Feedback BoltHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Feedback Bolt targets a single player or planeswalker and deals damage to them. The amount of damage is not fixed; instead, it scales dynamically based on the number of artifacts you have on the battlefield. This includes everything from artifact creatures and equipment to non-creature tokens like Treasures, Food, or Clues.

How it Resolves Step by Step

When you cast Feedback Bolt, you choose your target player or planeswalker. The spell then waits on the stack. Crucially, the game does not check how many artifacts you have until the moment the spell actually resolves. If your opponent destroys one of your artifacts in response to the spell, the damage will be lower. Conversely, if you create more artifacts while the spell is on the stack, the damage will increase. Once resolution begins, you count your current artifacts and the damage is dealt simultaneously.

Common Mistakes

One common error is sacrificing Treasure tokens to pay for Feedback Bolt's mana cost and expecting them to count toward the damage total. Since the spell counts artifacts during resolution, any Treasure you sacrifice to produce the five mana required will no longer be on the battlefield to be counted. Additionally, remember that Feedback Bolt cannot target creatures; it is strictly limited to players and planeswalkers.

When to Play it

This card is best utilized as a 'burn' finisher after you have established a wide board state of artifacts. It is particularly effective in response to board wipes that don't hit artifacts, or after a massive turn of generating tokens. Because it is an instant, you can cast it at the end of your opponent's turn to catch them off guard.

Interaction examples

Stacking the Treasures

Big Score

You cast Big Score, discarding a card and creating two Treasure tokens. Once Big Score resolves and those tokens are on the battlefield, you cast Feedback Bolt. Because you waited for Big Score to resolve, those two new Treasures are counted toward the total damage dealt to your target.

Sequencing for Maximum Damage

Unexpected Windfall

If you have three artifacts and cast Unexpected Windfall, you will have five artifacts after it resolves. If you then cast Feedback Bolt, it will deal 5 damage. However, if you cast Feedback Bolt first and then cast Unexpected Windfall in response, the Windfall will resolve first, creating the Treasures just in time for Feedback Bolt to count them during its own resolution.