Charge of the Mites 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
Choose one — • Charge of the Mites deals damage equal to the number of creatures you control to target creature or planeswalker. • Create two 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature tokens with toxic 1 and "This token can't block." (Players dealt combat damage by them also get a poison counter.)
Complete guide
Charge of the Mites is a versatile white instant from the Phyrexia: All Will Be One set that offers utility or board presence. Whether you need to remove a threat or build an army of toxic attackers, this card adapts to your current battlefield needs.
Choosing Your Mode
When you cast Charge of the Mites, you must choose one of two options. The first mode acts as removal, dealing damage based on your creature count to a creature or planeswalker. The second mode provides two 1/1 Phyrexian Mite tokens. Because it is an instant, you can wait until the end of an opponent's turn or use it as a combat trick to surprise an attacker.
Resolution and Targeting
If you choose the damage mode, you must select a target creature or planeswalker as you cast the spell. The amount of damage is calculated only when the spell resolves, not when you cast it. If you choose the token mode, the spell does not target anything, and you simply put two 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature tokens onto the battlefield. These tokens have toxic 1 and the restriction that they cannot block.
Understanding Toxic and Mite Limitations
The Phyrexian Mites created by this spell cannot be used for defense, as their ability specifically states they cannot block. However, their toxic 1 ability is a powerful offensive tool. When a Mite deals combat damage to a player, that player receives a poison counter in addition to the 1 damage. Note that toxic only triggers on combat damage to players; it does not apply if the Mite deals damage to a creature or planeswalker.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is miscounting damage for the first mode. If your opponent destroys one of your creatures in response to Charge of the Mites, the spell will deal less damage than you initially planned when it finally resolves. Also, remember that the damage is noncombat damage, meaning it will not result in poison counters even if you control creatures with toxic.
Interaction examples
Phyrexian MiteIf you control three Phyrexian Mite tokens and cast Charge of the Mites choosing the first mode, the spell will deal 3 damage to the target. If you create more tokens before the spell resolves, the damage will increase accordingly.
Generous GiftIf an opponent targets one of your important permanents with Generous Gift, you can cast Charge of the Mites in response to create two tokens. This ensures you still have a board presence even after your permanent is destroyed.
Teferi's ProtectionIf you cast Teferi's Protection, your creatures phase out and are treated as though they don't exist. If you then cast Charge of the Mites choosing the first mode, it will deal 0 damage because you currently control zero creatures on the battlefield.
Poison CounterYou use the second mode to create two Mites. If both Mites attack and are not blocked, the opponent takes 2 damage and receives 2 Poison Counters. Once a player reaches 10 Poison Counters, they lose the game immediately as a state-based action.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Charge of the Mites
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action and doesn't use the stack. In other words, it happens immediately and players can't respond to it, just like a player losing the game due to having 0 or less life.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Toxic doesn't change the amount of combat damage a creature deals. For example, if a 2/2 creature with toxic 1 deals combat damage to a player, that creature will deal 2 damage. The results of that damage are the player loses 2 life and gets a poison counter.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Any other effects of that damage, such as life gain from lifelink, still apply.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature with toxic deals combat damage to a creature or planeswalker, or if it deals noncombat damage, toxic has no effect and no player gets poison counters.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Damage dealt by a creature with toxic grants the same number of counters regardless of how much damage is dealt. Notably, if a replacement effect modifies the damage in some way (such as that of Gratuitous Violence), the number of counters given remains unchanged.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Conversely, replacement effects that apply to the number of counters put on a player can modify the counters placed this way. For example, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider's last two abilities can apply to counters placed this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Multiple instances of toxic are cumulative. For example, if a creature has toxic 2 and gains toxic 1 due to another effect, combat damage that creature deals to a player will cause that player to get 3 poison counters.
Card named in this ruling
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Meta decks with Charge of the Mites
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