombardment's ability to trigger is normally still on the stack while that ability resolves. That spell won't be among the cards in your graveyard when you exile an instant or sorcery from it at random.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2April 29, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If you've already cast an instant or sorcery spell the turn that Arcane Bombardment enters the battlefield, it won't trigger until you cast an instant or sorcery spell on a later turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3April 29, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
You cast the desired copies as the triggered ability resolves. You don't get to cast them later in the turn. You choose the order of copies as you cast them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4April 29, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If you cast a spell with in its cost without paying its mana cost, you must choose 0 for X.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5April 29, 2022· Wizards of the Coast
If Arcane Bombardment leaves the battlefield, the exiled cards remain in exile. If it returns to the battlefield or you play another copy of it, you won't get to cast copies of the cards previously exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.