Culling Scales 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
At the beginning of your upkeep, destroy target nonland permanent with the lowest mana value. (If two or more permanents are tied for lowest, target any one of them.)
Complete guide
Culling Scales is a relentless artifact that systematically eliminates the smallest threats on the battlefield turn after turn. While it is a powerful tool for controlling the board, its indiscriminate nature means players must be careful not to let it consume their own assets. Mastering this card requires a keen understanding of mana values and timing.
What It Does
Culling Scales features a triggered ability that fires at the beginning of your upkeep. It forces you to target a nonland permanent with the lowest mana value currently on the battlefield. If there are multiple permanents tied for the lowest mana value, you get to choose which one to target, but you must target something if a legal target exists.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When your upkeep begins, the ability triggers and you must select a target. You check all nonland permanents to find the lowest mana value (often 0 or 1). You then place the ability on the stack. Upon resolution, the game checks the mana value again. If the target no longer has the lowest mana value among nonland permanents, the ability is removed from the stack and does nothing. If it still qualifies, the permanent is destroyed.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is forgetting that Culling Scales can target itself. Since it is a nonland permanent with a mana value of 3, it will be forced to destroy itself if no other nonland permanents with a mana value of 3 or less are on the battlefield. Additionally, players often forget that mana value is checked twice: once when targeting and once on resolution. If an opponent flashes in a lower-cost permanent in response, the target may no longer be valid.
When to Play It
This artifact excels in decks that focus on high-cost spells or those that can reliably generate higher mana value tokens. It is particularly effective against aggressive decks that rely on low-cost creatures or decks that utilize many 0-mana tokens, as it will clear those before moving on to larger threats.
Interaction examples
Arcane Signet
Swiftfoot BootsIf the only nonland permanents on the battlefield are Arcane Signet and Swiftfoot Boots, both have a mana value of 2. Because they are tied for the lowest mana value, the controller of Culling Scales chooses which one to target and destroy during their upkeep.
Suppose your Arcane Signet is the lowest mana value permanent at the start of your upkeep. You target it with Culling Scales. If you have a way to put a 0-mana or 1-mana nonland permanent onto the battlefield before the ability resolves, Arcane Signet will no longer have the lowest mana value. The ability will fail to resolve, and your Signet will be safe.
If the battlefield is empty except for Culling Scales, the lowest mana value among nonland permanents is 3 (the Scales itself). Because it is a legal target for its own ability, it must target itself and will be destroyed when the ability resolves.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Culling Scales
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You choose the target. If there's more than one nonland permanent tied for lowest mana value, you choose which one to target.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If the targeted permanent doesn't have the lowest mana value when the ability resolves, the ability doesn't resolve and the permanent isn't destroyed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Most tokens have a mana value of 0. A token that's a copy of another permanent or card has a mana value equal to that permanent or card's mana value.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If the lowest mana value is 3, Culling Scales can destroy itself.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Culling Scales
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