Breath of MalfegorHow it works & interactions with other cards

Unpacking the Damage

When you cast Breath of Malfegor, you are targeting your opponents' life totals directly. Because it says 'each opponent,' it does not target specific players, meaning it can bypass effects like Hexproof or Shroud that might protect an individual player. In a standard four-player game, this single card can deal a total of 15 damage across the table for just five mana.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you pay the mana cost of three generic, one black, and one red mana to put the spell on the stack. Once it resolves, the spell checks who your current opponents are. It then deals 5 damage to each of them simultaneously. This is a one-time damage event, so any 'whenever a player loses life' triggers will see all the damage happening at once.

Timing and Strategy

As an instant, Breath of Malfegor is best saved for the end of an opponent's turn or in response to a life-gain spell. Common mistakes include casting it too early when you need to keep mana open for interaction. Since it doesn't affect the board state, make sure you aren't leaving yourself vulnerable to an attack by tapping out.

Interaction examples

Fueling the Fire

Big Score

If you are short on the necessary colors for Breath of Malfegor, you can cast Big Score first. By discarding a card and drawing two, you create two Treasure tokens. These Treasures can then be sacrificed to provide the specific Black or Red mana needed to cast Breath of Malfegor on your opponent's end step.

Clearing the Path

Deadly Rollick

Breath of Malfegor is a great finisher, but it doesn't protect you from creatures. If an opponent has a lethal blocker or an annoying utility creature, you can use Deadly Rollick for zero mana (if you control your commander) to exile that threat before or after resolving Breath of Malfegor to ensure the game state remains in your favor.