Cacophony Scamp 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
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) When this creature dies, it deals damage equal to its power to any target.
Complete guide
Cacophony Scamp is a cheap, aggressive red creature that packs a massive punch for its size. This Phyrexian Goblin Warrior is a powerhouse in poison and +1/+1 counter decks because it can multiply counters and deal damage based on its power when it dies.
What It Does
Cacophony Scamp has two distinct abilities. First, when it deals combat damage to a player, you can choose to sacrifice it to Proliferate. Second, whenever it dies—whether you sacrificed it or it was destroyed—it deals damage equal to its power to any target. This means if you sacrifice it after it hits a player, you trigger its death ability immediately.
How It Resolves Step by Step
When Cacophony Scamp deals combat damage to a player, its first ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution, you decide whether to sacrifice it. If you do, the Proliferate effect happens immediately without anyone being able to respond between the sacrifice and the counter placement. Once it is sacrificed, the second ability triggers, asking you to choose a target. The game checks the Scamp's power at the moment it was last on the battlefield to determine how much damage it deals.
Common Mistakes
A common error is trying to Proliferate on cards that aren't on the battlefield; remember, Proliferate only affects players and permanents. Also, keep in mind that if you choose to Proliferate on a target with multiple types of counters, you must add one of each kind—you cannot pick and choose just one type. Finally, ensure you calculate its power after any buffs, as the death damage scales with its current stats.
When to Play It
Play Cacophony Scamp in decks where you can reliably boost its power or where you already have counters (like Poison or Oil counters) on the board. Since it is a one-drop, it is an excellent early-game threat that forces opponents to make difficult blocking decisions, as killing it might still result in them taking significant damage.
Interaction examples
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf you use Ornithopter of Paradise to produce mana for a pump spell on Cacophony Scamp, increasing its power to 5, and then it deals combat damage to a player, you can sacrifice it. You will Proliferate any existing counters, and the death trigger will then deal an additional 5 damage to any target, potentially finishing off your opponent.
Ragavan, Nimble PilfererIn an aggressive opening, if you have both Cacophony Scamp and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer on the field, your opponent faces two high-priority targets. If they use a removal spell on Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, they still have to deal with the Scamp. If they block and kill the Scamp, you can target a small blocker or the opponent directly with its death trigger to keep the pressure high.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Cacophony Scamp
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You choose whether to sacrifice Cacophony Scamp as its first ability resolves. No player may respond between the time you sacrifice it and the time you proliferate.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
To proliferate, you can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can choose any player who has a counter, including opponents. You can't choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You don't have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter, only the ones you want to add another counter to. Since "any number" includes zero, you don't have to choose any permanents at all, and you don't have to choose any players at all.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter on it, and you choose for it to get additional counters, it must get one of each kind of counter it already has. You can't have it get just one kind of counter it already has and not the others.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that triggers "Whenever you proliferate" triggers even if you chose no permanents or players while doing so.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it's too late for anyone to respond.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
If a permanent ever has both +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it at the same time, they're removed in pairs as a state-based action so that the permanent has only one of those kinds of counters on it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Cacophony Scamp
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