Boom // Bust 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
Destroy target land you control and target land you don't control. Destroy all lands.
Complete guide
Boom // Bust is a versatile red split card that offers land destruction at two different scales. Whether you need a surgical strike in the early game or a complete reset of the board's resources, this card provides the flexibility to stall your opponent's progress effectively.
Understanding Split Cards
As a split card, Boom // Bust represents two distinct spells on one physical card. While not on the stack, the card has the combined characteristics of both halves, meaning its mana value is 8. However, when you cast it, you choose one side to put onto the stack; only the characteristics of the chosen half exist while the spell is waiting to resolve.
Resolving the Spells
When casting Boom, you must choose two targets: one land you control and one land you don't control. If one target becomes illegal before resolution (for example, if a land is sacrificed in response), the remaining target is still destroyed. Bust is much simpler, as it does not target; it simply destroys all lands currently on the battlefield upon resolution.
Common Pitfalls
A frequent mistake involves mana value checks. If an effect asks for a card with mana value 2 or less from your library, you cannot choose Boom // Bust because its combined mana value is 8. Additionally, remember that you cannot cast both halves at the same time; you must choose to cast either Boom for two mana or Bust for six mana.
Strategic Timing
Boom is best utilized when you have a land that provides value upon being destroyed or when you can target a 'fetch land' and activate it in response. Bust is a powerful finisher for decks that can establish a dominant creature presence and then remove the opponent's ability to cast spells like Blasphemous Act or All Is Dust to stabilize.
Interaction examples
You cast the Boom half of the card for one red and one generic mana. You target your own Mountain and your opponent's Gaea's Cradle. Upon resolution, both lands are destroyed, potentially cutting off your opponent's primary source of mana.
Blasphemous ActIf your opponent has a massive army, they might cast Blasphemous Act to clear the board. If you follow up on your turn by casting the Bust half, you destroy all lands, ensuring they cannot easily rebuild their board state or cast another high-cost spell.
All Is DustYou cast the Bust half to destroy all lands, which are typically colorless. Later, if your opponent uses All Is Dust, your Boom // Bust card in the graveyard is safe because it is a red card and All Is Dust only forces the sacrifice of colored permanents.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Boom // Bust
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you copy a spell that's half of a split card, the copy copies that same half. For example, if you copy Assault, the copy is also Assault, not Battery.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
To cast a split card, choose one of its halves to cast. There's no way to cast both halves of this split card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Split cards have two card faces on a single card. The characteristics of the half you didn't cast are ignored while the spell is on the stack.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Each split card is a single card. For example, if you discard a split card, you've discarded one card, not two. If an effect counts the number of sorcery cards in your graveyard, Assault // Battery counts once, not twice.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Each split card has two names. If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose one of those names, but not both.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
A split card's characteristics are a combination of its two halves while it is not on the stack. For example, Assault // Battery has a mana value of 5 while it is in your library. If an effect allows you to search your library for a card with mana value 4 or less, you can't find Assault // Battery.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect allows you to cast a spell with certain characteristics, consider only the characteristics of the half you're casting. For example, if an effect allows you to cast a sorcery spell with mana value 2 or less from among cards in your graveyard, you could cast Assault this way, but not Battery.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If one of Boom's targets becomes an illegal target, the other is still destroyed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Boom // Bust
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