Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 1

If you discard a card as a cost to cast a spell or activate an ability, Brallin's middle ability resolves before that spell or ability but after you've chosen targets for it. If you discard a card while a spell or ability is resolving, that spell or ability finishes resolving before Brallin's triggered ability does.'

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 2

Brallin's middle ability gives it only one +1/+1 counter each time it resolves, no matter how many opponents are dealt damage.

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 3

Brallin's middle ability deals 1 damage to each opponent even if you can't put a +1/+1 counter on Brallin, most likely because Brallin has left the battlefield.

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 4

"Partner with [name]" represents two abilities. The first is a triggered ability: "When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named [name], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle their library."

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 5

Note that the target player searches their library (which may be affected by effects such as that of Stranglehold) and that the card they find is revealed, even though these words aren't included in the ability's reminder text.

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 6

The second ability represented by the "partner with [name]" keyword modifies the rules for deck construction in the Commander variant and has no function outside of that variant. If a legendary creature card with "partner with [name]" is designated as your commander, the named legendary creature card can also be designated as your commander.

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 7

If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Haldan and Pako are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with blue, red, and/or green in their color identity, but not cards with white or black.

Brallin, Skyshark Rider — ruling 8

Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards of your deck are shuffled to become your library.

Brallin, Skyshark Rider : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Brallin, Skyshark Rider 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

Partner with Shabraz, the Skyshark (When this creature enters, target player may put Shabraz into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) Whenever you discard a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Brallin and it deals 1 damage to each opponent. : Target Shark gains trample until end of turn.

Complete guide

Meet Brallin, Skyshark Rider, a legendary Human Shaman who excels at turning every discarded card into a double-edged threat. Paired with his shark companion, he grows stronger and punishes opponents simultaneously, making him a powerhouse in discard-focused strategies. Whether you are cycling through your deck or paying costs, Brallin ensures your opponents feel the burn.

A Perfect Partnership

Brallin features the 'Partner with' keyword, specifically naming Shabraz, the Skyshark. When Brallin enters the battlefield, you may have a target player search their library for Shabraz, reveal it, and put it into their hand. In the Commander format, this also allows both legendary creatures to serve as your commanders simultaneously, effectively giving you a 98-card deck and two distinct threats in the command zone.

Damage and Growth Mechanisms

Brallin's main utility comes from his triggered ability: 'Whenever you discard a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Brallin and it deals 1 damage to each opponent.' It is important to note that even if Brallin leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, the damage will still be dealt based on his last known information. However, you only receive one counter per discard, regardless of how many opponents are hit by the damage.

Timing and Resolution

The timing of Brallin's trigger depends on why you are discarding. If you discard a card as a cost to cast a spell, Brallin's ability goes on the stack on top of that spell and resolves first. If an effect causes you to discard during the resolution of a spell (like a draw-and-discard effect), the spell must finish resolving completely before Brallin's trigger can even be placed on the stack.

Common Pitfalls

A frequent mistake involves Commander damage; remember that damage dealt by Brallin's triggered ability is non-combat damage and does not count toward the 21 commander combat damage needed to eliminate a player. Additionally, if you discard multiple cards at once (such as discarding down to your hand size), Brallin triggers once for each individual card discarded, creating a separate stack entry for every single one.

Interaction examples

The Dynamic Duo

Shabraz, the Skyshark

With both on the battlefield, any effect that causes you to 'draw, then discard' creates a powerful chain. First, drawing a card triggers Shabraz, the Skyshark to gain a +1/+1 counter and heal you for 1 life. Then, discarding a card triggers Brallin, Skyshark Rider to gain a +1/+1 counter and deal 1 damage to each opponent. You can then use Brallin's ability for {R} to give Shabraz trample, or Shabraz's ability for {W/U} to give Brallin flying, making them nearly unstoppable.

Doubling the Shamanic Power

Roaming Throne

If you cast Roaming Throne and choose 'Human' as the creature type, it will interact with Brallin. Now, whenever you discard a single card, Brallin's ability triggers an additional time because of the Throne. This results in Brallin receiving two +1/+1 counters and dealing a total of 2 damage to each opponent for every card you discard.

Simple Value Generation

Solemn Simulacrum

While Solemn Simulacrum doesn't discard cards directly, its death trigger allows you to draw a card. If that draw causes you to exceed your maximum hand size at the end of your turn, you must discard down to your hand size during the cleanup step. Each card discarded this way will trigger Brallin, allowing you to grow your commander and chip away at your opponents' life totals just by managing your resources.

