Eightfold Maze 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
Cast this spell only during the declare attackers step and only if you've been attacked this step. Destroy target attacking creature.
Complete guide
Eightfold Maze is a situational but powerful removal spell that punishes opponents for being aggressive. While it is restricted to a specific phase of the game, it offers an efficient way to deal with the most threatening creatures on the board. This guide will help you understand the timing constraints and targeting flexibility of this white instant.
Understanding the Cast Condition
Eightfold Maze has two strict requirements for casting: it must be the declare attackers step, and at least one creature must have been declared as attacking you specifically. If an opponent attacks only your planeswalkers or other players in a multiplayer game, the condition is not met. However, once the condition is met by a single creature attacking you, the spell can then target any attacking creature on the battlefield, regardless of who or what that creature is attacking.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, wait for your opponent to finish declaring all their attackers. If any creature is attacking you, you gain the priority needed to cast Eightfold Maze. You choose a target attacking creature and pay the mana cost. Upon resolution, the spell destroys the target, removing it from combat and sending it to the graveyard. This all happens before the declare blockers step, meaning you can destroy a creature before you even have to decide how to block.
Common Pitfalls
The most common mistake is attempting to cast this spell during the declare blockers step or the combat damage step. Because the card explicitly states it can only be cast during the declare attackers step, you lose your window of opportunity once that step ends. Additionally, remember that 'attacking you' does not include your planeswalkers; if a creature is headed for your Teferi, it does not enable Eightfold Maze on its own.
When to Play Eightfold Maze
The best time to use Eightfold Maze is when an opponent commits their most dangerous threat to an attack. Since it only costs three mana, it is often a mana-efficient trade against high-cost commanders or massive creatures. It is particularly useful in decks that want to bait opponents into attacking so they can thin out the opponent's board presence.
Interaction examples
Generous GiftIf an opponent attacks you with a creature and another creature attacks your planeswalker, you can cast Eightfold Maze targeting either one. If the opponent tries to save their creature by using Generous Gift on Eightfold Maze, the spell is countered and you won't destroy the creature, but you will get a 3/3 Elephant token instead.
Teferi's ProtectionImagine an opponent attacks you with a lethal army. You can cast Eightfold Maze during the declare attackers step to destroy their most problematic creature. Then, still in the declare attackers step, you can cast Teferi's Protection to ensure your life total doesn't change and your permanents phase out, leaving your opponent's remaining attackers with nothing to damage.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Eightfold Maze
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If all the attacking creatures attack your planeswalkers, you can’t cast Eightfold Maze. To cast it, a creature needs to have attacked _you_.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If you’re able to cast Eightfold Maze, it can target any attacking creature (including one attacking a planeswalker).
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Eightfold Maze
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.