Assaultron Dominator 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
When this creature enters, you get(two energy counters). Whenever an artifact creature you control attacks, you may pay
Complete guide
Assaultron Dominator is a high-speed upgrade engine for your robotic army, providing the energy needed to enhance your forces on the fly. This aggressive artifact creature ensures that every charge into the red zone results in lasting improvements to your battlefield presence.
Energy and Upgrades
Assaultron Dominator provides two energy counters upon entering the battlefield. These counters are stored by you, the player, and do not disappear when phases or turns end. While this creature is on the battlefield, every attacking artifact creature you control triggers an opportunity to spend one energy counter for a permanent buff: a +1/+1, first strike, or trample counter.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When you declare one or more artifact creatures as attackers, the Dominator's ability triggers separately for each one. As each individual trigger resolves, you decide whether to pay one energy counter. If you pay, you immediately choose which of the three counter types to place on that specific attacking creature. Because this happens during the 'If you do' resolution, your opponent cannot wait to see if you pay before trying to remove the creature; they must act while the ability is still on the stack.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that you can pay multiple energy counters for a single attacking creature to give it multiple buffs; however, the ability only allows you to pay once per creature per attack. Additionally, remember that energy counters are not mana. Effects that produce mana of any color or type cannot generate energy, and energy cannot be used to pay for mana costs unless a card specifically states otherwise.
When to Play It
Assaultron Dominator is best utilized in aggressive decks featuring many artifact creatures. Since the energy is granted on entry, it can immediately fuel its own ability if you have other robots ready to swing. It is particularly effective when you need to push damage through blockers using trample or ensure your creatures survive combat via first strike or +1/+1 counters.
Interaction examples
Assaultron Dominator
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf you control Ornithopter of Paradise and cast Assaultron Dominator, you get two energy counters. On your next turn, you attack with Ornithopter of Paradise. This triggers the Dominator. You pay one energy counter to place a +1/+1 counter on the Ornithopter, making it a 1/3 flying creature permanently.
If you attack with two copies of Assaultron Dominator at once, two triggers go on the stack. You can pay one energy for the first trigger to give the first Robot trample, and then pay your second energy for the second trigger to give the other Robot a +1/+1 counter.
Energy ReserveYou attack with Ornithopter of Paradise while you have zero energy counters in your Energy Reserve. The ability triggers, but as it resolves, you cannot choose to pay the energy cost. Consequently, you cannot place any counters on the Ornithopter.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Assaultron Dominator
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If multiple artifact creatures you control attack, Assaultron Dominator’s last ability triggers for each of them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They’re not associated with any specific permanents.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Keep track of how many energy counters each player has. Potential ways to track this include writing them down on paper or using dice, but any method that is clear and mutually agreeable is fine. (At higher levels of tournament play, dice may not be allowed for tracking counters that players have.)
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect says you get one or more
, you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. You can’t pay more energy counters than you have. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Energy counters aren’t mana. They don’t go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” can’t give you energy counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Some triggered abilities state that you “may pay” a certain amount of
. You can’t pay that amount multiple times to multiply the effect. You simply choose whether or not to pay that amount of as the ability resolves.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Some triggered abilities that state that you “may pay” a certain amount of
describe an effect that happens “If you do.” In that case, no player may take actions to try to stop the ability’s effect after you make your choice. If the payment is followed by the phrase “When you do,” then you’ll choose any targets for that reflexive triggered ability and put it on the stack before players can take actions.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability with one or more targets states that you “may pay” some amount of
, and each permanent that it targets has become an illegal target, the spell or ability won’t resolve. You can’t pay any even if you want to.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Some spells and abilities that give you
may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won’t resolve. You won’t get any .No other card is named in this ruling.
Related cards and tokens
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Meta decks with Assaultron Dominator
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