Crash ThroughHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Crash Through serves two primary purposes: granting trample to your entire board and replacing itself in your hand. When the spell resolves, every creature you currently control gains trample until the end of the turn. This keyword allows your creatures to deal excess damage to the defending player or planeswalker after dealing lethal damage to blockers. The second part of the spell allows you to draw a card, which is essential for thinning your deck and finding more threats.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you cast Crash Through by paying its mana cost of one red mana. Once it resolves, the game checks which creatures you control at that exact moment. Those specific creatures gain trample for the remainder of the turn. Finally, you draw a card from your library. Note that because the card draw is part of the spell's resolution, if the spell is countered, you do not get to draw.

Common Mistakes

A frequent error is assuming Crash Through applies to creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn. The trample effect is locked in only for creatures you control as the spell resolves. If you play a creature after casting Crash Through, that new creature will not have trample. Additionally, you do not need to control any creatures to cast this; you can play it purely as a one-mana 'cantrip' just to draw a card and trigger abilities.

When to Play It

The best time to cast Crash Through is usually during your first main phase before you declare attackers, ensuring your creatures have trample for combat. However, in decks that care about the number of spells cast, such as those utilizing Prowess, you might cast it simply to grow your creatures and dig deeper into your deck for answers like Vandalblast.

Interaction examples

Clearing the Way

Vandalblast

If your opponent has an artifact creature blocking your path, you can use Vandalblast to destroy it. Afterward, you can cast Crash Through to ensure your remaining attackers can trample over any other small tokens your opponent might have, while drawing a card to replace the Crash Through you just played.

Digging for Answers

Faithless Looting

In a scenario where you have no creatures on board, you can cast Crash Through for one red mana just to draw a card. If that card is Faithless Looting, you can then cast it to see two more cards, effectively digging three cards deep into your library for a single turn's investment of two mana.

Maximum Trample Value

With three creatures on the battlefield, you cast Crash Through. Upon resolution, all three creatures gain trample. Even if one of those creatures is later destroyed before combat, the others retain trample until the turn ends. You then draw a card to continue your turn.