Badgey, Malicious GlitchHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Constant Drain

Badgey, Malicious Glitch features a triggered ability that looks for a specific state change: becoming tapped. Unlike abilities that trigger only when a creature attacks, Badgey cares about any method of tapping, whether it is through combat, paying a cost for an ability, or an external spell or effect. Every time this occurs, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life, regardless of how many opponents you are facing.

Step-by-Step Resolution

When Badgey, Malicious Glitch becomes tapped, his ability is put onto the stack the next time a player would receive priority. As the ability resolves, it checks the current game state to identify your opponents. Each opponent loses 1 life simultaneously, and then you gain 1 life. This life gain is not dependent on the amount of life actually lost; even if an opponent's life total cannot change, you will still gain your 1 life.

Timing and Strategy

To maximize Badgey's impact, you should look for ways to tap him outside of the combat phase. While attacking is the most common way to tap a creature, using him to pay for 'Convoke' costs or using artifacts that tap creatures for utility will trigger his ability without risking him in battle. Because the ability triggers 'whenever' he becomes tapped, you can potentially trigger it multiple times in a single turn if you have ways to untap him.

Common Mistakes

A common point of confusion is whether the ability triggers if Badgey enters the battlefield tapped. The answer is no; a permanent 'becomes tapped' only if it transitions from an untapped state to a tapped state while on the battlefield. Similarly, if an effect tries to tap Badgey while he is already tapped, the ability will not trigger because his state did not change.

Interaction examples

The Glitch in the Throne

Roaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield and chose 'Illusion' or 'Horror' as it entered, Badgey's ability will trigger an additional time. When Badgey becomes tapped, the ability triggers once, and Roaming Throne causes it to trigger a second time. Each opponent will lose a total of 2 life, and you will gain 2 life.

Tapping for Value

Solemn Simulacrum

While Solemn Simulacrum and Badgey do not have a direct mechanical link through their text, they represent a classic curve. If you play Solemn Simulacrum to ramp into a basic land, you ensure you have the mana to cast Badgey. Once Badgey is out, you can attack with both; when they both become tapped to attack, Badgey's ability triggers, draining your opponents while the Simulacrum provides a buffer for your life total.

Combat Drain

If you declare Badgey, Malicious Glitch as an attacker during your declare attackers step, he becomes tapped. This immediately puts his ability on the stack. The life drain and life gain resolve before your opponent even declares blockers, potentially finishing off an opponent with 1 life remaining before combat damage is even dealt.