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

How it works : Brallin, Skyshark Rider

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If you discard a card as a cost to cast a spell or activate an ability, Brallin's middle ability resolves before that spell or ability but after you've chosen targets for it. If you discard a card while a spell or ability is resolving, that spell or ability finishes resolving before Brallin's triggered ability does.'
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Brallin's middle ability gives it only one +1/+1 counter each time it resolves, no matter how many opponents are dealt damage.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Brallin's middle ability deals 1 damage to each opponent even if you can't put a +1/+1 counter on Brallin, most likely because Brallin has left the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
"Partner with [name]" represents two abilities. The first is a triggered ability: "When this permanent enters the battlefield, target player may search their library for a card named [name], reveal it, put it into their hand, then shuffle their library."
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Note that the target player searches their library (which may be affected by effects such as that of Stranglehold) and that the card they find is revealed, even though these words aren't included in the ability's reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
The second ability represented by the "partner with [name]" keyword modifies the rules for deck construction in the Commander variant and has no function outside of that variant. If a legendary creature card with "partner with [name]" is designated as your commander, the named legendary creature card can also be designated as your commander.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Haldan and Pako are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with blue, red, and/or green in their color identity, but not cards with white or black.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
A creature with a "partner with" ability can't partner with any creature other than its designated partner. Losing a partner ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from one of them, not from both of them combined. Command Beacon's effect puts one into your hand from the command zone, not both.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#11April 17, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
The triggered ability of the "partner with" keyword still triggers in a Commander game. If your other commander has somehow ended up in your library, you can find it. You can also target another player who might have that card in their library.
No other card is named in this ruling.

Popular combos

Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.

#1
Brallin, Skyshark Rider + Curiosity
Infinite card drawInfinite draw triggersNear-infinite +1/+1 counters on a creatureNear-infinite damage
1During your cleanup step, discard to your maximum hand size.
2Brallin triggers for each card discarded, getting a +1/+1 counter and dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
3Curiosity triggers, causing you to draw a card for each damage dealt.
4Pass priority, moving to an additional cleanup step.
5Repeat until you have no cards left in library or have won the game.

#1
Brallin, Skyshark Rider + Curiosity
Infinite card drawInfinite draw triggersNear-infinite +1/+1 counters on a creatureNear-infinite damage
1During your cleanup step, discard to your maximum hand size.
2Brallin triggers for each card discarded, getting a +1/+1 counter and dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
3Curiosity triggers, causing you to draw a card for each damage dealt.
4Pass priority, moving to an additional cleanup step.
5Repeat until you have no cards left in library or have won the game.

#2
Brallin, Skyshark Rider + Ophidian Eye
Infinite card drawInfinite draw triggersNear-infinite +1/+1 counters on a creatureNear-infinite damage
1During your cleanup step, discard to your maximum hand size.
2Brallin triggers for each card discarded, getting a +1/+1 counter and dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
3Ophidian Eye triggers, causing you to draw a card for each damage dealt.
4Pass priority, moving to an additional cleanup step.
5Repeat until you have no cards left in library or have won the game.

#3
Brallin, Skyshark Rider + Tandem Lookout
Infinite card drawInfinite draw triggersNear-infinite +1/+1 counters on a creatureNear-infinite damage
1During your cleanup step, discard to your maximum hand size.
2Brallin triggers for each card discarded, getting a +1/+1 counter and dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
3Brallin's ability from Tandem Lookout triggers, causing you to draw a card for each damages done to each opponent.
4Pass priority, moving to an additional cleanup step.
5Repeat.

#4
Brallin, Skyshark Rider + Keen Sense
Infinite card drawInfinite draw triggersNear-infinite +1/+1 counters on a creatureNear-infinite damage
1During your cleanup step, discard to your maximum hand size.
2Brallin triggers for each card discarded, getting a +1/+1 counter and dealing 1 damage to each opponent.
3Keen Sense triggers, causing you to draw a card for each damage dealt.
4Pass priority, moving to an additional cleanup step.
5Repeat until you have no cards left in library or have won the game.

#5
Brallin, Skyshark Rider + Change of Fortune + Reiterate + Grafted Exoskeleton
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Change of Fortune by paying .
2Holding priority, cast Reiterate by paying , creating a copy of Change of Fortune.
3Resolve the copy of Change of Fortune, discarding your hand and drawing cards equal to the number of cards you've discarded this turn.
4Brallin triggers for each card discarded, putting that many +1/+1 counters on itself and giving each opponent that many poison counters.
5Resolve the original Change of Fortune, discarding your hand and drawing cards equal to the number of cards you've discarded this turn.
6Brallin triggers for each card discarded, putting that many +1/+1 counters on itself and giving each opponent that many poison counters.
7Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters.

#7
Benthic Biomancer + Archangel of Thune + Brallin, Skyshark Rider
Near-infinite damageInfinite self-discard triggersNear-infinite lifegainNear-infinite lifegain triggers
1Put a +1/+1 counter on Benthic Biomancer.
2Benthic Biomancer triggers, causing you to loot.
3Brallin triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it, dealing 1 damage to each opponent and causing you to gain life.
4Archangel of Thune triggers putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
5Repeat from step 2.

#7
Benthic Biomancer + Archangel of Thune + Brallin, Skyshark Rider
Near-infinite damageInfinite self-discard triggersNear-infinite lifegainNear-infinite lifegain triggers
1Put a +1/+1 counter on Benthic Biomancer.
2Benthic Biomancer triggers, causing you to loot.
3Brallin triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it, dealing 1 damage to each opponent and causing you to gain life.
4Archangel of Thune triggers putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
5Repeat from step 2.

Interactions with other cards

These cards' text mentions Brallin, Skyshark Rider.

Shabraz, the Skyshark

Partner with Brallin, Skyshark Rider Flying Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Shabraz and you gain 1 life. {W/U}: Target Human gains flying until end of turn.