Feed the Swarm 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
Destroy target creature or enchantment an opponent controls. You lose life equal to that permanent's mana value.
Complete guide
Black has historically struggled to deal with enchantments, but Feed the Swarm has changed the game by offering a flexible, budget-friendly removal option. This sorcery allows black mages to take out pesky creatures or enchantments at the cost of their own life. It is a staple in Commander and other formats where versatility is key.
What It Does
Feed the Swarm is a targeted removal spell that can hit two different card types: creatures and enchantments. However, you can only target permanents controlled by an opponent. When the spell resolves, the permanent is destroyed, and you lose life equal to the destroyed permanent's mana value.
Resolution Step by Step
First, you cast Feed the Swarm and choose a legal target creature or enchantment controlled by an opponent. When it resolves, the game checks if the target is still legal. If the target is gone or has gained Hexproof, the spell fails and you lose no life. If the target is legal, it is destroyed. Finally, you lose life based on the mana value the permanent had while it was on the battlefield.
Indestructible and Life Loss
A common point of confusion involves Indestructible permanents. If you target a permanent with Indestructible, Feed the Swarm will resolve and try to destroy it. Even though the permanent stays on the battlefield, the spell has successfully resolved, meaning you still lose life equal to its mana value.
When to Play It
Because Feed the Swarm is a sorcery, you cannot use it as a combat trick or in response to an opponent's spell on their turn. Use it during your main phase to clear blockers or remove problematic enchantments like Rest in Peace or Rhystic Study that are hindering your strategy.
Interaction examples
Demonic TutorIf your opponent uses Demonic Tutor to find a high-cost creature and plays it, you can cast Feed the Swarm on your next turn to destroy it. If the creature cost 5 mana, you will lose 5 life as the spell resolves.
ReanimateIf you use Reanimate to bring a creature from a graveyard to your battlefield, you lose life equal to its mana value. If an opponent later gains control of that creature and you choose to destroy it with Feed the Swarm, you will effectively have paid that creature's mana value in life twice throughout the game.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Feed the Swarm
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a permanent on the battlefield has
in its mana cost, X is 0 for the purpose of determining its mana value.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The amount of life you lose is determined by the permanent's mana value as it last existed on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Feed the Swarm tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. You don't lose any life. If the target is legal but not destroyed (most likely because it has indestructible), you do lose life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Feed the Swarm
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.