Collateral Damage 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
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature. Collateral Damage deals 3 damage to any target.
Complete guide
Collateral Damage is a high-impact red instant that offers a Lightning Bolt-style effect at a low mana cost, provided you have a creature to spare. This card is a staple for aggressive decks looking to turn a blocked or dying creature into direct damage to finish off an opponent or clear a threat.
How Additional Costs Work
Collateral Damage requires you to sacrifice a creature as part of its casting process. This is an additional cost, meaning you must pay it at the same time you pay the single red mana. Because the sacrifice happens during the casting, the creature is already in the graveyard by the time the spell officially hits the stack and becomes visible to your opponent.
Resolution Step by Step
First, you announce the spell and choose a target for the 3 damage. Next, you pay the costs by tapping a red source and sacrificing exactly one creature. Once these are paid, the spell is considered 'cast,' and players may respond. Finally, if the target is still legal when the spell resolves, Collateral Damage deals 3 damage to that target.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is trying to 'save' a creature that was dealt lethal damage in combat; if a creature's toughness reaches zero from damage, it is destroyed by state-based actions before you get priority to cast an instant. Additionally, note that your opponent cannot use a spell to destroy your creature in response to you casting this; by the time they can act, the creature is already gone.
When to Cast
The best time to cast this is in response to an opponent's removal spell. If they target your creature with a spell to destroy it, you can cast Collateral Damage, sacrificing that creature to get 3 damage out of a permanent you were about to lose anyway.
Interaction examples
AbradeIf your opponent casts Abrade targeting your creature, you can cast Collateral Damage in response. You sacrifice the targeted creature as a cost. When Abrade tries to resolve, its target is gone, and it fails to resolve, while your Collateral Damage still deals its 3 damage.
Lightning BoltWhile Lightning Bolt deals the same 3 damage for one red mana, Collateral Damage is balanced by its sacrifice requirement. Unlike Lightning Bolt, you cannot cast Collateral Damage on an empty board, as the sacrifice is mandatory and cannot be skipped.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Collateral Damage
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If you sacrifice an attacking or blocking creature during the declare blockers step, it won’t deal combat damage. If you wait until the combat damage step, but that creature is dealt lethal damage, it’ll be destroyed before you get a chance to sacrifice it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you can’t cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you can’t sacrifice additional creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Players can respond to Collateral Damage only after it’s been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to stop you from casting this spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Collateral Damage
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.