Berserker's Frenzy 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
Cast this spell only before combat or during combat before blockers are declared. Roll two d20 and ignore the lower roll. 1—14 | Choose any number of creatures. They block this turn if able. 15—20 | You choose which creatures block this turn and how those creatures block.
Complete guide
Berserker's Frenzy is a chaotic red instant that forces your opponents into difficult combat situations by dictating how they block. By rolling two d20s and keeping the best result, you gain significant influence over the battlefield, ranging from forced blocks to total control over the declare blockers step.
Roll and Result
When Berserker's Frenzy resolves, you roll two twenty-sided dice (d20) and ignore the lower result. If both dice show the same number, you simply ignore one and use the other. The remaining number determines which effect occurs. A result of 1-14 allows you to select any number of creatures; those creatures must block this turn if they are able to do so legally. A result of 15-20 gives you complete authority to choose which creatures block and how they are assigned to attacking creatures.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you must cast the spell before the declare blockers step begins—usually during the beginning of combat or the declare attackers step. Upon resolution, you roll the dice and determine the result. No player can respond between the roll and the effect taking place. If you rolled a 15-20, you will wait until the declare blockers step, at which point you make all blocking decisions for the defending player. Note that all blocks must still be legal; you cannot force a creature without reach to block a flier.
Legal Blocks and Costs
When controlling another player's blocks, you must follow all requirements and restrictions. If an effect says a creature 'can't block,' you cannot force it to block. If a creature has a cost associated with blocking (such as paying mana), the controller of that creature chooses whether or not to pay. If they refuse to pay, the creature cannot block, and you must choose a different, legal blocking configuration for the remaining creatures.
When to Play It
This spell is best used to force an opponent's utility creatures or small engines into combat against your largest attackers. In a multiplayer game, you can even use it during an opponent's combat phase to force two other players to trade their armies, clearing the way for your next turn.
Interaction examples
Chaos WarpWhile your opponent is deciding whether to block your lethal attacker, you cast Berserker's Frenzy. You roll a 17. During the declare blockers step, you force their small utility creature to block your massive attacker. If they try to use Chaos Warp to remove their own creature to save it, they must do so before the declare blockers step begins, as Berserker's Frenzy has already locked in the requirement for you to choose the blocks.
Deflecting SwatBerserker's Frenzy does not target creatures when it is cast; the selection happens during resolution or the blocking step. Therefore, an opponent cannot use Deflecting Swat to change which creatures are affected by the 1-14 result. However, because Deflecting Swat can target any spell, an opponent could use it to change the target of a different spell you cast in response to the roll, though Berserker's Frenzy itself remains unbaffled by target-changing effects.
You attack with a 5/5 creature. You cast Berserker's Frenzy and roll a 12. You choose your opponent's 1/1 creature. During the declare blockers step, that 1/1 is now required to block if it is untapped and able. This allows you to effectively remove problematic creatures that your opponent would otherwise prefer to keep out of combat.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Berserker's Frenzy
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you roll doubles, ignore one of the rolls and use the result of the other.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
An ignored roll effectively never happens. No abilities will trigger because of an ignored roll.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
When choosing blocks for creatures you don't control, you must still make legal choices. For example, you can't choose to have a creature without flying or reach block a creature with flying.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If there's a cost associated with having a creature block and you choose for that creature to block, its controller can choose to pay that cost or not. If that player doesn't pay that cost, you must propose a new set of blocking creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Dice are identified by the number of faces each one has. For example, a d20 is a twenty-sided die.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Dice used must have equally likely outcomes and the roll must be fair. Although physical dice are recommended, digital substitutes are allowed, provided they have the same number of equally likely outcomes as specified in the original roll instruction.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that tells you to roll a die will also specify what to do with the result of that roll. Most often, this is in the form of a “results table” in the card text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
The instruction to roll a die and the effect that occurs because of the result are all part of the same ability. Players do not get the chance to respond to the ability after knowing the result of the roll.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
An effect that says “choose a target, then roll a d20” or similar still uses the normal process of putting an ability on the stack and resolving it. Choosing targets is part of putting the ability on the stack and rolling the d20 happens later, as the ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Some effects may modify the result of a die roll. This may be part of the instruction to roll a die or it may come from other cards. Anything that references the “result” of a die roll is looking for the result after these modifications. Anything that is looking for the “natural result” is looking for the number shown on the face of the die before these modifications.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
Some abilities, like that of Pixie Guide and Barbarian Class, replace rolling a die with rolling extra dice and ignoring the lowest roll. The ignored rolls are not considered for the effect that instructed you to roll a die, and do not cause abilities to trigger. For all intents and purposes, once you determine which dice count, any extra dice were never rolled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
Some effects instruct you to roll again. This uses the same number and type of dice as the original roll, and that roll will use the same set of possible outcomes.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
While playing Planechase, rolling the planar die will cause any ability that triggers whenever a player rolls one or more dice to trigger. However, any effect that refers to a numerical result will ignore the rolling of the planar die.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #14· Wizards of the Coast
Tournament events have more specific rules regarding dice and die-rolling. For more information, please see the most recent version of the Magic Tournament Rules at https://wpn.wizards.com/en/document/magic-gathering-tournament-rules.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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